A. Here is an overview on my historical UECHI films from 1965 and 1972:

I began study of UECHI Karate under George E. Mattson in September 1961. I opened my own karate school in Providence, RI in September 1963.

Due to my total immersion in the study of Uechi's style I elected to make a personal trip to Okinawa in 1965 to meet, study with and film the master. That trip began in November 1965, the day after the famous Northeast blackout.
At my own expense, I had bought a Bolex professional 16 mm camera with electric motor and zoom lenses. The camera had slow motion capabilities. My total investment was in the thousands of dollars.

Within two weeks of my departure, George Mattson followed me to Okinawa, knowing I was to find out things that would he would have difficulty answering to before his students. His intent was to explain his position and to implore me to allow him a chance to make gradual adjustments in his instruction in order to save face before his students. Over time I came to agree with his request.

During the visit I took films of virtually everything I deemed important, held only to the constraints of my wallet. Personal video was non-existent. I filmed the master in performance of the key karate exercises, general exercises, demonstrations, and social events. Later that fall, during travel to Taiwan, I filmed a gala demonstration of Chinese Kung-Fu at which Master Uechi and I were honored guests.

As Japanese customs was always suspicious of pornographic films being brought into the country, I was worried that my exposed but undeveloped film would be at risk. Therefore, I elected to have the film processed in Okinawa. At my own expense, I gave one copy to Master Uechi and one copy to George Mattson as an gesture of honor to each with the understanding that I would hold sole ownership to market the films if and when I wished to.

In 1972, I returned to Okinawa to film the 25th anniversary gala demonstration commemorating the master's late father, Kanbum Uechi, who died in 1947.

These are the films in question, dated 1965 and 1972, which I had mastered on video and copyrighted (United States Copyright Office Registration Number: PAU 1 392 662 dated July 18, 1990). I suspect that the copy of the films given to George Mattson were stolen or "borrowed" by an early peer student by the name of Robert Moorman. Mr. Moorman ended up in California in the 1970's and began teaching in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, just north of San Diego. His principal student Rod Mindlin "inherited" the school and the "stolen" films which I understand "were on the shelf."

I suspect, following the master's death in 1991, Mr. Mindlin saw an opportunity to market the films in his possession (possibly not knowing their source). He made a video copy and advertised in the various karate magazines. His sale price was just under $40.

No older film exists documenting the key forms of UECHI as performed by Master Uechi. These films are truly historical in nature. By virtue of Mr. Mindlin's effort to market films he knew were clearly not his, he holds himself at risk, legally. No other comparable films on Uechi exist in the world today and never will.

Incidentally, there are more films. I filmed my 1976 trip to Okinawa in color sound.

I ask that all honest and respectable martial arts people "turn their backs" on the many copies of my films that are being marketed at below quality standards. I have in my possession the originals (negatives) of these films as well as the copyright. I am working on having these films available to all honorable martial artists who are interested in FIRST QUALITY video. A voice-over will support the video by its author. The copies that are now in circulation are of poor quality since they are not being copied from my original but from a copy of my original.