Member Killer Meteor Posted March 17, 2013 Member Share Posted March 17, 2013 I can't tell if this is supposed to be taking the piss out of the late 80s/early 90s Japanophobia and the homoerotic nature of action flicks but...sushi on nude women! What next? Dolph Lundgren is a (cough) samurai Brandon Lee is a (cough) Japanese Tia Carrere is (cough) nude. And Pat Johnson is no Sammo. Astoundingly, this was a major studio theatrical release. Was it successful? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member sifu iron perm Posted March 17, 2013 Member Share Posted March 17, 2013 i remember me running to the video shop to rent this out..i was 13/14 at the time. Was there an uncut version? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Killer Meteor Posted March 18, 2013 Author Member Share Posted March 18, 2013 i remember me running to the video shop to rent this out..i was 13/14 at the time. Was there an uncut version? US and UK versions are cut AFAIK, the Australian dvd is uncut and widescreen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member gwailosforever Posted March 18, 2013 Member Share Posted March 18, 2013 I love this film. I too remember renting this when it first came out. Loved it then and still love it now. Here in the UK it went straight to VHS (although I know it had one cinema screening in Birmingham as part of a double bill with 'Pedicab Driver'). In the States it had a full theatrical release. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member gwailosforever Posted March 18, 2013 Member Share Posted March 18, 2013 Original theatrical trailer hLgTzyrwFiM&hd=1 Some rare behind the scenes footage 6JY99FS8638 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member sifu iron perm Posted March 18, 2013 Member Share Posted March 18, 2013 US and UK versions are cut AFAIK, the Australian dvd is uncut and widescreen. i knew it..another american samurai?As in cut-wise? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Markgway Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 European DVDs are uncut, too. Film is trash, but perversely watchable if you're in the right frame of mind(lessness). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member spannick Posted March 18, 2013 Member Share Posted March 18, 2013 US Cuts: http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=285727 UK Cuts: http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=462286 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member sifu iron perm Posted March 18, 2013 Member Share Posted March 18, 2013 US Cuts: http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=285727 UK Cuts: http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=462286 mucho gracias. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted March 18, 2013 Member Share Posted March 18, 2013 Great film. You even get to hear Dolph speak Japanese (with mostly made up subtitles ) sushi on nude women! This is common in Japan. Smutty salarymen with enough money still frequently do it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Killer Meteor Posted March 18, 2013 Author Member Share Posted March 18, 2013 Great film. You even get to hear Dolph speak Japanese (with mostly made up subtitles ) This is common in Japan. Smutty salarymen with enough money still frequently do it. For some reason, I imagine Teru Shimda eating off Karin Dor in You Only Live Twice. Before the piranhas ate her... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member newgen2005 Posted March 18, 2013 Member Share Posted March 18, 2013 The HD version shown on Sky Movies HD (UK) is uncut. I think it was just the butterfly knife bits that were removed from the UK version back in the 90's. Would love to see this get released on blu ray! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member saltysam Posted March 18, 2013 Member Share Posted March 18, 2013 think Tia Carrere used a body double 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Killer Meteor Posted March 18, 2013 Author Member Share Posted March 18, 2013 think Tia Carrere used a body double Yeah. There's a lot of breasts in this movie and I think only Dolph's are actually real! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member gwailosforever Posted March 19, 2013 Member Share Posted March 19, 2013 The HD version shown on Sky Movies HD (UK) is uncut. I think it was just the butterfly knife bits that were removed from the UK version back in the 90's. Would love to see this get released on blu ray! Here is some similar behind-the-scenes: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6JY99FS8638 Agreed a blu-ray release is long overdue. Over the years I've heard various stories about the original opening sequence which was cut. It showed Dolph working with his previous Japanese partner. The film was taken away from Mark L Lester by a dissatisfied Warner Bros and edited without him. They cut out the whole original opening, plus explains the very short running time for the flick. One of the shortest ever for a major Hollywood film if I'm not correct. Sadly any of us seeing the cut footage in the future is highly unlikely 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member gwailosforever Posted March 19, 2013 Member Share Posted March 19, 2013 think Tia Carrere used a body double Yes she used a double. Dolph confirmed it in an interview. Sadly can't remember which one right now! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Killer Meteor Posted March 19, 2013 Author Member Share Posted March 19, 2013 Tia Carrere sings a lovely song at the end of Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm. What was with Dolph's "samurai" outfit? How the heck did they force that on him? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Gaijin84 Posted March 19, 2013 Member Share Posted March 19, 2013 think Tia Carrere used a body double Definitely did, but I think this may be the best Tia ever looked in a movie. She was 24 at the time... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member newgen2005 Posted March 19, 2013 Member Share Posted March 19, 2013 Agreed a blu-ray release is long overdue. Over the years I've heard various stories about the original opening sequence which was cut. It showed Dolph working with his previous Japanese partner. The film was taken away from Mark L Lester by a dissatisfied Warner Bros and edited without him. They cut out the whole original opening, plus explains the very short running time for the flick. One of the shortest ever for a major Hollywood film if I'm not correct. Sadly any of us seeing the cut footage in the future is highly unlikely Hopefully we will get an Ultimate Edition Blu-ray that has the uncut opening!! Well we can at least dream of one!!! I have never heard anything about the cuts you mention, never even seen any serious discussions about the topic. The only stuff I have read is the stuff on IMDB, mainly negatives about the film! But as you say the film must be cut to bits! Never even heard of a workprint, that would be a must see! not sure if one even exists!? I love the film, no sure why it gets so much bad press!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member gwailosforever Posted March 19, 2013 Member Share Posted March 19, 2013 Hopefully we will get an Ultimate Edition Blu-ray that has the uncut opening!! Well we can at least dream of one!!! I have never heard anything about the cuts you mention, never even seen any serious discussions about the topic. The only stuff I have read is the stuff on IMDB, mainly negatives about the film! But as you say the film must be cut to bits! Never even heard of a workprint, that would be a must see! not sure if one even exists!? I love the film, no sure why it gets so much bad press!! Great to hear I'm not alone in appreciating the film. Check out this link for lots of publicity stills and posters http://www.dolph-ultimate.com/gallery/showdown1.html A little bit of info about the cut scenes here http://www.dolph-ultimate.com/dolph-in/showdown.html and here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showdown_in_Little_Tokyo#Cuts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member newgen2005 Posted March 19, 2013 Member Share Posted March 19, 2013 Great to hear I'm not alone in appreciating the film. Check out this link for lots of publicity stills and posters http://www.dolph-ultimate.com/gallery/showdown1.html A little bit of info about the cut scenes here http://www.dolph-ultimate.com/dolph-in/showdown.html and here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showdown_in_Little_Tokyo#Cuts Thanks for the links, I will have a read!! Might be worth us trying to contact Warner Bros to ask them if they are planning to release it on Blu-ray!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Killer Meteor Posted March 19, 2013 Author Member Share Posted March 19, 2013 I think it's a weird film, and it misuses its stars, but it's good fun if you're in the right mood. Warners barely released it at all. I think Dolph could have gone on to a good career. He got a LOT of attention as Drago. It's a shame Masters Of The Universe and The Punisher were made by crumbling studios, and Red Scorpion, entertaining as it is, was a serious mistep. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member gwailosforever Posted March 19, 2013 Member Share Posted March 19, 2013 Yeah outside of America, Mexico, Israel and Italy, Warners released it straight to VHS. It wasn't a huge production budget, plus Warner saved millions not producing many film prints and investing in cinema advertising. That coupled with rental, VHS/DVD sales plus TV rights over the years it must have made a tidy profit. Always loved Dolph. Granted his film career could have been bigger, but I like how humble and grounded here appears to be. Very little ego compared to some other 80s action stars 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Killer Meteor Posted March 19, 2013 Author Member Share Posted March 19, 2013 Another thing: notice in the stills that Dolph has an amazing kick. I don't think you see it in the film once as the camera is too close and the choreography is mostly low kicks and punches. A bit of John Liu style showboating would have been awesome. I saw Lundgren on the Jonathon Ross show the other week. Very pleasant chap. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member sifu iron perm Posted March 19, 2013 Member Share Posted March 19, 2013 the japanese bath scene had mad potential but was pretty well delivered. the banter between lee and dolph was trash..props to brandon for going ahead with the "Big D" comment, lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.