Gymkata (1985)

[Shaolivevil]

I watched Gymkata on Saturday night on the Turner Classic Movies channel. Seen it hundreds of times since I was a kid. Still have it on VHS taped off HBO from back then. We all know this movie has the reputation for being, "So bad it's good" and I agree but I still find it fun and entertaining to this day and it has become a guilty pleasure for me, like with Godfrey Ho/ IFD cut & splice ninja movies. Another thing I love about this movie is the brilliant score by Croatian composer Alfi Kabiljo. It's too bad the soundtrack was never released on any music format. I'd love to get it on CD...

[WangYu]

This movie holds a special place in my heart. Back during my childhood we had a subscription to a movie network that played all kinds of films, stuff that would not be on regular tv. This movie was part of it together with countless other films that have captured my heart back then like for example sheena, hearts and armour, madly in love, Lone wolf McQuade, king kong lives, baby secret if the lost legend, mischief etc. I had them all taped on VHS and watched the hell out of them.

Now in my case nostalgia is a huge factor. When there is something I have loved once I cannot un love it. I know of this movies reputation yet I still enjoy it enormously each time I watch it. This is top entertainment and I feel sad that some people are not able to enjoy this kind of nonsense because that is what it is.

It has the reputation of a cheap B movie but it’s production is pretty darn good. The musical score is riveting, the fight scenes are well staged and executed (not too mention quite original), it doesn’t hold back on violence and squeamish scenes, the locations and make up etc are all top notch and it has Richard Norton who is always delightful as the bad guy. I also applaud Kurt Thomas who looks stylish and graceful in the execution of his artistry.

On top of this all this is the kind of movie where they said behind the scenes “anything goes” and they are often the most fun to watch. This is not some boring high brow extravaganza. This is a movie for people who like to have a good time, it gets reactions out of a crowd (good or bad) and that is the strength of this film. 
Or maybe my standards are just extremely low 🤣

My all time favorite movies are filled to the brim with inclusions like these. Next up somewhere next week the peplum film “the giant of Marathon” with the handsome Steve Reeves and that also is a wonderfully entertaining spectacle for me which I enjoy time and time again.

[Rando1975]

I remember seeing the trailer when I was a kid, thinking, "This looks like the best movie ever!" Later I rented it on VHS (remember VHS kids?). I was very wrong. This was NOT a good movie.

[WangYu]

I called enter the dragon in another thread a bad film and I stand by that. But this and enter the dragon and are damn entertaining. I can only say thank you for helping to realize this mister Clouse. His other fight films are less interesting but still fun, especially Force Five. I think I need to watch his other films again I remember liking them at least a bit.

I personally don't understand why this film has such a bad reputation (or Chuck Norris films to name another one) while equally ridiculous ninja movies by Sho Kosugi are labelled as cult classics.

I like all of these films and I rather watch those then the next big budget Hollywood action sequel (bar Mission Impossible those are awesome!)

Edited February 19, 2023 by WangYu

[Brucemee]

On 2/3/2007 at 1:39 AM, Guest dager in the cotton said:

it is, did anyone ever se Clous's Ultimate Warrior, this would have made a great martial arts film, I wonder if this film was written with Lee in mind for the lead???

I always suspected it was written for Bruce Lee. I mean, you have an "exotic" man with no name type (anti) hero who doesn't talk much (how many lines did Bruce have in Enter The Dragon?), doesn't use guns, and is "The Ultimate Warrior"; who else could Clouse have had in mind when he wrote it? It would've been awesome to have seen Bruce vs William Smith!

[Brucemee]

On 1/24/2007 at 2:25 PM, Guest Chinatown Kid said:

I liked the part where Kurt just happens to find a stone pommel horse in the middle of that town of crazies and precedes to use it to kick the @#%$ out of the nutzos. There's no denying the man was a great gymnast and he pulls off some pretty amazing moves in the film. Not the case with his martial arts skills but I thought he did a decent job considering he was a non-martial artist. I wish Conan Lee had been given more to do and I hate how his character ended up. The girl that played the princess was hot!

 

I remember seeing Mitch Gaylord in a film back in the 80's called American Anthem, from what I vaguely remember it was a drama about gymnastic competitors.

Yes, yes, and yes! I agree with everything you said in your first paragraph (I remember looking up the girl on IMDB to see what else she'd been in, basically nothing as I recall, she wasn't exactly Meryl Streep but she did look good to my young, impressionable eyes!). I'd forgotten about that Mitch Gaylord movie but now that you mention it he had a really hot leading lady, too. I can picture her but I can't recall her name at this moment (I believe she was married to some famous hockey player & she later appeared in an infomercial with none other than Jackie Chan for his cheap little home fitness gadget!).

[WangYu]

@Brucemee

The girl is a celebrity in the Philippines, mostly a tv actress and ex playboy model. She looked great when I had young eyes and she looks great watching her with my old eyes as well.

I always loved the guy called Thorg, who in real name goes by the name of Bib Schott. He was an intilidating looking guy and I loved bow he came to his end. He has a part in the other Robert Clouse fight film Force Five as well.