Bloodsport (film)

Last updated

Bloodsport
Bloodsport (movie poster).jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Newt Arnold
Screenplay by
Story bySheldon Lettich
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography David Worth
Edited by Carl Kress
Michael J. Duthie
Music by Paul Hertzog
Stan Bush
Production
company
Distributed by Cannon Film Distributors
Release date
  • February 26, 1988 (1988-02-26)
Running time
92 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.5–2.3 million [2] [3]
Box office$50 million [4]

Bloodsport is a 1988 American martial arts film directed by Newt Arnold. The film stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, with a supporting cast of Leah Ayres, Forest Whitaker, Donald Gibb, Roy Chiao, and Bolo Yeung. The film centers on Frank Dux (Van Damme), a United States Army Captain and ninjutsu practitioner who competes in an underground full-contact martial arts tournament called the Kumite in Hong Kong. Based on Dux's real-life claims, the film was marketed as a true story. It was one of Van Damme's first lead roles and showcased his abilities, launching his career as a mainstream action star.

Contents

The screenplay is based on many of Dux's claims first covered in the November 1980 issue of Black Belt magazine. [5] The real Dux served as the action choreographer and technical advisor. After its release, many of Dux's claims were disputed, including by co-screenwriter Sheldon Lettich, who claimed Dux fabricated his fight record and the existence of the Kumite. [6] [7] [8]

Bloodsport was produced and released by Cannon Films on February 26, 1988. Despite negative critical reviews, it was a considerable box office success, grossing $50 million on a budget of $1.5–2.3 million. The success of the film helped the resurgence of the martial arts film genre in America. [9] It has also been identified as a cult film and spawned a film series which includes four sequels.

Plot

U.S. Army Captain Frank Dux has trained in the ways of ninjutsu under his sensei Senzo Tanaka. As a boy, Dux and some of his friends broke into Tanaka's home to steal a katana, but Dux was apprehended while returning the katana to its place. Impressed by Dux's integrity and toughness, Senzo decided to train him alongside his son, Shingo. After Shingo's death, Senzo trains Dux as a member of the Tanaka clan. Dux is invited to the Kumite, an illegal martial arts tournament in Hong Kong. After his Army superiors refuse to let him go, Dux goes absent without leave, says goodbye to his sensei and leaves for Hong Kong. Two Criminal Investigation Command agents, Helmer and Rawlins, are assigned to track down and arrest Dux.

After arriving in Hong Kong, Dux befriends American Vale Tudo fighter Ray Jackson and their guide Victor Lin. When they arrive at the Kumite arena, the officials are skeptical but eventually accept them after Dux proves his connection to the Tanaka clan by performing the Dim Mak death touch. On the first day of the tournament, Dux earns the enmity of the ruthless Kumite champion Chong Li after breaking his record for the fastest knockout.

Dux becomes involved with American journalist Janice Kent, who is investigating the Kumite. Dux refuses to help her, but she sneaks into the arena by agreeing to a date with a spectator. On the second day, Jackson is matched against Chong Li. Although Jackson comes close to defeating Li, he wastes time showboating for the crowd, allowing Li to recover and brutally beat him. Dux visits Jackson in the hospital and vows to avenge him. After witnessing the brutality of the tournament, Kent argues with Dux and tries to convince him not to return. Dux tells her that he has to win in order to become the best he can be.

Helmer and Rawlins arrive in Hong Kong and contact local police inspector Chen. They begin asking around for Dux and track him down to his hotel. A chase through the downtown ensues but Dux evades them when they fall into a canal. When Dux arrives at the Kumite, Helmer and Rawlins are waiting for him, along with Chen and four of his officers. Dux defeats them, but agrees to return with Helmer and Rawlins after the tournament.

On the final day, Li kills his semifinal opponent, much to the consternation of the crowd. Fearing defeat in the final against Dux, Li conceals a salt pill in his waistband before the bout. When Dux gains the upper hand, Li blinds him by crushing the pill and throwing it into Dux's face. Initially frustrated by his inability to see, Dux clears his mind and recalls his training from Tanaka, who taught him to fight blindfolded, overcoming the handicap and defeating Li by making him utter the phrase "matté". The next day, he bids farewell to Kent and Jackson before returning to the United States with Helmer and Rawlins.

Cast

Production

Writing

Co-writer Sheldon Lettich came up with the idea for the film. According to Lettich:

I had known Frank Dux for a number of months before I came up with the idea for Bloodsport. Frank told me a lot of tall tales, most of which turned out to be bullshit. But his stories about participating in this so-called "Kumite" event sounded like a great idea for a movie. There was one guy who he introduced me to, named Richard Bender, who claimed to have actually been at the Kumite event and who swore everything Frank told me was true. A few years later this guy had a falling-out with Frank, and confessed to me that everything he told me about the Kumite was a lie; Frank had coached him in what to say. [10]

On casting the lead role, producer Mark DiSalle said, "I wanted a new martial arts star who was a ladies' man. Jean Claude [Van Damme] appeals to both men and women. He's an American hero who fights for justice the American way and kicks the stuffing out of the bad guys." [4]

Filming

Bloodsport was filmed entirely on location in Hong Kong. It is one of the few films featuring scenes filmed inside Kowloon Walled City before its demolition in 1993. [11] Other locations included The Peninsula Hotel, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Trail, Victoria Peak, and Stanley Fort.

Soundtrack

Bloodsport's soundtrack score was composed by Paul Hertzog, who would also compose the score for Jean-Claude Van Damme's next movie Kickboxer . [12] [13] For the movie Bloodsport the songs "Fight to Survive" and "On My Own" were both performed by Stan Bush. [12] [14] [15] Bush's performances are replaced on the soundtrack with alternate versions sung by Paul Delph. [12] Due to this work Paul Delph was nominated for a Grammy.[ citation needed ] The film plays the song "Steal the Night" by Michael Bishop during a scene where Dux runs from Helmer and Rawlins. The song was released in the mid-2000s as a single containing a vocal and instrumental version. [16] On June 26, 2007, Perseverance Records released a limited-edition CD of the soundtrack including, for the first time, the original film versions of the Stan Bush songs. [17] In 2021 the complete soundtrack was released on picture discs by Waxwork Records. [18]

Home media

Bloodsport was released on VHS and Betamax by Warner Home Video on December 21, 1988. [19] Within a few months, it had sold some 150,000 units. [4]

Warner also released a DVD of the film in the United States on October 1, 2002. [20]

Multiple Bluray versions have been released throughout the years, the earliest in 2010 and the latest, including 4K versions, in 2023 and beyond. The older releases feature only stereo audio, while the most recent ones also surround mixes. [21] [22] [23]

Reception

Box office

In January 1989, the Los Angeles Times reported a U.S. box office gross of $11.7 million against a budget of $2.3 million. [3] In August 1989, the Chicago Tribune reported that the film pulled in $50 million worldwide, including $15 million in the U.S. and Canada, making it Cannon Group's most profitable film of 1988. [4]

Critical response

Leonard Klady of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Hacking through the jungle of cliche and reservoir of bad acting in Bloodsport [...] are some pretty exciting matches." [24]

Van Damme was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst New Star, but lost to Ronald McDonald in Mac and Me . [25]

Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports a 48% approval rating based on 29 reviews and an average rating of 5.1/10. The site's consensus reads: "This is where it all began for the Muscles from Brussels, but beyond Van Damme's athleticism, Bloodsport is a clichéd, virtually plotless exercise in action movie recycling." [26] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 29 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [27] Slashfilm regards it as one of the most influential martial arts movies of all time. [28]

Sequels and possible remake

Bloodsport has become regarded as a cult film. [29] Though Jean-Claude Van Damme doesn't appear in additional installments, it was followed by three sequels: Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996), Bloodsport III (1997), and Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite (1999).

A remake of Bloodsport was reported to be in planning in 2011. Phillip Noyce was attached to direct a screenplay by Robert Mark Kamen. The main character was supposed to be an American Afghanistan War veteran competing in a vale tudo tournament in Brazil. [30] Director James McTeigue was attached to the project by 2013, and the filming was to be done in Australia and Brazil. [31] As of 2023, the remake has not been produced.

Legacy

According to the American Film Institute, the success of Bloodsport helped the resurgence of the martial arts film genre in America. [9] According to Jean-Claude Van Damme, the film "helped give the martial arts genre a boost but also foretold certain things like the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the idea of pitting different styles against each other." [32]

Retired professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer Mirko Cro Cop, inspired by Van Damme's performance in the film, began training in his parents' garage with his father's boxing equipment and weights. [33]

Bloodsport was an inspiration for the video game Mortal Kombat , [34] and Johnny Cage, one of the characters, is a parody of Jean-Claude Van Damme. [35] Van-Damme himself later voiced a Johnny Cage character based on his likeness in Mortal Kombat 1 . [36]

In 2024, Capelight Pictures released The Last Kumite , a crowd-funded film "inspired by the likes of Bloodsport, Kickboxer and No Retreat No Surrender ". [37] Several people with ties to the original films were attached to the project, including Kurt McKinney, Michel Qissi, and Bolo Yeung's son David Yeung. [38] [39]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martial arts film</span> Film genre

Martial arts films are a subgenre of action films that feature martial arts combat between characters. These combats are usually the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often are a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently featured in training scenes and other sequences in addition to fights. Martial arts films commonly include hand-to-hand combat along with other types of action, such as stuntwork, chases, and gunfights. Sub-genres of martial arts films include kung fu films, wuxia, karate films, and martial arts action comedy films, while related genres include gun fu, jidaigeki and samurai films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean-Claude Van Damme</span> Belgian actor and martial artist (born 1960)

Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg, known professionally as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor. Born and raised in Brussels, his father enrolled him in a Shotokan karate school at the age of ten, which led Van Damme to hold the rank of 2nd-dan black belt in karate, and compete in several karate and kickboxing competitions. As a teenager, he won the middleweight championship of the European Professional Karate Association in 1979 and the Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title in 1978. With the desire of becoming an actor in Hollywood, he moved to the United States in 1982, where he worked on several films, until he got his break as the lead in the martial arts film Bloodsport (1988).

Frank William Dux is a Canadian-American martial artist and fight choreographer. According to Dux, a ninjutsu expert named Senzo Tanaka trained him as a ninja when he was a teenager. He established his own school of ninjutsu called Dux Ryu Ninjutsu, and has said he won a secret martial arts tournament called the Kumite in 1975. His alleged victory at the Kumite served as the inspiration for the 1988 film Bloodsport starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. Dux's victory at the Kumite has been disputed, as has the existence of both the Kumite he described and Senzo Tanaka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Cage</span> Mortal Kombat character

Johnny Cage is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Introduced in the original 1992 game, he is an action movie star with an extensive martial arts background. The series depicts Cage as one of the primary heroes defending Earthrealm from various threats, as well as the comic foil. In the first rebooted timeline, Cage is also the love interest of Special Forces officer Sonya Blade and the father of their daughter Cassie. He is inspired by martial arts star Jean-Claude Van Damme, particularly Van Damme's character, Frank Dux, in the 1988 film Bloodsport. A staple of the franchise, Cage has appeared in various media outside of the games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolo Yeung</span> Hong Kong actor and martial artist (born 1946)

Yeung Sze, better known as Bolo Yeung, is a Hong Kong former competitive bodybuilder, martial artist, and actor. Primarily known for playing villains in action and martial arts films, he is regarded as one of the most influential actors in martial arts cinema.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald Gibb</span> American actor (b. 1954)

Donald Richard Gibb is an American actor, best known for his roles as the hulking, dimwitted fraternity brother Ogre in several installments of the Revenge of the Nerds film series, as Kumite fighter Ray Jackson in Bloodsport, and as Leslie "Dr. Death" Krunchner on the HBO sitcom 1st & Ten.

The elderly martial arts master is a mentor/teacher stock character in fiction, especially Wuxia, Chanbara, and other martial arts films. Typically an East Asian male, he is a near-invincible master of the martial arts, despite being advanced in age and presumably having a decrease in physical strength. Often he possesses the rank of sensei and is referred to as such by his student. The elderly master most often teaches either generic kung fu or an exotic style specific to the fictional period. During the films, the master often becomes close with his students, with the master becoming a guardian figure to the trainees, who are, in turn, looked upon as the master's children. Usually, when the master is captured or killed, or an iconic portrait of the deceased master has been desecrated by some villains, the students will take it upon themselves to rescue or avenge their master.

<i>The Quest</i> (1996 film) 1996 film by Jean-Claude Van Damme

The Quest is a 1996 American martial arts adventure film starring and directed by Jean-Claude Van Damme, in his directorial debut. It co-stars Roger Moore, James Remar and Janet Gunn. The plot, set in 1925, follows New York thief Chris Dubois who is sold into slavery by Lord Edgar Dobbs (Moore) and, after receiving Muay Thai training in Siam, enters an ancestral martial arts tournament in Tibet to earn back his freedom.

<i>Double Impact</i> 1991 American action film by Sheldon Lettich

Double Impact is a 1991 American action film written and directed by Sheldon Lettich, and written, produced by and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as Chad and Alex Wagner. The film marks Van Damme's third collaboration with director Sheldon Lettich and second collaboration with Bolo Yeung. Double Impact was released in the United States on August 9, 1991.

<i>Kickboxer</i> (1989 film) 1989 American martial arts sports drama film

Kickboxer is a 1989 American martial arts film directed by David Worth and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. Former world kickboxing champion Dennis Alexio is also featured. The plot revolves around Kurt Sloane seeking revenge on the fearsome kickboxing champion Tong Po who paralyzed his brother Eric Sloane. The film is regarded as the first movie to bring Muay Thai to a global audience.

<i>Lionheart</i> (1990 film) 1990 film directed by Sheldon Lettich

Lionheart is a 1990 American martial arts film directed by Sheldon Lettich, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Deborah Rennard, Harrison Page, Lisa Pelikan and Brian Thompson. It also features the acting debut of Ashley Johnson. Van Damme plays a French Foreign Legionnaire stationed in Africa, who must desert to the United States and enter the underground fighting circuit to raise money for his murdered brother's family.

<i>Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite</i> 1996 film

Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite is a 1996 martial arts sports directed and produced by Alan Mehrez, from a script written by Jeff Schechter. It is the standalone sequel to Bloodsport (1988), and the second installment in the titular film series. The movie stars Daniel Bernhardt, a new character in the series; and was released through limited theatrical distribution, before debuting on home video in 1996. The film was met with a warm critical response, with praise directed towards its cast namely Daniel Bernhardt's leading role. It met expectations of the audience with some calling it superior to the original. The film has garnered a cult following.

Sheldon Lettich is an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He is best known for his collaborations with Jean-Claude Van Damme and his work in the action film genre.

The touch of death is any martial arts technique reputed to kill using seemingly less than lethal force targeted at specific areas of the body.

Paul Hertzog is an American film composer and educator. In his brief career in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Hertzog composed the soundtracks for two Jean-Claude Van Damme movies, Kickboxer and Bloodsport, as well as the scores for Breathing Fire and My Chauffeur. Hertzog was a teacher at Hart High School in Santa Clarita, California, where he taught English and Music Theory.

Michel Qissi is a Moroccan Belgian actor, filmmaker, and martial artist best known for his action films. Qissi is the co-founder of The World Cinema Combat Federation (WCCF), an organization he formed with Grand Master Beom Jhoo Lee which teaches fight choreography in filmmaking.

Daniel Bernhardt is a Swiss actor, stuntman, martial artist, and former model. He is known for his work on various action films. He made his acting debut in the leading role in the martial arts film Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996), and appeared in two of its sequels, Bloodsport III (1997) and Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite (1999).

<i>Bloodsport</i> (film series) Film series article

The Bloodsport franchise consists of American martial arts-sports action-thriller installments including two theatrical films, two straight-to-home video sequels, and one limited release reimagined genderswap-followup. Based on the purported true story experiences of Frank Dux, which have since been called into question, the series centers around the original story written by Sheldon Lettich. The plot involves American characters who compete in underground life-or-death mixed martial arts tournaments, while also competing for the honor of their instructors.

The Last Kumite is a Kickstarter-funded 2024 low-budget martial arts film. It is directed by Ross W. Clarkson with a soundtrack by Paul Hertzog and Stan Bush. It is an homage to popular action movies of the last century.

References

  1. ↑ "Bloodsport (18)". British Board of Film Classification . June 12, 1988. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Bloodsport". The Numbers . Archived from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Klady, Leonard (January 8, 1989). "Box Office Champs, Chumps : The hero of the bottom line was the 46-year-old 'Bambi' – Page 2". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 26, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Thompson, Anne (August 27, 1989). "Punch Lineage". Chicago Tribune . Archived from the original on October 15, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
  5. ↑ John, Stewart (November 1980). "Kumite: A Learning Experience". Black Belt. Active Interest Media, Inc. pp. 28–34. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019.
  6. ↑ Johnson, John (May 1, 1988). "NINJA: Hero or Master Fake? : Others Kick Holes in Fabled Past of Woodland Hills Martial Arts Teacher". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on March 1, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
  7. ↑ Richards, David (September 4, 1994). "FILM; Jean-Claude Van Damme, the, uh, Actor?". The New York Times . Archived from the original on April 30, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
  8. ↑ Cater, Dave (May 1987). "Bloodsport – The Ultimate Martial Arts Movie". Inside Kung Fu Presents the Complete Guide to Ninja Training: 38–47.
  9. 1 2 "AFI|Catalog".
  10. ↑ Stewart, Brian (November 29, 2012). "Q & A with Sheldon Lettich By Marco A. S. Freitas (Guest Post)". Asian Movie Pulse. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Popular Culture". Cityofdarkness.co.uk. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 "Paul Hertzog – Bloodsport - Original Soundtrack". Discogs . December 30, 2024. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Paul Hertzog – Kickboxer (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Discogs. May 26, 2024. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Stan Bush and Barrage". theaudiodb.com. May 30, 2024. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Paul Hertzog, film composer". theaudiodb.com. May 30, 2024. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Michael Bishop (4) – Steal The Night". Discogs. May 30, 2024. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Paul Hertzog – Bloodsport Original Motion Picture Score". Discogs. May 30, 2024. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Paul Hertzog – Bloodsport". Discogs. May 26, 2024. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Home video guide". The Palm Beach Post/TGIF. Profiles Publishing. December 16, 1988. p. 26.
  20. ↑ "Bloodsport". IGN . Archived from the original on June 20, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  21. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Bloodsport-Timecop-Action-Feature-Blu-ray/dp/B003R3JNTQ [ bare URL ]
  22. ↑ "Rewind @ www.dvdcompare.net - Bloodsport (Blu-ray) (1988)".
  23. ↑ "Bloodsport (1988)".
  24. ↑ Klady, Leonard (February 29, 1988). "'Bloodsport': A Blow for Cliches". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 27, 2010. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
  25. ↑ "1988 Archive". Golden Raspberry Awards . Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Bloodsport (1988)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 23, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Bloodsport (1988) reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  28. ↑ "The 15 Most Influential Martial Arts Movies of All Time". March 10, 2022.
  29. ↑ Serafino, Jason (August 16, 2012). "The Must-See Action Movies From The Stars Of "The Expendables 2"". Complex . Archived from the original on October 26, 2018. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  30. ↑ Goodridge, Mike (May 17, 2011). "Pressman signs Noyce for Bloodsport; lands Venice slot for Moth Diaries". Screen Daily . Archived from the original on May 18, 2011. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
  31. ↑ McNary, Dave (July 24, 2013). "Relativity Reboots Jean-Claude Van Damme's 'Bloodsport'". Variety . Archived from the original on July 26, 2013. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
  32. ↑ "Jean-Claude van Damme on Bloodsport 2". March 18, 2011.
  33. ↑ "Zbog Van Dammeove špage Mirko je potrgao prepone". glas-slavonije.hr. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  34. ↑ "15 Surprising Facts About Mortal Kombat". Mental Floss. April 13, 2015. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  35. ↑ Byrd, Matthew (April 21, 2021). "Mortal Kombat and Bloodsport: The Strange Connection That Changed Gaming". Den of Geek . Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  36. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (May 18, 2023). "After 30 years of trying, Jean-Claude van Damme is coming to Mortal Kombat". Polygon . Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  37. ↑ "First Teaser Trailer for Throwback Martial Arts Movie 'The Last Kumite'". firstshowing.net. June 1, 2024. Archived from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  38. ↑ Godfrey, Jake (December 13, 2014). "The Last Kumite: Trailer released for martial arts legends film". filmstories.co.uk. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  39. ↑ "The Last Kumite". fareastfilms.com. May 26, 2024. Archived from the original on May 26, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.