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).
Samuel "Sammo" Hung Kam-bo is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in martial arts films, Hong Kong action cinema, and as a fight choreographer for other actors such as Kim Tai-chung, Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, and Yuen Wah.
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, 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.
Half a Loaf of Kung Fu is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Chen Chi-hwa, and starring Jackie Chan, who also wrote the screenplay with Tang Ming-chi. The film co-stars Dean Shek, James Tien, Doris Lung, and Wu Ma. The film was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 1 July 1978. Chan plays a bumbling kung fu student who becomes involved in a series of adventures in one of his first forays into the kung fu acrobatic slapstick comedy style that would become his signature.
No Retreat, No Surrender is a 1985 martial arts film directed by Corey Yuen in his American film directorial debut. It is the first title in the No Retreat, No Surrender franchise, whose plot lines and characters are mostly unrelated. It stars Kurt McKinney, with a supporting cast of Jean-Claude Van Damme, J.W. Fails, Kathie Sileno, and Kim Tai-chung. The film was released in Italy on October 20, 1985, and in the United States on May 2, 1986. McKinney performs as Jason Stillwell, an American teenager who learns martial arts from the spirit of Bruce Lee. Stillwell uses these lessons to defend his martial arts dojo against Soviet martial artist Ivan Kraschinsky.
Street Fighter is a 1994 action film written and directed by Steven E. de Souza, based on the video game series of the same name developed and published by Capcom. It was one of two films released in 1994 specifically adapting Street Fighter II, following Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie. Distributed by Universal Pictures in the United States and Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International internationally, the film stars Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raul Julia along with supporting performances by Byron Mann, Damian Chapa, Kylie Minogue, Ming-Na Wen and Wes Studi. The adaptation focuses on the efforts by Colonel Guile to bring down General M. Bison (Julia), the military dictator and drug kingpin of Shadaloo City who aspires to conquer the world with an army of genetic supersoldiers, while enlisting the aid of street fighters Ryu (Mann) and Ken (Chapa) to infiltrate Bison's empire and help destroy it from within.
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.
Drunken Master II is a 1994 Hong Kong action-comedy kung fu film directed by Lau Kar-leung and starring Jackie Chan as Chinese martial arts master and a Cantonese folk hero, Wong Fei-hung. It was Chan's first traditional style martial arts film since Fearless Hyena Part II (1983). The film was released in North America as The Legend of Drunken Master in 2000.
The Perfect Weapon is a 1991 American martial arts action film directed by Mark DiSalle and starring Jeff Speakman, John Dye, Mako, Mariska Hargitay, James Hong, Dante Basco and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. The film relates the story of a young man (Speakman), who is trained in the martial art of American Kenpo, and his fight against the Korean mafia in Los Angeles. It was released by Paramount Pictures on March 15, 1991.
Heart of Dragon, released in the United Kingdom as Heart of the Dragon, is a 1985 Hong Kong action drama film directed by Sammo Hung, who also starred in the lead role. The film co-stars Jackie Chan, Emily Chu and Mang Hoi. Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, and Corey Yuen were among the action directors for the film.
Miss Minoes is a 2001 Dutch family film written and directed by Vincent Bal and co-written and produced by Burny Bos, based on the Dutch children's novel Minoes by Annie M.G. Schmidt. The film stars Theo Maassen and Carice van Houten as the titular character.
Chantal Janzen is a Dutch actress, singer and TV presenter. She had parts in The Preacher, Full Moon Party and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo and presented Idols.
Alles is Liefde is a 2007 Dutch romantic comedy film directed by Joram Lürsen and written by Kim van Kooten and starring Carice van Houten, Paul de Leeuw, Wendy van Dijk, and Daan Schuurmans. The movie is loosely inspired by the British Christmas movie Love Actually.
Star Runner, , is a 2003 Hong Kong action/romance film co-written and directed by Daniel Lee. It is rated PG-13 by the MPAA "for intense sequences of martial arts action violence".
The Chaser (Korean: 추격자) is a 2008 South Korean action thriller film starring Kim Yoon-seok and Ha Jung-woo. It was directed by Na Hong-jin in his directorial debut. Inspired by real-life Korean serial killer Yoo Young-chul, certain scenes were shot on location around Mangwon-dong in the Mapo District, Seoul.
Born Wild is a 2001 Hong Kong action drama film directed by Patrick Leung and starring Louis Koo, Daniel Wu, Patrick Tam and Jo Kuk.
Soof is a 2013 Dutch comedy film directed by Antoinette Beumer.
Ron Smoorenburg is a Dutch martial artist and actor, who is best known for his film debut as the high-kicking henchman in the final fight of Jackie Chan's Who Am I? in 1998. He currently lives in Thailand, where he works as an actor, stuntman, and fight choreographer.
Quiz Lady is a 2023 American comedy film directed by Jessica Yu and written by Jen D'Angelo. The film stars Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor, Tony Hale, Jon "Dumbfoundead" Park, and Will Ferrell. Ferrell, Awkwafina, and Oh also served as the film's producers, along with Jessica Elbaum, Maggie Haskins, Itay Reiss, and D'Angelo.
Love Trap is a 2004 Dutch romantic comedy film directed by Ruud van Hemert. It stars Antonie Kamerling, Daphne Bunskoek, Beau van Erven Dorens and Chantal Janzen. It was released in the Netherlands on 12 February 2004.
