A cult favorite (and one of director John Carpenter's personal favorites), BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA is a fantasy-action film that is brilliantly imaginative, funny, and absorbing. Kurt Russell plays hard-boiled truck driver Jack Burton, who gets caught in a bizarre conflict within, and underneath, San Francisco's Chinatown. An ancient Chinese prince and Chinatown crimelord has kidnapped a beautiful green-eyed woman, who is the fiancee to Jack's best friend. Jack must help his friend rescue the girl before the evil Lo Pan uses her to break the ancient curse that keeps him a fleshless and immortal spirit. Carpenter uses all the best elements of martial arts films, 1940s old action serials, Chinese mythology and straight-forward American adventure to make up a tale wild with imagination. Kurt Russell is wonderful as the brash, brave, and reluctant hero Jack Burton, who is hysterically out of place in this world of magic potions, goblins and curses. A visually stunning work that ranks as one of Carpenter's best films.
Kurt Russell stars in this action fantasy about a wisecracking trucker who attempts to rescue his friend's fiancee from a 2,000-year-old magician who lives beneath San Francisco's Chinatown. He must battle demons, goblins and other terrors as he makes his way through the magician's dark domain.
Theatrical release: July 2, 1986.
Though the outdoor sets look real, 90% of them, including Chinatown, were actually built on Fox sound stages.
The martial arts expert who developed Jun Fan kick-boxing for the legendary Bruce Lee took part in choreographing the film's extraordinary stunts and fight scenes.
When the character of Lightning is killed by a falling boulder, he forms a Chinese symbol. The symbol means "carpenter," the last name of the director.
The script for BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA originally began as a sequel to THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI, but was re-written when director John Carpenter and Kurt Russell took over the project.
Excerpt: "Hey, I'm a reasonable guy. But I've just experienced some very unreasonable things."--Jack Burton (Kurt Russell)
"Now I'm not saying that I've been everywhere and I've done everything, but I do know it's a pretty amazing planet we live on, and a man would have to be some kind of fool to think we're alone in this universe."--Jack Burton
"Next time some eight foot tall, wild-eyed maniac taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall and asks you if you've paid your dues, well, you just do what ol' Jack Burton always does at a time like that. You stare that sucker right back in the eye. 'Have you paid your dues, Jack?' 'Yes sir, the check is in the mail.'"--Jack Burton
"Oh, my God...what is that?"--Jack Burton
Blu-ray Disc Features:
Region 1
NTSC
Sensormatic
Anamorphic Widescreen - 2.35
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - French, Spanish
Dolby Digital Surround, DTS HD Master Audio - English
Subtitles - English, French, Spanish
Additional Release Material:
Music Video
Deleted Scenes: Deleted Scenes (9)
Alternate Ending: Extended Ending
Behind the Scenes: Gallery
Audio Commentary: John Carpenter - Director, Kurt Russell - Star
Interviews: Richard Edlund
Featurette: Vintage Featurette
Trailers:
1. Trailer A & B
2. 6 TV Spots
Interactive Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
BD Live Ready Bootstrap
Distributor Notes: Directed by thrill master John Carpenter, this edge-of-your seat adventure stars Kurt Russell as Jack Burton, a tough-talking, wisecracking truck driver whose hum-drum life on the road takes a sudden supernatural tailspin when his best friend's fiancee is kidnapped. Speeding to the rescue, Jack finds himself deep beneath San Francisco's Chinatown, in a murky, creature-filled world ruled by Lo Pan, a 2000-year-old magician who mercilessly presides over an empire of spirits. Dodging demons and facing baffling terrors, Jack battles his way through Lo Pan's dark domain in a full-throttle, action-riddled ride to rescue the girl. Co-starring Kim Cattrall, this effects-filled sci-fi spectacle speeds to an incredible, twist-taking finish.
Director of Photography
Dean Cundey: American Director Of Photography
Executive Producer
Keith Barish: AMERICAN PRODUCER
Executive Producer
Paul Monash:
Visual Effects Supervisor
Richard Edlund: Special Effects/ STAR WARS, AIR FORCE ONE, etc.
Review 1:
"...[The] costuming, sets, stunts and special visual effects by Richard Edlund are particularly lavish..."
Source: Variety
07/02/1986
Review 2:
"...Carpenter is conspicuously with it....An upscale send-up..."
Source: New York Times
p.C29 07/02/1986
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