Filmmaker reacts to Big Trouble in Little China (1986) for the FIRST TIME!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 เม.ย. 2023
- Hope you enjoy my filmmaker reaction to Big Trouble in Little China. :D
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Original Movie: Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Ending Song: / charleycoin
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As an 80's kid I can't even count how many times I've watched this movie.
No on demand..
This was back when you had to catch it at the right time on TV
@@soularbeing6942 I had it on VHS and my older brothers and I watched it all the time.
You know what Jack Burton always says...
💯
What the hell?
This is my favorite film of all time, it’s just such a fun time front to back!
Also love that the main character is actually just his friends sidekick the whole time, it’s a fun flip on the genre!
Hilarious hahaha
Yeah! And how it makes fun of the white savior trope by him just bumbling around confused, but supremely confident
@@maladjustedmoon5200 Jack Burton has that good ole American confidence and Kurt Russell plays it perfectly
It may not be my favorite film-OAT but it is my favorite Carpenter film-OAT, with They Live coming in second.
@@maladjustedmoon5200 Anyone can be a savior.
The fun part of Big Trouble in Little China reactions is seeing the person watching say “what the hell is going on” almost as much as Jack Burton does.
I love that this movie just throws insanity after insanity at the audience and only occasionally explains it
Sonner Campbell: I've been looking at Jack as a prototype for Ash Williams in the original Evil Dead series. haha
@Sooner Campbell - we all said that our first time.
Jack Burton is us.
i love that jack burton is intended to be a loudmouth but what makes it work so well isn't just his lines, but kurt's physical acting. there's a science to hamming it up on screen
It's all in the reflexes.
This is one of the greatest films from the 80s!! There are so many awesome lines from this film!
I might be able to put together an argument for this film being The 80s Movie. As in this film incorporated everything about movies in that decade.
It breaks so many tropes and has some of the best lines I've ever heard in a movie!
You can tell everyone was having a blast shooting this. And I love the John Wayne impression Kurt Russell was doing the whole movie. This is a favorite of mine, as I watch this once every six months.
exactly! singing nothing but damn good fun shooting this
@@JamesVSCinema you should watch the directors commentary with Carpenter and Russel. Just cracking up the whole time
You know. Funny you should mention Kurt doing a John Wayne impression. :) John very early on in his career actually met Wyatt Earp when Earp was living in hollywood and would visit film sets as a consultant. John would proceed to create his entire persona and acting style based off of what he observed of Wyatt during the time he was able to see him. So Kurt is doing an impression of John, who was doing an interpretation of what he saw Wyatt do, and Kurt would later go on to play Wyatt in Tombstone. Boom. Mind fucking blown. Lol
@@MrRimant There is a fictional movie about his time in Holltwood where he teams up real western actor Tom Mix to solve a murder. It is called Sunset (1988) and stars James Garner as Earp and Bruce Willis as Tom Mix.
I love how Kurt Russell fails his way to victory.
While Wang works his ass off. There's a deep cut in there.
Kurt Russel's character always struck me as a protagonist for an entirely different film who wound up in the wrong movie. He has no idea what's going on 90% of the time and ends up getting slapped around more than he doe the slapping, it's wonderful.
Jack Burton is Robin to Wang Chi's Batman. He's the sidekick who doesn't realize he's the sidekick in the duo.
His character doesn't fight once, lol
@@David_Lo_Pan The knife in your head argues otherwise, David.
@@MrHarbltron
That wasn't fighting.....
That was all in the reflexes, lol
David Lo Pan is Gong Gong from Everything Everywhere All At Once and is the dad to Po in Kung Fu Panda. The actor who shared a first name with you is James Hong. He’s been in over 600 films, and at 93, he recently made history by receiving his Walk of Fame star as the oldest actor to do so.
It's all in the reflexes
Someone might have already mentioned this, but Lightning (one of the three storms) was the original inspiration for the character of Raiden in Mortal Kombat.
Also, this movie was originally planned as a Western. When Carpenter had finished the movie, the studio didn't know what to do with it. You see, the very clever thing about Big Trouble in Little China is that Jack is actually the sidekick to Wang. Wang is in so many ways the main character. Carpenter wanted to deliberately make the American protagonist the useless sidekick who's way out of his depth. But the studio heads were so confused by it, that they completely failed in the marketing department. The movie ended up being a pretty big box office flop, but gained a cult following in time.
I was going to say the same thing about who was the sidekick
My father loved it despite the subversion. Think he enjoyed seeing Kurt play a somewhat badass-dumbass.
@@noneed4me2n7 As he should. Kurt Russel is brilliant in this role. His comedic timing is so on point!
Regarding Raiden thats partially true, the similar look of Raiden was inspired by BTLC with the hat and the lightning however the concept, name and job of Raiden was directly inspired by the Japanese Thunder God Raijin and they came up with Raiden for MK also Raiden is like a million times more powerful than these 3 guys but I digress lol 😅 No doubt Carpenter also took inspiration from Japanese mythology with Raijin when he created the 3 storms.
@@MKF30 Kung Fu Theater was a real thing back in the day. haha. So, lots of people saw the craziest stuff from Chinese And Japanese martial arts films, far aside from what Bruce Lee was doing
Your glee fills my heart. This was a movie that was raked over the coals by critics and audiences but thankfully found its place via home video.
When I was a Combat Engineer in the Army we called the Demolitions Bag the Six Demon Bag after this movie.
My favorite part of this movie was always the scene where Jack opened the door to see the bad guys then immediately shut it in their face.
these dudes were the inspiration for mortal kombat.
that’s what I’m now recognizing hahaha
I think so too in regards to Raiden.
The reason Jack works so well in this movie is he is playing the role of the audience. He asks all the questions and everything is new to him. He's also hilarious 😂
The dvd commentary of Kurt Russell and John Carpenter rewatching this together is hilarious, they laugh at how Kurt's character acts and thinks that he's the hero, but in reality, he's actually the bumbling sidekick
hell yeah. can you imagine my 8 year old brain melting watching this for the first time in the 80s??
Bro I would’ve in a trance with this film
I remember as primary school kid loving this movie eventhough there were a lot of things that did not make sense to me or were perceived as bad quality/inconsistency.
And since my experience was "there is no such thing as real-life heros, those that boast the most are usually the dumbest and the worst" -- this movie was a perfect match to my experience in this regard - and that is one of the reasons I was instantly hooked to it.
However, it seems the movie nails it very well with the Chinese slang, lore and expressions (even if some data is messed up because this is "just a movie").
When you hear Chinese lore and expressions, I figure a lot of scenes are of jokes and puns with the Chinese expressions - that do not make sense at all to a westerner.
Example: As a kid, Thunder exploding and the way he exploded, was for me the stupidest scene but the Chinese expression of when someone is really really furious translates to "I am so angry I will explode" - hence the scene.
Cheers.
Many years ago, I was laid up in the hospital for a while and when I got out, it was my birthday.
Imagine my shock when my best friend presented me a signed photo of James Hong as LoPan-
It's dedicated to me "Jason- Go find the Girl With The Green Eyes!" with his name in Chinese characters.
It's up on my wall to this day.😎🖤😎
It's not high cinema but it is one of the greatest movies of all time.
As a fan of both, I'm stoked you drew the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle connections! The original Eastman and Laird comics drew heavy inspiration from Daredevil as well as this movie. The character of Casey Jones was originally going to be a truck driver like Jack, as well.
John Carpenter is one of my all time favorite directors. Its hard to describe but the vibes of his movies are wholly unique
You nailed it: what makes this movie work is that everyone understands the assignment. everyone knew the mood and aesthetic the film was going to have. Jack Burton is a great character - Kurt Russell kills it. I've loved this film since it was released. It still holds up.
This movie has always felt like adult Goonies to me, that same sense of adventure and amazingly cool set pieces! It's such a great time!
As a film maker, you should go back and rewatch this for shot composition and set design. There's, as you said, a high attention to detail.
The best part of the movie is realizing that Jack Burton (Kurt Russell's character) is the sidekick!
Also, the makers of Mortal Kombat have said that YES, they patterned Raiden off the version in the movie.
Definitely check out more John Carpenter. They Live! Is one of the most philosophical horror movies, Prince of Darkness is one of the most spiritual horror movies, and In The Mouth Of Madness is one of the most lovecraftian Horror movies
Had to check the description to make sure this wasn't a re-up. Can't believe it's taken this long to make it to this masterpiece.
Hands down the best Kurt Russell character ever. I get the impression he was channeling John Wayne, by way of Ash from The Evil Dead.
“You know what ol’ Jack Burton says at a time like this?”
“Who?”
“Jack Burton!…ME!”
Jack Burton, America's first podcaster. May this movie never get remade 🤞🤞
Hahahaha this is so true wtf
This is a GREAT film for locations telling a story. From the cab of Jack's truck, the restaurant, the street procession for the funeral, the underground.
I can't tell you how many times I've seen this.
As a 2000s kid I love this movie, I would always stay up past my bedtime to sneak up to my dad to watch this and other 80s movies like the lost boys with him, forever in my top 10 favourite movies of all time
Jack Burton is a one of a kind character. The world is both simultaneously better off, and sadder without a sequel.
It never ceases to spark joy in me to see the youths stoked about the movies I grew up with.
I watched this movie sooooooo many times as a kid. I still watch it once every couple years.
It's very nostalgic for me.
Wang - "The idea is to look stupid."
Grace - "He does!"
Your face during this reaction was great, the look of confusion and amazement mixed with bafflement and joy. This movie is a hell of a ride, thanks for the upload.
I remember watching the commercial for this as a kid and thinking the eyeball monster was a beholder. This was the same time Dungeons and Dragons first edition was really big, and this movie sort of feels like it. A dungeon crawl. Somebody took their own campaign, combined it with a sort of Indiana Jones hapless adventurer type protagonist, and voila.
This movie was such a beast on cabel TV. It showed up at 3am or 2pm while channel surfing and you just had to watch the rest of the movie.❤
I love how this story is told from the side-kick perspective. Everything Jack does successfully is either accidental or coincidental. It is a great twist on the hero genre and I love how overly confident Jack is when he's really not the hero character. So much fun. LOVE EGG SHEN! JAMES HONG!!!
Yeah, Jack is the main character of the film but not the story. He gets caught up in his friend Wang’s story
@@WilliamTheMovieFan Very astute and eloquent way to describe it. Thanks!
@@benperkins6657 You are welcome. I am a fan of movies, hence WTMF!
YES!! LOVE THIS MOVIE!!
It was originally going to be a western taking place in 1906 San Francisco, and Jack Burton was going to be a gunslinger meeting with his old friend Wang Chi, an expert in Martial Arts and ancient Chinese mysticism where they must stop the evil Lo Pan from creating an earthquake that not only threatens to destroy the city, but the world.
There were talks of a Sequel and a reboot.
The sequel was cancelled due to the Fox Disney merger.
The plot was going to have Dwayne Johnson playing the role of the trucker trying to figure out what happened to Jack Burton and why he disappeared where they team up and must stop Lo Pan once and for all.
A genuine classic right there. I love that Jack has no idea what's going on for the first half of the movie.
This movie is amazing at the way it delivers exposition. Its all introduced in the moment and just enough to give you context without force-feeding an attempt at backstory. It also is terrific at making absurd sets seem believable. From the moment you enter China Town the setting keeps just getting transformed: first the semi believable street market, back to normal streets/airport/garage, then the alley that starts getting into strange fantasy architecture, then back to a normal backroom... each time it skews the world just a bit more until the strangle labyrinth/underworld/palace becomes just an acceptable setting.
This is one of my very favorite movies; I've seen it more than a hundred times. It is a relentlessly ENTERTAINING movie. And as many have noted, one of the key things is that the main character is so obviously the sidekick and not the protagonist. I've been having fun watching this movie for almost 40 years now; it's always great to see someone watch it for the first time.
The alley fight scene is my favourite scene. From start to finish, that scene is so damn cool and insane.
My favorite little detail is that they are going in pretending to be phone repairmen and Jack is carrying just a normal phone receiver lol.
Great movie! Grew up with this in heavy rotation. The last scene with the monster dude used to scare me and the floating eyeball was disgusting, lol! Also, JACK is not the main character in this movie, Wang is. We're just really getting the movie from Jack's POV.
Absolutely! 👌🏽 was just thinking this
yup, we/the viewer is basicly Jack, getting thrown into this universe, knowing nothing and only learning by the progress.
Script was co-written by the director of "Buckaroo Banzai". Have you seen it? Now there's a great double feature!
What's that watermelon doing there?
This is one of those films I love showing to people that have never seen it. It's just a really fun time all around. I've seen it hundreds of times now and it still holds up.
One of my favorite memories - introducing my friends to this movie in the theater a year ago, or so. Our local spot still does old movies every week.
One of my favorite flicks of all time. IMO they missed a great opportunity for a TV series featuring Jack driving his truck from place to place getting into adventures along the way.
Cheers man.
Honestly I think Kurt Russell could still pull it off.
So glad you liked this one! It's a gem of a film! It was really underappreciated when it came out. Critics didn't like it much, but it was way ahead of it's time. It's a very clever film, packed with humor, action, and special effects! Awesome reaction!
One of my favourite movies! Always great seeing someone's reaction to this watching for the first time! 😂 One thing to note is this movie was so savaged by the critics when it was released that Carpenter became disillusioned with Hollywood and went independent. However, it's since become very well received and beloved as a result.
Fun thing with your Regular Show mention - this is JG Quintel's favourite movie and there's a ton of references in the series to it.
*TMNT Goon flashes around switchblade dramatically*
Jack: "....what?"
This movie is true escapism. While you're watching it, it's the greatest movie ever that just takes you on a ride that you probably don't understand but is a blast the whole way through.
I grew up watching this movie and gasped out loud when I saw you reacted to it! Love this film so much!
Jack is a sidekick that thinks he's the main character. And Raiden is 100% inspired by this.
I used to love watching this film with my dad, like you pointed out, it doesn't take itself too seriously, some nice action moments and lots of laughs.
Once BTLC starts, all you can do is strap in and enjoy the ride. One of my all-time favorites- I'm very happy you got to take a look. Victor Wong (Lo-Pan) didn't even slow down since 1986- he's the grandfather in Everything, Everywhere, All At Once.
It is really hard to believe that this was one of the first mainstream movies to incorporate real asian martial arts and lore. When I was a kid Saturday kung fu theater was must watch t.v. and when this movie came along it was like discovering chocolate and peanut butter for the first time. Imagine a movie this great that didn't get worn out from horrible sequels and prequels, just an original movie that can be rewatched hundreds of times.
I can't tell you how many times I've watched this movie. Its always so satisfying when you watch someone react to it for the first time wether it's at home on the couch with a friend or a reaction video.
Growing up with this film was a treat. I've lost track of how many times I've seen it, and my friends and i were always quoting it:
"See things no one else can see. Do things no one else can do.
Real things?
As real as Lo Pan!
Hey, what more can a guy ask for?
Oh, the six-demon bag!"
I love that Jack thinks he's the main character but he's really the sidekick.
This movie is a pure distillation of fun and I've loved it since I saw it in the theater back in the day!
One of the few movies I run back immediately after watching. Too much fun.
Too much fun is a great way of describing this film!
This didn't do well when it was released at the theater, but it picked up a cult following through cable and VHS. Now it's simply a classic.
By far one of my all time favorite movies. Anytime it’s rainy and evening time, I love to order Chinese food and throw this movie on. It’s campy and fun. I quote Jack Burton lines all the time.
JAMES, of course you're sophisticated enough to realize, Kurt Russell is actually the sidekick in this film 😮
This movie is a family favorite. It is so delightfully funny and action packed. When it came out it got lost in the shuffle as there were so many other terrific movies that came out that year, like Aliens.
My favorite part was when the monster came out of the sewer wall and Egg banished it. What Jack said after that was the best part :)
U had me crying laughing James .that don’t y’all have jobs line ended me lol 😂 great reaction man .this move is truly a gem 💎 I’ve seen it countless times and it never gets old. it’s just 80s perfection .
I just love this movie and always have. I grew up on it. Jack is an amazing side kick with no idea that he isn't the hero and we, the audience, are with him and Wang on this adventure that delivers a fantasy both enchanting and horrifying at the same time. We get information and exposition at just the right times in the narrative to keep us engaged during the journey. When it comes to John Carpenter films, asking if he wrote or performed the music is like asking if fries come with your burger. The answer is usually yes.
So glad you covered this. Big John Carpenter fan, his music is great too. Love his film "The Thing" also, completely different to Big Trouble and with Kurt Russel too. What a great director and actors. Big Trouble, such a great film, lot of fun. The world could do with a little, no a lot more of Jack Burton!
Right!? Awesome to see it was directed by him!
Jack Burton is my hero.
This is on my list of movies you can ALWAYS watch and never get tired of it. Together with Robocop, Starship Troopers, Total Recall, and Dread (to name a few).
One element I've always enjoyed about the film was the magic potion they drank. Their ability to go up against the supernatural, and their fighting ability against a larger force are all justified by the potion and the film does it without going over the top with some extra effect.
Plus we get the adorable scene in the elevator as it starts to kick in.
My theory is it's just strong plum licqor and Egg Shen placebo-ing it up as a magic potion :D
@@TarossBlackburn fair enough but in a world with magic, monsters, and curses I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt
Heyo Jimmy James! So glad you finally made it to the BigTroubleInLittleChinaVerse...the inspiration for the street fighter games, mortal kombat, TMNTurtles, etc. . My crew and I went to see this 14 times straight when it first came out, we knew all the jokes, all the great one liners... went around driving people nuts as we made constant inside jokes based off the movie and no one knew what the eff we were talking about. This movies a gem you can re-watch a 1000 times and it never gets old!
DUDE! I am so happy that you watched and LOVED this movie! It's been my go-to when I just want to watch something fun and silly for decades. I've literally lost track of how many times I've laughed my ass off and recited nearly every line while drinking a bottle of wine and/or smokin' a bowl. The action is fantastic, the dialogue is terrific, and the story itself, full of ancient Chinese mythology and magic, is amazing - especially for us old D&D campaigners. The cast is perfect, especially Kurt Russell as Jack "It's all in the Reflexes" Burton and the great James Hong as Lo-Pan - "Shut up, Mister Burton! You were not put upon this Earth to 'get it!'" You most likely recognize Mr Hong from Everything Everywhere All At Once as Evelyn's father, or maybe Blade Runner as Chu, the eye guy "You Nexus. I make your eyes!". Between TV and film, he has over 600 screen credits. The scenery chewing, the dialogue..."Okay, you folks sit tight, hold the fort, and keep the home fires burning. If we're not back by dawn (wink), call the President."...everything about this film is perfect. And don't even get me started on how it completely turns the Hero/Sidekick trope inside-out. I predict that you'll be watching it again in a few months, and 2 or 3 times a year from then on. You'll start quoting along by your third or fourth viewing. I promise. Share it with your friends. They'll thank you.
This movie is purified, crystalline 80's and i love it.
It's hard to believe this movie bombed when it first came out. John Carpenter must feel so good seeing that it finally found its audience.
I also highly recommend the dvd commentary for this movie. It's like a semester in film school.
For this movie, Kurt Russell adopted John Wayne's manner of speaking. In other John Carpenter films, "Escape From New York" and "Escape From L.A.", he adopted Clint Eastwood's.
John Carpenter does the music for most, if not all, his films (Halloween theme is his masterpiece). Check out the music video for this movie in all its 80’s glory. Looks like a bunch of dads. It’s tremendous.
Also, I’m sure someone else will mention that Jack isn’t the main character. We’re meant to think he is, but it’s Wang who saves the day and gets the girl. Best duo ever.
Just sit back, relax, accept and don't question what you're seeing and you'll have helluva ride with this one.
And just like many others have mentioned it's one of very few movies where we're focused on who's essentially the bumbling, comic relief sidekick and not the actual hero.
One of my Carpenter favorites. Russel's character trying to be heroic but coming off as a bit of a goof. This is a fun movie. Critics didn't seem to get it, but now it's a cult favorite. Carpenter does most of the scores to his films.
James Hong's "Lo Pan' is so hilariously cranky through the whole film. It's one of mt favorite elements. He's part super-villain and part "Get Off My Lawn!."
"Are you crazy is that your problem?" anything that Kurt Russell says in the movie and the way it's delivered is gold😊
So happy you watched this one!!!! This is, one of, my dads and my favorite movies to quote! Such a fun movie!
“Ol Jack Burton always says…what the hell?”
I am so very happy that you are watching this great John Carpenter classic!
I’m going through chemo and your great content has helped keep my morale up. Thank you!!!❤🔥❤️🔥❤️
I always wondered what it would be like if this movie had a prequel, featuring Eggshen as the main character.
"I know, there's a problem with your face" has always been my favorite line.
How awesome is Kurt Russell for taking this role and seeing the humor in it. I am sure there are plenty of other actors who would have "wanted to be the ultimate hero" without flaws, but Russell played this perfectly.
Being 63 Kurt Russell has been in my movie going history all my life, this is my favorite Kurt Russell, my next would be 3000 miles to Graceland, worth the watch as well.
3000 Miles to Graceland has fantastic performances from Kevin Costner and Kurt👍
I'm glad you liked this movie man! Imagine seeing this movie at 10 years old...it was amazing.
I was 12 and saw it in the theaters.
favorite line that encapsulates this whole ride: "You were not put on this Earth to 'get it', Mr.Burton"
Jack rolling backwards in the wheel chair is my favorite scene!!!
This movie is before they thought every main character had to be the best, the strongest , the smartest- You know what ole Jack Burton always says “Ahh what the hell.”
Another movie came out the same year with some of the same cast, stunts and crew. But they had Eddie Murphy as the lead in The Golden Child (1986). And the "lighting guy" WAS the inspiration for Mortal Kombat's Raiden. Great Reaction!
Tuning in now. This should be good. Bonkers film. Goonies with adults! There's something so meta and so homage about how Kurt Russell's character is a leader despite missing most leadership attributes. It works great because it's always fun to play with the format, and to tip one's hat to movie madness. Like the way Jack doesn't have normal capabilities, but does have the ability to do an insane insta-kill of the baddies at the end! The film has so much fun with movie logic. "How're you gonna spring us?" "I have NO IDEA." That magic potion they have in the elevator is hilarious - like they're all on a bit of ecstasy lol.
I'm an actor that worked in L.A. for years. I had gotten cast in an episode of a short-lived sit com called Regular Joe that starred Daniel Stern and Judd Hirsch. When I checked in in the morning I realized I was standing next to James Hong who plays the villain in this film. He has been in tons of films before and after this film. As we walked to our dressing rooms Mr. Hong turned to me and said "We have worked together before". I told him no we hadn't, I would certainly remember that. He stopped for a second and then said "You interviewed me then." He didn't wait for my answer, he just turned and walked into his dressing room. I have a familiar looking face and always had people thinking they knew me.
This is one of my top 3 favorite films. I love everything about it.
Funny how you say the three storms are like Raiden, they were actually the inspiration for the character!
Another fun fact, as you said it gave you TMNT vibes:The cg animated series of TMNT had an episode based on it, with James Hong returning as pretty much Lo Pan(and giving superpowers to three common crooks that mimic the three storms powers).
I've always wished I could see this movie again for the first time. Just magical. And so much fun!
This is my favorite movie ever. I can't tell you how many times i watched this as a kid in the 80s. It has everything that makes an adventure movie great for me.
“Who are you y’all? Don’t you have jobs or something “ you had me dying with that line bro!!!