Ha, last time i saw this was back in ´87-´88, how the time flies. This is a cheesy and entertaining action flick from the Cannon Group. Starring Michael Dudikoff, Steve James and cutie Judie Aronson. (No, i´m not going to steal her from you JAY LEE )
And yes, Phil Brock (Tex, Thunder Alley) was also in this one. He´s a cool dude.
What we get is wooden acting and pretty bad action choreography but that´s just part of the charm.
I hate the fact that the ninjas don´t bleed (the production company was too lazy or didn´t want to make this too violent), but i remember that this movie was still cut pretty badly in Finland back in the day.
One of my all time faves! And to be honest, part 2 is actually quite enjoyable in its own right. But once you get to the third and beyond, it just gets mindnumbingly bad!
Posted by oneyedwilly (Member # 8730) on :
oh atomik, this movie just rocks. Love the bucket on the helmet scene. The fight scenes are just terrible. choreography is just awful but thats why its so good now. Loved it at age 14 and the fact that ninjas dont bleed just makes it so watchable for teens despite its rating of 18.
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
Just watched American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987) It was ultracheesy and entertaining sequel directed again by Sam Firstenberg.
Michael Dudikoff and Steve James are back to kick some ninja butt. I liked the cool opening credits scene: Mountainway, fast motorcycles, nice upbeat score. Yeah, the score was much better in this one.
The villain is Mike Stone, Elvis' Karate Instructor who Priscilla was banging on the side
Part 2 has its merits! There is more Steve James, which is always a good thing, the score is kicka$$, as you mentioned. And they amped up the violence a bit!
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
All right! Go Priscilla Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
Watched American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt (1989) today. Wow, this was extra cheesy
So it´s out Michael Dudikoff, in David Bradley. This was his first feature film. Steve James was back and there´s also a sidekick called Dexter played by Evan J. Klisser.
In the beginning of the flick there´s somekind of karate tournament going on but the plot soon forgets it because once again some evil terrorist is on the loose.
This movie includes one of the lamest bad guy i´ve ever seen. The boss called "Cobra" can´t fight so the final battle lasts about 5 seconds And after that we can hear a coolish tune called "The Cobra Strikes" during the end credits! I was LMAO!
There was also very cool scene which included Steve James striking some ninja two times with a sword but the villain was still standing. Then James shouted "Die" and the ninja fell. This is so awesome stuff
I can´t wait to see movie number 4 because it includes both David Bradley and Michael Dudikoff. Sadly no more Steve James though.
Posted by Secret Admirer (Member # 3574) on :
Some of my favorite cheesy action movies. The series is great.
Posted by Kash (Member # 297) on :
Nice thread aTomik.
I've only seen the first one, seem to recall it being quite a fun movie in its own way. But can barely remember anything about it now; other than it being, to employ that overused but apt description: Cheesy.
I still say Joe Armstrong's got nothing on John Peter McAllister!
The ninja and kickboxing craze saw some good movies made and a tonne of bad ones to boot. Someone once said, that in the '80s there were probably more ninjas running around L.A. in the daytime, than there ever were in medieval Japan at night. So true.
[ 09. January 2011, 17:21: Message edited by: Kash ]
Posted by JAY LEE (Member # 6345) on :
Short reviews I wrote for parts 2 and 3....
AMERICAN NINJA 2- THE CONFRONTATION
Dudikoff and James, together again. This time, kicking it in the Carribean, fighting biologically enhanced super ninjas, set to calypso music. And if that doesn’t make much sense, then you have an idea, where this movie is going. It is vastly inferior to the first one. Not that the first one was any cinematic masterpiece, but it had its charm, its cheese value, and got the job done. This one has more inconcistencies, plot holes and illogic rationale than a Fred Olen Ray flick. In one scene, it is not even Dudikoff playing Joe Armstrong, it is a totally different guy, and we’re not talking stunt double, for it is a dialogue scene… what the hell?! Oh well, it is still a lot of fun. The sunny locations and ecclectic score, keeps the tone light, and watching Dudikoff galavant around in tight denim, with what I suspect is a rolled up pair of tube socks tucked down his pants, is also good for a laugh or two. While Dudikoff may be the lead. It is especially great to have Steve James back on board. Here, pulling his weight, as the token black sidekick of Cannon Films. Even though he had the energy and charisma of ten Dudikoffs, and should, in my opinion, have been the star of all these damn flicks. He added so much to the proceedings, that you really have to go to part 4 in the series, to see what the American Ninja franchise would be without James… it is not pretty. The action is a mixed bag of ridiculous martial arts, bar room brawls, stunts and just general ninja skullduggery. It’s fun, it’s cheesy and with a few friends, a couple of beers, and an open mind, it is a pretty damn entertaining flick. Another Cannon, ninja treat, for those of us, who value mindless, 80’s, B-movie trash, over nancyboy chick flicks, CGI nightmares and highbrow academy award winning borefests.
AMERICAN NINJA 3- BLOOD HUNT
The floundering franchise gets the tournament twist, in this miserable mess of a movie. This time, sporting fresh faced martial artist, David Bradley, stepping in for Dudikoff, who apparantly had enough sense to sit this one out, yet not enough to stay away from the truly awful fourth installment… go figure. Bradley is actually a better actor and screen fighter than the wooden Dudikoff, but not by much. And it is just as well, because there is very little to work with in this formulaic piece of ninja trash. Just the fact that the script is written by Gary Conway, the guy who played the bad guy in part 2, and also wrote that one, should tell you something. There is nothing new here. The setup is almost the same, and the action is nothing to write home about either. Bradley has decent form, and delivers a couple of cool kicks, here and there, but it is far from enough to save the movie. However the worst offense here, is that the movie is boring. The first two entries in the series had 80’s style and B-movie cheese to spare. They were not masterpieces, but they were fun to watch and you could at the very least laugh at them. There is nothing to laugh about in this one. Some scenes are just ***-numbingly dull, and the whole thing just feels lazy and uninspired. The one redeeming factor here, is the great Steve James. Once again playing second fiddle to yet another generic whiteboy, when he clearly had more energy and screen prescence than the entire cast put together. But even he couldn’t have saved this turd of a movie. There is really little to recommend here. If you watch it at all, then watch it for Steve James. He’s the only thing with any spark in here, futile as it may seem. And whatever you do, avoid the two last parts in the series. You have officially been warned.
Posted by JAY LEE (Member # 6345) on :
Did ya' get to part 4 yet, aTomiK??
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
Going to check it out this weekend, it´s a promise.
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
Wanna make a Joe Armstrong figure? Here´s how to do it:
I loved the Ninja movies as a teen, and have seen American Ninja, but not the sequels....might be time to change that. Also loved the ninja trilogy that seemed most popular back in the day...Enter the Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja, and the above mentioned Ninja 3 The Domination....heck...I've even seen Gymkata!
You guys (JAY LEE, aTomiK, KASH) seem to be the ninja experts...was wondering what you thought about the new ninja movies released last year?
Posted by JAY LEE (Member # 6345) on :
Didn't like either! The one with Scott Adkins was just too lame and low budget. Even though he is a good screen fighter. And Wachowski bros. one was certainly stylish, but ultimately empty, and CGI blood can go **** itself!
If you want some serious ninja cheese, then seek these out......
To Be Continued
Posted by JAY LEE (Member # 6345) on :
FIVE ELEMENT NINJA 1982
Synopsis:
When his school is destroyed and his friends slaughtered by the five element ninjas, Tsiau Chin Hau studies the secrets of the ninja and, along with three newfound cohorts, challenges the element ninjas in a bloody battle to the death.
Thoughts:
Chang Cheh knocks one final classic out of the park, with this ridiculously entertaining Shaw Bros. flick. And a finer piece of ninja cheese, you could not hope to find. Chang Cheh went through many sets of kung fu stars, over the years. From Jimmy Wang Yu, to Ti Lung and David Chiang. From Fu Sheng and Chi Kuan Chun to the venom boys. Here, his last great pack of action actors, such as Ricky Cheng Tien Chi and Chu Ko, headlines what I consider to be the old master director’s last great film. Five Element Ninjas might have its grounds in reality, with all the ninja lore stemming from actual japanese, historic litterature. But it plays like a live action comic book. The righteous martial arts alliance are challenged by the five element ninjas. So now they have to fight and defeat the deadly five element formation of gold, wood, water, fire, earth, and last but not least, Kembuchi, the king of ninjas. A guy so awesome, that he can only enter the scene by exploding out of the ground, like an errupting volcano of… well, awesomeness. I mean, come on. You can’t beat that premise. Add to which, some extremely tight and inventive action, involving tons of cool weapons, who’s names appear on screen, as an added history lesson between *** kickings. The action was done by Ricky Cheng and Chu Ko, and is performed to perfection, in all its gory glory, by the more than competent cast, counting the two aforementioned guys, plus the likes of Lo Meng, Kwan Feng, Wang Li and Chan Wai Man as Kembuchi. Five Element Ninjas is a tour de force of martial mayhem. And campy as it is, it is just so much fun, watching the colorful characters, all the ninja hijinks, the innovative fights, the enjoyable training scenes, the crazy costumes, the beautiful, yet hoakey looking Shaw sets etc. All of which comes together in what may be one of the most entertaining flicks, ever to emerge from the grand old studio. A true treasure from the golden era, that absolutely no fan of the genre can afford to miss.
[ 23. January 2011, 10:03: Message edited by: JAY LEE ]
Posted by JAY LEE (Member # 6345) on :
NINJA IN THE DRAGON'S DEN 1982
Synopsis:
The compelling tale of two opposing warriors, one Japanese and one Chinese, brought together by destiny and the sacrifice of their master, to defeat an all-powerful enemy.
Thoughts:
This awesome old school classic has the distinct honor of being my all time favourite ninja flick, and one of the most vivid movie memories of my childhood. That super cool opening with all the ninjas running around displaying their skills is etched into my brain for all eternity, and so is that cheesy 80's theme tune. It is also, quite embarrassingly, the only song that I know all the words to... THEY WERE READY TO FIIIGHT.. SHAKA NINJAAA...! Okay, enough of that. Just be glad that you can't hear my voice through the screen. But seriously, this is in my opinion the best of the old school HK ninja movies, alongside Five Element Ninja and Duel To The Death. It has just the right amount of cheese and comedy, balanced well with the fairly serious storyline and awesome action. The choreography by director Yuen Kwai and Meng Hoi is super tight, and shows the various styles on display to their full extent. Conan Lee and Hiroyuki Sanada rarely looked better than they do here. Too bad that Sanada didn't do more HK movies, and that Conan turned out to be an egomaniacal ***, ruining his own career. I'll admit that the whole thing kind of unravels towards the end. After the awesome pagoda showdown, there really wasn't anywhere for the movie to go. So what do you do? You bring out the big guns, in the form of grandmaster Hwang Jang Lee of course. He is sort of played for laughs here, but still brings the thunder and caps off the film nicely, despite his slightly cartoonish sendoff. So, in closing, an all time favourite classic of mine that delivers the goods, as well as the bitter sweet sting of nostalgia, for me personally.
[ 23. January 2011, 10:06: Message edited by: JAY LEE ]
Posted by JAY LEE (Member # 6345) on :
DUEL TO THE DEATH 1983
Synopsis:
Every decade a representative from the Shaolin school faces a Japanese school disciple in order to find out who is the best fighter. Two warriors are chosen to fight to the death. But they fall victim to an evil plot, hatched by someone very close to them.
Thoughts:
This Golden Harvest classic is a fun, freaky fight flick, introducing the high wire styles of Ching Siu Tung to HK cinema, and the world. All while having its fun with ninjas, samurais and Shaolin monks, like no other. I am no fan of over the top wire action. But when dealing with fantasy swordplay and ninja trickery, I'm a little more forgiving. And there is just so much crazy, cheesy stuff in this movie that I can more readily accept the high flying wire assisted antics on display. Also, the grounded choreography is tight, and there is a nice mix of the two styles here. As I said, the cheese factor is quite high at times. And I think it is kind of a big ask, that you should take the drama seriously, when peoples severed heads are talking, the old master has a parrot on his shoulder, and the laws of gravity seem to have been cast to the wind, more than usual. But despite the odd moments of silliness, it’s all in good fun, and fun to watch regardless. Especially the ninja stuff. Flying ninja, invisible ninja, giant ninja, naked girl ninja...you name it. The ninja boom of the 80’s was in high gear at this time, and fans of those dastardly blackclad *******s, should not be dissapointed here. The cast is a decent bunch as well. I found Damian Lau’s performance a bit stiff, but it’s easy to mistake stoic for wooden in these movies. Flora Cheung is the usual girl-supposedly-dressed-like-boy character but does a fine job with the action. It is, however, Tsui Siu Keung and Eddie Ko that are the standouts in this flick. Tsui Siu Keung is probably one of the most underrated kung fu stars of the golden age. He could do every type of action, was a fine actor, and a commanding prescense on screen. And much like Eddie Ko, here playing the devious Shinto priest, he would Also move on to become a great character actor, mostly in the many gangster and gunplay films of the 80’s and 90’s. Rounding out the roster are Korean kickers Kwan Yung Moon and Casanova Wong with a couple of nice cameos, where they too get to display some skills.
This is a good example of how much cheese you can actually get away with, if you package it right. The movie has excellent production value. Beautiful locations, authentic sets and good costume design. Plus, Ching Siu Tung’s attention to detail raises the whole thing above its own cheesiness, and he puts as much care into the non action scenes as he does the flying duels and ninja battles. My main grievance with this movie is the wirework. I can accept it to point, when dealing with movies of this particular fantastique style. But Ching Siu Tung does go overboard here. Especially in the final showdown. I guess he was testing the waters, and trying to see how far he could take it. And if you keep that in mind, and forgive the movie its experimental nature, it is easier to swallow, at least for me. When all is said and done, this is still a great movie, and a hell of a fun ride. And it deserves its place in HK movie history. If you are looking for a good time, this movie is it. But if you are in search of some serious, somber swordplay, then you’d be well advised to look elsewhere.
[ 23. January 2011, 10:08: Message edited by: JAY LEE ]
Posted by JAY LEE (Member # 6345) on :
SHOGUN'S NINJA 1980
Synopsis:
During the reign of Emperor Hideyoshi, Shogun is sent to destroy the last survivors of the Mimoshi clan. Forewarned of the attack, the Mimoshi clan take the child Takamaru away to China to be trained in martial arts and returns as a young adult to avenge his family and reclaim his family's fortune.
Thoughts:
Despite Sanada's pretty gay looking interpretive dance workout, and the awful 80's porn music score, this is a pretty cool flick. Lots of bloody ninja and samurai action, with a little kung fu thrown in for good measure. Sanada and, to some extent, Shiomi really get to show their martial versatility here. They were both good all 'rounders, whether it be hand to hand of various styles or weapons, and you can definitely see that all that training from Chiba's Japan Action Club paid off. Chiba himself turns in a menacing performance as the evil Shogun, flanked by two creepy mutes, and shows us a taste of his brilliant swordplay skills. They basically threw anything in here: Shiomi as a kung fu cutie, samurai battles, camo-clad spider ninjas, Kabuki theater, ye’ olde white haired master, Hattori Hanzo and so on. But it feels a little cluttered, and could have benefitted from some trimming in the character and plot department. Don't get me wrong, it's a cool film, no doubt. But it really has quite a few flaws. The main offender being the music. It is just so out of place that you expect a young Ron Jeremy to walk through the shoot in a kimono at any time. But if you can get past the porno tunes, there is a cool and campy ninja treat waiting at the end of the rainbow.
[ 23. January 2011, 10:11: Message edited by: JAY LEE ]
Posted by kevdugp73 (Member # 5978) on :
Wow...thanks JAY....so...I'm supposing I can just go to Walmart to pick these up!? Thanks for taking the time to enlighten.
How do you feel about the new style movies such as Crouching Tiger, and the like?
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
Great stuff Jay Lee, awesome reviews! Shogun´s Ninja and Ninja in the Dragon´s Den were released here on VHS back in the day but i doubt that i´ve ever seen them. And both were cut of course.
Now i want to see these movies asap! I´ve always loved the HK cheesiness and the occasional comedy element you don´t expect. The action scenes are on a different level comparing to the stuff made in the US.
Posted by JAY LEE (Member # 6345) on :
To kevdugp73
Youre welcome Just added trailers.
These are all out on region 1 and 2, but no, you probably can't pick em up at Walmart
If my burner wasn't giving me ****, I would gladly make you copies, or anyone else who would like them. But for right now, it's not working.
Well, I had been watching asian films for almost 20 years before Crouching Tiger and the likes made it trendy, so I wasn't that impressed. Though, the artistic vision and visual style of Crouching Tiger, Hero, House Of Flying Daggers etc. was not lost on me.
To aTomiK
If my burner worked, I would make you copies right now. Hopefully i'll get it fixed.
Posted by JAY LEE (Member # 6345) on :
ATomiK, your inbox is full, so I can't pm you!!!
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
Just cleaned it up a bit Posted by oneyedwilly (Member # 8730) on :
Just watched this again on Monday and WOW is it so cheesy...love it...the over choreographed, scenes, convenient bare chested shots together with sleeveless arm shirts and a bandana toboot...woo hoo! I think i saw 1 guy called sergent then private later, then sir, then private again...just awful but awsome...love it.
Posted by Bernie_Lomax (Member # 8571) on :
The best thing about this movie is the size of Steve James's Gums.
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
quote:Originally posted by JAY LEE: NINJA IN THE DRAGON'S DEN 1982
Synopsis:
The compelling tale of two opposing warriors, one Japanese and one Chinese, brought together by destiny and the sacrifice of their master, to defeat an all-powerful enemy.
Thoughts:
This awesome old school classic has the distinct honor of being my all time favourite ninja flick, and one of the most vivid movie memories of my childhood. That super cool opening with all the ninjas running around displaying their skills is etched into my brain for all eternity, and so is that cheesy 80's theme tune. It is also, quite embarrassingly, the only song that I know all the words to... THEY WERE READY TO FIIIGHT.. SHAKA NINJAAA...! Okay, enough of that. Just be glad that you can't hear my voice through the screen. But seriously, this is in my opinion the best of the old school HK ninja movies, alongside Five Element Ninja and Duel To The Death. It has just the right amount of cheese and comedy, balanced well with the fairly serious storyline and awesome action. The choreography by director Yuen Kwai and Meng Hoi is super tight, and shows the various styles on display to their full extent. Conan Lee and Hiroyuki Sanada rarely looked better than they do here. Too bad that Sanada didn't do more HK movies, and that Conan turned out to be an egomaniacal ***, ruining his own career. I'll admit that the whole thing kind of unravels towards the end. After the awesome pagoda showdown, there really wasn't anywhere for the movie to go. So what do you do? You bring out the big guns, in the form of grandmaster Hwang Jang Lee of course. He is sort of played for laughs here, but still brings the thunder and caps off the film nicely, despite his slightly cartoonish sendoff. So, in closing, an all time favourite classic of mine that delivers the goods, as well as the bitter sweet sting of nostalgia, for me personally.
Just watched this fantastic movie. It´s just as awesome as you mentioned Jay!
Full of great fights with various styles and clever ideas. Only in HK. And once again i liked the comedy elements, it was funny to see the guys fooling around.
The opening credits tune could have been a hit in the 80s. At least here in Finland Great stuff!
Posted by JAY LEE (Member # 6345) on :
Glad you liked it, bro
It's a fun flick, even if it does descend into cartoon comedy at the end. But the action is of the highest order. My favourite fight is the close quarters swordfight with Sanada and the old ninja master. That **** is off the hook!
I think that theme tune could and should have been a hit everywhere Posted by goresnet (Member # 6592) on :
quote:Originally posted by aTomiK: Oh you must recall this classic movie:
That's the one! Talk about cheese!
Posted by Bernie_Lomax (Member # 8571) on :
My mate goes on about Ninja 3 the domination all the time, but I sternly refuse to watch it.
Posted by Johnny Roarke is reckless (Member # 9826) on :
The news that UK label 88Films will be releasing American Ninja 1 - 4 on blu-ray is probably commonly known by now, but according to their own website they didn't only have Michael Dudikoff participating in the upcoming bonus features, but also the lovely Judie Aronson.. how about that ?!!!
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
I will be upgrading from my DVD 1-3 box set for this,love the first two,parts 3 and 4 I haven't seen in an age but If memory serves me right I didn't hold them in very high regard.
I can still remember when the 3rd one turned up and dudikoff had dropped out the franchise how disappointed I was.
88 films seem to be on a bit of a roll at the moment,they've not long released trancers and coming some time in April they've got the slasher x-ray (what I already own on blu) and the excellent Arthur Penn thriller - dead of winter,I own it on DVD but the transfer is nothing to shout about.
If the blu ray transfer is a vast improvement and the price is right I'd definitely be interested in a purchase.
88 films blu rays I own johnny are puppet master and two moon junction and there both of pretty high quality,though puppet master is not the unrated version.
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
If that is a recent pic of Judie aronson she doesn't look like she's aged at all. Wow!
Posted by Johnny Roarke is reckless (Member # 9826) on :
As i understood, this pic was from the interview they recently did with her.. so yeah, two thumbs up for Judie i'd say ! Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
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