SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 19 Oct 2022, 11:29

Very strange VHS cover for SILT. Looks like pirated VHS after URSS fall. Reminds me early Van Damme VHS tapes with his face on cover from magazines or stills from movies that are different from the actual movie present on the tape. Even Death Warrant (1990) MGM 2012 blu ray front cover feature a still from Lionheart. Fast rewind, WHICH MAKE ME SMILE.

In this SILT VHS cover is kind of the same, Dolph is in outfit very different from the training montage from the movie, but was featured in press kit. HOw popular were all this guys on video in late 80s- mid 90s - GODS of cinema. Today action guys are not treated the same way.
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 04 Nov 2022, 18:34

for the ones who are curious about special box VHS SILT screener
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby Jox on 05 Nov 2022, 01:53

Ah, so this is the person who won the auction not too long ago...!
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 05 Nov 2022, 11:38

Awesome SILT box set for a direct to video film. I saw a screener copy of Out for Justice (1991) a while ago but it didn't have this box set and supplements as SILT did.
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby Jox on 05 Nov 2022, 12:46

alex.sp89 wrote: I saw a screener copy of Out for Justice (1991) a while ago but it didn't have this box set and supplements as SILT did.

It probably did back then but hasn't shown up online yet. This was the first time in 20+ years that that SILT one showed up on ebay and it was the same for the MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE one that showed up a 6-12 months ago. Those promotional boxes were sparse / rare but it kind of makes sense that they (WB) would send some to the press and video stores with those publicity materials inside. More often you'd find the loose content without the box but I assume most people threw them out (it's kind of like with finding loose vintage toys more easily than the toys with their OG packaging). Anyway, in those years distributors could spend good money on marketing video releases...
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 05 Nov 2022, 12:57

I guess u are right. Back then when someone hear WB or 20th Century Fox, Paramount another big company movie it was 100 percent trademark of a good action movie, drama or comedy that channels will show on weekend evening after 8-9 pm and on Monday all your classmates will discuss it at school - how awesome Lundgren or Seagal, Sly, Arnold, JCVD movie I saw on weekend. Today, new generation doesn't even know what is this. Or the movies OST ... on cassette . Slippery when When (silt ost) track I can listen every day...
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 29 Nov 2022, 12:52

Recently I was listening a podcast with DL and Scott Adkins and when it came to SILT Hans mentioned the following about this movie

- One day one of the producers came on set and asked Mark L Lester if he wants to talk with actors about making this movie and Mark replied - About what ?.

It looks like Dolph didn't get along with director Lester, no communication. Did THEY CLASH ? As i imagine Dolph attempted to make a more serious movie, sort of early Seagal type and Mark wanted a comic action movie. This is one of the reasons it was re-edited by WB. Maybe I am wrong...
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby Jox on 29 Nov 2022, 14:29

Even though Lundgren probably doesn't regards Lester as one of the best directors he's worked with, I think you're reading way too much into it. The point he was making in that podcast interview was kind of how everybody was in on how cheesy the project was...
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 29 Nov 2022, 14:57

Do u know what is the strangest thing today about this movie ? People today talk about it as one of the best action movies of the 90's, but filmmakers and the most who was involved in it skip it in their interviews and podcasts, just few words, very greedy in their speeches. They think it was a dead project or what ? When audience thinks the total opposite.
Strange in this podcast is the fact that Dark Angel wasn't discussed. Well Adkins doesn't consider this one so classic and so good in action...?!

SILT It is like a boy dream when u get the nicest girl, u are tough and muscular, invincible sort of fairy tale that every man wants to be when the reality is not the same...
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 03 Dec 2022, 13:50

Maybe it was posted in other section before but it looks a very rare interview with Brandon and Dolph during SILT post-production from 1991. They do not talk about SILT ,mostly about action genre but is somehow connected to SILT. Dolph is still in SILT shape and look ready to shoot the opening for UniSol in Vietnam with Van Damme. Brandon was ready for Moving Target (later renamed Rapid Fire)...

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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby Jox on 03 Dec 2022, 19:37

There used to be the full Dolph interview (which is from early to mid 1992) but I can no longer find it online.
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 06 Dec 2022, 13:04

As I thought before Dolph confirms the fact that in SILT and Masters of the Universe he was the "biggest" and best shape ever in a movie, He said he had a strict diet, workout sessions and martial arts training daily... You can hear that from DL in Scott Adkins podcast

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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 14 Feb 2023, 11:44

thank u Jox for this rare podcast.Strange is the fact that P. Tan doesn't have a wikipedia page this days.
Also Brandon Lee page was changed a bit with new information. From his page we found new things about SILT production from external link
https://catalog.afi.com/Film/59045-SHOW ... ilmography

EXTRACT
The 24 Jul 1991 DV reported that the film’s production company allegedly interrogated several employees regarding efforts by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) to organize the crew. Seventeen crewmembers staged a 26 Feb 1991 strike, hoping to force the production company to recognize the IATSE as their “collective bargaining agent.” The strike lasted one week, after which the employees agreed to return to work unconditionally, but were allegedly refused reinstatement. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) investigated the allegations and charged Little Tokyo Productions with “unfair labor practices.” Following a hearing on 11 Jul 1991, a settlement was reached in which the company would pay $5,000 in back wages to eleven of the striking crewmembers, notify all employees that they would not be interrogated regarding union activity in the workplace, and would not be refused reinstatement after a strike. The production company complied, admitting no wrongdoing.

Does anyone know more about this ? Did this event "sort if missed week" affected the shooting process and the movie itself ?

Also An Oct 1991 release was expected
Why was the release pushed to August? Taking in consideration they had bad re-editing process and very short running time and other problems. They could put it in better shape in additional couple of months maybe some re-shots etc. Or WB gave up the movie as dead
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby Jox on 14 Feb 2023, 16:14

alex.sp89 wrote:EXTRACT
The 24 Jul 1991 DV reported that the film’s production company allegedly interrogated several employees regarding efforts by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) to organize the crew. Seventeen crewmembers staged a 26 Feb 1991 strike, hoping to force the production company to recognize the IATSE as their “collective bargaining agent.” The strike lasted one week, after which the employees agreed to return to work unconditionally, but were allegedly refused reinstatement. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) investigated the allegations and charged Little Tokyo Productions with “unfair labor practices.” Following a hearing on 11 Jul 1991, a settlement was reached in which the company would pay $5,000 in back wages to eleven of the striking crewmembers, notify all employees that they would not be interrogated regarding union activity in the workplace, and would not be refused reinstatement after a strike. The production company complied, admitting no wrongdoing.

Does anyone know more about this ? Did this event "sort if missed week" affected the shooting process and the movie itself ?

Mark L. Lester mentioned it to me when we spoke.

alex.sp89 wrote:Also An Oct 1991 release was expected
Why was the release pushed to August? Taking in consideration they had bad re-editing process and very short running time and other problems. They could put it in better shape in additional couple of months maybe some re-shots etc. Or WB gave up the movie as dead

It seems to me that this was an estimate and not a date that was set. Also we don't know if that estimate comes from the trade magazine or WB. And 6 months happened in the meantime, so it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for a distributor to change dates several times internally -- titles get pushed back and others get pushed earlier... Interestingly though, I learned that the release date for New York was September 20th 1991.
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