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

[Krom]

I wonder when this will receive a blu ray threatment and maybe the original extended cut...

[Jox]

It's aired on full HD on TV and is on VOD as well. Hopefully it won't be long now, WB already released most of their catalog titles like Seagals so it should be about time.

From my understanding, the "original extended cut" was never completed since Warner took over the film to several editors (including their minion Stuard Baird) before the end of post-production. Lester told me he'd talk to them about releasing a special edition but I don't believe they'll agree to it: look at what they've done to Goddard on MOTU (which is a bigger title) and turned their back on him just to save a little money...

EDIT
There's a production script with all the deleted scenes (and some ommitted during filming therefore not shot) which you can get at http://hollywoodbookandposter.com (email them at scripts@hollywoodbooksandposter.com) for $15+shipping.

[Krom]

Thanks alot for the info J!!!!!

[Jox]

SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO was disscussed in a 1994 academic essay by Thomas Nakayama:
"Show/Down Time: "Race" Gender Sexuality and Popular Culture", in Critical Studies in Mass Communications, volume 11, #2, 1994, pg 162-179

This essay analyzes the construction “race,”; gender, and sexuality in contemporary U.S. popular culture through an analysis of the Hollywood film, Showdown in Little Tokyo, and contemporary mass market magazine images. Focusing on the construction of Asian and white masculinity, this essay suggests ways that white heterosexual masculinity is recentered in U.S. popular culture. This essay also argues for the importance of spatial relations in constructing identities.

preview:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1 ... 19#preview

[shooby]

[Jox]

These set photos must have been posted already. The first one comes from my collection, found it at a movie memorabilia store in Hollywood where they reprint them for you from slides and original prints. The second was posted by Mark L. Lester himself on his own IMDB profile and FB page.

[Jox]

Well, Brandon was a special guy. We became good friends during the shoot of the picture. His mother was Swedish. So he was half-Chinese (because of Bruce Lee, his dad) and his mom was Swedish, and we both were martial artists. And I agree with you - had he lived, he would've become a huge star, maybe even bigger than his dad.

Yeah, that could be a nice remake, you know? I think without Brandon it'd be tough to find somebody really good in his place. But it was a good story, a pretty exciting movie, and fun to shoot for sure.

You're right though, the chase scene is only like 4 blocks. I know! I've been there lately, as well. It's the movies right?

Yeah. I think both the sushi and the ladies were real, as far as I imagine! Ha ha ha! This was the 80's, where you could do different things in the movies than today!

http://www.reddit.com/user/DolphLundgrenHere

[Jox]

James Lew (BEST OF THE BEST, THE PERFECT WEAPON etc)
interview except from David J. Moore's upcoming book THE GOOD, THE THOUGH, AND THE DEADLY

Brandon Lee. You worked with him on Showdown in Little Tokyo.

Yes. Fantastic human being. I remember we were just hanging out and talking on the set. He was very appreciative. He said, “Look, I’m barely half Chinese, and I’m cast as this Asian guy, and how lucky am I to be playing the lead?” I found that was pretty humbling. I think before that, he had a period of denial where he didn’t want to be known as Bruce Lee’s son. A lot of people – rich kids – are like “I want to make it on my own!” But that was the same kind of conflict. But once he embraced it, he really embraced it. He was really good. He really worked at it and trained. He was really serious about his acting. In Showdown in Little Tokyo he does that famous foot sweep while I’m doing a round kick, so one leg is up and he actually contacts my base foot, and it’s on the wet sauna floor so I’m going. There’s nothing I can do. The way they wanted me to fall, partly in the water, people always say to me, “I thought you broke your back on that.” Like I said, I don’t like getting hurt, so I know how to cheat it.

[Moltisanti]

U.S. Blu-ray release slated for 7/21:

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=17021

Will be from Warner so I doubt it will have extras. Still cool to see get a blu release.

Some folks on bluray.com made mention of an "uncut" Australian DVD release. Has anyone ever seen that?

[Jox]

https://vine.co/v/eiXZUiA1EBg

Some folks on bluray.com made mention of an "uncut" Australian DVD release. Has anyone ever seen that?

Yes, it's the same as the European (French at least) widescreen and uncut (minor quick cuts)



Trivia:
On his first date with future ex-wife / business partner Dana Dubovsky, director Mark Lester took her at Graummann's Chinese Theatre where SHOWDOWN was playing and had his picture taken in front the marquee.

[Krom]

Great news, but Warner's 'Archives' isnt delivering real transfers, or at least i know they're not paying any attention on details nor extras.
Any available reviews?

[Jox]

They don't put any extras (but I never expected it on this title, coming from Warner) but my sources tell me their transfers are actually not so bad and have good compression and bitrate (better than standard Warner titles actually), not mentioning the VOD version is said to be pretty good so if they use the same master that should be all we need. Too soon for reviews they've only announced it and there's no pre-order yet.

[Jox]

Blu-ray pre-order:
http://www.importcds.com/showdown-in-li ... 8574320027

http://www.amazon.com/Showdown-Little-T ... ttle+tokyo

[Jox]

You can also order it at the WB Shop (US only):
http://www.wbshop.com/product/showdown+ ... rom=Search

[Jox]

Trivia:
The old run down church that served as the "crime scene" is a very famous location, the Union Center for the Arts. It was also the same church used in the John Carpenter's PRINCE OF DARKNESS and is now used as the David Henry Hwang Theatre, home to the East West Players. This was the first Christian church in Little Tokyo. What happened to this church is the Northridge quake of 1994 damaged it. Eventually, it was repaired and turned into an art museum the public can go in. Go here if you want to see more: L.A. Artcore. It is a historical landmark and is preserved because of that.
http://the-great-silence.blogspot.fr/20 ... oween.html
http://www.eastwestplayers.org/
http://laartcore.org/