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

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

Postby Gunner on 06 Apr 2019, 18:02

I have that original Marked For Death/Screwface script too. Really interesting read if you are fan of the film, and quite good action script. I still like the final movie more, and if Seagal was really the only one who made all the changes on the script, then i must say, good work. I wouldn't mind if some parts were kept, but compared to the script the film is still better, specially the final fight which i felt was alright in the script but still felt too short, while the one of the film was probably one of Seagal's best. And Screwface is IMO one of the top best villains of Seagal's films.
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 06 Apr 2019, 20:12

U right Gunner !!! Marked for Death (1990) movie version is better than that first draft !!! The reason why i bought it was because i thought that was the final draft of it published on that script site !!! For years I i was wondering about Tito Barco character played by late Al Israel !!! I noticed that the guy who got shot was at the bar sequence wasn't him at all, just a guy who looked like him (basically played by famous stuntman Bob Apisa in many Seagal's movie and other actions...) The last few seconds from MFD trailer showing Tito Barco asking Seagal's character ' Are u some kind of cop ?, No I am concerned citizen'' never ended in final released version, and was curious how it was scripted !!! Obviously they cut it out because they wanted to keep the twist ending - that there are 2 twin brothers villains till the end of the movie (which was a correct strategy)! Showing that Tito Barco has ''twins'' too in the middle of the movie will demask the ending easily - that there are 2 Screwface too !!! The deleted part between Tito and Seagal took place before Screwface tried to kill him burning him in his car (he is dressed in the same suit like in deleted part) ! Some dvd covers feature a pic when Seagal wanted to talk with Tito and his men are staying next to Seagal !!! After I read that first draft (3/5/89) it came in my mind that Tito could be competitor drug Lord MAD EYES who helped Stefano (the name of Seagal's character in first draft that was changed to John Hatcher in final version).
Again as Showdown in Little Tokyo I think MFD have been re-edited several times , especially Tito Barco subplot and the witch he paid to kill Screwface with her magic !!! The character of witch also is interesting but this is Showdown in Little Tokyo page and Dolph Lundgren site (who is a fav. action star of mine) and not Seagal forum !!!
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby Krom on 11 Apr 2019, 18:28

Great info guys, on both SILT and MFD! A director’s cut release its a must!!
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 12 Apr 2019, 05:18

I was wondering about the title logo of Silt in the trailer from WB !!! Basically the font and logo remind me another 1991 action movie "The Perfect Weapon" (released on March 15 of 1991) starring Jeff Speakman !!! The question is - was this trailer Silt logo created just for the trailer or it was used in the original director's cut Title opening and the title from final version were created after re-editing of this movie which differs significant from the trailer ? Also even if u look at released version of opening title the the letters for Brandon Lee's name ,who is credited the second lead, are much smaller than Dolph's name and the same size like of Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa and Tia Carrere !!! This makes me think that even this final version of opening titles was re-edited and Brandon Lee's name originally was posted after the title Showdown in Little Tokyo appeared on the screen - Dolph Lundgren (Big letters) SILT title Brandon lee (smaller letters), C.H Tagawa, T. Carrere ... (also small letters) ! In final released version the order is like that - Dolph Lundgren (Big letters) Brandon lee (smaller letters), SILT title ( when they appear on the screen the end frames look stoned and on pause kind of too long trying to match it with the music and pace - i think the reason why is like that was the re-editing), C.H. Tagawa, T. Carrere ... (also small letters) ! Basically originally Brandon Lees was credited like a supportive actor and not a lead at all !!! It was only Dolph's vehicle...
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 18 Apr 2019, 03:48

"Another film came out called “Showdown in Little Tokyo” with Dolph Lundgren and Brandon Lee (deceased son of Bruce Lee), which also used Little Tokyo as a backdrop; it would have been more watchable if the story and acting had been better"

The author of this article is not the greatest critic in the world !!! Both - acting and plot of SILT were fine !!! That was a standard concept of action movies back in late '80s- early '90 s ! Do u think Out for Justice (1991), Double Impact (1991), The Perfect Weapon (1991), Stone Cold (1991) from the same year have a better plot or acting ? They all are the same and became cult classic !!! It is truth some of them worked better at the box office, some not but time show us that these movies stocked in people hearts and still do good in DVD and blu ray sales !

And one more common characteristic for all of them - like SILT they had problems during post-production. Year of 1991 was a trouble year for a lot of companies and MPAA was doing everything possible to put obstacles in every single release:
1. Showdown in Little Tokyo - re-edited from 90 minutes to 78,5 minutes ! We all know the entire story of it already !!! With nowadays standards u even can not call SILT a full length motion picture - it is considered a full length a movie with a duration no less than 80 minutes.

2. Double Impact (1991)- also re-edited many times during post-prod. ! All magazines, news papers advertised this movie with a duration of 118 minutes, but released only with 110 minutes ! This May, after 2 delays, MVD Rewind Collection will release a special edition of DI with 54 minutes of extended /deleted scenes as a special feature ! Originally they announced that they will include two different workprints provided by Sheldon Lettich, but MGM didn't allow them to do that !

3.Out for Justice (1991) - re-edited by studio, Seagal himself and MPAA requests !!! it says that originally movie was 30 minutes longer (rumor or workprint)! To my understanding they deleted 18- 19 minutes from it with initial runtime between 108-110 minutes ! TV version of this flick include two deleted scenes and alternate shots but cut the violence and some parts ! The total runtime of TV version is 93 minutes, but additional two scenes are about seven minutes long ! So 91 minutes theatrical cut plus 7 minutes of those two deleted scenes would be about 98 minutes total.

4. The Perfect Weapon (1991) - also re-edited several times for violence, pace and more screens during the day !!! Theatrical cut of this flick Starring Jeff Speakman is 85 minutes, TV version 90 minutes !!! TV version contain several deleted scenes , most notable are scenes with M. Hargitay who doesn't say a word in theatrical cut, left more like a furniture

5. Stone Cold (1991) - re-edited ans production problems !!! First of all original Director Bruce Malmuth got fired, 4 weeks of work went into trash can, script re-write and over budget !!! After finished movie was ready MPAA demanded cuts for violence (u can see those cuts very easily sometimes when u watch it)

6. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)- the biggest hit of that year also re-edited !!! Movie was kind of too tong and Cameron cut it down to 137 minutes for it's theatrical run !!! After that we got was other cuts - 154 minutes (sometimes "wrong" called director's cut) and 156 minutes Skynet Edition with alternate ending !
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby Jox on 18 Apr 2019, 15:49

alex.sp89 wrote:The author of this article is not the greatest critic in the world !!!

He's not a film critic and this was not really meant as a review. From this headshot I'd also say he's not from a generation that would appreciate this kind of early 90's action film.

I posted it because of history of movies shot in Little Tokyo.

With nowadays standards u even can not call SILT a full length motion picture - it is considered a full length a movie with a duration no less than 80 minutes.

The standard can vary but I've mostly read that a feature film starts at a 40-50 minutes running time. Back in earlier days of cinema you had could have many movies of 60-70 minutes -- or 180...
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 18 Apr 2019, 23:41

Jox I meant Screen Actors Guild gives a minimum running time of at least 80 minutes. But checked once again right know, and there are some modification made - Screen Actors Guild asserts that a feature's running time is 75 minutes or longer.Everyone change it once in a while ! Anyway to my understanding movie can not be shorter than 90 minutes in this century anymore !!! In Japan for example television have this policy for very long time - for example Maniac Cop (1988) was only 85 minutes long and Japan demanded additional footage to be shot for a complete 90 minutes run !
In Showdown in little Tokyo case they should keep 5-5,5 minutes more in re-editing process, witn a runtime of 83-84 minutes !!! It would be ideal- about 80 minutes without credits !!! U feel that something is missing in there when u watch it, too many abrupt cut scenes ! Eliot, Baird and Co "messed around" as much as possible with it, without shame !
They did the same as Miramax did with many Jackie Chan movies made in Hong KOng with Golden Harvest - Rumble in the Bronx, Mr Nice Guy, First Strike etc. - all SHORTEN american versions by Miramax sucks... please forgive me Miramax - but u are butchers ...
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby Jox on 19 Apr 2019, 00:16

And I meant SAG doesn't rule outside of the US (especially not an actors guild which is very much finance-driven). I don't come from the States, and these standards are not those of outsiders and misc film industry insiders, experts or scholars.


Now !!! on a more serious matter !! Could you please make an effort to write and breakdown distinct paragraphs and less exclamation points in your posts? !!! (see how that makes it harder to read you (and I don't even have enough for a big and compact paragraph)? ! Like someone having a screaming an entire monologue !!!)
I'm sure others and I here will appreciate that, thank you.
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 19 Apr 2019, 01:42

Ok ! Do u know how hard is to write from the iphone sometimes when u have little free time ? Deadline... this is the US nowadays.

U wrote previous that u are preparing a book about Dolph Lundgren career and behind the scenes of his movies. When are u planning to release it ?
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby Jox on 19 Apr 2019, 21:20

I can barely write a long text on my iphone so I can imagine. I only post here from my computer.

About the Dolph career book, it's probably not gonna be ready before at least a couple of years. I've been working on it for years now and very much in-depth, so it's a big project. And in the meantime, the serendipity of circumstances made me write an entire book on THE PUNISHER first, so now I'm focusing on completing and releasing the extended English version of that one before getting back to the Dolph book (which I now think I may breakdown and begin with putting out a volume 1 on the first part of his filmography).
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 20 Apr 2019, 01:05

Jox did u ever get the chance to do an interview with director of photography Mark Irwin ? He worked on 2 DL movies back to back - Dark Angel and SILT. this guy had another bad luck working with Warner Brothers again when they destroyed his cinematography vision on Passenger 57 (1992) starring Wesley Snipes...
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby Jox on 20 Apr 2019, 12:44

alex.sp89 wrote:Jox did u ever get the chance to do an interview with director of photography Mark Irwin ?

Yes I did, I interviewed Irwin about those two movies a few years back.
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby alex.sp89 on 21 Apr 2019, 01:42

Jox can u share some Irwin impression working on SILT ? or will u keep it for Dolph's career book.

Do u have rare pics, stills, lobby during SILT production ? If yes would u include them in the future book release ...
By the way thank u for cooperation and quick response
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Re: SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (Mark L. Lester, 1991)

Postby Jox on 21 Apr 2019, 16:57

I haven't listened to the interview in a while and indeed I keep my interviews for the book, but I can tell you he enjoyed working on SILT (and DA) a lot.

I do have a few rare stills and lobby cards (not as many as I'd want of course) and I sure want to include them in the book.

I wish I could write quicker or had much much more time because there's enough to say about SILT and its production to devote an entire book about it (same goes for a lot of Dolph's films from the first 10 years of his career a.k.a. classic or golden years)...
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