BRIDGE OF DRAGONS (Isaac Florentine, 1999)

[Travis]

This is one of my fave Dolph films. It kind of made me a fan again because he was starting to lose me before this with movies that weren't good. Sadly, the movies he made after this were way worse than the ones that were making me slip away as a fan.

[lhz]

I hear that BRIDGE OF DRAGONS is available to watch or download in HD on the PlayStation Network, very likely in WIDESCREEN (!). Not sure but it might be for the UK only...

Wow, interesting ! I will try to get it, it's funny because I was just discussing about an hypothetical release of the movie in HD with a friend yesterday.

[MacGyver]

I've always loved this flick. To me, this is Issac's best "looking" film. All of his others look cheap, but are very well shot. This to me has a big screen feel. Wish they'd release it on BD.

[Jox]

Nicely done fan-made trailer

[Jox]

Anybody else thinks that Dolph's look in the opening is inspired taken directly from Rutger Hauer's in THE BLOOD HEROES?

[Travis]

I think this is by far one of Dolph's best, however, I don't think he looked good in it. He looked tired and out of shape. I get the feeling he didn't care too much at that point in his career.

[Jox]

When he signed for BOD and let with Florentine (also a karate expert), Dolph said that he wanted to train for two months and get his third Dan of Kyokushin Karate, which he did after a grueling exam and twenty fights. But the production in Bulgaria (when crews weren't what they are now) was a mess so he was probably tense and pissed off...

[leigh1975]

Really wasn't sure where to post this, I guess here is probably a decent middle ground. It's an interview with Isaac Florentine for promoting Ninja but is more based on his career, but he talks about meeting and working with Dolph, not necessarily mentioning BoD, but he doesn't have to

http://moviemavericks.com/2010/03/interview-isaac-florentine/

On a different note, Ninja is very entertaining as a non-Dolph watch. Shows what Florentine can do with slightly better resources...

[Mosquito]

Wow, that was a good interview! Never read an interview with him before. He came across as a genuinely nice guy. Will check out Ninja and the Undisputed movies although the latter were not exactly on my must see list.

And I want to hug and kiss him for this:

My philosophy, first I want to see the techniques. It’s like the old musicals with Fred Astrie or Gene Kelly; you saw them from top to bottom. People wanted to see them dancing. You knew it was them. It’s similar to the martial arts in my movies. So first I want to see the technique and second I want to move the camera and use it in a way that helps tell the story and becomes part of the fight scene, to glorify it. And what I want to try and avoid is really cutting or over cutting the scene. Because many times you go to films and the action is chopped and scattered and you don’t know what’s going on. You hear the sound effects and it creates the illusion but there is a sense of confusion. When I see that, I totally go against the film.

Oh how I wish more people would think like Isaac! Please hire him for the next James Bond!

[Jox]

Yes he is a genuinely nice and generous guy!

[Mosquito]

OT: Watched Ninja yesterday. My first Scott Adkins movie. Liked it a lot despite the obvious character and story weaknesses Isaac described in his interview. Most notably how the female lead switched back and forth between helpless damsel in distress and kick-ass ninja warrior within the same fight. Priceless. And that movie has a lot of fights for sure. Some very cool moves! Can't believe that nice boy is the evil guy I've seen on Undisputed covers.

[Jox]

Actually with UNDISPUTED, Adkins, who have been a very good martial artist but somewhat uncharismatic when he plays heroes in NINJA or SPECIAL FORCES, is kind of like Dolph when he plays bad guys, totally transformed.

[Mosquito]

Interesting - will give them a try. And I've found out that I've seen several movies where he appears but I didn't know him back then (Wolverine, The Tournament, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Medallion).

[Jox]

October 11 in Germany... please make this a decent 1.85 widescreen transfer!



http://www.lighthouse-kg.com/home/produ ... e7f93b1912

http://www.amazon.de/Fight-Dragon-Blu-r ... 948&sr=1-6

[Jox]

No widescreen again. Only 4:3 just like the DVDs but the frontcover artwork is now better than the old german dvd and we germans finally got the english audio as well. sound is a bit more clear and the picture is improved but no HD feeling and no big improvement. The improvement is mainly be seen on daylight scenes with close ups but the dirt of the whole picture they couldnt delete. I doubt we will see a better version than this of this movie. Better frontcover, now english audio added and 10% better picture/sound.
-- Vanberch

Now can Lionsgate UK release their Widescreen transfer?!!