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IMDb > Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Big Trouble in Little China
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Big Trouble in Little China (1986) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 29 | slideshow) Videos (see all 12)
Big Trouble in Little China (1986) -- An All-American trucker gets dragged into a centuries-old mystical battle in Chinatown.
Big Trouble in Little China (1986) -- One of Lo Pan's men explodes after discovering that he's been killed.
Big Trouble in Little China (1986) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   31,953 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Gary Goldman (written by) &
David Z. Weinstein (written by) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Big Trouble in Little China on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
2 July 1986 (USA) more
Tagline:
Adventure doesn't come any bigger! more
Plot:
An All-American trucker gets dragged into a centuries-old mystical battle in Chinatown. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(19 articles)
As Darkness Falls Premiering on Time Warner Cable
 (From Dread Central. 4 November 2009, 4:45 PM, PST)

retro trailer: ‘Big Trouble in Little China’
 (From FlickFilosopher. 11 October 2009, 9:19 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
John Caprenter's opus magnum more (260 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

Also Known As:
John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China (USA) (complete title)
more
Runtime:
99 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The characters on the front of "Egg" Shen's bus say, "Uncle Egg's Tours Guarantee a Good Time". more
Goofs:
Plot holes: During the wedding ceremony, Lo Pan can clearly be seen grabbing Miao Yin's wrist to prick her with the ceremonial needle. However, the entire purpose of the ceremony is to lift his curse and return Lo Pan from his current ghostly state to flesh-and-blood. He should not be able to grab her wrist until after the ceremony is completed. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Pinstripe lawyer: What I'd like to do today is get your version of what happened.
Egg Shen: Oh, you mean the truth.
Pinstripe lawyer: Of course. First, just state your name and your occupation for the record.
Egg Shen: Oh, Egg Shen. Bus driver.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Mortal Kombat (1992) (VG) more
Soundtrack:
Big Trouble in Little China more

FAQ

What happened to Jack Burton at the end of the movie?
Why Does Thunder Explode?
more
56 out of 69 people found the following comment useful.
John Caprenter's opus magnum, 11 January 2000
10/10
Author: unclebyblood from The U.S. of A

John Carpenter really steps away from his usual fare in this easy going `fortune-cookie theater' parody that was originally the manuscript for the second Buckaroo Banzai movie. It features a cast of pithy characters, bizarre and memorable dialogue, entertaining special effects and fight scenes that are well choreographed by western standards.

For those of you who already love John Carpenter, prepare for one of his finest moments. In 1987 Carpenter's sentimental sci-fi-side made `Starman' an instant classic and in 1984 his tense, brooding gothism made `Prince of Darkness' truly frightening. Sandwiched in-between these movie greats is the 1986 production of `Big Trouble on Little China', where eastern martial arts mysticism meets John Wayne bravado with zany and often absurdly hilarious results. How can you not love a movie unwilling to take itself too seriously while at the same time still managing to keep a straight face?

Carpenter's skills as a director, producer and songwriter come together in this film to produce what many consider to be his finest work. Big Trouble' s theme and content naturally compliments Carpenter's style of cynical humor, flashy cinematic expression and loose, caricature-esque development of memorable story line figures. If this isn't his opus magnum then it is at least one of his greatest moments as a director.

Was the above comment useful to you?
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