Bloodsport (1988)

Follows Frank Dux, an American martial artist serving in the military, who decides to leave the army to compete in a martial arts tournament in Hong Kong where fights to the death can occur.

Director:

Newt Arnold

Writers:

Sheldon Lettich (story), Sheldon Lettich (screenplay)

Stars:

Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb, Leah Ayres

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean-Claude Van Damme	...	Frank Dux (as Jean Claude Van Damme)
Donald Gibb	...	Jackson
Leah Ayres	...	Janice
Norman Burton	...	Helmer
Forest Whitaker	...	Rawlins
Roy Chiao	...	Tanaka
Philip Chan	...	Captain Chen
Pierre Rafini	...	Young Frank
Bolo Yeung	...	Chong Li
Ken Siu	...	Victor (as Kenneth Siu)
Kimo Lai Kwok Ki	...	Hiro
Bernard Mariano	...	Hossein
Bill Yuen Ping Kuen	...	Oshima
Lily Leung	...	Mrs. Tanaka
Joshua Schroder	...	Chuck / Older Boy (as Jousha Schroder)

Storyline

Frank Dux has spent most his life being trained by Tanaka to participate in the Kumite, the ultimate martial arts tournament, where participants are seriously injured, even killed. Frank decides to go despite being told by his superiors in the army that he can't because they need him. Two army officers are sent to get him and the trail leads to Hong Kong but Frank eludes them. While Frank advances, he knows that he may have to face Chong Li, the defending champion, who has killed a few participants.

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Plot Keywords:

tournament | martial arts | kumite | hand to hand combat | hong kong | 

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Taglines:

The true story of an American ninja.

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Genres:

Action | Biography | Drama | Sport

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 April 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Contacto sangriento

Filming Locations:

Kowloon Walled City, Hong Kong, China

Box Office

Budget:

$1,100,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$11,806,119

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cannon International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color (TVC)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The majority of Bolo Yeung's lines are similar to Bruce Lee's in Enter the Dragon (1973), in which Bolo appeared.

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Goofs

In a flashback to young Dux's childhood, while accompanying his menacing friends to steal Tanaka's sword, Frank is wearing a NY Giants jersey and a SF Giants hat.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Boxer: Jackson, you going to go to Hong Kong?
Jackson: I love anything full contact. I need a few more scars on my face.
Boxer: But I heard you can get killed at that Kumite.
Jackson: Only if you fuck up.

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Crazy Credits

Before the credits the following can be found: This motion picture is based upon true events in the life of Frank W. Dux. From 1975 to 1980 Frank W. Dux fought 329 matches. He retired undefeated as the World Heavy Weight Full Contact Kumite Champion. Mr. Dux still holds four world records: Fastest Knockout - 3.2 seconds Fastest Punch with a Knockout - .42 seconds Fastest Kick with a Knockout - 72 mph Most Consecutive Knockouts in a Single Tournament - 56 Subsequently Mr. Dux founded the first American Ninjitsu System. Dux-Ryu.

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Alternate Versions

Finnish version is censored (over 20 minutes). The cuts include almost every fight of the movie, Jackson's first fight is heavily cut, every Chong Li's fight is cut to pieces. The whole sequence where the "Kumite"-song is heard and it shows several fights is removed, and the final conflict between Dux (J-C Van Damme) and Chong Li (excellent Bolo Yeung) is extremely cut (several minutes).

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Connections

Referenced in Cobra Kai: Fire and Ice (2019)

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Soundtracks

On My Own - Alone
Music and Lyrics by Shandi Sinnamon (as Shandi) and Paul Hertzog
Performed by Stan Bush
Stan Bush appears courtesy of Scotti Brothers/Epic Records

User Reviews

Cult

I love this man. His acting wasn't very good. (I do think though it improved over time... a little.)

Bloodsport was inspiration for a whole generation to start learning martial arts. A Cult movie. I grew up some of my life in Asia and it amuses me to see those buff cliché white men jumping around through colourful, but grubby marketplaces/ back alleys. In fact the whole movie is simple and has even a nice tidy cliché structure: Man starts terribly, improves through tough training and develops into sexy fighting machine. Some people who commented on this movie said he is no Bruce Lee. But that is the beauty of it. He is somebody from a western country trying to measure up and fit into the eastern culture. Good stuff.