Showdown in Little Tokyo (1991)

Two L.A. cops with opposing views on what is the best way to uphold the law have to work together to bring down the Yakuza, while trying to protect a beautiful woman.

Director:

Mark L. Lester

Writers:

Stephen Glantz, Caliope Brattlestreet

Stars:

Dolph Lundgren, Brandon Lee, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dolph Lundgren	...	Sgt. Chris Kenner
Brandon Lee	...	Johnny Murata
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa	...	Funekei Yoshida
Tia Carrere	...	Minako Okeya
Toshishiro Obata	...	Sato
Philip Tan	...	Tanaka
Rodney Kageyama	...	Eddie
Ernie Lively	...	Detective Nelson
Renee Allman	...	Angel Mueller (as Renee Griffin)
Reid Asato	...	Muto
Takayo Fischer	...	Mama Yamaguchi
Simon Rhee	...	Ito
Vernee Watson	...	Nonnie Russell - Coroner (as Vernee Watson-Johnson)
Lenny Imamura	...	Kickboxer #1
Roger Yuan	...	Kickboxer #2

Storyline

Detective Chris Kenner was orphaned as a child as his father was in the service and was killed and lived in Japan. Now he is on the trail of ruthless Yakuza leader named Yoshido, who helped establish a small Japanese area in Los Angeles and is now running a drug ring disguised as a brewery. However, Kenner must team up with a Japanese-American detective named Johnny Murata, and he also must protect a witness named Minako who would testify against Yoshido. But what Kenner will soon discover that he will be in a lot more than what he bargained for.

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Plot Keywords:

yakuza | detective | japanese american | little tokyo | violence | 

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Taglines:

One's a warrior. One's a wise guy. They're two L.A. cops going after a gang of drug lords. Feet first.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, and for language, sensuality and drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Warner Bros [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

23 August 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sgt. K.

Filming Locations:

Long Beach, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$455,192, 25 August 1991

Gross USA:

$2,275,557

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,275,557

Company Credits

Production Co:

Little Tokyo Productions, Original Pictures, Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

All of the swords used in the film were replicas, with the exception of the one used by Dolph Lundgren's character when he slices through bundles of bamboo: this was an authentic samurai sword.

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Goofs

All of Minako's nude scenes are an obvious body double wearing a wig that is significantly longer and fuller than Tia Carrere's actual hair.

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Quotes

Johnny Murata: I wanted to work in Malibu.
Chris Kenner: That'll never happen.
Johnny Murata: Thanks, that's supportive. I've joined you on this quest for personal vengeance and you've got to take a shot at my dreams?
Chris Kenner: Malibu's Sheriff's Department, not LAPD.
Johnny Murata: Really? Damn.

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Alternate Versions

US version rated 'R' (released in vhs, laserdisc, and dvd in the US) is cut (totalling 13 seconds) as follows:

• The party in the pool lost a shot of an Oriental man walking with a topless woman
• Several shots of Yoshida caressing Angel before choping her head are deleted
• The exact chopping of Angel's head is shown in two different angles, but only one in the R version.
• When the coroner opens the body bag, in the unrated version we get to enjoy two shots completely of Angel's seperated head, but the R has only one intact.
• When Kenner stabs the fat guy under water, one brief shot of Kenner twisting the knife in the stomach while blood pours out, is removed. The cut FI-version is based on the full, unrated uncut version, so it features almost all material cut from it!

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Connections

Referenced in Workaholics: Blood Drive (2015)

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Soundtracks

Boys Night Out
Written by Kris Kurry and Eddie Wilde
Produced by Kris Kurry
Performed by K.K. Wilde
Courtesy of Platinum Records, Inc.
[plays at the nightclub during the big brawl]

User Reviews

Fun Martial Arts Action Film

"Showdown in Little Tokyo" is one of those B-movies that despite cheesy one liners and incredulous situations, is a lot of fun. The movie has a fast pace and Brandon Lee showed that he had screen prescence by stealing the show as a wise cracking Americanized, Asian American policeman joining Dolph Lundren's maverick cop who is well versed in the ancient ways of the Japanese Samurai.

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa is excellent as the villain, Yashida and I have a sneaking supsicion that this was a fun film set. The writing is not the best but I enjoyed myself watching this movie when I discovered it by accident when visiting Westwood in 1991 and years later as I watched it on DVD with some friends.

Definitely check it out and don't think too hard and go with the flow, this is one guilty pleasure.