Littledragon
Above The Law
(As Yudansha requested to put all the info in one thread)
(Might be long to load)
POSTER LINK http://www.geocities.com/j_c_van_da...umiteposter.jpg
Following have been added below
-New Start Date
-New Cast Member
-New Director, Van Damme not listed as director on Hannibalpictures.com anymore
PRODUCERS:
Richard Rionda Del Castro
Blair Reekie
Rainer Bienger
WRITER:
Jean-Claude Van Damme
DIRECTOR/DP:
Doug Milsome
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Michael Wong
LOCATION:
Vancouver
GENRE:
Action
CAST:
Jean-Claude Van Damme as VIC "THE CAJUN" LATOUR
Bolo Yueng as TAO LON
Jerome Lebanner as THE WOLF
Bob Sapp as Mabi Makaba
Kenji Yamaki
Malaipet Sitpraprom
START DATE:
August, 23 2004
DELIVERY STATUS:
March 2005
BUDGET:
USD $14 million
LOGLINE:
"Kumite" is an action-packed story of courage, friendship, and redemption, set against the backdrop of the most brutal and elite fighting tournament in the world, The Kumite. Vic Latour (Jean-Claude Van Damme), the only westerner to ever win the Championship of the Kumite, returns to defend his title after years of alcoholism and despair, overcoming great odds to achieve greater glory.
SYNOPSIS:
Since achieving the heights of victory, Vic has experienced the depths of despair. The Kumite trophy, a sleek sword, hangs on the wall of the gym he calls homes, a relic and a reminder of his former glory. He's an outsider in his South Central Los Angeles neighborhood, and has become a drunk. Vic's only friend is a kindly neighbor he calls MAMA. One night in a bar, Vic confronts two redneck gang members. Instead of fighting them, however, he smashes their prized automobile. In the dead of night, the gang members show up at his gym to exact their revenge. Vic unleashes a fury of rage upon them, striking them down with the very sword he won as a trophy in the Kumite. One of the thugs wears a tattoo that Vic recognizes from the fateful shootout in the streets years ago, during which his precious daughter BIANCA was killed. Since that day, his wife JANICE has been confined to a mental institution, a vegetable. A ghost. Vic calls a friend, TAO LON, and asks for help in seeking revenge for hid daughter and wife. Tao Lon gladly accepts, tracking down the gang members for Vic and accompanying him to a hanger in the mountains.
After a bloody fight in which Tao Lon and Vic defeat dozens of men, black cars swarm the airstrip. Out of a private jet steps LEE COOPER, a wealthy Texas oil tycoon. He offers to clean up the mess at the hanger, but asks a favor in return. Vic will enter the Kumite and finally defend his championship against the greatest fighters in the world. Vic has no choice but to accept, and he's off to Belgium, to train with his old master.
The news of his entry excites and thrills the fighting community, and investors eagerly bid on seats for the event. The tournament organizer, OKORAMI, wants to ensure this year's Kumite will be the biggest ever, the "Super Bowl of Kumite." He gets his wishes when LEE COOPER, a Texas oil tycoon agrees to pay millions of dollars to host the Kumite on American soil. Okorami's own fighter, AKIRO YAMAMOTO, wants nothing more than to face The Cajun and inflict pain and humiliation upon him for the winning the Kumite eighteen years before.
While the investors have billions of dollars on the line, the fighters have more at stake than monetary gain. Some fight for love, others for freedom. None of them have more at stake than Vic, who fights for all these things and more. The brutal training behind him, Vic now faces the toughest part of his journey.
He returns to America to face the greatest fighters in the world, fighters of unmatched skill and raw brutality, including a Russian named THE WOLF (Jerome LeBanner), who keeps pet wolves in a cage near his corner. With everything on the line, he braces for an inevitable showdown with Akiro Yamamoto, a fighter so intense that he kills a man in the ring. Vic is dangerous in his own right; he's a fighter with nothing to left to lose. The fans scream with anticipation as the final match approaches. Two men with everything to gain, facing each other in a fierce battle of strength and will.
OLD SYNOPSIS:
Since achieving the heights of victory, Vic has experienced the depths of despair. The Kumite trophy, a sleek sword, hangs on the wall of the gym he calls homes, a relic and a reminder of his former glory. He's an outsider in his South Central Los Angeles neighborhood, and has become a drunk since losing his daughter BIANCA in the crossfire of gang violence. Since his daughter's death, Vic's wife JANICE has become withdrawn and distant, a vegetable living in a mental hospital. Vic's only friend is a kindly neighbor he calls MAMA, whose grandson RICKY is due to be released from prison. Vic solemnly promises Mama that he will help her keep Ricky on the straight-and-narrow, unaware that this promise will offer an opportunity for redemption. When local thugs murder Mama, Ricky is left angry and alone.
Vic welcomes Ricky into his home, but their bond is slow to develop. They remain at odds over Vic's alcoholism and Ricky's desire to avenge his grandmother. Ricky is intrigued by Vic's past, and marvels at the photographs of Vic in his fighting days. When thugs attack the gym one night, Ricky gets a chance to see Vic in action. Using the sword he received in the Kumite, Vic takes on the gang of thugs and kills each of them with expert precision. Vic realizes that he must face his past in order to reclaim his future. He will return to the Kumite after an 18-year absence.
The news of his entry excites and thrills the fighting community, and investors eagerly bid on seats for the event. The tournament organizer, OKORAMI, wants to ensure this year's Kumite will be the biggest ever, the "Super Bowl of Kumite." He gets his wishes when LEE COOPER, a Texas oil tycoon agrees to pay billions of dollars to host the Kumite on American soil. Okorami's own fighter, AKIRO YAMAMOTO, wants nothing more than to face The Cajun and inflict pain and humiliation upon him for the winning the Kumite eighteen years before.
Vic begins training with his old rival, TAO LON (Bolo Yeung), a man with his own demons. Tao Lon's methods prove brutal, but will shape Vic into a fighter of enormous power and speed. The Kumite looms large as fighters from every corner of the world train, honing their skills. While the investors have billions of dollars on the line, the fighters have more at stake than monetary gain. Some fight for love, others for freedom. None of them have more at stake than Vic, who fights for all of these things and more. The brutal training behind him, Vic now faces the toughest part of his journey.
He returns to America to face the greatest fighters in the world, fighters of unmatched skill and raw brutality, including a Russian named THE WOLF (Jerome LeBanner), who keeps pet wolves in a cage near his corner. With everything on the line, he braces for an inevitable showdown with Akiro Yamamoto, a fighter so intense that he kills a man in the ring. Vic is dangerous in his own right; he's a fighter with nothing to left to lose. The fans scream with anticipation as the final match approaches. Two men with everything to gain, facing each other in a fierce battle of strength and will.
Interview:
Here it is, thanks to all those that waited without complaining. Impact is the world's greatest action magazine and is recommended to anyone who can get hold of a copy. Admin please can you NOT put this in the news section of Vandammefan and can no one send this to another website, this is for this forum only!
Second part should be up in about 20 minutes after this one is put up.
Impact celebrates it's 150th issue this month, and it's with great pleasure that we present an exclusive interview with the cover star of Impact's very first issue, Jean Claude Van Damme. Impact's China Beat Editor Mike Leeder caught up with a very open and enthusiastic Jean Claude Van Damme in Hong Kong for this exclusive interview as he moves into pre-production on an epic project which is not only very close to his heart but is very much the project that audiences around the World have been waiting for him to deliver.
Says Jean Claude Van Damme: The Kumite! It's a project I've been wanting to make for a very long time and I think it's something that the audience has been waiting for. It's not going to be just a regular tournament movie, we're going to try to bring something into the film that has never been repesented before. We want to recreate the excitement and passion of real martial arts competition.
I've spent a lot of time observing real fighters before they step into the ring and the real fighters are a very noble breed. They might be fighting for their honour, for their country, to prove that they are the best or just for themselves but there is a real reason why they fight. We want to show the level of honour and commitment inside the hearts of these fighters, the way they fight, the reasons why. There will be fighters from a lot of different countries, using techniques and styles that are very repesentative of their backgrounds.
Just as in real life, these fighters will have sponsors, rich, intelligent people, some of who understand the honour and tradition and commitment to the fighting arts, some who just want to be part of it, and, yes, some who just want to see people fight. The Kumite in this film is almost likt the gladiator tournaments in Roman times, taking place every six years with the millionaires and billionaries coming together to see their favourite fighters doing battle. It's like Spartacus for 2004! With the best fighters competing to prove who is best of the best.
But we also have the story of a man; a Karate guy who, like myself, has had a lot of ups and downs in both his professional and personal life. I think people forget that we've all had good experiences and bad experiences. If you take a guy who cuts the grass, an ice cream seller, a martial artist, we've all had highs and lows. In the film, this guy has reached a real low, proberly the lowest point in his life, when something comes along that could change his life for good, but he's almost afraid to take the responsibility for himself to do this.
Then a young guy comes into his life, almost a kid, and he's forced to display a level of maturity, as a father figure. This kid wakes him up and sets him off in a new direction even though he believes that the direction even though he believes that the direction he's taking holds no real future for him. It's kind of pitful and courageous at the same time; this guy has lost everything in his life, his family his homour and himself...
This movie will have a real story to it; the main character must overcome a lot of problems and his own personal demons as well as the other fighters. It's hard to really talk about it, talk is cheap! I've done a lot of talking in my life but this time I really believe in this project and really believe we can deliever everything this script promises.
Impact: It seems very much to be a story close to your heart. It could almost be said to be somewhat autobiographical, merging elements from your movies and your personal life. You obviously have a real passion for this project, do you think that could be what affected some of your other projects?
JCVD: Yes, if you have no passion for what you're doing, it will always be empty at the heart. It's a movie but when you add real elements to the story it becomes that much stronger and alive. I've met a lot of people in my life. I've lived the 'movie star' life and met people who are multi-multi millionaires and own a dozen inernational companies, they have all the money in the world but that's not enough. They see maybe my face on the cover of Impact magazine and want to be a part of that. They have an admiration for fighters and sportsman for being on the cover, for what they can do, for their celebrity. They want to be involved somehow. I've met people like this and some of them may not be nice people but the majority are, they just want to be part of the show and I want to recreate some of these events from my past life, which brings a real sense of reality into the film. So that every punch, every kick feels real because it's matched by the drama and characters entwined with the action.
Impact: You got to show what you could do with a Hong Kong choreographer very early on in No Retreat No Surrender. It's now quite common to see Hong Kong action directors working in American films such as Charlie's Angels, Daredevil etc. Will you be making use of Hong Kong style action in this film?
JCVD: There is a right time to use the very stylized Hong Kong style of action and a wrong time. I don't want this film to have everybody flying around on wires doing multiple kicks and flips. It's wonderful to see that kind of action if the story will call for a more realistic style of action, enhanced for film yes, but not fantasy. I want to use a lot of real fighters in the movie and convey the feeling of a real fight. When the cameras are rolling we're going to use a lot of close ups, slow motion so you will see impact, the flesh and the body absorbing the blow, sweat flying off.
We won't just be using real champions as fighters, I am assembling a very strong team behind the camera for this film. I've been traveling around the world with my producer meeting a lot of people and putting together the right team for this movie. We're going to have incredible sets and backdrops, my set designer has been nominated for several awards for his work and I will be bringing in a very strong costume designer too. These people cannot be brought, they have to have a belief in the project to commit to it. It's all coming together.
JCVD(continuing on from the last question):
I'm going to try my best to make this film the very best I can. I've spent the last few years observing and learning more and more about the art of film making. If you asked me to direct a love story set in Hong Kong or Paris, I'd try my best but maybe I'd fail. For this movie, with this story, the action and the elements I really feel I can deliever the right combination.
This is something I really want to do, in a different way, including when it comes to the action. We did some great fight scenes in Bloodsport and Double Impact but this time we're going to go even further; faster, more powerful, more impact, more dangerous, more feeling in the action.
In the film I have to overcome and understand the three legends. There is a man who will train me and rebuild my character's belief in himself and his awareness of what he has to do in life to win. It's true that life is very much about being aware, when you have awareness about your life and surroundings it helps you. You need to be aware of both the good and bad things in life... even things that are good for you can be bad for you if you overdo them. I want to bring that sense of reality to the screen in this project.
Impact: You're going to be wearing multiple hats as leading actor, scriptwriter, producer and director for this film.
JCVD: It's going to be hard being in front and behind the camera. It's why I am assembling a team of people, I need a strong family working with and supporting me so we can do this project justice. You never make a movie on your own, of course you need someone to be the leader or the captain but we're leaders in our own way.
Impact: I think that's a very valid point, if you look at Jackie Chan or Sammo Hung a lot of their continued success is due to those around them. The assembling of the right team. The Jackie Chan Stunt Team is called 'Sing Gaban' or 'Chan Gaban' in Cantonese, which can be translated as the Jackie Chan Family. Isaac Florentine said something very similar, making a movie is like going to war and you want to go into war with your friends and family beside you.
JCVD: Exactly! There's need for a connection, a level of understanding and mutual respect between everybody working on the film, otherwise no matter how big your budget is, or how talented your crew and cast might be, it dosen't mean you're going to be able to make the film the right way.
Impact: I think a lot of people have been waiting to see you back in the director chair again, after you made your directorial debut with The Quest.
JCVD: I didn't direct The Quest very well in my opinion. When I made that film I was still a thirty-something kid, now at forty-three, I feel I've learnt a lot more about both film-making and life and know how to express myself and present my vision for film in a better way. It's easy for me to say this but go see the movie and let my work answer for me.
I feel that it was an experience to make The Quest but I really don't think I was mature enough at that time in my life to fully understand or know how to explore the genre. I wasn't enough of a soldier, it's not an easy thing to make a good movie. You have to be very dedicated to produce something very special. You've got to be able to pay attention to everything, all the details, you have to go through three months of very intensive shooting, especially if you're both in front and behind the camera. You've really got to be on your toes mentally as well as physically. I don't think a lot of people realize just how draining filmaking can be on you.
Impact: I think that's very true, I remember when you were shooting Knock Off back in 97, the production schedule seemed very disorganized. You guys were shooting for nearly five months but in a very...
JCVD: It was badly prepared and I've suffered because of this kind of filmaking. The schedule is badly organized, the shooting isn't being handled professionally and things go wrong. I had some very bad times on movies when things weren't handled professionally and things go wrong. I had some very bad times on movies when things weren't handled properly. We had a very talented cast and crew on Knock Off but things just weren't properly organised and the film suffered as a result. We shot a lot more action, a lot of scenes that never made it into the final cut and many of them could have complemented the film.
At this year's AFM I realized how I had oversold myself. There were a lot of producers walking around saying they had contracts with me for movies that I hadn't heard of. I made too many movies where I got a good salary but the film's production values suffered, the background looks like Eastern Europe but the film is set in America. Audiences aren't stupid, they pick up on things. If they see a strange foreign-looking car they know it's not America and they are pulled out of the film. Your acting suffers because you're coming across as a liar, trying to trick the audience in a bad way.
For the Kumite we're going to shoot the scenes set in America in America, even though it's more expensive, so that it's real. The audience will know it really is America, not just some stock footage and then you cut to me walking down a foreign-looking street.
I am putting my salary for the film into the production, all the money is going to be on screen this time. We don't have too many producers with very big salaeries who are taking money away from the production. (Laughing) I'm not trying to say this in a bad way, we all like money, but you know what I mean. For this projectthe philosophy is different and we are sacrificing some of the luxuries for the sake of making a better film.
Impact: You've had the opportunity to work with a lot of talent from Hong Kong. John Woo made his American directorial debut with you on Hard Target, Tsui Hark directed you on both double Team and Knock Off and you've worked with Ringo Lam three times on three of your strongest films; Maximum Risk, The Replicant and most recently In Hell/Savage. Do you think you opened a lot of doors for talent from Hong Kong?
JCVD: No, I was very lucky to meet them. It was an honour to meet them and have the opportunity to work with them at that point in their careers. I didn't discover them, their talent is what made people discover them, I was just very lucky at that time, I was able to work with them on their international projects. Now I'm here in Hong Kong and I have this dream that, perhaps one day, maybe I will find a way to be appreciated in Asia. I've always loved Asia, especially Hong Kong, and I intend to make this more of a base for myself in the future. Here it seems that you can step away from the bright lights and you don't have to play the 'being in the spotlight' game. I can't play that game anymore, I've grown out of it. It's too easy to be in that crowd and surround yourself with the wrong people, you need to have the right people, real people around you, not just people who want something from you.
People have this idea about you and what they think you're going to be, it's very easy to get caught up in that, that you have to maintain this kind of image and walk around saying 'I'm a big movie star...' It takes guts and time to show people that there is more to you than the original image people have of you. If you work hard at it or you're lucky and a directortakes a chance with you, you can show people there is much more to you then they've realized.
Ringo has done so much for me, in life I think we have one person who clicks with us for certain things, love, friendship, and Ringo clicked with me with regards to how to improve my work as an actor. When you leave yourself behind and really become the character, you're no longer Mike the writer, you're now Mike the gangster (Laughing).
Here's the final part.
Impact: So what's next on the schedule for you beyond The Kumite?
JCVD: There are a few projects, including possibly a television series, that would be something very different to what people would expect from me, a different kind of character for me.
Impact: I think you've yet to really get a chance to show your full range, people know you as the hero but more recently your performance in In Hell showed a quieter more internal side to you and Replicant confirmed you make one hell of a bad guy...
JCVD: I'm a good bad guy! In the Kumite, my character has certain bad guy characteristics, especially when I fight. I've never really had a chance to fight on screen the way I can really fight off camera, I've been training a lot recently with real fighters and champions, in some pretty heavy sparring sessions and we should be filming those, you can see the real intensity, the fire in the eyes, the speed. If we're shooting with slow motion you'll really see the intricacies in a real fight. So for some of the fights we're talking about setting up several cameras and going for it, to see what we can capture, to really grab that sense of realism. There will be rehearsals but it won't be breaking it all down into one two three cut. This will be continuous and it's often better to hit hard once or twice and get a good take, than spend thirty takes with only a little power trying to get a similar effect.
On Knock Off, I had to kick one stuntman in the face and I'm pretty solid, a lot of people have a certain idea about the way I fight question whether I can really do it, but after they've had a chance to spar with me, they change their mind. Sammo wanted me to kick this guy, it's his brother and he was asking me to hit him, not full power but pretty hard, so we put some powder down, I threw the kick and bang, his face starts to swell, and they want another take. The stuntman says ok, we do it angain, bang and I just want to go on record and give my respect and admiration for this stuntman. He took two very solid hits from me, no complaints, no flinching and then thanks me after we finsh the scene and his head is swelling and bruised. That's a real fighter, a real professional.
I think Kumite will show people there is more to me than just the image they have. Yes, some of my recent movies haven't been as strong or as polished as they could have been, that's why they went to straight to video, but with this project we're concentrating on the preproduction. You asked me what I'm doing next and I can't give you too many details because I would have my next three or four projects lined up and I'd be telling you, that when I finsh this, I'll begin this one and then three months later I'll be doing the next one and so on. Kumite is my next project and who knows it could be my last, I am concentraiting all my energy into making this film exactly what I want it to be. I want to be true to myself and to this project. (Laughing). Maybe I will use up all my creative juices on this one and there'll be nothing left for another project. I hope not but now I really want to concentrate on one project at a time.
Impact: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us, Jean Claude, we wish you every success with The Kumite and hope you'll keep us informed as the project progresses. As we celebrate our 150th issue, anything you'd like to say to us?
JCVD: It's been my pleasure, thanks to you Mike and everybody at Impact for all your genuine support over the years. You've been there since the beginning and I hope you'll keep on covering the genre and maybe me as well. 150 issues, Impact - Double Impact! (Laughing).
Thanks to Don Warrener and Nigel Wooll for their help in setting up this interview. For the latest news on Jean Claude keep reading Impact and log onto Jean Claude's official website at www.jeanclaudevandamme.net
(Might be long to load)
POSTER LINK http://www.geocities.com/j_c_van_da...umiteposter.jpg
Following have been added below
-New Start Date
-New Cast Member
-New Director, Van Damme not listed as director on Hannibalpictures.com anymore
PRODUCERS:
Richard Rionda Del Castro
Blair Reekie
Rainer Bienger
WRITER:
Jean-Claude Van Damme
DIRECTOR/DP:
Doug Milsome
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Michael Wong
LOCATION:
Vancouver
GENRE:
Action
CAST:
Jean-Claude Van Damme as VIC "THE CAJUN" LATOUR
Bolo Yueng as TAO LON
Jerome Lebanner as THE WOLF
Bob Sapp as Mabi Makaba
Kenji Yamaki
Malaipet Sitpraprom
START DATE:
August, 23 2004
DELIVERY STATUS:
March 2005
BUDGET:
USD $14 million
LOGLINE:
"Kumite" is an action-packed story of courage, friendship, and redemption, set against the backdrop of the most brutal and elite fighting tournament in the world, The Kumite. Vic Latour (Jean-Claude Van Damme), the only westerner to ever win the Championship of the Kumite, returns to defend his title after years of alcoholism and despair, overcoming great odds to achieve greater glory.
SYNOPSIS:
Since achieving the heights of victory, Vic has experienced the depths of despair. The Kumite trophy, a sleek sword, hangs on the wall of the gym he calls homes, a relic and a reminder of his former glory. He's an outsider in his South Central Los Angeles neighborhood, and has become a drunk. Vic's only friend is a kindly neighbor he calls MAMA. One night in a bar, Vic confronts two redneck gang members. Instead of fighting them, however, he smashes their prized automobile. In the dead of night, the gang members show up at his gym to exact their revenge. Vic unleashes a fury of rage upon them, striking them down with the very sword he won as a trophy in the Kumite. One of the thugs wears a tattoo that Vic recognizes from the fateful shootout in the streets years ago, during which his precious daughter BIANCA was killed. Since that day, his wife JANICE has been confined to a mental institution, a vegetable. A ghost. Vic calls a friend, TAO LON, and asks for help in seeking revenge for hid daughter and wife. Tao Lon gladly accepts, tracking down the gang members for Vic and accompanying him to a hanger in the mountains.
After a bloody fight in which Tao Lon and Vic defeat dozens of men, black cars swarm the airstrip. Out of a private jet steps LEE COOPER, a wealthy Texas oil tycoon. He offers to clean up the mess at the hanger, but asks a favor in return. Vic will enter the Kumite and finally defend his championship against the greatest fighters in the world. Vic has no choice but to accept, and he's off to Belgium, to train with his old master.
The news of his entry excites and thrills the fighting community, and investors eagerly bid on seats for the event. The tournament organizer, OKORAMI, wants to ensure this year's Kumite will be the biggest ever, the "Super Bowl of Kumite." He gets his wishes when LEE COOPER, a Texas oil tycoon agrees to pay millions of dollars to host the Kumite on American soil. Okorami's own fighter, AKIRO YAMAMOTO, wants nothing more than to face The Cajun and inflict pain and humiliation upon him for the winning the Kumite eighteen years before.
While the investors have billions of dollars on the line, the fighters have more at stake than monetary gain. Some fight for love, others for freedom. None of them have more at stake than Vic, who fights for all these things and more. The brutal training behind him, Vic now faces the toughest part of his journey.
He returns to America to face the greatest fighters in the world, fighters of unmatched skill and raw brutality, including a Russian named THE WOLF (Jerome LeBanner), who keeps pet wolves in a cage near his corner. With everything on the line, he braces for an inevitable showdown with Akiro Yamamoto, a fighter so intense that he kills a man in the ring. Vic is dangerous in his own right; he's a fighter with nothing to left to lose. The fans scream with anticipation as the final match approaches. Two men with everything to gain, facing each other in a fierce battle of strength and will.
OLD SYNOPSIS:
Since achieving the heights of victory, Vic has experienced the depths of despair. The Kumite trophy, a sleek sword, hangs on the wall of the gym he calls homes, a relic and a reminder of his former glory. He's an outsider in his South Central Los Angeles neighborhood, and has become a drunk since losing his daughter BIANCA in the crossfire of gang violence. Since his daughter's death, Vic's wife JANICE has become withdrawn and distant, a vegetable living in a mental hospital. Vic's only friend is a kindly neighbor he calls MAMA, whose grandson RICKY is due to be released from prison. Vic solemnly promises Mama that he will help her keep Ricky on the straight-and-narrow, unaware that this promise will offer an opportunity for redemption. When local thugs murder Mama, Ricky is left angry and alone.
Vic welcomes Ricky into his home, but their bond is slow to develop. They remain at odds over Vic's alcoholism and Ricky's desire to avenge his grandmother. Ricky is intrigued by Vic's past, and marvels at the photographs of Vic in his fighting days. When thugs attack the gym one night, Ricky gets a chance to see Vic in action. Using the sword he received in the Kumite, Vic takes on the gang of thugs and kills each of them with expert precision. Vic realizes that he must face his past in order to reclaim his future. He will return to the Kumite after an 18-year absence.
The news of his entry excites and thrills the fighting community, and investors eagerly bid on seats for the event. The tournament organizer, OKORAMI, wants to ensure this year's Kumite will be the biggest ever, the "Super Bowl of Kumite." He gets his wishes when LEE COOPER, a Texas oil tycoon agrees to pay billions of dollars to host the Kumite on American soil. Okorami's own fighter, AKIRO YAMAMOTO, wants nothing more than to face The Cajun and inflict pain and humiliation upon him for the winning the Kumite eighteen years before.
Vic begins training with his old rival, TAO LON (Bolo Yeung), a man with his own demons. Tao Lon's methods prove brutal, but will shape Vic into a fighter of enormous power and speed. The Kumite looms large as fighters from every corner of the world train, honing their skills. While the investors have billions of dollars on the line, the fighters have more at stake than monetary gain. Some fight for love, others for freedom. None of them have more at stake than Vic, who fights for all of these things and more. The brutal training behind him, Vic now faces the toughest part of his journey.
He returns to America to face the greatest fighters in the world, fighters of unmatched skill and raw brutality, including a Russian named THE WOLF (Jerome LeBanner), who keeps pet wolves in a cage near his corner. With everything on the line, he braces for an inevitable showdown with Akiro Yamamoto, a fighter so intense that he kills a man in the ring. Vic is dangerous in his own right; he's a fighter with nothing to left to lose. The fans scream with anticipation as the final match approaches. Two men with everything to gain, facing each other in a fierce battle of strength and will.
Interview:
Here it is, thanks to all those that waited without complaining. Impact is the world's greatest action magazine and is recommended to anyone who can get hold of a copy. Admin please can you NOT put this in the news section of Vandammefan and can no one send this to another website, this is for this forum only!
Second part should be up in about 20 minutes after this one is put up.
Impact celebrates it's 150th issue this month, and it's with great pleasure that we present an exclusive interview with the cover star of Impact's very first issue, Jean Claude Van Damme. Impact's China Beat Editor Mike Leeder caught up with a very open and enthusiastic Jean Claude Van Damme in Hong Kong for this exclusive interview as he moves into pre-production on an epic project which is not only very close to his heart but is very much the project that audiences around the World have been waiting for him to deliver.
Says Jean Claude Van Damme: The Kumite! It's a project I've been wanting to make for a very long time and I think it's something that the audience has been waiting for. It's not going to be just a regular tournament movie, we're going to try to bring something into the film that has never been repesented before. We want to recreate the excitement and passion of real martial arts competition.
I've spent a lot of time observing real fighters before they step into the ring and the real fighters are a very noble breed. They might be fighting for their honour, for their country, to prove that they are the best or just for themselves but there is a real reason why they fight. We want to show the level of honour and commitment inside the hearts of these fighters, the way they fight, the reasons why. There will be fighters from a lot of different countries, using techniques and styles that are very repesentative of their backgrounds.
Just as in real life, these fighters will have sponsors, rich, intelligent people, some of who understand the honour and tradition and commitment to the fighting arts, some who just want to be part of it, and, yes, some who just want to see people fight. The Kumite in this film is almost likt the gladiator tournaments in Roman times, taking place every six years with the millionaires and billionaries coming together to see their favourite fighters doing battle. It's like Spartacus for 2004! With the best fighters competing to prove who is best of the best.
But we also have the story of a man; a Karate guy who, like myself, has had a lot of ups and downs in both his professional and personal life. I think people forget that we've all had good experiences and bad experiences. If you take a guy who cuts the grass, an ice cream seller, a martial artist, we've all had highs and lows. In the film, this guy has reached a real low, proberly the lowest point in his life, when something comes along that could change his life for good, but he's almost afraid to take the responsibility for himself to do this.
Then a young guy comes into his life, almost a kid, and he's forced to display a level of maturity, as a father figure. This kid wakes him up and sets him off in a new direction even though he believes that the direction even though he believes that the direction he's taking holds no real future for him. It's kind of pitful and courageous at the same time; this guy has lost everything in his life, his family his homour and himself...
This movie will have a real story to it; the main character must overcome a lot of problems and his own personal demons as well as the other fighters. It's hard to really talk about it, talk is cheap! I've done a lot of talking in my life but this time I really believe in this project and really believe we can deliever everything this script promises.
Impact: It seems very much to be a story close to your heart. It could almost be said to be somewhat autobiographical, merging elements from your movies and your personal life. You obviously have a real passion for this project, do you think that could be what affected some of your other projects?
JCVD: Yes, if you have no passion for what you're doing, it will always be empty at the heart. It's a movie but when you add real elements to the story it becomes that much stronger and alive. I've met a lot of people in my life. I've lived the 'movie star' life and met people who are multi-multi millionaires and own a dozen inernational companies, they have all the money in the world but that's not enough. They see maybe my face on the cover of Impact magazine and want to be a part of that. They have an admiration for fighters and sportsman for being on the cover, for what they can do, for their celebrity. They want to be involved somehow. I've met people like this and some of them may not be nice people but the majority are, they just want to be part of the show and I want to recreate some of these events from my past life, which brings a real sense of reality into the film. So that every punch, every kick feels real because it's matched by the drama and characters entwined with the action.
Impact: You got to show what you could do with a Hong Kong choreographer very early on in No Retreat No Surrender. It's now quite common to see Hong Kong action directors working in American films such as Charlie's Angels, Daredevil etc. Will you be making use of Hong Kong style action in this film?
JCVD: There is a right time to use the very stylized Hong Kong style of action and a wrong time. I don't want this film to have everybody flying around on wires doing multiple kicks and flips. It's wonderful to see that kind of action if the story will call for a more realistic style of action, enhanced for film yes, but not fantasy. I want to use a lot of real fighters in the movie and convey the feeling of a real fight. When the cameras are rolling we're going to use a lot of close ups, slow motion so you will see impact, the flesh and the body absorbing the blow, sweat flying off.
We won't just be using real champions as fighters, I am assembling a very strong team behind the camera for this film. I've been traveling around the world with my producer meeting a lot of people and putting together the right team for this movie. We're going to have incredible sets and backdrops, my set designer has been nominated for several awards for his work and I will be bringing in a very strong costume designer too. These people cannot be brought, they have to have a belief in the project to commit to it. It's all coming together.
JCVD(continuing on from the last question):
I'm going to try my best to make this film the very best I can. I've spent the last few years observing and learning more and more about the art of film making. If you asked me to direct a love story set in Hong Kong or Paris, I'd try my best but maybe I'd fail. For this movie, with this story, the action and the elements I really feel I can deliever the right combination.
This is something I really want to do, in a different way, including when it comes to the action. We did some great fight scenes in Bloodsport and Double Impact but this time we're going to go even further; faster, more powerful, more impact, more dangerous, more feeling in the action.
In the film I have to overcome and understand the three legends. There is a man who will train me and rebuild my character's belief in himself and his awareness of what he has to do in life to win. It's true that life is very much about being aware, when you have awareness about your life and surroundings it helps you. You need to be aware of both the good and bad things in life... even things that are good for you can be bad for you if you overdo them. I want to bring that sense of reality to the screen in this project.
Impact: You're going to be wearing multiple hats as leading actor, scriptwriter, producer and director for this film.
JCVD: It's going to be hard being in front and behind the camera. It's why I am assembling a team of people, I need a strong family working with and supporting me so we can do this project justice. You never make a movie on your own, of course you need someone to be the leader or the captain but we're leaders in our own way.
Impact: I think that's a very valid point, if you look at Jackie Chan or Sammo Hung a lot of their continued success is due to those around them. The assembling of the right team. The Jackie Chan Stunt Team is called 'Sing Gaban' or 'Chan Gaban' in Cantonese, which can be translated as the Jackie Chan Family. Isaac Florentine said something very similar, making a movie is like going to war and you want to go into war with your friends and family beside you.
JCVD: Exactly! There's need for a connection, a level of understanding and mutual respect between everybody working on the film, otherwise no matter how big your budget is, or how talented your crew and cast might be, it dosen't mean you're going to be able to make the film the right way.
Impact: I think a lot of people have been waiting to see you back in the director chair again, after you made your directorial debut with The Quest.
JCVD: I didn't direct The Quest very well in my opinion. When I made that film I was still a thirty-something kid, now at forty-three, I feel I've learnt a lot more about both film-making and life and know how to express myself and present my vision for film in a better way. It's easy for me to say this but go see the movie and let my work answer for me.
I feel that it was an experience to make The Quest but I really don't think I was mature enough at that time in my life to fully understand or know how to explore the genre. I wasn't enough of a soldier, it's not an easy thing to make a good movie. You have to be very dedicated to produce something very special. You've got to be able to pay attention to everything, all the details, you have to go through three months of very intensive shooting, especially if you're both in front and behind the camera. You've really got to be on your toes mentally as well as physically. I don't think a lot of people realize just how draining filmaking can be on you.
Impact: I think that's very true, I remember when you were shooting Knock Off back in 97, the production schedule seemed very disorganized. You guys were shooting for nearly five months but in a very...
JCVD: It was badly prepared and I've suffered because of this kind of filmaking. The schedule is badly organized, the shooting isn't being handled professionally and things go wrong. I had some very bad times on movies when things weren't handled professionally and things go wrong. I had some very bad times on movies when things weren't handled properly. We had a very talented cast and crew on Knock Off but things just weren't properly organised and the film suffered as a result. We shot a lot more action, a lot of scenes that never made it into the final cut and many of them could have complemented the film.
At this year's AFM I realized how I had oversold myself. There were a lot of producers walking around saying they had contracts with me for movies that I hadn't heard of. I made too many movies where I got a good salary but the film's production values suffered, the background looks like Eastern Europe but the film is set in America. Audiences aren't stupid, they pick up on things. If they see a strange foreign-looking car they know it's not America and they are pulled out of the film. Your acting suffers because you're coming across as a liar, trying to trick the audience in a bad way.
For the Kumite we're going to shoot the scenes set in America in America, even though it's more expensive, so that it's real. The audience will know it really is America, not just some stock footage and then you cut to me walking down a foreign-looking street.
I am putting my salary for the film into the production, all the money is going to be on screen this time. We don't have too many producers with very big salaeries who are taking money away from the production. (Laughing) I'm not trying to say this in a bad way, we all like money, but you know what I mean. For this projectthe philosophy is different and we are sacrificing some of the luxuries for the sake of making a better film.
Impact: You've had the opportunity to work with a lot of talent from Hong Kong. John Woo made his American directorial debut with you on Hard Target, Tsui Hark directed you on both double Team and Knock Off and you've worked with Ringo Lam three times on three of your strongest films; Maximum Risk, The Replicant and most recently In Hell/Savage. Do you think you opened a lot of doors for talent from Hong Kong?
JCVD: No, I was very lucky to meet them. It was an honour to meet them and have the opportunity to work with them at that point in their careers. I didn't discover them, their talent is what made people discover them, I was just very lucky at that time, I was able to work with them on their international projects. Now I'm here in Hong Kong and I have this dream that, perhaps one day, maybe I will find a way to be appreciated in Asia. I've always loved Asia, especially Hong Kong, and I intend to make this more of a base for myself in the future. Here it seems that you can step away from the bright lights and you don't have to play the 'being in the spotlight' game. I can't play that game anymore, I've grown out of it. It's too easy to be in that crowd and surround yourself with the wrong people, you need to have the right people, real people around you, not just people who want something from you.
People have this idea about you and what they think you're going to be, it's very easy to get caught up in that, that you have to maintain this kind of image and walk around saying 'I'm a big movie star...' It takes guts and time to show people that there is more to you than the original image people have of you. If you work hard at it or you're lucky and a directortakes a chance with you, you can show people there is much more to you then they've realized.
Ringo has done so much for me, in life I think we have one person who clicks with us for certain things, love, friendship, and Ringo clicked with me with regards to how to improve my work as an actor. When you leave yourself behind and really become the character, you're no longer Mike the writer, you're now Mike the gangster (Laughing).
Here's the final part.
Impact: So what's next on the schedule for you beyond The Kumite?
JCVD: There are a few projects, including possibly a television series, that would be something very different to what people would expect from me, a different kind of character for me.
Impact: I think you've yet to really get a chance to show your full range, people know you as the hero but more recently your performance in In Hell showed a quieter more internal side to you and Replicant confirmed you make one hell of a bad guy...
JCVD: I'm a good bad guy! In the Kumite, my character has certain bad guy characteristics, especially when I fight. I've never really had a chance to fight on screen the way I can really fight off camera, I've been training a lot recently with real fighters and champions, in some pretty heavy sparring sessions and we should be filming those, you can see the real intensity, the fire in the eyes, the speed. If we're shooting with slow motion you'll really see the intricacies in a real fight. So for some of the fights we're talking about setting up several cameras and going for it, to see what we can capture, to really grab that sense of realism. There will be rehearsals but it won't be breaking it all down into one two three cut. This will be continuous and it's often better to hit hard once or twice and get a good take, than spend thirty takes with only a little power trying to get a similar effect.
On Knock Off, I had to kick one stuntman in the face and I'm pretty solid, a lot of people have a certain idea about the way I fight question whether I can really do it, but after they've had a chance to spar with me, they change their mind. Sammo wanted me to kick this guy, it's his brother and he was asking me to hit him, not full power but pretty hard, so we put some powder down, I threw the kick and bang, his face starts to swell, and they want another take. The stuntman says ok, we do it angain, bang and I just want to go on record and give my respect and admiration for this stuntman. He took two very solid hits from me, no complaints, no flinching and then thanks me after we finsh the scene and his head is swelling and bruised. That's a real fighter, a real professional.
I think Kumite will show people there is more to me than just the image they have. Yes, some of my recent movies haven't been as strong or as polished as they could have been, that's why they went to straight to video, but with this project we're concentrating on the preproduction. You asked me what I'm doing next and I can't give you too many details because I would have my next three or four projects lined up and I'd be telling you, that when I finsh this, I'll begin this one and then three months later I'll be doing the next one and so on. Kumite is my next project and who knows it could be my last, I am concentraiting all my energy into making this film exactly what I want it to be. I want to be true to myself and to this project. (Laughing). Maybe I will use up all my creative juices on this one and there'll be nothing left for another project. I hope not but now I really want to concentrate on one project at a time.
Impact: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us, Jean Claude, we wish you every success with The Kumite and hope you'll keep us informed as the project progresses. As we celebrate our 150th issue, anything you'd like to say to us?
JCVD: It's been my pleasure, thanks to you Mike and everybody at Impact for all your genuine support over the years. You've been there since the beginning and I hope you'll keep on covering the genre and maybe me as well. 150 issues, Impact - Double Impact! (Laughing).
Thanks to Don Warrener and Nigel Wooll for their help in setting up this interview. For the latest news on Jean Claude keep reading Impact and log onto Jean Claude's official website at www.jeanclaudevandamme.net
