I've been soooo looking forward to this review! It's one of my all time favorites! Thank you‼ James Hong [Lo Pan] has the honor and distinction of being the most prolific actor of all time, having the most screen credits to his name than any actor living or dead. He certainly does a lot more than just eyes! "When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, and he looks you crooked in the eye and he asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: 'Have ya paid your dues, Jack?', 'Yessir, the check is in the mail.'" - Jack Burton
Hey, RNG, thanks again. I will confess that Big Trouble never really grabbed me, but that's okay, because as always your work and your enthusiasm carries the day. Listening to you, I think I might enjoy it more if I were to watch it while feeling free to tinker around with it in my mind. I appreciated your explaining the mythic lore that inspired it, and I wonder if I would prefer that it kept closer to that. (Speaking of lore -- is that an actual autographed picture of James Hong in this review? Cool!) As you described Lo Pan, a wild thought struck me -- Lo Pan reminded me a lot of how Bram Stoker wrote Dracula. Stoker's Dracula always bugged me. What the heck is he? Undead? A ghost? A demon? A mass hallucination? True, Lo Pan doesn't fly around and suck blood (at least, we're not shown that -- but who knows?) but with the right treatment he might have accidentally become the best movie rendering of Stoker's Dracula. (The Coppola movie just gets on my nerves.) And, listen, Kurt Russell ... Escape From New York, The Thing, even Executive Decision (Steven Seagal gets killed 45 minutes in -- yayyy!), what's not to love? Yet I wish the movie had been clearer about Dennis Dun and Victor Wong being the true leads. Perhaps instead of Victor Wong, it could have been a flashback as told by Russell, he's trying to talk his way out of trouble (and we get to see the big green explosion too), and we see that he was simply a non-Chinese friend, an "X factor" who got swept up in some wild tall tale. That might have worked better for me. A final bit of trivia: James Hong's Wiki says there's a campaign to get him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That floored me. He doesn't have one already!? Ye gawdz, this man is a true trouper, he's 91 and still throwing himself into his craft, he's been around since the dawn of forever and contributed, as you say, to Chinatown and Blade Runner -- Hollywood, come on, give this man his star! All right, I'll put my soapbox away. I usually find it easiest to praise you when you cover something I've already seen and loved a hundred times, but today I credit you with inspiring me to dare to give Big Trouble a second look. (I also thought it looked awfully cartoony -- but then, I love the cartoony-looking Mystery Men. Oh well, I never claimed I'm consistent.) And about your review before last, I just have to say: "Guilty! Guilty! My evil self is at that door, and I have no power to stop it!" One of the most heartbreaking lines in all cinema, and the perfect summary of Forbidden Planet. All right, RNG, thank you. Excelsior!
This movie might be the ultimate 80s schlock masterpiece...it's got everything! 80s hair, corny effects, unbelievably hammy dialog. And it just gets better every year.
RNG. You are incredible. Such insight, wisdom and just plain good sense about things makes you my choice for director and ex. producer, if you chose the calling.
Really really love this movie! And your retrospective review is one of the best I've seen on BTILC, great job! I'll have to check out more of your stuff! That said, I don't agree that you *need* to have a Chinese writer, director, etc... Involved to make a movie like this. Movies and story telling is art. Let the artist do their thing without all the woke sjw interference. IMO
I've heard the argument before that Wang is the hero but who kills the villain? I would argue it's more of a buddy movie. Jack and Wang each bring things the other lacks.
This is another 80s movie that I confess to never having had an interest in seeing. I'm old enough to remember when Kurt Russell was a frequent denizen of the Wonderful World of Disney and popped up in places like Gilligan's Island and Lost In Space-- and he just never appealed to me. So I never took an interest in his movies (same with Escape From New York and all the others). After seeing this review, I'm kind of sorry that I didn't, because it's pure Pulp adventure and amazingly colorful for a movie from the decade that gave us the drab palette still being inflicted on us today. Oddly enough, it kind of looks like an episode of Wild Wild West to me now. Seen through the eyes of RNG, this is an exotic escapade that belongs on the shelf between Raiders and Flash Gordon. I think I shall give it a try. In fact, I was about to order a 50s Sci-Fi homage that I found on Amazon and was looking for something to go with it, so-- order placed. Thanks again for a great review, RNG, and for once again expanding my nerd horizons.
@@RetroNerdGirl I'll post here about Big Trouble as soon as I watch it. The other movie I ordered is Alien Trespass, a 50s Sci-Fi homage from 2009 that I just found out about. I love retro homages. If you have any interest, I can recommend quite a few. :D
The film was good and entertaining. But offensive to Asian Americans? How so? I am a fan of the Chinese / Hong Kong Kung Fu movies in the 1970's. They were over the top and overly exaggerated too.
I think that overwhelmingly it wasn't offensive to anyone. In fact, I seem to recall Carpenter receiving praise for his enthusiasm for the genre, and the inclusion of so many Chinese Americans. Purportedly, he even rewrote some of the script so as *not* to be mocking or offensive. But, you know, he's a white guy, sooo... Can't have that, according to some people.
I've been soooo looking forward to this review! It's one of my all time favorites! Thank you‼ James Hong [Lo Pan] has the honor and distinction of being the most prolific actor of all time, having the most screen credits to his name than any actor living or dead. He certainly does a lot more than just eyes!
"When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, and he looks you crooked in the eye and he asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: 'Have ya paid your dues, Jack?', 'Yessir, the check is in the mail.'" - Jack Burton
I just love that quote!😊
Absolute classic! Gotta love a John Carpenter and Kurt Russell collab. Never fail to deliver.
I didn’t realize until this video how much l enjoy seeing Retro Nerd Girl’s avatar blink and shift her gaze. Great video on a favorite today.
Thanks so much! :)
Nostalgia 2:31 so many great memories from all these movies you named. I love it!
I feel good, and I'm not scared at all. I just feel kind of... kind of invincible... Is it getting hot in here, or is it just me?
Yay! Another classic :)
Damn, your laughter during these videos is just wonderful and infectious :)
Thank you!😊
Nice review RNG!! This is one of my favorites as well
Nice job, RNG. I enjoy your videos. I especially appreciate that they're clean, detailed, and that you're clearly having fun. Keep up the good work. 👏
Thanks, will do!
FINALLY RUclips suggests a channel I can appreciate
Thank you so much!😊
I love James Hong. He has such a prolific career that he pops in a bunch of random films that it's surprising.
I met James Hong in 2017. Spoke to him in Mandarin. He was kind of a jerk. Just wanted me to buy something and move on.
All of Jack Burton's quotes are legendary.
Hey, RNG, thanks again. I will confess that Big Trouble never really grabbed me, but that's okay, because as always your work and your enthusiasm carries the day. Listening to you, I think I might enjoy it more if I were to watch it while feeling free to tinker around with it in my mind. I appreciated your explaining the mythic lore that inspired it, and I wonder if I would prefer that it kept closer to that. (Speaking of lore -- is that an actual autographed picture of James Hong in this review? Cool!) As you described Lo Pan, a wild thought struck me -- Lo Pan reminded me a lot of how Bram Stoker wrote Dracula. Stoker's Dracula always bugged me. What the heck is he? Undead? A ghost? A demon? A mass hallucination? True, Lo Pan doesn't fly around and suck blood (at least, we're not shown that -- but who knows?) but with the right treatment he might have accidentally become the best movie rendering of Stoker's Dracula. (The Coppola movie just gets on my nerves.) And, listen, Kurt Russell ... Escape From New York, The Thing, even Executive Decision (Steven Seagal gets killed 45 minutes in -- yayyy!), what's not to love? Yet I wish the movie had been clearer about Dennis Dun and Victor Wong being the true leads. Perhaps instead of Victor Wong, it could have been a flashback as told by Russell, he's trying to talk his way out of trouble (and we get to see the big green explosion too), and we see that he was simply a non-Chinese friend, an "X factor" who got swept up in some wild tall tale. That might have worked better for me. A final bit of trivia: James Hong's Wiki says there's a campaign to get him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That floored me. He doesn't have one already!? Ye gawdz, this man is a true trouper, he's 91 and still throwing himself into his craft, he's been around since the dawn of forever and contributed, as you say, to Chinatown and Blade Runner -- Hollywood, come on, give this man his star! All right, I'll put my soapbox away. I usually find it easiest to praise you when you cover something I've already seen and loved a hundred times, but today I credit you with inspiring me to dare to give Big Trouble a second look. (I also thought it looked awfully cartoony -- but then, I love the cartoony-looking Mystery Men. Oh well, I never claimed I'm consistent.) And about your review before last, I just have to say: "Guilty! Guilty! My evil self is at that door, and I have no power to stop it!" One of the most heartbreaking lines in all cinema, and the perfect summary of Forbidden Planet. All right, RNG, thank you. Excelsior!
Thank you!😊 And I agree, James Hong should have a star!
This movie might be the ultimate 80s schlock masterpiece...it's got everything! 80s hair, corny effects, unbelievably hammy dialog. And it just gets better every year.
Great retrospective. I love watching the Lightning scenes.
One of my favorite movies
RNG. You are incredible. Such insight, wisdom and just plain good sense about things makes you my choice for director and ex. producer, if you chose the calling.
I really like this deep look at this, very few people have analyzed this movie like this and i appreciate it
Yes Carter Wong Born Invincible "Shadow/moon/step!" Him and Hwang Jang Lee true marital arts badasses from back in the day.
I'm looking forward to your first endeavor!
Fantastic review!
Thank you! Cheers!😊
Really really love this movie! And your retrospective review is one of the best I've seen on BTILC, great job! I'll have to check out more of your stuff!
That said, I don't agree that you *need* to have a Chinese writer, director, etc... Involved to make a movie like this. Movies and story telling is art. Let the artist do their thing without all the woke sjw interference. IMO
I've heard the argument before that Wang is the hero but who kills the villain?
I would argue it's more of a buddy movie. Jack and Wang each bring things the other lacks.
Awesome movie!
This movie is one of my favorite "cult classic" movies. 9/10
This is another 80s movie that I confess to never having had an interest in seeing. I'm old enough to remember when Kurt Russell was a frequent denizen of the Wonderful World of Disney and popped up in places like Gilligan's Island and Lost In Space-- and he just never appealed to me. So I never took an interest in his movies (same with Escape From New York and all the others). After seeing this review, I'm kind of sorry that I didn't, because it's pure Pulp adventure and amazingly colorful for a movie from the decade that gave us the drab palette still being inflicted on us today. Oddly enough, it kind of looks like an episode of Wild Wild West to me now. Seen through the eyes of RNG, this is an exotic escapade that belongs on the shelf between Raiders and Flash Gordon. I think I shall give it a try. In fact, I was about to order a 50s Sci-Fi homage that I found on Amazon and was looking for something to go with it, so-- order placed. Thanks again for a great review, RNG, and for once again expanding my nerd horizons.
Awesome! I hope you have fun watching it and tell me if it entertains you. Which 50's sci-fi did you order?
@@RetroNerdGirl I'll post here about Big Trouble as soon as I watch it. The other movie I ordered is Alien Trespass, a 50s Sci-Fi homage from 2009 that I just found out about. I love retro homages. If you have any interest, I can recommend quite a few. :D
11:41 Miao Yin is so pretty!!!!!
The film was good and entertaining. But offensive to Asian Americans? How so? I am a fan of the Chinese / Hong Kong Kung Fu movies in the 1970's. They were over the top and overly exaggerated too.
I think that overwhelmingly it wasn't offensive to anyone. In fact, I seem to recall Carpenter receiving praise for his enthusiasm for the genre, and the inclusion of so many Chinese Americans. Purportedly, he even rewrote some of the script so as *not* to be mocking or offensive.
But, you know, he's a white guy, sooo... Can't have that, according to some people.
👍🏻
stop being woke