the Evil DM Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 I ran across a movie this weekend that really surprised me. It was called “The Quest”, It starred Jean-Claude Van Damme a B-list movie star who had a string of successful action movies in the 90’s. The Quest absolutely drips with pulpy goodness. Van Damme plays a pick-pocket in depression-era New York who somehow finds his way to representing the United states in a secret martial arts tournament in Asia. It’s billed as a martial arts film but don’t be fooled, the movie is a pulp masterpiece worthy of any of the magazines of the era. This movie has: • Chinese Pirates • Exotic locales • A heavyweight boxing champ named “Maxie” Devine • A Feisty girl-reporter • A Zeppelin • Hidden temples in the mountains • Travel by elephant • Prussians Aristocrats with dueling scars • A priceless treasure • British Expatriate Con men • Supporting characters succumbing to an honorable yet futile death against a brutal villain. Now you put all that together, and add a contest with every Martial Art style from Monkey-Style Kung Fu to Savate to Turkish Wrestling, and you have one Whiz–bang of an adventure story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp Hmm...I think I've seen that in the On Demand listings...thanks for the heads up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kharis2000 Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp That's actually not the only pulp-era piece that van Damme has done. He also did a film called 'Legionnaire' about an expat American boxer in Paris who has to flee to the French Foreign Legion to escape some folks that are after him and winds up stationed in North Africa. It's better than many of his martial arts films, although not an Oscar-winner by any means. I'd still rate it as worth checking out if the opportunity presents itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapsedgamer Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp The Quest is also noteworthy for an appearance by the aged Roger Moore playing a hammy character role. Actually, I take that back. He was already aging and hammy in his last couple of Bond outings. I fast forwarded through most of this to get to the fights. Basically what I always do when I pop in Bloodsport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundog Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp I quite enjoy The Quest - and I really wish they'd done the sequel to it they planned. Ah, well. Jean Claude also did a piece set in the Wild West. It's not as good, but worth watching - unfortunately, I never caught the name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodstone Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp It starred Jean-Claude Van Damme a B-list movie star who had a string of successful action movies in the 90’s. This line just cracked me up, probably because I'm such an action movie junkie, so the idea of giving Van Damme an introduction is hysterical to me. Jean Claude also did a piece set in the Wild West. It's not as good, but worth watching - unfortunately, I never caught the name. I've seen damn near every movie he's been in. And the only ones that I can think of that might fit this description are the Legionnaire (set in the Arabian Desert), The Order (set in Israel) and Desert Heat (set in Arizona... I think). Are you sure it was a Van Damme film? Cause none of those are "Wild West" movies. The last two are set in modern day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narratio Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp That 'secret martial arts tournament' plot has to have been made into a half dozen movies by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp And VanDamme has been in all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamnhero Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp And VanDamme has been in all of them. I'm pretty sure I saw one that he wasn't in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundog Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp This line just cracked me up, probably because I'm such an action movie junkie, so the idea of giving Van Damme an introduction is hysterical to me. I've seen damn near every movie he's been in. And the only ones that I can think of that might fit this description are the Legionnaire (set in the Arabian Desert), The Order (set in Israel) and Desert Heat (set in Arizona... I think). Are you sure it was a Van Damme film? Cause none of those are "Wild West" movies. The last two are set in modern day... Yeah, it was definitely Jean-Claude. He's escaping from the Foreign legion, IIRC, and crosses the border into Texas - ah, heck, it was too long ago, I can't remember the details. But it was a weird combination of martial arts and western - almost a french-accented Kung-Fu in a way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapsedgamer Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp Yeah' date=' it was definitely Jean-Claude. He's escaping from the Foreign legion, IIRC, and crosses the border into Texas - ah, heck, it was too long ago, I can't remember the details. But it was a weird combination of martial arts and western - almost a french-accented [b']Kung-Fu[/b] in a way. OK, wait. EVERYTHING that Jean Claude has ever been in was French-accented. He was an American Army officer with a French accent. He was an American Timecop with a French accent. He was a ....Oh, you get the point. The only time I remember them explaining this was when he played the Cajun guy with the strangely muddled French-accent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilDrPuma Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp I'm pretty sure I saw one that he wasn't in... I bet he was hiding under the mat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamnhero Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp OK' date=' wait. EVERYTHING that Jean Claude has ever been in was French-accented. He was an American Army officer with a French accent. He was an American Timecop with a French accent. He was a ....Oh, you get the point. The only time I remember them explaining this was when he played the Cajun guy with the strangely muddled French-accent.[/quote'] He actually talks? You mean, like, dialogue and everything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Steel Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp Was Van Damme playing a historic character? It was done in a type of flashback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Celt Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp I saw The Quest some years ago and enjoyed it thoroughly in a bad-for-you bag-o-chips way. It also stars in a major supporting role one of my favorite scenery chewers James Remar, looking like he walked from the set of The Phantom to make this one, or vice versa (both were released the same year). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebuchet Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp OK' date=' wait. EVERYTHING that Jean Claude has ever been in was French-accented. He was an American Army officer with a French accent. He was an American Timecop with a French accent. He was a ....Oh, you get the point. The only time I remember them explaining this was when he played the Cajun guy with the strangely muddled French-accent.[/quote']Strictly speaking, I believe it's a Belgian accent. IIRC Van Damme is Belgian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilDrPuma Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp Strictly speaking' date=' I believe it's a [i']Belgian[/i] accent. IIRC Van Damme is Belgian. Correct--hence, "The Muscles from Brussels." (Or, to his detractors, "The Twerp from Antwerp.") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vondy Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp There's nothing quite as exciting as a drugged-out former martial-arts champion and movie-star who beats his wife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st barbara Posted October 14, 2006 Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp Was Van Damme playing a historic character? It was done in a type of flashback. Yes. It starts out with Van Damme as an old man (in terrible make up) beating up some punks in a bar. The grateful owner gives him a cup of coffee and he tells the story in response to the question "Where did you learn to fight like that ? " (or something similar) The tournament is the typical "all styles" martial arts competition and has some very short (and fun) fights. The one I remember is between a sumo and a Turkish wrestler. The sumo has an obvious weight advantage and the fight consists of them charging acros the combat arena (a raised circular dais) and colliding head on ! After which the Turk is carried out unconcious and the sumo is declared the winner ! The contest includes two Thai kickboxers (one of them Van Damme) ,a boxer (James Remar), a savatuer,a Turkish wrestler,a katateka from Okinawa,a Greek contestant who might be using pankration, a Russian, a German (who arrived by airship), a Chinese who uses several different forms of Kung Fu in the same fight, and a Spaniard (who uses an odd looking style that is mostly kicking and seems to be derived from Flamenco dancing !) James Remar's boxer doesn't actually fight in the contest but acts as "ringside commentary" and cheering section for Van Damme ! Roger Moore's outrageous performance as "Lord Dobbs, is one of the best things in the film for me. Oh yes and the prize is a very large golden dragon ! Very "Pulp" and lots of fun. I was pleasantly surprised by it as I haven't been particularly enthused by most of Van Damme's other movies ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dino Posted October 15, 2006 Report Share Posted October 15, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp Jean Claude also did a piece set in the Wild West. It's not as good' date=' but worth watching - unfortunately, I never caught the name.[/quote'] Are you sure you're not confusing him with Olivier Gruner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp OK' date=' wait. EVERYTHING that Jean Claude has ever been in was French-accented. He was an American Army officer with a French accent. He was an American Timecop with a French accent. He was a ....Oh, you get the point. The only time I remember them explaining this was when he played the Cajun guy with the strangely muddled French-accent.[/quote'] Kind of like our favorite "guvnoor of Calivorn-E-AH" always having an Austian/german accent. The Predator- an American special forces agent with an Austrian accent.... .....aw heck I dont feel like going through this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp Why do I get the impression "The Quest" is Street Fighter II- Pulp Style Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Celt Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp Why do I get the impression "The Quest" is Street Fighter II- Pulp Style Because the concept is the same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st barbara Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp Yes. It starts out with Van Damme as an old man (in terrible make up) beating up some punks in a bar. The grateful owner gives him a cup of coffee and he tells the story in response to the question "Where did you learn to fight like that ? " (or something similar) The tournament is the typical "all styles" martial arts competition and has some very short (and fun) fights. The one I remember is between a sumo and a Turkish wrestler. The sumo has an obvious weight advantage and the fight consists of them charging acros the combat arena (a raised circular dais) and colliding head on ! After which the Turk is carried out unconcious and the sumo is declared the winner ! The contest includes two Thai kickboxers (one of them Van Damme) ' date='a boxer (James Remar), a savatuer,a Turkish wrestler,a katateka from Okinawa,a Greek contestant who might be using pankration, a Russian, a German (who arrived by airship), a Chinese who uses several different forms of Kung Fu in the same fight, and a Spaniard (who uses an odd looking style that is mostly kicking and seems to be derived from Flamenco dancing !) James Remar's boxer doesn't actually fight in the contest but acts as "ringside commentary" and cheering section for Van Damme ! Roger Moore's outrageous performance as "Lord Dobbs, is one of the best things in the film for me. Oh yes and the prize is a very large golden dragon ! Very "Pulp" and lots of fun. I was pleasantly surprised by it as I haven't been particularly enthused by most of Van Damme's other movies ![/quote'] My memory is obviously improving as I also remember a (black) African contestant and a practitioner of Capoeira in the film as well. The African seemed to be done up like a Zulu but as to what style of martial arts he might have been using I have no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundog Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Re: Van Damme does Pulp Are you sure you're not confusing him with Olivier Gruner? It's...possible. I could have sworn it was van Damme, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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