Kick'em In The Ghoulies

   *AMERICANA*

Welcome to the AMERICANA page where we will be reviewing some of the older American Martial Arts movies from the 80's and 90's .These movies were either American productions or a combination of American and Eastern partnerships whether they were shot in the East or the West.

We will highlight some of the forgotten Stars of the Martial world whose films were always (well in most cases)shot on a budget and went straight to Video or DVD in the later years.

So give a Big hand to the likes of Chuck Norris,Cynthia Rothrock,Don Wilson,Gary Daniels,Jalal Merhi,Billy Blanks,Kurt McKinney,Loren Avedon,Karen Shephard,Jean Claude Van Damme,Phillip Rhee,Lorenzo Lamas,Bill Wallace,Jim Kelly,and many more.

                                copyright ©ILC ENTERTAINMENT 2007

 Once again Cynthia Rothrock returns to the fray this time in a film made in 1996 where she plays a psychologist Jana Dane who comes home to find a break in and her sister and nephew dead killed by the burglars,What she also does not expect is to find the burglars are still there and after a fight she is bashed on the head and wakes up in hospital only to find she has gained psychic abilities.And in  turn becomes obsessed with finding her sisters killers and becomes a vigilante by night and Psychologist by day.

The film also stars the late MAKO in a small cameo role as a store attendant.Now Jana works for the forensics department helping with criminal cases where she meets a new college in the form of Kurt McKinney ,yes it's the guy who starred in No retreat No Surrender .She also works at a psychologist institute where she helps Chekov from yes Star Trek ,of course he does not play Chekov here.

This is where she also discovers her abilities to sense happenings by touching belongings of people or things they have touched ,this sets us up for Cynthia stopping some criminal activities that happen when she's out and about and also gives us a chance to see her in action doing what she does best .And that is beat guys up with style ,and i must say even though this is a later film of hers the action we are treated to here is blinding.She stops a store robbery in progress and then later a robbery come rape victim she helps which leads her to one of the perps that killed her sister.Some buut kicking takes place that will entertain .On top of this you have a cop that does not seem to be to bothered by her ordeal and just wants her to back off.

 All in all this is a classy film and one not all Cynthia fans would have seen as it's not one i remember as high profile and found my copy on Amazon .Kurt McKinney does get to do a little but not enough to steel the show.Cynthia rocks once again in a film though shot on a budget showcases her fighting skills to perfection,and we are treated to many action scenes and even one with Cynthia doing a Kata in her Underwear.Highly recommended for any fight fan and if your in to Cynthia Rothrock this is one film to track down.The Snake.

                                                         copyright ©Gorilla Pictures 2004/Boulevard entertainment 2007

Don The Dragon Wilson stars in this piece of fodder from 2004 and kinda strange it is ,Don plays Jack who is a ex champion fighter who does demo's and teaches in his schools ,when his father makes a video game based training aid fro the government and brings it home for his grandson to try (looks like a game-cube to me and mine don't do this)but when Jacks son gets trapped in this virtual world of combat Jack must enter and fight through each level to free his son,

This proves to be somewhat amusing as we are treated to a host of fighting talent from the states but none of them can act .Even Cynthia Rothrock appears as a white goddess to help Jack within the Game ,but in the end it's up to Jack and his son to fight their way through and release them selves from the coma like trance they are in.

 This is quite a funny film to watch and Don who was a champion kick boxer and won many matches seems out of place in this role as he fights his way through each opponent.And his younger counterpart steals the show for me with his fancy kicks and speed.The thing is Don was never much of a screen fighter as making something look good on screen is a whole lot different to fighting in the ring for real ,which is what he is good at.

And if you want to see Don in action in film then wait for my Blood fist review as this was a film that showcased what he could do.Any way this was ok to watch and past the time and did not break the bank to buy so see it if you can just to see that Gamecube.The Snake

Cynthia's Back ,this time in another Godfrey Ho film from 1992.

Also starring is Donna Jason / John Miller /Chuck Jeffreys and Robin Shou of Mortal Kombat fame.Cynthia plays an FBI agent sent back to the states from Hong Kong after working with Interpol agent Dragon Lee (Robin Shou).She is sent back to trace a missing Warhead Trigger which is for sale on the Black market.Returning to the city where her sister lives ,who just happens to be a reporter for the TV .

Now her sister here played by Donna Jason who plays Joyce Pride is investigating a Banker named Jason slade (John Miller)who is believed to embezzled a Billion dollars .Now Jason slade is a ruthless Banker who is running a company his father once ran and is using funds to do illegal dealings like buy Warhead Triggers.Chuck Jeffreys plays his Bodyguard who after witnessing Slades awful deeds quits and sets out to expose him, When Cynthia (Tracey Pride)discovers that slade is the buyer and reseller for the Trigger she and Joyce team up to infiltrate his dealings with the help of Chuck Jeffreys who is out for some retribution and Dragon Lee who arrives in the states to help Tracey .

On top of this the girls father is a secret agent for the CIA and is also working to counter Slades deal.Now Tracey and her father get on well but Joyce does not as her father  left her as a child to live with the girls Sifu from there Martial arts school.

Now this is a film with lots of twist and turns in the plot and there are quite a few characters to get to grips with here 'and there are some i have not mentioned.

But what this film lacks in polish it makes up for in fighting action with Cynthia showing her stuff to good effect ,and Donna Jason also dealing out some good Kung Fu.On top of this you have Chuck Jeffreys who is the Martial arts version of Eddy Murphy and a good fighter too, giving it large with some really nice foot work.The film has lots of fight scenes to enjoy and though Robin Shou doe's not get to shine to the degree he did in Mortal Kombat or Tiger Cage his presence is a welcome one.

Then with John Miller displaying his steel ring Kung Fu along with his crazy mad man side as Jason Slade you end up with a action packed 90 minutes.So may be not Cynthia's best but a good one from Godfrey Ho,this is a solid piece of entertainment.Spot On The Snake 

Well here's a film i did not know made in 1982 and starring Richard Roundtree /Jim Kelly /Jim Brown and Fred Williamson who also directed.This is a film about a Karate tournament put on by Jim Kelly (Chuck) and Richard Roundtree (Ralph) as a money spinner .but when the mob get involved and rig the fights  Ralph and Chuck try to stop them but get injured in the process and there backers Cal and J ( here played by Williamson and Brown) come looking for them and to claim the money which is rightfully there's .

 Now at the start of the film your treated to an array of fighting in the ring that sets up the pace quite well and Jim Kelly does some nice moves in trying to escape the Mob and one fight where he's been injured and has to fight with one hand is a good fight to watch as his adversary is also capable .

Then suddenly it's as if Ralph and Chuck have had enough and enter Cal and J who roam in to town to get some answers about the money there owed from the Tournament.What ensues is a gun fest with Williamson and Brown going round shooting people trying to get answers about the money and there missing friends Ralph and Chuck(I wanted to know too).But we don't get to see them till the end of the movie and No more fighting takes place .So as the first thirty five minutes is quite entertaining from a martial arts point of view this all ends and it's like your watching two films spliced together .

It's a bit like the screens to small for the four of them to be on at the same time .So though i enjoyed in part ,this is just mediocre.The Snake.

UNDEFEATABLE is a film that's been mentioned on this site before 'Cloudtoe posted a video of it as the worst fight ever ,and on the forums as a contender for the worst film.Here i will prove this wrong,as i have seen some bad films fight wise in my time and if you admit it most Martial art flicks are not great vehicles for acting ability in the most part 'most people watch for the fights.  

  Now this was shot in 1994 by Godfrey Ho a Eastern director who makes very budget movies 'this for him was big Budget.Cynthia Rothrock plays Kristi a street fighter and waitress who is putting her sister through college with the money she makes .Kristi ends up seeking revenge when her sister is mutilated and murdered by Stingray (Don Niam) a professional ring fighter who is slightly crazed and perverted.Stingray  goes on the rampage killing woman who look like his wife 'who has just left him.Basically he approaches these woman and kidnaps them in whatever situation with no regard for any one as he believes they are his wife.

Once he 's finished with them he dumps them minus there eyeballs which he keeps in a fish tank.When Kristi's sister is the third victim 'she vows revenge and sets out to find justice by confronting various fighters she thinks have killed her sister because of certain  marks on her Dead Sisters neck 'which she believes is from a Eagle Claw Martial artist.Enter John Miller who plays a cop who's on the case to catch the Killer ,who ends up teaming up with Kristi as she keeps fighting people and getting in to trouble with the police.Together they must find the killer and take revenge.

 Yes this film is done on a budget and every actor seems to over act like crazy and there not all that hot at it but it's no worse then say Home or Away or a similar soap.

This is what makes it so watchable as the trivalent of scenes are sometimes quite mad or even funny .And as for the fighting it may not be up to some of Cynthia's other films or her Hong Kong ones but there quite good though some fighters are not as well versed in the arts some are downright hilarious .The end fight 'which is in the video section of this site is a slow mo crazed blood fest which won't amaze but will certainly make you laugh.

        Did i enjoy it 'of course i did ,it's a real blast no brainier of a film that's pure entertainment.Track it Down .A Big Thumbs Up ,

The Snake.

       Don Niam as STINGRAY ,a crazed ring fighter who just wants his mummy 'good syko acting this guy does