Bad Movie Logo
"A website to the detriment of good film"
Custom Search
HOMEB-MOVIE REVIEWSREADER REVIEWSFORUMINTERVIEWSUPDATESABOUT
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
March 28, 2024, 12:30:48 PM
713351 Posts in 53056 Topics by 7725 Members
Latest Member: wibwao
Badmovies.org Forum  |  Movies  |  Bad Movies  |  GYMKATA (1985) ~ Dumb film « previous next »
Pages: 1 [2]
Author Topic: GYMKATA (1985) ~ Dumb film  (Read 12527 times)
Archivist
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
****

Karma: 111
Posts: 1379


« Reply #15 on: January 12, 2017, 01:55:23 AM »

This was another VHS-rental for my Dad and I.  Superbly bad.  Superbly.  It was a bit of a trip to see Tadashi Yamas**ta as the trainer, recognizing him from the pages of the martial arts magazines I was reading at the time.
GYMKATA is superbly bad.  Jaw droppingly superb. 

The biggest WTF moment was a toss-up between the shambling hordes of East European village retards (which turned the movie from spy-action to 70's horror), or the pommel horse that was conveniently placed in the town square.
Logged

"Many others since have tried & failed at making a watchable parasite slug movie" - LilCerberus
major jay
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
****

Karma: 126
Posts: 1133



« Reply #16 on: January 14, 2017, 09:37:42 AM »

Can we all at least agree to what an awesome mullet Kurt is rockin'?

« Last Edit: January 14, 2017, 09:45:20 AM by major jay » Logged

Allhallowsday
B-Movie Kraken
*****

Karma: 2280
Posts: 20725


Either he's dead or my watch has stopped!


« Reply #17 on: January 16, 2017, 10:54:56 PM »

Can we all at least agree to what an awesome mullet Kurt is rockin'?



I kind of love this movie, but not that mullet. 
Logged

If you want to view paradise . . . simply look around and view it!
Allhallowsday
B-Movie Kraken
*****

Karma: 2280
Posts: 20725


Either he's dead or my watch has stopped!


« Reply #18 on: January 16, 2017, 10:58:24 PM »

This was another VHS-rental for my Dad and I.  Superbly bad.  Superbly.  It was a bit of a trip to see Tadashi Yamas**ta as the trainer, recognizing him from the pages of the martial arts magazines I was reading at the time.
GYMKATA is superbly bad.  Jaw droppingly superb. 

The biggest WTF moment was a toss-up between the shambling hordes of East European village retards (which turned the movie from spy-action to 70's horror), or the pommel horse that was conveniently placed in the town square.
And, there are sound effects from Halloween Horror albums I own... seriously, it takes a really chee zee production to use those old canned sound effects... uh... for what purpose?  To make the cheap cheaper???   Question  What a wonderful peezoscheet. 
Logged

If you want to view paradise . . . simply look around and view it!
Allhallowsday
B-Movie Kraken
*****

Karma: 2280
Posts: 20725


Either he's dead or my watch has stopped!


« Reply #19 on: January 18, 2017, 11:10:05 PM »

Sound effects like this:   

Small | Large
Logged

If you want to view paradise . . . simply look around and view it!
Trevor
Uncle Zombie and Eminent Shitologist
B-Movie Kraken
*****

Karma: 2121
Posts: 22711



« Reply #20 on: January 19, 2017, 01:18:52 AM »

It always amused me that Robert Clouse, the director of Enter The Dragon, directed GymkataTeddyR TeddyR

Logged

I know I can make it on my own if I try, but I'm searching for the Great Heart
To stand me by, underneath the African sky
A Great Heart to stand me by.
clockworkcanary
Bad Movie Lover
***

Karma: 112
Posts: 880



WWW
« Reply #21 on: January 27, 2017, 08:47:03 AM »

I recently purchased this, having never seen it before. My god, how could I have missed this.

Robert Clouse, who also did one of my favorite bad movies ever, China O'Brien!

And Richard Norton's here too! The only thing missing in this awesome film is Cynthia Rothrock!

Also, as we were watching it yesterday, I told my teenaged daughter I was buying her a red sweater just like the main characters, hahah! The look of death I received was priceless!
Logged

Join us as we discuss all things schlock at Three Knock Theater podcast:

Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/197572800347267/

Youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrLYkyXabfSwpcRQjhUMErQ
Trevor
Uncle Zombie and Eminent Shitologist
B-Movie Kraken
*****

Karma: 2121
Posts: 22711



« Reply #22 on: January 27, 2017, 08:57:05 AM »

I recently purchased this, having never seen it before. My god, how could I have missed this.

Robert Clouse, who also did one of my favorite bad movies ever, China O'Brien!

And Richard Norton's here too! The only thing missing in this awesome film is Cynthia Rothrock!

Also, as we were watching it yesterday, I told my teenaged daughter I was buying her a red sweater just like the main characters, hahah! The look of death I received was priceless!

Wait till you read Andrew's review!  TeddyR
Logged

I know I can make it on my own if I try, but I'm searching for the Great Heart
To stand me by, underneath the African sky
A Great Heart to stand me by.
major jay
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
****

Karma: 126
Posts: 1133



« Reply #23 on: February 12, 2017, 06:35:24 AM »

Thought you guys might enjoy this interview Kurt did for Bristol Bad Movie Club.
http://www.bristolbadfilmclub.co.uk/2015/01/22/interview-bristol-bad-film-club-speaks-to-kurt-thomas-star-of-gymkata/

Quote
Q: So, how did you come to be cast in Gymkata? I know you were almost a dead-cert to go to the Moscow Olympics before the US boycotted it, so was starring in movies you seeking out an alternative or did Hollywood come to you?

A: I was actually contacted by the producer of Enter The Dragon, which, of course, starred Bruce Lee. He apparently saw me in a commercial and that’s how I ended up in the film business.

Q: So, did you have a background in martial arts at all?

A: Not at all!

Q: GYMKATA was directed by Robert Clouse, who directed Enter The Dragon, which is arguably one of the best martial arts films ever made. What was it like working with him during the shoot?

A: When we were filming, Robert Clouse, as a director, honestly seemed to be a bit past his prime [Editorial – Robert Clouse made China O’Brien five years later, so he still had some game!]. However, it was a low budget film, so as a result, there were very few retakes!

Q: As it was so low budget, was it also quite dangerous? It looks like they made you do all your own stunts…

A: I actually did every stunt, except for one – the tumble in the ally in Karabal. It’s because the surface was so wet, so a stuntman ended up doing it. I had a stuntman for the entire shoot, but we ended up only using him the one time.

Q: The fight scenes were naturally based around your impressive gymnastic abilities, but there are several scenes that appeared to be included just to underline that fact – for example, the ‘backflipping while talking to the Princess’ scene – how did those come about?

A: Yeah, from time to time, the producers would just ask me what I could do physically that would look good on film – and they simply ended up incorporating most of them into the movie.

Q: Your character John Cabot seems aware of ‘anti-American sentiment’ in Karabal, but insists on wearing red, white and blue – whose idea was this?

A: That was very random! That was a sweater that I had bought in Italy while I was there, and the producers simply said “just wear that.”

It wasn’t thought out at all!

Q: Please tell us what you remember about the infamous pommel horse scene

A: That actually took a long time to shoot. We tried doing it without pommels and it just killed my wrists! So, we then had to go get some actual pommels to get it done.

Also, the ‘town of crazies’ were actually crazy people from a local insane asylum in Yugoslavia.  We provided them with alcohol and a buffet for their time! Although the people I ended up kicking were definitely stuntmen!

Q: What are you up to these days and are you aware of Gymkata’s cult following?

A: I am very aware of the film’s cult following and love it! I now live in Dallas, where I own a gymnastics training center.

Q: When was the last time you watched Gymkata and are your pupils aware of your Hollywood past?

A: I watch it whenever it comes on at 3 or 4 in the morning, but I haven’t sat down and watched it properly for about 10 years.

Kurt Thomas, thank you very much!
Logged

The Burgomaster
Aggravating People Worldwide Since 1964
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
****

Karma: 773
Posts: 9036



« Reply #24 on: February 17, 2017, 05:15:23 PM »

I worked in a video rental store in the 1980s. The store manager (who knew nothing about movies and I am convinced the only reason she got the job is because she was pretty) thought the name of this movie was "Jim Carter."
Logged

"Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me the hell alone."
Balibari
Dedicated Viewer
**

Karma: 5
Posts: 26



« Reply #25 on: February 24, 2017, 03:17:51 AM »

I interviewed Richard Norton about Gymkata the other week. He was the fight choreographer as well as the villain and had a lot of respect for Kurt's gymnastic skills. Not so much the way he picked up the martial arts side of things.
Logged
Archivist
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
****

Karma: 111
Posts: 1379


« Reply #26 on: March 03, 2017, 07:47:32 PM »

I interviewed Richard Norton about Gymkata the other week. He was the fight choreographer as well as the villain and had a lot of respect for Kurt's gymnastic skills. Not so much the way he picked up the martial arts side of things.

May you have a link to this interview, perchance?  Always interested in such things.
Logged

"Many others since have tried & failed at making a watchable parasite slug movie" - LilCerberus
Pages: 1 [2]
Badmovies.org Forum  |  Movies  |  Bad Movies  |  GYMKATA (1985) ~ Dumb film « previous next »
    Jump to:  


    RSS Feed Subscribe Subscribe by RSS
    Email Subscribe Subscribe by Email


    Popular Articles
    How To Find A Bad Movie

    The Champions of Justice

    Plan 9 from Outer Space

    Manos, The Hands of Fate

    Podcast: Todd the Convenience Store Clerk

    Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

    Dragonball: The Magic Begins

    Cool As Ice

    The Educational Archives: Driver's Ed

    Godzilla vs. Monster Zero

    Do you have a zombie plan?

    FROM THE BADMOVIES.ORG ARCHIVES
    ImageThe Giant Claw - Slime drop

    Earth is visited by a GIANT ANTIMATTER SPACE BUZZARD! Gawk at the amazingly bad bird puppet, or chuckle over the silly dialog. This is one of the greatest b-movies ever made.

    Lesson Learned:
    • Osmosis: os·mo·sis (oz-mo'sis, os-) n., 1. When a bird eats something.

    Subscribe to Badmovies.org and get updates by email:

    HOME B-Movie Reviews Reader Reviews Forum Interviews TV Shows Advertising Information Sideshows Links Contact

    Badmovies.org is owned and operated by Andrew Borntreger. All original content is © 1998 - 2014 by its respective author(s). Image, video, and audio files are used in accordance with the Fair Use Law, and are property of the film copyright holders. You may freely link to any page (.html or .php) on this website, but reproduction in any other form must be authorized by the copyright holder.