Gymkata

[Andrew]

If you try to explain "Gymkata" to someone, make sure to tell them it is a combination of gymnastics and karate.  Then show them the pommel horse scene (otherwise they will never believe you).

Click here to go to the Review

[Torgo]

I'm so glad that they got around to releasing this "gem" on DVD.  I've told so many people about this movie over the years and it was getting next to impossible to track down a VHS copy to rent to subject people to the greatness that is GYMKATA!

BTW, I'm surprised that you didn't put in the Stuff to Look For section that completely unnecessary naked man butt after the halfway point in the flick.   That ALWAYs catches people off guard when they are seeing the flick for the 1st time.   

[Andrew]

BTW, I'm surprised that you didn't put in the Stuff to Look For section that completely unnecessary naked man butt after the halfway point in the flick.   That ALWAYs catches people off guard when they are seeing the flick for the 1st time.   

Oh no, I do mention it.  That would be this Stuff To Watch For:
71 mins - Did anyone ask for this scene? Anyone at all?

[Snivelly]

I just read the review on the front page, and now I must, must, MUST see this movie.

[Torgo]

BTW, I'm surprised that you didn't put in the Stuff to Look For section that completely unnecessary naked man butt after the halfway point in the flick.   That ALWAYs catches people off guard when they are seeing the flick for the 1st time.   

Oh no, I do mention it.  That would be this Stuff To Watch For:
71 mins - Did anyone ask for this scene? Anyone at all?

My bad then. I forgot it happened around that point in the movie.   

[Inyarear]

It's funny, I remember the scene though I don't remember much of the rest of the movie. In addition to that pommel horse scene, wasn't there a part where it showed the protagonist running from that mob of angry townspeople in slow motion with echoing footfalls? I seem to remember that.

[Jordan]

I...... need.... this.... movie..... 

[Shadow]

I remember seeing this on HBO back in the mid 80's. I have not seen it since then. I bought the DVD but am waiting for a special occasion (the right frame of mind) to give it another look.

[Jack]

I haven't seen this in years, but I definitely remember the pommel horse scene.  Do all Eastern European villages usually have a pommel horse in the middle of the town square?  Your review actually makes it sound better than I remember it being;  Even back in the days when I thought Chopping Mall and Slave Girls From Beyond Infinity were true examples of cinematic excellence, I still though Gymkata was just plain awful.

[Snivelly]

I've added this to my Netflix list, but it says there's a "very long wait", so I wonder when I'll actually get to see this.  I might break down and buy the darn movie instead.

[Andrew]

It's funny, I remember the scene though I don't remember much of the rest of the movie. In addition to that pommel horse scene, wasn't there a part where it showed the protagonist running from that mob of angry townspeople in slow motion with echoing footfalls? I seem to remember that.

Oh yeah, that was another scene in the town filled with crazy people.  They were trying to make that entire part of the movie really surreal.

I haven't seen this in years, but I definitely remember the pommel horse scene.  Do all Eastern European villages usually have a pommel horse in the middle of the town square?  Your review actually makes it sound better than I remember it being;  Even back in the days when I thought Chopping Mall and Slave Girls From Beyond Infinity were true examples of cinematic excellence, I still though Gymkata was just plain awful.

It might be a matter of personal preference.  "Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity" causes me a fair amount of pain, while "Chopping Mall" is on about the same level as "Gymkata" based on my tastes.  Something I love about "Gymkata" is that the movie is so serious in tone, despite the fact that what is happening on the screen will make any reasonable viewer question, "Who thought this up?"

[Trevor]

 

Thanks for the great review, Andrew: some karma and a cookie for you. 

I have been in movies seemingly my whole life and Robert Clouse's Gymkata remains my favourite bad movie of all time: I have it on VHS and that means only one thing, I cannot join the people at www.ninjaburger.com. Their rules state quite clearly that ownership of this film prohibits membership, you see. 

I don't know if I'm alone in this, but I saw Gymkata in a cinema (a full one, no less) in Gweru, Zimbabwe, my home town in 1986. I enjoyed it then and I enjoyed it now. Maybe I'm the only poor item who will actually admit to seeing it in a cinema? 

Thanks, Andrew!

[Trevor]

 

"Never use candlewick for your climbing rope." 

[Trevor]

 

This is my review of it from the Badmovieplanet website: I published this there before I was aware of this site.  I would really have liked Andrew to have it.

www.badmovieplanet.com/inferno/archives/gymkata.html

Those spoilers in my review.........what the hell was I thinking? 

[Torgo]

Being a flag ninja would suck something something fierce.

Here you are, these legendary warriors that practice stealth based attack tactics, and you're reduced to simply standing around holding flags that don't really even point in the correct direction a lot of times.