Van Damme Knocked A Guy Out For Real:
During the fight scene with Hossain, Frank Ducks believes the match is over and remains open to attack from behind. Before Hossain has a chance, Frank Ducks responds with a backhanded elbow that catches him off guard and foils his plan. Van Damme elbowed actor Bernard Mariano in the face, knocking him out! The footage is intact, clearly showing the elbow making contact with Mariano’s face before quickly cutting to a single cutback shot where Dux permanently lays down his opponent.RELATED:
Jean-Claude Van Damme 10 Best Movies, According To Rotten Tomatoes
It Was Filmed In Kowloon:
Bloodsport is one of the few movies ever filmed in Hong Kong’s infamous Kowloon Walled City, which was demolished in 1994. Kowloon was originally a military outpost built almost 800 years ago during the Song Dynasty, but later it became a place where lawlessness ruled. Chinese triads. The Kowloon Walled City has also been a source for well-meaning people and peaceful human rights groups, striking a bizarre balance.
It Holds The Record For Longest Flashback Sequence:
Frank Dux’s flashback to his childhood and the progression of his martial arts training runs just shy of eleven minutes, making it the single-longest flashback scene in any film, to date. It’s also one of the most enjoyable to watch, as it gives the audience excellent insight into the character’s background, his unique situation, and his bonding with sensei Senzo Tanaka and his son Shingo.
The Dim Mak Is Bunk:
One of Bloodsport’s coolest scenes involves Dux taking a challenge which involves shattering a specific brick in a stacked pile using a technique known as Dim Mak, or “Death Touch.” Concentrating all his attention, Duke strikes the top brick, transferring the energy down through the pile, which causes the bottom brick to explode. Cool? Absolutely. True? Certainly not. Variations of Dim Mak fiction have been a staple in martial arts circles for years, but it’s typically been used to give scoundrel teachers an opportunity to separate people from their hard-earned money.
Two Identical “Enter The Dragon” Roles
Bloodsport will reunite (behind the scenes, anyway) actors Roy Chiao and Bolo Yeung, both of whom starred in Bruce Lee’s classic Enter the Dragon. Ironically, both actors play the same roles as in this film, with Chiao acting as the sensei/master of Bruce Lee and Van Damme’s characters, and Jung acting as the villain. Both have starred in a number of hit films over their careers: Chao has appeared in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, while Jung has appeared in Tiger Claws, TC 2000 and Breath of Fire, among others.RELATED:
From ‘Bloodsport’ to ‘Expendables 2’: The Best of Jean-Claude Van Damme
Even More Connections To Future Films:
Having Bolo Yeung in Bloodsport following his role in Enter The Dragon was interesting enough, but Yeung would once again go up against Van Damme in 1991’s action-fest Double Impact. Another Bloodsport actor, Philip Chan would join the cast of that film, as well, playing the role of triad boss Raymond Zhang. In Bloodsport, Chan plays the role of police Captain Chen.
Van Damme Wasn’t Ready For It:
According to Jean-Claude Van Damme, the shoot for Bloodsport was so intense and rigorous that he almost didn’t measure up. The real-life Frank Dux served as fight coordinator for the film and quickly determined that Van Damme was too out of shape for the role. What followed was an intense three-month workout regiment to build him up to the level required to film such a physical role. Van Damme would later remark that it was one of the hardest experiences of his career.
The President Loves It:
Bloodsport has gathered millions of fans around the globe since it debuted way back in 1988, but did you know that the US President views it as one of his favorite movies? It’s true! Donald J. Trump, number 45 himself has been a fan of Bloodsport for a long time. During an interview with The New Yorker in 1997, Trump was quoted as saying, “‘Admit it, you’re laughing!RELATED:
Nowhere To Run: Van Damme’s True Breakout Performance
