American Ninja (1985)
American Ninja is a 1985 American martial arts action film produced by Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus’s Cannon Films. Directed by Sam Firstenberg, who specialized in this genre in the 1980s, the film stars Michael Dudikoff in the title role and is the first installment in the American Ninja franchise, followed by American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987). It had a mixed reception, but it was a financial success, and since then, it has been considered a cult film. Film With budget $1 million earned in worldwide $10,499,694.
Plot:
As an alternative to prison, young American Joe Armstrong is conscripted into the U.S. Army by a judge. Joe ends up fighting off the Black Star Order of ninjas while stationed in the Philippines. He saves Patricia Hickock – daughter of Colonel William Hickock, Joe’s commanding officer – from a kidnapping attempt. But when the rest of Joe’s platoon is wiped out by the Black Star ninjas, Joe’s popularity with his fellow GIs takes a nosedive…even as he is targeted for revenge by the Black Star Master who directs the ninja-order. While they are performing chores on the base, Corporal Curtis Jackson goads Joe into a fight. Jackson proves no match for Joe’s ninjitsu expertise, which greatly impresses him and their fellow soldiers. Shortly thereafter, Jackson discovers that Joe is an amnesiac;
he remembers very little of his past, other than running with various street gangs and mastering several exotic martial arts. The grateful Patricia organizes a date for herself with Joe. Jackson and another soldier, Charley Madison, sneak Joe off the base. Joe and Patricia are caught during dinner by Sergeant Rinaldo. Rinaldo is in the middle of a meeting with black marketer Victor Ortega, whose payroll the sergeant is on. To get Joe out of the way, Rinaldo leads him to an abandoned warehouse…ostensibly for dropping off supplies. There Joe is ambushed by ninjas but defeats all of them. Then Joe’s truck is stolen, and he gives chase using a motorcycle. The truck driver runs Joe off the road; thinking Joe dead, he brings the truck to Ortega.
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Casting:
Originally the studio wanted Chuck Norris to star. Some sources stated he didn’t want to have to cover up his face. Michael Dudikoff was cast, but had no martial arts experience. He was, however, already very athletic. Fight choreographer Mike Stone, who was an accomplished martial arts expert, assured the producers that he would pick up the moves.