Not A New View But A Great Rewatch
Big Trouble in Little China is not new to me. I’ve watched this one before with friends years ago who were really into it. That’s a haze now for many reasons so, when I watched it recently it was basically for the first time. I really enjoyed John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China. Let’s dive in and talk about why.
Kurt Russell is Great in Big Trouble in Little China
I recently finished watching another Kurt Russell film, Death Proof. There’s a blog on the way on that one too, but this guy is a great actor. The character he plays in Big Trouble in Little China is a loud, bold, arrogant truck driver named Jack Burton. He ends up getting stuck in the middle of having to help a friend recuse his girlfriend. I’m not here to discuss the plot so, let’s talk about what made this character and Russel’s performance stand out to me. Jack Burton reminds me of John Wayne. His boldness and confidence match the duke in my opinion. There are even times when his voice sounds the same.
Gordon Liu Level Kung Fu & Conan Magic! Say What?
Big Trouble in Little China offers a lot of fun things outside of great acting. There is Gordon Liu-level kung fun in the movie. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a Chinese kung fu movie but there’s enough in it that it’s worth mentioning. Pair the intense kung fu with Conan the Barbarian-level magic and Big Trouble in Little China becomes even more interesting. Get out your saltshaker, fill it with some half-cheesy half awesome special effects, and dust the kung fu and magic in Big Trouble in Little China and we’re having even more fun. One of the characters reminds me so much of Raiden from Mortal Kombat that I was expecting him to fly horizontally across the floor and scream some gibberish. My favorite was the lightning effects on the character reminiscent of Raiden and the green glow of the main villain, Lo Pan.
Nostalgia in Big Trouble in Little China? Yes, A Lot
From a nostalgia point of view, this movie had a lot to offer. You can see a vintage Kenworth 900 Puma truck and an old banker’s lamp with green glass. There’s an old fire alarm bell that rings in one scene. These remind me of old alarm clocks. The main character is rocking a vintage Harley Davidson hat (and clothes). There are plenty of Camel cigarette ads to be seen throughout the movie. Let’s talk about cars. There is a 1936 White Model bus that’s tricked out as a city tour bus. The main character drives an 18-wheeler truck which is a 1985 Freightliner FLC-120. I was pleasantly surprised to see a ’59 pink Caddy in this one too. On a cultural note, there are some traditional Chinese wedding gowns in this movie too. Now that’s something you don’t see every day.
On the subject of vehicles in this movie, you can read a much more extensive list here. Also, I found an article about the 18-wheeler used. It talks about the owner and the vehicle in depth. Check it out here if you are interested.
Big Trouble in Little China is Finished
So, this is a comedy but, I never laughed. Don’t misunderstand me though, I really enjoyed this movie. The story was perfectly cheesy, perfectly actions packed, and perfectly Sci-fi. Honestly, this doesn’t come as a surprise though. John Carpenter directed this – He’s quickly becoming one of my favorite directors. There is no movie out there (that I’ve seen) that is like this one. Big Trouble in Little China has a unique and entertaining story. Without a doubt, this is a cult classic – you either love it or you hate it. Invisible Katana Artwork is certainly in the “love it” camp on this one. No doubt that I will revisit this one.
I’d love for you to follow me on all social media platforms and to read more of my blogs. You should buy some of my art too. A follow on my Rottweiler’s page would be appreciated as well. You can do all of that here.