Footage from the filming and interesting facts about the film "Kickboxer" (14 photos)

"Kickboxer" is a cult action movie from 1989 with Jean Claude Van Damme in the title role, released in 1989. At that time, similar films went well with the audience, and today this picture causes us warm nostalgic feelings.





1. Michel Kissi, who played the main antagonist named Tong Po, originally appeared only as fight scene consultants. But when no one could be selected for the role of the main antagonist, Michel proposed his candidacy. But despite the fact that Kissy was taken to the cinema in as an actor, he still did some of the fight scenes, though Most of the fight scenes were still directed by Van Damme himself.



By the way, this is not the only film where Kissy played with Van Damme. In addition to "Kickboxer", he also appeared in films such as "AWOL" and "Bloodsport".

By the way, in the end credits it is indicated that Tong Po played himself, because of which many thought that this is the real name of the actor.



2. Dennis Alexio, who played Kurt's older brother - Eric Sloan, who became disabled due to Tong-po, in real life was engaged in professional kickboxing, winning 68 victories in 72 fights. At the same time 63 he won the fight by knocking out his opponent.



By the way, the title of champion of the International Sports Association the heavyweight karate that Eric Sloan had in the movie is real the title of Dennis Alexio. True, he lifts the championship belt in the film not real.



True, in the early 00s he began to have problems with the law. IN at first he was accused of non-payment of alimony, and then he completely became carry out various financial frauds, which is why he landed in places not so distant.



Dennis was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2017 for their financial frauds. Well, as you may have guessed, at the moment he is in prison.

3. The scene with a piece of meat tied to Kurtu was created on Based on real life Van Damme. According to the actor, something similar with he was done by his teacher, for which he is even grateful to him, because it is precisely he taught him to achieve his goals no matter what.



4. Despite the fact that the action in the film takes place in Thailand, many scenes were filmed in Hong Kong.



5. Jean Claude Van Damme contributed to the script for this film.



6. The film was a considerable box office success. With a total budget of 2.7 million dollars the film earned 50 million. That's why, it is not surprising that numerous sequels began to appear, in which, True, Van Damme was gone.



Van Damme himself received $70,000 for his work as an actor and screenwriter.

7. It was originally planned that the role of Eric (Kurt's brother) performed by Chuck Norris himself, with whom Van Damme often sparred. But after reading the script, Norris refused, explaining that in the film, his hero will have only one fight, and even that will end in his defeat. Therefore, the real kickboxer Dennis Alexio was invited to this role.



8. Michel Kissy is a Moroccan actor origin, so he had to put on makeup to make his character is more like an Asian.



9. Despite the fact that in the film Van Damme and Kissy play worst enemies, in life they are friends from childhood. By the way, they both appeared in the movie "Break Dance" as extras. They are there played dancing spectators.



10. Jean-Claude Van Damme turned down a sequel. movie "Kickboxer", but nevertheless he took a small part in creating a secondoh, by making a few edits to the script. Yes, exactly he decided to make it so that Kurt and Eric Sloan are killed somewhere in the frame. Therefore, the third Sloan brother, David, became the main character of the sequels. which was not mentioned in the first part.

True, in 2016, due to which, that his career was already somewhere downstairs, he decided to return to the franchise by playing a teacher named Mr. Duran in the reboot of the film called "Kickboxer: Retribution". In the same place, by the way, Michel Kissy starred in a small episode.



True, this remake turned out to be of no use to anyone, which is why it failed miserably at the box office, collecting only 287 thousand dollars with budget of 17 million.

But this failure did not prevent the bosses from releasing a sequel. There pulled up such famous personalities as Mike Tyson, Christopher Lambert and even Ronaldinho. The film's budget was $13 million. box office - a measly 101 thousand dollars.