"I Must Break" This Podcast

Technically, the next film in Lundgren’s filmography is the cult classic, Showdown in Little Tokyo, however, scheduling conflicts arose, so our Showdown discussion will have to wait until next month.  But not to worry, one of the landmark moments in Dolph Lundgren’s career came in 1992 when he faced off against fellow action star, Jean-Claude Van Damme in Universal Soldier!  In this violent piece of 1990’s testosterone, Lundgren went back to playing a villain for the second round, and the results are glorious!  Directed by Independence Day’s Roland Emmerich, Universal Soldier gave audiences what Arnold and Sly would not at the time – two action stars in their prime squaring off…  And boy, oh boy, do they square off!  Chris Prentice joins me once again to break this film down at great length.  Was Universal Soldier actually ahead of its time?  Just how groundbreaking was it for the action genre?  Is this Lundgren’s best performance?  And just how badass are those UNISOL suits?  Join us as Chris and I swoon over this film for 2+ hours!

Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!

After boxing Rocky Balboa, battling Skeletor, and taking out an intergalactic drug dealer, Dolph Lundgren took it a little easier for his sixth outing in the moody, Hitchcock-esque thriller, Cover-Up. The film was a slight change of pace for Lundgren, where he plays Mike Anderson, an American journalist in Israel covering the mysterious bombing of a US naval base. More of a thriller than a straight-up action film, Cover-Up reteamed Lundgren with his Punisher co-star Louis Gossett Jr. The film had the makings for a decent political thriller, but is it able to pull it off? Marcus Jones of the “Jean-Pod Van Damme” podcast joins me to discuss the film and to answer some other burning questions: Is the film actually more intelligent and ahead of its time than we’re giving it credit for? How does Lundgren do at drama? Why is Lou Gossett Jr. in the film so little? Just how misleading is the box art for the film? Why is this one film that has been forgotten and “covered-up” in Lundgren’s classic filmography? Join us as we “open-up” an analysis of this 27-year-old film.

Major thanks to Marcus Jones for joining me. Feel free to check out his podcast, Jean-Pod Van Damme. Also, special thanks to Fesliyan Studios for the show’s intro. music. Please feel free to rate and review the show on Itunes, Stitcher, or wherever you go to subscribe!!!

It's Christmas time in Houston, and a particularly evil creature is stirring... one from outer space who wants your brain endorphins!  Fortunately for Houston, they have Jack Caine!  On this episode, Chris Prentice joins me once again to discuss the next film in Dolph Lundgren’s filmography, I Come in Peace, a.k.a. Dark Angel.  In this violent, witty, and original ‘90’s action film, Lundgren plays a maverick Houston detective on the trail of an intergalactic drug dealer.  This was Lundgren’s fifth leading role, as well as his opportunity to showcase not just some of his martial arts skills, but his ability to play what was relatively new territory for him at the time… a regular guy.  Despite its unique premise, killer direction, and fun supporting characters, I Come in Peace did not find its audience until home video.  And almost 30 years later, I Come in Peace is still a blast to come back to.  It’s a reminder of what made ‘90’s action movies so memorable.  What do director Craig R. Baxley, Dolph Lundgren, and Matthias Hues all bring to this film?  What kind of an advantage did casting essentially athletes bring to the film’s stunt work and action sequences?  Why does the evil alien speak only four words (an ironic phrase at that), while the good alien is fluent in English?  Does the film have one too many plot threads, or does it balance them all just right?  And just how badass is Lundgren’s Jack Caine?  Join us as Chris and I answer these and all other burning questions, in addition to establishing our new mantra – What Would Caine Do?

Special thanks to Chris Prentice for once again joining me.  Also, special shout out to Fesliyan Studios for the show’s opening music.  Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you subscribe!!!

Long before Jon Bernthal took on the role as Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher (not to mention before Thomas Jane and Ray Stevenson), Dolph Lundgren was the first to star as the tortured anti-hero. Made in 1989, The Punisher stands as the first official adaptation of a Marvel Comics property, not to mention Lundgren’s fourth theatrical feature and third leading role. Nowadays, people seem to forget how hard it was for Marvel Comics to get a film made based on one of their properties. Before they could finance and distribute their own films, Marvel Comics was owned by the majorly independent (and now-defunct) New World Pictures. Seeing opportunity in the creative properties available to them, New World made the practical decision (again, this was 1989) and chose The Punisher as their first Marvel Comics-based film. Ahead of its time for a comic book adaptation, The Punisher has long been criticized since its release, yet there are also those who appreciate it not just as a Dolph Lundgren vehicle, but as an early Marvel Comics film. One of the biggest fans of this gritty Death Wish-esque thriller is my friend and fellow Dolph fan, Jeremie Damoiseau. In fact, Jeremie has written a book on the genesis, production, and reaction(s) over the years to this violent, action classic! Joining me once again, Jeremie and I discuss the film at length. Why is it that the film was relegated direct to video in the United States? Just how method did Lundgren go in playing Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher? Is the fact that Castle does NOT wear the iconic skull really THAT big of an issue? How does this version stack up against the other interpretations of this iconic character? Join us as Jeremie and I analyze this 1980’s cult classic.

Special thanks to Jeremie Damoiseau for joining me. Please check out his Dolph Lundgren website: www.dolph-ultimate.com or www.dolph-forum.com. Also, please check out the page for his book on the making of the film – The Punisher: The Untold Story of an 80’s Cult Classic (to be released soon in the US!): www.facebook.com/ThePunisher.FilmBook; www.instagram.com/punisher_book.

As always, thanks to Fesliyan Studios for the show’s opening music. Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes!

We’re jumping way ahead in the Dolph Lundgren filmography… all the way to 2013! On this episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Christopher Hatton, writer and director of the underrated zombie-horror-action flick, Battle of the Damned. In this film Lundgren portrayed Max Gatling — a Snake Plisskin-esque hero, who teams up with a band of renegade robots on a mission to rescue an industrialist’s daughter in a post-apocalyptic Asia overrun with zombies. If it sounds like a wild film, it is! It was relatively new territory for Lundgren, as this was the first time we saw him team up with robots and battle zombies. Christopher Hatton was gracious enough to speak with me at length about his time in the film industry as well as his time working on the film. Is the film an official sequel to his previous film, Robotropolis? What was it like filming a science fiction film in a country so close to the equator? What kinds of limitations was Hatton up against in filming on a tight schedule with a limited budget? How was Hatton able to to find instant production value out of an abandoned shopping mall? Why is the direct-to-video film industry dying, and what is killing it? Join us as Christopher Hatton and I have this spirited discussion on one of the more original films in the Lundgren canon!

Special thanks to Christopher Hatton for his time. Also, special shout out to Fesliyan Studios for the show’s intro. track!

On this episode I’m joined once again by Chris Prentice, as we discuss Lundgren’s third theatrical feature, Red Scorpion. Released in 1989, Red Scorpion was Lundgren’s opportunity to rise up into the ranks of Schwarzenegger and Stallone by providing his own version of Commando and Rambo. Unfortunately, Red Scorpion was plagued with all sorts of production problems, and the film quickly came and went from theaters. Relegated to cable television and cheap VHS bargain bins, Red Scorpion found a new life and cult status over the years. Could this be the ultimate character study in Dolph’s filmography? What does the film’s African desert setting bring to the piece as a whole? Did it arrive a little late in the midst of the Reagan era? If Warner Brothers had followed through in releasing it, might the film have had more success? How quotable are M. Emmett Walsh’s lines? And speaking of lines, how amazing is Dolph’s closing line? Join us as Chris and I deconstruct this violent ’80’s action masterpiece!

Special thanks to Chris Prentice for joining me. Also, special shout out to Fesliyan Studios for the show’s intro. music.

On this month's episode, I'm joined by Jeremie Damoiseau, of the Dolph Ultimate website to discuss the second film in Lundgren's filmography -- the 1987 cult classic, Masters of the Universe.  Coming off the heels of the wildly popular Rocky IV, Lundgren was an overnight sensation, and the renegade studio, Cannon Films immediately latched onto him as their next potential action star.  He was muscular, blonde, and had the necessary look to play '80's toy icon, He-Man in their much anticipated adaptation of the Masters toyline.  Funded by Cannon Films and Mattel Toys, Masters of the Universe came and went when it was released in August 1987 and didn't help increase sales in the Masters of the Universe toyline.  Yet to this day, Masters of the Universe remains a cherished artifact for many.  30 years later, how does Masters hold up today?  What kind of pressure was Lundgren facing while making the film?  What kind of problems was Gary Goddard up against?  Can the concept of the Masters of the Universe franchise even be translated effectively in film, or is it too out there?  What would a potential sequel have looked like?  Join Jeremie and I as we attempt to deconstruct this childhood favorite of ours, as well as our gateway into the awesomeness that is Dolph Lundgren!

Special thanks to Jeremie Damoiseau for joining me.  Please check out his website:  dolph-ultimate.com and dolph-forum.com.

Also, feel free to check out the latest episode of Marcus Jones' podcast, Jean-Pod Van Damme, where yours truly is featured, and we discuss Universal Soldier: The Return!

Also, special shout out to Fesliyan Studios for the show's intro. track.

Here’s where it all began folks… Lundgren’s cinematic debut — Rocky IV. Well, technically, the James Bond film A View to a Kill was the debut of Dolph, but it only seemed fitting that this podcast begin with the true, definitive film that started it all! My good friend (and fellow Lundgren scholar), Chris Prentice joins me in dissecting this 32-year-old classic film. What is it about this film that is so addictively watchable? Is it a boxing drama, or an action film? Why are Drago’s few lines so quotable, even to this day? What is Rocky’s true motivation in challenging Drago? Could Drago be one of the most sympathetic opponents in the Rocky franchise? Was Paulie’s robot a stroke of writing genius, or a true indicator of ’80’s excess? Join us as Chris and I attempt to answer these and other questions in the Rocky mythos.

Special thanks to Chris Prentice for joining me. Also, special shout out to Fesliyan Studios for the show’s intro. music track.