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Thunderbolt (1995 film)
Encyclopedia
Thunderbolt (Piklik Foh) is a 1995 Hong Kong action film
, directed
by Gordon Chan
and starring Jackie Chan
. In some early North American releases, it was known as Dead Heat.
The film is set around the world of racing. The film is also multi-lingual with characters speaking Cantonese, English and Japanese interchangeably. Because Jackie had injured his leg during the shooting of Rumble in the Bronx
he was unable to perform some of the stunts. During the fight-scene at the Japanese arcade he was forced to use a stunt-double for the wideshots.
On the back of his shirt, Chan's coach (played by Yūzō Kayama
) had the name "Jackie Chan", rather than the character name "Chan Foh To". In the Hong Kong version of the film, towards the climax, Kayama also calls out the name "Jackie". In the U.S Version, this is dubbed as "Alfred".
for the police force by helping them to apprehend a dangerous criminal named Cougar (Thorsten Nickel) by means of a car chase. The criminal soon breaks free however and takes revenge on Foh by trashing his business and home and kidnapping his two younger sisters. The only way Foh can free them is by taking part in a race with Cougar a rematch after the criminal's earlier defeat.
, there is an apology to racers injured during filming. Real race drivers from different countries volunteered to travel and participate in the racing sequences.
During the film, Chan crashes a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 3
and receives a Mitsubishi GTO
as a replacement. The film also features the Mitsubishi HSR
concept car
.
Filming took place on several race track
locations, including Japan
's Sendai circuit and the Batu Tiga Circuit, Shah Alam
, Malaysia.
Hong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
, directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Gordon Chan
Gordon Chan
Gordon Chan Kar-Seung , born in 1960, is an a Hong Kong film director, writer and producer. His most notable works include Beast Cops, Fist of Legend, Painted Skin, 2000 AD and Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen...
and starring Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
. In some early North American releases, it was known as Dead Heat.
The film is set around the world of racing. The film is also multi-lingual with characters speaking Cantonese, English and Japanese interchangeably. Because Jackie had injured his leg during the shooting of Rumble in the Bronx
Rumble in the Bronx
Rumble in the Bronx is a 1995 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film starring Jackie Chan and Anita Mui. Released in the US in 1995, Rumble in the Bronx had a successful theater run, and brought Chan into the American mainstream...
he was unable to perform some of the stunts. During the fight-scene at the Japanese arcade he was forced to use a stunt-double for the wideshots.
On the back of his shirt, Chan's coach (played by Yūzō Kayama
Yuzo Kayama
is a Japanese popular musician and film star, born on 11 April 1937. His father, Ken Uehara, was a film star during the 1930s. Yuzo Kayama became a big star in the 1960s in the Wakadaishō film series....
) had the name "Jackie Chan", rather than the character name "Chan Foh To". In the Hong Kong version of the film, towards the climax, Kayama also calls out the name "Jackie". In the U.S Version, this is dubbed as "Alfred".
Plot
Foh (Jackie Chan) is a mechanic and part time racing car driver, playing the Good SamaritanParable of the Good Samaritan
The parable of the Good Samaritan is a parable told by Jesus and is mentioned in only one of the Canonical gospels. According to the Gospel of Luke a traveller is beaten, robbed, and left half dead along the road. First a priest and then a Levite come by, but both avoid the man. Finally, a...
for the police force by helping them to apprehend a dangerous criminal named Cougar (Thorsten Nickel) by means of a car chase. The criminal soon breaks free however and takes revenge on Foh by trashing his business and home and kidnapping his two younger sisters. The only way Foh can free them is by taking part in a race with Cougar a rematch after the criminal's earlier defeat.
Box office
Despite generally poor reviews, Thunderbolt was a box office hit in Hong Kong, grossing HK $45,647,210 in its theatrical run.Cast
- Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
- Chan Foh To / Feng Jim / (Alfred Tung in US version) (doubled by Chin Kar Lok, Collin ChouCollin ChouCollin Chou , sometimes credited as Ngai Sing, is a Taiwanese actor and martial artist based in Hong Kong known in the United States for his portrayal of Seraph in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions as well as the Enter the Matrix video game...
and Sam Wong) - Anita YuenAnita YuenAnita Yuen Wing-yi is a Hong Kong film and television actress. She was the winner of the 1990 Miss Hong Kong Pageant.-Pageant career:At the age of 18, Yuen entered the Miss Hong Kong 1990 pageant. She was a heavy favorite to win the crown from the semifinal to final. During the semifinals on August...
- Amy Yip / (Amy Ip in US version) - Michael WongMichael Wong (actor)Michael Fitzgerald Wong aka Wong Man-Tak is a Chinese-American and a Hong Kong based actor, director, singer and producer.He is fluent in English, but not so in Chinese, which is reflected in many of the characters he has portrayed. His most notable film is the 1998 film Beast Cops which won a...
- Steve Cannon - Thorsten Nickel - Warner 'Cougar' Kaugman
- Chor YuenChor YuenZhang Baojian , better known as Chor Yuen, is a Hong Kong-based Chinese film director, screenwriter and actor.-As director:*Cold Blade *The House of 72 Tenants *The Jade Tiger...
- Uncle Chan Chun Tung, Foh's father (Alfred's father in US version) (as Chor Yun) - Wu Oi-Yan - Dai Mui (Daphne in US version) (as Daisy Wu Oi-Yan)
- Annie ManAnnie ManAnnie Man Chung-Han , born 20 July 1976, is an actress from Hong Kong. She started her career in television series in 1993 at the age of 16 at ATV...
- Sai Mui / Xiao Wei (Sammi in US version) (as Man Chung-Han) - Yūzō KayamaYuzo Kayamais a Japanese popular musician and film star, born on 11 April 1937. His father, Ken Uehara, was a film star during the 1930s. Yuzo Kayama became a big star in the 1960s in the Wakadaishō film series....
- Coach Mirakami (as Kayama Yuzo) - Kenya Sawada - Saw (as Sawada Kenya)
- Ken LoKen LoKen Low Wai-kwong is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist and a ex-member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team.-Early life:...
- Kong (as Low Houi Kang) - Dayo WongDayo WongDayo Wong Chi-wah , born 5 September 1960, is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, singer and screenwriter.Wong gained a degree in philosophy from the University of Alberta in Canada. He began his entertainment career in Hong Kong in 1984, but only became known since 1990 for his stand-up comedy...
- Mr. Lam (as Wong Tze-Wah) - Chin Kar-lok - Mirakami's assistant (as Ka Lok Chin in US) (as Chin Ka-Lok in German)
- Corey YuenCorey YuenCorey Yuen Kwai is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker and producer. He was a member of the Peking Opera Schools and one of the Seven Little Fortunes.-Life and career:...
- The Doctor (as Corey Yen in US) (as Cory Yuen in German) - Marie EguroMarie Eguro, also credited as , born January 13, 1972 in North Carolina) is an American actress, musician and model. She is Japanese American.Eguro has starred with Jackie Chan in the movie Thunderbolt, has starred in over 40 commercials in Asia and the United States, and has been featured on the cover of...
- Miss Kenya (as Eguro Mari) - Yung Kam-Cheong - Mechanic Cheong (as Peter Yung Kam-Cheong)
- William Tuen - Koo / Ku / Saw's thug
- Bruce Law - Bruce (as Bruce Law Lai Yin)
- Patrick Han - John
- Joseph Cheung - Traffic Officer Joe
- Lam Wai-Kong - Inspector Cheung (Joe in US version)
Awards and nominations
- 1995 Golden Horse Film FestivalGolden Horse Film Festival and AwardsThe Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards is a film festival and awards ceremony held annually in Taiwan. It was founded in 1962, by Government Information Office, Republic of China...
- Winner: Best Action Direction (Corey YuenCorey YuenCorey Yuen Kwai is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker and producer. He was a member of the Peking Opera Schools and one of the Seven Little Fortunes.-Life and career:...
)
- Winner: Best Action Direction (Corey Yuen
- 1996 Hong Kong Film AwardsHong Kong Film AwardsThe Hong Kong Film Awards , founded in 1982, are the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong and among the most respected in mainland China and Taiwan. Award ceremonies are held annually, typically in April. The Awards recognize achievement in all aspects of filmmaking, such as directing,...
- Nomination: Best Action Choreography
Vehicles and tracks used
In the closing creditsClosing credits
Closing credits or end credits are added at the end of a motion picture, television program, or video game to list the cast and crew involved in the production. They usually appear as a list of names in small type, which either flip very quickly from page to page, or move smoothly across the...
, there is an apology to racers injured during filming. Real race drivers from different countries volunteered to travel and participate in the racing sequences.
During the film, Chan crashes a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 3
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral...
and receives a Mitsubishi GTO
Mitsubishi GTO
The Mitsubishi GTO is a sports car built by Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors between 1990 and 2001. In most export markets it was rebadged as a Mitsubishi 3000GT. It was also sold by Chrysler in North America as a Dodge Stealth captive import from the 1991 to 1996 model years with only minor...
as a replacement. The film also features the Mitsubishi HSR
Mitsubishi HSR
The Mitsubishi HSR is a range of concept cars exhibited by Mitsubishi Motors through the late 1980s and 1990s...
concept car
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
.
Filming took place on several race track
Race track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
locations, including Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's Sendai circuit and the Batu Tiga Circuit, Shah Alam
Shah Alam
Shah Alam is the state capital of Selangor, Malaysia situated within the Petaling District and a small portion of the neighboring Klang District. It is located about west of the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur. Shah Alam replaced Kuala Lumpur as the capital city of the state of Selangor in 1978...
, Malaysia.