"I Must Break" This Podcast: Recent Episodes
Sean
"I Must Break" This Podcast is a fan podcast celebrating the cinematic career of action legend Dolph Lundgren! Join host Sean Malloy and a special guest as they go in chronological order discussing, reviewing, and analyzing every film in the impressive Dolph Lundgren canon. Featuring exclusive interviews with directors, actors, and screenwriters, it's sure to be an action-packed time!
This month we're going back to where it all started and chatting the 1985 sports classic, Rocky IV! Only this time, we're actually taking a look at the Director's Cut assembled by Sylvester Stallone himself and released in 2021 -- Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago! In the final episode of the podcast (for the time being at least), the show comes full circle and we discuss the ultimate director's cut in which Stallone recut the iconic film in the Rocky franchise! But with all the added and altered scenes, is this new cut any good? Katie Geilinkirchen from the Retromade and One More Round podcasts returns to the show to help me answer that question! We chat the pros, cons, and minute changes that Stallone added and tweaked for this reimagining 36 years in the making! Listen in as we take a deep dive into Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago!Major thanks to Katie Geilengirchen for joining me! Please be sure to check out her podcasts, Retromade and One More Round! Special thanks to all the guests who've joined me throughout the show's run, and have helped me complete the journey! See you all again when Mr. Lundgren has another film on the horizon! Please rate and review the show on iTunes or wherever you go to subscribe! Intro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix; closing outro. music the "Eye of the Tiger" heavy metal remix by Ancestral!
On this month's episode we're tackling two films in which Dolph took on supporting roles where he played shady figures with dual motives! In the 2015 ensemble "thriller", 4GOT10, Lundgren plays a DEA agent on the trail of some stolen cash from a drug deal gone wrong! Starring alongside Dolph are Johnny Messner, Danny Trejo, Michael Pare, and Vivica A. Fox! In Altitude, "wild thing," Denise Richards stars as an FBI hostage negotiator who finds herself caught in the middle of a hijacking onboard her flight to Washington DC! Lundgren shows up as a high-class thief who threatens to crash the plane unless one of the fellow passengers returns the loot that is rightfully his! Sure, both these premises couldn't be more different, though that didn't stop us from having fun chatting these two slices of direct-to-video independent action cinema! Joining me to chat this duo of flicks are two friends of the show -- Steve Done and Matt Poirier! First up Steve Done returns to the show to help make sense of the Tarantino wannabe 4GOT10 (we try to get to the bottom of that awful title, and we manage to briefly discuss the 2004 British “comedy”(?), Fat Slags)! After, Matt Poirier from The Direct-to-Video Connoisseur returns to lend some insight on the pretty unremarkable airplane hijacking film, Altitude! So strap in… It’s a combo episode with tons action… albeit on low, low budgets!Major thanks to Steve Done and Matt Poirier for joining me! Please be sure to check out Matt's blog and podcast, The DTV Connoisseur! https://dtvconnoisseur.blogspot.com/. Please be sure to check out the show's official website and Facebook page: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes or wherever you go to subscribe! Show's intro. and outro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode, we're talking Dolph, the post-apocalypse, and zombies! No, we're not taking another look at 2013's Battle of the Damned, but instead Dolph's SECOND foray into zombie territory with 2019's Dead Trigger! Yes, five years after Battle of the Damned, Dolph went back to a similar well and once again took on hordes of zombies! In this adaptation of a popular mobile video game, Lundgren plays Kyle Walker, a hard-nosed mercenary in a near future with a penchant for wasting zombies! Yet even the best of the best can't slay zombies alone, so joining him on this mission is a team of teenage video gamers with just the right skills to ensure that the human race might live to see another day! Joining me to discuss this one is Scott Murphy, host of All 90’s Action, All the Time! What exactly went on behind the scenes with this one? In what ways does this play with the standard zombie tropes, and does it manage to do anything new? And just what is up with the ending? Listen in as Scott and I get to the bottom of Dead Trigger!Major thanks to Scott Murphy for joining me! Be sure to check out his podcast, All 90's Action, All the Time!, which can be found on its own feed as well as on the Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network feed! Please check out both the official webpage for the show as well as the Facebook page: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes or wherever you go to subscribe! Show's intro. and outro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode, we're headed back to World War II once again, this time chatting TWO films from 2021, both written and directed by Steven Luke and both seeing Lundgren return to the European battlefields for some epic adventures (albeit on low, low budgets)! In Operation Seawolf, Lundgren plays a German U-Boat commander who launches a final desperate attach on New York; and in Come Out Fighting, Lundgren plays an American major in charge of a tank battalion that goes behind enemy lines to rescue their lieutenant! Filmed back to back, with many of the same props and sets, both films have positive intents... But are they any good? Major Dolph-fan and fellow action junkie, Steve Done joins the show to help me get to the bottom of these films and discuss both their merits... and their shortcomings. How does Operation Seawolf manage to make the most of its confined set to its benefit? How does Come Out Fighting do in balancing its large cast? And can a WW2-set film manage to even be watchable on a budget? Listen in as Steve and I chat Dolph's second and third forays in WW2 with Operation Seawolf and Come Out Fighting!Major thanks to Steve Done for joining me! Please be sure to rate and review the show on iTunes or wherever you go to subscribe! Be sure to check out both the official webpage for show and the show's Facebook page: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Show's opening and closing music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode we're chatting Lundgren's most recent effort, the long-awaited, Wanted Man! In this tribute to Clint Eastwood's The Gauntlet (and perhaps a little Gran Torino), Dolph once again takes on acting, directing, and writing duties in which he plays Travis Johansen, a police officer who is tasked with begrudgingly escorting an eye witness across the border after she witnesses the deaths of two DEA agents. Yet when it's made clear that there are certain American parties who don't want to see them cross the border, Johansen must sort out his own alliances and troubled morals if he wants to see tomorrow! Returning to the show to help chat this one is Vern, author of the books, Seagalogy and Worm on a Hook, as well as his signature website, Outlaw Vern! How does Dolph do in directing his now 8th film? What social statements is this film trying to make amongst the bloody action sequences? Does Dolph manage to offer any surprises in terms of the villains? And is this film worth its (almost) 15 year wait? Listen in as Vern and I discuss Wanted Man!Be sure to check out Wanted Man, currently available on VOD and free on Hoopla! Major thanks to Vern for once again joining me! Please be sure to check out his website: www.outlawvern.com. Please check out the official webpage for the show, as well as the Facebook page: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes or wherever you go to subscribe! Show's intro. and outro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode, we're looking at the TWO films that Lundgren closed out 2023 with -- Showdown at the Grand and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom! Each of these films couldn’t be more different from one another, but considering Dolph took on supporting roles in each (not to mention wearing a wild wig for each performance!), I figured it was fitting to tackle both movies in this one episode! In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Dolph returns to the troubled DC Extended Universe for its final outing as King Nereus, a proud Atlantean King who assists the titular superhero in retaining his throne against comic book nemesis, Black Manta! In Showdown at the Grand, Lundgren stars as an aged action star who teams up with a movie theater proprietor to fight and keep the sanctity of cinema intact! Joining me to discuss these two efforts are TWO regulars -- Chris Prentice and David Rosen! First up is our Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom discussion in which David Rosen from Piecing it Together invited me back on his show to chat the Christmas 2023 blockbuster release! After Chris Prentice joins me to chat the Quentin Tarantino-inspired tribute to grindhouse cinema, Showdown at the Grand! This month we’re chatting a huge budget release and a small indie release… Dolph himself is no stranger to both arenas!Major thanks to Chris Prentice and David Rosen! Be sure to check out David's podcast, Piecing it Together: www.piecingpod.com. Please be sure to rate and review the show on iTunes or wherever you go to subscribe! Be sure to check out both the official webpage for the show and the show's Facebook page: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Show's opening and closing music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode, actor/writer/director, Michael Worth returns to the show to discuss the upcoming action thriller, Wanted Man! In this long-awaited film, Lundgren pulls triple duties once again as star, director, and co-writer! In Wanted Man, Dolph plays Travis Johansen, a police officer who must escort a witness across the border in order to testify. Yet awaiting this duo are a team of shady American forces who will do anything to ensure that they remain in Mexico! Wanted Man has had quite a long road in production... Back when Worth was last on the show in 2019, the film was still in the script rewrite phase; now in the coming weeks, this pet project from both Lundgren and Michael Worth will finally be seeing a release thanks to Quiver Entertainment! Michael Worth has been collaborating with Lundgren on this film for almost 15 years, and it's gone through quite a few revisions and developments throughout this time! In this discussion, Worth and I chat Wanted Man as well as what else he has in development for 2024 and beyond!Major thanks to Michael Worth for agreeing to come back! Please be sure to check out Wanted Man starring Dolph Lundgren and Kelsey Grammar, which will be released on January 19th courtesy of Quiver Entertainment: https://www.quiverdistribution.com/films/upcoming/wanted-man/. Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes or wherever else you go to subscribe! Check out the official webpage for the show, as well as Facebook page: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Show's intro. and outro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix; transition music by Rovador.
On this month's episode, we're once again taking a look at another Lundgren trio -- Acceleration, Hard Night Falling, and The Tracker! Filmed over the course of 2018 and released shortly after, this triumvirate of films has similar DNA running through them -- The Tracker and Hard Night Falling had Dolph jetting off to Italy and reteaming with director, Giorgio Serafini; whereas Hard Night Falling and Acceleration had him co-starring alongside rising action star and producer, Natalie Burn! In Acceleration, Lundgren plays a mob boss who puts a hard-nosed driver through a series of deadly tasks over the course of a single night; in Hard Night Falling, Lundgren attempts to channel John McClane once again as an Interpol agent vacationing in Italy who takes on a band of thieves; and in The Tracker, Dolph is an expert hunter (?) who travels to Italy to find the men who kidnapped and killed his family! While these films may all have wildly different conceits, are they any good...? Well, we have screenwriter, Tom Jolliffe returning to the show to help me answer that question! With such tight and limited shooting schedules, what was it about these films that intrigued Dolph in the first place? And how do these films stand up, both individually and in the wake of Lundgren's comeback with Creed II? Listen in as Tom and I get to the bottom of Acceleration, Hard Night Falling, and The Tracker!Major thanks to Tom Jolliffe for joining me once again! Please check out his numerous screenwriting credits listed here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6789910/! Also, please be sure to check out his contributions at Flickering Myth: https://www.flickeringmyth.com/author/tom-jolliffe/! Please be sure to rate and review the show on iTunes or wherever else you go to subscribe! Please check out the official webpage for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com, as well as the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast.
We're back for the 100th episode of the show, and what better film to discuss for #100 than the latest entry in The Expendables franchise -- Expend4bles! In the fourth installment, the team is scaled down with not as many members, but still some new additions! Returning for another battle, Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, and Randy Couture are now joined by Megan Fox, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, and Tony Jaa! In their latest adventure, the Expendables must board a cargo ship and stop a sadistic arms dealer (played by Iko Uwais) from starting World War 3! This episode will be slightly different than previous episodes... Instead of having one guest, we’ll be pulling our own Expendables gimmick and bringing on multiple guests to share their thoughts! Included in this conversation is my guest spot on the Piecing It Together podcast with friend of the show, David Rosen! After, I'll be playing opinions on the movie from Richard Hawes of The DTV Digest, Sicco Hersink from Hugging the Cactus: The Mel Gibson Podcast, Matt Poirer from the DTV Connoisseur, as well as the thoughts from listeners of the show!Major thanks to everyone who contributed. Please be sure to check out the following podcasts from friends of the show: David Rosen's Piecing It Together (https://www.piecingpod.com/); Richard Hawes' The DTV Digest (https://thedtvdigest.podbean.com/); Sicco Hersink's Hugging the Cactus, and Matt Poirer's The DTV Connoisseur (http://dtvconnoisseur.blogspot.com/)! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes or wherever you go to subscribe! Show's opening and closing music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix!
On this month's episode, we're looking at one of Lundgren's most recent indie efforts, The Best Man! In this wedding-themed action thriller, Dolph teams up with Brendan Fehr as members of an unspecified special ops rescue unit who are attending the wedding of their teammate, Luke Wilson! Yet when an army of masked commandos storm the wedding, Dolph, Fehr, and Wilson must suit up again to save not just the bride-to-be, but the rest of the wedding party in this low-budget Die Hard-wannabe! Returning to the show once again is Brenton Haysom from his website, All Outta Bubblegum! How many corners does this film cut to make the most of its 10-day shoot? How is it that a small wedding party is able to rent out an entire hotel AND casino? And could Luke Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, and Brendan Fehr be one of the oddest action pairings ever seen on film? Join Brenton and I as get into the wedding spirit and chat The Best Man!
Major thanks to Brenton Haysom for joining me! For reviews, kill counts, and video essays, please check out his awesome website, All Outta Bubblegum: www.allouttabubblegum.com. Please check out the official website the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com, as well as the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Show's intro. and outro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode we're stepping back into the world of television, this time looking at the six-episode story arc of the fifth season of the hit CW show, Arrow! In this televised adaptation of the DC Comics character, Lundgren guest stars as Konstantin Kovar, the leader of a Russian criminal empire who shows up in flashbacks as the main antagonist to Stephen Amell's superhero, the Green Arrow! Dolph may not have the biggest role (and to be honest, there are a TON of TV tropes that tend to weigh the episodes down!), but that didn't stop us from having fun discussing these episodes! Returning to the show to help me discuss this one is Travis Bow, host of the Reel Comic Heroes Podcast! In what ways does Dolph's inclusion help elevate these episodes... and at the same time, almost grind the story to a halt? Are flashbacks/prequels really necessary to the development of a character, especially five seasons in? And what exactly is going on with Green Arrow's team of D-list superheroes (cleverly named "Team Arrow"!)? Join us as Travis and I answer these questions and many more as we chat Arrow!
Major thanks to Travis Bow for joining me! Please check out his podcast, Reel Comic Heroes, which examines the films based on comic book properties! Also, be sure to be on the lookout for his movies by minute podcast, Minute of Thieves, to be dropping on your podcast app of choice soon! Please be sure to check out the show's official webpage as well as Facebook page: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; www.facebook.comimustbreakthispodcast. Show's intro. and outro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode it's Dolph vs. a bloodthirsty shark! Who doesn't want to see that?! Unfortunately, the film's not nearly as exciting as it sounds... Yes, this month we're chatting the 2015 shark thriller, Shark Lake! In this Jaws knock-off, Lundgren plays Clint Grey, a prison parolee who must not only reconnect with his young daughter, but ALSO rid a small town lake of a bull shark that is eating the locals. Thankfully, he has a sheriff's deputy and PHD professor nearby who will not only assist him in this huge undertaking, but manage to take up more screen time than our man of the hour! Making his inaugural appearance on the show is Kevin Dotson, co-host of the Six Degrees of Schwarzenegger podcast! In what ways is this film essentially a cameo role for Dolph? Why are there virtually zero scares in the entire 85-minute run time? Could a bull shark even survive in Lake Tahoe? And could the lead sheriff's deputy be one of the most annoying characters to grace a shark film? Listen in as Kevin and I go swimming in Shark Lake!Major thanks to Kevin Dotson for joining me! Please be sure to check out Kevin's podcast, Six Degrees of Schwarzenegger, which can be found on its own feed as well as the Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Please be sure to check out the show's official webpage and Facebook page: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Show's opening and closing music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
This month, the Muscles from Brussels and the Big Swede reteam yet again! Only instead of being adversaries, they're now on the same side! Yes, we're chatting the 2018 submarine adventure, Black Water! In this DTV team-up, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren join forces, making this their FIFTH collaboration! This time Van Damme and Lundgren play two government operatives who're wrongly imprisoned onboard a top secret CIA blacksite submarine. Yet these two badasses aren't about to stay underwater forever, and they're prepared to mow through an army of heavily trained commandos in order to get back to the surface! Returning to the show to help me discuss this one is uber-JCVD fan, David Ullman! Just how dated was the submarine setting and conceit in 2018? What works in seeing JCVD and Dolph join forces again... and what doesn't? And how much fun does Dolph bring to what is a small supporting role? Listen in as David and I chat Black Water!Major thanks to David Ullman for joining me once again! Please check out his website for his music, writings, podcasts, and film work: www.davidullman.net! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Please be sure to check out the show's official webpage and Facebook page: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Show's opening music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix. Closing song is "Bloodsport (and Kickboxer, Too)" by Ukelilli. Check out her website: www.ukelilli.com.Please check out the new book, Bloodspurt!, which critically analyzes the films of Jean-Claude Van Damme available now on Amazon from Bear Manor Media! You just might find a few essays, written by both David and myself! https://www.amazon.com/Bloodspurt-Films-Jean-Claude-Van-Damme/dp/B0BQXWH7NF/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?crid=3EZG75BQ699C6&keywords=bloodspurt+van+damme&qid=1676227241&sprefix=bloodsport+van+damme%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-1-fkmr0
It's Christmas time in Chickaree Creek, Mississippi. And a bloodthirsty demon has been released on the unsuspecting townsfolk with only one intention... Chaos! Yes, on this month's episode, we're chatting the 2017 action-horror-comedy, Don't Kill It! In this crazy slice of indie-horror, Lundgren plays Jebediah Woodley, a bounty hunter who has arrived in Chickaree Creek to capture the bloodthirsty demon. Unfortunately, killing this demon poses one small problem... Whoever kills it becomes inhabited by it! Joining me to chat this film is Katrina Hill from the website, Action Flick Chick! How does this film make the most of its quick 17-day shoot? Could the character of Jebediah Woodley sustain a potential franchise? And just how much fun is everyone visibly having on set? Listen in as Katrina and I discuss Don't Kill It! After, stay tuned at the end of the episode for screenwriter, Tom Jolliffe's thoughts on the film! Jolliffe knows a thing or two about the world of low-budget indie filmmaking, so he lends his insight on this particular film!Major thanks to Katrina Hill for joining me. Please be sure to check out her website, Action Flick Chick: http://actionflickchick.com/superaction/. You can also check out her book, Action Movie Freak!, which is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Katrina-Hill/e/B0091JLOR4/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1. Check out the show’s official website and Facebook page — http://www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; http://www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Show’s intro. and closing music is “Sports Action” by Audionautix. Don't Kill It is currently available for free streaming on Tubi, Peacock, Plex, and Vudu!Please check out the new book, Bloodspurt!, which critically analyzes the films of Jean-Claude Van Damme available now on Amazon from Bear Manor Media! You just might find a few of my essays, which I contributed prior to publication! https://www.amazon.com/Bloodspurt-Films-Jean-Claude-Van-Damme/dp/B0BQXWH7NF/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?crid=3EZG75BQ699C6&keywords=bloodspurt+van+damme&qid=1676227241&sprefix=bloodsport+van+damme%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-1-fkmr0
On this month's episode, it's Dolph Lundgren and Scott Adkins battling a legendary beast in China! With a premise as exciting as this, what could go wrong? Apparently, just about everything! Yes, this month we're chatting the 2013 Chinese production, Legendary! In this expedition adventure, Lundgren reteams with Scott Adkins once again, this time as two rival hunters, each in search of a mystical beast that's supposed to be extinct... Yet the titular monster is very much alive, and it very much resembles an overgrown gecko (scary, right?!)... Returning once again to the show to help me discuss this one is Richard Hawes, co-host of The DTV Digest! In what ways does the film's low budget hamper the general conceit? In a film with two noted action stars, why is there virtually zero action in it? And just how much of a letdown is the actual monster? Listen in as we discuss Legendary!Major thanks to Richard Hawes for joining me! Please be sure to check out his podcast, The DTV Digest: https://thedtvdigest.podbean.com/. Please be sure to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, feel free to check out both the official webpage for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com, as well as the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Intro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix; closing song is "Tonight in Babylon" by LoverushUK featuring Bryan Adams, which played in the closing credits of Legendary. Legendary is available for free streaming on Youtube and Tubi!
On this month's special Christmas episode, we're looking at the family-friendly Christmas comedy, Pups Alone from 2021! In this strange oddity, Dolph takes on a supporting role as a pet product employee who hires a couple of crooks to steal his new neighbor's high-tech invention just before the holidays! Yet awaiting these thieves are a group of rambunctious canines who are prepared to protect their home while their owners are away! Joining me to discuss this one is Katie Geilenkirchen, one of the hosts of the One More Round podcast! Just how many various story threads are in this one? How long did this film sit in post-production (and was that for the better?)? Could this film have benefitted from some serious editing? Is ripping off Home Alone 30+ years later even a novel idea at this point? And just how off the rails is Dolph's performance? Listen in as Katie and I get festive and chat Pups Alone!Major thanks to Katie Geilenkirchen for joining me! Please be sure to check out her podcast, One More Round, which is also on The Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Also, check out the show’s official website and Facebook page: http://www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; http://www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Show’s intro. and outro. music is “Sports Action” by Audionautix.
On this month's episode, we're looking at TWO DTV films starring Dolph, and BOTH involving him infiltrating the prison system -- 2015's Riot and 2017's Larceny! Yes, in addition to starring in TWO one-word title films over the course of TWO years, Lundgren muscled his way into TWO low-budget productions that both have him going undercover in the inside! In Riot, Dolph takes second fiddle to rising action star (?), Matthew Reese as William, a dim-witted inmate who helps a former cop seek vengeance on the Russian gangster who controls the penitentiary! In Larceny, Dolph plays a thief / DEA agent / CIA informant (let's be honest, we really don't know what in the heck his role is!), who sneaks into a Mexican prison to crack the secret safe belonging to a cartel drug lord! But how do both of these films stack up against one another? Let's just say that one is much, much better than the other... Chris Prentice returns to the show to help lend insight to yet another combo pairing of Lundgren efforts! In what ways did these films succeed in utilizing Dolph as the commodity that he’s become…? And in what ways do they fail (well, one of them at least)? Listen in as Chris and I tackle this double dose of Dolph, prisoners, shootouts, and fights!
Major thanks to Chris Prentice for once again joining me! Please be sure to check out the rest of the shows on The Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Also, check out the show’s official website and Facebook page: http://www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; http://www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Show’s intro. music is “Sports Action” by Audionautix. Closing song is "It's On" performed by Matthew Reese, which played in the closing credits of Riot!
On this month's episode, we're chatting Lundgren's most recent film, Section 8! In this star-studded effort (which is currently available on streaming), Dolph stars alongside Ryan Kwanten, Dermot Mulroney, Mickey Rourke, and Scott Adkins in a tale filled with revenge, government espionage, and way more twists than you'd expect from a 90-minute actioner! Ryan Kwanten takes the lead as Jake Atherton, a retired soldier who's back on US soil after a stint in the middle east. Yet the violence has a way of finding him when he's recruited by a shadowy covert organization to carry out government assassinations. And when it's clear that Jake is actually working for the bad guys instead, he enlists his former army buddy and mentor (played by Dolph!) to help him take out Section 8! Returning to the show to help me discuss this one once again is action movie expert, Vern from the website, outlawvern.com! How does the film do in balancing its cast? How is Mickey Rourke utilized in his brief role? Just how integral is Dolph Lundgren to the movie? How is it that so many seem to know about Section 8 and seemingly do nothing about it? And how does Scott Adkins' presence (and late arrival) save this film? Listen in as Vern and I enter Section 8!
Major thanks to Vern for coming back! Please be sure to check out his website: www.outlawvern.com. You can also read his many books, Seagalogy, Niketown, and Worm on a Hook available on Amazon or where ever books are sold! Section 8 is currently available on video on demand as well as AMC+! Please be sure to check out the the official webpage for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com. Also, please check out and follow the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast.com. Opening intro. and outro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode, Dolph Lundgren goes to World War II, and he's bringing Mickey Rourke, Luke Goss, and Chuck Liddell with him! Yes, we're chatting the WW2 epic film on a budget -- 2015's War Pigs! In this "men on a mission" war film, Lundgren, Goss, and Rourke star as grizzled Army soldiers who must lead a ragtag team of young recruits to go behind enemy lines and take out a super Nazi weapon! Joining me to chat this one is Jacob Gustafson, author of the Awful Awesome book series! How does Utah do in doubling for Western Europe? Just how nondescript and bland are the titular “War Pigs” soldiers? How hard is everyone working behind the scenes on this one? And just what is going on with Dolph's accent? Listen in as Jacob and I travel to WW2 and chat War Pigs!
Major thanks to Jacob Gustafson for joining me! Please be sure to check out his Awful Awesome books, which examine the "so bad, they're great!" films in the action, horror, and science fiction genres: amazon.com/Jacob-Gustafson/e/B0B4XVZHV7/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1. Please be sure to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, feel free to check out both the official webpage for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com, as well as the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Intro. and outro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode we're chatting the 2015 martial arts thriller, Skin Trade! In this highly ambitious direct-to-video film, Dolph Lundgren teams up with Tony Jaa as two detectives who join forces to take down a Serbian mobster and destroy his worldwide human trafficking network! Yet for Dolph, this mission is more than serving justice... it's personal! Also along for the ride in this film is a star-studded cast of many who are more than familiar with the action genre, including Michael Jai White, Ron Perlman, Peter Weller, and Cary Tagawa! Returning to the show to help me discuss this one is Ben Johnson, host of the Kung Fu Movie Guide! What is it about this film that makes it look much more cinematic than so many of Dolph's other films post-Expendables? Just how generous is Dolph to his cast in letting everyone have their moment to shine in the film? How amazing is the fight between Dolph and Tony Jaa? And how does the film do at tackling the very weighty subject matter of human trafficking? Join us as Ben and I answer these questions and many more as we chat Skin Trade!
Major thanks to Ben Johnson for joining me! Please be sure to check out both his website and associated podcast -- the Kung Fu Movie Guide: http://kungfumovieguide.com/! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Please be sure to check out the show's official webpage and Facebook page: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Show's opening and closing music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this special interview episode, Steven Luke joins the show to discuss his career in the world of independent WW2-set films! Steven Luke is a multifaceted talent with experience in the realms of acting, writing, directing, and producing! He also has his own movie prop company, Man the Line, which provides military props, uniforms, and equipment for other various reinactments and productions! In 2015 Steven was able to see his first feature-length script come to life thanks to the help of none other than Dolph Lundgren! That film was War Pigs in which Dolph, Luke Goss, and Mickey Rourke all teamed up to train a ragtag band of rebels in completing a deadly mission behind enemy lines! In this discussion, Steven and I chat his movie prop company and how it services hundreds of productions, as well as how he manages to line up name stars for his independent films! We also chat the next two WW2 films he has gearing up for release, which coincidentally both have him reuniting with Lundgren -- Operation Seawolf and Come Out Fighting! What's it like staging a period war film while adhering to a budget and residing in South Dakota? Listen in to find out!
Major thanks to Steven Luke for joining me! Please check out his company, Man the Line! www.mantheline.com. Also, be sure to be on the lookout for his next two Dolph Lundgren / WW2 films, Operation Seawolf and Come Out Fighting! Please be sure to check out the rest of the shows on The Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Lastly, check out the show’s official website and Facebook page — http://www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; http://www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Show’s intro. and closing music is “Sports Action” by Audionautix; break music is "The River Kwai March" remix, which played in the initial teaser for The Expendables III in 2013!
This month we're chatting the 2016 fighting flick, Female Fight Squad! In this one, martial arts and stunt sensation Amy Johnston takes the lead as Becca, a fighter who begrudgingly enters an underground fighting tournament in order to save her estranged sister! Dolph Lundgren takes on a supporting role as Holt, the girls' wrongly imprisoned father who lends his fatherly words of wisdom to his two badass daughters as he sits behind bars! Joining me to chat this one is the elusive action movie scholar -- Vern, author of the books, Seagalogy (the ultimate Steven Seagal filmography analysis), Niketown, and Worm on a Hook! What kind of martial arts prowess and presence does Amy Johnston bring to this film? In a film about fighting, why is there so little of it? And what does Dolph bring to what is essentially a cameo role? Listen in as Vern and I get ready to throw down and enlist in the Female Fight Squad!
Major thanks to Vern for joining me! Please check out his website, www.outlawvern.com. You can also check out his numerous books, which can be purchased on Amazon or wherever books are sold! Please be sure to check out the rest of the shows on The Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Also, check out the show's official website and Facebook page -- www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com; www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Show's intro. and closing music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode, we're going back to school and discussing the remake/sequel that no one really asked for -- 2016's Kindergarten Cop 2! Dolph Lundgren takes over for Arnold in this in-name-only sequel that hits all the beats of the 1990 comedy classic, while managing to miss much of what made the first film so charming. Lundgren plays Zack Reed, an FBI agent who must infiltrate a pricey elementary school in order to find a flash drive that will put away an Albanian gangster! Yet this won't be the easiest of assignments, as Reed is forced to tangle with the politically correct ways of his class of rambunctious six-year-olds! Returning to the show to help me chat this one is major cinefile, Nathan Burt! Just how disconnected is Dolph's FBI agent character from reality? What's with the bizarre Twix product placement? And in what ways is this sequel completely inferior to its predecessor? Listen in as Nathan and I head back to school to discuss the direct-to-video sequel, Kindergarten Cop 2!
Big thanks to Nathan Burt for joining me once again! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, take a look at the other shows on the Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Lastly, please check out the Facebook page for the show: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast as well as the official web page for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com. Intro. and outro. music for the show is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
Did you know that Lundgren starred in a syndicated television show back in 2013? Yeah, no one else did, but that didn’t stop us from trudging through the entire ill-fated season! This month we're begrudgingly going back into the world of television and discussing the forgotten syndicated TV soap opera, SAF3! Premiering in the Fall of 2013, SAF3 might have seemed like a relatively wise career move to Dolph Lundgren at the onset... Yet when the producers of BAYWATCH are running the show, the writing was on the wall well before this conceit even lifted off... In this 20-episode series, Dolph plays John Eriksson, the leader of SAF3 -- a division of the Malibu Fire Department who specialize in rescues involving the Sea, Air, and Fire (get it... SAF3?!)! Yes, Dolph gets to be a David Hasselhoff who's in charge of a bunch of pretty lifeguards, and somehow BAYWATCH seems so much better! Returning to the show to help me discuss this one is Richard Hawes of The DTV Digest! Just how bored and out of place does Dolph seem in this? How does the South Africa scenery do at doubling for California? How much filler and padding is included in this show? And just how dated was this conceit in 2013? Listen in as Richard and I suit up to chat SAF3!
Major thanks to Richard Hawes for joining me! Please check out his podcast, The DTV Digest: https://thedtvdigest.podbean.com/. Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, be sure to check out the rest of the shows on The Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Please check out both the show’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast, as well as the official webpage for the show: http://www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com. Show’s opening and closing music is “Sports Action” by Audionautix.
This month renowned writer Bryan Edward Hill joins the show to chat his career in the worlds of writing film, novels, and comic books! We also chat his first screenwriting gig, THE MECHANIK / THE RUSSIAN SPECIALIST! In this gritty revenge tale from 2006, Dolph Lundgren took on both starring and directing duties where he played Nikolai Cheranko, a former member of the Russian Special Forces who seeks out the criminals who took the lives of his family! To this day, it shines as one of Dolph's very best films, so it was an absolute honor being able to speak with the individual who worked closely with Dolph in helping bring the film to life! In this conversation, Bryan and I chat his experiences writing the film, as well as his work writing comics! Please be sure to check out his many comic writing gigs for DC, Marvel, and Image Comics! You can also check out his other cinematic efforts -- the show, TITANS (currently streaming on HBO Max) and ZONE 414 (a gritty sci-fi action thriller starring Guy Pearce)!
Major thanks to Bryan Edward Hill for joining me! You can follow him on Twitter @bryanedwardhill. Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, take a look at the other shows on the Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Lastly, please check out the Facebook page for the show: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast as well as the official web page for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com. Break music is "Cut Me" by Brian James Schram, which played in the closing credits of THE RUSSIAN SPECIALIST / THE MECHANIK! Intro. and outro. music for the show is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode, we're taking on not just one, but three films all released between 2013-2014! In 2012-2013, Dolph signed on for three productions to be be filmed all back to back with director, Giorgio Serafini and actors Vinnie Jones and Gianni Capaldi. The results were Blood of Redemption, Ambushed, and Puncture Wounds! In these low-budget productions, Dolph took on the roles of a DEA agent, a mafia bodyguard, and a sadistic drug dealer! On paper, these might have sounded good (well, some of them may have!), but with tight shooting schedules, foreign sales at the forefront, and questionable acting, these are not necessarily high points in the filmography of Lundgren. So we're taking a deep dive and knocking them all out in one conversation! Show stalwart, Chris Prentice is back once again, and he's helping me break down each of these low-rent movies... Is it safe to say that the paychecks (and not necessarily quality) were essentially driving Dolph's decisions in signing up for these three films? What's going on with the Tarantino wannabe that is Ambushed? Does anything even make sense in Blood of Redemption? And could Puncture Wounds be one of the most repugnant movies ever? Yes, we're discussing a cop drama, a mafia drama, and a revenge / gangland tale, and we're begrudgingly going to power through them all! Join us as Chris and I take on the Serafini trifecta of films!
Major thanks to Chris Prentice for once again joining me! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, take a look at the other shows on the Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Lastly, please check out the Facebook page for the show: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast as well as the official web page for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com. Intro. and outro. music for the show is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode, we're taking a look at the 2012 siege thriller, Stash House! In this variation on Panic Room and Assault on Precinct 13, Sean Faris and Brianna Evigan are a young married couple who buy a recently foreclosed house. Yet unbeknownst to them, the house is actually the property of a drug syndicate... And they've sent a couple of their enforcers to retrieve what's rightfully theirs! Dolph Lundgren plays Spector, a beleaguered company man working for the cartel who will do anything to ensure that his job is seen through! Yes, Dolph goes back to playing a villain once again, albiet in a smaller film, but there's still some fun to be had! Joining me to discuss this one is Cam Sully from The Jacked Up Review Show Podcast! Which tropes of the confined thriller subgenre does this film play with, and which does it leave out? What's with all the security camera footage? What works with Dolph's villainous character... and what doesn't? And just what was stripped from this film, narratively? Listen in as Cam and I enter the Stash House!
Major thanks to Cam Sully for joining me! Please be sure to check out his podcast -- The Jacked Up Review Show: https://jackedupreviewshow.podbean.com/. Also, please check out Cam's writings and reviews over on The Action Elite: https://theactionelite.com/author/cam-sully/. Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, take a look at the other shows on the Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Lastly, please check out the Facebook page for the show: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast as well as the official web page for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com. Intro. and outro. music for the show is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode, we're looking at the most recent effort from both Dolph Lundgren AND Scott Adkins -- Castle Falls! Yes, we realize that we're jumping way ahead in the filmography of Dolph, but this film is just too cool to not discuss now! In fact, not only is Dolph in front of the camera, but he also steps behind the camera once again, marking his return to directing in ten years (not to mention his sixth starring/directing gig!)! In this throwback to the action films of the '80's and '90's, Lundgren and Adkins play two regular working class men with some very real money problems... However, over $3 million that is ripe for the taking sits in an abandoned hospital that is ready to be demolished. Standing in their way though is a gang of deadly thieves who are also laying claim to the loot! Returning to the show to help me chat this one is Mike Fury, author of the books, Life of Action, Volume I and Life of Action, Volume II! How did the onset of Covid hamper and help this film's production? How do Dolph and Scott Adkins do re-teaming once again? And in what ways does this film stand head and shoulders above all the other films currently being released in the DTV action genre? Listen in as Mike and discuss Castle Falls! Heads up — SPOILERS AHEAD! Castle Falls is currently available on Video on Demand. It is also being released to DVD and blu-ray on December 28th in the US; January 10th in the UK!
Major thanks to Mike Fury for joining me once again! Please be sure to check out his website where you can also pick up copies of either of his books: https://www.mikefury.net/. Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, be sure to check out the rest of the shows on The Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Please check out both the show’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast, as well as the official webpage for the show: http://www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com. Show’s opening and closing music is “Sports Action” by Audionautix.
On this special interview episode, Kim DeLonghi, star and executive producer of Castle Falls joins the show to discuss her career and what fans can expect from the next action-packed Dolph Lundgren and Scott Adkins pairing! In Castle Falls, Lundgren, Adkins, and Kim DeLonghi all play interested parties in a stash of stolen loot that is hidden in a hospital primed to be demolished! But will each party be able to get the cash, and get out ALIVE before the explosions go off? You'll have to watch the film to find out, which is currently available on streaming and on demand. It is also being released to DVD and Blu-Ray on December 28th courtesy of Shout! Studios!
Major thanks to Kim DeLonghi for her time. Please check out her website, www.kimdelonghi.ca. Also, please follow her on Instagram @kimdelonghiactor!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, be sure to check out the rest of the shows on The Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Please check out both the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast, as well as the official webpage for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com. Show's opening and closing music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this special interview episode, we're chatting Dolph, Christmas, and... dogs?! Alex Merkin, the director of Dolph Lundgren's next upcoming release, PUPS ALONE drops by the show once again, this time discussing his film, and what fans can expect in arguably one of Dolph's wildest performances yet! In this family Christmas comedy, Dolph plays a thief who sets his sights on robbing from the new neighbors just in time for the holidays. Yet the neighborhood pets have other things planned as they band together to protect their owner's home! In this conversation, Alex was gracious to chat this film, which is slated for a theatrical release on November 19th, as well as Video On Demand and DVD on November 23rd! We also chat his participation in the WHAT HAPPENED BRITTANY MURPHY? documentary, which is currently streaming on HBO Max! What's it like directing an action icon alongside kids AND dogs? Listen in to find out!
Major thanks to Alex Merkin for his time! Please be sure to check out PUPS ALONE coming on November 23rd to VOD/DVD!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe. Please check out the Facebook page for the show: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast and the official webpage for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com.
Show's opening intro. and closing music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
We're going back to sequel town and joining everyone's favorite band of elite mercenaries in 2014's The Expendables 3! Sylvester Stallone reunites the previous films' crew of aging action stars, only this time, he's adding a few more to the mix including Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, and Harrison Ford! In this outing, Stallone's Barney Ross must track down Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), the co-founding member of The Expendables who's gone the route of international arms dealer! Yet Barney's team of grizzled tough guys won't be enough, and he's going to need even more help this go round, by way of a much younger (and bland!) team of recruits! Returning to the show to help me to discuss this one is Catherine Gonzalez, host of Latinex Lens! In what ways could they have alleviated the overstuffed and cramped nature of this film? Does Stallone make a single good decision in this film? What exactly do all of the new additions bring to the movie? And why is more not always better? Listen in as Catherine and I chat the fun, but tonally inconsistent The Expendables 3!
Major thanks to Catherine for joining me! Please check out her podcast, Latinex Lens as well as her website, ShuffleOnline.net!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, take a look at the other shows on the Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Lastly, please check out the Facebook page for the show: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast as well as the official web page for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com. Intro. and outro. music for the show is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
When an Asian city is overrun by the undead, the only chance for survival are a rogue army of robots and a lone mercenary named... Max Gatling! Yes, this month we're talking Dolph, zombies, and robots in 2013's Battle of the Damned! In this post-apocalyptic adventure, Lundgren stars as Max Gatling, a tough as nails soldier who is sent into a zombie-infested city to rescue an industrialist's daughter. Luckily, he has a small group of survivors and a few robots at his side to help him see his mission through! Joining me to chat this one is Ryan Rebalkin from Going the Distance: The Rocky Series Podcast! In what ways does this film cut corners in lieu of its budget (and to its advantage!)? How did Dolph and director, Christopher Hatton make the most of what was offered their way? And how is Dolph able to successfully outun the undead? Listen in as Ryan and I join the fight in the Battle of the Damned!
Major thanks to Ryan Rebalkin for joining me! Please check out his podcast, Going the Distance: The Rocky Series Podcast, which looks at all the films in the Rocky franchise. His show can also be found on The Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network, which features other shows looking at the careers of fellow action stars!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Please check out the Facebook page for the show: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast as well as the official web page for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com. Intro. and outro. music for the show is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode, it's Russian gangs, warring assassins, and... a dog? No, we're not talking another John Wick film... Although, in many respects, this is also the progenitor to the John Wick franchise! Yes, we're chatting the 2012 hitman thriller, One in the Chamber! In this modern-day take on the classic Yojimbo story, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Dolph square off as seasoned assassins who are being manipulated by rival Russian mobs! Joining me once again to discuss this tightly-wound hitman thriller is Doug Greenberg from The Rocky Minute! How are the traces of John Wick apparent in this early effort by scribe, Derek Kolstad? For a film set in Prague with presumably Russian characters, why is everyone speaking English? How is the chemistry between Cuba and Dolph? And could Dolph's Boca Raton-dressed hitman be the very best thing about this film? Listen in as Doug and I discuss all things One in the Chamber!
Check out One in the Chamber, streaming for free on Tubi! Major thanks to Doug Greenberg for coming back! Please check out his podcast, The Rocky Minute, which can be found on The Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Doug is currently at work on Season III of the show, which covers Rocky III; stay tuned for its release!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you go to subscribe! Be sure to check out the other shows on the Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Follow the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast, as well as the show's official webpage: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com. Show intro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's interview episode, Patrick Kilpatrick, one the world's most recognizable movie villains joins the show to discuss his storied career! Kilpatrick has had the pleasure of squaring off against just about every actor on both earth AND in outer space, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, Steven Seagal, and dozens of others! In addition to acting, Kilpatrick has his hands in a number of other endeavors, including screenwriting, producing, public speaking, and now politics! Listen in as Patrick Kilpatrick and I discuss his career, as well as some of his most memorable roles! We also chat the film, Black Water, in which he went toe to toe against both Dolph Lundgren and Jean-Claude Van Damme (marking the second time he menaced JCVD on film!) How does one balance playing bad guys onscreen and remaining such a stand up guy offscreen? Listen in to find out!
Major thanks to Patrick KIlpatrick for his time! Please check out his website: https://www.patrickkilpatrick.com/. Also, check out his memoir, Dying for Living: Confessions of a Hollywood Villain and Libertine Patriot, Vol. 1. Stay tuned for Volume 2, which will be hopefully arriving here in the next year!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Check out the rest of the shows over on The Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Please check out the Facebook page for the show: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast, as well as the official web page for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com. Show's intro. and outro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
It's time to go back to war and join everyone’s favorite band of mercenaries for another adventure! On this month’s episode, All Outta Bubblegum’s Brenton Haysom is back once again as we discuss the second installment in The Expendables trilogy, 2012’s The Expendables 2! In this action-packed showdown, Sylvester Stallone reunites his battle-hardened team of all-star tough guys — Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, and Jet Li for their next battle! This time, the team find themselves on a quest for revenge after their newest recruit is killed by international arms dealer Jean Vilain (played by the Muscles From Brussels himself, Jean-Claude Van Damme)! And joining the Expendables in this fight, some other iconic action stars are also along for the ride including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Chuck Norris! How does the film do at balancing the weight of its star-studded cast? Is the film’s meta-nature a perk to the movie or an insult? Why is Dolph’s Gunnar character treated as the comic relief? And just how amazing is Jean-Claude’s villain character? Join Brenton and I as we crack open a couple Belgian ales (in celebration of Van Damme’s inclusion!) and geek out for The Expendables 2!
Major thanks to Brenton Haysom for once again joining me. Please check out his website and YouTube channel: www.allouttabubblegum.com!
Please be sure to rate and review the film on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, be sure to check out the other shows on the Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network. Please check out the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Also, please visit the show's official webpage: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com!
On this month's interview episode, we're chatting with the visionary mind in charge of designing the characters and sets of 1987's Masters of the Universe! Renowned artist and production designer, William Stout dropped by the show to discuss his artistic contributions to the worlds of movies, dinosaurs, comic books, movie posters, and album covers! He also goes into detail describing his process in transitioning the Masters of the Universe toyline and cartoon to the big screen! William Stout has had a storied career, and it was an absolute honor chatting with him at length! Enjoy!
Major thanks to William Stout for his time! Please be sure to check out his website: https://www.williamstout.com/.
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, be sure to check out the rest of the shows on The Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Check out and follow the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast, as well as the official webpage for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com. Opening show music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
It's an Expendables reunion! On this month's episode, Steve Austin and Dolph Lundgren deliver a heavy dose of high-octane action in 2013's The Package! In this gem of the direct-to-video genre, Steve Austin plays Tommy Wick, an enforcer and courier for a local mob boss who's sent to deliver a small package to Dolph Lundgren's vicious crime lord (cleverly named The German)! Jesse V. Johnson, frequent collaborator with Scott Adkins, directs a script written by Derek Kolstad, the man responsible for giving the world John Wick! And the results are everything you'd expect considering the talent working both onscreen and behind the scenes! Joining me to discuss this one is Richard Hawes, one of the hosts of The DTV Digest! What kind of flourishes does director Jesse V. Johnson employ to help elevate this film above the tons of others in the direct-to-video genre? In what ways are the origins of John Wick onscreen here? And what is it about this one that makes it one of Dolph’s best films in the wake of The Expendables? Join us as Richard and I open up The Package!
Major thanks to Richard Hawes for joining me! Please be sure to check out his podcast, The DTV Digest, which examines all of the films that bypass theaters and go the route of DTV!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, check out the fellow podcasts on The Last of the Action Heroes Network! Opening intro. and outro. music to the show is "Sports Action" by Audionautix. Follow the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Lastly, check out the show's official webpage: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com.
This month we’re chatting Dolph’s follow up to The Expendables, 2011’s In the Name of the King 2: Two Worlds! Can’t say that working on a sequel to the notorious flop, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale was necessarily the next film I had hoped Dolph would sign on for after The Expendables, but hey, a job is a job! Directed by the notorious Uwe Boll, Dolph plays Granger, a former special forces commando who’s now teaching children’s karate classes in Vancouver. But when he’s suddenly sucked through a portal that puts him back in medieval times, Granger must unleash an ancient dragon and overthrow a diabolical king if he wants to make it back home! Joining me to chat this one is gaming enthusiast, Mat Bradley-Tschirgi, host of Sequelcast2 and Friends! He also knows a thing or two about the films of Uwe Boll; Mat wrote a book on Boll’s movies — The Films of Uwe Boll, Volume 1: The Video Game Movies! Why is Dolph even in this film? Better yet, why was Lochlyn Munroe cast as the king? And considering the scope of the movie, why does this have such an underwhelming final battle? Join us as Mat and I embark on a quest to review In the Name of the King 2: Two Worlds!
Major thanks to Mat Bradley-Tschirgi for joining me! Be sure to check out his podcast, books, and his other endeavors on his website: https://matwbt.weebly.com/.
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you subscribe. Check out the show's official website: www.imustbreakthispodcast.com/wordpress.com, and the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Also be sure to check out the other related podcasts on the Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network! Opening intro. and outro. music is “Sports Action” by Audionautix.
This month we’re discussing relatively new territory for Dolph — television! Thanks to the success of The Expendables in 2010, Lundgren had a huge public resurgence where he began to be recognized as a pop cultural icon of the ‘80’s who was game for anything! Since then it’s seemed like nothing is off limits, and he’s had fun playing with his image by popping up in commercials, reality game shows, and scripted television shows. On this episode David Rosen from the Piecing It Together Podcast returns to the show, and we discuss Dolph’s cameo forays in three comedic TV shows — 2010’s Chuck, 2015’s Workaholics, and 2019’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia! How does Dolph do at trading in his boxing gloves and machine guns for comedy? Listen in to find out!
Major thanks to David Rosen for joining me! Please check out his podcast, Piecing it Together, which examines new releases and the movies that inspired them! Be sure to also check out his website: www.bydavidrosen.com!
Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you subscribe! Also, the show is now part of The Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network, so be sure to check out the other related shows on that feed! Lastly, be sure to follow the show’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast.
Opening intro. and closing music is “Sports Action” by Audionautix.
On this month's special interview episode, prolific writer and director, Stephen Tolkin joins the show! Stephen Tolkin has had a storied career for almost 40 years where he's written, directed, and produced dozens of TV shows and movies. In his early days, Tolkin worked for the notorious and wild studio, Cannon Films, where he had a hand in contributing an uncredited rewrite of the 1987 classic, Masters of the Universe! In this fun discussion, Tolkin fills me in on what it was like working with Menham Golan and Yoram Globus at Cannon, as well as his experiences writing Masters of the Universe and the unproduced sequel! Tolkin also allows me to take a slight detour and we chat his approach to adapting the star-spangled superhero of Marvel Comics, Captain America for the (in my opinion underrated!) 1990 Captain America film!
Major thanks to Stephen Tolkin for his time! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Opening intro. and outro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix. Be sure to follow the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast.
Also, be sure to check out the Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network, where you can find new episodes of not just this show, but other fellow podcasts that examine action movies and their stars!
With a film as awesome as The Expendables, one episode simply wasn't going to be enough! In Part II of our Expendables discussion, we have two regulars coming back to the show -- the always dependable Chris Prentice is back once again, this time reminiscing with me on the announcement, hype, and overall excitement leading up to the release of The Expendables in August 2010! After, Matt Poirier from the Direct to Video Connoisseur blog and podcast comes back to the show and we discuss the film’s effect on the action genre, particularly the direct-to-video market. In what ways was this film a boon and an almost last hurrah for these types of movies? And how did this film change the trajectory in Dolph’s career going forward? Listen in as we close out the discussion surrounding The Expendables!
Major thanks to Chris Prentice and Matt Poirier for coming back! Be sure to check out the Direct to Video Connoisseur: http://dtvconnoisseur.blogspot.com/, which examines the plethora of movies that bypass theaters and head direct-to-video!
Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, please be sure to check out the Facebook page for the show, www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Lastly, the show has now joined the Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network, so please check out that feed, which also contains shows looking at the careers of other cinematic action heroes including Stallone, Bruce Willis, James Bond, and more!
Intro. and outro. music to the show is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
In the first of a two-part special, we're talking the action extravaganza, the ultimate team-up for the ages, and Dolph Lundgren's momentous return to the big screen! This is The Expendables! In this love letter to '80's and '90's action films, Sylvester Stallone stars, writes, and plays ringleader to The Expendables -- a team of mercenaries who take on the impossible mission of liberating an island from its dictatorship regime! Stallone leads the ultimate task of tough guys including Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Randy Couture, and many more! And we're pulling out all the stops for the conversation! In this episode, I was invited on by the Sylvester Stallone Fan Podcast Network for their monthly Stallone Movie Breakdown, in which The Expendables was chosen as their next discussion! Ryan Rebalkin from Going the Distance: The Rocky Series Podcast, Doug Greenberg from The Rocky Minute, Craig Cohen from the Slycast, and I all sit down to geek out and break down this momentous Summer 2010 release! Enjoy!
Major thanks to the Sylvester Stallone Fan Podcast Network for the invite! You can check out this episode as well as other Sly-related discussions at their respective feed: https://goingthedistance.libsyn.com/ Stay tuned for Part II of the conversation in which Chris Prentice and the DTV Connoisseur's Matt Poirier come back to the show and we discuss the hype and excitement surrounding The Expendables, as well as its impact on the direct-to-video action market!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Feel free to follow the show on Facebook as well: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Opening intro. music to the show is "Sports Action” by Audionautix; closing outro. music is "Diamond Eyes" by Shinedown.
On this special episode, we're stepping slightly outside of the Dolph cannon and this time discussing everything He-Man! Corey Landis, one of the directors behind the documentary, Toy Masters, joined the show to discuss not just his documentary, but the iconic toyline, animated series, and 1987 movie! For those unaware, Toy Masters is the long awaited documentary where super fans Corey Landis and Roger Lay Jr. went on a journey exploring the He-Man and Masters of the Universe franchise and its pop cultural impact over the years! Yet as they explored the origins of Eternia, they discovered that two very real characters have been engaged in a 40-year battle over who really created He-Man. Enter Roger Sweet and Mark Taylor, both employees of Mattel who each swear that they invented the character, leading the viewer down a rabbit hole that is even stranger than fiction! Completed in 2012, the documentary has since sat unreleased to the public. But that didn't stop Landis and Lay Jr. from allowing fans to see the film in some form... podcast form. Released in the Spring of 2020, Toy Masters takes many of the film's bits and lays them out for listeners in a five-episode series that is a blast to listen to! In this discussion, Corey Landis and I chat making the documentary, the enigma that is Roger Sweet, and our general thoughts on the toyline, show, and movie. We also geek out and discuss our favorite figures (some of which, we may still have)! Listen in as Corey and I hold the power and discuss Toy Masters!
Major thanks to Corey Landis for his time! Please check out his Toy Masters podcast available on all major podcast apps! And be on the lookout for the documentary film, which will hopefully be released some day soon!
Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Please be sure to follow the shows Facebook page, www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. Intro. and outro. music is “Sports Action” by Audionautix.
This month we're discussing Dolph's fifth turn as star-director and looking at 2010's Icarus (ridiculously retitled Dolph Lundgren is the Killing Machine upon its North American DVD release)! In this homage to Luc Besson's The Professional and David Cronenberg's A History of Violence, Lundgren plays Edward "Eddie" Genns, a real estate broker leading a double life; unbeknownst to his family, he embraces his hidden KGB-trained background and moonlights as a cold contract killer going by the codename, "Icarus." Yet when Eddie's cover is blown, he must race to protect his family and destroy those who outed him before it's too late! Joining me to discuss this one is returning show regular, Chris Prentice, and making his inaugeral appearance on the show is major cinephile, Mike Flynn! Just how different is the final product from what was initially intended? How has Dolph grown into his own as both a star and director? How does this film utilize its Canadian production values to its benefit? And what is with the ending? Join us as we take aim at Dolph Lundgren and Icarus!
Major thanks to Chris Prentice and Mike Flynn for joining me. Feel free to check out Mike's film reviews on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/mikedrewflynn/. Also, please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe. Be sure to follow the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast.
Opening intro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix. Closing outro. music is "Smoking Gun" by Fall of Envy, which played in the opening titles sequence of Icarus!
On this month's interview episode, Michael Nachoff, the writer of the 2011 action-fantasy, In the Name of the King 2 dropped by the show to discuss his career in the fields of writing, visual effects, and cartooning! For the uninitiated, In the Name of the King 2 was the sequel to the 2008 film in which Lundgren took over for Jason Statham as a modern-day karate instructor and war veteran who is whisked away to medieval times! In this discussion, Nachoff and I chat his early gigs in film, including the horror-comedy, Slither! We also discuss how he began collaborating with Uwe Boll and working on many of his productions. It was here where Michael Nachoff was tapped to write sequels to two films directed by Uwe Boll -- In the Name of the King 2 and Bloodrayne: The Third Reich! Nachoff has a true passion for cinema, especially these lower-budget indie action flicks that we all love and enjoy!
Major thanks to Michael Nachoff for his time. Please be sure to check out his visual effects work on SyFy's Van Helsing, currently going into its fifth and final season! You can also follow him on Twitter @Michael_Nachoff including his online comic strip, Chi Coffee Shop!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Please be sure to check out and follow the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. The show's intro. and outro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
It's time to jump back into the Universal Soldier saga once again, this time looking at the final (and darkest) installment in the franchise! In this wild nightmarish sequel, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren return once again, this time joining forces (!) and taking a backseat to martial arts sensation, Scott Adkins! Adkins stars as John, a family man who finds himself in the middle of a power struggle between an army of rogue Unisols and the government trying to reclaim control of them. John Hyams also returns to the director's chair once again, and this time he brings in a Lynchian element to the Unisol franchise, combined with Apocalypse Now and The Manchurian Candidate! And if you thought Hyams' vision in Universal Soldier: Regeneration was brutal, Day of Reckoning goes to a whole other level! Joining me to discuss this film is Ben Highton and Alex Balerdi of The Arniethology Presents podcast! Just how different is this installment from the 1992 original? How does Scott Adkins do at taking the reigns of the franchise? How bold is the direction they’re taking JCVD’s Luc Devereaux character? And does this film cross a line in terms of its unrelenting violence? Join us as Ben, Alex, and I embark on our own day of reckoning and break down Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning!
Major thanks to Ben and Alex for joining me! Please check out their podcast, The Arniethology Presents! https://soundcloud.com/arniethology Their current season, Keanucopia examines the entire filmography of Keanu Reeves! And while you're at it, check out their back catalog with previous seasons examining the filmographies of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Cruise!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe. Also, check out the Facebook page for the show: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. New intro. and outro. music is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's interview episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with screenwriter, Chris Millis, author of the novel, Small Apartments and its 2011 film adaptation! In this bizarre dark comedy, Matt Lucas portrays Franklin Franklin, an eccentric recluse who must dispose of a body all the while encountering an oddball assortment of characters residing in his apartment complex! Directed by Jonas Akerland, Small Apartments boasts an eclectic and talented assortment of actors including Billy Crystal, James Caan, Johnny Knoxville, and Dolph Lundgren (in his very first comedic performance!)! Rocking black, slicked back hair, Dolph plays Dr. Sage Mennox, a self-help guru in a performance that's unlike anything he's done before! In this conversation, Millis and I chat his inspiration for writing the book, its transition to the big screen, and how this little film managed to attract such a large cast. We also discuss his work in the fields of cartooning and teaching, as well as what he has lined up for 2021!
Major thanks to Chris Millis for his time! Please check out his website, www.chrismillis.com.
Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe. Also, please check out the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast. New opening intro and outro music for the show is "Sports Action" by Audionautix.
On this month's episode we're jumping into sequel territory and looking back at the reunion no one had expected -- 2009's Universal Soldier: Regeneration! In this direct sequel to the 1992 original, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren reunite as Luc Deveraux and Andrew Scott -- resurrected soldiers who rekindle their feud, this time at a Chernobyl reactor! The clock is ticking, and the heroic (?) Luc Deveraux has just a few hours to save hostages, defuse a bomb, take out a Russian militia, and square off against not just the next upgraded universal soldier, but a clone of his mortal nemesis, Andrew Scott! Joining the podcast to help me discuss this one is David Ullman from his podcast, Long Walk for a Short Drink! David is a huge fan of the work of Jean-Claude Van Damme, so it was a pleasure bringing him on the show to help discuss the second reunion of JCVD and Dolph! But did it live up to our expectations? Let’s just say that David and I had different reactions, which made for a fun conversation... Just how cold, oppressive, and brutal is this film in comparison with the original? In what ways is this film akin to Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman? How little are Lundgren and Van Damme actually in this film? And what kinds of artistic flourishes does John Hyams bring to this one? Join us as we suit up and jump back in on the action that is Universal Soldier: Regeneration
Major thanks to David Ullman for joining me. Check out his podcast, Long Walk for a Short Drink and his website: www.davidullman.net!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Feel free to follow the show’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast
On this month's interview episode, Will Beall, one of the writers on the 2018 smash hit, Aquaman dropped by the show to tell us his story and how he broke into the entertainment industry! Beall has an especially unique story... Before he started penning big-budget blockbusters, Beall worked as a detective for the LAPD. It was those experiences that led him to writing his novel, L.A. Rex, a gritty cop tale set in the world of the LAPD's 77th precinct. From there, Beall's writing caught the attention of Hollywood, where he crafted some police procedural stories for both the big and small screen including Gangster Squad, Castle, Training Day (the series), and Deputy. He was then tapped to jump on board the DC Comics superhero adaptation, Aquaman, and the rest is history! In this conversation, Beall tells us his journey how he went from detective to screenwriter and his experiences writing Aquaman. He also talks about his love and appreciation for Dolph Lundgren, and how he geeked out upon learning of his casting! Enjoy!
Please check out Will Beall's work, both on the big screen as well as television. Also, be sure to give his debut novel, L.A. Rex a read; fans of Training Day will approve!
As always, please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you go to subscribe. Be sure to check out the show's Facebook page! http://www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast
This month we're DIRECTING our sights on the 2009 Dolph Lundgren-Nu Image production, Direct Contact! In this goofy '80's throwback, Dolph plays Mike Riggins, an ex-Special Forces badass who's released from prison to find a kidnapped American in Bulgaria!
Yet when it's apparent that he's has been manipulated and lied to by his employers, Riggins arms himself with the appropriate firepower to punish those who've wronged him! Coming back to the show once again to help me break this film down is Doug Greenberg from the Rocky Minute! How does this film compare to the other "direct" movie, Direct Action? How heavily is this film embracing its fondness for '80's action cinema? Just how unstoppable is Dolph as he lays waste to Bulgaria? And does the film even understand what Stockholm Syndrome is? Join us as Doug and I answer these questions and so many others as we look at Direct Contact!
Major thanks to Doug for coming on once again! Please check out his movie-by-minute podcast, The Rocky Minute! Stay tuned for Season 3, covering Rocky III minute-by-minute, to be released here soon!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
Please be sure to like and follow the Facebook page for the show! https://www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast/
On this month's interview episode, director, writer, and editor, Alex Merkin stopped by the show to chat his time in Hollywood, as well as directing the film, Altitude starring Dolph Lundgren and Denise Richards! In Altitude, Richards stars as a no-nonsense FBI agent who finds herself up against a plane hijacking headed by Lundgren! In this discussion, Merkin and I chat working in the world of independent cinema, the troubles and successes in filming Altitude, and how he continues to add his own artistic flourishes to these independent films. We also discuss his next film with Dolph Lundgren, which is a vast departure from a film like Altitude -- a family-friendly Christmas comedy set to hopefully be released this year! It was fun discussion with a true talent!
Major thanks to Alex Merkin for his time! Please be sure to check out Altitude, as well as his other films, which are all available on Amazon and iTunes! Also, be on the lookout for the Christmas comedy co-starring Dolph, Eric Roberts, and more!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you go to subscribe!
If you've ever wondered what a biblical adventure starring Dolph Lundgren, Max Von Sydow, and F. Murray Abraham would look like, then look no further than 2006's The Final Inquiry! In this odd biblical period piece, Dolph stepped out of the action genre and took on a supporting role as Brixos, a warrior turned bodyguard who assists a Roman tribune in the investigation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ! It's a bizarre film, and even wilder to see Dolph in such a role. Luckily, I had someone who's quite familiar with the world of independent, direct-to-video cinema join me to help make sense of this one... Matt Poirier of the Direct to Video Connoisseur Blog and Podcast guests on the show and lends his insight on this evangelical Italian production! What does Dolph bring to essentially the role of a servant? Could this have been Dolph's opportunity to star in something on the level of Gladiator? And is this a story that really even needs to be retold anyway? Listen in as Matt and I go to church and chat The Final Inquiry!
Major thanks to Matt Poirier for joining me. Please check out his blog and podcast, The Direct To Video Connoisseuer! http://dtvconnoisseur.blogspot.com/ Also, check out his book Chad in Accounting on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Chad-Accounting-Matthew-Poirier-ebook/dp/B085GG96QR/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=chad+in+accounting+book&qid=1596256732&sr=8-2. And while you're at it, buy a DTV Connoisseur t-shirt on Threadless! https://dtvconnoisseur.threadless.com/
Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Lastly, check out and follow the Facebook page for the show! https://www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast/
Check out The Final Inquiry available on imdbTV and Hoopla!
On this month's interview episode, Jean-Marc Piche was gracious enough to join the show and discuss his directorial debut -- the supernatural action thriller, The Minion! In The Minion, Dolph Lundgren played Lukas, a badass warrior priest who travels to New York to stop the arrival of the Antichrist! Piche reflects on his experiences making the film over 20 years ago, as well as his career in general!
We also chat the current state of independent cinema and how it's drastically changed in the last 20 years. Piche also gives us hints on what he has in the works for 2021 and beyond!
Major thanks to Jean-Marc Piche for his time! Check out his website!: https://www.jmpfilmdirector.com/
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, check out and follow the show's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/imustbreakthispodcast/ and the official webpage for the show: www.imustbreakthispodcast.wordpress.com
What if Dolph Lundgren played an Indiana Jones-esque adventurer who was tasked with finding mystical artifacts, went to exotic locales, and battled rival treasure hunting crews? Enter Ronson in his first (and only) adventure, Diamond Dogs! In this overly ambitious production, Dolph plays Xander Ronson -- a mercenary languishing in Mongolia who's hired as protection by a team of American explorers who are on the hunt for an ancient (and cursed!) Buddhist artitfact! It was a promising project and character for Dolph to be a part of with the possibility of a potential franchise (a sequel was already in the works...). But... when the resources aren't exactly there, and the entire production is stripped and simplified to suit the film's dwindling budget, you get what is seen in Diamond Dogs... All Outta Bubblegum's Brenton Haysom joins the show once again to help discuss the film and what could have been. Could this be one of the best characters Dolph has ever had the opportunity to play? In what ways is the production hampered by the miniscule budget? How does the film's use of shaky cam work to its benefit (and detriment)? And is this film the best example of what Indiana Jones would look like if he existed in the real world? Join us as Brenton and I accompany Ronson on the adventure that is Diamond Dogs!
Stay tuned at the end of the episode for friend of the show, Tom Jolliffe's opinions and insight on the film! Special thanks to Brenton Haysom for once again coming back! As always, check out his Youtube channel, All Outta Bubblegum featuring video essays, kill counts, and yearly retrospectives: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSFiprJ15rGr4KyE4kzGHbA
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month's interview episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with producer Benjamin Sacks! Ben is the head of production company, Hollywood Media Bridge, and he's had a hand in producing many of the independent action movies that we all love and enjoy! In addition to working alongside Dolph Lundgren, Sacks has also produced films for the likes of Val Kilmer, Jason Patric, and Steven Seagal! With almost 50 producing credits to his name, Sacks sure had plenty to say regarding the industry! In this discussion, Ben and I chat his moving from the US Marine Corps into producing, the trials, tribulations, and ultimate successes in producing these movies, as well as the state of independent action cinema in the midst of Covid-19. He also manages to give quite a few Steven Seagal stories! What drives the decisions of many in the independent action film genre? Listen in to find out!
Major thanks to Benjamin Sacks for his time! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
Are you ready to rock? Because Dolph Lundgren certainly is! On this month's outing, we're taking a look at Dolph's FOURTH round as actor-director (not to mention co-writer as well!) in 2009's Command Performance! In this variation on the classic Die Hard formula, Dolph plays Joe, a rock and roll drummer who springs into action when terrorists invade a rock concert in Moscow! And who better to discuss a rock and roll action movie than with an actual rocker himself?! Jeremiah Ludemann, guitarrist for the band, No Bueno! joins the show (in his first ever podcast appearance!) to discuss the film and offer insight into the music and concert-going business! Just how invested is Dolph in the movie, and how is it evident? How does the film do at balancing the line between slapstick and seriousness? How does Dolph manage to dispatch of the terrorists using his instruments? And where does the rest of Dolph's band go? Listen in as Jeremiah and I rock out and chat the craziness that is Command Performance!
Major thanks to Jeremiah Ludemann for joining me! Please be sure to check out his band, No Bueno! https://www.facebook.com/nobuenoband/ Also, be sure to stay tuned at the end of the episode for the premiere of No Bueno's new song, "Dangerous Weapon"!
And if you have yet to see Command Performance, check it out for free on Tubi and IMDbTV! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month's special interview episode, we're discussing the 2016 martial arts fighting flick, Female Fight Squad! Female Fight Squad tells the story of Rebecca, a former fighter who's lured back into the world of underground fighting in order to help her sister pay off some debts. Dolph Lundgren shows up as the girls' wrongly imprisoned father who assists his daughters on the inside! It's a fun action-packed film, and the podcast is featuring not just one discussion, but TWO! Amy Johnston, the lead in Female Fight Squad and Miguel Ferrer, the film's director, were both gracious enough to sit down and chat! Amy Johnston is an accomplished martial artist, stuntwoman, and actress who's been training in the film industry for well over ten years! Outside of Female Fight Squad, you see her some of her other work in the Bloodsport reboot, Lady Bloodfight (available on Netflix), Accident Man (where she trades punches and kicks with Scott Adkins!), and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (where she doubled for Scarlett Johansson). Miguel Ferrer is a rising director with experience lending his electric visual style to films, commercials, and music videos! And when these two join forces, the results are extremely badass! An amazing double-bill with two talents in the action genre!
Major thanks to both Amy Johnston and Miguel Ferrer for their time. Please be sure to follow Amy Johnston on Twitter and Instagram @amyejohnston. Also, please check out her Youtube channel, especially her Youtube series, Hero Training featuring insight and secrets on the action and stunt business! https://www.youtube.com/user/amy2590
Check out Miguel Ferrer's offical webpage, www.directormiguelferrer.com!
Lastly, please see Female Fight Squad, which is available on Amazon, iTunes, Youtube, Vudu, and Google Play!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you go to subscribe!
On this month's episode, it's Dolph coming to the rescue of a small town by bringing in the necessary firepower and... the word of God! Mike Fury, author of the Life of Action and its recent follow-up, Life of Action Volume II, comes back to the show to discuss 2008's Missionary Man! In this film, Dolph took on the starring, writing, and directing duties once again where he plays Ryder, a mysterious drifter on a Harley who dispenses justice to small towns in need! Just how comfortable is Dolph in the director's chair for his third outing? What's going on with the coloring of the film, and does it work to the movie's benefit? Is Dolph channeling Clint Eastwood, Buford Pusser, Billy Jack, or a combination of all three? And is Dolph's Ryder character an actual spiritual divinity, i.e. an angel?! Join us as Mike and I chat Dolph's next cultured outing, Missionary Man!
Major thanks to Mike Fury for coming back on the show! Please check out his new book, Life of Action Volume II featuring interviews with Tony Jaa, Michael Jai White, Zoe Bell, and many, many more! You can buy the book here: www.mikefury.net
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On the 50th episode of the show (yes, 50!), legend of cinema and character actor Robert Miano joins the show to chat his storied career. Robert Miano has been acting in films for almost 50 years, and he had quite a few interesting tales to tell regarding his time in the business! In this discussion we chat his knack for playing villains (especially of the mobster variety), working in Donnie Brasco alongside his longtime friend, Al Pacino, and how he manages to stay so busy! We also chat the film he did with Dolph Lundgren -- Storm Catcher, where he played an imposing general holding the United States for ransom!
Major thanks to Robert Miano for his time! Please be on the lookout for his many upcoming films, one of which being the horror-sci-fi thriller, The Deep Ones, to be released later on this year.
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!!!
On this month's episode we're taking a look at Dolph's second turn as a director -- 2006's, The Mechanik (also known as The Russian Specialist)! In this gritty throwback to '70's grindhouse cinema, Lundgren plays Nikolai Cheranko, former Spetnaz, turned mechanic, who's on the trail of the Russian mobsters who killed his wife and son! Joining me for a FIFTH round to chat this slice revenge cinema is All Outta Bubblegum's Brenton Haysom! How does writer-director-star, Dolph Lundgren add his artistic flourishes to what is essentially a generic conceit? Could this be an unofficial sequel to Red Scorpion? In what ways was this the progenitor for the Taken series, and to an extent -- John Wick? And what is it that easily puts this film in the top five of Dolph's career? Join Brenton and I as we crack open a couple cold ones (RUSSIAN stouts to be exact!) and chat the brilliance that is The Mechanik!
Thanks to Brenton Haysom for coming back once again! For kill counts, yearly retrospectives, and video essays, please check out Brenton's Youtube channel, All Outta Bubblegum: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSFiprJ15rGr4KyE4kzGHbA Also, be sure to check out The Russian Specialist / The Mechanik currently available for streaming on Amazon Prime, imdbTV, and Tubi!
Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!!!
On this month's interview episode, director John Lyde joins the show to chat his career and the 2016 film, Riot! In the gritty prison thriller, Riot, Lundgren took on a supporting role as an inmate (with his own undercover agenda) who teams up with a fellow prisoner to take down the Russian mobster running the slammer! Lyde was gracious enough to discuss his time directing the film, as well as his work in the world of independent cinema. Lyde has truly ran the gamut of independent films, directing hardcore action pieces all the way to Christian-themed family dramas! We also chat shooting in Utah, the art of making solid short films, and what he has coming up here in the next year!
Major thanks to John Lyde for his time! Please check out Riot, currently available on Netflix! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you to subscribe!
On this month's episode, we're taking a look back at Dolph's directorial debut, 2005's The Defender! In this claustrophobic political thriller, Lundgren plays Lance Rockford, a tough secret service operative who heads to Romania to provide protection for the head of National Security, where she's participating in a highly confidential meeting. Yet when an army of mysterious assassins sabotage the meeting, Rockford discovers that he's up against something much bigger than he could have imagined, as he and his team fight to survive the night and protect the future of America! Joining me to discuss Dolph's comeback and "back to basics" outing is my buddy and friend of the show, Chris Prentice! How does the film and production make use of its confined empty hotel setting? In what ways does Dolph prove how invested he is with this one, especially in terms of his directing flourishes? How does this film stand out in the direct-to-video action genre and manage to look like a real movie? And... how does Jerry Springer do starring as... the President of the United States?! The late 90's and early 2000's were a bit of a rough go for Dolph, but with this film , things were finally back on track! Join us as we discuss The Defender!
Major thanks to Chris Prentice for once again joining me! Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this special interview episode, I had the privilege of speaking with the man, the myth, the BOLL! Director Uwe Boll was gracious enough to sit down and chat with the show regarding his career in the movie business, as well as his role as the proprietor of Vancouver's fine dining eatery -- the Bauhaus! Even if you've never seen one of Uwe Boll's movies, you've undoubtedly heard of him! Boll gained notoriety in 2003 directing House of the Dead, and followed this up with numerous other video game adaptations. He also went on to direct dozens of other, more serious fare over the years, earning him a fascinating, albeit controversial reputation. In this discussion, Uwe Boll and I chat his retiring from making movies, him taking on his critics, the current state of films, particularly in the age of streaming media, and his moving into the restaurant business. We also chat the film he directed starring Dolph Lundgren -- In the Name of the King 2, the wild follow-up to the 2008 film starring Jason Statham. Regardless if you love him or hate him, you can't help but admire Uwe Boll's tenacity, drive, honesty, and passion!
Major thanks to Dr. Uwe Boll for his time. If you're in Vancouver, please check out his restaurant, the Bauhaus: https://bauhaus-restaurant.com/!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month's episode, it's Dolph going back to basics and delivering a comeback before he really had his theatrical comebacks in 2004's Direct Action! In this throwback to the Joel Silver action flicks of the '80's and '90's, Dolph plays Frank Gannon, an upstanding karate-kicking police detective who takes on the crooked cops in his very own unit! While the premise may not be anything highly original, this was Dolph revamping and resetting his career in the ultimate ass-kicking fashion! And who better to discuss this ridiculous cop movie than with an actual cop! Doug Greenberg, host of the Rocky Minute joins the show to chat Direct Action in all its action-packed and absurd fun! Which of the movie cop tropes does this film have fun with? Where exactly is the film's "Metropolitan Police Department" located? And what is the significance of Dolph constantly chewing gum in the film (a repeat in his career)? Listen in as Doug and I go on duty to discuss Direct Action!
Major thanks to Doug Greenberg for joining me! Please check out his podcast, The Rocky Minute, in which he covers every one of the Rocky films, one minute at a time: http://www.duelinggenre.com/category/podcasts/movies-by-minute/rocky-minue/
Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month's interview episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with writer and director, Eduardo Rodriguez! Rodriguez is a talented professional with a passion and expertise in the genres of horror, action, and science fiction! In 2012 Rodriguez directed two films for the After Dark production house, El Gringo starring Scott Adkins and Stash House starring Dolph Lundgren. In Stash House, Lundgren stars as a sadistic company man who's hellbent on reclaiming the contraband that is stored in a "too-good-to-be-true" foreclosed home! In this discussion, Rodriguez and I chat his move from Venezuela to Hollywood, directing independent action and horror films, working alongside Lundgren, and his upcoming endeavors here in the next year!
Major thanks to Eduardo Rodriguez for his time! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month's episode, we're traveling to the Antarctic to prevent a global epidemic from wiping out humanity in 2004's science fiction thriller, Retrograde! In this time-traveling b-flick, Dolph Lundgren plays Captain John Foster, a genetically-enhanced soldier from 200 years in the future who travels back to 2004 to prevent said disaster. Joining me to chat this ambitious slice of sci-fi is Catherine Gonzales, editor and chief of Shuffle Online! Do the production values appropriately serve the ambition of the script and overall idea? What kinds of limitations were the director and everyone involved up against in production? And what is with the film's usage of motorcycle attire? Listen in as Catherine and I take on Dolph's second foray into science fiction -- Retrograde!
Please check out Catherine Gonzales' website and podcast, Shuffle Online: https://shuffleonline.net/
Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month's interview episode, the discussion surrounding Lundgren's latest film, Acceleration continues! Daniel Zirilli, the director of Acceleration (alongside Michael Merino), was gracious to chat with the show regarding the film, as well as his overall work in the action genre, and his multiple collaborations with Lundgren. We also chat his entrance into filmmaking by way of music videos, financing films in the current age of streaming media, and what fans can expect from his other two action films slated to be released this year -- Hollow Point starring Luke Goss and Jay Mohr and Invincible starring Johnny Strong and Marko Zaror! A great conversation with a true auteur and pioneer in the genre!
Major thanks to Daniel Zirilli for his time; he was an absolute treat to speak to! Feel free to follow him on Instagram @danielzirilli. Please check out Acceleration hitting select theaters and Video On Demand on November 8th! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month's episode, we're taking a look back at the 2003 Nu Image production, Detention! In this oddball action thriller, Dolph Lundgren takes on relatively new territory... high school! Lundgren plays Sam Decker, a former soldier, now high school teacher who leads a group of rebellious misfit students against a ruthless band of mercenaries that have entered the school after hours! Joining me to discuss this one is my buddy and ultra-cinefile, Nathan Burt! What exactly are the villains' motives for using the school as the base for their dastardly deeds? Is this group of teenage misfits as endearing as John Hughes' Breakfast Club crew? And just how effective is Lundgren as a high school teacher? Join Nathan and I as we stay after school and chat the absurdity that is Detention!
Major thanks to Nathan Burt for joining me. For film review essays and musings, check out his blog, "Cerebration on Celluloid": https://celluloidcerebration.wordpress.com/. Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or your podcast app of choice!
On this special episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Natalie Burn, star of Lundgren's upcoming film, Acceleration, co-starring Danny Trejo, Chuck Liddell, Sean Patrick Flannery, and Curtis "Rampage" Jackson! In addition to starring in the film, Burn also headed up producing duties through her company, 7Heaven Productions! In this discussion, Burn and I chat Acceleration, her move from the Ukraine to Hollywood, and what she has in store for 2019! Natalie Burn is a rising and accomplished name in the business today, who we'll be seeing plenty more from in the coming years!
Major thanks to Natalie Burn for her time. Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe! Also, check out Acceleration, hitting Video on Demand on November 8, 2019! Check out the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvnl1hgJdPk&t=48s Also, please check out Natalie Burn's web page here: http://natalieburn.net
On this month's episode, we're taking a look at the high-tech espionage thriller, Hidden Agenda! In this film Lundgren plays a former government agent who helps hide high-profile witnesses through an elaborate (and deliberately confusing) computer program. Yet when an assassin nicknamed "The Cleaner" begins knocking off his witnesses, Price must enter his own program to unveil the identity of the killer! Joining me once again to discuss and help unravel this one is Craig Cohen from the SlyCast! Just how obvious are the film's Canadian production values? Would this have been better as a television show? Do freeze frames make for exciting action sequences? And does the movie's convoluted plot work to its benefit or detriment? Listen in as Craig and try to understand the weirdness of Hidden Agenda!
Major thanks to Craig Cohen for joining me once again! Please check out the SlyCast, the Sylvester Stallone fan podcast! http://slycastpodcast.blogspot.com/ Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or your podcast app of choice!
On this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Giorgio Serafini! Serafini is an accomplished writer and director, who's worked with Dolph Lundgren five times, one of which being Lundgren's next film, The Tracker! In this discussion, Serafini was gracious enough to chat about his transition from Belgium to Hollywood, how he fell into the action genre of films, what fans can expect to see from Dolph in The Tracker, and what he has coming up here in the next year!
Major thanks to Giorgio Serafini for his time! Also, please check out The Tracker, releasing in select theaters and on demand Friday, August 9th! Check out the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGZSyqXxp9s.
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month's episode, All Outta Bubblegum's Brenton Haysom is back once again to close out our discussion on the Dolph Lundgren-Phoenician Entertainment trifecta of films! This time we're taking a look at a particularly low point in Dolph's filmography, 2000's Agent Red! In this strange collection of stock footage that's masquerading as a real movie, Lundgren plays Matt Hendricks, a military tough guy who's tasked with escorting a lethal chemical agent aboard a submarine. Yet when Russian terrorists hijack the sub, Dolph punches and kicks his way to see that the virus is not unleashed on American soil! Just what exactly went on behind the scenes with this one? Is everyone involved in this film playing a joke on the target demographic? And just how "hot" is the titular chemical agent? Join Brenton and I as we crack open a few cold ones and get through the mess that is Agent Red!
Major thanks to Brenton for joining me once again. For kill counts, reviews, and video essays, please check out All Outta Bubblegum: allouttabubblegum.com.
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you go to subscribe!
Michael Worth has to be one of the hardest working men in the business today. Arriving in Hollywood over 30 years ago and living with his dog in a truck for six months, Worth is the epitome of hard work and perseverance. A true fan at heart, Worth got his start working in the films of PM Entertainment before moving onto writing and directing. On this special episode, renaissance man Michael Worth was gracious enough to speak with the show about working with PM Entertainment, his martial arts training, his fascination with "Bruceploitation" cinema, and his latest film for which he pulled acting, writing, and directing duties, Apple Seed, starring the late Rance Howard and Clint Howard. We also discuss his script for Wanted Man, the action film that he's been co-writing with Dolph Lundgren for almost ten years!
Major thanks to Michael Worth for his time. Please check out his film, Apple Seed making its premiere at the Dances With Film Festival on June 13th. Tickets can be purchased here: https://danceswithfilms.com/apple-seed/
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month's episode, All Outta Bubblegum's Brenton Haysom is back to help discuss the second film in the Lundgren-Phoenician Entertainment package deal, Jill the Ripper! In this moody atmospheric thriller, Dolph Lundgren plays Matt Sorenson, a burnt-out former detective who enters the seedy underworld of Boston as he searches for the female serial killer who offed his brother. If this doesn't sound your typical Lundgren flick, you'd be correct -- it's not... Which leads to some of the film's advantages and problems. How does Lundgren do at tackling a mystery with such disturbing undertones? Why does this film take place in the 70's? What's going on with the casting, especially the villains? And are the various plot twists and turns surprising at all? Join Brenton and I as we take on arguably the wildest film in the Lundgren canon, Jill the Ripper!
For kill counts, review, and video essays, check out more of Brenton's work at All Outta Bubblegum: https://allouttabubblegum.com! Major thanks to Brenton for joining me. Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month's episode, we're taking a look back at 2000's The Last Patrol (also known as The Last Warrior for its American release)! In this post-apocalyptic-esque story, Dolph Lundgren plays Nick Preston, a military captain who leads a small group of survivors across a California wasteland in the aftermath of a cataclysmic earthquake! Joining me to discuss this film is David Rosen, host of the Piecing It Together podcast! How exactly does an earthquake turn the state of California into a desert (one that looks oddly like Israel)? Could Lundgren's band of survivors be one of the oddest teams ever assembled on film? In what ways were Lundgren and director Sheldon Lettich hampered by the film's meager budget? And what exactly was the husband-wife writing/producing team going for when they conceptualized the screenplay? Join David and I as we embark on The Last Patrol!
Major thanks to director, Sheldon Lettich for taking the time to answer my questions! Also, thanks to David Rosen for joining me. Please check out his movie review podcast, Piecing It Together: https://www.piecingpod.com, as well as his website: https://www.bydavidrosen.com, and Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/musicbydavidrosen!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month's episode, it's Dolph vs. the Antichrist! ...or more specifically, Dolph vs. the servant to the Antichrist -- in 1998's The Minion! In this supernatural thriller, Lundgren stars as a warrior monk named Lukas who's sent to New York to stop a wicked demon from unleashing the Antichrist upon humanity! Joining the show to chat this one is Tom Jolliffe, screenwriter and content contributor to the website, Flickering Myth! Just how cool is Lundgren's demon-smashing weapon (and why would writers have it disappear so soon in the film)? In what ways are the film's budgetary constraints apparent? Could this be the most Canadian of all of Lundgren's films? And why does the climax have Dolph battling a door? Join Tom and I as we try to make sense of Lundgren's foray into the realm of supernatural-religious action, The Minion!
Major thanks to Tom Jolliffe for joining me. Check out his articles over at Flickering Myth: https://www.flickeringmyth.com/category/tom-jolliffe, as well as his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jolliffeproductions/! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or your podcast app of choice!
On this month's episode, we're taking a look at 1999's Storm Catcher! In this film, Lundgren goes back to playing an Air Force pilot once again, only this time as a pilot with the expertise in flying the "Storm Catcher" -- a top secret stealth fighter jet! Yet when the stealth jet is stolen, Lundgren finds himself set up for the crime and in a fight against his very own government! This was Lundgren's first of three films with the Andrew Stevens/Jim Wynorski-production house, Phoenician Entertainment, yet this one stands out a little more, especially when compared to all of the other stealth fighter action movies that hit the direct-to-video market around the late-90's. Joining me once again to discuss this movie is Brenton Haysom from the website, All Outta Bubblegum! How does everyone involved make use of the film's abundance of stock footage? In what ways does director, Anthony Hickox add a horror vibe to the action sequences? And in a film about a stealth fighter, why is the airplane "stealthily" absent from the film? Listen in as Brenton and I fly headfirst into Storm Catcher!
Major thanks to Brenton Haysom for joining me. For kill counts, reviews, and amazing video essays, check out his website: http://allouttabubblegum.com/! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month's episode, we close out the "2018 -- Lundgrenaissance" and take a look at the latest DC comic book adaptation, Aquaman, currently in theaters (and still crushing it at the box office)! In this underwater adventure, Jason Momoa stars as Arthur Curry, a.k.a. Aquaman, a half-man / half-Atlantian who battles his evil half-brother Orm for the title as King of Atlantis. Dolph Lundgren takes on a supporting role as King Nereus, an Atlantian king whose loyalties teeter between both both prospective heirs to the throne as a full-on oceanic war erupts! Joining the show once again is my buddy Chris Prentice! How is it that the one superhero who's always been a punchline is now the one who's leading the DCEU films? How does Lundgren do at playing a king (surprisingly, a first in his career)? Is too much CGI a good thing or a bad thing? And just how amazing is Lundgren's entrance in the film? Join Chris and I as we take a deep dive into Aquaman!
Major thanks to Chris Prentice for joining me! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you go subscribe!
Happy new year! A new interview episode has arrived to help kick off 2019! On this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Dolph Lundgren's very own go-to stunt double, Tony Messenger! Tony Messenger has been doubling for Lundgren since 2010's The Expendables. Ever since, the two have become a well-oiled machine, collaborating in almost 20 projects! In this fun discussion, Messenger and I chat his kickboxing background, the genesis of he and Lundgren's working relationship, and what he has in store for 2019! What are the struggles and benefits of doubling for an action star? Listen in to find out!
Major thanks to Tony Messenger for his time! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
2018 — The Year of Dolph. Or the “Lundgrenaissance.” On this month’s episode, we’re discussing the next installment in the Rocky franchise, Creed II! While this is a giant leap ahead in the filmography of Dolph, there’s no denying the momentous year that Lundgren has been having! And now is the time to talk about it! In this sequel to 2015’s smash hit, Creed, Lundgren returns to the role that initially made him a star 33 years ago -- Ivan Drago! Joining me once again for this inevitable discussion is Craig Cohen of the SlyCast! What is it about this franchise and these characters who continue to enthrall so many for over 40 years? How was director Stephen Caple and everyone involved able to take the cartoon that is Rocky IV and ground it into the real world of Creed? Is Lundgren’s Ivan Drago truly a villain? Where can this series go should it decide to continue? And where would we like to see Lundgren’s and Stallone’s careers go at this point?
Listen in as the hosts of the Stallone podcast and the Lundgren podcast join forces once again and BREAK down Creed II currently in theaters!
Major thanks to Craig Cohen for joining. Please check out his podcasts, the SlyCast and Big Screen Book Club, as well as his Ramones Blog: ramonespinhead.blogspot.com!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this bonus episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with screenwriter, Chad Law. Law is a rising voice in the action genre who’s had an amazing past couple years. Chad Law has written films starring Dolph Lundgren, Jean Claude-Van Damme, Scott Adkins, and many more! One of these films was this year’s Van Damme-Lundgren reunion Black Water! In this thriller, JCVD and Dolph team-up as they attempt to expose the corrupt officials who imprisoned them on a CIA black site submarine! In this fun discussion, Law and I chat the writing process, his entry into the action genre, his collaborations with action visionary William Kaufman, and what’s coming up for him in the next year!
Major thanks to Chad Law for for his time. Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month’s episode, we’re taking a look back at 1999’s Bridge of Dragons. In this direct-to-video thriller, Dolph Lundgren plays Warchild, a trained killing machine who falls in love with the princess slated to marry the land’s evil dictator and oppressor (played by the always great Cary Tagawa)! Joining me to chat this film is Ben Johnson, host of the Kung-Fu Move Guide Podcast -- your one-stop shop for all the latest news and interviews regarding martial arts cinema! Where exactly does this film take place? What kind of visual flair does director Isaac Florentine add to the film? How does Lundgren do at revisiting his “mercenary with a heart” character archetype? And in what ways will this film forever be linked to the Power Rangers? Join Ben and I as we discuss the fantasy-post apocalyptic amalgam that is Bridge of Dragons!
Major thanks to Ben Johnson for joining me! Please check out his podcast, the Kung Fu Movie Guide on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/sg/podcast/kung-fu-movie-guide-podcast/id1125813459?mt=2 or on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-212944788! As always, please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this special interview episode, I had the privilege of speaking with actor and producer Gianni Capaldi. Since 2005, Capaldi has added over 40 acting credits to his resume, making him one of the hardest working men in the business today! Fans of Dolph Lundgren in particular may remember Capaldi for his work in the action trifecta of films, Ambushed, Blood of Redemption, and Puncture Wounds. In these films Capaldi took on both acting and producing duties. All filmed back-to-back, these three films were directed by Giorgio Serafini and starred Dolph Lundgren, Gianni Capaldi, and Vinnie Jones. In this discussion (which occurred just before Capaldi was leaving for a flight to work on his next film!), Capaldi and I discuss acting in and producing multiple films, his upcoming films Among the Shadows (starring Lindsay Lohan), River Runs Red (with John Cusack and Taye Diggs), and what he has in store for 2019 and beyond!
Major thanks to Gianni Capaldi for his time. Please check out his website: http://www.giannicapaldi.com. Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this special episode I had the pleasure of speaking with actor, stuntman, and all-around man of action, Anthony De Longis! Fans may remember De Longis as Blade, Skeletor’s swordsman for hire tasked with tracking down Dolph’s He-Man in Masters of the Universe. In addition to facing off against Lundgren 30+ years ago, De Longis has truly made a name for himself not just in film, but as a renowned expert in bladed weapons, the bull whip, and mounted horseback. On film, De Longis has also squared off against Jet Li, Patrick Swayze, and David Carradine to name a few. In this spirited discussion, De Longis and I chat suiting up as Blade in 1987’s Masters of the Universe, teaching the likes of Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer the mechanics of the bull whip, and his very own school of adventure – Rancho Indalo, located in Canyon Country, California. Here, anyone can get one-on-one lessons in how to be action hero! Join Anthony De Longis and I as we discuss his career and much more!
Major thanks to Anthony De Longis for his time. Please check out his website: www.delongis.com.
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month’s episode we’re taking a look back at 1998’s Sweepers! In this film Dolph Lundgren plays Christian Erickson, a humanitarian aid worker (with a Special Forces background) who races to stop the development of a new, high-tech land mine in Angola! This was Lundgren’s second film with production house Nu Image and his first attempt at an action thriller, but one with a message. Don’t worry... the message isn't as confused as the one in Seagal’s On Deadly Ground. Joining me to discuss this socially conscious thriller is Brenton Haysom from the website, All Outta Bubblegum, the ultimate fan page devoted to the action movies we all love and enjoy! To what extent is Lundgren once again channeling Clint Eastwood in this role? What new touches does he add to the “hero with a tragic past” archetype? Did this film bring a sense of awareness to the issue of land mines in Africa? And what exactly is going on with Bruce Payne in this film? Join Brenton and I as we discuss the somewhat overlooked Sweepers!
Major thanks to Brenton Haysom for joining me. For action movie reviews, video essays, and killcounts, please check out Brenton’s site, allouttabubblegum.com!
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
In 1998, Dolph Lundgren starring in a syndicated television show seemed like a solid idea. Add to the fact that Hong Kong action legend John Woo would be taking over directing duties, and this would be an action junkie’s dream come true. Enter 1998’s Blackjack! Lundgren plays Jack Devlin – a former US marshal turned bodyguard for hire with a penchant for card tricks and an aversion to the color white! Unfortunately, the USA network passed on the pilot, and Dimension Films quickly picked it up, packaged it as a feature-length film and released it to home video. But does Blackjack work as an actual movie? Joining me to discuss this one is Bryan Coyne, writer and director of the horror films Infernal and Bad Apples! Had this been picked up, would it have been able to sustain multiple seasons? What John Woo tropes does Blackjack employ, and which does it not utilize? Is Lundgren’s white-phobia a stroke of originality or a kryptonite that’s almost too bizarre for its own good? And just how amazing is the “milk scene”? Join us as we breakdown the wild television pilot Blackjack!
Major thanks to Bryan Coyne for joining me. Please check out his films Infernal and Bad Apples currently available for streaming on Amazon Prime! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe.
On this episode, my buddy Chris Prentice is back to discuss Dolph Lundgren’s next film, 1997’s The Peacekeeper. In this direct-to-video action thriller, Lundgren plays Major Frank Cross, a rebellious Air Force pilot assigned to protect the president’s “football” – a briefcase containing access to nuclear strikes! Yet when a group of terrorists steal the football, it’s up to Lundgren to get it back! The Peacekeeper was Lundgren’s first film with fledging production house, Nu Image, a partnership that is still continuing to this day. Why is Montel Williams in this movie? Just how suave and renegade is Lundgren’s Frank Cross character? How do the special effects hold up today, especially the Mount Rushmore sequence? What similarities do The Peacekeeper and George Clooney’s The Peacemaker have in common? And what is with Lundgren chewing gum in his movies? Join us as Chris and I take a look back at The Peacekeeper!
Major thanks to Chris Prentice for coming back! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this special episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with screenwriter Steve Latshaw. Latshaw co-write the rock ‘n roll action classic Command Performance alongside Dolph Lundgren, which Lundgren also directed and starred in! In Command Performance Lundgren plays a rock and roll drummer who becomes a one-man army when terrorists take over a rock concert in Moscow! With well over 30 writing credits to his name and experience working alongside some of the biggest action stars, Latshaw sure had plenty to say regarding the ever-changing landscape of action cinema. In addition to taking me through the script-writing process, Latshaw also helped answer these burning questions: How the genre has evolved over the years? How has Lundgren managed to stay relevant? How did Lundgren and Latshaw work to make sure that Command Performance pumped originality into the traditional Die Hard-trope? How does Lundgren’s generosity extend beyond the film sets? And what projects does Latshaw have lined up for the next year? Join us as we answer these questions and many more!
Major thanks to Steve Latshaw for his time. Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this special episode I had the privilege and honor to speak with legendary composer Vince DiCola, the man behind the music of Rocky IV! Vince and I chat the inspiration and thought process that went into developing Rocky IV’s iconic score, the instruments used to create Ivan Drago’s chilling entrance in the film, scoring the animated Transformers movie in 1986, and each of these film's scores’ enduring legacy 30 years later! We also discuss his upcoming show “An Evening with Vince DiCola” taking place on September 20, 2018 at the famous Whiskey a Go Go in West Hollywood! Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3587232. If you’re in the area, please check it out!
Major thanks to Vince DiCola for his time! Also, special shout out to Chris Prentice for his question contributions. Please feel free rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you go to subscribe!
On this month’s episode, we’re taking a look at the underrated and somewhat unseen film, Silent Trigger! Lundgren caps off his “experimental” era in this arthouse action film that’s essentially a four-man stage production! In this film, Lundgren plays a sniper who discovers that he and his accomplice (Gina Bellman) are the next targets by the very organization they work for! Coming back to discuss this movie are my buddies (and show regulars) Chris Prentice and Jeremie Damoiseau. How does Silent Trigger make use of its ambiguous setting? Is the film too mysterious for its own good, or is that part of its charm? Could the character of O’Hara (Christopher Heyerdahl) be one of the most unlikable characters in Lundgren’s filmography? And what is with the infamous spider scene? Join us as we take aim at Silent Trigger!
Major thanks to Chris Prentice and Jeremie Damoiseau for joining me! Be on the lookout for Jeremie’s book on the making of Lundgren’s The Punisher, to be released soon in the US. Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you subscribe!
On this special episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Christopher Kulikowski, writer-director of 2004’s action/science-fiction movie, Retrograde. In this film, Dolph Lundgren plays John Foster, a time-traveler from the future who’s sent back to the present in the Antarctic to stop a biological disaster from occurring. Retrograde was not the easiest of productions, but Kulikowski, Lundgren, and everyone else working on the film persevered! How did action stars Dolph Lundgren and Gary Daniels become attached to the project? What kind of problems arose in production? How did Kulikowski and the production team come up with the idea of using motorcycle attire? What does the role of a post-production supervisor entail? And what will Kulikowski be working on in 2019 and beyond? Join us as Christopher Kulikowski reminisces with me on his experiences working on Retrograde!
Major thanks to Christopher Kulikowski for joining me! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you subscribe!
On this episode Travis Bow of the Reel Comic Heroes Podcast, as well as The Watchmen Minute joins me to discuss this relatively unseen film of Lundgren’s – Hidden Assassin / The Shooter. In this thriller, Dolph plays Michael Dane, a US marshal sent to Prague to apprehend a female assassin suspected of killing a Cuban ambassador. Yet Dane’s suspect is not entirely who she seems, causing Dane to question everything around him. How does this film play coming off the heels of the spectacular Men of War? Is the romance subplot necessary to the film? Just how effective are Michael Dane and his partner Alex Reed (actor John Ashton) at being US marshals? And why is it that the movie looks so dated, even by 1996 standards? Join us as we take a look at the forgotten Hidden Assassin!
Major thanks to Travis Bow for joining me. Please check out his podcasts Reel Comic Heroes and The Watchmen Minute!
Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Scott Windhauser, writer and director of Dolph Lundgren's upcoming zombie thriller, Dead Trigger. In this film (to be released sometime this year), Lundgren portrays Kyle Walker, a soldier leading a group of rookies against a world overrun by zombies! 2017 was a busy year for Windhauser; in addition to working on this film, Windhauser wrote and directed Cops and Robbers with Michael Jai White and Tom Berenger, as well as writing Rob Cohen's The Hurricane Heist. Windhauser also helped rewrite Dolph Lundgren's Larceny, currently available for streaming on Netflix. What was it like working for Michael Bay? What is Windhauser's approach to writing a script for an action movie? What kind of problems arose in filming Dead Trigger? Is the action genre thriving or struggling in the age of streaming home media? And what projects does Scott Windhauser have lined up for 2019 and beyond? Join us as we answer these questions and many more!
Major thanks to Scott Windhauser for chatting with me! Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you subscribe!
The discussion of Men of War continues! On this month’s episode I had the pleasure of discussing this awesome film some more, this time with the director himself, Perry Lang! Lang has been in the Hollywood game for almost 30 years as both an actor and a director. In 1994 he was given the opportunity to direct this mercenary film, and the results were glorious! What did Lang change from John Sayles’ original script? Why did the film unfairly bypass a theatrical release and premiere on home video? How does directing a film differ from a television show? And what can audiences expect from Lang’s return to movies with An Interview with God, slated to be released August 20, 21, and 22? Join us as Perry Lang and I chat his career and one of the most underrated films in the Dolph Lundgren canon – Men of War!
Check out the trailer for An Interview with God here.
Major thanks to Perry Lang for sitting down with me! Feel free to rate and review the show on Itunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you subscribe!
In 1994 Dolph Lundgren starred in arguably one of his best films, the heavily underrated and somewhat unnoticed Men of War. Based on an original script by legendary Hollywood scribe John Sayles, Lundgren turns in a solid performance as Nick Gunnar, a mercenary hired to clear out an island of villagers off of the South China Sea. Yet this warrior for hire has a change of heart and becomes the island’s savior as he launches a full-on assault against his employers! Coming back to chat this somewhat hidden gem with me is Jeremie Damoiseau, Lundgren scholar and moderator of the Dolph Ultimate website. Why is this one of Lundgren’s best performances? Is it fair to classify this one as solely an action picture, or is this something else? In what ways is this film’s story superior to Lundgren’s later “men on a mission” film, The Expendables? And what similarities does this film share with Lundgren’s previous effort Red Scorpion, as well as some of his future outings? Join us as we take on this excellent piece of 90’s nostalgia!
Major thanks to Jeremie Damoiseau for joining me. Be on the lookout for his book on the making of Lundgren’s The Punisher. Also, if you have a region-free blu-ray player, please check out the Men of War Special Collector’s edition with a special making of documentary on the film. Check out a clip from the documentary here. Also, for all things Dolph, past, present, and future, check out the Dolph Ultimate website!
Who would have thought that after facing the Yakuza, squaring off against Van Damme, and winning the Olympic Gold, Dolph Lundgren would go back to playing a villain for the third round in his career? Not to mention a religious nutcase??? On this month’s episode, we take a look at 1995’s cyberpunk thriller, Johnny Mnemonic! In this bizarre cult classic, Keanu Reeves takes center stage as the titular character who smuggles valuable data across borders in his brain! Lundgren shows up as the Street Preacher – a deranged religious bounty hunter enhanced by cybernetics tasked with hunting down Keanu Reeves’ character at any cost! While Lundgren’s role is a brief one, he is arguably one of the more memorable aspects of the film. Joining me to chat this film is Craig Cohen, host of the SlyCast – The Sylvester Stallone Fan Podcast! Could this be one of Lundgren’s most disturbing characters in his filmography? Are there one too many characters involved in the film, or does it balance them all just right? In what ways was Johnny Mnemonic ahead of its time and set the stage for Reeves’ later work, The Matrix? Is Lundgren in the film too little, or is his screen time just right? Join Craig and I as we crack open a comprehensive discussion of Johnny Mnemonic!
Major thanks to Craig Cohen for joining me; I’m sure this won’t be the last time! Please check out Craig’s show, the SlyCast as well as his Ramones blog! As always, please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you subscribe!
On this special episode, I had the privilege of chatting with accomplished actor and close personal friend of Dolph Lundgren, James Chalke. Chalke has had an extremely impressive career, and has proven to be a real renaissance man – former member of the British Special Forces, martial artist, and actor on both the stage and screen. When did Chalke and Lundgren first meet? What has it been like collaborating with Lundgren over the past decade? Which of Chalke’s film roles was the most fun to shoot? What future collaborations do Chalke and Lundgren have in the works? How has the climate of action cinema changed in the past 20 years? How are Lundgren and Chalke working to bring back the glory days of action cinema? And what exactly went down on set of their upcoming zombie thriller, Dead Trigger? Join us as Chalke and answer these and other burning questions.
Major thanks to James Chalke for joining me. Please feel free to rate and review the show on Itunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you go to subscribe!
On this month’s episode, we’re discussing the 1994 sports drama / action thriller Pentathlon. In this film Dolph Lundgren played Eric Brogar, an East German Olympic athlete who defects to America in order to escape his sadistic coach. Yet his violent past catches up with him in America, and Eric is forced to rely on his athletic training in order to survive. At the offset, it was an exciting project for Dolph, as it allowed him to try a new role, as well as giving him the opportunity to be the unofficial spokesperson for the US Modern Pentathlon team. Yet like many projects in Hollywood, Pentathlon did not turn out as planned… Appearing on the podcast to chat Pentathlon is Mike Fury, author of Life of Action: Interviews with the Men and Women of Martial Arts and Action Cinema. Did the film deserve the kind of release it received? What kind of problems arose in the film’s production? Just how different is the final product from the initial story concept that Dolph signed on for? Is the film misguided and struggle with the type of movie it wants to be? Could this have been Lundgren’s version of Rocky if the film’s budget wasn’t tampered with and slashed prior to shooting? Was this film a catalyst in helping give Dolph the directing bug 10 years later? Join us as we break this film down!
Special thanks to Mike Fury for joining me! I’m sure this won’t be the last time! Check out his book Life of Action at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or wherever books are sold. Also check out his website: mikefury.net.
Please feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher or wherever else you subscribe!
In 1993 Dolph Lundgren followed up his villainous role in Universal Soldier with this underrated chase thriller. In Army of One (also known as Joshua Tree) Lundgren plays Anthony Wellman Santee, an escaped convict who carves a warpath through the California desert as he attempts to clear his name and take vengeance on the crooked cops who set him up. Taking inspiration from the “California desert” pictures of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, Army of One is packed with bloody shootouts, high speed car chases, and Lundgren as the ultimate badass. The directorial debut of legendary Hollywood stuntman Vic Armstrong, Army of One is fairly basic in terms of its story, yet that didn’t deter Armstrong or Lundgren from delivering a memorable shoot-em-up! Joining me to chat this violent VHS-gem of the ‘90’s is David J. Moore, author of the excellent reads The Good, The Tough, and The Deadly: Action Movies and Stars 1960’s – Present and World Gone Wild: A Survivor’s Guide to Post-Apocalyptic Movies. Which clichés of ‘90’s action movies does Army of One have fun with? How did Armstrong make the most of the film’s modest budget? How integral is the film’s setting, particularly Joshua Tree, to the film as a whole? How does the score help differentiate the film from all the other action flicks of the ’90’s? And was this film in fact the first American production to capitalize on the John Woo / Hong Kong style of filmmaking? Join David and I as we discuss Army of One, his action movie compendium book, and Dolph’s role in the realm of action heroes!
Major thanks to David J. Moore for joining me. Please pick up his books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or wherever books are sold! Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you subscribe!
In 1991, the “buddy cop” genre was a staple of the action films of the era. Action-packed with tongue firmly in cheek, these films were testosterone-heavy and fun! Showdown in Little Tokyo remains a prime example of this bygone era. Dolph Lundgren stars as Sgt. Chris Kenner, a wrecking ball of a cop who is partnered with a young Brandon Lee as they take on the Yakuza who are on the verge of taking over Los Angeles. And wouldn’t you know it… These detectives have the necessary martial arts skills needed to stop this takeover! At barely 80 minutes, Showdown packs in loads of action sequences, Tia Carrere, training montages, funny banter, and unforgettable one-liners (some that I imagine many would choose to forget)! Joining me to reminisce about this cult classic are two regulars to the show – Chris Prentice and Jeremie Damoiseau (of the Dolph Ultimate website). Is Lundgren’s Kenner actually a reincarnated samurai warrior (who’s also invincible)? What does David Michael Frank’s memorable score bring to the film? Exactly how many continuity errors are present in Showdown? And what is with Brandon Lee’s infamous line of dialogue? Join us as we discuss Showdown, its production, and cult status 27 years later!
Major thanks to Chris Prentice and Jeremie Damoiseau for joining me. Please check out Jeremie’s Lundgren fansite: dolph-forum.com. Also be sure to be on the lookout for Jeremie’s book, 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; twitter.com/Punisher_Book.
Feel free to rate and review the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you subscribe!
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.