Jcvd

[MasterKiller]

Jean Claude makes a comeback

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dQ5ymyP0uI

[GeneChing]

First Seagal makes a hilarious self parody in the Onion movie (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51171) (best part of an extremely mediocre and disappointing flick) - NOW THIS?!?

Surely these are horsemen of the apocalypse.

[GeneChing]

I gotta see this. Anyone seen this yet?


Jean-Claude Van Damme: Back with movie 'JCVD' (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/13/NS2F141LD7.DTL&hw=jcvd&sn=002&sc=353)
G. Allen Johnson
Thursday, November 13, 2008

After a week of missed connections, Jean-Claude Van Damme is calling from Bangkok, apologizing for the early hour in his instantly recognizable French-Belgian accent: "Please, call me J.C."

J.C. is excited about "JCVD," the most unusual film he's made - and the first to be released theatrically in the United States in 10 years. In it, he plays himself - Jean-Claude Van Damme, a 47-year-old washed-up movie star, losing roles to Steven Seagal, going through a nasty divorce and child custody battle, and trying to put years of drug and sex escapades behind him.

"So I did my own therapy in the movie," Van Damme laughed. "When you think about it, all these millions of euros for one guy to be cured!"

Things are actually going great for the Muscles From Brussels, the Belgian kickboxing champion who became an international martial arts star in the 1980s and spent a few years as a top box office star in films such as "Bloodsport," "Timecop" and John Woo's first Hollywood film, "Hard Target," all the while battling personal troubles. But as his career declined, he moved away from Los Angeles and cleaned up his act, including reconciling with his second wife, Gladys Portugues, who reprised her role as J.C.'s wife No. 5 in 1999. They have three children and live in Hong Kong.

"I enjoy life now. I enjoy the moment of being today, and it's the best time of my life," said Van Damme, who has directed his first film, part of which is set in Thailand, and is editing it now. "Hey, it's kind of cool to be able at 48 to still train like at 30. It's quite an experience to be young, going to the gym, knowing you're old. Ha!"

The mostly French-language "JCVD," directed by Mabrouk El Mechri, begins with a three-minute single-take filming of an action scene in which Van Damme becomes amusingly out of breath. After the shoot, he returns to Belgium and is caught in a hostage situation after a botched holdup. It becomes a media-fueled international incident.

Van Damme seems to be having fun with his image when, about two-thirds through the film, he makes eye contact with the camera and delivers a serious six-minute monologue, a touching confessional about his life's failures and successes.

It was his idea. "I said, 'We have one thing missing. In this beautiful loins, this piece of meat, where is the artery? ... Why not tell people what I feel? You think I'm a hotshot movie star? I tell you what, guys. What it is about achieving a dream, and girls and more and this, that (diabolical chuckle).

"I completely opened myself to a point where it was too much. I felt more naked than naked. When I saw the movie the first time I didn't enjoy the film. I was ashamed to open myself so much.

"I am actually shy and sensitive, hiding that with a wall of muscle."

Opens Fri. at the Lumiere Theatre, 1572 California St., S.F. (415) 267-4893; Shattuck Cinemas, 2230 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, (510) 464-5980, www.landmarktheatres.com.


Movie review: Jean-Claude Van Damme's 'JCVD' (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/14/DD88143A0I.DTL&hw=jcvd&sn=001&sc=1000)
Mick LaSalle, Chronicle Movie Critic
Friday, November 14, 2008

POLITE APPLAUSE JCVD: Satire. Starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. Directed by Mabrouk El Mechri. In English and French with English subtitles. (R. 96 minutes. At Bay Area theaters.)

As a sophisticated moviegoer, you probably aren't thinking about seeing the new Jean-Claude Van Damme movie. But no. Really. Think about it.

"JCVD" is not an action movie but a shrewd satire about stardom and the cult of celebrity. It tells the story of an action star who is still famous, and yet something of a has-been. A man who still has fans, but who has serious career problems. A man who is recognized everywhere, but as much for his failures as his successes. A man who could probably spend the rest of his life making good money in pictures, but in low-budget, demeaning productions that are beneath him.

In other words, it's about Jean-Claude Van Damme, who is played by none other than Jean-Claude Van Damme, who does so with great self-effacement and a battle-scarred humility. Van Damme brings to the film a weary sense of humor and an emotional facility that we haven't seen from him before. Alert the media: Van Damme is an actor. Not just a muscleman, not just a martial artist, but someone with access to a rich internal life that's manifest on his once smooth and now rugged 47-year-old face. Seriously, if "JCVD" doesn't signal some kind of turnabout in Van Damme's career, there is no justice.

This guy always had potential. He started in the mid-1980s in low-budget action thrillers, and by the mid-1990s he'd become a major box-office draw, poised to cross over into mainstream movies. He was the star of John Woo's first American film, "Hard Target" (1993), and of Peter Hyams' "Timecop" (1994). But then, within a few years, it all seemed to fall apart. There were marital troubles, drug problems and career problems, and Van Damme soon fell off the Hollywood radar. He continued making movies, but of the kind that get big rollouts in Romania and go straight to video in the United States. He hasn't had a movie released here in a decade.

"JCVD" acknowledges this. When he talks to his American agent, Van Damme tells him he doesn't want to work in cheap movies where his salary makes up two-thirds of the production budget. "I'd rather work for scale. Just get me in a studio." Meanwhile, he keeps losing roles to other actors - even Steven Seagal, who undercuts him by promising to lose his ponytail for the first time ever. Director Mabrouk El Mechri's camera searches Van Damme's face for clues to the mystery: What is it like to have none of the real advantages of stardom, such as the chance to do great work, while retaining all the disadvantages, like pushy fans and the loss of anonymity? Van Damme's face gives the answer: It's exhausting.

The exhaustion is physical, too. Take the movie's witty opening, in which Van Damme is seen on a film set. We meet him in the midst of a ridiculously long take in which he fights dozens of assailants and kills dozens more. And then, just as the shot is in its last seconds, a piece of the set collapses, and he has to start all over again. "It's very difficult for me to do everything in one shot," he tells the young, impassive director. "I'm 47 years old."

Aside from some flashbacks, most of "JCVD" takes place in Van Damme's hometown in Belgium. In the midst of personal turmoil and professional disappointment, he stumbles into a real-life drama straight out of one of his movies - a bank robbery that turns into a hostage situation. Suddenly the guns have real bullets, and the bad guys might win. Outside the bank, fans line up, chanting Van Damme's name as though it were a sporting event. "JCVD" is rich with the irony, distortions and various strangenesses of fame.

But the film goes deeper than surface irony. In one of 2008's single best shots, Van Damme speaks his inner monologue directly into the camera. He talks about what it's like to be a big shot, how that can distort a person. He talks about the allure of drugs and about having seen so much of life that he can't judge anybody - even though everyone can't help judging him. "JCVD" is a film that tells us that celebrities can be much more than the shorthand distillations we get from movies and publicity. But it doesn't only say it. It demonstrates it.

-- Advisory: This film contains violence.

E-mail Mick LaSalle at mlasalle@sfchronicle.com.
Note that LaSalle is S.F.s pickiest critic, and we love him for that.

[TaichiMantis]

"I am actually shy and sensitive, hiding that with a wall of muscle.":rolleyes:

[SimonM]

C@ckpuncher still whups

And gene: good call on the onion movie. Segal is the only reason to watch it... the nasty pop singer and the anchor with the ethical dilemma... not as funny.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Those reviews make me actually wanna see this movie.

[jethro]

Gene do you know if I got my post deleted on this thread? I remember making a comment but I don't see my post. Maybe someone thought it was spam, but it wasn't. Or maybe we aren't allowed to make negative comments about Jean Claude on this forum:confused: After what he said on a French talk show about all HK movies having weak action, and what he did in his movies was really powerful action, I don't have any respect for the guy. i can't stand to look at him no matter what movie he is in, even if it's a good one. Alright rant over. If you want to delete this post at least tell me why this time please.

[GeneChing]

...we just did an update to our forum. It was some admin stuff, so I don't think you'll see the effect of it here (but you would if we didn't do it, believe me). If you post around the time when we're doing an update, sometimes those posts get fried. Sorry about that - your previous post was a web casualty. Post it again.

[jethro]

No problem, I probably should have pointed out I wasn't questioning you, I just thought that maybe some other mod that is a Jean Claude lover deleted it:p BTW do you know if this movie is a limited release, or is it going to be playing in all theatres?

[Jimbo]

I heard that before he hit it big, Van Damme had begged to be in a Jackie Chan movie but was rejected. Maybe his comments about HK movies is sour grapes.

[Hebrew Hammer]

This is a must see...I wonder if JCVD and Seagal had these egos before or after they became film stars...nevermind don't answer that...Martial Arts and Egos have been in bed with each other before the time of celuloid film.

[GeneChing]

makes me wonder what JCVD will do next...


'JCVD—: Jean-Claude Van Damme spoofs himself (http://www.mercurynews.com/movies/ci_10975614)
By A.O. Scott
New York Times
Article Launched: 11/14/2008 12:00:00 AM PST

Steven Seagal is cutting off his ponytail. This bit of news — apocryphal, perhaps — has great significance for Jean-Claude Van Damme, the star, protagonist and leading ontological conundrum of "JCVD," as well as a one-time rival of Seagal's for the title of world's second-best second-rate action hero. Seagal's supposed sacrifice, a source of astonishment to this elfin Belgian muscleman, suggests a possible answer to the question posed in and by this odd, almost-clever film: What does an aging action-movie superstar have to do to keep himself in the game?

The real-world choices are limited. Keep going, oblivious to the ravages of time, in the pathologically stoical manner of Sylvester Stallone. Embrace self-parody and character roles in indie films, as Bruce Willis has so brilliantly done. Maybe become the governor of a large state or, failing that, a tough-talking cheerleader for Mike Huckabee.

You could always go back to Belgium — an option that works only if you came from there. This is what JCVD (as we'll call the character, to distinguish him from the actor, Van Damme) decides to do, fleeing Hollywood in the wake of an ugly custody battle with his ex-wife and landing in his blue-collar, red-brick hometown outside Brussels. He may be seeking a simpler, more authentic way of life, but Mabrouk El Mechri, the director (and, with Frederic Benudis and Christophe Turpin, the writer) of "JCVD," has other plans. A botched bank robbery traps poor JCVD in a tense hostage drama, caught between a motley, semi-incompetent gaggle of crooks and the cops who think he's one of the bad guys.

Will this lurching, small-scale thriller blossom into a full-blown action picture, with Van Damme's fists, feet and elbows enacting righteous payback on the villains? The possibility is teased whenever the tension starts to flag, but "JCVD" more often aims for a knowing, cerebral mood, allowing its hero moments of moody contemplation, during which he reflects on the strange, lonely life of a middle-aged, globally known martial artist.

Some of this is affecting, some of it tedious, and the film's inconsistencies of tone are made more glaring by its peculiar look. Everything seems to be shot through a gold filter, making Van Damme look like an Oscar statuette in a jaundice ward. The metallic visual texture is not only obtrusive but also baffling, since it undercuts the pseudo-documentary touches that are central to the conceit of pretending to show a "real" JCVD in his real homeland. If he had wandered into a movie by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, Belgium's masters of no-frills proletarian realism and hand-held camerawork, now that might have been something to see.

Still, as a foray into self-mocking, self-aggrandizing career rehabilitation, "JCVD" shows some promise and holds some interest. It would hold more if Van Damme were not so fundamentally lackluster a celebrity, with a string of negligible movies to his name. While the filmmakers — and the star himself — gamely make fun of this legacy of mediocrity, they cannot quite escape it. This may well be the most memorable Jean-Claude Van Damme movie ever, but I'm afraid that's not saying much.

"JCVD"

H*1/2

Rating: R (for language and some violence).
Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Herve Sogne, François Damiens, Norbert Rutili and Karim Belkhadra
Director: Mabrouk El Mechri
Writers: Frédéric Bénudis, Mechri and Christophe Turpin
Running time: 1 hour, 32 minutes

[GeneChing]

JCVD is astonishing. It forced me to totally reappraise my opinion of JCVD.

This is not really a martial arts film. There's a nice opening scene - a remarkable continuous single shot no less, although JCVD does throw a major airball punch about midway through - and two other rather short sequences, but the action choreography is not the reason to see this at all.

It's cut from the celluloid cloth of French film, which I generally detest, but somehow, it really worked for this. There's a classic rewind sort of scene where the film is pulled through the reel, which was just so French. The film is mostly in French with subtitles, which makes JCVD sound more genuine than his ridiculous accented action film dialog. There's some top notch cinematography like long complex single shots, remarkable displays of technical skill and directorial timing. The entire film is slightly over exposed, turning all light into a harsh and hazy filed of bright white. The film is developed with the weight towards yellows and greens, giving a lot of the scenes a sickly pallor, but it totally works for the mood they evoke of Brussels. There are many funny bits, scathing self satire, and surprisingly poignant moments. It's daring filmmaking for any martial artist, especially JCVD who has built his career on caricature machismo. It's way out of the box for most martial arts aficionados (remember Maggie Cheung's Irma Vep?) but an absolutely fascinating for anyone into film.

When it comes down to it, it's all about JCVD confession scene - a classic French film moment where they actor breaks the framing of the film and discusses the process of filmmaking itself in that weird recursive French film artsy ****sy way. It's a long single shot and JCVC nails it emotionally. It's an amazing moment in film. The confession is heartfelt, so it's not so much stellar acting as it is brutally honest. JCVD lays it out, bares his soul, and surprisingly, it's sympathetic soul. It's a truly captivating scene, a triumph for JCVD that I would have never seen coming in a thousand years. There's hope yet.

A French-style artsy ****sy film showcasing JCVD and I really enjoyed it. Who'd a thunk? I wouldn't recommend this to people who are just into kung fu action flicks, but I do recommend pursuing it if you have any interest at all. It's so out of the box for JCVD, for martial arts related film in general, and you just got to respect that.

Now I'm even more curious to see what JCVD does next.

[brothernumber9]

The word is, and I don't have the working title, that JCVD and Seagal are doing a movie together, perhaps as a sort of "we'll show you" to Sylvester Stallone for not casting them in 'The Expendables'.

[doug maverick]

actually both were offered parts in the film and both turned it down. as well as jurt russel, and according to sly both dont like each other.

[GeneChing]

JCVD is the Being John Malcovich of martial arts films. The film only works based on who JCVD is, but given that, it works on many levels. Some else here has got to see this so I don't sound so insane for liking this flick so much.

I just heard JCVD might get involved with an upcoming Danny McBride (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50402) project.

[Shaolinlueb]

1. kurt russell is the man, sly can go buzz off. tango and cash has to be in the top 10 of greatest movies of all time :o

2. jcvd is brilliant for doing this. everyone else makes fun of me, why dont i cash in on it. which he is doing and this might save his career. lol

[brothernumber9]

I watched it some months back. I didn't know what it was about at all, other than a few ppl said it was fairly good. I didn't anticipate that after the beginning there was almost no MA action. Van Damme is getting old, I'm sure he would like to make a transition into less taxing gigs, and I think he did himself well in this film.

I got a good laugh too from the one bank robber that was so enamored with JCVD and wanted him to kick the cigarrette and all. I don't know what either Van Damme or Seagal would be thinking for passing up on The Expendables, even if the script sucked, just to be in that cast would be unbeleivable.

The film was actually a bit transfixing. I would'nt say I really enjoyed it, but I just couldn't not-watch it, and as I'm not so familiar with French films or French style of filming, I found the quirks intriquing.

I would all but say that JCVD is a must watch for any MA fan, for the simple fact that it is one of the better non MA films that an MA star has done, or rather that I have seen.

[doug maverick]

thought i do a bit of digging around about JCVD and steven seagal teaming up and... its kinda true, seagal was in talks but he turned it down, but is being replaced by vinnie jones. which has just excited me about this project.


British actor Vinnie Jones is set to become Hollywood's favourite tough guy - the former soccer player has reportedly replaced Steven Seagal in a new action blockbuster.

Jones, who has enjoyed a string of high profile film roles since he quit his sports career, has signed on to star in Weapon alongside another action man - Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Seagal was recently said to be in talks to act alongside Van Damme as a pair of assassins who track down the head of drug cartel.

But Seagal turned the project down and has been replaced by Jones, according to Moviehole.net.

[doug maverick]

more info from kungfucinema.com


Mulcahy to helm JCVD, Vinnie Jones actioner 'Weapon'

Jean-Claude Van Damme

Jean-Claude Van Damme will be teaming up with Vinnie Jones to portray rival assassins who form an uneasy alliance in WEAPON, a new film from Flagship Films and Russell Mulcahy, the director of RESIDENT EVIL: EXTINCTION and upcoming Thomas Jane crime actioner GIVE 'EM HELL, MALONE.

Jones, a former English footballer who first came to fame as a gangster in Guy Ritchie's LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, will play a master sharpshooter who joins forces with a knife expert (Van Damme) to take take down the head of a drug cartel.

The film will be produced by Flagship founders Alison Semenza (SUBMERGED) and Todd Moyer (TIME COP). Production is set to begin in August in Vancouver.

Van Damme's semi-biographical film JCVD was recently on DVD. He will next be appearing in two films, UNIVERSAL SOLDIERS: THE NEXT GENERATION and his self-directed thriller THE EAGLE PATH.

[Jimbo]

I went out and bought JCVD yesterday just on the strength of Gene's comments, and I have to say it's a great film, IMO. And I'm no fan of Van Damme's. This wasn't only the best Van Damme film, it's a great film on its own merits, period. Plus, I didn't go in expecting a 'martial arts flick', so I couldn't be disappointed. In fact, I would've been disappointed if it were. I'm still not sure how much was character and how much was from the heart, but he sure played it from the heart. Not to mention, there were a few long single-take scenes that would have been more than a little challenging to film well.

Based on Van Damme's performance, the cinematography, and the general acting of the cast, I rate this one very high.

[GeneChing]

Buy my vid (http://www.martialartsmart.net/dvd-gc001.html)!

Subscribe (http://www.martialartsmart.net/19341.html)!

It's a strange flick for sure. It really sticks with you. I'm no fan of JCVD either. I enjoy watching his old flicks on late night Spanish TV. For some weird reason, I enjoy both JCVD and Seagal much more in Spanish. Maybe it's the machismo inherent in the language. Either that or it's lucha libre. But from a filmmaking/critic standpoint, JCVD is stand out.

It would have been really cool to have seen this under the impression that it was like every other JCVD flick.

[Jimbo]

Prior to JCVD, the only one of Van Damme's films I could really stand to watch more than once was his U.S. debut (also director Corey Yuen's international directorial debut), No Retreat No Surrender. Van Damme played an evil Russian kickboxer, ripped off a bit from Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. It starred Kurt McKinney, and also featured kickboxer Pete "Sugarfoot" Cunningham in a role. NRNS had a certain charming '80s cheesiness, and arguably better fights than in Van Damme's later movies.

It's kind of a shame that JCVD's theatrical release was limited to arthouse theaters.

[Lucas]

just watched this last night. great flick.

[GeneChing]

JCVD would have tanked in regular release. It's too weird, and that's just not marketable. It's doing well as a DVD and even better as an art house flick. I think the marketing of it in America has been very appropriate.


JCVD unveils the 6th French Film Panorama in Shanghai (http://www.siff.com/MovieEn/InfoDetail.aspx?CategoryID=c70dad88-2568-4f16-9e89-0b0a4e680758&InfoGuid=0f51303c-001d-49cb-8368-b20863a09c67)

The 6th French Film Panorama is unveiled in Shanghai Film Art Center today (April 14). Attending the opening ceremony to meet audience on-site are Wang Wei, Deputy Director of Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Film and TV, Guo Dakang, Vice President of Shanghai Film Group, Thierry Mathou, French Consul General in Shanghai and the whole film delegation.

In addition to PARIS, the competition film for 11th SIFF 2008, other 11 features including I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG and SAGAN together with 12 shorts are selected for this year's French Film Panorama.

"The French Film Panorama is a way for Chinese audience to know about the real French film and to feel the passion of the nation. It also serves as a bridge for the culture exchange between China and France", said Wang Wei in the opening.

As the opening film, JCVD was selected as Best film 2008 in Time Magazine and listed as the MUST-SEEN film by several other press companies. JCVD is an autobiographical film with the presence of Jean-Claude Van Damme his own, recording the legendary life of this Hollywood's great martial artist and actor.

The French Film Panorama is favored by local audience, as after 5 consecutive successful years it once again presents a good selection of French new films. By the opening day, tickets of some screens such as JCVD, MAGIC! and I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG, have been sold out.

In the coming two days, filmmakers will visit Shanghai Film Art Center, Yong Hua Cinema City, Cathay Theatre and Stellar Cinema City for Q&A sessions.

The French Film Panorama is a traditional warm-up event for the annual Shanghai International Film Festival, which is held in every June. It is also an effort made by SIFF to bring the film audience and fanatics chances to enjoy films from places of different cultures with different backgrounds.

The 12th Shanghai International Film Festival will be held June 13-21, 2009.

[Jimbo]

On second thought, I have to agree with you, Gene.

[GeneChing]

JCVD's ex. Click for pic.


Darcy LaPier: Sweetheart of the Rodeo (http://www.momlogic.com/2009/08/sweetheart_of_the_rodeo_darcy_lapier.php)
Thursday, August 27, 2009

Darcy LaPier once lived for the Hollywood fast lane. A former Hawaiian Tropic girl, she got tabloid ink when she married her boss, Hawaiian Tropic kingpin Ron Rice. Her next husband was none other than Belgian action film star, Jean-Claude Van Damme. Her third marriage to Herbalife founder Mark Hughes met a tragic end when she found him dead less than a year after they took their vows. Today, LaPier, a mom of three, has transformed herself into an award-winning professional rodeo barrel racer in her home state of Oregon, and scored herself a reality TV deal to boot. Momlogic's Vivian Manning Schaffel gets the skinny on how LaPier pulled it off.

VMS: How did you get into barrel racing?

Darcy: I'd stepped out of the Hollywood scene, moved home to Oregon, bought a ranch, and just fell in love with horses. I went to a rodeo with my dad after moving from L.A. with two of my three kids, saw women's barrel racing, and just loved the pageantry -- including the fancy dress shirts and color-coordinated protective boots! Barrel racing is the only sport in pro rodeo for women. It's always the second-to-last event in front of bull riding, and it's the second most-anticipated sport. Everyone wants to see the women!

Anyway, I've been riding since 2004. At 36, I had my third child, and she's 6 -- my barrel racing baby. I found a barrel horse trainer up in Washington, which is 125 miles one way from me, and I drove there 2 to 3 times a week with my horse. I learned to drive a truck and pull a horse trailer, which is 43 feet nose to tail, and is 24,000 lbs when loaded. I get my music going and feel pretty darn strong!

Each arena is different, and it can rain a lot up here. I've fallen a number of times [she's been through extensive disc-replacement surgery, suffered broken arms -- and even had a broken finger as we were speaking], but I work really hard at training. I ride every day, whether for 15 minutes or an hour and a half. That's my meditation, my "me" time. It's hard for me to explain to my kids that I need time to myself.

VMS: Tell me why you made the choice to leave Hollywood. Did you have kids at the time?

Darcy: Each of my kids are spread out. They each think they are only children. Sterling is 19, and she's a sop****re at UCF this year. Nicolas is 13, and in 8th grade. I was living in Southern California when my husband passed away. I'd found him and lost my mind for about a year.

It got me thinking -- when you live away from your family, it takes a village to help raise kids when they are small. I always found myself having to hire that tribe. I got tired of that, and I started thinking what it would be like if I'd moved home. I'd lived in L.A. for 15 years, and spent all my formative years there. I moved there when I was 18 and stayed until I was 33. I miss it, but now I go back about two to three times a week because of my upcoming reality show. So I've got a good balance going now.

VMS: Do you prefer raising your kids in Oregon or L.A.? Do you prefer country life to city life?

Darcy: We're 25 miles south of Portland, but we live next to a river where it's still only about 2,000 people in our town. We have 40 acres, and I have four dogs and 12 horses, ponies, and baby horses, which is awesome. But what I really miss is the energy where everyone is on the move. Here, there are not as many movers and shakers. I miss that because it's so stimulating. Being around a bunch of really intelligent movers and shakers leads to the kids being more "on it." Here, we're kind of big fish in a small pond. In L.A., you swim in such a great big ocean.

VMS: Tell me about your reality show.

Darcy: I've won a lot of rodeos, buckles, and saddles. I won the NPRA Rookie of the Year back in 2004 when I first started. I can outride most any guy and outdrive them, and most girls can't.

I took my son to Disneyland, and we were sitting on the club level. I sat down next to this guy and he's also from L.A., so we started chatting. He sees me reading all these rodeo magazines, so he asks if I'm a horse trainer. I explain that I barrel race, and tell him what it is. And he's an executive producer for Ryan Seacrest!

He said that they should do a show about me and the rodeo, but I didn't really take it to heart. We exchanged cards. So, we get back to L.A. a week later, and he invited me down to see him. I brought my book of rodeo photos and met everyone there. Everyone was excited, but they realized that they would have to shoot up here at the rodeos, and they don't have the budget to shoot outside of California. This was right after Christmas -- and the economy started tanking.

So I figured that was that. Then, out of the blue, this woman who used to produce a show called "Jockeys" calls and says she got my number from one of the Hawaiian Tropic girls. She heard I was serious about barrel racing, and asked if I'd be interested in doing a show. It was so weird. I think people are strategically placed to guide, help, and encourage each other. It just all fell together.

VMS: What do you hope your kids learn from your life's example?

Darcy: Not to be afraid of anything. Live each day fully, and have faith. Life is like an apple. Just take a bite.

[Lokhopkuen]

Really amazing film. Poignant.

[GeneChing]

AFM: Jean-Claude Van Damme on His New Passion Project and Why He Won’t Be Retiring Anytime Soon (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/jean-claude-van-damme-interview-darkness-of-man-1235253293/)
The action legend sits down with director James Cullen Bressack to discuss 'Darkness of Man', which they promise will display a side of the Muscles From Brussels that the world has never seen.

BY ALEX RITMAN

NOVEMBER 2, 2022 7:30AM
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Jean-Claude-Van-Damme-7766-16x9crop.jpg?w=1296&h=730&crop=1
RÉGINE MAHAUX

Of all the action heroes merrily kicking the asses of bad guys in the late ’80s and early ’90s, in terms of actual fighting prowess, few came close to Jean-Claude Van Damme, a karate and kickboxing champion who turned his phenomenal martial arts skills — including a particularly impressive spin-kick — into, for a while, back-to-back box office gold.

First propelled into the action arena thanks to Cannon Films’ 1988 low-budget smash Bloodsport, Van Damme quickly cemented his iconic status as the Muscles From Brussels thanks to 1989’s iconic Kickboxer, then starred as warring twins in 1991’s Double Impact, began a long-running onscreen feud with Dolph Lundgren in Roland Emmerich’s sci-fi 1992 hit Universal Soldier, led John Woo’s U.S. debut Hard Target in 1993 and donned Guile’s beret in 1994’s Street Fighter video game adaptation. Like many ultra-ripped stars of the time, however, the hits eventually dried up and so began a period of mostly straight-to-DVD releases. But out of nowhere, Van Damme suddenly showed another side to himself in 2008’s gritty, self-reflective and personal JCVD, then began mixing things up, starring in comedies, voicing kids animations (Kung Fu Panda and, most recently, Minions: The Rise of Gru) and joined his former cohorts for The Expendables, all the while keeping the action going.

Now, at the age of 62, JCVD is set to keep the action going again in Darkness of Man, his latest project being introduced at the American Film Market by VMI Worldwide. From director James Cullen Bressack — a prolific young filmmaker whose list of action films includes Beyond the Law (starring Steven Seagal), The Fortress (starring Bruce Willis) and Hot Seat (starring Mel Gibson) — and based on an original story he devised with Van Damme, the film, to be set and shot in Los Angeles, looks poised to show yet another side to the star.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter from Thailand (where he owns a Muay Thai kickboxing ring) via Zoom, Van Damme — alongside his director Bressack — describes the “brutal” nature of the violence in Darkness of Man (he’s going to get an absolute kicking, apparently), says that, despite reports, his final action film might be some way off, explains why he’s looking forward to shooting in L.A. (clue: It’s his dogs), and reveals why you shouldn’t be alarmed if you see him stretching in an elevator.
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[GeneChing]

How does Darkness of Man differ from your other films?

JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME We’ve actually been working on the ideas for this for almost two years, and it feels much different and darker. In the film, I’ve got to fight out of passion, I’ve got to fight out of friendship and I’m also out of shape. My character has been drinking, he’s got a problem … he’s lost somebody. He’s in a very dark place. My character is going to be more honest than me in real life.

JAMES CULLEN BRESSACK This is like a neo-noir film in many respects. His character has witnessed the murder of a person he loved and he’s basically taking care of their child. He ends up spiraling out of control and, instead of being this polished martial artist, becomes someone fighting out of necessity, doing everything he can to keep this kid alive. You’re going to see J.C. take real damage in this movie, and you’re going to see a side of J.C. that I don’t think we’ve seen before. It’s a very less polished version of him.

J.C., I hate to ask this question, but how much of your own stunts can you still do? Can you still do the legendary spin-kick and the splits?

VAN DAMME Yeah! I’m lucky — I think it’s in my DNA. But I’m stretching three times a week. The most important thing in life is to stretch, because muscles can grow and disappear depending on the consistency of your routine. Stretching has to be consistent, and not even in a gym. You can do it anywhere, in the right stretchy way, although it’s a little more strange to look at. In Hong Kong I live on the 75th floor and it takes about a minute to get up there. So in the elevator, I squat down and slowly come back to my maximum while stretching over the course of the minute. (Van Damme squats and stretches to show the exercise.) I’m stretching all the time, like a cat. So right now I’m doing very well. I’m also taking lots of good products — dried fruits and ribose — I’m like a pharmacy!

BRESSACK What’s really great is that J.C. is planning on doing most of his own stunts and fights, so to keep the visceral and passionate nature of them we can do a lot of the stuff in real time.

VAN DAMME I’m doing all, except catching on fire and jumping from a building. Because the insurance will not allow that.

You’ve described this movie as being like “Jean-Claude as you’ve never seen him before.” I feel like this phrase has been used a lot previously. JCVD was obviously like we’ve never seen him before. Is it the action style that makes Darkness of Man unique?

BRESSACK Of course, there’s a lot of action in this movie. But this is really focused on a human level and rooted in emotion. And when I say it’s going to be a neo-noir, it’s very, very pulpy. This a very dramatic role for him, and a lot of the more dramatic roles he’s done, like [2018’s] The Bouncer and JCVD, were in the French language. So we’re looking at doing this in English. It really is going to be a very different version of J.C. than you’ve seen before.

VAN DAMME And the fighting, it’s going to be brutal!

BRESSACK What’s also very exciting is that we’re shooting in L.A., which has a very distinct look. And it’s great to bring J.C. back to where his roots are and he hasn’t done a film in L.A. in a very long time.

VAN DAMME Yeah, I’m going to be close to my family and close to my … so many dogs. [Van Damme introduces his pet dog onscreen.] It’s so nice to be at your own house. I’ve been living in hotels for 20 years.

How did the two of you start working together?

VAN DAMME We met in a sauna!

BRESSACK He did a spinning kick! No, actually I wrote him some fan mail and his team got back to me. This was about four years ago and I just said I’m a huge fan and would love to work with J.C. And that’s how it all began.

I actually watched Kickboxer in preparation for this interview. It still holds up!

VAN DAMME You know, a lot of people tell me that those movies haven’t aged. Maybe I know why. It’s about sincerity. If you’re sincere in your role and believe in your part, that — plus all the martial arts — helps the audience ignore the poor background.

JC, you’ve worked with a lot of filmmakers. What do you look for in your directors?

VAN DAMME When you look at the UFC [Ultimate Fighting Championship], most of the time the fighter wants to win for his trainer, who has dedicated months. When you do a movie with a director, you go to war — a healthy, artistic war. You try to make them look good. So for me, if my director wins an award, I’m as happy as me winning an award, 1,000 percent.

What do you think of the younger generation of action stars? Is there a worthy successor?

VAN DAMME I’m actually quite shy and I’m not sure about the term legend. I’m just a normal guy, but the media can elevate you to a position where you look like a legend. So I’m trying to be as close to possible to that word legend. But regarding the younger generation, I was actually having a dinner with Bolo [Yeung] from Enter the Dragon and Bloodsport, and a TV crew showed up and asked, “Who’s next after Van Damme?” And he said he didn’t know. But one guy is out there, and he’s going to pop out soon. It’s a cycle. I don’t know where he is, but I’m telling you he exists somewhere. And we’re going to try to kill him!

You’ve branched out away from pure action and into comedy, gritty drama, even kids’ animation. Is action your comfort zone or are you happy to try other genres?

VAN DAMME The first thing for me is the director. I need to meet the director and for them to tell me the story themselves. They need to put me in a headlock and walk around the block — a big block, three times — saying, “So that’s when the women left you, and that’s where you lost total control, and why” … so I get the full story. I need to hear their truth, their imagination, and know that we like each other.

Earlier this year, it was announced you were going to star in a film called What’s My Name?, which was being described as your final action film. Is that project moving forward? Will it be your final action film?

VAN DAMME I want to make one more big martial arts film. But I guess it’s not the time right now. Before I believed in destiny, but now I believe in synchronicity. So if something doesn’t go my way, then it’s not supposed to go my way. So What’s My Name? may happen, may not happen. And I have another project that’s as good. But that’s for later. Right now, I’m so into Darkness of Man, which was always working in parallel.

Why do you think so many action stars from the ’80s and ’90s are still working today?

VAN DAMME I know an actor who did so many movies. He’s in his 70s and is still making movies, but still professional, and still wants to work and work. There’s nothing wrong with that. Stallone told me on The Expendables that he’d like to die on set.

You’ve got no plans to do that, have you?

VAN DAMME When people ask me my age, I say I’m eternal.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity.

This story first appeared in The Hollywood Reporter’s Nov. 2 daily issue at the American Film Market.

Darkness of Man (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72402-Darkness-of-Man)
JCVD (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52214-Jcvd)