Kung Fu Movie Guide Live: Hard Target

Sadly it’s the final live show for the Kung Fu Movie Guide podcast tour, but even the biggest incendiary set piece must come to an end. We’ve had a great time hosting screenings of classic action and martial arts movies across the southeast of the UK, followed by live discussions with special guests recorded for the podcast.

On 21 November, we wrapped up in style by screening the modern action classic, Hard Target (1993), at the Nova Cinema in Woking, joined by special guest, award-winning journalist and Jean-Claude Van Damme fan, Christina Newland. While Christina has written for Rolling Stone UK, GQ UK, BBC, The Guardian and many more, she is also the lead film critic at The i Newspaper, a contributing editor to Empire Magazine and edited the anthology book, “She Found it at the Movies: Women Writers on Sex, Desire, and Cinema”. I also learned that she’s a fan of Legionnaire, now that’s a cool Van Damme deep cut in my book.

In Hard Target, JCVD stars as Cajun drifter Chance Boudreaux in this iconic action classic from master director John Woo (Face/Off, A Better Tomorrow, Mission Impossible 2). Taking the ‘Muscles from Brussels’ to the streets of New Orleans, Van Damme’s Chance finds himself drawn into a deadly game when he helps Natasha (Yancy Butler) track down her missing father. John Woo’s first Hollywood film set a new style in the action genre, full of outrageous stunts, explosive gun play and snake-punching moments.

We discussed the career of ‘heroic bloodshed’ pioneer John Woo, stories from the set, and where JCVD’s brand of tough guy masculinity, mixed with charm and charisma, fits into the action history books. We also delve into how these larger-than-life action set pieces have inspired the next wave of action stars and filmmakers.

These live shows are presented by KFMG host Ben Johnson and myself as part of the BFI’s Art of Action season, in association with the Independent Cinema Office and Film Hub South East