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If you’re a diehard action cinema lover like me then I’m pretty sure that the Rambo franchise is one that is considered religion in the genre. Rambo III upon release was maligned a little due to the fact that it dealt with the Russian/Afghanistan war and the climate had changed when the film was released but one cannot deny that it is a massive crowd-pleasing salvo of 80’s bravado, bullets and testosterone with Stallone utilizing his one-man army skills to full effect. The movie is pure action bliss with several bombastic set pieces and a climax that throws everything and the kitchen sink.
I speak for many again when I say that the opening stick fighting sequence which sees a displaced John J. Rambo taking on a rather large opponent which was played by the late martial artist Harold Diamond in the arena to gather cash for a local village. The scene is brutal, weel set and the action design is ahead of its time for a scene that showcases a little something different that was seen in most martial arts movies of the day with the Indonesian art of Eskrima which encompasses the sticks as a brutal and unforgiving form of martial combat. The scene is a definite highlight, and it stands out from the rest of the action that utilizes mostly heavy weaponry and tactical vehicles.
Well get ready to revisit the 80’s and this particular sequence as veteran martial arts actors and filmmakers Stefan Chapovskiy (War Gene) and Ron Smoorenburg (Triple Threat, Bangkok Dog) are putting together a sweet little project that is going to recreate the iconic stick fighting sequence in a barrage of retro 80’s vibes. Check out the official press release and teaser poster for the project below!
NEW TEAM UP TO BRING BACK THE 80’s!
A homage to the 80’s action movie culture, Stefan Chapovskiy and Ron Smoorenburg will create an adapted stick fight scene from Rambo III. Also, they are going to film a bonus – music video (including a classic elements of the characters training), recreating the motivational vibes from back in the day.
Shooting will start in the beginning of January in Bangkok (Thailand), the same city where this scene from Rambo III was filmed. Now this project is in pre-production. The collaboration between Stefan and Ron is one of a kind as they both got the mission to bring the motivation of the 80’s back in a modern way and the same time is a tribute to the iconic old-school action movies and characters that influenced the next generations so much.
Stefan is also preparing for War Gene 2 (a sci-fi action film project inspired by movies like Aliens, Rambo and Predator), and is building towards it by exploring the action in Thailand.
Ron Smoorenburg who fought a lot of action stars including Jackie Chan, JCVD, and Tony Jaa is based over there and joined the War Gene team as a line-producer.
United by their true love and respect to the 80’s culture, the two veteran action stars are open for a possible partnership and with the support from the old-school action movie fans from all over the world and going to make the 80’s great again.
To properly pump you up and motivate you for this exciting new project, check out the original scene with Sly and Diamond below!
