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No Retreat, No Surrender Movie Behind The Scenes

Making No Retreat, No Surrender

PG-13
AKA: Karate Tiger
Tonight, he either fights for his life or he'll be running for the rest of it
No Retreat, No Surrender Picture
The awsome "training montage"

Production

Go behind the scenes on the 1985 Martial Arts movie starring Kurt McKinney, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kathie Sileno, Kent Lipham

J.W. Fails, Tai Chung Kim, Ron Pohnel, Dale Jordan, Peter Cunningham, Timothy D. Baker, Gloria Marziano, Joe Vance Update Cast


We believe the following info is all legit. If it's bogus or you have additional info, please update us.

Thanks to Andrew Ellis
Another interesting point is that the Korean actor playing Sensei Lee (Kim Tai Chong) had been a double for the real Bruce Lee in his films. He couldn't speak any English so a Korean dialogue coach had to construct sentences in Korean that matched the timing of the English script. English was then dubbed over the Korean. So when we see Kurt McKinney and Kim Tai Chong talking to each other neither had a clue what the other was saying.
Thanks to Dwayne Fails
On the set of this movie, Van Damme could barely speak English.
Thanks to THIEN VO 864
Before and during filming Kurt Mckinney (Jason Stillwell) would only refer to Kim Tai Chong (Sensei Lee) as Sensei Lee on and off the set. He thought this would help his performance. Kim Tai Chong got very mad that Kurt wouldn't refer to him by his real name and because of this a fight between the two almost happened on more than one occasion while filming.
Thanks to Jeff
Star of the film Kurt McKinney recently set the record straight in an interview about a number of things, including the original name of the film, JCVD's English, his relationship with Tae-jeong Kim (they didn't almost fight), and why the sequel didn't have him or JCVD involved.

It's all available for listening right here



Next Section: Deleted Scenes

Deleted Scenes

There are often scenes cut from the final version of a movie. Sometimes these will have been seen by preview audiences, or be included in Blu-ray or DVD extras etc.




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Next Section: Alternate Versions

Alternate Versions

Sometimes, there will be several versions of a movie floating about on cable, tv or video etc. Other times, a Director may release a special cut of the movie on Blu-ray or DVD.

The following versions of No Retreat, No Surrender are apparently real. If you disagree or have additional info, please update us.

Thanks to Trent Davidson
There are two versions of NO RETREAT NO SURRENDER out there. I don't know what the US version is like, but I have seen both the UK & Australian versions. The UK version adds a scene where Jason & Kelly go up to the top of the Space Needle in Seattle but delete a few others of which I forget.

The Australian one subtitled: "Complete and Uncut version" contains everything except for this scene where Jason & Kelly are at the Space Needle. The soundtrack is also different between the two.

The British one has a slow version of the title song and try-hard oriental music, whereas the Australian one has a mainly synthesizer try-hard "BEVERLEY HILLS COP" style of music and an excellent version of the title track whatever its called "Hold on to that vision in your eyes". The SILVA Screen CD has the UK version music as I bought it excitedly hoping it was the AUS version, how disappointed I was!

If you have a choice between the two go the Aussie version (hopefully this is the same as the US one, if not the rest of the world is missing out on a classic film soundtrack).

Update: John wrote in to say that the US and Australian versions run over 10 minutes longer than the UK version. The US and Australian version has one rock tune called 'Hold on to that Vision' by Kevin Chalfont, but the rest of the music and sound effects are just generic tones and other sounds taken from 70s kung-fu movies, which is just awful.

The UK version was edited and rescored in 1986 for the UK audience adding a more rock orientated score and changing the main tune to Joe Torono's - 'Stand on Your Own'.

Now, I love the Kevin Chalfont song, but one song is not enough for a movie. The scene where Scott saves his dad is a good example of how a good score can lift a scene and the UK version's is way better.

The end fight in the UK version also has all the crappy bits taken out, like the Bruce Lee spliced memory segments which utterly slow the pacing.
Thanks to Dennis
As quoted, yes indeed the Australian version is better. It features the title soundtrack sung by Kevin Chalfont (of 707, Storm AOR Rock group). The title is known as "Hold On To Your Vision".
Thanks to Anthony Goodman
The Australian version and the UK version use different people for dubbing Bruce Lee, the Australian version is laughably bad, however the UK version uses someone who sounds very similar to whoever did Bruce Lee's own movies.
Thanks to Matthew gibb
I have both the Australian and USA version. The US version features a different intro scene and music, has some scenes in a different order entirely to the Australian version and no music during the final fight scene.

The scene with Jason and Kelly at the space needle Is Intact.

Both the Australia and USA versions have footage the other does not.
Australian version does not show Jason meeting Kelly in his house and all the footage from inside the Seattle dojo change room.

The scene with the plane landing with the new York organised crime syndicate is not shown. Instead footage of a plane Leaving the Seattle airport is shown.

The USA version does not have the after fight interview with Ian reilly or the scene with ian in his gym being confronted by the organised crime boss and thug threatening him.
Thanks to Anonymous
There are several different versions of this movie:

In some versions there is a scene where Jason's dad lies in the hospital and remembers having seen/knowledge of JCVD character from before. And there is a scene where Jason and his Girlfriend are in the space needle, that is often cut away. There was also a scene where RJ and fatboy had an altercation in the school cafeteria. Which supposedly was cut. According to the guy who played fatboy.



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