{"id":30917,"date":"2019-04-09T15:43:14","date_gmt":"2019-04-09T19:43:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=30917"},"modified":"2019-04-09T15:49:00","modified_gmt":"2019-04-09T19:49:00","slug":"showdown-1993-special-collectors-edition-blu-ray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2019\/04\/09\/showdown-1993-special-collectors-edition-blu-ray\/","title":{"rendered":"Showdown (1993): Special Collector\u2019s Edition [Blu-Ray]"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Billy Blanks was one of the archetypal straight to video action stars of the nineties, he was one of those men with a ton of charisma and appeal who never quite found his niche in American cinema. He managed to be pushed in to the gallery of people like Jeff Speakman, Roddy Piper, and Don \u201cThe Dragon\u201d Wilson (no disrespect to those gentlemen), but always deserved so much more. He was relegated to a ton of straight to video action and genre titles eventually becoming a fitness guru for his Tae Bo program. It\u2019s a shame because Blanks does have a very good on screen presence and could have likely launched in to the blockbuster fold alongside contemporaries like Wesley Snipes.<\/p>\n

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Ken has just moved from Kansas with his mother after getting in to trouble; after meeting Julie, he\u2019s unaware that her boyfriend Tom is very possessive of her. Tom is learning karate from Lee, a sensei whose brother was killed by a rookie cop named Billy. Billy has since then become the janitor of the school that Ken, Julie and Tom go to. When Ken gets beaten up by Tom for talking to Julie, and becomes the victim of his and his friends\u2019 violent harassment, Billy helps Ken by teaching him how to defend himself. This eventually culminates in to a battle between student vs. student, and sensei vs. sensei, all in the backdrop of an illegal martial arts competition.<\/p>\n

One of Blanks\u2019 many nineties gems was what is quite simply a cheesy but fun \u201cKarate Kid\u201d clone that takes all the eighties out of the original article and injects pure nineties energy in to it. In 1993, America was still coming down from \u201cHome Alone\u201d and \u201cKarate Kid\u201d so every studio were busy trying to cash in on either or both properties. \u201cShowdown\u201d is a \u201cKarate Kid\u201d clone in every sense of the word with a lot less charismatic stars, save for Blanks. Blanks is pretty much the heart and soul of \u201cShowdown\u201d and one of the main reasons to check it out. Also there\u2019s the fact that Robert Radler\u2019s action thriller is pure straight to video, video store fodder.<\/p>\n

So much so that the experience doesn\u2019t quite feel complete without popping the big black VHS out from the transparent plastic case. And if you think the movies can\u2019t get any more nineties, there are even supporting performances from young Christine Taylor as the film\u2019s answer to Elisabeth Shue, John Asher as the goofy comic interest, and Brion James and Patrick Kilpatrick pulling bad guy duties. It\u2019s goofy, occasionally silly, and garners a ton of campy training montages, but in the mindset of 1993, \u201cShowdown\u201d is a ton of fun. Even without the nostalgia goggles on, it\u2019s solid action fodder.<\/p>\n

As with all MVD Rewind Collection titles, the keep case has a full color mini-poster for the film. The Blu-Ray features The Making of Showdown<\/strong>, a ninety minute very in depth piece that covers all the nuances of the film\u2019s development and production, including cast and crew interviews, talks with various members of the production, and some back story behind the development. The Fights of Showdown<\/strong> is yet another very in depth and exhaustive forty six minute segment that explores the choreography of the film, and includes interviews with the cast, and breaks down core fight scenes. Billy Blanks: Martial Arts Legend<\/strong> is a fourteen minute interview with the star of \u201cShowdown,\u201d who discusses making the movie and his career. Robert Radler: Portrait of a Director<\/strong> is a twelve minute discussion with the director who talks about his background in documentaries, and his association with the production. Finally, there\u2019s a Behind the Scenes Gallery<\/strong>, and an Artwork Gallery<\/strong>.<\/p>\n