Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1986
Running Times: 99 mins
Length: 2688 metres
Format: colour     35mm     70mm (blow-up)     Panavision (anamorphic)
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby     70mm 6-Track

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Twentieth Century Fox / TAFT Entertainment Pictures
Executive Producers: Keith Barish, Paul Monash
Producer: Larry J. Franco
Associate Producers: Jim Lau, James Lew
Production Supervisor: George E. Mather
Unit Production Manager: James Herbert
Production Coordinator: Mary Sutton Hallmann
Assistant Production Coordinator: Dana Miller Schornstein

SCRIPT
Script: Gary Goldman, David Z. Weinstein, W.D. Richter

DIRECTION
Director: John Carpenter
2nd Unit Director: Tommy Lee Wallace
1st Assistant Director: Larry J. Franco
2nd Assistant Director: Matt Earl Beesley

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Dean Cundey
2nd Unit Director of Photography: Steven B. Poster
Underwater Directors of Photography: J. Barry Herron, Jack Cooperman
Camera Operators: Gary Kibbe, Ray Stella
1st Assistant Camera: Clyde E. Bryan, Steve Tate
2nd Assistant Camera: Larry D. Davis
Film Loader: Stefanie Wiseman
Gaffer: Mark Walthour
Best Boys: George La Fountaine Jr, John Donnelly, Thomas Marshall
Key Grip: Ronald Cardarelli
Company Grip: Charles 'Tex' Williams
Stills: John R. Shannon
Film Technician: Eric Fiedler
Laboratory Technician: Pat Repola
Precision Cinetechnicians: Ken Dudderar, Mark Matthews
Lab: DeLuxe

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editors: Steve Mirkovich, Mark Warner, Edward A. Warschilka
1st Assistant Editor: Steven E. Ramirez
Assistant Editors: J.W. Kompare, Nancy Froelich
Apprentice Editor: David Jansen
Effects Editorial Consultant: Ronald Moore

MUSIC
Music: John Carpenter, Alan Howarth
Song: John Carpenter (Big Trouble in Little China)
Song Performed By: The Coupe de Villes (Big Trouble in Little China)
Music Editor: Scott Grusin

SOUND
Sound Recordist: Robert Renga
Sound Mixer: Thomas Causey
Boom Operators: Darcey Vebber, Joseph F. Brennan
Sound Re-Recording Mixers: Don Bassman, Kevin F. Cleary, Richard Overton
Supervising ADR Editor: Hank Salerno
ADR Editor: Bill Voightlander, Glad Pickering, Steve Rice
Assistant ADR Editor: David Poole
Sound Synthesist: Gary Macheel
Sound Effects Supervisor: William Hartman
Sound Effects Editors: David Ice, Eric Lindeman, Hal Sanders, Lenny Jennings, Pieter Hubbard
Foley Mixer: Dean Drabin
Special Sound Effects Supervisor: Anthony Milch
Special Sound Effects Editors: David A. Fechtor, Laja Holland, David Williams, Martin Dreffke, Monika Dorfman-Lightstone
Foley Artists: Gary 'Wrecker' Hecker, Alicia Stevenson

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Make Up Supervisor: Ken Chase
Hair: Susan Kalinowski
Costume Designer: April Ferry
Men's Costumer: Paul Lopez
Women's Costumer: Michele Neely
Set Costumer: Oda Groeschel

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up Effects: Steve Johnson

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects Coordinator: Joseph Unsinn
Special Effects Foremen: James Fredburg, Thaine Morris
Special Effects Technician: Randy Cabral
Chief Engineer: Charles Whiteman
Creature Shop Coordinator: David P. Kelsey
Creature Crew: Jim Kagel, Alex Felix, Craig Caton, Dale Brady, Dave Matherly, Ed Felix, Eddie Garcia, Ken Diaz, Kevin Brennan, Lesa Nielsen, Makio Kida, Mark Bryan Wilson, Roberto Carlos, Roberto Olivas, Ron Macinnes, Theresa Burkett, Wayne Strong, Mark Siegel
Chief Effects Mold Maker: Richard Ruiz
Special Effects Assistant: Stanley Amborn
Electronics: Jerry Jeffress, Robert Wilcox, Robin Dean Leyden
Puppeteer: Mark Siegel

VISUAL EFFECTS
Visual Effects Producer: Richard Edlund
Visual Effects Production Supervisor: Lynda Thompson
Special Projects Supervisor: Gary Waller
Matte Department Supervisor: Neil Krepela
Technical Animation Supervisor: Annick Thierrien
Technical Animators: Rebecca Petrulli Heskes, Samuel Recinos
Special Effects Animator: Craig Clark
Animators: Glen Chaika, Jeff Howard, Mauro Maressa, Peggy Regan
Assistant Animators: Deborah Ann Gaydos, Renee Holt, Eusebio Torres, Margaret Craig-Chang
Optical Coordinator: Mary Mason
Optical Supervisor: Chris Regan
Optical Line-Up: Brad Kuehn, Ed Jones, Mary E. Walter, Michael Backauskas
Director of Photography: Bill Neil
1st Assistant Photographer: Peter Berman
Camera Operator: Matt Beck
Optical Camera Operators: Alan Harding, Charles Cowles
Gaffer: Robert Eyslee
Grip: Patrick Van Auken
Stills: Virgil Mirano
Editor: Dennis Michelson
Art Director: George Jensen
Software Programmer: Paul Van Camp
Title Designer: Dan Curry

Boss Film Studios
Creature Designer / Creator: Steve Johnson
Creature Shop Coordinator: Dave Kesley
Creature Crew: Alex R. Felix III, Craig Caton, Dale Brady, Dave Matherly, Ed Felix, Eddie Garcia, James Kagel, Ken Diaz, Kevin Brennan, Lisa Nielsen, Makio Kida, Mark Bryan Wilson, Roberto Carlos, Roberto Olivas, Ron Macinnes, Theresa Burkett, Wayne Strong
1st Technicians: Eric Fiedler, Screaming Mad George
Chief Effects Moldmaker: Richard Ruiz
Creature Effects Moldmaker: Adam Hill
Puppeteer: Adam Hill

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: John J. Lloyd
Art Director: Les Gobruegge
Set Designers: Steve Schwartz, Craig Edgar
Design Engineer: Mark West
Set Decorator: George R. 'Bob' Nelson
Property Master: Kent H. Johnson
Assistant Property Masters: Richard Cowitt, David Evans
Construction Coordinators: John Lattanzio, Robert Scaife
Construction Foremen: Jim Davis, John Villarino, Ken Scaife, Richard Morgan
Sculptor: Mark Siegel
Production Illustrators: Edward Verreaux, Brent Boates, David Jonas
Lead Men: Donald Krafft, Larry McGuire

OTHER CREW
Script Supervisor: Sandy King
Production Accountants: Harry Kohoyda, Paulette Fine
Assistant Auditor: Gary Weddington
Production Secretary: Sandra Holden
Secretary to Producer: Christine Baer
Production Administrator: Mindy Rothstein
Production Advisor: James Nelson
Production Consultants: Artist Robinson, Linda Brachman
Production Assistants: Jon Schreiber, Sue Alpert
Assistant to Larry J. Franco and John Carpenter: Theresa Curtin
Assistant to Brian Monash: Kim-Kasey Costello
Assistant to Richard Edlund: Claire Wilson
Assistant to Ronald Moore: Allen Cappuccilli
Transportation Coordinator: Eddie Lee Voelker
Transportation Captain: Steve Duncan
Unit Publicist: Al Ebner
Marketing Supervisor: Peter J. Silbermann
Marketing Coordinator: Daniel Kwan

LOCATIONS
Locations: Marin Headlands, California, USA; San Francisco, California, USA
Los Angeles Location Manager: Steve Shkolnik
San Francisco Location Manager: John Bush

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Kenny Endoso
Stunts: Kelly Akai, T.K. Anthony, Tom Bergman, Simone Boisseree, Janet Brady, David Cadiente, Phil Chong, Chuck Clarke, Bob K. Cummings, Debbi A. Davison, Eddy Donno, Ellarye, George Endoso, Ken Fritz, Mark Giardino, Kent Hays, Jeff Imada, Bobby Itaya, Denise Kellogg, Conan Lee, Gary McLarty, Ginger K. Miyazaki, Jimmy Nickerson, Sherri Nickerson, Beth Nufer, Bill Saito, Steve Santo, Dennis Scott, Hayward Soo Hoo Leland Sun, Tamiko, Joe A. Tornatore Jr, Dick Warlock, Mike Washlake, Dean Wein, Jack S. West, Eddie Wong, Harry Wong, Joseph K. Wong
Martial Arts Choreographer: James Lew
Martial Arts Consultant: Jim Lau

CASTING
Casting: Joanna Merlin
Casting Associate: Pamela Rack

CAST
Kurt Russell (Jack Burton)
Kim Cattrall (Gracie Law)
Dennis Dun (Wang Chi)
James Hong (David Lo Pan)
Victor Wong (Egg Shen)
Kate Burton (Margo)
Donald Li (Eddie Lee)
Carter Wong (Thunder)
Peter Kwong (Rain)
James Pax (Lightning)
Suzee Pai (Miao Yin)
Chao Li Chi (Uncle Chu)
Jeff Imada (Needles)
Rummel Mor (Joe Lucky)
Craig Ng (One Ear)
June Kim (real name: June Kyoto Lu) (White Tiger)
Noel Toy (Mrs O'Toole)
Jade Go (Chinese Girl in White Tiger)
Jerry Hardin (pinstripe lawyer)
James Lew (Chang Sing #1)
Jim Lau (Chang Sing #2)
Kenny Endoso (Chang Sing #3)
Stuart Quan (Chang Sing #4)
Gary Toy (Chang Sing #5)
George Cheung (Chang Sing #6)
Noble Craig (sewer monster)
Danny Kwan (Chinese guard)
Min Luong (Tara)
Paul Lee (Chinese gambler)
Al Leong, Gerald Okamura, Willie Wong, Eric Lee, Yukio G. Collins, Bill M. Ryusaki, Brian Imada, Nathan Jung, Dan Inosanto, Vernon Rieta (Wing Kong hatchet men)
Daniel Wong, Daniel Lee (Wing Kong security guards)
Lia Chang, Diana Tanaka, Donna L. Noguschi, Shinko Isobe (female Wing Kong guards)

PLOT SUMMARY

Trucker Jack Burton accompanies his friend Wang Chi to the airport to meet Wang's fiancée from the plane. But the immortal sorcerer Lo Pan and his three invincible henchmen are pursuing the woman as she has green eyes and, therefore, magical powers.

Germany
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (Special Edition)

Spain
DVD Distributors: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment España S.A.

UK
Laserdisc Distributors: Encore (EE 1048)

USA
Theatrical Distributors: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp
Video Distributors: Fox Video
Laserdisc Distributors: Fox Video (1502-85); CBS Fox (1502-80)
DVD Distributors: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001438); Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004475)

Australia
Rating: M

Canada
Rating: 14A

Finland
Rating: K-16

France
Rating: U

Germany
Rating: 16 (special edition)

Iceland
Rating: 14 (theatrical); 16 (video)

Norway
Rating: 16 (in 1986); 15

Singapore
Rating: PG

Spain
Rating: 13

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: 15 (initially with cuts; cuts waived in 2002 for DVD release)

USA
Rating: PG-13

West Germany
Rating: 12 (w)

1987
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, USA (Saturn Awards)
Best Music (John Carpenter) - nominated

1985
October
Day Unkown: USA - filming begins

1986
January
Day Unkown: USA - filming ends

July
2: USA - theatrical release
15: Hong Kong - theatrical release

August
14: Australia - theatrical release
29: Sweden - theatrical release

September
3: France - theatrical release
4: West Germany - theatrical release
26: Finland - theatrical release
30: Norway - theatrical release

November
14: UK - theatrical release

1993
January
Day Unknown: USA - laserdisc release (Fox Video (1502-85))

1996
December
Day Unknown: UK - laserdisc release (Encore (EE 1048))

1999
November
Day Unknown: Italy - shown at the Turin Film Festival

2001
May
22: USA - DVD release (Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001438))

December
13: Germany - DVD release (Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (Special Edition))

2002
August
27: USA - DVD release (Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004475))

Some people pick the darnedest places to start a fight!

Try to find big reason before you visit world of magic...

Jack Burton's in for some serious trouble and you're in for some serious fun.

A Mystical, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Kung Fu, Monster, Ghost Story!

As aventuras de Jack Burton nas Garras do Mandarim - Portuguese title
Les aventures de Jack Burton dans les griffes du mandarin - French title
Golpe en la pequeña China - Spanish title
Grosso guaio a Chinatown - Italian title
Nagy zür kis kínában - Hungarian title
Säpinää Chinatownissa - Finnish title
Scandal în cartierul chinezesc - Romanian title
Wielka draka w chinskiej dzielnicy - Polish title

LINKS

SEE ALSO
Kozure Ôkami: Sanzu no kawa no ubaguruma (1972)
Suk san: Sun Suk san geen hap (1983)

MAGAZINES

cinema 28 August 1986 (Germany)
review

Première September 1986 p.18 (France)
review (by Jean-Philippe Guerand)

TV Filmes August 1997 p.48 (Portugal)
review (by Manuel Pereira)

NEWSPAPERS

Diário de Notícias 23 May 1999 p.63 (Portugal)
review

airports, black magic, brothels, buses, chases, chinatown, crossbows, curses, disguises, elevators, gangs, kidnapping, levitation, lightning, magic, martial arts, monsters, potions, rainstorms, reporters, spirits, the supernatural, sword fights, swords, trances, trucks, truck drivers, twist endings, underwater, weddings, wheelchairs

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009