‘Bloodsport’ With Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, and Jason Concepcion
August 9, 2019 · Bloodsport (1988) · Action · Biography · Drama · 1:27:04 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes including opening credits with fighters warming up, JVD training with blindfolds and rope device, the brick-breaking invitation scene, and the first round of kumite fights montage▶ 16:35
Shea SerranoAgrees with opening credits as effective storytelling that introduces all the key characters and sets up the tournament structure▶ 18:36
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsFight scenes, Chong Li's villain characteristics (nose blowing, late 80s steroid body, celebrations, pec flexes), Van Damme's terrible acting as unintentionally entertaining, the perfect arena design, Stan Bush's 'Fight to Survive' song, and young Frank's awkward costume choices▶ 41:02
Jason ConcepcionChong Li's sinister and strange character qualities, the walled city Hong Kong setting for the secretive fighting arena, and comparing the underground walk to Kumite favorably to the Goodfellas nightclub shot▶ 42:02
Shea SerranoTournament movie structure - any movie with a tournament works because you don't have to explain much, just need a board to move names further▶ 41:44
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsThe terrible two-minute montage with bad song, Young Frank's accent and acting, and Ray Jackson's sexual harassment scene on the train▶ 52:06
Jason ConcepcionThe female reporter going undercover as a call girl and using sex as a weapon - the 70s/80s trope of how to get the female reporter involved▶ 50:56
Shea SerranoThe monkey guy and the reporter storyline, plus Ray Jackson sexually harassing the woman on the train▶ 56:38
Casting What-Ifs
Jason ConcepcionForest Whitaker — Suggests Forrest Whitaker's casting itself feels like a what-if, questioning how he ended up in the movie and speculating it might have been through personal connections▶ 57:06
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsVictor Lin — Suggested Victor Lin, considered 'point at you, point at me guy', discussed Van Damme's Speedo scene, ultimately stated 'I have no idea who wins'▶ 59:38
Shea SerranoVictor Lin — Victor Lin - 'It's got to be him. He's the only other guy I remember from the movie'▶ 59:55
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsFrank Dux's fabricated credentials (329 Kumite matches undefeated), filming location Kowloon Walled City being destroyed, Jean-Claude's seven splits in the movie, fighter knockouts being real, and Mortal Kombat taking inspiration from Bloodsport▶ 1:01:01
Jason ConcepcionFrank Dux's claims about CIA and Mossad connections, Kowloon Walled City being demolished due to crime/fire hazards, and the Karate Champ arcade game from 1984▶ 1:01:33
Shea SerranoLA Times exposé disproving Frank Dux's claims, his elaborate fake stories about fighting in different locations, and trivia about fighters including Michael Qissi playing both Swan Paredes and later Tong Po in Kickboxer▶ 1:01:21
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsDonald Gibb — Yes for Donald Gibb (though uncertain vs Revenge of the Nerds), Yes for Leah Ayers, Yes for Frank Dux▶ 1:07:08
Jason ConcepcionBolo Yeung — Agrees on Bolo/Chong Li for this movie, suggests Call of Duty Black Ops 2 for Kowloon Walled City▶ 1:08:01
Shea SerranoBolo Yeung — This movie for Bolo/Chong Li over Enter the Dragon, and Jean-Claude Van Damme's splits▶ 1:07:56
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsEveryone was too accommodating for Chong Li's finishing move - they just let him do it even when opponents weren't unconscious; questions about how gambling worked in the Kumite and how they kept track▶ 1:08:44
Shea SerranoWhy did Jean-Claude Van Damme have to prove himself by breaking the brick after he already had the invitation; Chong Li having 9 fights means there would need to be 512 people in a single elimination tournament▶ 1:10:41
Best Quote
Bill SimmonsMultiple quotes: 'Why Don't You Quit Round Eye', 'Brick not hit back', and 'I break you. I break your friend' from Bolo▶ 1:11:43
Shea SerranoThe three lines said to Chong Li: 'Tomorrow we leave for the Kumite', 'I'm going to kill you, man', and Van Damme yelling 'Sam!'▶ 1:12:47
Movies Referenced (37)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenge of the Nerds (1984) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 39:46 |
| Bad Boys (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons, Jason Concepcion | ▶ 1:18:54 |
| Best of the Best (1989) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons | ▶ 47:44 |
| Enter the Dragon (1973) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano | ▶ 6:03 |
| Sully (2016) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Shea Serrano | ▶ 24:58 |
| Alien (1979) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Jason Concepcion | ▶ 54:55 |
| Fatal Attraction (1987) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 0:23 |
| Mortal Kombat (2021) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons | ▶ 47:55 |
| Phone Booth (2002) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Shea Serrano | ▶ 55:22 |
| Rocketman (2019) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 0:05 |
| Talk to Her (2002) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 40:48 |
| The Ring (2002) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Shea Serrano, Jason Concepcion | ▶ 48:49 |
Directors Referenced (3)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janice Kent | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Jason Concepcion | ▶ 40:15 | |
| Mike Mentor | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 20:30 | |
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Shea Serrano, Jason Concepcion | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 1:19:16 |
Actors Referenced (32)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jean-Claude Van Damme | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 52 | Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, Jason Concepcion | ▶ 1:20 | |
| Frank Stallone | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 41 | Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, Jason Concepcion | Rambo: First Blood Part II | ▶ 1:13 |
| Arnold Schwarzenegger | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons, Jason Concepcion | Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Terminator | ▶ 9:21 |
| Steven Seagal | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Jason Concepcion, Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano | Under Siege 2: Dark Territory | ▶ 11:56 |
| Donald Gibb | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Jason Concepcion, Shea Serrano | Revenge of the Nerds, Bloodsport, Hancock | ▶ 13:35 |
| Conor McGregor | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons, Jason Concepcion | ▶ 1:19:55 | |
| They Might Be Giants | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano | The Adjustment Bureau, Sky High | ▶ 45:25 |
| Brock Lesnar | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 33:23 | |
| Chong Lee | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano | ▶ 16:53 | |
| Michael Caine | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano | The Dark Knight, The Cider House Rules | ▶ 5:56 |
| Bruce Lee | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons | Enter the Dragon | ▶ 1:07:57 |
| Chuck Liddell | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Shea Serrano | ▶ 56:02 |
Writers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackie Files | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 57:52 | |
| John Tobias | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Mortal Kombat | ▶ 1:07:01 |