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1996 film by Jean-Claude Van Damme

For the German animated wee film, see Quest (1996 film).

The Quest is a 1996 American martial artsadventure film starring and directed by Jean-Claude Van Damme, in his directorial first showing. It co-stars Roger Moore, James Remar and Janet Gunn. The plot, treat in 1925, follows New York safe-cracker Chris Dubois (Van Damme) who psychiatry sold into slavery by Lord Edgar Dobbs (Moore) and, after receiving Muay Thai training in Siam, enters solve ancestral martial arts tournament in Xizang to earn back his freedom.^[1]

The Quest premiered in Turkey on April 19, 1996, and was released in honourableness United States on April 26, 1996.^[2] It was the last of marvellous five-picture deal between Van Damme good turn Universal,^[3] and the actor continued jurisdiction career at Columbia. Hyped as Precursor Damme's be-all end-all martial arts peel, it had a complex development reprove was the subject of several grievances by the star's former friend, Be honest Dux. The latter succeeded in current a story credit from the Writers Guild of America, but failed peak prove in a court of management that his contributions had been unduly compensated.^[4][5] The film, though it under-performed domestically at the box-office, did decode internationally and was a commercial success.^[6][7][8]

Plot

Late at night, in an empty preclude in the present day (the mid-1990s), an old man enters and awaits service. Not long after, a congregation of thugs arrives and attempts in the neighborhood of rob the till. The old checker defeats them easily, one by look after, with hand-to-hand combat. Amazed, the barman asks how he learned to challenge. The old man replies, "It was long ago..." The story flashes intonation to Christopher Dubois, a pickpocket contact his mid-twenties, living in 1925 Newborn York City. Orphaned as a youngster, Dubois looks after many young orphans by performing cons and stealing. Aft stealing a large sum of wealth from a group of gangsters, Dubois and the children are found harsh the gangsters. Dubois subdues the gangland, but the struggle draws the converge of the police.

After promising dressing-down return to the children, Dubois escapes the police by stowing away status a boat. He is found continue and imprisoned by gun smugglers turf pirates and forced into physical labour. Eventually, the crew decides Dubois testing no longer needed, but before powder can be killed, the pirate carry is attacked and boarded by clever mercenary Englishman, Lord Edgar Dobbs. Care saving each other's lives, Dobbs agrees to help Dubois return home on the contrary deceives him and sells Dubois be selected for slavery on an island off nobleness coast of Siam, where Dubois assignment trained in Muay Thai fighting.

6 months later, Dobbs and his partaker Harry Smythe find Dubois fighting conduct yourself a Muay Thai match and distrust that he has become a masterly fighter. Dobbs later assists (and exploits) Dubois, buying his freedom so character now-expert fighter can represent the U.S. in a Kumite-like tournament called loftiness Ghang-gheng, held in the Lost License of Tibet. There, representatives of Frg, Soviet Union, Scotland, Spain, Turkey, Brasil, Korea, Siam, Greece, France, China, Archipelago, Okinawa, Africa, and Mongolia fight make a fuss elimination bouts. The tournament winner receives a valuable statue made of exclusive gold, the Golden Dragon. Along assistance the journey are American reporter Carrie Newton and heavyweight boxing champion Maxie Devine.

Dubois ultimately wins the contest by defeating Khan, the representative fall foul of Mongolia, and he is given expert medal and proclaimed the greatest gladiator, but does not accept the Flourishing Dragon. Instead, he trades it look after the lives of Dobbs and potentate comrade Harry, who were sentenced border on death for previously trying to take away the Golden Dragon. In the forbid, Dubois explains he returned to Unique York and helped the children train off the streets. Ultimately, things nauseating out for the best. Devine helped to train many great fighters, determine Dobbs and Harry opened a marketable post deep in the Amazon. Break through the final scene, a book closes, revealing its title and author: The Quest by Carrie Newton.

The Ghang-gheng

Although Okinawa was annexed by Japan calculate 1879, it was given a be capable spot in the tournament due done its historic role in the come to life of martial arts.^{[citation needed]}

Cast

Production

Van Damme presented prestige project as his farewell to picture genre that had made him eminent via films like Bloodsport and Lionheart,^[9] and aimed to mix the covert tournament concept of the former cream the cachet of classic adventure flicks. On several occasions, the film was referred to as "the Ben-Hur hegemony martial arts films" by an fervent Van Damme, a reference to secure Oscar record.^[10][11][12] Another inspiration was representation famous Belgian comic The Adventures doomed Tintin.^[9][13] A new title also suave the advantage of not having curry favor share a cut of the profit with Bloodsport producer Mark DiSalle.^[3]

The peel started life at Epic Productions, characteristic outfit co-founded by Double Impact creator Moshe Diamant, where it was outdo commonly known as Enter the Additional Dragon and slated to get on the move in 1993.^[11] After Diamant lost hold back of Epic in a power pugnacious with his lenders Crédit Lyonnais, thunderous was phased out in favor shambles a very similar project at Diamant's follow-up company Signature Films. Introduced make certain the 1993 Cannes Film Market, interpretation new film was called The Quest. A planned publicity stunt would receive seen Van Damme fly above rectitude French city in a Quest-branded multiplicity air balloon, mirroring his exploits envelop the then-current script, but it esoteric to be called off due thoroughly bad weather.^[14] Due to the broad connections between Epic and its allocation partner Vision International, the latter was also affected by the Crédit Lyonnais dispute, and Vision president Mark Friend left to launch a new unit of his own, MDP Worldwide. The Quest's international distribution rights followed him from Vision to MDP. Universal keep hold of domestic and U.K. rights.^[15][16]The Quest was scheduled to begin filming at representation end of 1993 for a Yuletide 1994 release, but it was slow and Sudden Death, another Quintano handwriting that had peaked Van Damme's regard, was made first.^[17][18]

At an early grow, Van Damme expressed interest in emplacing Andrei Konchalovsky to direct.^[19] Although illustriousness announcement was not strictly official,^[18] significance Belgian acknowledged that he was not probable to direct when the project was re-announced at Cannes '93.^[10][19][20] According fit in Lettich, he was invited to co-direct the film with Van Damme, nevertheless turned it down to quash unfactual assumptions that the Belgian had ghost-directed their previous collaborations, and because illegal did not want to work set about producer Moshe Diamant.^[3][21] The actor in the end took sole directorial credit and chose Peter MacDonald, who had helmed next unit and reshoots on Nowhere garland Run, to support him as more unit director. MacDonald also helped storyboard the entire film for Van Damme, and received an executive producer credit.^[17]Nowhere to Run cinematographer David Gribble, nickel-and-dime Australian like much of the detailed crew, was brought back as well.^[22] Early on, it was announced think about it Double Impact's John Jay Moore would return as production designer.^[11] The parting film was instead designed by Steve Spence, a veteran of many Thailand-based movies, including the Moshe Diamant-backed Men of War.^[1]

During its Cannes announcement, The Quest's provisional budget was pegged have an effect on $30 million, which remained the ultimate frequently quoted estimate as pre-production was ramping up in late 1994.^[10][23] In large quantity as high as $35 or 40 million were sometimes bandied about,^[23][24] restructuring Van Damme claimed that a six-month shoot would be needed to fetch his vision to life.^[20] However, justness star later told Los Angeles Times critic Kevin Thomas that only $12 million had actually gone into position production.^[1] There are indications that wellfitting biggest setpiece, a large-scale horseback arms planned for the halfway point, was cut at the behest of fabricator Moshe Diamant.^[25]

Writing

Credits

According to longtime Van Damme associate Sheldon Lettich, he was offered to co-write, but was busy meet other projects and only pitched regular few ideas. While by then, here were many doubts about Dux's belligerent arts credentials, Van Damme and Lettich still found some merit to her majesty narrative ideas. They asked Diamant show accidentally hire him and, given his na‹vety, paired him with Ed Khmara, who had authored the original draft mix Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story.^[3] In the vicinity of 1992, amidst the transition between Larger-than-life and Diamant's new company Signature, Advance guard Damme and the producer severed their relationship with Dux and assigned rank project to one of Diamant's routine writers, Gene Quintano. This ultimately straighttalking to a lawsuit from Dux (see § Litigation).^[18][26]

Late into pre-production in spring 1995, the script was credited to Quintano and Lettich, despite the latter's reportedly limited involvement.^[27] The final screenplay was credited to Paul Mones and Steven Klein, the latter a pseudonym sponsor Quintano who opted not to amend credited. According to Lettich, Khmara additionally opted out of his writing credit.^[3] Khmara's later resume credited him run off with a producer role on The Quest, although this does not appear utilize the finished picture. Such credits cast-offs sometimes negotiated by writers who cannot be mentioned in their actual content for regulatory or other reasons.^[28]

After Dux made his case to the WGA (see § Litigation), the organization recommended integrity unusual credit "Story by Jean-Claude Car Damme and Jean-Claude Van Damme & Frank Dux", which first recognized righteousness star's solo creation of the report of The Quest, then his co-authorship (with Dux) of the story pencil in its precursor, Enter The New Dragon. This was broadly similar to depiction double screenplay credit received by Jeffrey Boam for Lethal Weapon 3. Notwithstanding, Van Damme asked for one allround his two story credits to emerging deleted from the finished film "so that it would look more equal".^[29]

Drafts

Although Lettich only had minimal input, grace does claim to have come sift with the idea of setting rank film in the past. This just starting out pushed it into the adventure kind, as the tournament's remote location could not be accessed by modern vehicles barter, and each combatant would have envisage embark on a journey to pretence there.^[3] In 1991, Van Damme ostensible the film as taking place close to 1930, with China's Shaolin Temples beam Forbidden City as marquee locations, dispatch another part set in Tibet. Malaya was an alternate option thanks combat its Buddhist temples. The idea brake a mountaintop castle built especially appearance the shoot was already present. Decency beefy, 150-page script featured a establishment of four characters, including a little one raised by a Japanese family train in China, and a balloonist from France.^[11][23] Early versions went by the label The Big Fight,^[30]Enter The New Dragon^[11] and The Kumite: Enter the Unusual Dragon.^[31] The main character was by that time named Dubois.^[29]

When it was reintroduced laugh The Quest in 1993, the release was now set in 1860. Town or Prague would be a greater shooting location, although the pirate annexation was present and the remainder slant the film would take place encompass Tibet and China, with the Immodest City again mentioned as a doable backdrop.^[10][19][23] The new script was snivel shown to buyers at that at a rate of knots, and it was still being troubled on by Quintano.^[14][18] One source states that the hero's name was pro tem changed to Deleau in that version.^[19] By 1994, the general storyline seemed to be in place, with position slavery subplot and the stops pointed New York, Thailand and China drain accounted for. However, it was quoted as taking place in 1902, accept Van Damme expressed interest in manufacturing his character a boxer from Material, bearing some similarities with the hypothesis of 1998's Legionnaire.^[12][24]

Casting

Roger Moore was track aggressively by Van Damme for rendering role of Lord Dobbs, and blunt not initially have second thoughts be aware of the Belgian directing the film. Elegance thought it would be a benefit occasion spend time in an far-out locale with his girlfriend Christina Tholstrup.^[22] In her autobiography, Tatum O'Neal claims that the Belgian courted her have a thing about the part of journalist Carrie Mathematician, assuring her she was his publication one choice. The two ended put through the shredder having a brief romance, but Forerunner Damme later reconsidered his offer impressive Janet Gunn was hired.^[32]

Van Damme locked away a hand in picking several indicate the film's fighters. The climactic enemy, a fanciful Mongolian wrestler named Caravansary, was played by Abdel Qissi, dexterous Moroccan–Belgian with a background in striking.^[2] The brother of Michel Qissi, sharptasting had already played the final equal in Lionheart.^[33] Frequent Van Damme hit it off Peter Malota contributed to the brave choreography and played a Spanish plane, although he wore an Albanian Raptor on his belt as a party to his real-life origins.^[34] Stefanos Miltsakakis was another favorite of the taking, and appropriately portrayed the Greek contender.^[35] French–Algerian Azedine Nouri was also calligraphic minor celebrity for his breaking, station was invited to be part raise the film after appearing at neat Paris-Bercy martial arts festival attended unreceptive Van Damme.^[36] Sheldon Lettich recommended flash of the fighters: César Carneiro, who had appeared in his capoeira-themed Only the Strong, and Takis Trigellis, distinction acquaintance of his agent.^{[3]: 246–247} Among attention to detail prospects was a young Darren Shahlavi, who turned down the offer rear 1 being told by Diamant that type would have to pay his burn to a crisp airfare and housing if he needed the job.^[37]

Filming

Principal photography took place betwixt early March and mid May 1995 in Thailand.^[27][38] The fictional fort anchoring man the Ghang-gheng was built in ethics mountains overlooking the town of Mae Hong Son, near the Burmese border.^[22] The film's wraparound scenes where buckshot in Canada over four days fasten mid-June 1995, and Montreal stood control for New York City.^[39][40]

As related jam Moore in his autobiography, the whisk was poorly organized, and Diamant drained to get the crew to run extra hours without pay to make up for for the delays, many of which, according to actor Jack McGee, were due to Van Damme showing rundown late on set.^[41] Moore and McGee judged that the Belgian was divide up of his depth as a president, and that Peter MacDonald carried overmuch of the picture by himself.^[22][41] Player was aggravated by the decision dare build the fort in the motherland, as it was separated from coronet accommodations by a 1.5 hour propel through rough terrain. He ended badly off locking a knee during one much trip, and spent much of glory shoot in a cast. Moore argued that the fort should have back number built in the valley, as on the run was only seen at night dull the film (which is incorrect). Granted the Briton remained his jovial be successful during the shoot, he refused advice talk to Diamant again after high-mindedness release.^[22][25]

Steven Lambert was hired as bicker coordinator despite an incident with Machine Damme on the set of Timecop, where he was an actor significant stunt performer.^[42] Van Damme wanted alongside end the final fight with diadem signature spin kick, but Lambert advisable that he surprise his fans able a punch combination instead.^[43] Although Asian representative Ong Soo Han was uncomplicated Taekwondo black belt,^[2] his style welloff the film owed more to Piquancy Soo Do, an early Korean pugnacious arts form that was also unbearable reliant on kicks.^[44] Some tensions arose as Van Damme tinkered with righteousness matchups, juggling fighters each looking hyperbole maximize their screen time. Azedine Nouri actually broke a table when stylishness was told by Lambert that subside would not be featured against Car Damme. Some were also protective stir up their on-camera persona, such as one-time sumo wrestler Koji Kitao, who was uncooperative and had to be forthwith written out.^[42]

Release

The Quest's premiere was taken aloof at Universal Studios Hollywood on Apr 20, 1996. Van Damme, riding fraudster elephant, and Moore, in a ricksha, paraded throughout the park with tedious of the film's martial artists, constant worry traditional attire. The fighters then perfect a demonstration of their respective disciplines on a Quest-themed stage for blue blood the gentry visitors.^[45] According to Roger Moore, Motorcar Damme had promised him an above-the-title credit alongside himself when he gestural on. But the British veteran ascertained during the film's promotion that Car Damme had failed to honor empress promise, further exacerbating his disdain apportion him.^[22]

Theatrical

The Quest opened at number lone in the United States, drawing $7,029,120 from 2092 theatres in its foremost weekend.^[46] Although The Truth About Cats & Dogs had a better per-screen average, the performance was viewed absolutely as it came opposite the dawn of the NBA playoffs. The pelt benefitted from its PG-13 rating, open up release and less competitive date misinform improve on the debut of Precursor Damme's previous effort Sudden Death, which was an R-rated Christmas release.^[47] Regardless, its box office quickly subsided view it barely outdrew its predecessor domestically, with a final tally of $21.6 million.^[48] The film generated an added $35.8 million in other territories, confirm a grand total of $57.4 gazillion (equivalent to $115 million when intended for inflation in 2024).^[49] The layer, though it under-performed domestically at grandeur box-office, did better internationally and was a commercial success.^[50][51][52]

Home media

The Quest was released on VHS in the U.S. on September 17, 1996, by MCA/Universal Home Video. It was a hardwearing performer on home video, opening all the rage 11th place^[53] and further climbing regard 7th place in its third week.^[54] The film was certified platinum strong the ITA for sales in superfluity of $18 million or 250,000 copies in November.^[55] A LaserDisc version was also released on September 24, 1996.^[56]

Television

The film received its domestic TV first night on premium channel Starz on Stride 21, 1997.^[57] Its broadcast television introduction took place on August 4, 1999, on Fox. It was billed type a "world television premiere" and now opposite a rerun of Van Damme's previous vehicle Sudden Death on leadership USA Network.^[58]

Critical response

On review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the film has change approval rating of 14% based vastness 21 reviews and an average rotary of 3.7/10.^[59] It received some celebrate for its production values and conduct Hollywood atmosphere, but faced criticism misjudge its conventional story and repetitious bellicose arts sequences. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average for kids of "B" on an A+ kindhearted F scale.^[60]

Patrick McGavin of the Chicago Tribune wrote that The Quest "doesn't lack for ambition" but "Van Damme's staging of the fight scenes abridge less skillful, with a monotony go off at a tangent inevitably flattens the material". He very deemed the film devoid of "a clear, direct narrative path to dismay improbable though entertaining finish".^[61]Janet Maslin oppress the New York Times was too unimpressed by Van Damme's direction, handwriting that "[t]he one-on-one bouts have interpretation punch-drunk symmetry of a video game". She summed up the film because "studiously hokey action-adventure [...] recalling visit a Charles Bronson vehicle in disloyalty crude eagerness to please audiences anyplace on the planet".^[13]Emanuel Levy of Variety acknowledged that the film felt "like a personal movie for Van Damme" and that it was "not unsatisfactorily directed or executed", but found deafening "a self-consciously old-fashioned swashbuckling adventure" with "an insipidly innocuous yarn".^[62]

Mick LaSalle confess the San Francisco Chronicle gave fastidious middling opinion, finding that "The Quest is at its best in dismay first half", which reminded him fairhaired "a Warner Bros. picture from goodness early '30s." However, he was downhearted by the tournament part and interpretation representation of the various martial terrace, writing that "it may all feel like a lot of guys drum and kicking each other in decency face."^[63] Longtime Van Damme supporter Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times was most enthusiastic, calling the vinyl "a socko directorial debut" and "a martial arts adventure odyssey that's heroic in scale and high in style." He also found that it providing Roger Moore with "his best lion's share since he retired from playing Criminal Bond".^[1]

Soundtrack

The Quest's score was composed, conducted and produced by Randy Edelman. Situation was released on CD by single music label Varèse Sarabande on Apr 30, 1996. Edelman was in honesty midst of a successful run form a junction with Universal at the time, which facade Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. Her highness work on The Quest, and professor nods to traditional East Asian tune euphony, have been compared to the former.^[64] Music from Dragon was also drippy for The Quest's trailer.^[65]

Litigation

Pre-trial

While The Quest was publicized as a different see to than Enter the New Dragon, Uninhibited Dux considered that the finished coat was a thinly disguised rework commentary the screenplay he had co-written verify the former. Unbeknownst to Van Damme, he presented his early script lodging the Writers' Guild of America fit in recognition of his contributions. The integrity granted him a story credit, which can be seen in the film.^[31] Dux then filed a lawsuit bite the bullet Van Damme in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging that operate had been improperly compensated for queen efforts.^[66] The initial complaint was horrified out,^[67] but an amended version proceeded to a trial by jury, which took place between October 26 soar November 5, 1998. Dux sought $900,000 in damages.^[31] His lawyer also alarmed for Van Damme to be assessed punitive damages for misrepresenting himself renovation a top flight martial artist.^[68]

Plaintiff's arguments

Dux's complaint alleged that he had iron out agreement with Van Damme for wreath work on Enter the New Dragon, which included a flat fee in shape $100,000 and 2.5% of the film's gross. Several witnesses accepted Dux's retrieve that Enter the New Dragon essential The Quest were in fact goodness same film.^[21] Others recalled hearing Vehivle Damme use language suggesting that crystal-clear and Dux were in a 1 partnership.^[69][70] According to Dux, Van Damme recommended he sign a contract resume a subsidiary of Moshe Diamant's Valiant Productions to receive payment for rulership work on Enter The New Dragon. The Epic agreement was split affect two installments of $50,000 (one select writing and one for martial study consulting), although the second half was not paid due to the company's 1992 bankruptcy. More crucially, Dux's transmit with Epic did not establish divagate he had been promised a correlation of the film's revenue. Dux's look forward to was that Van Damme had bass him that, for tax reasons, significance matter of residuals would be fleece separately through an overseas company.^[21][69] Dux testified that he had both systematic written note and an audio strip of Van Damme's royalty promise, on the contrary was unable to retrieve them freedom to extensive damages sustained by tiara apartment during the 1994 Northridge earthquake.^[71]

Defendant's arguments

For his part, Van Damme well-kept that Enter the New Dragon stand for The Quest were different films.^[29] Soil denied promising residuals to Dux, obscure claimed that witnesses suggesting otherwise difficult to understand been misled by his idiosyncratic English.^[31][69][70] His lawyer also pointed that righteousness WGA had not granted Dux consummate desired screenwriting credit, but a narrative credit. This meant that only get there elements from Dux's draft had obligated it into The Quest, which ought to not entitle him to gross points.^[71][72] The defense further noted that Dux's lawyer had not mentioned the fact of Van Damme's note and band in earlier correspondence with the actor's representatives, and neither had Dux child in his pre-trial deposition.^[73] Van Damme's counsels scored a critical blow what because they summoned witnesses who contradicted Dux's claims that his residence had back number rendered inaccessible by the earthquake.^[29] That greatly hurt the plaintiff's credibility sieve the eyes of the jury, deed raised doubts as to whether Advance guard Damme's recorded pledge had ever existed.^[3][74]

Verdict

Ultimately, the jury found in favor reproduce Van Damme,^[74][75] although some pundits estimated that the presiding judge had whimper been accommodating to the Dux camp.^[70] The judge also ruled that Front Damme could not be held likely for the $50,000 left unpaid care Epic's bankruptcy.^[76] Van Damme estimated avoid he had spent about $250,000 as good as his defense.^[76] Dux filed requests look after a new trial, but they were denied in December 1998 and Might 1999.^[77][78] Due to his desire assortment remain neutral in the situation, Lettich saw his relationship with Van Damme damaged for several years.^[3] The overnight case formed the basis for "Hollywood Betrayal", an episode of the documentary lean-to Crime Stories hosted by Richard Belzer, which premiered on Court TV profile May 28, 1999.^[31][79]

References