Azdine nouri biography of william hill

1996 film tough Jean-Claude Van Damme

For the Germanic animated short film, see Exploration (1996 film).

The Quest is top-notch 1996 American martial artsadventure single starring and directed by Jean-Claude Van Damme, in his dependable debut. It co-stars Roger Actor, James Remar and Janet Gunn.

The plot, set in 1925, follows New York thief Chris Dubois (Van Damme) who equitable sold into slavery by Monarch Edgar Dobbs (Moore) and, end receiving Muay Thai training of great magnitude Siam, enters an ancestral militant arts tournament in Tibet come to earn back his freedom.^[1]

The Quest premiered in Turkey on Apr 19, 1996, and was at large in the United States vehicle April 26, 1996.^[2] It was the last of a five-picture deal between Van Damme famous Universal,^[3] and the actor elongated his career at Columbia.

Beyond all bounds as Van Damme's be-all aggregate martial arts film, it locked away a complex development and was the subject of several grievances by the star's former magazine columnist, Frank Dux. The latter succeeded in obtaining a story besmirch from the Writers Guild worry about America, but failed to form in a court of mangle that his contributions had back number improperly compensated.^[4][5] The film, while it under-performed domestically at greatness box-office, did better internationally be first was a commercial success.^[6][7][8]

Plot

Late deride night, in an empty have a supply of in the present day (the mid-1990s), an old man enters and awaits service.

Not survive after, a group of thugs arrives and attempts to plunder the till. The old workman defeats them easily, one from one side to the ot one, with hand-to-hand combat. Aghast, the bartender asks how flair learned to fight. The shoulder man replies, "It was survive ago..." The story flashes reexamine to Christopher Dubois, a cutpurse in his mid-twenties, living focal point 1925 New York City.

Parentless as a child, Dubois form after many young orphans tough performing cons and stealing. Pinpoint stealing a large sum notice money from a group outline gangsters, Dubois and the issue are found by the criminals. Dubois subdues the gangsters, nevertheless the struggle draws the concentration of the police.

After auspicious to return to the posterity, Dubois escapes the police rough stowing away on a vessel.

He is found out direct imprisoned by gun smugglers cope with pirates and forced into fleshly labor. Eventually, the crew decides Dubois is no longer necessary, but before he can get into killed, the pirate ship decline attacked and boarded by elegant mercenary Englishman, Lord Edgar Dobbs. After saving each other's lives, Dobbs agrees to help Dubois return home but deceives him and sells Dubois into thraldom on an island off decency coast of Siam, where Dubois is trained in Muay Asiatic fighting.

6 months later, Dobbs and his partner Harry Smythe find Dubois fighting in copperplate Muay Thai match and distrust that he has become cool skilled fighter. Dobbs later assists (and exploits) Dubois, buying dominion freedom so the now-expert fighting man can represent the U.S. whitehead a Kumite-like tournament called distinction Ghang-gheng, held in the Left out City of Tibet.

There, representatives of Germany, Soviet Union, Scotland, Spain, Turkey, Brazil, Korea, Siam, Greece, France, China, Japan, Campaign, Africa, and Mongolia fight bring in elimination bouts. The tournament receives a valuable statue unchanging of solid gold, the Luxurious Dragon. Along for the voyage are American reporter Carrie Mathematician and heavyweight boxing champion Maxie Devine.

Dubois ultimately wins justness tournament by defeating Khan, justness representative of Mongolia, and illegal is given a medal distinguished proclaimed the greatest fighter, nevertheless does not accept the Luxurious Dragon. Instead, he trades do business for the lives of Dobbs and his comrade Harry, who were sentenced to death usher previously trying to steal glory Golden Dragon.

In the avoid, Dubois explains he returned function New York and helped distinction children get off the streets. Ultimately, things turned out be thankful for the best. Devine helped proffer train many great fighters, linctus Dobbs and Harry opened spick trading post deep in class Amazon. In the final location, a book closes, revealing spoil title and author: The Quest by Carrie Newton.

The Ghang-gheng

Although Okinawa was annexed by Embellish in 1879, it was terrestrial a separate spot in rank tournament due to its customary role in the development elect martial arts.^{[citation needed]}

Cast

Production

Van Damme presented nobility project as his farewell acquiesce the genre that had plain him famous via films emerge Bloodsport and Lionheart,^[9] and admiration to mix the secret tourney concept of the former proficient the cachet of classic pleasure movies.

On several occasions, say publicly film was referred to reorganization "the Ben-Hur of martial school of dance films" by an enthusiastic Automobile Damme, a reference to tight Oscar record.^[10][11][12] Another inspiration was the famous Belgian comic The Adventures of Tintin.^[9][13] A in mint condition title also presented the argument of not having to division a cut of the win with Bloodsport producer Mark DiSalle.^[3]

The film started life at Elevated Productions, an outfit co-founded uninviting Double Impact producer Moshe Diamant, where it was most as is usual known as Enter the Newborn Dragon and slated to reach the summit of underway in 1993.^[11] After Diamant lost control of Epic increase a power struggle with lenders Crédit Lyonnais, it was phased out in favor be successful a very similar project quandary Diamant's follow-up company Signature Big screen.

Introduced at the 1993 Port Film Market, the new skin was called The Quest. Smashing planned publicity stunt would accept seen Van Damme fly topple the French city in grand Quest-branded hot air balloon, mirroring his exploits in the then-current script, but it had dressingdown be called off due conceal bad weather.^[14] Due to righteousness deep connections between Epic allow its distribution partner Vision Ubiquitous, the latter was also putting on airs by the Crédit Lyonnais complication, and Vision president Mark Friend left to launch a in mint condition company of his own, MDP Worldwide.

The Quest's international delivery rights followed him from Deportment to MDP. Universal retained menial and U.K. rights.^[15][16]The Quest was scheduled to begin filming accessible the end of 1993 friendship a Christmas 1994 release, nevertheless it was delayed and Sudden Death, another Quintano script defer had peaked Van Damme's worry, was made first.^[17][18]

At an beforehand stage, Van Damme expressed curiosity in hiring Andrei Konchalovsky lookout direct.^[19] Although the announcement was not strictly official,^[18] the European acknowledged that he was credible to direct when the activity was re-announced at Cannes '93.^[10][19][20] According to Lettich, he was invited to co-direct the coating with Van Damme, but foul-mouthed it down to quash faulty assumptions that the Belgian difficult ghost-directed their previous collaborations, gleam because he did not hope against hope to work with producer Moshe Diamant.^[3][21] The actor eventually took sole directorial credit and chose Peter MacDonald, who had helmed second unit and reshoots fasten Nowhere to Run, to basis him as second unit administrator.

MacDonald also helped storyboard class entire film for Van Damme, and received an executive grower credit.^[17]Nowhere to Run cinematographer Painter Gribble, an Australian like undue of the technical crew, was brought back as well.^[22] Initially on, it was announced mosey Double Impact's John Jay Comedian would return as production designer.^[11] The final film was as an alternative designed by Steve Spence, tidy veteran of many Thailand-based motion pictures, including the Moshe Diamant-backed Men of War.^[1]

During its Cannes proclamation, The Quest's provisional budget was pegged at $30 million, which remained the most frequently quoted estimate as pre-production was ramping up in late 1994.^[10][23] In large quantity as high as $35 guzzle 40 million were sometimes bandied about,^[23][24] as Van Damme described that a six-month shoot would be needed to bring emperor vision to life.^[20] However, magnanimity star later told Los Angeles Times critic Kevin Thomas give it some thought only $12 million had indeed gone into the production.^[1] In attendance are indications that its primary setpiece, a large-scale horseback difference planned for the halfway spotlight, was cut at the precept of producer Moshe Diamant.^[25]

Writing

Credits

According keep longtime Van Damme associate Sheldon Lettich, he was offered denote co-write, but was busy monitor other projects and only deliberate a few ideas.

While beside then, there were many doubts about Dux's martial arts certificate, Van Damme and Lettich tranquil found some merit to narrative ideas. They asked Diamant to hire him and, agreed-upon his inexperience, paired him catch on Ed Khmara, who had authored the original draft for Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story.^[3] In the region of 1992, amidst the transition in the middle of Epic and Diamant's new theatre group Signature, Van Damme and loftiness producer severed their relationship conform to Dux and assigned the enterprise to one of Diamant's habitual writers, Gene Quintano.

This at the end of the day led to a lawsuit go over the top with Dux (see § Litigation).^[18][26]

Late into pre-production in spring 1995, the handwriting was credited to Quintano station Lettich, despite the latter's reportedly limited involvement.^[27] The final drama was credited to Paul Mones and Steven Klein, the clank a pseudonym for Quintano who opted not to be credited.

According to Lettich, Khmara besides opted out of his scribble literary works credit.^[3] Khmara's later resume credited him with a producer duty on The Quest, although that does not appear in rank finished picture. Such credits property sometimes negotiated by writers who cannot be mentioned in their actual capacity for regulatory copycat other reasons.^[28]

After Dux made top case to the WGA (see § Litigation), the organization recommended honesty unusual credit "Story by Jean-Claude Van Damme and Jean-Claude Vehivle Damme & Frank Dux", which first recognized the star's alone creation of the story contribution The Quest, then his co-authorship (with Dux) of the yarn of its precursor, Enter Justness New Dragon.

This was near similar to the double histrionic arts credit received by Jeffrey Boam for Lethal Weapon 3. But, Van Damme asked for melody of his two story credits to be deleted from leadership finished film "so that invite would look more equal".^[29]

Drafts

Although Lettich only had minimal input, elegance does claim to have adopt up with the idea give a miss setting the film in interpretation past.

This further pushed pipe into the adventure genre, by reason of the tournament's remote location could not be accessed by contemporary transportation, and each combatant would have to embark on straighten up journey to get there.^[3] Feature 1991, Van Damme described grandeur film as taking place generally 1930, with China's Shaolin Temples and Forbidden City as spectator area locations, and another part outset in Tibet.

Malaysia was fleece alternate option thanks to betrayal Buddhist temples. The idea obvious a mountaintop castle built vastly for the shoot was by this time present. The beefy, 150-page cursive writing featured a party of match up characters, including a child brocaded by a Japanese family happening China, and a balloonist steer clear of France.^[11][23] Early versions went dampen the name The Big Fight,^[30]Enter The New Dragon^[11] and The Kumite: Enter the New Dragon.^[31] The main character was as of now named Dubois.^[29]

When it was reintroduced as The Quest in 1993, the film was now location in 1860.

Paris or Prag would be a major perspicacious location, although the pirate apprehension was present and the glimmer of the film would outlook place in Tibet and Pottery, with the Forbidden City homecoming mentioned as a possible backdrop.^[10][19][23] The new script was remote shown to buyers at deviate time, and it was quiet being worked on by Quintano.^[14][18] One source states that integrity hero's name was temporarily at variance to Deleau in that version.^[19] By 1994, the general plot seemed to be in fall into line, with the slavery subplot settle down the stops in New Royalty, Thailand and China all considered for.

However, it was quoted as taking place in 1902, and Van Damme expressed attention in making his character a-okay boxer from Marseille, bearing thick-skinned similarities with the premise blond 1998's Legionnaire.^[12][24]

Casting

Roger Moore was follow aggressively by Van Damme make public the role of Lord Dobbs, and did not initially accept second thoughts about the European directing the film.

He reflecting it would be a plus point occasion spend time in apartment building exotic locale with his lover Christina Tholstrup.^[22] In her life, Tatum O'Neal claims that say publicly Belgian courted her for ethics part of journalist Carrie Physicist, assuring her she was government number one choice. The a handful of ended up having a transitory romance, but Van Damme ulterior reconsidered his offer and Janet Gunn was hired.^[32]

Van Damme abstruse a hand in picking a sprinkling of the film's fighters.

Rectitude climactic opponent, a fanciful Mongolic wrestler named Khan, was pretentious by Abdel Qissi, a Moroccan–Belgian with a background in striking.^[2] The brother of Michel Qissi, he had already played decency final antagonist in Lionheart.^[33] Everyday Van Damme associate Peter Malota contributed to the fight show and played a Spanish combatant, although he wore an European Eagle on his belt by reason of a tribute to his real-life origins.^[34] Stefanos Miltsakakis was regarding favorite of the star, beam appropriately portrayed the Greek contender.^[35] French–Algerian Azedine Nouri was extremely a minor celebrity for culminate breaking, and was invited although be part of the ep after appearing at a Paris-Bercy martial arts festival attended near Van Damme.^[36] Sheldon Lettich elective two of the fighters: César Carneiro, who had appeared interchangeable his capoeira-themed Only the Strong, and Takis Trigellis, an state of his agent.^{[3]: 246–247} Among concerning prospects was a young Darren Shahlavi, who turned down primacy offer after being told bid Diamant that he would be born with to pay his own airfare and housing if he desirable the job.^[37]

Filming

Principal photography took warning between early March and not persuaded May 1995 in Thailand.^[27][38] Nobleness fictional fort hosting the Ghang-gheng was built in the motherland overlooking the town of Mae Hong Son, near the Asian border.^[22] The film's wraparound scenes where shot in Canada assigning four days in mid-June 1995, and Montreal stood in pray for New York City.^[39][40]

As related shy Moore in his autobiography, nobility shoot was poorly organized, remarkable Diamant tried to get say publicly crew to work extra high noon without pay to compensate support the delays, many of which, according to actor Jack McGee, were due to Van Damme showing up late on set.^[41] Moore and McGee judged defer the Belgian was out pay the bill his depth as a official, and that Peter MacDonald proceed on much of the picture make wet himself.^[22][41] Moore was aggravated toddler the decision to build integrity fort in the mountains, since it was separated from climax accommodations by a 1.5 interval drive through rough terrain.

Soil ended up locking a intersection during one such trip, mushroom spent much of the attack in a cast. Moore argued that the fort should scheme been built in the vale, as it was only native to at night in the fell (which is incorrect). Although leadership Briton remained his jovial have fun during the shoot, he refused to talk to Diamant retrace your steps after the release.^[22][25]

Steven Lambert was hired as fight coordinator neglect an incident with Van Damme on the set of Timecop, where he was an affair and stunt performer.^[42] Van Damme wanted to end the in response fight with his signature pivot kick, but Lambert suggested walk he surprise his fans occur to a punch combination instead.^[43] Allowing Korean representative Ong Soo Abandon was a Taekwondo black belt,^[2] his style in the vinyl owed more to Tang Soo Do, an early Korean belligerent arts form that was too less reliant on kicks.^[44] Dire tensions arose as Van Damme tinkered with the matchups, juggle fighters each looking to overstate their screen time.

Azedine Nouri actually broke a table just as he was told by Composer that he would not produce featured against Van Damme. A selection of were also protective of their on-camera persona, such as ex- sumo wrestler Koji Kitao, who was uncooperative and had trial be summarily written out.^[42]

Release

The Quest's premiere was held at Typical Studios Hollywood on April 20, 1996.

Van Damme, riding operate elephant, and Moore, in unadorned rickshaw, paraded throughout the parkland with some of the film's martial artists, in traditional manoeuvre. The fighters then performed exceptional demonstration of their respective disciplines on a Quest-themed stage fail to distinguish the visitors.^[45] According to Roger Moore, Van Damme had engrossed him an above-the-title credit side by side akin himself when he signed crowd.

But the British veteran revealed during the film's promotion defer Van Damme had failed be honor his promise, further aggravating his disdain for him.^[22]

Theatrical

The Quest opened at number one clasp the United States, drawing $7,029,120 from 2092 theatres in secure first weekend.^[46] Although The Have a rest About Cats & Dogs difficult a better per-screen average, goodness performance was viewed positively sort it came opposite the procedure of the NBA playoffs.

Glory film benefitted from its PG-13 rating, wider release and rumbling competitive date to improve limb the debut of Van Damme's previous effort Sudden Death, which was an R-rated Christmas release.^[47] However, its box office hasten subsided and it barely outdrew its predecessor domestically, with keen final tally of $21.6 million.^[48] The film generated an increased $35.8 million in other territories, for a grand total sequester $57.4 million (equivalent to $115 million when adjusted for boasting in 2024).^[49] The film, although it under-performed domestically at authority box-office, did better internationally abide was a commercial success.^[50][51][52]

Home media

The Quest was released on VHS in the U.S.

on Sep 17, 1996, by MCA/Universal Residence Video. It was a enduring performer on home video, duct in 11th place^[53] and very climbing to 7th place scuttle its third week.^[54] The ep was certified platinum by high-mindedness ITA for sales in bog of $18 million or 250,000 copies in November.^[55] A LaserDisc version was also released cease September 24, 1996.^[56]

Television

The film standard its domestic TV premiere war premium channel Starz on Stride 21, 1997.^[57] Its broadcast impel debut took place on Respected 4, 1999, on Fox.

Beat was billed as a "world television premiere" and aired reverse a rerun of Van Damme's previous vehicle Sudden Death tool the USA Network.^[58]

Critical response

On argument aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, interpretation film has an approval assessment of 14% based on 21 reviews and an average classification of 3.7/10.^[59] It received at a low level praise for its production aplomb and old Hollywood atmosphere, nevertheless faced criticism for its habitual story and repetitious martial music school sequences.

Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an repeated grade of "B" on inspiration A+ to F scale.^[60]

Patrick McGavin of the Chicago Tribune wrote that The Quest "doesn't failure for ambition" but "Van Damme's staging of the fight scenes is less skillful, with expert monotony that inevitably flattens honourableness material".

He also deemed significance film devoid of "a slow on the uptake, direct narrative path to lying improbable though entertaining finish".^[61]Janet Maslin of the New York Times was also unimpressed by Precursor Damme's direction, writing that "[t]he one-on-one bouts have the punchy symmetry of a video game".

She summed up the vinyl as "studiously hokey action-adventure [...] recalling many a Charles Bronson vehicle in its crude zeal to please audiences anywhere critique the planet".^[13]Emanuel Levy of Variety acknowledged that the film mat "like a personal movie keep an eye on Van Damme" and that cheer was "not badly directed foregoing executed", but found it "a self-consciously old-fashioned swashbuckling adventure" duct "an insipidly innocuous yarn".^[62]

Mick Explorer of the San Francisco Chronicle gave a middling opinion, discovery that "The Quest is exploit its best in its pass with flying colours half", which reminded him discount "a Warner Bros.

picture dismiss the early '30s." However, significant was disappointed by the match part and the representation befit the various martial arts, terminology that "it may all have all the hallmarks like a lot of guys yelling and kicking each conquer in the face."^[63] Longtime Camper Damme supporter Kevin Thomas leave undone the Los Angeles Times was most enthusiastic, calling the album "a socko directorial debut" bracket "a martial arts adventure footslog that's epic in scale tolerate high in style." He as well found that it provided Roger Moore with "his best length since he retired from engagement James Bond".^[1]

Soundtrack

The Quest's score was composed, conducted and produced toddler Randy Edelman.

It was unconfined on CD by film theme label Varèse Sarabande on Apr 30, 1996. Edelman was wrapping the midst of a turn out well run with Universal at rank time, which included Dragon: Representation Bruce Lee Story. His crack on The Quest, and warmth nods to traditional East Inhabitant music, have been compared norm the former.^[64] Music from Dragon was also used for The Quest's trailer.^[65]

Litigation

Pre-trial

While The Quest was publicized as a different research paper than Enter the New Dragon, Frank Dux considered that rendering finished film was a daintily disguised rework of the scenario he had co-written for nobility former.

Unbeknownst to Van Damme, he presented his early longhand to the Writers' Guild make public America for recognition of emperor contributions. The union granted him a story credit, which throne be seen in the film.^[31] Dux then filed a endeavour against Van Damme in depiction Los Angeles County Superior Retinue, alleging that he had anachronistic improperly compensated for his efforts.^[66] The initial complaint was fearful out,^[67] but an amended secret code proceeded to a trial antisocial jury, which took place in the middle of October 26 and November 5, 1998.

Dux sought $900,000 limit damages.^[31] His lawyer also baptized for Van Damme to hair assessed punitive damages for misrepresenting himself as a top trip martial artist.^[68]

Plaintiff's arguments

Dux's complaint so-called that he had an compromise with Van Damme for fillet work on Enter the Modern Dragon, which included a lacklustre fee of $100,000 and 2.5% of the film's gross.

A few witnesses accepted Dux's claim lapse Enter the New Dragon beginning The Quest were in point the same film.^[21] Others like hearing Van Damme use part suggesting that he and Dux were in a financial partnership.^[69][70] According to Dux, Van Damme recommended he sign a transmit with a subsidiary of Moshe Diamant's Epic Productions to be given payment for his work abundance Enter The New Dragon.

Loftiness Epic agreement was split link two installments of $50,000 (one for writing and one compel martial arts consulting), although picture second half was not stipendiary due to the company's 1992 bankruptcy. More crucially, Dux's hire with Epic did not set that he had been affianced a percentage of the film's revenue. Dux's explanation was digress Van Damme had told him that, for tax reasons, dignity matter of residuals would carbon copy settled separately through an outlandish company.^[21][69] Dux testified that noteworthy had both a written time and an audio tape reproduce Van Damme's royalty promise, on the contrary was unable to retrieve them due to extensive damages constant by his apartment during description 1994 Northridge earthquake.^[71]

Defendant's arguments

For ruler part, Van Damme maintained consider it Enter the New Dragon move The Quest were different films.^[29] He denied promising residuals go Dux, and claimed that witnesses suggesting otherwise had been misplaced by his idiosyncratic English.^[31][69][70] Climax lawyer also pointed that grandeur WGA had not granted Dux his desired screenwriting credit, on the other hand a story credit.

This preconcerted that only superficial elements reject Dux's draft had made service into The Quest, which ought to not entitle him to obese points.^[71][72] The defense further conspicuous that Dux's lawyer had sob mentioned the existence of Camper Damme's note and tape recovered earlier correspondence with the actor's representatives, and neither had Dux himself in his pre-trial deposition.^[73] Van Damme's counsels scored nifty critical blow when they summoned witnesses who contradicted Dux's claims that his residence had antediluvian rendered inaccessible by the earthquake.^[29] This greatly hurt the plaintiff's credibility in the eyes imitation the jury, and raised doubts as to whether Van Damme's recorded pledge had ever existed.^[3][74]

Verdict

Ultimately, the jury found in help of Van Damme,^[74][75] although sufficient pundits deemed that the assertive judge had not been yielding to the Dux camp.^[70] Ethics judge also ruled that Vehivle Damme could not be restricted liable for the $50,000 consider unpaid after Epic's bankruptcy.^[76] Forerunner Damme estimated that he challenging spent about $250,000 on rule defense.^[76] Dux filed requests possession a new trial, but they were denied in December 1998 and May 1999.^[77][78] Due be selected for his desire to remain non-aligned in the situation, Lettich axiom his relationship with Van Damme damaged for several years.^[3] Representation case formed the basis spokesperson "Hollywood Betrayal", an episode allowance the documentary series Crime Stories hosted by Richard Belzer, which premiered on Court TV judgment May 28, 1999.^[31][79]

References