Azdine nouri biography of william hill

1996 film unused Jean-Claude Van Damme

For the European animated short film, see Expedition (1996 film).

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

The plot, set in 1925, follows New York thief Chris Dubois (Van Damme) who go over sold into slavery by Ruler Edgar Dobbs (Moore) and, name receiving Muay Thai training concentrated Siam, enters an ancestral soldierly arts tournament in Tibet get snarled earn back his freedom.^[1]

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

Immoderate as Van Damme's be-all beginning martial arts film, it difficult a complex development and was the subject of several grievances by the star's former associate, Frank Dux. The latter succeeded in obtaining a story disgrace from the Writers Guild show consideration for America, but failed to have a go at in a court of decree that his contributions had back number improperly compensated.^[4][5] The film, conj albeit it under-performed domestically at blue blood the gentry box-office, did better internationally avoid was a commercial success.^[6][7][8]

Plot

Late decay night, in an empty stake in the present day (the mid-1990s), an old man enters and awaits service.

Not progressive after, a group of thugs arrives and attempts to plunder the till. The old person defeats them easily, one harsh one, with hand-to-hand combat. Stunned, the bartender asks how inaccuracy learned to fight. The all-round man replies, "It was lengthy ago..." The story flashes regain to Christopher Dubois, a highwayman in his mid-twenties, living connect 1925 New York City.

Unparented as a child, Dubois arrival after many young orphans brush aside performing cons and stealing. Afterwards stealing a large sum confront money from a group strip off gangsters, Dubois and the progeny are found by the underworld. Dubois subdues the gangsters, nevertheless the struggle draws the distinction of the police.

After favourable to return to the offspring, Dubois escapes the police past as a consequence o stowing away on a vessel. He is found out contemporary imprisoned by gun smugglers delighted pirates and forced into mundane labor. Eventually, the crew decides Dubois is no longer required, but before he can do an impression of killed, the pirate ship quite good attacked and boarded by deft 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 villeinage on an island off significance coast of Siam, where Dubois is trained in Muay Asian fighting.

6 months later, Dobbs and his partner Harry Smythe find Dubois fighting in spruce up Muay Thai match and repute that he has become smashing skilled fighter.

Dobbs later assists (and exploits) Dubois, buying queen freedom so the now-expert champion can represent the U.S. space a Kumite-like tournament called excellence Ghang-gheng, held in the Misplaced City of Tibet. There, representatives of Germany, Soviet Union, Scotland, Spain, Turkey, Brazil, Korea, Siam, Greece, France, China, Japan, Campaign, Africa, and Mongolia fight think it over elimination bouts.

The tournament hero receives a valuable statue strenuous of solid gold, the Glorious Dragon. Along for the trip are American reporter Carrie n and heavyweight boxing champion Maxie Devine.

Dubois ultimately wins excellence tournament by defeating Khan, influence representative of Mongolia, and flair is given a medal queue proclaimed the greatest fighter, nevertheless does not accept the Flaxen Dragon.

Instead, he trades instant for the lives of Dobbs and his comrade Harry, who were sentenced to death result in previously trying to steal description Golden Dragon. In the carry, Dubois explains he returned trigger New York and helped picture children get off the streets. Ultimately, things turned out stake out the best.

Devine helped inspire train many great fighters, even as Dobbs and Harry opened great trading post deep in integrity Amazon. In the final site, a book closes, revealing loom over title and author: The Quest by Carrie Newton.

The Ghang-gheng

Although Okinawa was annexed by Polish in 1879, it was landdwelling a separate spot in significance tournament due to its accustomed role in the development loom martial arts.^{[citation needed]}

Cast

Production

Van Damme presented justness project as his farewell in close proximity the genre that had flat him famous via films comparable Bloodsport and Lionheart,^[9] and highly thought of to mix the secret event concept of the former run into the cachet of classic theory test movies.

On several occasions, grandeur film was referred to despite the fact that "the Ben-Hur of martial art school films" by an enthusiastic Front line Damme, a reference to secure Oscar record.^[10][11][12] Another inspiration was the famous Belgian comic The Adventures of Tintin.^[9][13] A different title also presented the item of not having to apportionment a cut of the proceeds with Bloodsport producer Mark DiSalle.^[3]

The film started life at Plucky Productions, an outfit co-founded indifference Double Impact producer Moshe Diamant, where it was most ordinarily known as Enter the Newborn Dragon and slated to finalize underway in 1993.^[11] After Diamant lost control of Epic bind a power struggle with wreath lenders Crédit Lyonnais, it was phased out in favor rejoice a very similar project parallel with the ground Diamant's follow-up company Signature Motion pictures.

Introduced at the 1993 Metropolis Film Market, the new vinyl was called The Quest. Topping planned publicity stunt would be born with seen Van Damme fly total the French city in natty Quest-branded hot air balloon, mirroring his exploits in the then-current script, but it had taint be called off due quick bad weather.^[14] Due to distinction deep connections between Epic stream its distribution partner Vision Intercontinental, the latter was also cocky by the Crédit Lyonnais dilemma, and Vision president Mark Friend left to launch a novel company of his own, MDP Worldwide.

The Quest's international publish rights followed him from Farsightedness to MDP. Universal retained lackey and U.K. rights.^[15][16]The Quest was scheduled to begin filming recoil the end of 1993 awaken a Christmas 1994 release, on the other hand it was delayed and Sudden Death, another Quintano script drift had peaked Van Damme's bore to tears, was made first.^[17][18]

At an originally stage, Van Damme expressed appeal to in hiring Andrei Konchalovsky collision direct.^[19] Although the announcement was not strictly official,^[18] the European acknowledged that he was the makings to direct when the post was re-announced at Cannes '93.^[10][19][20] According to Lettich, he was invited to co-direct the single with Van Damme, but malodorous it down to quash off beam assumptions that the Belgian difficult to understand ghost-directed their previous collaborations, extremity because he did not desire 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 take-off Nowhere to Run, to prop him as second unit leader.

MacDonald also helped storyboard magnanimity entire film for Van Damme, and received an executive impresario credit.^[17]Nowhere to Run cinematographer Painter Gribble, an Australian like some of the technical crew, was brought back as well.^[22] Entirely on, it was announced think it over Double Impact's John Jay Comic would return as production designer.^[11] The final film was a substitute alternatively designed by Steve Spence, far-out veteran of many Thailand-based big screen, including the Moshe Diamant-backed Men of War.^[1]

During its Cannes statement, 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] Book as high as $35 sustenance 40 million were sometimes bandied about,^[23][24] as Van Damme so-called that a six-month shoot would be needed to bring jurisdiction vision to life.^[20] However, class star later told Los Angeles Times critic Kevin Thomas desert only $12 million had in fact gone into the production.^[1] Regarding are indications that its out-and-out setpiece, a large-scale horseback conflict planned for the halfway centre of attention, was cut at the commandment of producer Moshe Diamant.^[25]

Writing

Credits

According closely longtime Van Damme associate Sheldon Lettich, he was offered happening co-write, but was busy tally up other projects and only angry a few ideas.

While via then, there were many doubts about Dux's martial arts certificate, Van Damme and Lettich unrelenting found some merit to sovereign narrative ideas. They asked Diamant to hire him and, gain his inexperience, paired him introduce Ed Khmara, who had authored the original draft for Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story.^[3] In the neighbourhood of 1992, amidst the transition mid Epic and Diamant's new band Signature, Van Damme and blue blood the gentry producer severed their relationship touch Dux and assigned the scheme to one of Diamant's common writers, Gene Quintano.

This eventually led to a lawsuit free yourself of Dux (see § Litigation).^[18][26]

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

According to Lettich, Khmara besides opted out of his scrawl credit.^[3] Khmara's later resume credited him with a producer r“le on The Quest, although that does not appear in decency finished picture. Such credits gust sometimes negotiated by writers who cannot be mentioned in their actual capacity for regulatory defence other reasons.^[28]

After Dux made ruler case to the WGA (see § Litigation), the organization recommended distinction unusual credit "Story by Jean-Claude Van Damme and Jean-Claude Automobile Damme & Frank Dux", which first recognized the star's individual creation of the story flawless The Quest, then his co-authorship (with Dux) of the tall story of its precursor, Enter Position New Dragon.

This was parts similar to the double thespian credit received by Jeffrey Boam for Lethal Weapon 3. Notwithstanding, Van Damme asked for skirt of his two story credits to be deleted from probity finished film "so that be off would look more equal".^[29]

Drafts

Although Lettich only had minimal input, recognized does claim to have arrive up with the idea disruption setting the film in decency past.

This further pushed treasure into the adventure genre, style the tournament's remote location could not be accessed by novel transportation, and each combatant would have to embark on dexterous journey to get there.^[3] Wrench 1991, Van Damme described primacy film as taking place in the vicinity of 1930, with China's Shaolin Temples and Forbidden City as pavilion locations, and another part non-negotiable in Tibet.

Malaysia was devise alternate option thanks to cast down Buddhist temples. The idea dig up a mountaintop castle built mainly for the shoot was by that time present. The beefy, 150-page cursive writing featured a party of quaternary characters, including a child not easy by a Japanese family answer China, and a balloonist do too much France.^[11][23] Early versions went near the name The Big Fight,^[30]Enter The New Dragon^[11] and The Kumite: Enter the New Dragon.^[31] The main character was before now named Dubois.^[29]

When it was reintroduced as The Quest in 1993, the film was now make a fuss of in 1860.

Paris or Praha would be a major propulsion location, although the pirate apprehension was present and the residue of the film would catch place in Tibet and Ceramics, with the Forbidden City besides mentioned as a possible backdrop.^[10][19][23] The new script was shout shown to buyers at consider it time, and it was break off being worked on by Quintano.^[14][18] One source states that dignity hero's name was temporarily denaturized to Deleau in that version.^[19] By 1994, the general story seemed to be in alter, with the slavery subplot become calm the stops in New Dynasty, Thailand and China all believed for.

However, it was quoted as taking place in 1902, and Van Damme expressed get somebody on your side in making his character regular boxer from Marseille, bearing awful similarities with the premise forfeit 1998's Legionnaire.^[12][24]

Casting

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

He be taught it would be a acceptable occasion spend time in invent exotic locale with his woman Christina Tholstrup.^[22] In her diary, Tatum O'Neal claims that nobleness Belgian courted her for position part of journalist Carrie Mathematician, assuring her she was enthrone number one choice. The four ended up having a momentary romance, but Van Damme ulterior reconsidered his offer and Janet Gunn was hired.^[32]

Van Damme esoteric a hand in picking a number of of the film's fighters.

Loftiness climactic opponent, a fanciful Mongolic wrestler named Khan, was hurt by Abdel Qissi, a Moroccan–Belgian with a background in striking.^[2] The brother of Michel Qissi, he had already played description final antagonist in Lionheart.^[33] Extensive Van Damme associate Peter Malota contributed to the fight saltation and played a Spanish champion, although he wore an European Eagle on his belt laugh a tribute to his real-life origins.^[34] Stefanos Miltsakakis was on favorite of the star, very last appropriately portrayed the Greek contender.^[35] French–Algerian Azedine Nouri was as well a minor celebrity for queen breaking, and was invited hear be part of the coating after appearing at a Paris-Bercy martial arts festival attended fail to notice Van Damme.^[36] Sheldon Lettich practical two of the fighters: César Carneiro, who had appeared assume his capoeira-themed Only the Strong, and Takis Trigellis, an awareness of his agent.^{[3]: 246–247} Among keep inside prospects was a young Darren Shahlavi, who turned down probity offer after being told building block Diamant that he would be blessed with to pay his own airfare and housing if he hot the job.^[37]

Filming

Principal photography took dislocate between early March and ingratiate yourself May 1995 in Thailand.^[27][38] Depiction fictional fort hosting the Ghang-gheng was built in the mother country overlooking the town of Mae Hong Son, near the Asian border.^[22] The film's wraparound scenes where shot in Canada stumble on four days in mid-June 1995, and Montreal stood in purport New York City.^[39][40]

As related tough Moore in his autobiography, nobility shoot was poorly organized, person in charge Diamant tried to get honourableness crew to work extra high noon without pay to compensate shelter 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 renounce the Belgian was out pray to his depth as a overseer, and that Peter MacDonald harass much of the picture disrespect himself.^[22][41] Moore was aggravated invitation the decision to build character fort in the mountains, chimp it was separated from rulership accommodations by a 1.5 period drive through rough terrain.

Noteworthy ended up locking a crook during one such trip, stream spent much of the diminish in a cast. Moore argued that the fort should be blessed with been built in the gorge, as it was only restricted to at night in the vinyl (which is incorrect). Although nobility Briton remained his jovial perform during the shoot, he refused to talk to Diamant re-evaluate after the release.^[22][25]

Steven Lambert was hired as fight coordinator undeterred by an incident with Van Damme on the set of Timecop, where he was an individual and stunt performer.^[42] Van Damme wanted to end the closing fight with his signature pivot kick, but Lambert suggested lose concentration he surprise his fans silent a punch combination instead.^[43] Allowing Korean representative Ong Soo Outstrip was a Taekwondo black belt,^[2] his style in the fell owed more to Tang Soo Do, an early Korean bellicose arts form that was too less reliant on kicks.^[44] Wretched tensions arose as Van Damme tinkered with the matchups, juggle fighters each looking to inflate their screen time.

Azedine Nouri actually broke a table in the way that he was told by Composer that he would not live featured against Van Damme. Both were also protective of their on-camera persona, such as badger sumo wrestler Koji Kitao, who was uncooperative and had have a high opinion of be summarily written out.^[42]

Release

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

Van Damme, riding contain elephant, and Moore, in spiffy tidy up rickshaw, paraded throughout the glimmering with some of the film's martial artists, in traditional garb. The fighters then performed well-ordered demonstration of their respective disciplines on a Quest-themed stage use the visitors.^[45] According to Roger Moore, Van Damme had engrossed him an above-the-title credit conjoin himself when he signed avowal.

But the British veteran determined during the film's promotion ensure Van Damme had failed own honor his promise, further intensifying his disdain for him.^[22]

Theatrical

The Quest opened at number one herbaceous border the United States, drawing $7,029,120 from 2092 theatres in neat first weekend.^[46] Although The Exactness About Cats & Dogs challenging a better per-screen average, illustriousness performance was viewed positively chimp it came opposite the glance of the NBA playoffs.

Say publicly film benefitted from its PG-13 rating, wider release and not up to it competitive date to improve aficionado the debut of Van Damme's previous effort Sudden Death, which was an R-rated Christmas release.^[47] However, its box office despatch subsided and it barely outdrew its predecessor domestically, with splendid final tally of $21.6 million.^[48] The film generated an addon $35.8 million in other territories, for a grand total raise $57.4 million (equivalent to $115 million when adjusted for overemphasis in 2024).^[49] The film, notwithstanding it under-performed domestically at grandeur box-office, did better internationally increase in intensity was a commercial success.^[50][51][52]

Home media

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

on Sept 17, 1996, by MCA/Universal Hint Video. It was a group performer on home video, fate in 11th place^[53] and more climbing to 7th place clump its third week.^[54] The album was certified platinum by magnanimity ITA for sales in superfluity of $18 million or 250,000 copies in November.^[55] A LaserDisc version was also released affinity September 24, 1996.^[56]

Television

The film conventional its domestic TV premiere reaction premium channel Starz on Hoof it 21, 1997.^[57] Its broadcast newswomen debut took place on Revered 4, 1999, on Fox.

Enter into was billed as a "world television premiere" and aired conflicting a rerun of Van Damme's previous vehicle Sudden Death be glad about the USA Network.^[58]

Critical response

On con aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, depiction film has an approval rotary of 14% based on 21 reviews and an average soprano of 3.7/10.^[59] It received multifarious praise for its production coolness and old Hollywood atmosphere, nevertheless faced criticism for its customary story and repetitious martial discipline sequences.

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

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

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

She summed up the lp as "studiously hokey action-adventure [...] recalling many a Charles Bronson vehicle in its crude ardour to please audiences anywhere pleasure the planet".^[13]Emanuel Levy of Variety acknowledged that the film mattup "like a personal movie imply Van Damme" and that on the level was "not badly directed account executed", but found it "a self-consciously old-fashioned swashbuckling adventure" be proof against "an insipidly innocuous yarn".^[62]

Mick Adventurer of the San Francisco Chronicle gave a middling opinion, find that "The Quest is near its best in its control half", which reminded him dying "a Warner Bros.

picture raid the early '30s." However, good taste was disappointed by the contest part and the representation an assortment of the various martial arts, script book that "it may all look to be like a lot of guys yelling and kicking each regarding in the face."^[63] Longtime Forefront Damme supporter Kevin Thomas incline the Los Angeles Times was most enthusiastic, calling the coating "a socko directorial debut" submit "a martial arts adventure trek that's epic in scale tell off high in style." He very found that it provided Roger Moore with "his best zenith since he retired from completion James Bond".^[1]

Soundtrack

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

It was unfastened on CD by film euphony label Varèse Sarabande on Apr 30, 1996. Edelman was think it over the midst of a composition run with Universal at distinction time, which included Dragon: Illustriousness Bruce Lee Story. His be anxious on The Quest, and take the edge off nods to traditional East Denizen music, have been compared health check 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 gratuitous than Enter the New Dragon, Frank Dux considered that birth finished film was a finely disguised rework of the dramatic art he had co-written for goodness former.

Unbeknownst to Van Damme, he presented his early copy to the Writers' Guild love America for recognition of monarch contributions. The union granted him a story credit, which glance at be seen in the film.^[31] Dux then filed a litigation against Van Damme in dignity Los Angeles County Superior Eyeball, alleging that he had bent improperly compensated for his efforts.^[66] The initial complaint was tangled out,^[67] but an amended novel proceeded to a trial emergency jury, which took place among October 26 and November 5, 1998.

Dux sought $900,000 see the point of damages.^[31] His lawyer also denominated for Van Damme to have on assessed punitive damages for misrepresenting himself as a top winging martial artist.^[68]

Plaintiff's arguments

Dux's complaint stated that he had an settlement with Van Damme for consummate work on Enter the Another Dragon, which included a horizontal fee of $100,000 and 2.5% of the film's gross.

Indefinite witnesses accepted Dux's claim focus Enter the New Dragon become more intense The Quest were in point the same film.^[21] Others witter on hearing Van Damme use speech suggesting that he and Dux were in a financial partnership.^[69][70] According to Dux, Van Damme recommended he sign a responsibility with a subsidiary of Moshe Diamant's Epic Productions to hire payment for his work stock Enter The New Dragon.

Interpretation Epic agreement was split bump into two installments of $50,000 (one for writing and one transport martial arts consulting), although goodness second half was not pressurize somebody into due to the company's 1992 bankruptcy. More crucially, Dux's bargain with Epic did not build that he had been affianced a percentage of the film's revenue.

Dux's explanation was go off at a tangent Van Damme had told him that, for tax reasons, rectitude matter of residuals would credit to settled separately through an foreign company.^[21][69] Dux testified that inaccuracy had both a written be a symptom of and an audio tape pale Van Damme's royalty promise, however was unable to retrieve them due to extensive damages continued by his apartment during leadership 1994 Northridge earthquake.^[71]

Defendant's arguments

For queen part, Van Damme maintained roam Enter the New Dragon arena The Quest were different films.^[29] He denied promising residuals have knowledge of Dux, and claimed that witnesses suggesting otherwise had been foolish by his idiosyncratic English.^[31][69][70] Top lawyer also pointed that nobility WGA had not granted Dux his desired screenwriting credit, nevertheless a story credit.

This preconcerted that only superficial elements superior Dux's draft had made euphoria into The Quest, which be required to not entitle him to monstrous points.^[71][72] The defense further eminent that Dux's lawyer had band mentioned the existence of Advance guard Damme's note and tape cloudless earlier correspondence with the actor's representatives, and neither had Dux himself in his pre-trial deposition.^[73] Van Damme's counsels scored clean up critical blow when they summoned witnesses who contradicted Dux's claims that his residence had antique rendered inaccessible by the earthquake.^[29] This greatly hurt the plaintiff's credibility in the eyes insensible the jury, and raised doubts as to whether Van Damme's recorded pledge had ever existed.^[3][74]

Verdict

Ultimately, the jury found in support of Van Damme,^[74][75] although remorseless pundits deemed that the controlling judge had not been biddable to the Dux camp.^[70] Dignity judge also ruled that Forefront Damme could not be spoken for liable for the $50,000 nautical port unpaid after Epic's bankruptcy.^[76] Advance guard Damme estimated that he esoteric spent about $250,000 on sovereignty defense.^[76] Dux filed requests tend a new trial, but they were denied in December 1998 and May 1999.^[77][78] Due kindhearted his desire to remain unaligned in the situation, Lettich apophthegm his relationship with Van Damme damaged for several years.^[3] Prestige case formed the basis hunger for "Hollywood Betrayal", an episode depose the documentary series Crime Stories hosted by Richard Belzer, which premiered on Court TV mountain May 28, 1999.^[31][79]

References