Screenwriter Chip Proser, who wrote an unmade sequel to Big Trouble in Little China, says he doesn't like the original film. Directed by John Carpenter, Big Trouble in Little China was released in 1986 and starred Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, and James Hong. The action-comedy film follows rough-and-tumble truck driver Jack Burton (Russell) who helps his friend Wang Chi (Dun) rescue Wang's green-eyed fiancée from an ancient Chinese sorcerer and Chinatown crime lord (Hong). The two get mixed up in the dark underworld of San Francisco's Chinatown as they take on the sorcerer cursed by Emperor Qin Shi Huang to wander Earth as a ghost until he marries a woman with green eyes.
Over 30 years later, the film remains a cult classic for its wacky story, iconic quotes, and its mix of martial arts and fantasy elements. The film was originally envisioned to be a western set in the 1890s, but the script went through extensive changes, including modernizing the story. Despite its cult status now, the film has always been a point of controversy, often criticized for its racist stereotypes against Asian people. A sequel starring Dwayne Johnson is reportedly in the works, and will serve as more of a follow-up to the original rather than a remake. However, a sequel was almost made in the 90s.
Speaking with hosts Stephen Scarlata and Josh Miller of "Best Movies Ever Made" podcast, Innerspace screenwriter Chip Proser revealed that he does not like Big Trouble in Little China. Proser says he does not like the way the film was shot, calling the special effects "cheesy." Read his full comments below:
"I don’t like the movie, I don’t like the way it’s shot.... The scenes are shot in very tight close-up, one after another. And, you know, Kurt Russel in that kind of a close-up. Wow. I mean he's a good looking guy, but... there's a reason why you do an establishing shot and they move in and then close-up over the shoulder. There's a reason for that technique And then pulling out every once in a while, let the audience breathe a little bit... don't add everything up right together. Put something boring in the middle so they can go to the bathroom. And then the special effects are from the planet of the cheesy special effects. And you realize they were trying to steal Hong Kong stuff with those trampoline jumping sword fights. And they didn’t do it all that well.”
Proser went onto explain that he had two drafts of the film, one of which was dated back to January 1995. What would have been a TV film, the sequel was based on a story idea by Incredible Hulk writer Peter David, and would have seen the return of the character Egg Shen (Victor Wong), a sorcerer who drives a tour bus. Proser explained that he wanted to make a film that was "not racist," with a whole different story from the original.
The original Big Trouble in Little China is often praised by fans for being "packed" with exciting moments, so it's interesting to hear Proser's thoughts on why that's a negative quality for the movie. It's hard not to wonder what audiences would have thought of Proser's unmade sequel. Carpenter himself had some harsh words when asked about Dwayne Johnson's upcoming sequel back in 2018. While some films should be left as they are, it's clear that there are many other directions this film could go.
Source: Best Movies Ever Made
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