American fighter

Movie
German title	American fighter
Original title	American ninja
Country of production	United States
original language	English
Publishing year	1985
length	95 minutes
Age rating	FSK 16
Rod
Director	Sam Firstenberg
script	Gideon Amir Paul De Mielche Avi Kleinberger James R. Silke
production	Yoram Globe Menahem Golan
music	Michael Linn
camera	Hanania Baer
cut	Michael J. Duthie Andy Horvitch Peter Lee-Thompson Marcus Manton Marcel Mindlin Daniel Wetherbee
occupation
Michael Dudikoff : Joe Armstrong Steve James : Curtis Jackson Judie Aronson : Patricia Hickock John LaMotta : MSgt. Rinaldo Don Stewart : Victor Ortega Tadashi Yamashita : Black Star Ninja John Fujioka : Shinyuki Richard Norton : MP

American Fighter is an American martial arts and action film from 1985. Sam Firstenberg's film by the Cannon Group established the " American Ninja " (original title) Michael Dudikoff as a B-movie action star.

action

Joe Armstrong is a soldier at a US naval base in the Philippines . The only thing that interests the taciturn loner is martial arts, otherwise he shows no respect for his superiors. But then first a convoy and then the base are attacked by local rebels led by a mysterious black ninja . Armstrong courageously confronts the attackers.

As the film progresses, it turns out that Joe Armstrong himself is a ninja who has suffered from amnesia since childhood and was trained in the art of combat by a Japanese war veteran. Supported by Corporal Curtis Jackson, Armstrong begins to fight the attackers and gets on the track of the criminal machinations of his superiors who are involved in illegal arms deals.

Production and Background

• With a budget of about one million US dollars, the film grossed approximately 10.5 million US dollars at the box office.
• Originally Chuck Norris was supposed to play the leading role.
• Dudikoff and Steve James played side by side in a total of three films.
• Sam Firstenberg also directed the second part of the series.
• The film was indexed until September 2011, after a re-examination by the FSK, it was released in full from 16.
• The first release on VHS was shortened in some places despite the FSK-18 approval and indexing.

criticism

"Brutal spectacle of violence that offers bloody slaughter as the cheapest entertainment."

- Lexicon of international film

Sequels

The success of American Fighter resulted in four sequels. Michael Dudikoff and Steve James resumed their roles in the first sequel, American Fighter II . This production was again directed by Sam Firstenberg. From the third part of the series, David Bradley was staged in the title-giving lead role. In American Fighter 4 - The Annihilation both "American Fighters" appear together. Cedric Sundstrom directed these two films . The last part of the series was only produced for the video market.

Web links

• American Fighter in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• American Fighter at Rotten Tomatoes (English)
• Comparison of the cut versions FSK 18 VHS - Spio / JK DVD , BBFC 18 VHS - Spio / JK DVD by American Fighter at Schnittberichte.com

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Release certificate for American Fighter . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry , October 2011 (PDF; test number: 56 509 V).
2. ↑ American Fighter after re-examination from 16 years of age released on Schnittberichte.com from October 15, 2011
3. ↑ American Fighter at schnittbericht.php
4. ↑ American Fighter. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .