I’m going to cut to the chase. John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China is perhaps the greatest B-movie of all time. And seeing as the celebrated cult classic observes a release date anniversary today, I am prepared to loudly and proudly sing its praises.
Big Trouble in Little China works so well because Carpenter knew precisely what kind of film he was making. He wasn’t trying to create fine art. He was far more interested in serving cinematic comfort food and I am here for it. The beloved director succeeds remarkably in delivering a rip-roaring action spectacle with a hefty helping of imagination, a killer sense of humor, and a dynamite showing from Kurt Russell as lead character Jack Burton.
Iirc it was originally about being the B reel, a secondary movie of a double feature. That came with a lower budget and thus less quality.
Think pretty much any Roger Corman movie lol. Mind you, Corman was brilliant with the budgets he had, they stand the test of time imo.
But the term has shifted to encompass anything cheesy (which big trouble is for sure), low budget, or even indie movies sometimes.
The budget wasn’t really lacking, something close to 20 mil. And it certainly had a good cast with an experienced and marketable lead. Though Cameron has said the effects budget was bare bones, which does show despite them being effective.
It was a bit of a bomb in theaters, but was massively loved in home video where it didn’t have to compete with other films as much.
And, despite it not being a B film by the original definition, it actively drew inspiration from B movies, particularly some of the kung-fu genre and horror.
It’s in my personal top twenty, even over some of the other movies released around the same time, including Aliens. It’s definitely my favourite Kurt Russell movie and character, even over Snake Plissken or his more serious stuff. Dude just chewed all the scenery and owned it.