Casting Call Issue 10: Big Trouble In Little China
Posted by Jason Chamberlain on 06.06.2007
In the new issue of Casting Call, 411's Jason Chamberlain reveals the menagerie of characters from the cult hit, Big Trouble In Little China!
Hey everyone! Welcome to the tenth issue of Casting Call. It's hard to believe I've been on staff here at 411 for over two months now! I've had a lot of fun writing my columns, reviews, and contributing to all the special features here on the site, and I hope you've enjoyed reading it all.
For my tenth column, I'm going to talk about one of my favourite films, and the menagerie of characters that populate it.
In 1986, master of horror John Carpenter released a psychedelic action film called Big Trouble in Little China. It featured Kurt Russell as Jack Burton, a blowhard truck driver who, along with his friend Wang Chi, gets caught up in the mystical underground of San Francisco's Chinatown. The movie featured a fun story, campy performances, great action, cool effects... and it tanked. It may have been a little ahead of its time, because now it has a dedicated cult following and is often cited as the best of Carpenter's oeuvre. Not only is it one of my favourite movies, but the great action scenes were a big inspiration to me in pursuing an education in the martial arts when I first saw it 11 years ago. And like any great movie, the characters are what make it unforgettable, from Jack, to Wang Chi, to the evil Lo Pan. So let's check them out.
Jack Burton (Kurt Russell)
"You know what Jack Burton always says at a time like this? Old Jack always says... what the hell."
Jack Burton.... what can you say about him? Russell gave a fantastic performance as the truck driver who thinks he's twice the man he really is. He charges down the highways in his beloved Pork Chop Express, sounding off on his radio about all sorts of manly subjects, from his multiple ex wives to bar room brawls. When his friend Wang Chi's fiancée is stolen away by a gang, he jumps right into the quest to get her back, which takes the pair beneath the streets of China Town and into the mystical lair of the evil wizard Lo Pan. At first blush you'd think Jack is exactly the kind of guy you want on your side in a situation like this, but what really makes the movie work is that it's not that predictable at all. Jack talks a great game, but he can't back it up. He's pretty useless in a fight, can barely fire a gun, and usually has to defer to his friend Wang to take charge of the situation and get them out of trouble. As Kurt Russell once said of the character, "In his heart he thinks he's Indiana Jones, but the circumstances are always too much for him." His heart is in the right place, though. He tries his hardest to help his friend Wang and faces the numerous dangers of their quest with his own brand of loud mouthed, slightly impotent courage.
Wang Chi (Dennis Dun)
Wang Chi is technically the sidekick to Jack Burton, but in another example of how this film turns movie conventions inside out, he really becomes the hero of the story. It his quest to save his fiancé Miao Yin from the clutches of Lo Pan that drives the movie, and he plunges head on into danger to save her. As the pair traverse the treacherous lair of Lo Pan, it is Wang Chi's considerable kung fu skills that save the pair time after time.
Gracie Law (Kim Cattrall)
Long before Sex and the City, Cattrall played lawyer Gracie Law, who gets swept into the adventure when a client of hers is almost abducted by the same gang that takes Wang's fiancé. She provides moral support and advice to the heroes, and she becomes a love interest to Jack, who is attracted to her from the moment he first sees her. Gracie takes a little longer to come around to him, but in the end she can't resist Jack's combination of charm and uselessness.
David Lo Pan (James Hong)
The evil sorcerer and overlord of the mystical world of China Town, Lo Pan is almost as tragic as he is evil. He was a conqueror in ancient China who was defeated and imprisoned as a ghost for all eternity, doomed to exist in the body of a feeble old man, and unable to touch and effect anything in his true form. For centuries he has existed in this state, needing to find a Chinese girl with dragon green eyes so that he can marry her and then sacrifice her, to appease the gods and lift the curse. In his frail human form he is also known throughout China Town as a business man and crime lord who never shows his face due to the number of enemies he has. When he finds both Wang's fiancé and Gracie Law, who both have green eyes, he plans to sacrifice Gracie Law and marry Miao Yin. Using his magical powers and his army of warriors (which includes the Lords of Death gang and the Wing King) he almost succeeds, but is foiled by the combined efforts of Jack, Wang, the Chang Sings and....
Egg Shen (Victor Wong)
Egg Shen is also a sorcerer who calls China Town home, but unlike Lo Pan he is a benevolent soul. During the day he drives a tour bus around China Town, extolling the virtues of the neighbourhood and the culture to tourists, and he is one of the richest men around, owning a gigantic warehouse of magical artifacts. He helps to lead the rescue party of Jack, Wang and the Chang Sings deep into Lo Pan's underground lair, and when the inevitable battle is joined, his magics play a key role, and he even battles the powerful Lo Pan to a stand still.
Margo (Kate Burton)
Margo is an investigative reporter who is hoping to get her big break by writing a revealing piece on the true nature of Lo Pan's front company, the Wing Kong exchange. Naturally she gets caught up in the action, first getting kidnapped by Lo Pan's goons and then falling for Eddie, the smooth talking friend of Wang Chi.
Eddie Lee (Donald Li)
The new maître'd of Wang's Chinese restaurant, Eddie is a street wise guy who provides some valuable insight into the nature of Lo Pan's evil operation.
Thunder, Rain and Lightning (Carter Wong, Peter Kwong and James Pax)
The three storms are the dangerous henchman of Lo Pan. Talented sorcerers in their own right, the trio eliminate all threats to Lo Pan's power. They carve a bloody swath through the Chang Sings early in the film, and present all sorts of troubles to Jack and Wang once they infiltrate Lo Pan's lair. They are disposed of one after the other through a combination of skill and luck, but they are worthy opponents to our heroes.
Uncle Chu (Chao Li Chi)
Wang's Uncle Chu helps to run their family restaurant, but more importantly, he is well versed in local and Chinese lore and arms the party with the knowledge they need to survive in Lo Pan's lair.
Miao Yin (Suzee Pai)
Though she doesn't have a big role in the film, Miao Yin is almost the centre piece of the story. It is her abduction by Lo Pan that instigates the conflicts of the film, and it is for her that Wang Chi and his friends risk their lives. In the few moments she is onscreen, it's clear she is a capable woman who struggles against her captors.
The Wing Kong
The Wing Kong is a gang that acts as Lo Pan's army. As Wang describes them, they're animals that don't hesitate to kill anyone that stands in the way of their goals. They even destroy the funeral procession of a renowned leader of their mortal enemies, the Chang Sings.
The Chang Sings
A collection of noble warriors, the Chang Sings defend the people of China Town against the evils of Lo Pan and the Wing Kong. When the time comes to invade Lo Pan's fortress, the Chang Sings lead the charge.
I could talk about Big Trouble all day, but you really have to see it to appreciate it. It's just all out fun from start to finish, not something you can say for a lot of today's movies. If you want to forget your troubles for a couple hours and get lost in a magical world (and really, why else do we watch movies?) you have to check it out.
