| Chuck Liddell tells us about his top 5 favorite action movies! |
UFC Light Heavyweight champ Chuck Liddell stepped out of the octagon for a moment to sign his new DVD "Ultimate Iceman" and meet and greet fans in Hollywood. The very sick Liddell (he had a bad cold) held it together to smile and take time for every fan in line and even took the time to give Valley College students his top 5 action films.
1- Best of the Best (1989) Directed by Robert Radler
A Tae Kwon Do mix of "Rocky" and the video game "Street Fighter" this movie showcases some great fights and James "Darth Vader" Earl Jones as the coach. This film isn’t really burdened with a plot other than overcoming adversity to really kick the crud out of anything that moves.
2- Karate Kid (1984) Directed by John G. Avildsen
The classic teen angst 80’s film from the director of "Rocky", featuring Ralph Macchio as the fence painting new kid who must become the best karate champ in only a few weeks and take down the school bad boy and get the girl. It is also notable for the introducing Bananarama to America with the hit "Cruel Summer".
3- Rocky (1976) Directed by John G. Avildsen
The Academy Award winning boxing film that launched Sylvester Stallone (who also wrote the script) into the action universe, featuring a world famous score and spawning endless sequels. It also inspired the "underdog" action genre of guy loses fight, guy gains new perspective and guy trains and wins.
4- Diggstown (1992) Directed by Michael Ritchie
A mostly under the radar boxing movie that features a 48-year-old Louis Gossett Jr. set to fight 10 men in 24 hours. What could be a cheesy "Rocky" knock-off is saved by Gossett Jr. who makes the whole thing believable and fresh-faced Heather Graham doesn’t hurt things either.
5- Bloodsport (1988) Directed by Newt Arnold
A film as bloody as the title suggests, showcasing one of the first (and best) roles for Jean-Claude Van Damme playing real-life martial arts champion Frank Dux. What follows is a paint by numbers "underdog" film that finds Van Damme kick boxing, and all-around kicking the snot out of just about everyone in an ultimate martial arts tournament with very few rules and a lot of mismatched fighters. This film set the bar for smaller budget direct to cable fight films and served as a main inspiration for the "Ultimate Fighting Championship" (UFC) not to mention the famous "Mortal Kombat" video games.
