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The legacy of The Karate Kid has only grown throughout the years, as evidenced by the many blatant ripoffs that have been produced. While the Miyagiverse has been expanded upon with sequels, animated series, and even the popular Netflix spin-off TV show Cobra Kai, this has not stopped countless more filmmakers from attempting to put their own spin on the teen underdog story of Daniel Larusso. While The Karate Kid itself could be viewed as a kind of teen Rocky knockoff, it had enough of a unique identity to endure and be mimicked for decades to come.

There were plenty of great sequels to The Karate Kid, but those craving more will find a treasure trove of B-movie knockoffs, cheap imitations, and unknown cult favorites. Some Karate Kid rip-offs were certainly better than others, and the bottom of the barrel featured some movies that viewers would be wise to avoid entirely.

Commonly referred to as the Queen of martial arts, Cynthia Rothrock is a legend in the world of action films. Rothrock rose to prominence in Hong Kong during the 1980s as the first non-Asian to become a major star in Hong Kong martial arts cinema. Although never achieving that same degree of fame in the United States, Rothrock gained a cult following during the straight-to-vhs martial arts B-movie boom of the 1990s alongside the likes of Billy Blanks and Don "The Dragon" Wilson. Also, worthy of note, is that Rothrock was the primary inspiration for the character Sonya Blade of the hugely successful Mortal Kombat franchise, which has seen many film adaptations. More than just sharing a likeness to Rothrock in appearance, one of Sonya's signature techniques, the "leg grab," have similarities to Rothrock's signature move "The Rothrock Sting," which she has used in many of her films.

Duane Eddy, the twangy, Grammy-winning rock guitarist who had Top 10 instrumental hits including “Rebel Rouser” and “Forty Miles of Bad Road” and scored with a version of Henry Mancini’s “Peter Gunn,” died Wednesday of cancer at a hospital in Franklin, Tn, his wife Deed Abbate told The Associated Press. He had turned 86 last week.

Eddy, who influenced generations of guitar legends including George Harrison, John Fogerty, Bruce Springsteen, Ritchie Blackmore, Mark Knopfler and The Ventures’ Don Wilson, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Born on April 26, 1938, in Corning, NY, Eddy began playing guitar at age 5. He moved at 13 with his family to Arizona, where he met local DJ Lee Hazlewood, and the two would share a long, fruitful association. Eddy first recorded with Jimmy Delbridge as Duane & Jimmy in 1955, and his debut single as a solo act to dent the charts came three years...

Joe Cornet directed from Craig Hamann’s screenplay.

Premiere Entertainment Group (Peg) has licensed North American rights to ITN Distribution to the action western Taken From Rio Bravo starring Alexander Nevsky.

Nevsky reprises his role from Gunfight At Rio Bravo as a mysterious Russian gunslinger who teams up with a sheriff in pursuit of a gang of sadistic human traffickers known as The Posse, who have kidnapped five women.

Joe Cornet, Cynthia Rothrock, Matthias Hues, Tatiana Neva and Don “The Dragon” Wilson round out the key cast.

Joe Cornet directed from Craig Hamann’s screenplay. The film was produced by Nevsky for Hollywood Storm.

Martial arts B-movie stars like Matthias Hues, Loren Avedon, and Richard Norton have gained notoriety through their roles in low-budget films. These underground heavy hitters have appeared in iconic martial arts movies like The King of Kickboxers, Cage, and City Hunter. While some stars, like Billy Blanks and Jeff Speakman, have had success outside of the genre, their careers as B-movie stars still deliver exhilarating action.

There are many martial arts B-movie stars whose work should not go unnoticed by those action films. In the long history of martial arts movies, many of the biggest stars of the genre have become household names, including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, and Jean-Claude Van Damme. However, in the '80s, '90s, and early 2000s, many other martial artists have also cultivated sizable followings without making it quite as big as the genre's most well-known stars.

Some...

Stars: Randy Couture, Oleg Prudius, Natalie Eva Marie, Neal McDonough, Rashad Evans, Frank Mir, Chuck Zito, Jonathan Camp, Bai Ling | Written and Directed by Daniel Zirilli

Everett Grant has beef with Russian mobster Maxim Vasiliiv played by Oleg Prudius or if you’re a pro wrestling fan, Vladimir Kozlov. It seems Everett’s security company has been cutting into the Russian mob’s profits and they’re not happy about that. Since Phoenix is an action film, they decide to settle it with a fight to the death. That would be Everett’s death via a bullet to the head made to look like suicide.

WWE wrestler Natalie Eva Marie plays Everett’s daughter Fiona, Phoenix to her friends. She’s told of his death by General Shackleton. She knows he would never have killed himself and decides to put her hand-to-hand combat trainer’s skills to work finding answers.

The 1990s were an exciting period for action films, with many of them getting released direct-to-video and showing up seemingly randomly at local video stores, requiring fans of the genre to have memberships at multiple locations to get to see everything. There was so much that if attention wasn’t paid, titles would be missed easily or rented twice under different titles at different video stores. Stars emerged within those ranks and gathered the love and adoration of fans. Here are the 10 of the best Dtv action stars of that era:

Dolph Lundgren

Let’s start with the obvious man on the list, the one that everyone saw films from at their local video stores. Lundgren had films that were released in theaters, on video, and direct to cable in some cases during the 1990s, but one thing is for sure, he was a mainstay of the action film aisle...

Joe Cornet and Alexander Nevsky‘s action packed western Gunfight at Rio Bravo was released in the US by Shout! Studios back in January and is available on all of the major digital platforms. The sequel Taken from Rio Bravo was shot in Arizona last summer and is now in the final stages of post-production – and the project went over so well when it was presented to international distributors at the Cannes Film Festival last month, Cornet and Nevsky have announced that they’re putting another sequel on the fast track to production! This one will be titled The Last Heroes of Rio Bravo, and filming is scheduled to begin in August.

Cornet will be directing The Last Heroes of Rio Bravo from a screenplay by Craig Hamann, who also wrote the previous two films and crafted the stories with Nevsky. A plot synopsis for the third entry in the...

The upcoming western Taken from Rio Bravo has received its first trailer and we’re pleased to present it exclusively here on JoBlo!

The action-packed trailer starts off with an attempted robbery that results in juuuust about everybody getting a bullet to the chest courtesy of one nasty gunslinger. He joins forces with the seemingly more cautious sheriff, out to find his soon-to-be bride, nabbed by a group of bastards who take women over the border into Mexico. Judging by the trailer, Taken from Rio Bravo looks to be a tightly constructed picture with plenty of gunplay. And yes, that is our very own John Fallon in the trailer!

The official plot synopsis of Taken from Rio Bravo: “The action western sees the return of the mysterious Russian gunslinger who teams up with a sheriff in pursuit of a gang of sadistic human traffickers known as The Posse, who have kidnapped five women.

Film reunited star, director and writer from Gunfight at Rio Bravo.

Premiere Entertainment Group (Peg) has acquired worldwide rights to Taken From Rio Bravo and will offer the action western at the Cannes market.

The film is a sequel to recent US release Gunfight at Rio Bravo and once again stars bodybuilder and former Mr Universe Alexander Nevsky. Nevsky stars as a Russian gunslinger who teams up with a sheriff in pursuit of a gang of human traffickers.

Also in the cast are Joe Cornet, Cynthia Rothrock, Irina Antonenko, Matthias Hues, Tatiana Neva and Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson. Joe Cornet once again directed,...

Jackie Chan has fought numerous fellow action heroes over the course of his career. In the action movie world, Jackie Chan needs no introduction, having dedicated his life to a blend of action, comedy, and martial arts that is uniquely his own. Additionally, Jackie Chan has also performed innumerable death-defying stunts throughout his career, with his movies frequently featuring outtakes of stunts gone wrong and the many injuries he has incurred.

With martial arts being such an integral element of all Jackie Chan movies, he has also been at the center of some of the most impressive fight scenes ever put to film. While many fellow stuntpeople and martial artists have had fight scenes opposite Chan and gone on to great careers themselves, Jackie Chan has also fought quite a few big martial arts movie stars. Even the average Jackie Chan fight scene is usually guaranteed to be entertaining, but...

As was first reported by Variety, the Emmy-nominated director, producer, and writer, Catherine Cyran, passed away at the age of 59 on December 24, 2022, another tragic loss too soon from cancer.

Cyran's name may not be easily recognizable, but her legacy will live on in a varied career spanning multiple mediums and genres. After graduating from Harvard and working for the Royal Shakespeare Company for two years, Cyran got her start in the world of cinema under the tutelage of legendary B-movie producer Roger Corman, having gotten her start as an executive assistant. She would later go on to produce and write the screenplay for "Slumber Party Massacre III," "Dead Space" starring Bryan Cranston, "Uncaged" starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, "Fire on the Amazon" with Sandra Bullock, the Independent Spirit Award-nominated "Kiss Me A Killer," and ghost-wrote "Frankenstein Unbound," Corman's last feature as a director.

Cyran's career path led her to develop the...

It was another difficult year in 2022, and the sadness extended to many beloved and groundbreaking people in the show business and media worlds who died during the past 12 months.

Scroll through a photo gallery above, which also includes the obituaries.

The acting world lost giants including Sidney Poitier and Angela Lansbury, along with such big names as James Caan, Anne Heche, Bob Saget, Kirstie Alley, Ray Liotta, Nichelle Nichols, William Hurt, Louise Fletcher, Robert Clary, Emilio Delgado, Sally Kellerman, Robbie Coltrane, Monica Vitti, Leslie Jordan, John Aniston, Tony Sirico, Charlbi Dean, Tony Dow, Irene Papas, Howard Hesseman and Seinfeld moms Estelle Harris and Liz Sheridan.

We also pay tribute to directors including Ivan Reitman, Peter Bogdanovich and Marvin J. Chomsky.

Musicians who left us this past year include Jerry Lee Lewis, Loretta Lynn, Olivia Newton-John, Meat Loaf, Ronnie Spector, Naomi Judd, Ramsey Lewis, Stephen “tWitch” Boss and Coolio. Many key...

The 1990s had a plethora of action films, and movies in general, released direct-to-video. The film rental business was booming, and some video stores even hosted signing events with the stars to promote the films and their business. Direct to video action films were the most popular Dtv genre (next to soft-core erotica) and they were produced by the ton. Every week brought a new bunch of options to your local Blockbuster or Mom & Pop store. For the purpose of this list, the titles selected are fun watches even now, that were released direct-to-video for the majority of the population, and they were decently popular on the video store shelves. Without further ado, here are 5 of our favorites!

Lady Dragon (1992)

Let’s start with the Queen of 90s action in the US, the one, the only, the kickass Cynthia Rothrock. This woman is the real deal, with many martial arts...

Alexander Nevsky will star in the new western Taken from Rio Bravo, which recently completed principal photography in Arizona under the direction of Joe Cornet (Promise).

Also starring Matthias Hues, Irina Antonenko (Gasoline Alley) , Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson, Cynthia Rothrock, John Fallon (The Shelter) and Cornet himself, Taken from Rio Bravo is one of two upcoming films – the other, Gunfight at Rio Bravo was shot last year and will be released first – in which Nevsky plays a mysterious Russian gunslinger named Ivan Turchin.

The film follows two friends in 1874, East Texas who pursue a posse of sadistic human traffickers who have kidnapped five women. Along with an Indian scout they race against time to find and free the women before the traffickers sell them to sex-slave buyers at the Mexican border.

“Not only did the same wonderful production team [from Gunfight at Rio Bravo] sign up again, we also returned to the great Arizona location of Gammons’ Gulch,...

Tracy Letts seems to have no regrets in being involved with “Deep Water,” Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas’ erotic thriller that left many viewers bewildered when it premiered on Hulu in the U.S. on March 18. The film, with its narrative corkscrews, blunt cuckolding and odd character quirks involving snails and lobster bisque, was largely rejected by critics and threw social media into a frenzy upon its debut.

Though its streaming release may have made it seem like the peculiar movie emerged from thin air, “Deep Water” is the latest entry in a tradition of preposterous erotic thrillers for Adrian Lyne. The director could be considered synonymous with the genre, having helmed such staples as “Fatal Attraction,” “Indecent Proposal” and “Unfaithful.” “Deep Water” marks his first directorial effort in two decades.

In a discussion with Variety, Letts recalled his excitement over the opportunity to work with Lyne.

“I was...

Gonna let you know right up front: Deep Water is not for me. But it’s not for you either, and it’s not for anyone who likes a well-written, well-directed, and well-cast motion picture. Yet like that proverbial car crash we’re always hearing about, it’s hard not to keep looking at it. Just 10 minutes in, it’s all too clear why this turgid “erotic” thriller — based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith, no less (The Talented Mr. Ripley) — was shoved off a theatrical release by 20th Century Studios and shuffled onto a Hulu premiere berth instead.

Ben Affleck plays Vic Van Allen, who’s fabulously wealthy due to his invention of a chip that the military uses in its battlefield drones. In other words, he’s invented something that helps kill people, as numerous characters remind him throughout the film, not that he cares what they think.

Don Wilson, whose twangy guitar sounds helped create a distinct genre of music with his band, The Ventures, has died at age 88. He died of natural causes on Saturday in Tacoma, Washington, according to his son.

Wilson was the last surviving founder and guitarist of The Ventures.

“Don was an inspiration and mentor. He was a unique talent that inspired countless musicians like us,” read a statement posted to the band’s social media pages. “We lost a good friend, fellow musician, world class performer, and beloved bandmate. Don Wilson has left the stage. We will miss him always.”

Tim Wilson, Don’t son, told Washington station King-tv that “Our dad was an amazing rhythm guitar player who touched people all over world with his band, The Ventures,” Tim Wilson said in a statement to the outlets. “He will have his place in history forever and was much loved and appreciated.

Don Wilson, co-founder and rhythm guitarist for the influential instrumental rock band the Ventures, died Saturday at the age of 88.

Wilson’s family first confirmed to Seattle journalist Saint Bryan that the guitarist “passed peacefully” of natural causes in Tacoma, Washington.

“Our dad was an amazing rhythm guitar player who touched people all over world with his band, The Ventures,” Don’s son Tim Wilson said in a statement. “He will have his place in history forever and was much loved and appreciated. He will be missed.”

Wilson and guitarist...

“Vote for Kibera,” winner of the audience prize at the Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival, is the result of two years of working outside the box, says director Martin Pav.

When Czech non-profit worker Eva Krutilkova approached him, Pav was immediately intrigued by the challenge of portraying life in Kenya’s largest shanty town, home to at least half a million people and intense poverty, as a world somehow full of color, art and hope, he explains.

Not wanting to work within the structure of a non-profit organization itself, the team set about to make a doc that is “independent from a Western-centric idea.”

Filming a story that was unvarnished yet transcendent was the goal, Pav says. “We don’t close our eyes to the problems but also look at solutions.”

Estimated to be the largest urban slum in Africa, official census methods measure the population of Kibera at just...

Aretha Franklin died without a will, according to legal documents filed in a Michigan court following the Queen of Soul’s death at the age of 76.

The Detroit Free Press reports that Franklin’s four sons filed a document in the Oakland County Probate Court listing themselves as interested parties in the singer’s estate. The document acknowledged that Franklin died without a formal will; under Michigan law, her estate will be divided equally among her four descendants.

“The decedent [Franklin] died intestate and after exercising reasonable diligence, I am unaware...

As the world continues to mourn the loss of Aretha Franklin, new details about the late singer's will and fortune have come to light. On Tuesday, Aug. 21, TMZ revealed that the 76-year-old died without a will or a trust. So, since her net worth was estimated to be $80 million, who will inherit Aretha's money? According to Michigan law, Aretha's estate will be equally divided between her four children: Clarence Franklin, 63, Edward Franklin, 61, Ted White Jr., 54, and Kecalf Cunningham, 48. Aretha with son Kecalf and granddaughter Victorie. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) On Wednesday, Aug. 22, CNN reported that Aretha's four sons have already filed legal documents listing themselves as interested parties in her fortune. The Detroit Free Press additionally revealed that one of Aretha's nieces has also asked the court to appoint her as the personal representative of the music icon's estate. Aretha's lawyer — who has represented her in entertainment matters for decades...

Legendary singer Aretha Franklin died without leaving behind a will or trust, according to court documents filed by her sons that were cited by the Detroit Free Press.

In the document, her four sons list themselves as interested parties, and another document filed with the court and signed by her son Kecalf, and her estate attorney, David Bennett, check a box acknowledging the absence of a will, according to the report. The singer’s niece, Sabrina Owens, asked the court to appoint her as personal representative of the estate. A rep for the late singer did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment or confirmation.

Frankin died on Aug. 16 in her hometown of Detroit after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

“I was after her for a number of years to do a trust,” attorney Don Wilson, who was Franklin’s entertainment attorney for nearly 30 years, told the paper.

Aretha Franklin did not leave behind a will before her passing, according to reports. The Detroit Free Press claimed Franklin's four sons filed a document in Oakland County Probate Court on Tuesday in which they listed themselves as interested parties in her estate. Per the news outlet, Franklin's niece, Sabrina Owen, also asked to be appointed personal representative of the estate. "I was after her for a number of years to do a trust," Don Wilson, an attorney who represented Franklin for nearly three decades, told The Detroit Free Press. "It would have expedited things and kept them out of probate, and kept things private."  According to Michigan law, if an...

Action superstar and kickboxing legend Don "The Dragon" Wilson's latest film Paying Mr. McGetty, a quirky action comedy from Traditionz Entertainment, has premiered a new poster and a trailer! Wilson co-stars as a laconic hitman, while star R. Marcos Taylor (Baby Driver, Luke Cage) appears as a man about to have the most hilarious and perilous day of his life. The film premiered at the Burbank International Film Festival and won awards, and is looking at a release late 2017. Paying Mr. McGetty features a hot soundtrack by Kanye West, Etcetera, and more. Traditionz Entertainment produced the film, their latest picture with Don Wilson. Their previous collaboration was the family favorite The Martial Arts Kid, co-starring Jansen Panettiere and Cynthia Rothrock.  ...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Exclusive: Ruediger W. Kuemmerie’s martial arts film stars Mark Dacascos.

Us outfit Vision Films has picked up martial arts action thriller Ultimate Justice for worldwide sales.

Starring Mark Dacascos (Cradle 2 The Grave), Matthias Hues and Mike Moeller, the film follows a team of elite soldiers who are drawn back into battle when one of their families is threatened.

It marks the second feature from German-based production company Silent Partners, whose first film One Million K(I)cks was picked up for the Us by Parade Deck Films and for the UK by Evolutionary Films.

Ultimate Justice was directed by Martin Christopher Bode from a screenplay by Marco Theiss. Ruediger W. Kuemmerie produced with Mike Leeder and Markus R. Vogelbacher of International Film Partners executive produced. Mike Moller served as co-producer and choreographed the fight scenes, Alois Knapps was DoP.

China-based Kuemmerie self-financed the project and returned to his hometown of Goeppingen, Germany, to shoot...

The 7th Burbank International Film Festival, which will run September 9th through 13th, announced its full lineup, including 100 films from 31 countries, 25 world premieres, 22 award categories, and opening and closing night screenings. The festival is open to the public, with tickets available at Here

The five-day festival will honor pioneering actress and United Nations delegate Marsha Hunt with the 2015 Awareness Award for her humanitarian work worldwide.

“Located in the Media Capital of the World, our audience is film-savvy, enthusiastic, and linked to the movie business, giving filmmakers privileged access to top industry professionals. This year, we’re proud to deliver our best festival yet, featuring incredibly diverse and talented filmmakers, exciting red carpet premieres, and the best in independent filmmaking,” said Jeff Rector, Festival Director.

Festival events will occur at numerous venues throughout Burbank, with Opening Night at the AMC 16 in Downtown Burbank, Night of Sci-fi, Fantasy & Horror at the Iatse Local 80 Sound Stage, Closing Night Gala at The Castaway Burbank, and more than 100 films screening at the AMC 6 at Burbank Town Center.

Festival Highlights:

Wednesday, September 9th

Opening Night ’s feature films will include "Hoovey," directed by Sean McNamara ("Soul Surfer") starring Patrick Warburton and Lauren Holly, and "Few Options," directed by George A. Pappy Jr., starring Kenny Johnson, Erin Daniels, and Brad Dourif.

Thursday, September 10th

The Comedy / New Media program will showcase 23 films including "Made for Each Other," directed by Bo Svenson, and "Too Hip for the Room," directed by Oktay Ortabasi and starring Kelly Monteith.

Friday, September 11th

There will be 22 films in the Drama category, including Short Films by Women, and featuring "Shevenge," directed by Amber Benson. The Drama Centerpiece Feature will be "4Got10," directed by Timothy Woodward. Jr., written by Sean Ryan, and starring Dolph Lundgren, Vivica A. Fox, Danny Trejo, and Michael Paré. Headlining the Drama category will be the theatrical world premier of "Twelve Movie," capturing a rare collaboration among 12 award-winning filmmakers shot over 12 months in Los Angeles.

Saturday, September 12th

The festival will dedicate Saturday daytime screenings to Family Friendly Programming, including submissions by L.A. County Student Filmmakers (K through 12), Student Films, Animated Short Films, and Faith-Based films.Featured presentations will include "The Martial Arts Kid" directed by Michael Baumgarten and starring martial arts legend Don Wilson, along with Cynthia Rothrock, Jansen Panettiere, and Kathryn Newton, and the 30th Anniversary Screening of Sci-Fi classic, "Back To The Future," directed by Robert Zemeckis.Saturday will conclude with a Night of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror showcasing 16 films, as well as the festival world premiere of "Sharknado 3," directed by Anthony C. Ferrante.

Sunday, September 13th

The Documentary / Foreign Film category will include 15 films, and will feature the documentary "Brotherhood of the Popcorn" directed by Inda Reid.The Festival Closing Feature will be "Marsha Hunt’s Sweet Adversity," directed by Roger C. Memos. In addition to screening this important documentary, the Burbank International Film Festival is pleased to present Marsha Hunt with the Awareness Award for her humanitarian work worldwide.

For a complete festival lineup including screening times visit www.burbankfilmfest.org...

The great Scorpion King and a disloyal rival race against time to find a treasure that possesses the power to rule the world in The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power, debuting on Digital HD on January 6, 2015 and on DVD and Blu-ray on January 20.&#160 The epic next chapter in the billion-dollar The Mummy franchise, The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power &#160propels the enormously successful series to new heights with a cast of renowned veterans and icons from the mixed martial arts and professional wrestling worlds as well as the intrigue and pulse-pounding action than fans have come to embrace.

We have an exclusive look at The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power featuring star Victor Webster. When the king of Norvania is assassinated, the evil heir to the throne frames Mathayus and sends an entire kingdom of soldiers after him.&#160 Mathayus' (Victor Webster) only allies are a mysterious woman and her unconventional father,...