Back in the golden era of action cinema, otherwise known as the 80s, muscular heroes dominated the big screen and absolutely flooded the burgeoning straight-to-video market. While the likes of Schwarzenegger and Stallone had broken into the mainstream and became household names, there was no shortage of up and coming younger actors keen to follow in their footsteps.
I’ve never understood the criteria by which Hollywood decides which actors will become breakout cinematic stars, and if they do, for how long. As movie geeks, I’m sure we all have favourites that never quite achieved the success we wished for them – in the martial arts/action world alone, the list would be absolutely huge, with names like Michael Dudikoff, Richard Norton and David Bradley springing to mind from back in the day, as well as the more contemporary direct to video stars such as Michael Jai White and Scott Adkins, who still maintain the tradition of making solid action flicks for those of us who simply can’t get enough.
Back when I was at school, Schwarzenegger was the biggest star around, and I have clear memories of how por he was, with his movies being a constant source of chatter in and around lessons. When I found Jean-Claude Van Damme, simply through a process of renting (or rather getting my Dad to, as I was still technically underage) every new action movie released on video, it was a personal discovery that made it seem even more special. I appreciate that must sound strange, but there was a certain triumph to taking my beloved copy of A.W.O.L into school and spreading the word, showing the best fight scenes to my class, like some kind of JCVD evangelist
His quick ascension to global success came as no surprise to Van Damme’s fans, with his easy-going charm, vulnerability, charisma and karate skills pushing him to the fore of his field, and the movies I’ve picked below hopefully reflect the best of his work over several decades.
As a lifelong fan of Van Dammage, I’ll be curious to see what you make of the list, so head to the comments below if you agree/disagree, and feel free to share your own favourites.
r he was, with his movies being a constant source of chatter in and around lessons. When I found Jean-Claude Van Damme, simply through a process of renting (or rather getting my Dad to, as I was still technically underage) every new action movie released on video, it was a personal discovery that made it seem even more special. I appreciate that must sound strange, but there was a certain triumph to taking my beloved copy of A.W.O.L into school and spreading the word, showing the best fight scenes to my class, like some kind of JCVD evangelist
