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jueves, 17 de marzo de 2011

Curse of the IFD THUNDERBOLT series: MAJESTIC THUNDERBOLT part 4

In the previous post dedicated to Mission Thunderbolt, I said I could bet my neck Mission Thunderbolt is the very first "cut & paste" movie ever came from IFD. So, Majestic thunderbolt could easyly be taken as the second one, and it has something important that Mission missed: Richard Harrison.

Opening of Majestic Thunderbolt: Harrison arrives to IFD

I have this considerations because checking both movies, we can notice they share many things such as the source movies used for both. I mean the original taiwanese movie used for Majestic Thunderbolt has almost the same cast seen at the source movie in Mission Thunderbolt: this is Chen Kuan Tai & many of the supporting cast. The same can be said for the new fotage because Philip Ko, John Ladalsky & other people from Mission Thunderbolt are again in Majestic Thunderbolt.

Majestic Thunderbolt was edited as Magnum Thunderbolt in some European countries. Later IFD would release the real Magnum Thunderbolt

The screenplay at both movies is very similar as well, so we have two rival gangs trying to destroy each other in the original movie then we have Richard Harrison in the new fotage fighting different villains till he has a final duel facing Philip Ko.

The Thunderbolt saga movies could have been become into real IFD classics if they had had more careful doing their work

Both movies are so similar that we could tell Majestic Thunderbolt may be a remake of Mission Thunderbolt where Jonathan Stierwalt is replace by Richard Harrison in his first work for IFD. Majestic Thunderbolt is to Mission Thunderbolt what Drunken Master was to Snake in the Eagle's shadow.
Some fotage from Majestic Thunderbolt showing Philip Ko painting & having sex with a tied girl was later used in Scorpion Thunderbolt when Richard Harrison is having sex with a not too pretty girl in a cinema.
Japanese video art cover for Majestic Thunderbolt

While Mission Thunderbolt is still on IFD catalog for its international sales, Majestic Thunderbolt as it happened to Inferno Thunderbolt, Scorpion Thunderbolt and even Ninja Thunderbolt is not longer on Joseph Lai's catalog. I would really like to know the reason. So if you get a copy of this movie, take it as missing pearl since it can't be found easily or the master has been destroyed as it happened to many taiwanese gangster films shot between 1979 -1983 .

Spanish video art cover. as many IFD movies, Majestic Thunderbolt was edited in Spain twice. The alternate title was Operacion Majestic

Majestic Thunderbolt has a very curious detail to offer us: At the begining, we see Richard Harrison, John Ladalsky & a nameless actor who are attacked by a couple of killers carrying axes. One of these killers is played by Tommy Cheng Kei Ying who would become the main director of Filmark ninja/ action movies just a couple of years after his supporting role at IFD's Majestic Thunderbolt.



In some countries Majestic Thunderbolt was edited as Magnum Thunderbolt. This could create some confussion since Magmun Thunderbolt was the international title used by IFD for its relesase of A Man from Holland another movie starred by Philip Ko & Chan Wai Man that look like an IFD movie due to the filming skill & because many of the IFD regular locations were used on it as well.

15 comentarios:

  1. Your posts on the Thunderbolt series is very useful, Jesus Manuel. Keep them coming! :D

    The second cover scan from the top is from Denmark.

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  2. Thanks a lot Jack! I am very happy you find these posts useful!

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  3. Hi, does anyone know on which Taiwanese movie "Majestic Thunderbolt" is based on and/or where to get it?

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  4. Sorry, how I wish I have the answer to this question & that movie!!!

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  5. Hi JM. Do you think that this link could be a good trace?
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1193500/

    I know the chin. title of Majestic Thunderbolt
    with Harrison is "Lei ting chu chuan" by Godfrey Ho.
    But this one here seems to be without Harrison, mentions a bodypainting scene from Majestic T. but has a different director (Yang Chiang)
    Maybe its worth to try hunting down this film.

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  6. Hello Slappy32

    Thanks for your comment & information. I think you a right & this is the original movie for Majestic thunderbolt!!!!.

    Thanks a lot again.

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  7. No problem. But some further research led me to "drug connection" or "man from holland", that seem to different films but were often mistaken for Majestic T. since they all share the alternate title "Magnum T."
    Apart from Majestic T. I own a "Magnum T." directed by Kenneth Kong, that unfortunately has nothing to do with Majestic T.
    But let's hope for the best.
    Please let me know about any progress or results of your movie-hunt. I will do so likewise. Thanks and good luck !

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  8. Oh, a lot of taiwanese, Hong Kong & Korean movies have been "unmasked" during the previous months...I am working in some posts about them right now. Movies used in Ninja Dragon, Ninja Squad, Ninja Commandments, Hunt for the devil boxer, Vampire raiders ninja queen are already found. If you want some info righr now, you should visit HKMD files of some of those movies.

    Man from Holland is MAGNUM THUNDERBOLT, I own the ocean shores VCD & the IFD version. They are exactly. IFD just dubbed Man from Holland & gave english names to some chinese actors.

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  9. Very interesting. Unlike the ninja-movies Majestic Thunderbolt is really a hard nut to crack. Maybe you also own the VCD "Ninja and the thief" the same as "Ninja Thunderbolt" that I have as a German tape (Der Ninja). But ninja and kung-fu movies seem to be a dead end, since there are no ninjas or kung-fu fighters in Majestic. T. But who knows? Sometimes titles are renamed in very unlogical ways.
    Basically, my main interest is horror, but Majestic T. (renamed by Toppic and slightly cut) appeared on the same banned-movie list in the 80's here in Germany. Oh, thanks for the HKMD link.

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  10. I am sure there must be original taiwanese cut for Majestic Thunderbolt on tape inside Taiwan. If we have been able to find the original cut of Golden ninja warrior so there must be some old tapes in old video rental shops that still have stocks of those movies. A trip to Taiwan has to be done!!!
    Yes, I got a Ocean shores VCD of Ninja & The thief in Hong Kong. But I honestly prefer the IFD cut since the VCD is differently edited & all the nudity is removed. They should have shot different versions: the one containing nudity for the international market & the version with no nudity for HK. That was alos very common in the 70's in Spain.

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  11. I agree in both points. Looks like you have been to Taiwan quite often so far. Could you try to get an original cut of Majestic T. for me as well when you are in Taiwan again?
    Of course, there is still a risk to buy the wrong movie and we will only be able check it back home. But I think it's worth a try.
    For further discussion I'd suggest you can also send me a mail (attic636(at)yahoo.de).

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  12. hi JM, it has become silent here. Did I say something wrong? My suggestion was because I cannot afford a trip to Taiwain and even if I could, I do not know anything or anyone there, not the language, where to go or where to look for the original cut of Majestic T. This is why I asked you trying to obtain a copy for me as well. And if you are also registered at paypal, payment won't be a problem - and even if the movie you find in Taiwan would later on turn out to be a different one we were not looking for - still no problem. Unless of course, you are not interested in any commitment with me. Then you can also just leave a message to "attic636@yahoo.de" or here - I won't bite in any case. Greetings!

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  13. no no no...there is no problem at all. At the moment I am in Spain & I am afraid I have to stay here until Feb 2013 because the financial situation of my country ( and my own)is not very good ( in fact it is a disaster), that's why I didn't say anything. At the moment, I am marooned in Spain and that is another reason I didn't say anything. I am trying to get a taiwanese cut of Golden Ninja warrior but I am still on it. I am always open to trade movies with anyone, in fact, I have a good friend in Florida & we have traded already. I have to send him some movies yet but I have'nt received two of them. No need to talk about money, we just can make friendly trades.

    Your comments, suggestions or whatever are always welcome, my friend!

    Best wishes

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  14. hi JM, it is me again only two years later - so happy new year. Did your situation improve in the meantime, so that you were able to get to Taiwan in Feb. 2013 as you had planned it?
    And if yes, the exciting question is: Were you able to obtain an original taiwanese tape of Majestic Thunderbolt, a version before Richard Harrison was added for the European and US market?

    In general, the situation here is the same as two years ago. Still no official uncut, remastered DVD version in sight, neither with nor without Harrison. Or do you know about a good DVD I have not heard of yet?
    Looking forward to hear from you again. Greetings!

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  15. hello, I have discovered a new trace to the film Majestic Thunderbolt might
    be based on.
    http://www.pre-cert.co.uk/martin/bvc_majestic_thunderbolt.html

    According to this website both Scorpion Thunderbolt and Magnum Thunderbolt
    were based on a Taiwanese movie called "Red Rattlesnake" from 1982.
    Reading the story stated on that website, it does exactly match Majestic
    Thunderbolt, which as we already know, had been renamed into Magnum
    T. in Germany. Happy movie hunting. I will inform you as soon as I know more,
    e.g. where to buy it, etc.

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