Wednesday 6 July
Escape from New York
8:30pm, SBS 2
M
United States, 1981
Genre: Science Fiction
Language: English
Director: John Carpenter
Starring: Kurt Russell, Adrienne Barbeau, Lee Van Cleef
What's it about?
The first in John Carpenter's trifecta of '80s cult classics with Kurt Russell, including The Thing and Big Trouble in Little China, Escape from New York is the movie that cemented Kurt in the action hero hall of fame. It's the year 1997, and Manhattan has been transformed into a dystopian high-security prison. When the President's plane is brought down into bad old Gotham by the unruly inmates, one-eyed badass Snake Plissken (Russell) is tasked with getting him out.
Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
10:20pm, SBS 2
PG
Hong Kong, 1978
Genre: Action, Comedy
Language: Cantonese
Director: Yuen Woo-Ping
Starring: Jackie Chan
What's it about?
This classic kung fu comedy stars Jackie Chan in his first box-office hit as an orphan who is bullied as a janitor in a martial arts school. That's until he befriends an old man who turns out to be the last master of the "snake fist" fighting style. Jackie becomes his student and finds himself in battle with the master of the "eagle's claw" style, who has vowed to destroy the snake fist clan.
Wednesday 13 July
Big Trouble in Little China
8:30pm, SBS 2
M
USA, 1986
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy
Language: English
Director: John Carpenter
Starring: Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun
What's it about?Kurt Russell takes on crazy pan-Asian wizard Lo Pan in one of the most wonderfully insane movies of the '80s. When trucker Jack Burton (Russell) agrees to take his friend Wang Chi to pick up his fiancee (Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall) at the airport, he unwillingly involves himself in a supernatural battle between good and evil. Jack's fiancee has emerald green eyes, which make her a perfect target for Lo Pan, who must marry a green-eyed woman to break the curse stopping him from regaining his physical form.
The One
10:20pm, SBS 2
M
USA, 2001
Genre: Action
Language: English
Director: James Wong
Starring: Jet Li, Jason Statham, Carla Gugino
What's it about?
In a stunning dual role, international star Jet Li plays Gabriel Yulaw, a police officer confronted with a sinister form of himself escaped from an advanced, parallel universe and intent on killing Gabriel. His alter ego's hunt culminates in a fateful battle between good and evil that changes Gabriel's perception of reality and forces him to examine the evil hidden within himself.
Wednesday 20 July
The Thing
8:30pm, SBS 2
MA15+
USA, 1982
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror
Language: English
Director: John Carpenter
Starring: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T. K. Carter
What's it about?
A group of American scientists undertaking research in the freezing depths of the Antarctic tundra discover an evil force that has the ability to shape-shift into whatever creature it kills. Once again sporting an excellent mullet, Kurt Russell stars as R.J. MacReady, the helicopter pilot who is forced to take a stand against this hostile alien force. Slated by critics at the time of its release, The Thing has since come to be recognised as a modern sci-fi masterpiece .
Blood Glacier
10:30pm, SBS 2
M
Austria, 2013
Genre: Horror
Language: German
Director: Marvin Kren
Starring: Gerhard Liebmann, Edita Malovcic, Hille Beseler
What's it about?
Loosely inspired by The Thing, an oozy red liquid from a melting glacier keeps turning the local wildlife into monsters in Mavin Kren's entertaining creature feature Blood Glacier. Set in the Austrian Alps, a group of scientists at climate research station must contend with this onslaught of sinister mutants.
Wednesday 27 July
Death Proof
8:30pm, SBS 2
MA15+
USA, 2007
Genre: Crime
Language: English
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Rose McGowan, Rosario Dawson, Zoe Bell, Kurt Russell
What's it about?
Moving on from the '80s into the now, and to the director who's brought Kurt Russell back into the limelight – Quentin Tarantino. Kurt Russell appears in one of his most iconic roles as serial killer Stuntman Mike, who terrorises a group of young girls out for a night on the town. Following their every move, he sits poised behind the wheel of his 'death proof' ride. Every shot oozes with attitude and personality in Tarantino's high-octane tribute to the exploitation films of the '70s.
[link title="Death Proof Review" url="node/4360"]
Drive
10:20pm, SBS 2
MA15+
USA, 2011
Genre: Crime, Drama
Language: English
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston
What's it about?
A Hollywood stunt driver (Ryan Gosling) by day moonlights as a top-notch getaway driver-for-hire in the criminal underworld. He finds himself a target for some of LA's most dangerous men after agreeing to aid the husband of his beautiful neighbour, Irene (Carey Mulligan). When the job goes dangerously awry, the only way he can keep Irene and her son alive is to do what he does best: drive.
[link title="Why You Should Watch: Drive " url="node/14502"]
