There were a lot of winning ingredients that went into Big Trouble in China and one of them was director John Carpenter casting Kurt Russell as the 1986 movie’s All American hero Jack Burton.
Big Trouble in China may have been a commercial failure by Hollywood standards, but it became somewhat of a cult classic and there’s been some talk for some time of a belated sequel with Dwayne ‘Rock’ Johnson attached to star.
But what will be will be…
In the above video, there’s a collection of scenes featuring some memorable (and humorous) Jack Burton quotes. To watch it just click the play button at the left of the feature image above.
It all begins with this bit from the big-talking trucker’s first bit of dialogue in the goofy fantastical martial arts movie.
“When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favourite head up against the barroom wall, looks you crooked in the eye, and asks you if you paid your dues; you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol’ Jack Burton always says at a time like that: ‘Have you paid your dues, Jack? Yes sir, the check is in the mail.'”
And that kinda sets the story’s wacky and not so serious tone which is another reason why Big Trouble in China is so rewatchable.
Carpenter earlier worked with Russell on multiple occasions before with The Thing, 1982, and Escape from New York, 1981. They again worked together in Escape from L.A. released in 1996.
Watch the trailer for Big Trouble in China below.