NYC's Videology To Host A FREE Screening Of MORTAL KOMBAT This Friday!
Lee B. Golden III
1995 couldn’t have been a better time to be a gamer and martial arts movie fan. It was the year that we got the best of both worlds with New Line Cinema’s release of the hit live-action adaptation, Mortal Kombat, pitting three Earthrealm warriors in a multi-dimensional medium of supernatual proportions where the fate of our planet would be decided in life-or-death battles.
For a PG-13 iteration of a relatively violent game, the film banked critically and commercially well among fans and movie goers alike, and new article posted on Tuesday at The Hollywood Reporter gets right down to the nitty gritty on how it all began, from dealing with naysayers and coping with location challenges, to off-set drama and on-set injuries, and finally its theatrical release. Moreover, of course the film led to a less-than-expemplary sequel but it still purported hopes for a third that never came, and nowadays with several shows, game installations and the last several years slowly breathing signs of life for a new film, fans are marking the twentieth anniversary of the film’s release in epic fashion.
There may be more depending on where you go, and if you happen to be in New York, there are a few locations doing so this week, including the Urban Action Showcase & Expo this November. The other event is happening right around the corner this Friday at 7:00pm EST at Videology, located at 308 Bedford Avenue in the borough of Brooklyn, hosted by Den Of Geek and sponsored by TVStoreOnline.com.
Friday, August 21st @7PM
You can sum up virtually an entire era with a few key words and phrases…
“Fight.”
“Finish him.”
“Flawless victory.”
And the shout of…
Mortal Kombat!
This month marks the 20th anniversary of Mortal Kombat: The Movie, the undisputed video game movie champion. Alright, fine, the competition for that title isn’t too fierce, but it’s still true.
Maybe Mortal Kombat isn’t a cinematic classic, but it captures the spirit of that first arcade game admirably and has that undeniable (and undeniably loud) soundtrack. And the best way to watch it is definitely with a room full of people and a bar stocked with adult beverages.
So, on Friday, August 21st, Den of Geek Presents returns to Videology in Brooklyn, NY to screen Mortal Kombat: The Movie. There will be trivia, prizes, and some odd surprises, too. The show starts promptly at 7, so just keep your happy hour festivities going for another couple of hours.
I suppose it was rather opportune for Warner Bros earlier this month upon recently announcing Furious Seven helmer James Wan as producer for the new forthcoming film rebooting the franchise in its entirety. Granted, this was really a film that many have been waiting for, particularly with the promise shown by then-helmer Kevin Tancharoren five years ago in a leaked shortfilm pitch with Michael Jai White, Jeri Ryan, Ian Anthony Dale, Lateef Crowder and Matt Mullins; Again, of course, the last we know of Tancharoen’s involvement is that it’s completely nil, but then Warner Bros. has been playing things close to the chest since their digital production arm began filming the yet-to-be-titled third webseries. Uncertainty is key in keeping the fans thirsty, I suppose.
One thing is certain though: Things have definitely changed for the film industry with respect to fighting game adaptations. The changes are not yet complete, but with the successes of the Mortal Kombat Legacy and the Capcom-blessed depiction of the Street Fighter universe by martial arts action multi-hyphenates, Joey Ansah and Christian Howard, despite any doubts had more than two decades ago and whatever may come, the fighting game genre is alive and kicking… A victory not necessarily without its flaws, but still a victory, and all the more reason to keep fighting.
