IF THESE FISTS COULD TALK: Clench Your Copy Of Eric Jacobus’s New Action Cinema Literature Today!
Eric Jacobus’s new book synthesizing action on film is now available!
eric jacobus
Streaming Sleepers: Indie Martial Arts Comedy CONTOUR Takes Off, Uncut And In All Its 4K Heavenly Glory!
Friday evening marked another milestone in independent action cinema with the online release of Contour, exclusively on writer/director Eric Jacobus‘s YouTube channel. The helmer kicked off the launch alongside several of the film’s co-stars including Dennis Ruel, Ray Carbonel, Troy Carbonel, Edward Kahana Jr. and Stephen Reedy, in a three-hour livestream that went well into the wee hours of the weekend in my time-zone, so I definitely wasn’t awake for it. At any rate, the film’s release online via YouTube proffers a humble and exciting revisit of the cult classic since its DVD releases (one of which contains a shorter edit) in the last decade-and-half. Jacobus has since kept the habit going on the film and stunt front in a few other features like Death Grip, Micah Moore’s Dogs Of Chinatown, and more recently in hit shortfilms like Rope-A-Dope and its sequel, and 2016’s Blindsided. There’s more to be learned […]
CONTOUR: Eric Jacobus And Dennis Ruel Set April Launch With Live Q&A Via YouTube For Hit Indie Martial Arts Flick
As announced in January, actor, stuntman and filmmaker Eric Jacobus is readying to launch the free online release of his 2006 martial arts comedy classic, Contour, beginning next month. The movie will premiere exclusively on Jacobus’s YouTube channel on April 19 at 7:00pm pacific standard time, with Jacobus joined by co-star Dennis Ruel in a live Q&A to celebrate the film’s twentieth anniversary since its 2004 production. Contour follows the small-time criminal Lawrence (Law) Young, who moonlights as a crotchety San Francisco tour guide. Among Law’s latest guests is Alfonso de la Rosario, the prince of the obscure island nation of Uruvia, who informs Law of a hefty reward awaiting whomever recovers a missing (and very embarrassing) “private video” that belongs to his parents, the king and queen of Uruvia. Law sets out to recover the tape with the help of his criminal contacts, throwing Law and his tourists head […]
CONTOUR: Eric Jacobus Soon To Release Original Cut Of His Hit 2006 Martial Arts Indie Comedy For Free On YouTube
Actor, stuntman, motion capture performer, video essayist and filmmaker Eric Jacobus (“Mortal Kombat Legacy”) will be releasing his 2006 hit action comedy, Contour, for free on YouTube in the coming weeks. Jacobus made the announcement last week in a community post on his channel last week, further offering followers a chance to provide feedback with an advanced screening. Billed as the “black & blue” edition (as illustrated by the film’s original poster), Contour was the next major step for Jacobus and his fledgling team of aspiring stunt performers known as The Stunt People, after co-directing Immortal with Chelsea Steffensen, and winning big with MTV shortfilm crowdpleaser, Undercut. The team had already begun crafting several shortfilms as it assembled its members from various parts of California over time. Contour stars Jacobus who plays Lawrence “Law” Young, a shiftless thug indebted to a weasley boss posturing himself as a martial arts pioneer. […]
ACTION TALKS By Eric Jacobus: ‘Day Shift’ Director J.J. Perry Talks Stunts, Action Cinema History, And The ‘Best Part’ Of His Life
If you’ve managed to pay a visit to all 45 episodes of Scott Adkins’ Art Of Action interview series and need a continuation to help get you through 2023 and onward, then you’re in luck. All are welcome to subscribe to Eric Jacobus’s YouTube channel where members of his Telegram portal are currently the first to view his present series of video essays diving into action on film, as well as other literary topics that encompass his filmmaking practices and viewpoints. Such include the study of martial arts throughout history and culture, its segue into film, and the lens through which artists and athletes have molded the craft of film fighting which he’s since continued into his Movement Language series which is currently two episodes in. Par for the course are also interviews he’s now ramping up in the weeks and months ahead with industry stunt professionals like J.J. Perry […]
MOVEMENT LANGUAGE: Eric Jacobus Kicks Off New Series Analyzing Global Action On Film
Who better to host a first-hand discussion on martial arts action cinema with an estudious approach than a filmmaker with experience in the martial arts action arena? Welp, if at least one of your answers was Eric Jacobus, then you’re in the market for his latest upload, Movement Language, commencing a new video essay series dedicated to the study of physical performance as observed through multiple territories and markets over the last half-century. The episode is about twenty minutes and chronicles Jacobus’ early pre-stuntman days and burgeoning interest in Jackie Chan films to the launch of his own indie action cinema career leading up to his current evolution in motion capture performance. Jacobus also teases a coming spotlight on how “styles” are perceived throughout the world, with interview segments from some of today’s top stunt performers. There’s no solid episode count so there’s no telling how many parts there’ll be, […]
Commentary: Eric Jacobus On RIGHTING WRONGS And Its Explosive Fight Finale
Eighties Hong Kong cinematic action at its peak can be best summed up by one title as good as almost any for its time: Corey Yuen’s 1986 film, Righting Wrongs, centering on screen legend Yuen Biao in the role of a prosecutor whose maverick search for justice outside the law puts him in the throes of a duty-bound Hong Kong cop, played by cinematic action starlet Cynthia Rothrock. The story, which runs high on pulse-pounding action and stunts as the story builds forward, hits a major climax with blockbuster fisticuffs featuring both stars, and if you haven’t seen the film yet, this latest cinematic action breakdown by stuntman, mo-cap artist and filmmaker Eric Jacobus could be something of a spoiler. Well Go USA allowed Jacobus the courtesy of using their footage to synthesize and study the gangbuster action and fight choreography by Yuen and Hong Kong action stalwart Sammo Hung, […]
Eric Jacobus Talks THE ART OF CINEMATIC KICKING
It’s been a long time since we last heard from stuntman, filmmaker and mo-cap entrepreneur Eric Jacobus who, prior to the news of upcoming animated action comedy, Katzenjammer, gave his insight on the history on the Korean roots of kicking in HK cinema three years ago, in association with our campaign to promote Bruce Khan actioner, Revenger. Welp, Jacobus is back (not that he ever left as you can still tag along with him over at Telegram) with video essay “The Art Of Cinematic Kicking”, providing a detailed history of martial arts and varying styles, and how the evolution of kicks per each style played a role in film. We’re talking someone with more than twenty years in martial arts on both sides of the lens and who’s practically make kicking a viral phenomenon, so I’d say he’s an authority. Enjoy!
KATZENJAMMER: Stuntman/Filmmaker Eric Jacobus Outlines His New Venture With Animated Action Comedy [EXCLUSIVE]
Independent filmmaker Eric Jacobus is currently in early, albeit deep development with action comedy feature, Katzenjammer. The film, which was announced back in February in a since deleted Facebook post, signals a major pivot for Jacobus into the animation arena where he will apply his longtime craft in filmmaking, action and stunts for the first time. Katzenjammer will center on Lester Katz, an electric violin virtuoso bent on rescuing his childhood sweetheart, pop idol Vanessa from the evil clutches of a major studio that now claims her as its most-prized commodity. To accomplish this, he enlists the help of his adopted father, Abe, in order to infiltrate the studio by competing in its fierce audition system. In doing so, when his own burgeoning success puts him face to face with the studio’s dark underbelly, Lester must contend with his own long lost fame and recognition as an orphan, and is […]
THE HIT LIST: February 24, 2020
I can honestly say that one thing I wasn’t looking forward to doing this weekend, among other things, was fighting a nasty cold and fever. Alas, here we are. The Hit List is always a welcome labor and thus, we begin with a playlist filled to the brim with stunt demo and training reels from today’s talents: Shawn Bernal, Natascha Hopkins, Eric Miyashiki, Luke Davis, Justin Carney, Patrick Chu, Alejandro Gil, Todd Ryan Jones, Joshua Romeo, Mike Marin, LJ LaVecchia, Linda Kessler, Diandra Stoddard, Brittany Battle, Dani Parker, Cheryl Lewis, Gabriel Lewis, Lexter Santana, Jason Elwood Hanna, Bridgette Michelle, Hugh O’Brien and Jodi Stecyk. As far as trailers go, the only one on my radar hails from Darren Holmquist whose latest short, Phone It In, is set for a March 28 big screen premiere for the Indie Shorts Showcase at the Laemmle in Claremont, CA. Click here for tickets! There […]
THE HIT LIST: December 9, 2019
With 2019 winding down, there’s only one more Hit List to go after this, and I am thoroughly impressed to see such amazing work going into the holidays. Nilly Masa Cetin is first in our usual jam-packed stunt reel playlist to kick off the December 9 installment and I certainly hope to see more of her on YouTube going forward. Paul Pedersen continues the playlist with his own reel followed by entries from Jonathan Henry, Rié Yoshida, Daniel Rivera, Caleb Evans, Mizziel Serra, Kevin Ku, Liam Bailey, Bronwyn Akhurst, Jordan Thoma, Dillon Burns, Lauren Pugh, Jason Lee Bell, Alex Bankier, Cami Wickenhauer, Justin Sysum and Yann Brouet, with a spectacular choreography and performance reel by Nop Brothers – Daren and David, and an extensive, highly warranted display of cinematic action, stunts and stunt coordination by Filipino heavy hitter Sonny Sison. The trailers are definitely where it’s at and first up, […]
HIT LIST HEADS-UP: Take A Bite Out Of The Official PIZZA TIME Shortfilm Trailer
He’s fought the fast lane in Contour, drunk the Wake Up Juice, held tight in Death Grip, battled a time loop in Rope-A-Dope 1 and 2, and Blindsided the competition. He’s also advanced himself behind the lens with visionary action design as co-founder/director at Superalloy Interactive in the wake of his innovative fight scene methods for Indian martial arts hit, The Man Who Feels No Pain, which was a soaring favorite at Toronto late last year and onward. Indeed, actor and action auteur Eric Jacobus continues to have a stellar career run in cinema, and it’s one in which director Ryan Polly now gets to share for his new action comedy short, Pizza Time. Jacobus’s killer role joins opposite Ben Worley who stars as a pizza deliveryman who stumbles into the scene of a hitman’s contract killing. Orlando Valentino also stars along with Jesse Chaney and Jonathan Higgins. The short […]
THOSE WHO GO TO HELL…AND BACK: An Interview With Emmanuel Manzanares
Back in 2012, I had been about four or five years away from the online action community since its burgeoning began over at The Stunt People forum – the unfortunate perks of not having a working computer, sadly. That year, a lot had changed within the community, and particularly with new additions to the fray, including folks like Emmanuel Manzanares. By the time I got acquainted with who he was and his work, his 2012 short, Dogfight, was the talk of the interwebs among the niche, and of course, as eager as I was to get back into the mix of things, it got my attention. Getting to know Manzanares was a pretty slow process at first. We hadn’t spoken often, but I’d come to know him through small exchanges, as well as his interactions with his peers. His role in Dennis Ruel’s feature debut, Unlucky Stars, as a martial […]
Review: BLINDSIDED: THE GAME Plays Fair And Firm To An Industry That Needs To Open Its Eyes Already [Reprint/Revisal]
Making shortfilms as prologues to subsequent longer-form projects is nothing new in film and television. It is equally delightful and surprising when it goes unannounced and, as expected, delivers tenfold on its intentions with the engaging audience. It wasn’t exactly foreseen last Spring when actor, martial artist, stuntman and filmmaker Eric Jacobus started garnering festival praise with twelve-minute narrative short, Blindsided. At twelve minutes, it achieves nearly everything you might expect or enjoy in a shortfilm or proof of concept right down to the ending without necessarily feeling baited to wait for more. Instead, it garners your furthered interest in the character and universe, and that is simply that. Going forward however, whatever said interest that entailed clearly took hold of the people at JB Productions, Jacobus’ shared independent film banner with industry stunt coordinator and Blindsided director Clayton Barber. Just over a year later and with the concerted efforts […]
THE MAN WHO FEELS NO PAIN Dishes Out Plenty In The New Official Trailer
The road sure seemed like a longer one between now and last year’s Toronto premiere for Vasan Bala’s The Man Who Feels No Pain. The reason for such windows apart from any sort of meticulous and otherwise necessary film bureaucracy is beyond me, but at long last, moviegoers are just a few weeks away from seeing Abhimanyu Dassani and actress Radhika Madan light up the big screen, Rope-A-Dope style through the efforts of action stylists Eric Jacobus and Dennis Ruel. In this Bollywood-infused action film from Vasan Bala (Peddlers), a young man quite literally born with the ability to feel no pain strikes out on a quest to vanquish 100 foes. Our own Alex Chung, who himself is a stunt performer and independent filmmaker, was able to attend TIFF last year and catch up with his own review. In his critique, he especially heralded the action with respect to the […]
Vasan Bala’s THE MAN WHO FEELS NO PAIN Debuts A Poster That Fondly Foundates On Fandom
March 21 is the date for cinephiles and moviegoers keen on the festival scene and the innovative workings of Eric Jacobus whose vision for supple, creative and high-energy action direction and fight choreography has made him one of the most innovative and sought after stunt professionals in the world. And I mean THE WORLD. It was The Man Who Feels No Pain director Vasan Bala who contacted him to help “…do Rope-A-Dope action in a Bollywood film.” (re: Jacobus’ two beloved action comedy shorts on YouTube) back in 2016. Jacobus documents the process exquisitely in a personal blog post in which he outlines the nexus of multitude intracies incorporated in a process he calls “Vertical Intergration”. Fans following Jacobus on social media will get an ample whiff of that going forward as Jacobus engages 2019 with an aim to introduce fans to how he’s anteing up the field of evolutionary […]
TICKER TEST: An Interview With Actor And Filmmaker Dennis Ruel
One might safely say that 2018 is assuredly Dennis Ruel’s banner year with THE MAN WHO FEELS NO PAIN and the re-release of UNLUCKY STARS. We discuss all that and more in our latest interview!
Review: BLINDSIDED: THE GAME Plays Fair And Firm To An Industry That Needs To Open Its Eyes Already
Making shortfilms as prologues to subsequent longer-form projects is nothing new in film and television. It is equally delightful and surprising when it goes unannounced and, as expected, delivers tenfold on its intentions with the engaging audience. It wasn’t exactly foreseen last Spring when actor, martial artist, stuntman and filmmaker Eric Jacobus started garnering festival praise with twelve-minute narrative short, Blindsided. At twelve minutes, it achieves nearly everything you might expect or enjoy in a shortfilm or proof of concept right down to the ending without necessarily feeling baited to wait for more. Instead, it garners your furthered interest in the character and universe, and that is simply that. Going forward however, whatever said interest that entailed clearly took hold of the people at JB Productions, Jacobus’ shared independent film banner with industry stunt coordinator and Blindsided director Clayton Barber. Just over a year later and with the concerted efforts […]
THE HIT LIST: May 7, 2018
I can’t say much about my weekend. Really it wasn’t one – lots of work to be done and little time for R&R, frankly. The anime catch-up with SAO: GGO and Fist Of The Blue Sky: Regenesis was nice though. From L to R (top): Jefferson Lewis III, Christos Dante, Hope LaVelle, Arman Ansari, Johnny Gao L to R (bottom): Michelle Jubilee Gonzalez, Donte Walker, Terence Julien, Kawui Joa, Megan Hui As always, I left some room for The Hit List and we begin with the essentials starting with a raft of stunt reels from today’s stunt talents beginning with the high-diving antics of Malin Kirjonen, the harpooning fight scene badassery of Peter Jang and Cobra Kai fall guy Noah Bain Garrett, followed by more stunt profusion with Anthony Rodriguez, Jackson Rosario, Kawui Joa, Mollie Wilson, Joseph Roark, Bryan Dodds, Mohammed J. Ali, Ted Alderman and stunt coordinator Tyler Hall. […]
Don’t Turn A Blind Eye This May For Eric Jacobus’s BLINDSIDED: THE GAME
I’m hesitant to mention anything more, but I have a truly viable and strong feeling fans are in for a real treat come May 17. Prolific internet star, actor and filmmaker Eric Jacobus signaled the date upon sharing the new poster for Blindsided: The Game, succeeding the launchpad of Jacobus/Barber Productions that was last year’s shortfilm release, Blindsided. Industry stuntman and coordinator Clayton Barber, collaborates as director and writer once again with Jacobus following up as Walter Cooke, a blind apple pie connoisseur who clashes with a loan shark and his goons after saving the life of an indebted store clerk. Jacobus sternly crafts the physical slapstick comedy that foundates the slick, solid martial arts action that personifies the role of Cooke in a way that resoundingly bridges the protagonist likes of Zatoichi, Blind Fury and Daredevil‘s Matt Murdock. I’ve been following Jacobus for more than fourteen years and I […]
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