Customer Reviews

New Gladiators

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I remember, as a young karateka, hearing the whispers about a film underwritten by Elvis Presley with a heavey dose of Ed Parker's influence. The rumor was in dojos and martial arts journals, yet, this rumor appeared to be more urban myth than reality until it was once again disocvered, freed from purgatory, and Rising Sun Productions releases this long awaited film (well, long awaited for us martial arts geeks who have been waiting to see this thing for about 30 years).

The initial buzz wasn't really good about this flick, so I waited to buy it. Finally I got it and watched it immediately and the final word is - the movie is not really that good. The film quality is poor, due in part for it not being produced and cared for (it was left in producer Wait's home for most of this time). Further, it severly lacks a well developed script and direction and could have taken its cue from the producers of "Fighting Black Kings" which is a superior karate documentry, or for that matter, "The Warrior Within" which is also a better film that was also produced during 70s.

With the negatives aside, the flim does allow us 40-something and over martial artists to revisit an era with heroes and legends. There is footage of Ed Parker demonstrating Kenpo and providing sparring advice to the US Karate team. We watch Benny Urquidez just before he enters full contact. We observe Steve Sanders coming back to fight in a tournament one more time (this was before he changed his last name). We get to see Roy Kurban take the US championships and we observe other legends who carried the sport karate torch.

For those reasons alone, the DVD, although of very poor quality, is worth the watch and purchase for us 40+something American martial artist. It is a part of history and a part of our American Martial Arts culture, for good and ill, and as such, worth adding to your collection.

Full Length 1970s Sport Karate Documentary Discovered

Los Angeles, CA This story is so good, it sounds like a Hollywood story, which it is. For years there has been a rumor that Elvis Presley financed a feature length documentary on sport karate in the 1970s entitled, "The New Gladiators."

American martial arts history books mentioned the film, but no one ever said they actually saw it. References indicated that it was an unfinished project that died with Elvis in 1977. Now, 25 years after the passing of Elvis Presley, the original 16mm film stock has been discovered and restored.

The "The New Gladiators" is a 93-minute documentary that chronicles the exploits of the U.S. Karate Team of Ron Marchini, Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, Darnell Garcia, Tom Kelly, and John Natividad. Additional fighters showcased in the film include Steve Saunders, Roy Kurban, Ed Parker, Ticky Donavan, Geert Lemmens and other American and European stars of the day.

This remarkable film is fully narrated and even has an original soundtrack by David Crosby and Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills, and Nash fame!

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The New Gladiators is a excellent look at the marital arts scene from back in the 70"s. As a long standing martial artist i throughly enjoyed it.But i did feel it was wrong to not have footage of Elvis Presley praticeing Kempo Karate, especialy since this documentary originated as his own project.......Skip.A

Classic footage of Benny Urquidez, Eric Lee, Fumio Demura, all the greatest martial artist all on one DVD.

This DVD is a collectors item & a must-have for those interested in the formative years in American karate. But the DVD froze in the same spot each time I tried to watch it (even after a wipe-down w/ a soft cloth). I only saw half.

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