# ID this mid-1980's american martial arts movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 7, 2004, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mid-1980s-american-martial-arts-movie/249042 "2004-06-07T03:07:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mid-1980s-american-martial-arts-movie/249042/1 "2004-06-07T03:07:16Z")
I’m going nuts trying to remember this american martial arts movie from the mid-1980’s. I’m vague on the details, but it may have taken place in russia, with a man involved in some sort of martial arts competition. At one point, he ends up in a bavarian-ish village full of crazy people that start chasing him around. At another point, he’s rescued by a masked ninja who turns out to be his father. There may be an asian female love interest, but it’s all fuzzy from there. Any clues? ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mid-1980s-american-martial-arts-movie/249042/2 "2004-06-07T03:08:18Z")
Also, I’m pretty sure that it’s a one-word foreign-sounding title (russian-sounding, maybe), possibly starting with either N or K. ---
**Author:** ![cmason32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@cmason32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmason32)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mid-1980s-american-martial-arts-movie/249042/3 "2004-06-07T03:17:49Z")
Gymkata ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mid-1980s-american-martial-arts-movie/249042/4 "2004-06-07T04:47:38Z")
Cmason, you own it! Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Monkeypants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Monkeypants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkeypants)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mid-1980s-american-martial-arts-movie/249042/5 "2004-06-07T05:02:57Z")
Well of course it’s Gymkata, which contains the infamous pommel horse scene. [http://www.rickveldman.com/images/gymkata.jpg](http://www.rickveldman.com/images/gymkata.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mid-1980s-american-martial-arts-movie/249042/6 "2004-06-07T06:00:50Z")
Brilliant! I used to watch it when I was eight or so. Sadly, it’s not out on DVD. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-mid-1980s-american-martial-arts-movie/249042/7 "2004-06-07T07:05:00Z")
**Cmason32** “owning it” doesn’t quite live up to the love **Munch** [showered on me](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=240627) when I answered the same movie question a few months back. 😃