Ninja Movie FAQ
NINJA MOVIE FAQ
Q: Why are some well known American ninja movies missing from your site?
A: The Ninja Movie Database foregrounds what you might call "camp" ninja movies. They
are characterized by their low budget, bad dubbing, East Asian origin, and splicing of two
films into one. They tend to contain ninjas who disappear using smoke bombs, drill underground,
and wear headbands that say "ninja" on them. In contrast to their American counterparts, these
movies are rather enigmatic. They were never shown on late night television. The only way to
find them was at your local video store. Two decades have passed now and very few video stores
bother renting them. The obscure status of these films is what motivated the creation of the Ninja Movie Database.
It is hoped this site grants a joyous nostalgia to each and every person who types "ninja movies" into a search engine.
Q: Are ninja movies comprised of two different films?
A: Productions from IFD Films and Arts and Filmark International almost always contain
ninja-footage and plot-footage. The two sources are spliced together to make a feature length film. The actors
in the plot-footage are dubbed into making references to ninjas, even though the original
dialogue of that footage may have had nothing to do with ninjas. 80% of the film comes from an
obscure or unreleased Asian film, while the other 20% comes from caucasians dressed like ninjas.
The epitome of this can be seen in movies where the actors wear headbands that say "ninja" on
them.
Q: Who made the ninja movies of the 80s?
A: The main players in the 80s ninja movie business were Joseph Lai, Godfrey Ho, Robert Tai,
and Wu Kuo Jen. Perhaps the most prominent of these is Godfrey Ho, who used an array of pseudonyms in his
productions for various reasons. Furthermore, many of his incomplete productions were passed off to other directors
who wished to remain anonymous. The following is a list of names which, if present in a film's credits, indicate some
degree of involvement by Godfrey Ho.
Benny Ho
Bert Brooks
Bob Poe
Bruce Lambert
Burt Petersen
Carmen Heller
Charles Lee
Daniel Wells
Edgar Jere
George King
Godfrey Hall
Ken Ashley
Mark Coston
Mick Stuard
Richard Philips
Ted King
Victor Sears
Q: Why did they dub Anglo parts of ninja movies?
A: The Anglo portions of ninja movies were always shot without sound.
Q: Who did the dubbing?
A: Voice actors in martial arts films are rather elusive. In terms of ninja movies, it has been said
that Richard Harlan did Richard Harrison's voice and George Wing did Alexander Lo Rei's. Not much is known beyond that.
Q: Are there any movies with "ninja" in the title, but few or no actual ninjas in the movie?
A: Yes! Picture this. You walk out of your local video store with Death Mask of the Ninja clutched under
your arm. After buying a Coke Slurpee and Hickory Sticks, you make your way home to enjoy some
ninja-tainment. You sit back, press play, and slowly realize your greatest nightmare has come
true: there are no ninjas in the movie! The following is a list of films with no (or very few)
stereotypical ninjas.
Black Ninja
Bruce Le Vs Ninja
Death Mask of the Ninja
Empire Of The Spiritual Ninja
Ghost Of The Ninja
Leopard Fist Ninja
Lone Ninja Warrior
Ninja Apocalypse
Ninja Enforcer
Ninja Exterminators
Ninja Fist of Fire
Ninja In The Claws Of The CIA
Ninja Knight Heavens Hell
Ninja Supremo
Ninja Swords of Death
Ninja The Kung Fu Emperor
Ninja Turf
Ninja Vampire Busters
Ninja Wars
Ninja Wolves
Screaming Ninja
Shaolin Challenges Ninja
The Ninja Strikes Back
To Catch A Ninja
Q: How many camp ninja movies are there?
A: According to IMDb there are 206 movies with the word "ninja"
in the title, but there are three exceptions to this total. First, some movies have no ninjas in them, even though "ninja" is in the title
(e.g. Death Mask Of The Ninja). Second, some movies are animated (e.g. Ninja Scroll). Third,
some are children's movies (e.g. 3 Ninjas). That said, the total number of camp ninja
movies is approximately 80.
Q: What are the top ten camp moments of all time?
A:
1. Ninja The Final Duel - When the ninjas paddle on inflatable water spiders like four-year-olds.
2. Ninja Fantasy - When the black ninjas turn into black fish and the red one becomes a red snapper.
3. Challenge of the Lady Ninja - When the evil ninja burrows under the ground at the end of the movie.
4. The Thundering Ninja - When the man jogs down the street holding 1 pound weights in each hand.
5. Clash of the Ninjas - When the evil ninja holds the phone 3 inches away from his head while talking.
6. The Super Ninja - When the wood ninja surfs on a log, so obviously water skiing behind a boat.
7. Ninja In The USA - When the ninja jumps over bridge and dies because someone tells him to.
8. Ninja Phantom Heroes - When the movie ends with bad music and no resolution to the story line.
9. A Life Of Ninja - When the female ninjas are supported by a crane above icebergs in a pond.
10. Shaolin Vs Ninja - When the man tells the monk to go to 7-11 and buy some candy bars.
Q: What is the greatest camp ninja movie of all time?
A: Wu Kuo-Jen's The Super Ninja. This movie has countless camp moments. To avoid
spoiling the movie, none of these moments will be mentioned here. But if you wish, you can read
Jabootu's review which includes some images.
The movie is available on VHS and DVD from Tai Seng Entertainment. People in the
USA might find it in the martial arts section at Media Play. Others can easily order it from Amazon.com.
Get yourself a Coke Slurpee from 7-11, sit back, and enjoy!
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