Beijing Boyce

A Somewhat Young China Hand on the Local Drinking Scene

Celebrity Pub Crawl V: Jack Burton - Big Trouble in Little China

April 03rd, 2008 | Category: Celebrity Pub Crawl

I obviously didn’t learn my lesson from Celebrity Pub Crawl I, which featured Miami Vice’s Crockett and Tubbs, because I’m going “old school” again - this time with Jack “It’s all in the reflexes” Burton from 1980s cult movie Big Trouble in Little China.

Before you close the window, give me a chance. This movie has it all. It’s funny and so are all of you. It includes “China” in the name and that’s where we live. Burton, played by Kurt Russell, is a durable, weathered vet who could handle a heavy night out in Beijing. And his love interest is a very young Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City). Here’s the trailer: the last bit, with the beer bottle, gives an idea of the kind of places Burton would patronize (and here’s the link in case the video doesn’t appear below):

As always, post a comment about where in Beijing you would take Jack “Pork Chop Express” Burton, and you’ll be entered in the weekly draw. The prizes:- A bottle of Grace Vineyard Tasya’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Torres

- A package of four books - Insider’s Guide to Beijing 2008, Mandarin Phrasebook, Healthy Chinese Cuisine: A Restaurant Ordering Guide, and Spicy Chinese Cuisine: A Restaurant Ordering Guide - from Immersion Guides.

The deadline for entering the draw is Tuesday at noon. The winner will be announced the next day. (Note: I can only ship prizes to addresses in Beijing. One entry per week per person, please. To spread the wealth for this six-week contest, only one prize per person.)

Here’s another video that strings together clips of Burton.


Too bad the old Goose n’ Duck isn’t still open…

8 Comments so far

  1. Badr April 3rd, 2008 6:11 pm

    oh man.. talk about bringing back memories!!!

    There is only one place that good old Jack would feel right at home in and that is Nuren Jie. It’s probably the only bar-hopping are in Beijing that manages to combine all the right ingredients for a Jack night out.

    Dinner at Abella for some steaks with gorgonzola sauce then walking up and down the street from bar to bar. The 5:19 would have been a perfect place to finish it out.

  2. froog April 3rd, 2008 7:21 pm

    I wonder if being first to comment may magically improve my so far dismal record in this competition.

    I can’t really see ol’ Jack being too interested in Chinese bar scene. I think we’d start him off at Kro’s for man-sized portions of pizza, and then maybe move around the corner to The Den for all-night sport, nasty draft beer, women of dubious virtue, and the possibility of a fight or two.

  3. 12sqm April 3rd, 2008 9:27 pm

    I can see him downing cheap tequila at Bus Bar.

  4. boyce April 4th, 2008 2:05 am

    @ Badr,

    We need to get 5:19 open just so we can watch this movie there. Seen any copies around?

    @ froog,

    The Den works - I can see him out on the deck using his lightning fast reflexes to catch beer bottles at six in the morning.

    @ 12sqm,

    Cheap tequila, yeah, but he might find that new Bus Bar too blinged out.

    I still think the 5:19 rooftop, or the old Goose n Duck would have been perfect.

    Cheers, Boyce

  5. AppetiteforChina April 4th, 2008 9:45 am

    I would take him first to Sunset for the cheapest beers in town, then partying at Alfa, where he would fit right in at 80’s Night every Friday.

  6. Michael J April 7th, 2008 12:31 pm

    Ahhh, Bus Bar is the only good suggestion so far. Burton would look at all of Sanlitun and laugh. I’d take him to a medium-sized family restaurant and load up on the expat staples, along with a few yanjings. Then it’s off to some gambling and maybe an early morning satellite broadcast of an NFL/MLB game.

    Great, great, movie. I remember seeing it as a kid and loving it. Wang was a great straight man - was he in anything else?

  7. Jean-Marie April 7th, 2008 12:57 pm

    I would take him to Pure Girl. The cleanup last week might not quite match the fighting in the movie (the first cleanup was more reminiscent of that), but it’s the place I’ve witnessed most fights with/about Chinese girl friends.

  8. Aros April 8th, 2008 10:55 am

    Hmm, chinese have a lot of hells… I’d take him to Shooters. Just outside is where you might see a gang of chinese getting into a fight (with some stupid foreigners). Jack’s bit of a faded celebrity, so he needs to get out of that kind of situation and save the day (well the night) in front of a really young crowd who might then remember him for another 20 years…

Leave a reply