American Ninja is a 1985 martial arts action film produced by Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus's Cannon Films. Like most other films produced by that studio, American Ninja was a low-budget action film. Directed by Sam Firstenberg, who specialized in this genre in the 80s, the film stars Michael Dudikoff in the title role, with Steve James as his side-kick. Domestic box office grosses for the picture totalled $10,499,694, and the studio responded with a competently-made but less successful sequel, American Ninja 2: The Confrontation in 1987. Three more commercially and critically unsuccessful sequels would follow with another lead actor, David Bradley. Dudikoff returned for the fourth film in this franchise, along with Bradley. The fifth and final film in the American Ninja franchise disregarded the series continuity and was a direct-to-video release. Biography Yoram Globus is a film producer and financier who, along with his cousin, Menahem Golan (born Menahem Globus) bought the Cannon Group production company in 1979 and ran it throughout the 1980s. ... Menahem Golan is an Israeli director/producer who is most famous (or infamous) for his association with Cannon films, a company he ran with his cousin Yoram Globus. ... Michael Dudikoff is an American ninja. ... Steve James (February 19, 1952–December 18, 1993) was an American actor. ... Judith M. Aronson (b. ... Golan-Globus produced a distinctive line of low-budget films from 1979 to 1989. ... is the 242nd day of the year (243rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... // Back to the Future, starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson Rambo: First Blood Part II, starring Sylvester Stallone Rocky IV, starring Sylvester Stallone The Color Purple, starring Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Avery, Rae Dawn Chong, Adolph Caesar Out of Africa, starring Meryl Streep and... Martial arts film is a film genre that originated in the Pacific Rim. ... Look up Action film in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Menahem Golan is an Israeli director/producer who is most famous (or infamous) for his association with Cannon films, a company he ran with his cousin Yoram Globus. ... Biography Yoram Globus is a film producer and financier who, along with his cousin, Menahem Golan (born Menahem Globus) bought the Cannon Group production company in 1979 and ran it throughout the 1980s. ... Golan-Globus produced a distinct line of low-budget action films from 1979 to 1989. ... Michael Dudikoff is an American ninja. ... Steve James (February 19, 1952–December 18, 1993) was an American actor. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... David Bradley is an American actor, mostly famous for being the lead in the American Ninja-sequels and Cyborg Cop. ...

Plot

Joe Armstrong, an orphaned amnesiac drifter with little respect for much other than martial arts, finds himself on an American Army base in the Philippines after a judge gives him a choice of enlistment or prison. The base comes under repeated attacks by local ninjas who are after the military equipment that their leader, Ortega, plans to sell to the highest bidder. His top henchman is Black Star Ninja, who runs a training camp to train Ortega's private ninja army. In the end, Joe must use his secret martial arts skills to defeat the bad guys and rescue his girlfriend, with the help of his new buddies in the army and his long-lost mentor.

Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

• The film was originally called American Warrior, but was changed to American Ninja prior to its release. The trailer (included on the DVD) contains the original title. In Germany, however, the film was released under the title American Fighter.

• Was the first of three films pairing Michael Dudikoff and Steve James, the other two being American Ninja 2: The Confrontation and Avenging Force.

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Michael Dudikoff is an American ninja. ... Steve James (February 19, 1952–December 18, 1993) was an American actor. ...

See also

• American Ninja 2: The Confrontation
• American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt
• American Ninja 4: The Annihilation
• American Ninja V