The Poster Memorabilia blog

A Big Movie Couple in a Little Cult Classic

Two confused stars, one forgotten poster, and a fan who wouldn't let it go.

By an anonymous Hollywood insider

Do you know how many films your favorite actors have starred in? Do you know all their movies? Sometimes, a movie star's underrated works end up being the most entertaining. For me, Kurt Russell and Kim Cattrall's best movie was Big Trouble in Little China, a film the world has largely forgotten.

I get that their most iconic roles are Snake Plissken from Escape from New York and Samantha Jones from Sex and the City, but if you're a fan of both, you gotta see this cult classic. It's these two beautiful 80s movie stars in an outrageous action-comedy that parodies many of the films Russell himself has starred in.

It hasn't exactly aged well with all the harmful Chinese and East Asian stereotypes, but it's a lot better than actual action movies from that era. And as a Chinese-American myself, whose grandfather also loved the film, I appreciate that they cast actors of Chinese descent in many of the supporting roles.

“Sometimes, a movie star's underrated works end up being the most entertaining.”

Both actors were so hilarious in the movie, too. Russell has always been great at these sorts of satirical action flicks, but Cattrall was a revelation as his leading lady. It was a different kind of funny than the character she'd later play in the hit HBO series, but it still suited her.

Speaking of Cattrall in Sex and the City, I actually met her at the premiere of the franchise's second movie. My girlfriend dragged me to its New York City premiere, and I took this chance to have her sign my Big Trouble in Little China movie poster.

Needless to say, the actress was shocked I brought it. I think she was surprised someone actually remembered it. While other fans brought notebooks, shirts, and SATC merch to get signed, I brought a poster of a movie that she made decades ago. She looked confused and giggled when she saw my poster, but she signed it anyway.

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Kurt Russell was equally surprised when I asked him to sign the same poster at the Academy Awards in 2017. I heard he was going to be presenting that night, so I got myself a spot in the fan bleachers and brought the poster along. By then, I'd already had James Hong and Kate Burton sign it, too.

Like Cattrall, Russell looked confused at first. It was actually my poster that drew him to me. I was in front of the fan pit and held it over the railing as I asked him to sign it. He squinted at first, trying to remember what the movie was, and I think it was Goldie Hawn who eventually reminded him of the film.

Once it came to him, he gave me a big smile and signed it. “Awesome, I can't believe people actually remember this,” he said as he gave the poster back to me. I then told him that it was one of my favorite films and that he was amazing in it.

Against all odds, I got my Big Trouble in Little China poster signed by its two iconic leads. Try to look deeper into your favorite movie stars' works, and you might just find a hidden gem like this one!

Some things you watch. This one you keep.

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