The Quest w/ Jon Gabrus (Classic)

The How Did This Get Made? team dives into *The Quest* (1996), Jean-Claude Van Damme’s self-directed, gloriously absurd martial arts epic, with guest Jon Gabrus—a diehard Van Damme fan and fellow '80s action movie devotee. What begins as a nostalgic celebration quickly unravels into a hilarious takedown of the film’s nonsensical plot, lazy storytelling, and baffling choices: a 38-year-old clown leading a gang of street urchins, a PG-13 action movie with no violence, a golden dragon that defies physics, and a Nazi blimp used to steal it. The hosts dissect the film’s failed training montages, inconsistent timeline (with Van Damme allegedly on a boat for months), and the bizarre casting of a real-life Albanian actor in a Spanish fighter role. They also roast the film’s over-the-top slow-motion editing, the lack of stakes, and the final twist: the entire movie is a story told by a female reporter—narrated in Van Damme’s voice—making the film’s ending both meta and meaningless. Despite its flaws, the episode revels in the movie’s chaotic charm, culminating in a deep dive into the real-life absurdity behind the scenes: Van Damme’s failed attempt to get Oliver Stone to direct, Roger Moore’s hatred of the film, and the infamous fact that Jack McGee farted after every take. The episode ends with a loving tribute to the film’s cult status and the bizarre, fascinating world of Van Damme’s '90s action universe.