Overview of Miami Connection LIVE! w/ Chris Geere (HDTGM Matinee)
This is a live episode of How Did This Get Made? recorded at Largo in Los Angeles where hosts Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas (with guest Chris Geere) watch and dissect the cult 1987 action/music film Miami Connection — a low-budget, wildly earnest movie about a taekwondo-playing new wave band who fight drug-dealing gangs. The episode blends scene-by-scene breakdown, trivia (production and rediscovery), audience Q&A, and lots of comic riffs on the movie’s tone, characters, fight sequences, and improbably catchy soundtrack.
Episode summary
- The hosts and guest react to Miami Connection’s main conceit: Sound Dragon, a college/new-wave band who are also taekwondo practitioners (“Ninjas by night, bikers by day”), targeted by local cocaine-dealing thugs.
- The episode praises the film’s surprisingly strong, catchy soundtrack and stage presence of the band, even as they poke fun at the movie’s comically inconsistent plotting, performances, and production values.
- They spotlight standout moments: the long dramatic monologues (especially Jim’s “My mother was Korean…” speech), the beach montage (awkward and problematic editing choices), the jungle/20-minute fight scenes, the train-yard fight vignettes, and the famously tacked-on reshot ending in a hospital.
- Hosts dig into movie lore: director/star Y.K. Kim’s role, his use of taekwondo students as cast, the film’s initial commercial failure in 1987 and its rediscovery/re-release after an Alamo Drafthouse programmer found a 35mm print on eBay (re-emerged 2012).
- Live audience Q&A touches on character relationships (Jane/Jeff/Yoshito), the “Miami” vs Orlando setting, and other curiosities (why ninjas drive loud motorcycles, payment for extras/bikers, odd wardrobe choices).
Key people & characters discussed
- Y.K. Kim — writer/producer/star/taekwondo instructor behind the film; used his students as cast and crew. Shot final reshoot hospital scene himself.
- Sound Dragon — the band at the film’s center (lead singer/guitarists are actual musicians who wrote the songs).
- Jim — band member with the film’s most famous monologue; his stabbing and the reshot, happier hospital ending are much-discussed.
- Jane — female lead with a problematic character arc and treatment in the movie; romantically involved with “Giant Michael Phelps.”
- Jeff — Jane’s hairy, jealous brother and antagonist (biker/thug).
- “Giant Michael Phelps” — comic descriptor for Jane’s boyfriend, a very muscular swimmer-type character.
- Yoshito — another figure who complicates family/relationship dynamics.
- Chris Geere — episode guest (actor, promoted You're the Worst Season 4) joins the hosts in live commentary.
Movie background & notable trivia highlighted
- Year: originally released in 1987 in eight Orlando theaters; poor run and vanished for decades.
- Rediscovery: A 35mm print surfaced on eBay (around 2009/2010) and a screening at Alamo Drafthouse led to renewed interest and re-release circa 2012.
- Production: Extremely low-budget; Y.K. Kim wore many hats (story, casting, production), shot without permits sometimes, used students and locals as extras, and reshot the ending later after poor initial reception at a screening.
- Cast mostly non-actors (many were Kim’s taekwondo students).
- The band’s music (Sound Dragon) is genuinely catchy and one of the film’s primary strengths — the hosts repeatedly praise the soundtrack.
- Several sequences were poorly covered technically (lighting, ADR issues, continuity), which contributes to the film’s cult charm.
Memorable moments & themes discussed
- Jim’s monologue: “My mother was Korean and my father was black American…” — described as hypnotic, sincere, and one-take-feeling; one of the episode’s emotional centers.
- The beach montage: Criticized for problematic editing choices (inserting shots of children next to sexualized imagery), awkward staging (beach chair in water), and bizarre continuity.
- Fight choreography: Long, chaotic, often poorly coordinated multi-combatant scenes (jungle and train yard fights); violence contrasted against the film’s stated message of peace.
- Orphan motif: The movie repeatedly references characters being “orphans,” which the hosts find superficially inserted and odd.
- Band-as-heroes: Hosts joke the group should quit ninjutsu and tour—because their music is that good — and that their tour plans (visiting parents’ home countries) are hilariously naive.
- Tone contradictions: The film preaches non-violence and world peace while the protagonists engage in extended and deadly fights; the hosts discuss this dissonance frequently.
Critical takes & notable quotes from the episode
- “Drop out of college. Stop being ninjas. Just focus on this band.” — the hosts’ humorous conclusion about the band’s future.
- “Bikers by day, ninjas by night” — repeated as a core (and absurd) movie tagline.
- Jim’s monologue quoted and performed live by the hosts as a highlight: “My mother was Korean, and my father was black American…”
- Recurrent host judgment: the soundtrack and band stage work are ‘legitimately catchy’; the movie is both “messy” and “a triumph” of earnestness.
Audience Q&A highlights
- Who are the people watching on the bridge during the final fight? — Locals/extras who wandered by; likely non-professional spectators.
- Why is it called Miami Connection if mostly set in Orlando? — The “connection” refers to a Miami-based dealer (Yoshito) who supplies drugs to Orlando; title still misleading.
- Were bikers and extras paid? — Anecdote: bikers/extras were reportedly paid in beer; many were local non-actors.
Production / distribution follow-up & recommendations
- After its initial failure, Miami Connection found a second life through a cult revival — screenings, iTunes release, and special editions (e.g., DVD “Stupid Cocaine Edition” with a music documentary).
- Hosts recommend: buy/watch the film (several hosts strongly recommend purchasing it on digital platforms or the special DVD for the music documentary extras).
- Audience suggestion: watch with friends for maximum fun; treat it like communal cult viewing.
Criticisms & problematic content noted
- Questionable treatment and development of the female lead (Jane); some depictions and editing decisions (e.g., beach montage intercutting sexualized adult shots with children) were called out as disturbing or tone-deaf.
- Continuity, dubbing/ADR, lighting, and acting are frequently inconsistent — part of the film’s cult appeal, but also genuine production flaws.
- Moral inconsistency: the film’s message about peace conflicts with the protagonists’ violent actions and murder.
Plugs, show housekeeping & sponsor mentions
- Guest plug: Chris Geere promoted Season 4 of You're the Worst (premieres September 6).
- Episode promo: mini-episode continuation, call-in number for listener commentary (619-PAUL-ASK).
- Merch: HDTGM store link (tpublic.com/stores/hdtgm).
- Sponsors/ads read during the show (multiple): Xfinity, Paramount+, Alienware, Squarespace, eBay, Babbel, Hershey’s, Chime, Quince, Coop Sleep Goods — each gets short live reads.
Verdict / takeaway
- This episode frames Miami Connection as a must-see cult film: wildly inconsistent but wildly entertaining. The soundtrack and sheer sincerity (plus absurd plot and production choices) make it a rewarding watch, especially with friends.
- Hosts’ recommendation: watch it, ideally with others; consider buying a copy to access extras (music documentary, behind-the-scenes). It’s celebrated as a rediscovered oddball classic — equal parts unpolished and charming.
Quick resources & action items mentioned
- Movie rediscovery: Alamo Drafthouse screening led to re-release; look for iTunes/DVD special editions (search “Miami Connection” / “Stupid Cocaine Edition”).
- Guest’s show: You're the Worst — Season 4 release early September.
- How Did This Get Made? mini-episode and call-in number: 619-PAUL-ASK.
- Merch: tpublic.com/stores/hdtgm
If you want the short version: Miami Connection is simultaneously gloriously earnest and hilariously flawed — the band is memorable, the tunes are catchy, the fights are chaotic, the production is bafflingly inventive, and the film’s comeback story (from eBay print to cult rediscovery) is part of its charm. The hosts and guest strongly recommend watching it.