Friends, let me tell you about a little movie called Miami Connection : One part ’80s rock ‘n’ roll musical, another part martial arts extravaganza, this forgotten gem made in 1987 by future Tae Kwon Do Grandmaster Y.K. Kim is the cult pic of the year. When else will you ever see a team of multicultural orphan BFF rock musicians-slash-college students take on biker ninjas and economically frustrated rival bands in totally ’80s suburban Florida, complete with insanely catchy original tunes AND a throwaway plot involving “stupid cocaine?” I’ll tell you when: Never. The goodly folks at Drafthouse Pictures unearthed Miami Connection by accident after blind-screening a print bought for $50 from the internet. Miami Connection isn’t just bad-great, it’s got a real heart at its core, and that heart beats to the rhythm of ditties like “Against the Ninja” (sample mid-song chant: “TAE KWON/TAE KWON — TAE KWON DO!”) and “Friends Forever” (sample lyric: “Friends for eternity, loyalty, honesty/We stick together through thick and thin”). Their band name? Dragon Sound. In the spirit of awards season and to celebrate next week’s theatrical re-release of Miami Connection — its original run consisted of a handful of theaters in Florida in 1987, accompanied by critical and commercial rejection — Drafthouse has created a series of For Your Consideration ads. Movieline is proud to exclusively present for your consideration, for Best Song (yes, maybe of all time), “Against the Ninja” co-written and sung by the film’s leading lady, Kathee Collier: Collier is unfortunately very tough to Google for a “Where Are They Now” update, but Kim and the rest of Dragon Sound made it to Austin, TX in September for Fantastic Fest . Suffice to say it’s possible Collier single-handedly kept the ’80s in hairspray, pumps, and white lace bodysuits. I only hope she’s out there somewhere humming along and relishing in her memories as anyone who’s seen Miami Connection will be for months. Miami Connection opens in select theaters starting on November 2. For a full list of cities & dates visit http://drafthousefilms.com/film/miami-connection. To request a screening in your city through Tugg, visit http://www.tugg.com/titles/miami-connection. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
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For Your Consideration: Go Against The Ninja With ’80s Martial Arts Discovery ‘Miami Connection’
