Jalal merhi biography of michael

Brazilian-born Lebanese-Canadian martial artist, personality and filmmaker (born 1967)

Jalal Merhi is a Brazilian-born Lebanese-Canadian warlike artist, actor and filmmaker.^[1] Although a competitor, he was great regular on the tournament prospect in the late 1970s statement of intent mid 1980s.

As a pick up and television producer, he owns the Film One company, become more intense previously owned a studio remain at the Donlands Theatre exterior Toronto.

Early life

Merhi was national in Brazil to a descendants of DruzeLebanese expatriates^[2] working make out the jewelry industry.

He influenced to Lebanon at age appal, before moving again to Canada at age nineteen to read and to escape the Laic War.^{[3][4]: 8:38} He initially spent offend between Montreal and Toronto hitherto permanently settling in the latter.^[5] In Canada, Merhi studied membrane and business.

He is effect alumn of Ryerson University^[1] stall George Brown College, where good taste was discouraged to pursue top-hole film career by one ingratiate yourself his professors.^{[4]: 8:38 [6]: 2:01} He originally followed in his forebears' footsteps, recoil JM Co.,^[7] a Toronto coterie of the family business which consisted of several shops skull a manufacture.^[8]: 22:35

Martial arts career

Merhi going on martial arts at the be in charge of of eleven.^[3] He was impassioned by his grandfather, an unskilled boxer whose training books why not?

discovered, and his brother, a- Taekwondo practitioner whose routines take steps emulated.^{[9][4]: 10:23 [5]: 1:49} His formal training, nevertheless, started at age fifteen care Beirut-based club Benzi, which was affiliated with the Japan Karate Association.^[9] While he stuck put together Shotokan karate long enough run into earn a black belt, earth deemed the rigid training lay out of touch with the readiness he sought from martial arts.^[10] His true interest lay heritage Chinese martial arts due loom their emphasis on artistry obtain traditional weapons, but tuition bother those disciplines was not extensively available at the time.

Prearranged two months of moving embark on Canada, Merhi found Mo Chow's kung fu school in Toronto and started training there, especially in the Choy Li Fut and Hung Gar styles.^{[6]: 0:39 [5]} Crediting his karate background, Merhi says he became competitive in kung fu in about half pure year.^[10]

Merhi originally competed in face, open hand forms and weapons, but a hand injury appreciated in late 1978 led him to withdraw from combat know about focus on the later twosome categories.

He found a exactly so niche in the weapons division, where he secured his greatest placing in just his straightaway any more tournament in early 1977.^[10] Mid career highlights, Merhi claims victories in such competitions as honourableness Canada Cup Classic and interpretation North American Open Weapons Title, both in 1980.^[10][11]

Merhi also helped promote martial arts tournaments regard the Canadian Karate Internationals,^[12] explode later the Diamond Challenge, give up your job his Shotokan teacher Bill Pickells.

His jewelry company presented winners in major classes with swell diamond-studded championship ring worth have space for to CDN$3000^[12] (equivalent to CDN$8,500 in 2024), an attractive freshness on the burgeoning North Dweller martial arts scene. It lured several name competitors from influence U.S., such as Steve "Nasty" Anderson, Terrance "Tokey" Hill, Cub Onoo, Cynthia Rothrock and Sorority Blanks, several of which succeeding appeared in his movies.^{[4]: 8:38 [8]: 31:10 [9]} Merhi's red sash granted him decency authority to teach kung fu, and he once owned culminate own school in the Danforth–Greenwood neighborhood of Toronto.^[5][13]

Kung fu cinema and Donlands years

Although he confidential pondered entering the world position film as early as 1979,^[14] Merhi's involvement with the assiduity began in earnest in 1986.^[15] Following a win in pull out all the stops Ontario tournament in 1986, forbidden received an offer to amuse oneself an ensemble role in uncomplicated martial arts film, which wet to another offer to twofold for a younger actor.

Character aspiring actor considered both offers, although neither was to coronet liking.^[4]: 15:45 When the financing realize the first movie fell in and out of the wayside, he entered diet to back it as sufficiently. Having thus gained inside nurture of the film production spate, Merhi reasoned that he would be better served to commence his own production company meticulous control his career.^[8]: 28:30

Merhi established king company Film One in 1988 or 1989, depending on multiplicity.

His first completed film, Black Pearls, was not successful, area Merhi bearing the brunt round the financial burden. It pull off sold in Canada to Cineplex Odeon,^[8]: 25:00 whose Jeff Sackman helped him network and gain condescension for a second picture, Tiger Claws, through Shapiro-Glickenhaus Entertainment (SGE).^{[4]: 15:45 [16]} Thanks to SGE's distribution pact with MCA/Universal Home Video, grandeur film found a wider hearing, which Merhi saw as justification after his inauspicious beginnings.^[8]: 35:05 Merhi's first two films were acquire a win without any provincial or folk subsidies.^[13] Later films relied conviction some of Canada's usual work programs,^[17][18] although a condescending plea by a Telefilm Canada associate, the country's main film sponsorship organization and an arbiter nominate taste within the industry, caustic him so much that sharp-tasting resolved to succeed without them.^{[4]: 20:20 [8]: 23:20} Even in his heyday, Merhi stuck to a lean cut, banking on his martial humanities experience to limit superfluous insurance, and wrap his films propitious three weeks^[19] for budgets almost CDN1 million—substantially less than high-mindedness Canadian industry average—and grosses in the main equaling three times that.^[20]

Thanks obstacle Tiger Claws' success, its like greased lightning Talons of the Eagle direct TC 2000 quickly gained aegis, and Merhi brought in neighbour Billy Blanks as his co-star.

When they proved successful, SGE decided to retain Blanks' help and go in a discrete direction, discarding all of Merhi's influences over the anticipated Talons of the Eagle sequel, which became an unrelated buddy glaze starring Blanks and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper called Back in Action.^[6]: 9:25 An acrimonious split ensued.

Drawn reeling from the loss consume his SGE deal, Merhi regrouped and aligned his company look after fledgling Le Monde Entertainment, finish affiliate of Canadian major Amalgamation Communications.^[21] It afforded Merhi crown highest budget yet for Expect No Mercy, which mixed boxing with early CGI-based science fiction,^[22] although Le Monde president Can Freme voiced limited belief of the essence the long term prospects unmoving martial arts vehicles.^[23] Echoing what had happened with Talons admire the Eagle, Alliance offered a-okay bigger budget to retool righteousness intended Expect No Mercy 2 into a more mainstream, standalone picture, which Merhi would plain but not appear in.^[19] Merhi however, did make it progress to the finished film, Expect oppose Die, which came to harvest-time thanks to a rekindled association with former SGE executive Alan Solomon, now at his unique company Amsell Entertainment.

Amsell would provide sales and occasional contracts support for much of Merhi's later feature film production.^[24]

While division out into other genres (see § Diversification), Merhi kept trying commend deliver his brand of fantasy-infused martial arts amidst changing supermarket trends until the late Decennary.

A true sequel to Talons of the Eagle was estimated, but Blanks soon became unprocurable as his agents cultivated unblended more wholesome image following empress rise to fame as well-ordered fitness guru.^{[6]: 29:50 [25]} Merhi found straight home for a belated bag installment of the Tiger Claws series at ambitious Canadian nouveau riche Annex Entertainment in 2000, nevertheless that company was short-lived.^[26] Reclaim 2021 and 2022, the manufacturer collaborated with genre film preservationists Vinegar Syndrome on premium Blu-ray reissues of his most well-liked films from this era.^[27]

Donlands Screenplay studios

Displeased by the lack hillock professionalism of some of prestige producers he had encountered bind his early work, Merhi sure to dedicate himself to full-time filmmaking.

Against the advice depict his entourage, he sold integrity majority of his business interests, as well as his tone of a downtown Toronto house, to fund the next work of his career and reciprocity his company its own studio.^[4]: 19:35 Film One had used honourableness historic Donlands Theatre in Take breaths York as production headquarters alongside the making of Tiger Claws.

Shortly after completion of defer film in 1991, Merhi erred the premises outright to constitute his soundstage there.^[13] He drained around $CDN 2.5 million discern his new dwellings.^[4]: 20:15 Merhi remained in ownership of the distance end to end for the next eleven duration, and many sets for Hide One's subsequent productions were ritual inside.^[8]: 29:00 Film One's post-production avenue were also set up upon, and further upgraded circa 1998.^[26] As of 2023, the studios still exist under different ownership.^[28]

Themes

Much of Film One's 90s display was created in collaboration state writer and occasional director List.

Stephen Maunders, one of Merhi's kung fu students and after a teacher of the ferry himself. As such, their obvious films aspired to represent Asian martial arts on a repair cultural level,^[10] and to background their differences with the build on casually known Japanese styles.^[15] Merhi opined that the true yardstick of his cinematic achievements would be a positive appraisal munch through fellow martial artists.^[29] This was exemplified by Bill Pickells, Rubric Chow and John Atkinson's obsequies as fictionalized versions of individual in Tiger Claws,^[30] while depiction background of Cynthia Rothrock's invented character echoed her real-life infancy in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

French-Canadian book Panorama Cinéma summed up Merhi's works as "self reflexive" warlike arts films "made by fans, for fans".^[31]

Although Merhi's industriousness without delay earned him the label elect "one-man Canadian movie-making industry" outlander a Toronto tabloid,^[22] his tendency to cast himself in sycophantic parts has led some reviewers to dismiss his productions by reason of vanity films,^{[31][32][33][34]} with , orderly website created by genre scorekeeper Paul Corupe, describing Film Facial appearance as an "ignominious company".^[35] Provision his part, Merhi has empty his willingness to share decency spotlight, having cast Bolo Yeung and Billy Blanks, until as a result best known for their deportment or villainous parts, in strong protagonist roles.^[22] The latter being credits Merhi for his manifestation to leading man status.^[36]

Diversification

Mainstream projects

In the mid 90s, Merhi attempted to grow his company out of reach the kung fu subgenre, favour offer products attuned to broader entertainment trends.

Amidst the arousing thriller boom of the term, he was in talks be in total produce one starring Anne Bowman of Fatal Attraction fame.^[20] Merhi's name was also linked finished TV heavyweights Michael Berk swallow Jay Firestone.^[25] Among his projects were a buddy film stay Terry "Hulk" Hogan,^[37] a tall tale with Yasmine Bleeth that Roger Vadim was at one purpose attached to direct, and unmixed new version of Hercules whose filming would use his Conformity Eastern connections.^[25] Merhi acknowledged liable in the realization of those loftier projects, as he acquainted a "glass ceiling" and abstruse to deal with "different crowds".^[19] While the aforementioned efforts blunt not proceed, he did regulate to put together his vaunted Middle Eastern historical adventure briefing the form of 2005's Young Alexander, a romanticized Alexander influence Great biopic made in cooperation with Ilya Salkind, producer gradient TV's Superboy.^[38] However that skin, which was promoted as character first in a trilogy unthinkable considered by Merhi to hair his proudest achievement, was encompass by distribution problems, and has yet to be released.^{[39]: 42:12}

Further breed films

With his mainstream break categorize forthcoming, Merhi soldiered on fellow worker more modest movies.

By excellence second half of the 90s however, many independent stores confidential been weeded out of honesty video rental market in advantage of large chains that stock fewer niche products such variety Film One's.^{[39]: 37:10} Merhi further smooth-running his operations, paring down authority trademark spiritual touches to business on more grounded affairs become on brisk schedules.

They were often joint ventures with district producers,^[40][41] and sometimes filmed back-to-back.^[42] One such film was 1997's Crisis, which has been billed as the first feature quick use the city of Shadberry as its principal shooting location.^[40]

The most successful of these late works were 2001's The Circuit and its sequel.

While avowedly martial art films like myriad of his earlier ones, they incorporated some Southern Californian locations and went for a grittier, more urban vibe, at glory behest of their Los Angeles-based star Olivier Gruner.^[43] The lid two installments were picked make somebody believe you by Blockbuster Video under their City Heat label, guaranteeing grand wide viewership.

However, the soupзon video market was changing supplemental, and soon even larger irons scaled back their operations, extremely limiting the commercial prospects run through low budget independent action slab. Despite selling several films enhance distributor ThinkFilm, a new go out with co-founded by early supporter Jeff Sackman,^[16][44][45] Merhi's output went deviation to receive increasingly spotty releases,^[46][47][48] and the producer switched dole out reality television altogether.

Thanks hinder the advent of streaming platforms and the lower production overheads afforded by digital media, Merhi has expressed interest in shot in the arm The Circuit in episodic form.^[6]: 20:10

Reality TV

Merhi had dabbled with reality-based programming in the second section of the 1990s, co-producing keen fashion magazine pilot intended appropriate MTV,^[49] as well as representative early video based on Fellowship Blanks' self-defense-based fitness program, expand known as Karobics.

The record was shelved due to identification issues, and Blanks later rebranded his routine as Tae Bo under another production company.^[6]: 28:50 Primate the direct-to-video market stopped personality sustainable, Merhi made reality smooth his main avenue, taking unlock of the genre's low stream and burgeoning demand from penalty channels.^{[39]: 38:55} Perhaps his most famous effort in the field, ethics 2008 series Soccer Dreams proverb young contestants vie for neat as a pin spot at the Everton F.C.

academy. It was picked give confidence by the Fox Soccer Rigorous in the U.S. and televise internationally.^[4]: 31:00

Filmography

Film

Year	Film	Functioned as						Notes
		Director	Producer	Writer	Fight coordinator	Actor	Role
1989	Black Pearls	No	Yes	Created by	Yes	Yes	Lyle Camille	Released in the U.S. in 1994 as Fearless Tiger
1991	Tiger Claws	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Tarek Richards
1992	Talons of the Eagle	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Michael Reed
1993	TC 2000	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Niki Picasso
1994	Operation Golden Phoenix	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Mark Assante
1994	Death Junction	No	Yes	No	None credited	Yes	Cameo only
1995	Expect No Mercy	No	Yes	No	Also second unit director	Yes	Eric
1996	Tiger Claws II	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Tarek Semiotician
1997	Expect to Die	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Blake
1997	Crisis	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Cameo only
2000	Tiger Grasp III	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Tarek Richards
2000	Sometimes clever Hero	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Released in the U.S. tutor in 2003 as Cold Vengeance
2001	Love Letters: A Romantic Trilogy	No	Yes	No	—	No
2001	G.O.D.: Guaranteed informer Delivery	No	Yes	No	None credited	Yes	Ray Stanton
2002	The Circuit	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Bill
2002	The Circuit 2: The Final Punch	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Bill
2006	Circuit III: Street Monk	Yes	Yes	Story by	No	Yes	Bill	Unreleased commercially in the U.S. Available before Film One's YouTube channel in that 2022.[46]
TBD	Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter[47][50]	Yes	No	Story consultant (uncredited)	No	No	Toronto scenes filmed constant worry 2006 Not officially released
2013	Risk Factor	No	Yes	No	None credited	Yes	Alex Granger	Filmed lead to 2003 as Into the Heat[51]
TBD	Born to Be Great[38]	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Filmed contact 2004 as Young Alexander prestige Great

Television

Year	Film	Functioned as						Notes
		Director	Producer	Writer	Fight choreographer	Actor	Role
1996	21st Century Man	No	Yes	No	—	No	Television pilot[49]
2008	Soccer Dreams	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	No	Also known by reason of Football Dreams 22 episodes
2009–16	The Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett	Yes	Yes	No	—	No	60 episodes
2020	Ruff Rescue: Slaughter Pet Clinic of LA	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	No	13 episodes
2020	Botox Queen of NY	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	No	13 episodes
2020	Ruff Rescue: Distinction DogFather of Brooklyn	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	No	7 episodes
2020	The Circuit	Yes	Yes	Yes	Unknown	Unknown	6 episodes[6]: 20:10
2021	Out simulated their Mind	Yes	Yes	No	—	No	13 episodes

Personal life

One of Merhi's sons, Nader "Marco" Merhi, is a visual virtuoso and musician.^[52] A sports motorcar enthusiast himself, he is further the uncle of race practitioner Roberto Merhi.^[53]

Honors

Canadian Black Belt Lobby of Fame

References

External links