Lake of Dracula (1971) Review

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Kelly Warner
"Lake of Dracula" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Lake of Dracula” Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Michio Yamamoto
Writer: Ei Ogawa, Masaru Takesue
Cast: Midori Fujita, Sanae Emi, Choei Takahashi, Shin Kishida, Tadao Futami, Mika Katsuragi, Setsuko Kawaguchi, Tatsuo Matsushita, Yasuzo Ogawa, Haruo Suzuki
Running Time: 81 min.

By Kyle Warner

In Vampire Doll, the first film of Michio Yamamoto’s Bloodthirsty Trilogy, the director made a vampire movie that wasn’t much of a vampire movie. The Vampire Doll is this strange, dreamlike tale of devotion to the undead playing out in a spooky house in the woods. For the second film of the trilogy, Lake of Dracula (aka Bloodthirsty Eyes), Yamamoto crafts a story more in tune with vampire lore – here we get wooden stakes, a coffin, and a dude with pointy fangs who wears a cape. But just like the previous film, Yamamoto is not interested in telling the usual sort of vampire story. For while the surface details all tell you that Lake of Dracula is a vampire horror film, the underlying details tell a story about women’s fear of men.

Akiko (Midori Fujita) is a young teacher and artist. Her latest painting (and we are led to believe much of her previous work) is devoted to an obsession within herself that she cannot understand, depicting a sinister golden eye looking over a lake. Throughout the film, that painting can be seen in the background of many a scene, like an oppressive force always watching over Akiko. In one of the early scenes, her dog Leo runs off ahead of her and she shouts for him to return. The moment, though trivial on the surface because the dog quickly returns, awakens memories of a recurring dream in which Akiko as a child followed her dog (also named Leo) into a house where she witnessed something horrible. She shares the dream with her sister Natsuko (Sanae Emi) and her boyfriend Dr. Saeki (Choei Takahashi) and both write it off as her subconscious messing with her. But we soon learn it is more than that; it’s not a dream but a repressed memory of the moment when her childhood innocence was shattered and a lingering anxiety took over her life.

Things get weird in Akiko’s life when her neighbor (Kaku Takushina), who runs a commercial boathouse, accepts an unexpected delivery of a long rectangular box. The box’s shipment was ordered by a stranger named Dracula (the only mention of Dracula in the film, despite the title) but there seems to be no other record of who it was intended for. Curious, the neighbor opens the box, revealing a coffin, and thus unleashing a vampire onto the lake.

The neighbor is bitten by the vampire and turned into a slave. When Akiko sees the neighbor next, he lunges at her, knocks her out, and drags her off. Akiko doesn’t think it’s the act of a supernatural villain but rather that her neighbor, a friendly man she’s known for a long time now, has suddenly decided to rape her. When she tries to tell this to her sister and boyfriend, they either suggest she misunderstood the situation or shrug it off. And in their disbelief, they become adversaries as Akiko begins to feel less and less safe.

Lake of Dracula is a film about a girl who saw a vampire as a child and then grew up to meet that vampire again and realize the cause for her nightmares, yes. But it’s easy to read it as a film about trauma (of a sexual or a violent nature) leaving a lasting, misunderstood effect on a woman and making her life worse as a result. When totally innocent men step in to help Akiko after she is nearly attacked by the vampire (again, she sees it as a potential rape), she sees even her saviors as potential threats. And because vampires are often the most sexualized movie monster, using the vampire as a way to talk about sexual trauma seems an interesting and obvious choice to me.

Lake of Dracula employs too many of the old school scares like a hand on the shoulder and birds flying out of the bushes to really surprise you with shocks. But the anxiety and suspense it creates as we watch our heroine worrying over locked doors and windows works pretty well. So much of the film rests on the shoulders of lead actress Midori Fujita and I thought she handled the workload well. What’s surprising is that this is the first of only a small handful of films for the actress. Sanae Emi, who plays the sister Natsuko, also had a very short film career, with Lake of Dracula the third and final film of her filmography.

Shin Kishida (Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla) plays the vampire with two modes, entitled playboy in a fancy scarf and bloodsucking monster. The makeup doesn’t play the best when he’s not expressing monstrous intent, but when the fangs come out and the eyes glow gold Kishida makes for an impressive vampire. Kishida’s vamp is not onscreen that often, but in the final act the vampire and the horror effects crew give us more than a few nasty surprises. There is a great moment of body horror as a long-dormant body is disturbed that made me squirm, so props for that.

Riichiro Manabe provides a weird musical score that calls to mind the rubbery squelching sounds of his Godzilla vs. Hedorah score from the same year. Cinematographer Rokuro Nishigaki’s dark, shadowy visuals lack the dreamlike haze of Vampire Doll but still makes the film look better than its budget probably suggested it should. And screenwriters Ei Ogawa (Space Amoeba) and Masaru Takesue (Evil of Dracula) do interesting work by balancing the underlying themes while also having its cast of intellectual characters seriously discuss whether they’re dealing with vampires on a lake.

There’s a point early on in the film where Natsuko teases her sister by saying that she plans to write a paper on the themes of “women’s latent terrors.” Maybe Lake of Dracula didn’t need to spell it out for us but it works regardless. Lake of Dracula is a nervy horror story that looks familiar but has more on its mind than the usual bloodsucking vampire tale.

Kyle Warner’s Rating: 7.5/10

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews | Tagged |

License to Steal (1990) Review

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Martin Sandison
"License to Steal" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“License to Steal” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Billy Chan
Writer: Johnny Lee
Cast: Joyce Godenzi, Collin Chou Siu Long, Richard Ng, Yuen Biao, Agnes Aurelio, Lam Chung, Billy Chow, Chui Jing Yat, Michael Dinga, Corey Yuen, Sammo Hung
Running Time: 90 min.

By Martin Sandison

One of the most rare Hong Kong movies ever made, License to Steal was given a Laserdisc release back in the day, but never made it on VCD or DVD, even in Hong Kong. I managed to get my hands on a copy converted to DVD some years ago, and relished revisiting it for this review. What’s so ironic about this movie is in a simple stunt at the end of the film a stuntman lost his life, one of the only times in Hong Kong film history – and you can’t even own the film! It’s a shame, because this is classic early 90’s fare, enlivened by superb fight scenes and that anything-goes energy.

Hung (Joyce Godenzi, She Shoots Straight), Hsiao Yen (Alvina Kong, Forbidden City Cop) and Ngan (Agnes Aurelio, She Shoots Straight) are professional thieves whose lives are fraught with danger, but they love living on the edge. When Ngan goes against them and their master, leaving the other two for dead, so begins a deadly game of cat and mouse. Swordsman (Yuen Baio, Knockabout) pops up to help the duo and two cops (Richard Ng, Winners and Sinners, and Collin Chou, Red Wolf) get involved as the plot descends in to OTT silliness.

Interestingly, License to Steal is directed by Billy Chan Lung, whose brother Peter Chan has a cameo. The latter is known for his acting roles in classics such as Prodigal Son and Odd Couple, and was on the receiving end of Bruce Lee’s first explosive kicks in The Big Boss. Billy Chan was also a veteran stuntman and Assistant Action director for such luminaries as Sammo Hung. He directs with a sure hand, and has a knack for characters introductory scenes: Both Yuen Baio and Richard Ng’s are masterclasses of framing and atmosphere. The lighting and compositions are of a high standard throughout the film, especially the action and burglary scenes. It’s a bit odd that Billy Chan didn’t really break through as a director for major productions, seeing as his ability is evident.

Yuen’s character seems to be an extension of the one he played in Dragons Forever, with not as much screen time. His character is from Mainland China, which lends a bit of depth to what otherwise is a very one-dimensional film. There seems to me to be a commentary on the idea of a Mainlander lost in Hong Kong being a country bumpkin, but depicted as a morally upstanding man with great kung fu skills; at once a criticism and a compliment. That his name is Swordsman is no joke, with his old school values like a Wuxia character. Seeing as at the time Hong Kong movies were wildly popular in the Mainland, it keeps both the local and Northern markets happy.

Now to the action: The opening Kendo fight and the end one-on-one between Godenzi and Aurelio are so beautifully crafted that, I’m just gonna say it, they top the face-off between the two in She Shoots Straight. Perhaps that film is better overall than License to Steal, but the action in this movie is top class all the way. Both Godenzi and Aurelio have never looked better, which is interesting as the action director is King Lee. A protege of Lau Kar Leung, with whom he worked on classics such as My Young Auntie, here he proves himself in the same league as that Master. Unfortunately despite working on later films such as Deadful Melody again with Yuen Baio, he never emerged as a top choreographer. Another rematch in the film is between Yuen and Billy Chow (they had previously fought in Dragons Forever), and yes I’m gonna say this too, for pure choreography it tops the scene in Dragons Forever. In fact the last half an hour has endless rewatch-ability. Collin Chou’s form and technique never looked better, as he takes on a bunch of heavies, and we are treated to a match between Yuen and him early in the film. While it’s a bit short, there’s no doubt we are seeing two of the greatest screen fighters go toe to toe.

While Sammo Hung serves as presenter of the movie and has a strange cameo as a Frenchman, that’s about the extent of his involvement. Godenzi was his wife at this point, and coming off the back of two major productions wherein she proved her worth as a screen fighter, it’s a shame she didn’t make many more movies. Especially because her natural aptitude for the art is so obvious; she couldn’t have had a better teacher than Sammo Hung. I was in her company two years ago when I interviewed Sammo, and let me tell you, she has aged well.

While a hell of an entertaining 90 minutes, License to Steal misses out from being an absolute classic because a lot of the humour falls flat (the only laugh out loud moments for me come from bad subtitling, such as “Grimace at her like an onion”), and just how silly the film becomes towards the end, giving credence to the idea that Hong Kong movie scripts at the time were written on the set. The tonal shifts, which become part of the charm of Golden Age Hong Kong cinema, are here jarring because the laughs don’t work and parts of the film are a bit dead when there’s no action going on. However if you’re looking for a film from the left field that contains action up there with the best from its actors, look no further.

Martin Sandison’s Rating: 8/10

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , |

‘Jailbreak’ star Jean Paul Ly leads UK equivalent of ‘The Raid’

Posted on June 8, 2018 by JJ Bona
"Nightshooters" Theatrical Poster

“Nightshooters” Theatrical Poster

After his notable stuntwork in films such as Lucy and Now You See Me 2 – not to mention his breakout starring role in Jailbreak and indie The Division – Jean-Paul Ly takes lead in Nightshooters (read our review), a martial arts thriller directed by Marc Price (Colin).

Nightshooters is the story of a film crew, led by stunt man Donnie (Jean Paul Ly) that stumbles upon a gangland hit. “With this film we’re hoping to create some of the best action UK independent cinema has seen. A UK equivalent of The Raid with a healthy splash of the fragmented, humorous characters I’ve always connected with”, says Price (via Filmoria).

Look out for Nightshooters on September 10th on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download  – and we’re sure a U.S. release will follow. Don’t miss the film’s Trailer below:

Posted in News |

Golden Slumber (2018) Review

Posted on June 6, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"Golden Slumbers" Theatrical Poster

“Golden Slumbers” Theatrical Poster

Director: No Dong-Seok
Cast: Gang Dong-Won, Kim Eui-Sung, Han Hyo-Joo, Kim Sung-Kyun, im Dae-Myung, Yoo Jae-Myung, Yoon Kye-Sang, Kim You-Jung, Choi Woo-Sik
Running Time: 108 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Reviewing a movie which is a remake of another is always a tricky job, especially with the current trend for doing so within the Asian region. In the past couple of years alone, purely looking at Korea, we’ve had Luck.Key (a remake of Japan’s Key of Life), Heart Blackened (a remake of China’s Silent Witness), and Believer (a remake of China’s Drug War). If you haven’t seen the original, should you go and check it out so at least you know what it was based on, and if you do, should the review act as a comparison between the two? Well, Korea aren’t through with the trend just yet, and the latest title to be given the remake treatment is Yoshihiro Nakamura’s 2010 production, Golden Slumber, which retains its name for the latest incarnation.

Both movies are based on the Japanese novel, also of the same name, and for the Korean version Nakamura’s shoes are filled by Noh Dong-seok. I’ll be upfront and say that by the time the end credits rolled on Golden Slumber, having not seen the Japanese version, I can confidently state that the answer to the question posed in the previous paragraph is no. If the original is even a fraction as annoying and limp wristed as its remake, then I can image becoming irredeemably comatose by the end of it, never to inflict the world with my ramblings ever again. It’s surprising, as if anything Korea is known for its dark and gritty action movies, while Japan is known for its lightweight and safe approach when it comes to its mainstream output.

The point of Golden Slumber being remade at all is a debatable one, especially when you consider that the innocent man on the run trope was already effectively covered in 2013’s Running Man (I mean check out the posters, they’re almost identical!). For whatever reason though, it’s here. For director Dong-seok the remake marks his third time at the helm, after previously directing the dramas My Generation and Boys of Tomorrow, in 2004 and 2006 respectively. Why he’s gone 12 years without making another movie is anyone’s guess, although my own personal one is that the producers likely asked 100 other directors first, and all of them wisely turned it down.

Stepping into the role that Masato Sakai played in the original is popular thespian Gang Dong-won, who most recently showed a more macho side than we’re used to in the thriller Master (not to mention he’s headlining Kim Jee-woon’s recently wrapped Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade). Dong-won is usually a reliable presence onscreen, however here he puts in a career worst performance, making the 105 minute runtime an endurance test to get through. Playing a happy go lucky courier who just wants to “live a good life without hurting others” (yes, that’s an actual line), it seems his biggest goal is to hang out more with the members of the band he used to be in from his younger days. Said band had an affinity for the Beatles song ‘Golden Slumber’, but when life started to get in the way (kids, careers etc.), much to Dong-won’s dismay they decided to go their separate ways. So yes, he’s basically a sulking man-child.

However when he inadvertently wins a Model Citizen award for saving a K-pop star from being mugged (don’t ask), he finds himself with a new found celebrity status. His new found fame sees him receive a call from one of the band mates he’s long lost touch with, played by a (I swear) visibly embarrassed to be there Yoon Kye-sang (The Outlaws). Their meeting is an odd one though, with Kye-sang acting all tense and on edge, a fact which the permanently cheerful and breezy Dong-won seems oblivious to. Only when he takes off in Dong-won’s delivery truck, leaving the good natured courier on the side of the street to witness the assassination of a presidential candidate he’s about to be framed for, does our dim-witted protagonist sense that somethings not quite right.

All of the above thankfully happens within the first 10 minutes, quickly putting paid to the insufferable smiling of Dong-wook, set to equally insufferable acoustic guitar strumming. Instead, we’re left for the remainder with Dong-wook on the run from ‘The Agency’, a poorly defined shadowy organization, responsible for helping the presidential candidate they’re working for ensure he gets into power. The turn of events may have put an end to Dong-wook’s overly cheery demeanour, but we quickly learn that the alternative isn’t a whole lot better. With a constantly quivery bottom lip and puppy dog eyes sulking, we’re left to tolerate his constant snivelling and teary eyed wishes of how he just wants the band to get back together. Indeed, this damn band. Never has a characters motivations sat so awkwardly with the actual plot at hand.

There are numerous occasions when Golden Slumber grinds to a literal halt, purely to indulge in overly saccharine flashbacks to the days when the band was still together, and Dong-won’s innocent flirtations with their number one groupie, played by Han Hyo-joo (who will reunite with Dong-won in Jin-Roh). Watch them in their happier days as they rock out in slow motion, looking at each other with huge grins while the sun gently caresses their faces. We get it, as Bryan Adams once said, those were the best years of their lives. But we have a guy here framed for murder, shouldn’t he be getting to grips with how to clear his name, rather than becoming all teary eyed in a corner and wondering how he can ever bring those days back again? As an exercise in cringing, these scenes set a new precedent.

Even when I wanted to give credit to Golden Slumber, it constantly slapped me in the face. When it’s exposed ‘The Agency’ have footage of Dong-won killing someone, I thought it was the first time for a movie to tap into the recent deepfake trend, the name being used for a new technology that allows for someone’s face to be superimposed on to that of another. But no, wait for it. It turns out ‘The Agency’ recruited one of their members with a similar frame and build to Dong-won, named ‘Silicone’ (seriously), and had him undergo plastic surgery so he has an identical face. After I finished repeatedly bashing my head against a wall to convince myself to keep watching, when I returned it was to a Dong-won versus Dong-won showdown. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this scene though, is that I found myself rooting for the bad guy Dong-won, in the hopes that it would make the runtime a little shorter.

Speaking of runtime, while Korean remakes of Chinese movies are known for having extended durations compared to the originals (the remakes of Eye in the Sky and Drug War – Cold Eyes and Believer – being examples), it seems that with Japanese remakes, time is being loped off. Luck.Key slimmed Key of Life’s’s 125 minute runtime by 15 minutes, and similarly here, the originals whopping 135 minute runtime is mercifully cut down to only 105. Well, I guess that’s a positive. Bizarrely Dong-seok still attempts to squeeze in a minor sub-plot of how Dong-won is estranged from his father, which has all of about 2 minutes dedicated to it when we’re already over an hour in, but by that point I’d given up questioning the barrage of poor decisions behind Golden Slumber’s existence.

With a soundtrack which is frequently more exciting than anything happening onscreen, one of the most ludicrously dumb endings in recent memory, and a plot which is dripping in misplaced sentimentality and overwrought histrionics, Golden Slumber is a misfire on just about every level. At one point, our sad sack of a main character solemnly asks “Is it a crime to live kindly?” It’s not, but as the expression goes, sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. Hopefully, that’s how people take this review.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 2.5/10

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged , |

Cheng Pei-pei still rewriting history at 72

Posted on June 6, 2018 by JJ Bona
"Come Drink With Me" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Come Drink With Me” Chinese Theatrical Poster

The career of Cheng Pei-pei has seen her smash through the glass ceiling on multiple occasions. The world of martial arts was never the same after Pei-pei’s breakthrough role in Come Drink With Me in 1966, where she took watching audiences by storm by becoming the world’s first female martial arts star. That would be the catalyst film for Pei-pei to go on and transform the industry into how we know it today.

Since breaking onto the stage in the 1960’s, Pei-pei has gone on to star in more than 50 films, which tells you everything you need to know about this actress and her attitude towards work. They tell you that if you do what you love, then you’ll never work a day in your life and this legendary Chinese actress is the living and breathing example of that saying. In another tribute towards her glittering career, Pei-pei was given CAAMfest’s Spotlight award in May 2018.

When the news broke that Cheng Pei-pei was to be honoured at CAAMfest, the 72-year old took it in her stride and was as gracious as ever as she said: “I am so honoured. It is my honour to come to San Francisco”. Despite being the global superstar that she is, it hasn’t turned this groundbreaking woman into someone who doesn’t recognize the privilege of being singled out in her industry. Despite the fact that this has been happening for over 50 years, Cheng Pei-pei is as humble as they come.

The work that Cheng Pei-pei has done has had a massive effect on the martial arts and kung fu industry, and the fallout is still being felt today. Thanks to the ground she has covered, Pei-pei has opened the door to both men and women enjoying the martial arts film industry, which has created a massive amount of demand. It’s not just on the screen where martial arts has had a spin-off, it has branched out into our everyday lives through technology.

From the making of films, TV shows and even on stage productions, the world can’t get enough, and you can’t help but feel in debt to the role Cheng Pei-pei has played in making this a more inclusive industry. It’s hard to imagine it has branched off into so many different sectors without a woman taking up a prominent role within the industry. Another of the many by-products of the martial arts film industry has been the introduction of kung fu slot games on online casinos. Casinos Killer lists the 10 best online casinos where punters can now enjoy playing martial arts games when they aren’t in front of the TV watching it. This demand is only set to grow in the future.

Few industries have evolved like the martial arts one and, with every new generation coming through, there is the same amount of interest and appreciation. One can only wonder where it will be in fifty years’ time. If you were to ask a 19-year old Cheng Pei-pei in 1966 while staring in Come Drink With Me if she thought her career would have this much of an impact on the industry going forward it’s unlikely she would have said yes. No one could have foreseen just how influential Cheng Pei-pei would go on to become.

It doesn’t look like there will be any letting up at 72, either, with Cheng Pei-pei in good health and harbouring a desire to keep using the life-changing talents she has been given ins some form or another.

Posted in News |

Operation Red Sea | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Posted on June 5, 2018 by JJ Bona
Operation Red Sea | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Operation Red Sea | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: July 24, 2018

On July 24th, 2018, Well Go USA is releasing the Blu-ray & DVD for Operation Red Sea (read our review), a big budget actioner that stars Zhang Yi (Brotherhood of Blades 2), Huang Jingyu (Drug War) and Du Jiang (Mr. High Heels).

Director Dante Lam (Unbeatable) might just be the hardest working man in Hong Kong cinema. The filmmaker has been reliably turning out hard-hitting films that have helped expand the scope of the action/thriller genre in Hong Kong – his most recent film, Operation Mekong, recently made waves in the U.S. – and now – Lam is expected to do the same with: Operation Red Sea.

According to the official synopsis (via Variety), “the Jiaolong Assault Team, one of the special forces of the world’s largest military force, People’s Liberation Army, is given a potentially fatal assignment, leading a small eight-man unit to evacuate Chinese residents from a North African republic in the throes of a coup d’état.”

Special Features/Technical Specs:

  • Deleted scenes
  • Original trailers
  • Original Mandarin audio and optional English and Mandarin subtitles

Pre-order Operation Red Sea from Amazon.com today! 

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, News |

Deal on Fire! Atomic Blonde | Blu-ray | Only $10 – Expires soon!

Posted on June 5, 2018 by JJ Bona
Atomic Blonde | Blu-ray & DVD (Universal)

Atomic Blonde | Blu-ray & DVD (Universal)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for David Leitch’s Atomic Blonde (read our review). The movie was previously known as The Coldest City, the title of Antony Johnston’s 2012 graphic novel, from which the film was based.

In Atomic Blonde, Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road) plays Lorraine Broughton, an undercover MI6 agent who is sent to Berlin during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and recover a missing list of double agents.

Atomic Blonde also stars James McAvoy (Split), John Goodman (The Big Lebowski), Til Schweiger (Inglourious Basterds), Eddie Marsan (The World’s End), Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service), Toby Jones (Captain America: The First Avenger) and Daniel Bernhardt (Logan).

Order Atomic Blonde from Amazon.com today!

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Believer (2018) Review

Posted on June 3, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"Believer" Theatrical Poster

“Believer” Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Hae-Young
Cast: Cho Jin-Woong, Ryoo Joon-Yeol, Cha Seung-Won, Kim Ju-Hyeok, Jin Seo-Yeon, Park Hae-Joon, Kim Sung-Ryoung, Kim Dong-Young, Lee Joo-Young
Running Time: 123 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Five years after Cold Eyes, a Korean remake of the Milkyway Image thriller Eye in the Sky, another of the Hong Kong production company’s titles receives the same treatment, this time in the form of Believer. The source material is Johnnie To’s 2013 crime flick Drug War, which was notable for also being his first foray into Mainland movie making. The choice to remake this title in-particular is both an easy and challenging one at the same time. While Drug War delivers a suitably gritty slice of cops vs drug dealers, propped up by To’s trademark stylish shootouts, it’s also just as well regarded for the skill in which it circumnavigated the Chinese censors. Incorporating a number of subtle narrative choices, and even some selective casting, despite its themes To’s skilful handling of the material allowed it to be shown in the Mainland.

With no such restrictions to worry about for the remake, Believer essentially had 2 paths to go down. Either go for a straight up remake, or use To’s original as a foundation to create something more. Thankfully director Lee Hae-yeong has decided to go with the latter, and for the most part, it’s a decision that reaps considerable rewards, both for those familiar with Drug War (such as myself), and those that’ll be watching it with no prior knowledge of its origins. Believer marks Hae-yeong’s fourth time in the director’s chair, after helming the comedies Like A Virgin and Foxy Festival, and most recently the period horror thriller The Silenced. His first time working with a full-blooded action thriller, Believer is easily destined to be the movie that puts him on the map, as he displays a skilled hand at maintaining a consistently tense pace throughout.

Behind the scenes, Hae-yeong has an ace up his sleeve in the form of his co-writer Jeong Seo-kyeong. A frequent collaborator with Park Chan-wook, and one of the scribes behind The Truth Beneath (for me the best Korean movie of 2016), Seo-kyeong’s dialogue elevates the quality of any director she works with, and here is no different. Together the pairs script takes Believer into places that To’s version wouldn’t be allowed to touch with a barge pole, incorporating several shades of grey into the characters motivations and choices. The same applies to the direction itself, with no government restrictions to be concerned about over the amount of violence onscreen, Believer cranks up the gore in a handful of brief but memorable scenes.

Stepping into the roles of Sun Hong-Lei and Louis Koo, as cop and drug dealer respectively, are Cho Jin-woong and Ryu Jun-yeol. Jin-woong is an actor who’s been around for as long as the Korean wave, however has recently come into his own in recent years. From a stellar turn as the lead in the psycho-mystery Bluebeard, to his roles as the villain in the likes of The Handmaiden and A Hard Day. Here he’s visibly slimmed down, and makes for an excellent choice as the detective who’s been on the trail of the mysterious “Mr. Lee”, the head of Korea’s largest drug syndicate that no one has ever met or seen. In comparison Jun-yeol is more of a newcomer on the block, however is already cementing a reputation as being a considerable talent onscreen, thanks to recent roles in the likes of The King, A Taxi Driver, and Heart Blackened (another Chinese movie remake).

While Jin-woong retains the determined cop characteristics that Hong-Lei embodies in Drug War, Jun-yeol is given a character with significantly more depth than Koo’s sweaty take in the original. Again the only survivor of a drug factory explosion, one which also claims the life of his mother, in Believer this plot device gives Jun-yeol the motivation to join forces with Jin-woong and catch Mr. Lee, believed to be responsible for the blast. In that regard it’s possible to draw comparison to Drug War, in that the villains remain more interesting than the heroes, which is no more so on display than with the introduction of a Korean Chinese gangster, played with relish by the late Kim Joo-hyuk.

A largely perfunctory role in Drug War, here Joo-hyuk makes the character a standout of the entire movie. Much like Jin-woong, Joo-hyuk is another actor whose been around for a while, but only recently made an impact with a string of stand-out performances in the likes of The Truth Beneath, Yourself and Yours and Confidential Assignment. Sadly his role in Believer was to be his last, as shortly after filming wrapped he was involved in a car accident in October 2017, which ultimately claimed his life. His final role is a career high point, as an LED light averse, eye ball chewing psychopath. Joo-hyuk is the centre piece of the double-deception hotel meeting sequence, that Hae-yeong seems to acknowledge was done so well in To’s original, it doesn’t need too much tweaking. The scenes crank up the tension considerably, and sets in motion a series of escalating action scenes and blindsides.

Much like Cold Eyes did for Eye in the Sky, so Believer adds an additional 15 minutes to the duration of Drug War, but unlike Cold Eyes, here the extra runtime feels justified. This mostly comes from the addition of a character that’s introduced mid-way though, played by Cha Seung-won, of Man in High Heels fame. As heir to a shipping company that studied to be a pastor overseas, his character is a colorful one, but his addition to the mix does make things feel a little overcrowded. This is especially true with the inclusion of the mute drug manufacturers, also carried over from Drug War, but here cast as brother and sister. The relationship dynamics the pair have with Jun-yeol are interestingly tweaked from their original incarnation, and are effectively played by Kim Dong-young (also in A Hard Day) and Lee Joo-young.

Thankfully though Hae-yeong doesn’t allow the additional characters to slow the pacing, and the simmering tensions that are kept on the boil from almost the opening scene, eventually culminate in a full-blown shootout at the 75 minute mark. It’s an impressively staged action sequence, with suitably thunderous sound design from the machine gun fire, and feels like a rewarding payoff to everything which has come before. The finale also decides to take a completely different approach to Drug War, which is too its credit, as the change in direction also makes it difficult to compare the two. Rather than being a black and white case of a cops vs drug dealers shootout, the room to add complexity allows for some interesting twists and character choices to play out. Admittedly viewers accustomed to this type of genre may see some of the plot turns coming before they’re signposted, but they’re still effectively executed.

It’s during the finale that it’s possible to sense just how much enjoyment Hae-yeong is having with the material, with the gratuitous but enjoyable decision to also include a pair of one-on-one fight scenes that run in parallel, finally allowing for some female fisticuffs amongst a largely male dominated picture. The closing moments of Believer make for an interesting choice, eschewing the big bang ending and closure that Drug War delivers, instead we’re presented with a scene which leaves things open to audience interpretation. It’s a bold move, and likely those that were infuriated with the ending of Inception may well have the same feeling here, but personally I believe the scene achieves what it sets out to do, which is to make us think.

Remaking a well-regarded movie is always going to be a difficult task, even more so when that movie has been made by an auteur like Johnny To. However with Believer, Hae-yeong and his cast haven’t just re-interpreted the original for a Korean audience, there are occasions when it’s possible to argue they’ve surpassed it. For those that feel remakes aren’t worth your time, then this may just be the movie to change your mind, and who knows, it may even make a Believer out of you.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 8/10

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged |

A ‘Witch’ brews up some action from ‘I Saw the Devil’ writer

Posted on June 3, 2018 by JJ Bona
"The Witch" Theatrical Poster

“The Witch” Theatrical Poster

Park Hoon-Jung (director behind New World, writer of I Saw the Devil) returns to dark territory with The Witch, an upcoming action-thriller that releases domestically later this month.

According to TFS, Witch tells the story of a girl who, after premature memory loss and a violent upbringing, finds herself in a situation where she must fight against dark and unknown assailants.

The Witch stars Kim Da-Mi (Marionette), Choi Woo-Sik (Okja), Jo Min-Soo (Pieta) and Park Hee-Soon (Age of Shadows).

Don’t miss the film’s Trailer below:

Posted in News |

Vampire Doll, The | aka Legacy of Dracula (1970) Review

Posted on June 1, 2018 by Kelly Warner
"The Vampire Doll" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“The Vampire Doll” Japanese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Night of the Vampire
Director: Michio Yamamoto
Writer: Ei Ogawa, Hiroshi Nagano
Cast: Yukiko Kobayashi, Yoko Minazake, Atsuo Nakamura, Kayo Matsuo, Akira Nakao, Jun Usami
Running Time: 71 min.

By Kyle Warner

Vampires don’t have a long history in Japanese cinema. Though Japan does import Dracula and vampire tales from overseas, the ol’ bloodsuckers just don’t have much of a connection to Japanese culture and have never secured that much of a foothold in theatres there. Supernatural horror in Japan is usually of the ghost and evil curse variety, often dealing directly with old folklore. One of the most adapted stories in Japanese horror cinema is 1825’s play Ghost of Yotsuya and you can trace a pretty direct line between it and modern Japanese horror like Ringu and Ju-On. This is at least part of the reason why Toho’s vampire trilogy from the 70s, known as The Bloodthirsty Trilogy, stands out in such a way, because you can’t track that line of influence between it and any other Japanese film that came before or after it.

The 70s Bloodthirsty Trilogy was not the first example of the vampire movie in Japan  – 1959’s The Lady Vampire is recognized as the first, but that came out more than a decade before The Bloodthirsty Trilogy and any link is likely a tenuous one. And though the Bloodthirsty Trilogy was popular enough to see three films get made (they were not originally intended as a trilogy, it seems), they didn’t leave a lasting impact by setting a trend of similar vampire horror tales in the country. The Bloodthirsty Trilogy exists as a curiosity, this strange slice of horror that came at the start of Toho’s downward slope in the 70s as they struggled to keep up with TV and international competition. And, speaking personally, it’s a trilogy of films that I have always wanted to see but never expected would get an official release in the US. Opening the set, excitedly watching the first weirdo film of the trilogy, it’s a moment that reminded me of what a huge film nerd I really am.

The first film of the trilogy, The Vampire Doll (aka Legacy of Dracula and The Night of the Vampire but more accurately translated from its original Japanese title as Haunted House of Terror: Bloodsucking Doll), plays like a vampire movie made by people who’d never seen a vampire movie before – but in a good way. Vampire stories cover so much of the same ground that it’s refreshing to see something with its own ideas and set of rules. The film begins with Kazuhiko (Kwaidan’s Atsuo Nakamura) taking a taxi cab through a thunderstorm to reunite with his beloved fiancé Yuko Nonomura (Destroy All Monsters’ Yukiko Kobayashi) at her family’s woodland mansion. Upon Kazuhiko’s arrival, he is met by Yuko’s mother, Mrs. Nonomura (A Man Called Tiger’s Yoko Minakaze), who tells him that her poor beloved daughter recently died in an automobile accident. Depressed and disbelieving, Kazuhiko goes to sleep in the stately western style manor, only to be drawn from his bed soon after by a peculiar sound. He follows the sound to Yuko’s room, where a rocking chair seems to be moving by itself. He checks around the room and—gasps!—Yuko is hiding in the closet, apparently very much alive. Kazuhiko blacks out and when he awakens he is unable to convince anyone of what he sees. Soon after, he sees his departed love again and embraces her. But we see what he cannot; the glowing eyes, the bloody mangled arm, and the cruel intent on her face.

And just like that it’s no longer Kazuhiko’s movie anymore. If Vampire Doll takes notes from any horror movie, it’s not Dracula but maybe Psycho. From here, our main character is now Kazuhiko’s sister, Keiko (Teenage Yakuza’s Kayo Matsuo). Her brother has not been heard from since he left to visit Yuko and it’s been almost a week. Worried, Keiko and her boyfriend Hiroshi (Beyond Outrage’s Akira Nakao) set off to the Nonomura mansion in the countryside, looking for answers. Mrs. Nonomura says that Kazuhiko left soon after he arrived and retells the tragedy of Yuko’s unfortunate death. Sensing more to the story, Keiko and Hiroshi seek to unravel the mystery, and in doing so draw the ire of a creepy house full of secrets and tempt fate with the beautiful undead Yuko who still haunts the grounds.

It’s a pretty short film but it’s one that’s full of story. It’s not a complex story – characters that are hiding something are easy to spot and others are startlingly forthcoming with their strange obsessions. At one point, Keiko and Hiroshi go to meet the doctor who announced Yuko dead, only for him to confess his interest in the occult and tell his story about witnessing a ghost during WWII. I didn’t find the film particularly scary but that does not figure into whether or not I like a horror film. I liked The Vampire Doll quite a lot. It has a strange dreamlike quality that I really dig.

Despite the title, no dolls actually suck anybody’s blood in any literal sense. There are two dolls in the film which are important to the story, however I won’t go into explaining why and how. But for those concerned about, I don’t know, vampire Chucky? Yeah, that’s not what’s going on here. Yuko is only a vampire in a very loose sense, but this too is all right by me. She’s undead and leaves some bloody gashes on the necks of her victims, but she does so mostly via the use of a knife. Again, vampires have little history in Japan, so I’m not surprised that garlic, sunlight, crosses, and all the other old rules didn’t really come up in this interpretation.

The Bloodthirsty Trilogy is often cited as being influenced by Hammer horror films, particularly the Dracula films starring Christopher Lee. Perhaps this is more apparent in the sequels, Lake of Dracula and Evil of Dracula, but in Vampire Doll that influence is mostly just in set design and mood. The story feels unique to itself in vampire lore. I detect more Poe in the story than Stoker. One of the most western horror ideas to creep into the story is the role of the ‘harbinger’ gas station attendant who comes this close to telling Keiko and Hiroshi, “You don’t wanna go down that road.”

Every entry of The Bloodthirsty Trilogy was directed by Michio Yamamoto. If the name doesn’t sound familiar to you, don’t feel bad. He directed all of six features and otherwise mostly worked in TV. The Vampire Doll was only his second directorial effort and the third film of the Bloodthirsty Trilogy would be his last, so it was a curiously short filmmaking career. Before becoming a director, he learned from some of the best working as an AD under the likes of Akira Kurosawa (Throne of Blood) and Kihachi Okamoto (Samurai Assassin). Yamamoto’s direction of Vampire Doll is confident, moody, and strange. And though it appears as though the film was not blessed with one of Toho’s bigger budgets, it still manages to look quite good, with nice cinematography by Kazutami Hara (The Return of Godzilla) and some stylish editing from Koichi Iwashita (Ikiru).

The cast is pretty good, too. I think Yoko Minakaze is laying it on a little thick as the creepy Mrs. Nonomura but then I guess you could say the same for Bela Lugosi. I enjoyed the mostly silent performance of Yukiko Kobayashi as the beautiful monster. And Matsuo and Nakao make for likable heroes.

The ending doesn’t make the most sense to me, though the horror effects are satisfying. It’s one of those endings where it leaves the audience to fill in the blanks, which may be intentional but perhaps not. There is also a quick shot of animal cruelty that I simply cannot abide and feel compelled to knock off at least half a point. But mostly I thoroughly enjoyed my time watching The Vampire Doll and look forward to finally seeing the other two films. The Vampire Doll’s mystery is routine but the genre rulebook doesn’t apply like it does with most vampire movies, making the film unpredictable and surreal.

Kyle Warner’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews | Tagged |

Jennifer Garner is out for blood in the ‘Peppermint’ Trailer

Posted on May 31, 2018 by JJ Bona
"Peppermint" Theatrical Poster

“Peppermint” Theatrical Poster

Charlize Theron’s Atomic Blonde better brace herself, because there’s another unstoppable killer on the way. Pierre Morel, the director of 2008’s Taken, is prepping Peppermint, an upcoming female-centric actioner starring Jennifer Garner (Elektra).

According to Deadline, Peppermint is a high-action revenge thriller, with a premise likened to John Wick and John Wick 2, only with a female protagonist. When her husband and daughter are gunned down in a drive-by, the heroine wakes up from a coma and spends years learning to become a lethal killing machine. On the 10th anniversary of her family’s death, she targets everyone she holds responsible, the gang that committed the act, the lawyers that got them off, and the corrupt cops that enabled the murderous incidents.

Peppermint hits Theaters on September 7, 2018.

Posted in News |

Empty Hands, The (2017) Review

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"The Empty Hands" Theatrical Poster

“The Empty Hands” Theatrical Poster

Director: Chapman To
Cast: Chapman To, Stephy Tang, Yasuaki Kurata, Stephen Au, Dada Chan, Ryan Lau, Michelle Loo, Juju Chan, Roy Szeto, Tanya Chan, Wiyona Yeung
Running Time: 87 min.

By Paul Bramhall

While many may claim that Hong Kong cinema is dead, a case that’s hard to argue when compared to its unmatchable heyday of the 80’s, it’s unfair to completely write off the territory as being a lifeless corpse. Movies like The Midnight After, The Brink, and Chasing the Dragon have all proved that there’s life in the old dog yet, and I for one say long may the trend continue. Perhaps one of the most unexpected voices to champion Hong Kong cinema though, is that of Chapman To. Known for his raucous roles in the likes of Vulgaria and SDU: Sex Duties Unit in recent years, it’s important to remember he also has another side, one which has seen him strongly advocating the need for Hong Kong to remain a democracy.

His pro-democracy stance hasn’t sat well with the Mainland, and after he found himself arguing with Mainland netizens during 2014’s Occupy Central Movement, he soon found himself unofficially blacklisted from the Mainland film industry. Movies scheduled to be released in which he had a role were cancelled from being screened, and his scenes from the 2015 fantasy flick Impossible were completely removed, with the director re-filming them with Mainland actor Da Peng (Jian Bing Man). As a result, when To turned his focus to directing for his 2016 debut Let’s Eat, it took the form of a Singapore-Malaysian co-production. While the culinary themed comedy was met with a lacklustre reception, in 2017 To returned with his sophomore feature The Empty Hands, this time on his familiar home soil of Hong Kong.

While To’s debut in the director’s chair was indicative that he planned to stay within the comfort zone of the genre he’d become associated with, his follow-up couldn’t be more different. Eschewing the frivolous antics one has come to expect, instead it arrives as a quietly contemplative love letter to karate, one that, perhaps even more surprisingly, is effectively anchored by Canto-pop star Stephy Tang. Like many Canto-pop stars, Tang has also had a successful film career, becoming hugely popular for her roles in romantic comedies (although to be fair, she was last seen in the ultra-dark Paradox). Her slender frame, not to mention image, may not make her the most likely choice to be the lead in a karate drama, so her performance in The Empty Hands will most likely come as a revelation to those both familiar and unfamiliar with her work.

Tang plays a half Chinese half Japanese 30-something Hong Konger. Growing up under the tutelage of her karate sensei father, played by Yasuaki Kurata, she had a natural talent for it, however after losing in a competition she felt forced to take part in, never practiced again. Several years later, after her father’s passing she almost feels a sense of relief, knowing she can finally convert the dojo into multiple living spaces to rent out. A spanner is thrown in the works though when it’s revealed she’s only been left 49% of the ownership, with the other 51% going to To, who plays a former student and low level triad member just released from prison.

To, along with another long-time student, played as a mute by Stephen Au Kam-Tong (Vampire Cleanup Department), intend to return the dojo to its former glory, derailing Tang’s plans and adding to her already numerous woes. Sensing that Tang has been coasting through life in neutral for who knows how long, To puts forward a proposition which would see him handover his share of the dojo. The challenge is for her to resume the karate training she’s cast out of her life, and enter into an upcoming amateur competition. If she’s still on her feet after one round, regardless of the overall outcome, she’ll be given the full ownership she’d taken for granted.

The charm of The Empty Hands lays in its subtleties. While the plot description may sound straight forward, it plays out as more of a framework, one in which we witness Tang come to minor but meaningful realizations about her life. In many ways the tone and feel of To’s sophomore feature reminded me of a strange hybrid of Throw Down and Full Strike. All three movies deal with a character that used to be a master of whatever martial art or sports it is they used to practice, only to have reached a point in their life when those former glories feel like they no longer matter. The Empty Hands isn’t as in-your-face as Full Strike, nor as visceral as Throw Down, but the message of acknowledging the past in order to move on to the future remains the same.

Tang’s character may not be the most likeable protagonist, but she’s frequently relatable. Even when her decisions are frustrating ones, there’s a sense of understanding behind why she chooses the paths that she does. This is likely down to the dialogue by frequent Herman Yau collaborator, Erica Li Man, who co-wrote the script with To. Just like her work on fellow female-centric productions such as The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake and Sara (which To also produced), here the female touch helps to add a level of realism to proceedings, and it’s all the more affecting for it. 

Of course any movie about karate should, at some point, show some of it. Tang trained in the art for several months prior to filming, and To himself has been practicing for several years now, earning a black belt along the way. Both get to show their stuff, although those coming in expecting a fight fest will be left sourly disappointed. More so than the physical confrontations, The Empty Hands is more about the rituals of karate – its katas, the training, and the philosophies that underpin it all. There are a handful of fight scenes, in particular To’s throw down against his associates, which includes the movie debut of Charlene Houghton, daughter of legendary gweilo Mark Houghton, and Tang’s eventual match against real life fighter Michelle Lo. The latter is refreshingly realistic in its approach, with none of the style or grandeur usually associated with a Hong Kong movie fight scene.

The realism of the fights is likely down to the whopping six credited action directors, of which To is listed as one of them. Of the other five, it’s Jack Wong Wai-Leung (Wolf Warrior 2) who has the most experience, with Leung Bok-Yan, Bill Lui Tak-Wai, Ryouichi Ishijima, and Stephan Au Kam-Tong (who plays the mute student) also contributing their ideas and expertise. It’s a bold move by To to frame the action the way he has, in a story which essentially sets itself up to be sold on the promise of some. On paper many may be expecting a build up to a finale that resembles something like Best of the Best, or even (dare I say it) The Next Karate Kid, but The Empty Hands instead feels like something different all together. The composition of many of the shots, including the action, have an ethereal, almost surreal like feel to them, indicating the arrival of a voice in Hong Kong cinema that’s very much worth paying attention to. 

It would be a crime not to mention the presence of Yasuaki Kurata as Tang’s father. Clocking in his fourth appearance of 2017, after supporting turns in God of War, Manhunt, and The Brink, there’s no doubt that The Empty Hands gives him his most poignant and meaningful role. Be it watching him perform a kata in an open field in black and white, set to a classical overture, to silently eating a bowl of ramen by himself in the dojo, his role carries with it a weight of respect that few have granted him. Despite his presence flitting in and out, even when he’s off-screen his character can be felt, the burden of being the daughter of a Japanese karate master flowing down to the next generation. Put simply, having Kurata in the role adds a level of nuance, one that wouldn’t have been there had it gone to anyone else.

With its fractured time structure, down to earth storytelling, and Japanese filmmaking influence, The Empty Hands can be a hard movie to define. It would be easy to argue that it’s not really about karate, but then again, it would be just as easy to argue that it’s a story that wouldn’t exist without it. It could well be that both points of view are just as valid as the other. Despite the cultural ties to Japan that any movie featuring karate will have, the feeling that most resonated with me as the end credits began to roll, was that I’d just watched the most authentic piece of Hong Kong cinema I’d seen for a long time. For that, both Chapman To and Stephy Tang are to be applauded, or in this case, perhaps an “OSU!” would be more appropriate.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 7.5/10

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , |

Street Mobster | Blu-ray (Arrow Video)

Posted on May 30, 2018 by JJ Bona
Street Mobster | Blu-ray (Arrow Video)

Street Mobster | Blu-ray (Arrow Video)

RELEASE DATE: August 7, 2018

On August 7th, Arrow Video will be releasing the Blu-ray for Kinji Fukasaku’s Street Mobster, a 1972 actioner starring Bunta Sugawara (Battles Without Honor and Humanity). Check out the official details below:

A pivotal work in the yakuza movie genre and in the career of director Kinji Fukasaku (Battle Royale, Doberman Cop), Street Mobster presents an abrasive portrait of the rise and fall of a reckless street punk caught in the crossfire of a bloody turf war raging in the mean streets of Kawazaki.

When Okita Isamu (Bunta Sugawara, Cops vs. Thugs) re-emerges onto the mean streets of Kawazaki after five years in prison for a string of brutal crimes, he comes face to face with prostitute Kinuyo, who immediately pinpoints him as one of the participants in her brutal sexual assault years earlier that left her shell-shocked and consigned to the life of a sex worker. While the two outcasts form an unlikely bond, Okita returns to his criminal ways. He is approached by veteran gangster Kizaki (Noboru Ando, New Battles Without Honor and Humanity), who encourages him to round up a group of local chinpira street punks to shake up the uneasy agreement between the two rival yakuza groups, who between them control the city’s bars, gambling dens and entertainment areas. However, when the new outfit goes too far into the turf of the big boys, they find themselves caught in the midst of a violent reprisal, before an offer of patronage appears from an unlikely source.

Street Mobster is the first film in which Fukasaku’s vital and exhilarating approach to the contemporary-set gangster picture was paired with the untamed, raw charisma of Japan’s top screen mobster Sugawara Bunta. The film would change the life of both, paving the way for their subsequent collaborations on the landmark Battles Without Honour and Humanity series that began the following year.

Special Edition Contents:

  • High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
  • Original uncompressed PCM mono audio
  • Optional English subtitles
  • Audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon
  • First Pressing Only: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writting on the film by Jasper Sharp

Pre-order Street Mobster from Amazon.com today! 

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, News |

Star-studded ‘Fury of the Fist’ is now available on Amazon

Posted on May 30, 2018 by JJ Bona
"Fury of the Fist and the Golden Fleece" Teaser Poster

“Fury of the Fist and the Golden Fleece” Teaser Poster

The nostalgia factor runs deep in the star-studded Fury of the Fist and the Golden Fleece (previously known as Enter the Fist and the Golden Fleecing), an upcoming martial arts/comedy directed by and starring Alexander Wraith (No Tears for the Dead) and Sean Stone (Savages).

The biggest porn star (Stone) of the 1970s must reclaim his mojo in the ’80s by saving all male kind, fighting his way to the heart of a conspiracy to sell meat pumped full of estrogen to emasculate men.

Wraith and Stone are joined by a gang of martial arts film stars, both old and new, including Ernie Reyes Jr. (Red Sonja), Michael Dudikoff (American Ninja), Taimak (The Last Dragon), Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson (The Martial Arts Kid), Benny “The Jet” Urquidez (Wheels on Meals) and Simon Rhee (Furious, Best of the Best).

Also in the mix are Bill Goldberg (Universal Soldier: The Return), Jena Sims (3 Headed Shark Attack), Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister (Jackie Brown), Danny Trejo (Machete), Ron Jeremy (let’s just say Killing Zoe), Jason London (Dazed and Confused), Jeremy London (Mall Rats), Richard Grieco (If Looks Could Kill), Sam J. Jones (Flash Gordon), Victor Ortiz (The Expendables 3), Bianca Brigitte Van Damme (6 Bullets) and many more.

Fury of the Fist and the Golden Fleece is currently available via VOD on Amazon.com. Click here to watch it!

Posted in News |

Stabilizer, The (1986) Review

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Paul Bramhall
"The Stabilizer" VHS Cover

“The Stabilizer” VHS Cover

Director: Arizal
Cast: Peter O’Brian, Craig Gavin, Gillie Beanz, Dana Christina, Harry Capry, Kaharudin Syah, Mark Sungkar, Yenny Farida, Linda Husein, Herman Pero
Running Time: 93 min. 

By Paul Bramhall

Indonesian action maestro Arizal had a busy year in 1986. Not only did he set Chris Mitchum loose on the streets of Jakarta to raise hell in Final Score, but he also launched the career of walking growth hormone Peter O’Brian. Legend has it that the innocent New Zealander arrived in Indonesia on vacation, as many New Zealanders do, and it just so happened that producing partners the Punjabi Brothers where in the airport at the same time. Captivated by how his tightly curled perm and bulking frame gave him the appearance of Rambo (well, at least in their eyes), sensing an opportunity to seize the moment, they approached him to appear in a movie. The rest, as they say, is history.

Well, minor history at least. I’m sure most reading this will have no idea who Peter O’Brian is, and that’s probably a good thing. He stayed working exclusively in Indonesia, and his filmography of 8 titles peaked with his second leading role in The Intruder (made the same year), which fully took advantage of his apparent Rambo resemblance by casting him as – wait for it – Rambu. For those wondering, yes, it’s also a remake of Stallone’s iconic killing machine. For his debut role though, he takes on the title character of The Stabilizer, a no nonsense American cop who travels to Indonesia on the trail of a criminal kingpin that killed his fiancé.

As it turns out, the kingpin (Craig Gavin, The Intruder) is also behind the kidnapping of a local scientist, who’s created something called a Narcotics Detector. What exactly this detector does is never really explained, but all the bad guys seem pretty panic stricken about its existence, and threaten things like electrocution if the scientist doesn’t spill the beans. Thankfully the scientists daughter (Dana Christina, The Warrior) is an avid reader of Silat instructional manuals (and also kind of resembles a sexy female version of Sammo Hung), so has been blazing her own trail of chaos against the bad guys. Without going into too much further detail, basically O’Brian, his partner (Gillie Beanz), the scientists daughter, and a local Indonesian cop (Harry Capry, Daredevil Commandos) team up to take down Gavin and his crew of drug pushers.

As with any Arizal flick, what ensues is plenty of fighting, machine gun fire, explosions, and more vehicle stunts than you can shake a stick at. The Stabilizer is the kind of movie which opens with a motorbike crashing through the window of a laboratory, for little other reason that it looks pretty damn cool. It’s a kind of logic that’s difficult to argue with. O’Brian is fantastic, although not for any reason that could be classed as intentional. His awesome Brian May style perm takes on a life of its own during the fight scenes, bouncing around like a lump of Jello on a plate, and he’s dubbed by a deep voiced American that makes every line he speaks sound like he’s narrating a trailer.

His vocabulary ranges from hilariously spiteful – if there’s a sentence which involves mentioning Gavin’s name, it’s always preceded with a “that son of a bitch…”, “that bastard…”, or “that motherf*cker…” – to just plain monosyllabic. At one point he’s surrounded by armed gunmen, to which he yells completely poker faced, “Bullshit!” Kudos has to go to his fiancé as well, who has a framed picture of him on her bedroom wall, taking aim with a gun adorned in black sunglasses and a fishnet t-shirt. If I ever decide to get a self-portrait, I’ll be taking a screenshot of this scene for reference. On the plus side though, it has to be mentioned that he appears to do most of the action and stuntwork himself, from hanging off a helicopter, to one laugh-out-loud shot that cuts to a close-up of him being hit in the face with a projectile piece of cardboard tubing.

Gavin himself also makes for a worthy villain, burdened with a limp from when he was shot by O’Brian in a previous encounter, his weapon of choice is a pair of spiked cleats on his shoes, marking him as someone you wouldn’t want to have accidentally stand on your foot. His villain’s mansion comes complete with a dwarf butler, and his own personal floozy, who appears to be aroused by having beer poured onto her torso. I’ve made notes to try this later. The Golden Triangle gang he presides over may consist of a rotatable bunch of Indonesian stuntmen, but a guy decked out like Mr. T particularly stands out, and the fact that some of them wear (literal) Golden Triangle earrings is both as stupid and hilarious as it sounds. Some gangs have secret tattoos, other secret greetings, these guys have to have their ears pierced and wear not-so-secret jangly triangular earrings.

While the action in The Stabilizer doesn’t reach the insane levels of Final Score, it’s debatable if anything could. To that end, the number of warehouse scuffles and car chases easily meet the expectations one goes into an 80’s Indonesian action movie with. Stuntmen get thrown around and through tables/walls/shelving units (and anything else breakable in sight), plus at one point both O’Brian and a poor lackey go crashing through a floor together, more than 15 years before Ong Bak! Dirt bikes are also featured heavily (as with any Arizal flick), with O’Brian proving that it’s possible to jump a dirt bikes front wheel into someone’s face, bounce off it, and carry on riding. Was Rambo ever that bad ass? What I enjoyed most about The Stabilizer though, was the level of equality shown in the punishment dished out between the heroes and the villains.

At one point, Gavin and a lackey are both on dirt bikes with a rope tied around O’Brian, resulting in him being dragged along the ground in a painful looking stunt. While most movies would frame such cruelty as something only the villains would contemplate inflicting on someone, a few minutes later when Gavin is attempting to get away, O’Brian and the daughter both get on dirt bikes, pick up the rope and proceed to do the same thing to him! Other painful highlights include death by a grass strimmer (forget about Tiger on the Beat’s chainsaw fight, what other movie has a fight with a grass strimmer!?), and a scene in which the Indonesian cop brandishes a flame thrower, ruthlessly toasting every bad guy in sight. It begs the question of what came first, The Stabilizer or Aliens?

The finale goes for a mass vehicular mayhem approach, with speedboats, jeeps, dirt bikes, and even a helicopter being thrown into the mix. For those that have seen Final Score and thought the scene with the helicopter was ridiculous (it is), The Stabilizer gives it a run for its money, challenging all that we know about gravity while also bringing a big smile to my face. It even incorporates a scene that has O’Brian fist pump the air by himself, because if no one is around to celebrate your victory, it doesn’t mean you still shouldn’t right? Kudos to Arizal for also giving the ladies just as much to do as the men, as the bad guys have to contend with both O’Brian’s partner, the scientist’s daughter, and the jaded floozy. Maybe I’ll hold off on that beer pouring technique for now.

Amongst the madness there’s a shot of a man’s arm crease, filmed in such a way to make us believe it’s a butt crack, and not one but two scenes of guys eating lizards alive (animal lovers are best to look away during these parts). Throw in an awesome theme song (“Staaa-biliiii-zerrrrr”), endlessly quotable dialogue (“The shoes Peter, watch out for the shoes!”), and a speedboat which comes fitted with torpedoes, for an action movie fan it’s almost impossible not to enjoy The Stabilizer. While movies like The Raid, Headshot, and Buffalo Boys are giving Indonesian action cinema a new lease of life in recent times, it’s important to remember that before any of the current batch of talent came along, there was the man known as Arizal. For a taste of his explosive style and tough talking heroes, The Stabilizer is definitely as good a place to start as any.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 7.5/10

Posted in All, Asian Related, Indonesian, News, Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged , |
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