"Curse of the Golden Flower" Blu-ray Cover
Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Curse of the Golden Flower, directed by Zhang Yimou (Jet Li’s Hero).
It’s a tale of drama, revenge, romantic intrigue – and of course – martial arts action, as choreographed by the great Ching Siu-tung (Duel to the Death).
Curse of the Golden Flower stars Chow Yun-Fat (The Postman Strikes Back), Gong Li (2046) and Jay Chou (The Viral Factor).
Order Curse of the Golden Flower from Amazon.com today!
The Tiger: An Old Hunter’s Tale | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)
RELEASE DATE: August 9, 2016
Park Hoon-jeong, the director of The New World, is back with Well Go USA’s Blu-ray & DVD for The Tiger: An Old Hunter’s Tale, which stars Choi Min-sik (The Admiral: Roaring Currents, Old Boy).
The Tiger: An Old Hunter’s Tale (read our review) is set in the final days of the Joseon era, when Korea was under Japanese rule. Min-sik will play a local hunter who’s given the task of hunting down the last tiger in Korea.
Much like The Admiral: Roaring Currents and Ode to my Father, this looks to be plugging into the current trend of Korean patriotism, as Min-sik’s characters main motivation seems to be to not let the tiger die at the hands of the Japanese.
Pre-order The Tiger: An Old Hunter’s Tale from Amazon.com today.
“The Swift Knight” Chinese Theatrical Poster
Director: Jeong Chang Hwa
Producer: Runme Shaw
Cast: Lo Lieh, Yau Lung, Chan Shen, Wong Hap, Margaret Hsing Hui, Chin Han, Fang Mien, Chai No, Tung Lam, Wong Chung Shun, Fan Mei Sheng, Hsu Yu, Mama Hung, Lau Kar Wing, Lee Pang Fei, Ou-Yang Sha Fei, Shum Lo
Running Time: 81 min.
By Matthew Le-feuvre
Up to his much lamented death in 2002 from heart failure, former stalwart, international cult icon and introspective celebrity, Lo Lieh will be fondly remembered in martial arts film circles for being cast as perennial miscreats, anti-heroes or unsympathetic characters. Yet, beyond all the demoniacal frowning, sadism and (the) obligatory mocking guffaws, there was so much more depth and refinement to this late star than critics would dare like to admit.
Overworked, underpaid and definitely underrated, Lieh’s frenetic career could almost be perceived as a dereliction of his true creativity in spite of kickstarting the whole “Kung Fu craze” in the West with the enormously influential King Boxer (1972) – better known as Five Fingers of Death – essentially, the first Hong Kong import from the prestigious Shaw Brothers to be marketed and distributed by Warners. Sadly, Lieh never received the credit he was due. He was just another stock-actor in a field of many, defined only as ‘a number’ until executives kept reanimating him like some contractual golem – submissive and robotic to the commands of a studio director (whose sole objective was to be on budget for an expedited release) – and even then, Lo Lieh was constantly overshadowed by the princely leads of David Chiang, Ti Lung and Fu Sheng. These were a handful of reasons why other contemporaries such as Chi Kuen Chun (not to be confused with fellow traditionalist, Chen Kwan Tai) couldn’t wait to escape their legal agreement(s) with the Shaws’.
However, there was a time when Lieh illuminated the jade screen as a hero of chivalrous magnificence, expressing a quiet charm, grace and spiritual enigmatism that was far more appealing in (polar) contrast to his iniquitous behaviour on offer within the narrative of stapled classics: 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978), Mad Monkey Kung Fu (1979) and Dirty Ho (1979) for instance, as well as the creme dela creme of ethnic prejudice (as) allegorized through the representation of fighting styles; this of course is Wang Yu’s seminal trendsetter, The Chinese Boxer (1970). In it, Lieh apes with cocksure barbarity, as he struts, chops and fly kicks his way through an echelon of brave, but inexperienced mainlanders, leaving behind a pyre of broken bodies while his Japanese accomplices specialize in eye-gouging and dismemberment. Surprisingly, this was a far cry from Lieh’s previous excursion into the mindset of heroic patriotism or, contrarily, self sacrifice in the aid of the exploited.
Here, snarls aside – before Lieh took up the quentessential ‘villian’ mantle full-time – pictures shot and essembled in a similar vein to The Swift Knight (1971) feel innocuous, formal and yet idiosyncratic compared to The Chinese Boxer, and future incarnations such as the demented Chao Chin from The Human Lanterns (1982) or the odious Pei Mei (believed to be a joint catalyst behind Shaolin’s inital destruction). Lieh, naturally, reveled in his portrayal for Lau Kar Leung’s masterpiece Executioners from Shaolin (1977). He later reprised this role for his own version or remake, depending on one’s own perspective. It was a challenge indeed for the Indonesian-born star, but the result, otherwise generally titled in certain territories as Clan of the White Lotus (1980), apparently thrilled packed houses into a frenzy as open mouthed audiences marveled at Gordon Liu’s desperate attempts to find the secret of Pei Mei’s alternating life-force.
For some fans, this was the pinacle of Lieh’s repertoire. After that, the inevitability of typecasting would take precedence over the luxury of personal choices, and nostalgic recalls of Lieh in his heyday would be confined to the ebbing memories of plaudits old enough to be around at a time when Wu Xia was dominant, experimental and downright exhilarating. The Swift Knight, although again ‘essembled’ in that habitual manner we’ve all come too appreciate, lovingly encapulates all these qualities regardless of a patent script, carbon sub-characters or an over familarity with (studio constructed) bamboo forests, isolated taverns, bustling gambling houses or elaborate palace interiors where a corrupt sovereign determines the fates of the working classes. Evocatively, all these nuances are – if one deeply observes – innumerably recycled to the point of being a requisite necessacity.
The Swift Knight is directed by future Lo Lieh collaborator, Jeong Chang Hwa (King Boxer, The Association). This Korean-born filmmaker, unlike the prolific Chang Cheh, wasn’t interested in the theme of brotherhood per se or political metaphors. Instead, his target was to pepper the human senses through simple story telling, less complex action choreography (despite the inclusive tools of wire-work and trampolines) and minimal dialogue; especially from Lieh, who tends too convey his character’s soul through expressionless glares and slow-eye movements. When confronted, he erupts into a balletic dynamo, scything through a barrage of inferior antagonists with ease and majestic presence. His sword, truthfully and quite literally, becomes an extension of himself, eventhough Lieh’s motives are primarily somewhat ambivalent, largely because the screenplay centres around the Prince Regent’s drastic search to eliminate his half brother/sister, Qin Rue and Xian Qin (Margaret Hsing); heirs apparent to the throne.
Interacting with the sibblings (each incognito as lowly peasants), via a shared providence, is Lei Fan (Lieh) aka ‘the swift knight,’ a wanderer who embezzles tax funds from magitrates to finance his solitary lifestyle; a vagabond named Lu Xian Ping (Chin Han), who’s actually a secret service general dispatched to find the heirs and safely deliver them to the Emperor; and a discredited guard (Fan Mei Sheng). Their paths intertwine while pursued by the Prince’s loyal Assassin, Zu Pao, a relentless brute posing as part of an imperial envoy. However, his identity is exposed alongwith the Regent’s inimical ambitions to seize power. It all becomes a deadly race against time, and numerous foes, as the once incongruous trio unite to restore a semblance of political harmony under Xian Qin’s rule.
Verdict: Mixing romance with political intrigue, The Swift Knight richly deserves to be catagorized into that niche of significant landmark pictures: The One Armed Swordsman (1967) or Have Sword will Travel (1969) continually springs to mind for the majority. Sadly, The Swift Knight, unwillingly, for some critics fits into that mould in “Not quite being a classic!” Nevertheless, there is still enough breathtaking imagery: particularly the opening credits of Lei Fan striding across open praries; nocturnal rooftop encounters; as well as kinetic swordplay sequences, featuring Lieh’s almost supernatural deployments against Zu Pao’s impaling projectiles.
Matthew Le-feuvre’s Rating: 7.5/10
“Redemption” Japanese Theatrical Poster
AKA: Hummingbird
Director: Steven Knight
Cast: Jason Statham, Agata Buzek, Vicky McClure, Benedict Wong, Ger Ryan, Youssef Kerkour, Anthony Morris, Victoria Bewick, Danny Webb, Sang Lui
Running Time: 100 min.
By Zach Nix
British actor Jason Statham is mainly recognized as an action star in cinematic circles due to his appearances in such action franchises as the Transporter series, the Crank series, The Expendables series, and even standalone films like The Killer Elite, Safe, and Parker. However, people need to remind themselves that Statham got his start not as an action star, but as an actor in Guy Ritchie’s witty and gritty crime comedies Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. He began his career playing confident and cockneyed wise guys in character driven British productions, not ass kicking brawlers in action heavy blockbusters. However, all it took was The Transporter, a French/Chinese co-production, and Statham became more or less the last successful international action star of the post 2000s.
Statham is and always will be a great action star, but the true, or at least original Statham, is the dramatic Brit who works within British productions underneath British filmmakers. Case in point: 2013’s Redemption (a.k.a. Hummingbird). This under seen and nearly forgotten London based crime drama is not only a return to form for Statham the actor, but also one of his very best films, bolstered by one of his greatest performances under the helm of writer/director Steven Knight (Locke). While a few storytelling flaws permeate the picture, Knight’s directorial debut is otherwise a thoroughly engrossing crime drama that consistently surprised me every step of the way.
Statham plays Joseph Smith, an ex-Special Forces soldier who abandoned his post in Afghanistan. He now resides in London as a homeless drunk, leaving behind his previous life and responsibilities in order to avoid being arrested for going AWOL. When he and his bunkmate, Isabel, are attacked one night, Joseph crawls into an apartment, only to discover its owner to be on vacation for the rest of the summer. Joseph takes advantage of the opportunity, thereby cleaning himself up and taking on the identity and bank account of the man who lives there. As Joey emerges from hiding, his summer slowly but surely becomes eventful, as he bonds with Sister Cristina (Agata Buzek), a good-hearted nun who provides food for the homeless, becomes a drug runner and money collector for the Chinese mob, and seeks vengeance on the death of Isabel. All of these various plot threads collide over the course of the picture as Joseph’s morals and beliefs are put to the test.
One of Redemption’s greatest assets is its premise, which is undeniably interesting and engrossing. On the surface, Redemption is simply a tale of, well, you guessed it, redemption, as a homeless man cleans himself up and turns his life around whilst facing the sins of his past. It’s also neat to watch a protagonist’s turnaround come along with the perks of an abandoned apartment that they accidentally stumbled upon. Talk about some luck? However, what makes the film so compulsively watchable and unpredictable is that it goes places that you wouldn’t expect and covers far more ground than expected. Redemption is not just the story of Joseph’s redemption, but also the story of Cristina’s inner conviction with her own morals, faith, and past sins. Redemption is just as much Joseph’s picture as it is Cristina’s, as both she and Joseph go hand in hand with each other as flawed humans who try to live one life whilst escaping the realities of another. It doesn’t matter that one is a bone breaking gangster and the other a flawed religious nun, they both admire one another’s ambitions and bond over their similarities. On top of that, the film also tackles themes regarding war related PTSD, substance abuse, revenge, and human trafficking. While Knight may bite off more than he can chew by tackling so many issues within one film, albeit a short 100 minute long feature, he is to be commended for providing so many complex layers within a surface level “redemption” story.
Knight is a great writer and director, as evident by both Redemption and his latter film Locke. He clearly has an eye for broken and flawed characters whom are also redeemable and relatable, thereby making them all the more realistic and interesting as protagonists. He also seems to enjoy playing within the neo-noir genre, imbuing both dramatic and criminal aspects within his character driven pieces. Another aspect of Knight that shines is that he understands the power of planting seeds early on within a picture to bring back later on to great effect. For example, Joseph discovers that the man who owns the apartment he stumbles upon will not return until October 1st. This date is brought up again later on when Cristina purchases a ticket to the farewell show of a ballet on none other than October 1st. The characters point out that this information is fate, but it’s also careful planning on Knight’s part as a filmmaker, as he crafts a saga that lasts an entire summer and builds anticipation until one fateful date.
Although Redemption is clearly a crime noir, its focus is not placed on drug deals and bursts of violence, but instead more so on the relationship between Statham’s character and Polish actress Agata Buzek. Statham and Buzek’s scenes are so beautifully performed and shot that one won’t even wonder when the next action scene or violent beat down will occur, as the two actors command all attention. Many of Statham and Buzek’s scenes are shot in very long takes, which makes their conversations and friendship all the more believable, and extremely adorable as well. Seriously, these two actors are the heart of the film. Statham has never shone brighter than here, giving truly one of the best performances of his career. And Buzek, who was previously unknown to me, gives a beautifully gentle and nuanced performance. Although both characters experience significant arcs that are immensely gripping, it’s a shame that Knight was not able to stick the landing of his film’s finale, as it somewhat brings his characters back to square one.
As I stated before, Knight weaves numerous plot threads together that eventually build to an inevitable finale where Joseph’s morals are tested. Unfortunately, these threads produce nothing more than a rather lackluster conclusion that pales in comparison to its build up. Without going into spoilers, it’s clear that Knight was trying to deliver an ending similar to the ones found within Gran Torino and Taxi Driver in which the protagonist sets their well being aside in order to stand for a greater cause or to send a message to society. However, the emotional climax of the film fails to be nearly as satisfying or affective as it should have been, as Knight seems to rush the story to a point that unsatisfactorily places his characters seemingly back at square one, all but making the eventful summer in London a somewhat wasteful one. You may see the ending differently than me, but that was simply my gut reaction to it all.
That major narrative criticism aside, Redemption is nothing but technically stellar, boasting both incredible cinematography and bone crunching action scenes to boot. Lensed by Chris Menges, the film is lush as can be with a neon blue, pink, and purple color palette that makes the film look positively extravagant. Menges and Knight also make affective choices as to where to place the camera and when to move it during scenes, such as the previously discussed dialogues between Statham and Buzek. As far as the film’s action scenes come, they are few and far between. After all, this is a crime drama first and foremost. That being said, the very few fights that occur are positively bad ass and viscerally affective, from an early beat down where Statham confronts a group of a drunk patrons at a restaurant to his eventual vengeance against two gangsters responsible for killing his old friend Isabel. To be honest though, the viewer will be so invested in Statham’s journey that they won’t even wonder when the next fight will occur, as the story will be enough to please them.
After spending the first portion of this review discussing Statham’s career as an actor, I personally believe that Redemption is the perfect blend of both his action and dramatic sensibilities. Statham shows off immense vulnerability here as a flawed and wounded character whom one wouldn’t normally associate with the rest of his action centric characters. Even though it comes as a shock seeing Statham act for such long periods of time instead of beating down enemies within the film, it should be a reminder that Statham possesses the magnetism and charisma of a good actor, not just a physical action star. When he does bust out the chops though, his experience from his martial arts centric pictures shows, bringing a welcome believability to his action scenes. If anything, Redemption should prove that Statham has the complete package, in that he can both act and kick ass. Although Statham’s action career has been far from perfect (i.e. Transporter 3, The Killer Elite, Parker), Redemption ironically redeems the actor of all past sins, once again placing him atop the pedestal of the previous generations’ reigning action stars.
As far as Redemption comes as a film, and not just as a Statham vehicle, it’s quite superb. Although I pointed out that the film flounders towards its finale and tackles a tad too many sub-plots and themes, it’s mostly affective and admirable in its ambitions. Somewhere within this very good crime drama is a great movie, positively even one as great as the somewhat similar Taxi Driver or even Clint Eastwood’s swan song Gran Torino. But alas, I’ll settle for the very good drama that it is, as it completely engrossed me from start to finish. I thank it for introducing me to Agata Buzek, who is an excellent actress, and for confirming that Steven Knight is a great filmmaker to look out for. All in all, Redemption is a stupendous crime saga, and a great reminder that checking out under seen or smaller films can sometimes result in the most pleasant of discoveries.
Zach Nix’s Rating: 8/10
"Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal" Theatrical Poster
A sequel to Peter Pau and Zhao Tianyu’s 3D fantasy Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal is officially in the works. There’s currently no info on who’s returning, but we’ll keep you informed as we learn more (via AFS).
The first film – starring Chen Kun (Young Detective Dee), Li Bingbing (Detective Dee & the Mystery of the Phantom Flame), Winston Chao (The Soong Sisters), Yang Zishan and Bao Bei’er – was released last year by Well Go USA as Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal.
City on Fire’s Kyle Warner criticized the original for its heavy reliance on substandard CGI to tell the story (read the full review).
Stay tuned for more updates regarding the sequel.
"Murder Unincorporated" Japanese Theatrical Poster
Director: Haruyasu Noguchi
Cast: Jo Shishido, Yoko Yamamoto, Kon Omura, Yumiko Nogawa, Eiji Go, Daizaburo Hirata, Hiroshi Cho, E.H. Eric, Kanbi Fujiyama, Tonpei Hidari, Hiroshi Hijikata
Running Time: 85 min.
By Kyle Warner
Before the Nikkatsu logo even hits the screen, one of Murder Unincorporated’s characters directly addresses the audience. “Hey, you!” he shouts with a snarl. “If you don’t laugh when you see this movie, I’m going to execute you!” So… that’s a first! And since I’m alive to type this, that means I laughed. Sometimes I felt stupid for laughing, because this is one dumb movie, but oh well. I figure laughter is a fine indicator that a comedy’s doing its job correctly.
You must understand one thing about Murder Unincorporated before we go any further: this film is out of its damn mind. Apparently conceived by highly-caffeinated madmen, the film’s comedy is mostly made up of dumb slapstick and screwball madness, styles of comedy that have fallen out of favor with modern audiences. While I certainly would prefer a clever script over slapstick comedy, that doesn’t mean I dislike slapstick and screwball hijinks on screen. But just the same, a movie like Murder Unincorporated can’t help but feel a little dated today.
In the film, the legendary assassin Joe of Spades has returned and marked a criminal syndicate for death. The criminals immediately call the assassin agency, who send dozens of weirdo assassins over to audition for the job of protecting the clients and killing Joe of Spades. Some of these assassins are pretty normal but most of the others are cartoony caricatures, each with their own peculiar methods of killing. One man is a baseball nut, one kills with poetry, another claims to be the grandson of Al Capone, one is 006 (the boss of 007)… they’re all crazy idiots and they’re somehow viewed as the best of the best. The situation actually would’ve made for a good action movie setup even without the comedy, but Murder Unincorporated has zero intention in playing things straight.
Stepping in and out of the mix is Jo Shishido (Danger Pays), who seems awfully interested in the particulars of the hitmen’s jobs. We can naturally assume that Jo Shishido is Joe of Spades (the actor’s own nickname was ‘Joe the Ace’, after all) but the film plays things pretty close to the chest in regards to the story’s central mystery. The only clue the hitmen have for identifying Joe of Spades is that the killer has a mole on the sole of his foot—which, as you may expect, leads to many zany mishaps.
Shishido may dominate the poster artwork and be the most recognizable face in the film, but he’s not really the star of the picture. In a film full of idiots, Kon Omura’s Konmatsu is King. The comedian Omura (Gamera vs. Guiron) was apparently well-known in Japan at the time but remains mostly unheard of in the West. A rubber face and impeccable comic timing make him the star of Murder Unincorporated, here playing bumbling hitman Konmatsu as someone so daft that even the other idiots in the room are left awestruck by his bold stupidity. Sure, sometimes Omura’s Konmatsu is annoying to the extreme, but I dare say that if you can’t like his character, then you probably won’t like the film.
Director Haruyasu Noguchi, who’s responsible for one of Japan’s worst one-off kaiju films Gappa the Triphibian Monsters, was certainly not one of Nikkatsu’s best talents but he’s made something fun and fairly unique here. Fast-paced and quirky, it’s an entertaining little diversion.
It’s always difficult to figure whether a screwball comedy is going to appeal to a large audience. Even the Marx Brothers’ Duck Soup, often considered the reigning screwball masterpiece, isn’t for everyone. If I were to try to narrow down what Murder Unincorporated resembles, I’d say it’s something close to Masahiro Shinoda’s Parade of Killers and Jun Fukuda’s Ironfinger, with some of the braindead goofiness found in a Wong Jing picture. If you like any of those things I just mentioned, this movie might be for you. Certain other audiences will view this film like it’s an annoying kid acting out for attention, and that’s understandable. Murder Unincorporated isn’t the sort of thing I want to watch all the time, but my first viewing was an enjoyable one.
Kyle Warner’s Rating: 7/10
About this release: Murder Unincorporated is the third film of Arrow Video’s new Blu-ray/DVD release Nikkatsu Diamond Guys Vol. 2. Murder Unincorporated is packed onto one Blu-ray disc with the two other films, Tokyo Mighty Guy and Danger Pays. It’s an amusing collection of films, showing a sillier side of Nikkatsu that’s remained largely unseen by Western viewers. Danger Pays is my favorite from the set, and without a doubt has the most replay value of the three films. All films look and sound good on Blu-ray. The package includes a booklet with new writing from Japanese film experts Stuart Galbraith IV, Tom Mes, and Mark Schilling.
For special features we get trailers for the films, promo galleries, and two video essays by Jasper Sharp that look at Diamond Guys Jo Shishido and Akira Kobayashi. The video essays total about 20 minutes and are an enjoyable, informative look at the stars and how their careers grew at Nikkatsu. It’s a nice release for three obscure pieces of classic Japanese cinema.
The films are full of energy and quick-witted charm, with colorful characters and likable star turns from Jo Shishido, Akira Kobayashi, and Ruriko Asaoka. There’s no word of a Nikkatsu Diamond Guys Vol. 3 yet but I’m hoping it’s in the works, because I’d love to see more of the lesser-known films by these stars. If you’re interested in this DVD/Blu-ray, you should know that it’s a limited release of 3,000 copies. The release is region free.
"Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx" Japanese Theatrical Poster
After four long years, an English language, live-action adaptation (in other words, remake) of Koike Kazuo and Goseki Kojima’s manga Lone Wolf and Cub: Final Conflict is back from the dead.
The upcoming Lone Wolf and Cub film is being produced by Steven Paul (Tekken: Kazuya’s Revenge) of SP International Pictures. “I have been a huge fan of the property for many years and can’t tell you how excited I am to have the opportunity to embark on this journey,” Paul told Variety.
So far, no details have emerged regarding potential directors, stars or writers for the project.
Back in 2012, it was reported that Kamala Films had secured the rights to Lone Wolf and Cub: Final Conflict with plans for Fast Five director Justin Lin to tackle the property. David and Janet Peoples were attached to write the script (the duo have films like Blade Runner, Unforgiven, 12 Monkeys to their credit).
In the past, Lone Wolf and Cub was adapted into four stage plays, a TV series, and most popular of all, a samurai film anthology released in the West as Shogun Assassin. Sam Mendes’ gangster film, Road to Perdition, was also said to be heavily influenced by Lone Wolf and Cub, according to Novelist Max Allan Collins.
Stay tuned for more updates regarding the Lone Wolf and Cub English language adaptation.
“Mozu” Japanese Theatrical Poster
Director: Eiichiro Hasumi
Writer: Go Osaka, Kosuke Nishi
Producer: Mamoru Inoue, Akira Morii
Cast: Hidetoshi Nishijima, Takeshi Kitano, Teruyuki Kagawa, Yoko Maki, Yusuke Iseya, Tori Matsuzaka, Hiroki Hasegawa, Fumiyo Kohinata, Sosuke Ikematsu, Atsushi Ito
Running Time: 116 min.
By Paul Bramhall
Takeshi ‘Beat’ Kitano is easily one of the most recognizable faces in Japanese cinema, directing a number of movies that are rightfully considered masterpieces. When he acts, it’s usually also in his own productions, so whenever news emerges that Kitano is set to appear in a movie other than his own, it draws plenty of interest. From an eye-patched hitman in Gonin, to the teacher in Battle Royale, to a raging Korean immigrant in Blood and Bones, all are roles which once seen, are difficult to imagine anyone other than Kitano playing. 2015 then was rather special, as it didn’t just provide one movie with Kitano in a role being directed by someone other than himself, but two. One was the dark drama, While the Women are Sleeping, while the other came in the form of a spin-off movie from a popular TV mini-series, Mozu – The Movie.
Interestingly, main actor Hidetoshi Nishijima is also the star of While the Woman are Sleeping, and has worked with Kitano before, featuring in his 2002 production Dolls. In Mozu – The Movie Nishijima and Kitano are pitted against each other, as Nishijimi plays the role of an exhausted cop still trying to get over the recent death of his wife and child, believed to have been murdered on the orders of a mysterious figured called Daruma, played by Kitano. Unfortunately the movie does itself no favors, thanks to providing precisely zero information for those that haven’t seen the TV mini-series (which itself was based on a book, written by Go Osaka). All we get is an opening which see’s Nishijima moodily sat in a semi-lit bar, one in which he’s the only customer, as he drunkenly drops in and out of consciousness while thinking about his murdered loved ones.
Despite being inebriated, Nishijima happens to stumble across a traffic accident, which turns out to be a kidnap attempt of a diplomat from a made-up country called Penam, and her autistic daughter. He manages to save the daughter, and packs her off to his private detective friend, played by Teruyuki Kagawa. At the same time, an office building is held to ransom, involving low budget CGI explosions and terrorists screaming in an irritatingly high pitched fashion, seemingly to distract from the kidnap attempt. Some nonsense is also revealed about images of Daruma, the character Kitano plays, being inserted into people’s minds by a shady organization. Coherency and logic don’t appear to be high on the agenda for Mozu – The Movie, with none of what’s happening onscreen given much explanation or reason. Throughout all of this trauma, Nishijima remains completely poker faced, decked out in his uninspired salary man style white shirt and black tie, ensuring his character remains as uninteresting and dull as possible.
Events proceed in a way which see’s things going from bad to worse. The autistic daughter is effectively portrayed as a walking zombie, incapable of any type of human interaction or communicating beyond grunts and shrieks. Chocolate proved that it’s perfectly possible to have an autistic main character, and Jija Yanin imbued the role with plenty of nuance and personality traits, but not so here. In a scene which is particularly awkward, it’s explained that she’s mentally handicapped, and then in the same conversation, there’s a completely meaningless and throwaway line added in which a point is made of her only being half Japanese. Because of course, in a country were mental health is still a relatively taboo topic in mainstream media, it’s important to point out that such a character couldn’t possibly be 100% Japanese.
As a result of acting as her guardian, ultimately Teruyuki Kagawa’s own daughter gets kidnapped, and is whisked away to the fictional South East Asian country of Penam. Nishijima and Kagawa follow the abductors trail in hot pursuit, however when they finally land in the Penam, it turns out to be Manila in the Philippines. We’re not supposed to know that of course, but the hundreds of jeepneys driving down the streets, the road signs that have suburbs in Manila written on them, and just the general fact that people are speaking Tagalog, kind of give it away. Why they chose to pass off Manila as some made-up Asian melting pot is beyond me. It’s a city which is recognizable in much the same way Hong Kong or Kuala Lumpur are, but perhaps it’s portrayal as a safe-haven for criminal masterminds led the overly-sensitive Japanese studios to call it by a different name. Throughout all of this drama and country hopping, Nishijima’s facial expression has still yet to change, and he hasn’t once thought to change out of his white shirt and black tie combo.
Their jaunt in the Philippines at least allows the budget to afford some real explosions, and there’s even some hand to hand combat thrown in, but it all seems so lifeless and droll, that it’s hard to get excited about. The script doesn’t help, which takes itself far too seriously. Characters who’ve only been onscreen for a couple of minutes proclaim wince worthy lines such as, “Why do we do what we do?” Other times, it actually has characters explaining through dialogue what’s happening onscreen. In one scene Nishijima fires a gun into the air, in order to get himself arrested, knowing the corrupt cops will take him to their boss that he’s been trying to track down. This is exactly what happens, and when they drop him in front of the boss, he’s asked why he fired a gun in order to get himself arrested. Nishijima then explains that he wanted to get himself arrested, as he knew he’d be taken to the boss. Seriously, we know, it just happened onscreen, it’s like they mixed up script notes with character dialogue.
In between the dual running plots of attempting to rescue Kagawa’s daughter while protecting the autistic daughter of the diplomat (the plot point of Kitano’s image being inserted into people’s minds is never mentioned again), it’s revealed that the organisation behind the kidnap attempt is also the same one responsible for the death of Nishijima’s loved ones. What are the chances? It turns out that this organisation is seemingly the secret power that keeps Japan running the way it does, and they all report to a mysterious ‘Sensei’, who must be kept alive at all costs. The Sensei and Daruma of course turn out to be the same person, Kitano, who is shown to be a bald headed heavily scarred old man on his death bed, desperately in need of several internal organ transplants, of whom the autistic child is the closest match.
Despite the bulk of Mozu – The Movie taking place in Manila, I mean Penam, late in the movie the action eventually moves back to Tokyo. One of my biggest problems with the plot comes once proceedings re-locate back to Japanese soil, as an event takes place which effectively makes the whole Philippines set segment null and void. It would be a spoiler to go into any further detail, but as a viewer it’s incredibly frustrating when an event plays out that renders the past hour of what you’ve watched all but pointless. It feels like an insult to the audiences intelligence, and effectively means that an almost 2 hour movie could have been told in half the time, but then I guess they wouldn’t have been able to justify a feature length movie if that was the case.
The other big problem is Kitano, or should I say, lack of. Despite appearing so prominently on all of the promotional material for Mozu – The Movie, he clocks in a total screen-time of less than 10 minutes. During the Tokyo premiere of the movie, the man himself spoke up in his usual sardonic manner – “I went into the dressing room not knowing a thing. They had me wear a bald wig and made me up to look badly scarred. I was thinking they could have gotten anyone to do that.” Whether sarcastic or not, his remarks are on point, as his character appears for such a brief amount of the runtime, hardly conveying any impact at all, that it could just as well have been played by any other ageing Japanese actor. Needless to say, for those going into Mozu – The Movie for Kitano’s presence, it’ll be best not to bother.
However even with the expectations of a Kitano movie aside, there’s not much left to recommend. Everything about Mozu – The Movie smells like a quick cash-in on a popular TV series, a cash-in which successfully saw the many salary men and housewives who watched it put the movie at number one on its opening weekend in Japan. It’s a problem that plagues Japanese mainstream cinema, in that quick cash-in’s do exactly that – bring in the cash. There are plenty of other TV shows that have spawned feature length movies – SP: Security Police, Unfair, and Bayside Shakedown – to name just a few, and rarely do they stray far from their TV roots, often feeling like extended versions of a TV episode. However as long as there’s still an audience which will fill out the theaters, this kind of safe, unexciting, TV friendly cinema is here to stay.
Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 2/10
Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)
Cityonfire.com and Well Go USA are giving away 3 Blu-ray copies of Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe to three lucky Cityonfire visitors. To enter, simply add a comment to this post and describe, in your own words, this video.
We will be selecting a winner at random. Be sure to include your email address in the appropriate field so we can contact you for your home address. Additionally, you must ‘Like Us‘ on cityonfire.com’s Facebook by clicking here.
The Blu-ray for Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe will be officially released on July 5, 2016. We will announce the 3 winners on July 5, 2016.
CONTEST DISCLAIMER: You must enter by July 5, 2016 to qualify. U.S. residents only please. We sincerely apologize to our non-U.S. visitors. Winners must respond with their mailing address within 48 hours, otherwise you will automatically be disqualified. No exceptions. Contest is subject to change without notice.
WINNERS: Hank, Scott and Mathew A.
"For a Few Bullets" Chinese Theatrical Poster
The wild west just got a whole lot wilder according to For a Few Bullets (an obvious nod to Sergio Leone’s 1965 classic, For a Few Dollars More), an upcoming action-comedy by Pan Anzi (The Palace).
For a Few Bullet stars Kenny Lin (The Taking of Tiger Mountain), Zhang Jingchu (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation), Liu Xiaoqing (Mojin: The Lost Legend), Kenneth Tsang (Angel Terminators) and recording artist, Tengger.
According to SD, For a Few Bullets is about a professional thief who teams up with a special agent to protect a national treasure. | Trailer.
"Rampage 2: Capital Punishment" Japanese Theatrical Poster
RELEASE DATE: September 6, 2016
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is unleashing the DVD for Uwe Boll’s Rampage 3: President Down (aka Rampage 3: No Mercy) on September 6, 2016.
In the first Rampage (2009), Bill (Brendan Fletcher) goes on a hometown killing spree. In Rampage 2: Capital Punishment (2014), Bill terrorizes a TV station. Now, he’s back for Rampage 3: President Down – and judging by the film’s title – Bill has once again upped the ante!
Boll (Alone in the Dark) has definitely made some horrendous movies in the past, but if you’ve seen any of the Rampage films – or even Assault on Wall Street – Boll has proven himself to be a competent “action” filmmaker (Note: if you call the Rampage franchise anything but an action film, then you’re taking it all too serious).
Let’s put it this way: If John Woo (Hard Boiled) is the master of the heroic bloodshed film, then Boll is the master of making flicks about people goin’ postal. I can honestly say that Boll’s aforementioned action thrillers are better than anything filmmakers like John Moore (A Good Day to Die Hard), Simon West (The Expendables 2) and Len Wiseman (Total Recall remake) are pumping out in theaters. Way better. And as a bonus, Boll has balls.
Don’t miss the film’s latest trailer – (the film’s first trailer is also available) and while you’re at it, seek out Rampage and Rampage 2. You’ll be glad you did.
Pre-order Rampage 3: President Down from Amazon.com today!
"Danger Pays" Japanese Theatrical Poster
AKA: Danger Paws
Director: Ko Nakahira
Cast: Joe Shishido, Ruriko Asaoka, Hiroyuki Nagato, Arihiro Fujimura, Eiji Go, Bokuzen Hidari, Kojiro Kusanagi, Torahiko Hamada, Daizaburo Hirata, Toyoko Takechi, Zenji Yamada
Running Time: 82 min.
By Kyle Warner
Danger Pays is an odd little movie. It shifts from wacky comedy to violent action at the drop of a hat. You wouldn’t know it at first, but the opening credits theme song is a pretty good indicator of what to expect from the film that follows. While the lead singer treads into dark territory with lyrics like, “Who is going to kill me?” the chorus, which sounds like an office party doing a crazy business cheer, cries out, “Danger’s where the money is!” Right after that song, we get a violent carjacking before settling into screwball territory. Tonally, this film is all over the map, but in a strange way that becomes part of its charm. Danger Pays is willing to do just about anything to get a laugh, while also not sacrificing what Nikkatsu Studio’s did best, which was delivering fast-paced action movies. It’s a dark comedy wearing the unassuming suit of a mainstream caper.
When a government shipment of watermarked paper for the treasury department is carjacked by crooks intent on making counterfeit money, Tokyo’s underworld knows that Japan’s expert counterfeiter (Bokuzen Hidari) will soon be in high demand. Hoping to make some money as an unsolicited middleman to arrange the Expert’s services, conman Glass-Heart Joe (Jo Shishido) hurries over to the airport to swoop up the old counterfeiter as he returns to the country. However, Joe’s not the only one who had the bright idea to make a quick buck, as his rivals Slide-Rule Tetsu (Hiroyuki Nagato) and Dump-Truck Ken (Kojiro Kusanagi) also show up at the airport to pick up the Expert. It’s then that the crooks appear and abduct the Expert, thus beginning a game of give-and-take as everyone races to acquire the Expert’s services and make a big payday.
Danger Pays is a movie that’s just chockfull of colorful characters, ably performed by a likable ensemble cast. Slide-Rule Tetsu played by Hiroyuki Nagato (Shinjuku Incident) is obsessed with math and the odds of every situation, constantly referring to the slide-rule in his pocket for all his important decisions. The Kojiro Kusanagi (The Warped Ones) character Dump-Truck Ken is the brute of the antihero trio, at one point torturing a bad guy by threatening to crush him with his dump-truck’s hydraulics. Joe Shishido’s performance is one of the actor’s goofiest, but he also taps into a level of charm that’s usually reserved for Japan’s more suave leading men. As Glass-Heart Joe, Shishido’s performance is part Cary Grant, part Peter Sellers, and I think fans will get a kick out of it. (I did.)
There are a few other important players without whom the movie wouldn’t be the same. Bokuzen Hidari (Seven Samurai), an actor ‘gifted’ with one of the saddest faces in the world, is lovely in his comic role as the Expert. When the crooks force him to make the counterfeit plates for them, his only request is that his working space be a “messy, noisy, and erotic place.” Ruriko Asaoka (Tokyo Mighty Guy) is a delightful addition to the cast, here playing a high-strung judo aficionado who’s happy to be part of the action even though she’s inexperienced in the criminal underworld. I’ve often seen Asaoka in dramatic roles, but seeing her in this it’s clear that she has a gift for comedy, as she gives the film some of its best laughs. Even the film’s villain (Torahiko Hamada, The Thick-Walled Room) brings some laughs to the proceedings, despite being one of the only characters that plays things straight the whole time.
As noted, Danger Pays is not afraid to get tough and bloody. The opening carjacking has enough blood to warrant it an R-rating before the stars of the film ever show their faces. Later, the violence actually borders on becoming gross, as one gag has blood dribble out of a corpse’s mouth and drip down Ruriko Asaoka’s neck. It’s surprising how much violence they fit into this, a film which is otherwise quite silly. This strange shift in tone will bother some viewers. Personally, I thought it added something to Danger Pays’ arsenal, and helped set it apart from other comedies of the time. Despite the general goofiness, I consider it something of a dark comedy. These are characters obsessed with money and guns, they kill each other in order to get what they want, and all the while the film around them mixes gallows humor with the sort of screwball comedy that was so popular in the 60’s.
Of Japan’s great directors, Ko Nakahira remains one of the most difficult for me to figure out. His masterful debut, Crazed Fruit, remains his finest film. With Crazed Fruit, Nakahira is credited for helping to create the Japanese New Wave film movement, something of a parallel to French New Wave. After that stunning debut, though, the idea of what made a “Nakahira film” was impossible to determine, as he worked across basically all genres and even did a couple films for Shaw Bros. in Hong Kong. As an artist, he was something of a chameleon. Danger Pays and the late-career pink-action Rica movies are about as different from Crazed Fruit as you can get. Passing away too soon at age 52, Nakahira undoubtedly had many more strange and colorful films to share with us. Even so, much of his filmography remains largely unseen by the Western world, so there is still much to discover, and Danger Pays is a good example of such a discovery.
Danger Pays is an oddball of a film that’s not likely going to appeal to all viewers—it’s potentially too goofy for the hardcore action fans, and too violent for those just hoping for a silly comedy. Speaking for myself, I had a good time. The cast is fun and director Nakahira infuses his movie with boundless energy. The one thing you can never accuse Danger Pays of being is a lazy film. This film works tirelessly for every laugh and shock, so even though not all of it works there’s still something to admire about how hard it tries.
Kyle Warner’s Rating: 7/10
“Blood Child” DVD Cover
AKA: 5 Fingers of Steel
Director: Vincent Leung
Cast: Hwang Jang Lee, Yen Shi Kwan, Kwan Yung Moon, Lee Yi Yi, Yuen Mao, Chu Tiet Wo, Chan Lau
Running Time: 87 min.
By Paul Bramhall
While Blood Child without doubt belongs in the category of being an old-school kung fu movie, there’s also a few elements to it that undeniably set it apart from being just another cookie cutter fight fest. A pre-credit sequence opens with the scene of a mother, played by Lee Yi-Yi, sat on the doorstep of a dwelling as she cradles her new born baby. It’s immediately apparent that somethings wrong, and when a passer-by enquires as to if she’s ok, her lack of response and glazed expression prompt him to check on the wellbeing of the child, only to discover that it’s been stabbed to death.
After the credits finish, proceedings open a year earlier, as we learn how events transpire to lead to such a traumatic opening. The dark tone set by such a gruesome early reveal makes Blood Child engaging from the beginning, a rare feat in the old-school kung fu genre, as we’re invested in how Lee Yi-Yi came to be incoherently sat there, cradling a murdered baby in her arms. The movie was directed by Vincent Leung, his first and last time in the director’s chair. Leung worked mainly as an editor, with over 160 productions to his name from the mid-60’s, all the way through to the millennium. However while he’d also direct the 1994 Jet Li documentary, Shaolin Kung Fu, he never returned to directing feature length productions outside of Blood Child.
It’s a shame, as he gathered an enviable group of kung fu talent to appear onscreen together. Yuen Miu and Yen Shi Kwan play brothers, with Miu set to marry Yi-Yi. Yuen Miu is probably the least known of the ‘Seven Little Fortunes’, the same Peking Opera School troupe that the likes of Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao were a part of. He worked mainly as a choreographer and stuntman, so Blood Child provides a rare opportunity of witnessing him performing his own choreography in a lead role. Shi Kwan is one of the most familiar faces of kung fu cinema, featuring in everything from The Master Strikes to Iron Monkey, and his name is usually a guarantee of kung fu goodness. Interestingly this wouldn’t be the last time that Miu and Shi Kwan would work together, as they’d also collaborate over 10 years later on Yuen Biao’s Kick Boxer.
Their father, played by Chu Tiet Wo, has recently opened a courier business, and takes on a job to escort a shipment of gold. If there was ever a sign of foreboding disaster in the old-school kung fu genre, it’s usually when the good guys agree to escorting a priceless item, on a route which is guaranteed to involve an ambush in a forest. This is of course, exactly what happens, it would be a crime if it didn’t. After Golden Harvest producer Ng See Yuen’s frequent visits to Korea in the 70’s, by the time the 80’s came around it was pretty much a guarantee that, if a kung fu movie needed some high calibre kicking action, it was likely to be delivered from the boot of a Korean. Blood Child provides us with one of Korea’s finest, with the bad guy role going to Kwan Yung-moon.
Yung-moon was particularly busy in 1982, with his role in Blood Child being one of six productions that he’d feature in, including the likes of such classics as Ninja in the Dragons Den and Dragon Lord. Yung-moon isn’t the only Korean import in ‘Blood Child’ though. After laying waste to the couriers, a fight against Miu ends up in Yung-moon kicking him off the top of a cliff. This being a kung fu movie of course, being kicked off the top of a cliff doesn’t guarantee certain death. Events transpire that see Miu being discovered and nursed back to health by a kung fu master, living a solitary existence in the forest. The master is played by Hwang Jang Lee, perhaps the most famous of all the boot masters who populated the golden age of kung fu cinema. Like Yung-moon, Hwang was exceptionally busy in the early 80’s. Between 1980 – 1982 alone he featured in 21 productions, ranging from Bruceploitation flicks, Shaw Brothers productions, local Korean movies, and even making his directorial debut.
While Yung-moon and Hwang don’t actually make their appearances until the 30 minute mark, the calibre of kung fu talent involved ensures that even those clocking in purely for their presence won’t be left wanting. While Hwang is also credited as an action choreographer, he actually only has a single fight scene (more on that later), so it’s a safe assumption to say that most of the fight action was handled by Miu. There’s an instantly recognizable feel to the choreography, which tends to be the case with any action that’s provided courtesy of a Yuen clan member, in that the moment the first fight breaks out, the speed and intricacy of the movements are a joy to watch. In a pre-wedding celebration, Miu, Shi Kwan, and Tiet Wo end up facing off against a group of lackeys led by Lau Hok Nin and Lin Ke Ming. The fight constantly segues between one-on-one exchanges to one-on-multiple opponent showdowns, and the fluidity combined with the amount of chorography taking place onscreen at the same time is a reminder of just how special this era was.
When Yung-moon does appear, his presence isn’t wasted, with plenty of his ferocious kicks being dished out to whoever is unfortunate enough to be in the way of them. What I particularly liked about the fight scenes that Yung-moon features in, is that the moment his adversary manages to get one kick or punch in against him, he manages to look genuinely enraged. Sure nobody is here for these guys acting talent, but small touches like a change in facial expression during a fight scene, only go to prove just how much of a high level performers like Yung-moon were operating at. He also makes a suitably hateful villain of the piece, and mid-way through viciously rapes Lee Yi-Yi in a prison cell, resulting in her becoming pregnant with his child.
During these scenes Blood Child takes on a suitably darker tone, as learning that Yi-Yi is carrying his child, she’s kept prisoner in Yung-moon’s property, during which she’s constantly beaten by the housekeeper and attempts suicide. When she finally gives birth, events take a turn that almost send the movie into horror territory, as Yung-moon forcibly takes the baby from her, and realises she’s given birth to a deformed monstrosity. Sent into a murderous rage, we learn how Yi-Yi came to be sat outside the house at the beginning of the movie. However her misery is far from over, as Yung-moon and his weasel like assistant, effectively played by Chan Lau, arrange for her to be framed for the murder of her own child.
These scenes play out in stark contrast to those with Hwang Jang Lee, who we learn also has a vendetta against Yung-moon for some misdemeanour he did in the past. Hwang is amusingly introduced into the plot via a scene which suddenly cuts away to him running full speed towards the camera, before he launches into a flying kick against a fully grown tree, one which sends it toppling to the ground. In fact all of Hwang’s scenes have him either kicking trees, or thrusting his fingers through hanging coconuts (this scene is likely what provided the movie with its English title, Five Fingers of Steel, although technically it should be ten). It’s worth noting that the coconut setup is constructed exactly the same as John Liu’s bottle kicking training in Secret Rivals, so I couldn’t help but feel what a waste of Hwang’s kicking talents it is to have all these hanging coconuts, but for him to only poke them with his fingers. Thankfully though he does eventually unleash his kicks, so for those that wants to see some Hwang vs coconut action, you’re in the right place.
Eventually events culminate that see Miu and Shi Kwan team up to take on Yung-moon, who’s constructed an elevated wooden platform in the middle of a field, seemingly for no other reason than to have Lee Yi-Yi tied to a pole in the middle of it. As expected, the pair take a complete licking on the receiving end of Yung-moon’s kicks, until that is, Hwang Jang Lee makes a late in the day entrance into the fray. Blood Child can be considered unique in the way that, especially during this era, Hwang had a habit of suddenly showing up in final scenes as the bad guy, so to see a movie in which he suddenly shows up as the good guy is a rarity. This briefly results in a three way team up with Miu, Shi Kwan, and Hwang taking on Yung-moon, but it quickly becomes a Yung-moon vs Hwang showdown.
What’s surprising, is that the face-off between a pair of revered Korean boot-masters somehow doesn’t feel as epic as it should. For a start, once they’re left to face off against each other, the scene repeatedly cuts away to Miu and Shi Kwan attempting to untie Yi-Yi from the platform, while being hindered by Chan Lau attempting to stop them. The sound effects of the fight frustratingly play on in the background, but you can’t see it! However even during the fight itself, Hwang mostly utilises the Eagle Claw technique, choosing to scratch Yung-moon to death rather than kick him. Don’t get me wrong, the fight has plenty of kicks, but they’re often framed as stand-alone cut-away scenes, rather than part of the flowing choreography in one of their exchanges. Considering what both Hwang and Yung-moon are capable of, it would have been great to see them really go to town on each other with their boot work, but for some reason it just doesn’t happen that way.
That said, Blood Child really belongs to Miu, Shi Kwan, and Yung-moon, and despite the minor let down of the final fight, there’s enough action crammed into the rest of the runtime to satisfy those looking for some shapes based goodness. To see the least well known member of the ‘Seven Little Fortunes’ onscreen in a lead role is more than enough to recommend a viewing, and for everyone else, you have Hwang Jang Lee kicking coconuts.
Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 7/10
"Taken" Korean Theatrical Poster
According to AFS, a Chinese remake of 2008’s Taken is on the way, with Sun Honglei (Drug War) replacing Liam Neeson as the father with a very particular set of skills.
Oddly enough, news of the Taken remake comes only a week after it was announced that Honglei would star in a remake of Ryoo Seung-wan’s Veteran, playing the lead role originally performed by Hwang Jeong-min (The Wailing).
The original Taken, which was helmed by Pierre Morel (From Paris with Love), followed a retired CIA agent (Neeson) who travels across Europe to save his kidnapped daughter.
As always, we’ll keep you updated as we hear more!
“Stranger from Shaolin” Chinese Theatrical Poster
AKA: Wing Chun Warriors
Director: Tony Liu Jun Guk
Cast: Cecilia Wong Hang Sau, Sun Jung Chi, Thompson Kao Kang, Bruce Lai (Chang Il-do), Tony Liu Jun Guk, Chan Lau, Lee Ye Min, Wong Kwok Leung, Bruce Cheung Mong, Baak Wong Gei, Kwon Il-Soo, Baek Hwang-Ki
Running Time: 94 min.
By Matija Makotoichi Tomic
The name Tony Liu Jun Guk should be well known and celebrated among the fans of kung fu movies. His 1974 directorial debut The Black Dragon introduced Ron Van Clief as the new afro-american martial arts movie star, spawning two sequels in the same blacksploitation/martial arts movie manner. Hell’s Windstaff (1979), also known under the far less cool title The Dragon and the Tiger Kids, is without any doubt one of the best independently produced kung fu films ever made, and Tiger Over Wall (1980) should easily find its place in any serious collection. Tony Liu Jun Guk’s work was recognized and that same year he became a member of the Shaw Brothers family. I believe I don’t have to name all the classics he directed while working for the Bros., starting with the fantastic fu piece The Master (1980). Somewhere between his Black Dragon films and his best known independent hits, Tony Liu Jun Gukdirected this little kung fu classic.
During the Qing dynasty, Manchus are trying to clean the south of China, especially Kwangtung and Fujian where most of the rebels are located. They bring in kung fu experts and order them to eliminate kung fu schools. Rebels are hiding in temples and learning kung fu in hope they’d be able to restore the Ming dynasty one day. While the evil lord Kang is gathering troops for his attack, Yim Wing Chun trains hard so she could revenge the death of her family, but also help defending the Shaolin.
Shaw Brothers script master Ni Kuang wrote the screenplay and Tony Liu Jun Guk (credited as Tommy Loo Chung) turned it into a movie with the help of Chun Jo-Myuong who worked on the movie as cinematographer. Sources say this was the only time he was taking up the role of a director, though his name can’t be seen in the opening credits. As we all know, kung fu movies were often inspired by actual historical events and characters, but the authors never cared much about the facts. Those so-called “facts” are actually legends and oral history so there’s usually more than one version to every story. It seems that Ni Kuang followed that same recipe of enriching real stories with fiction since there’s no mention of Yim Wing Chun training in Shaolin Temple for any reason, least of all revenge.
Also, Shaolin don’t take female students, but Ni Kuang made that possible by making her character dress up as a man. He even went so far as to credit Yim Wing Chun as the founder of the style, though it was only named after her. The oral history of the Ip Man branch which is the closest to the film’s story says it was buddhist nun Ng Mui who founded the style by combining what she learned by observing the snake and crane fight with shaolin kung fu. She later passed on the knowledge to Yim Wing Chun, who learned kung fu to fight the local warlord who forced her into marriage. There is a buddhist nun in the movie and she takes Wing Chun as her student. Altough her name is not revealed, it is only possible that it’s Ng Mui. In the movie, Yim Wing Chun trains with the legendary Fong Sai-Yuk and Hung Hsi-Kuan, another shaolin hero seen in many kung fu films. The famous monk San Tak (San Te) is their teacher.
Yim Wing Chun: Teacher San, if you don’t let me enroll in the temple, then as soon as I leave here, I intend to jump off a cliff!
San Tak: Go on! You’ll find a cliff two miles away. It’s very high so use it then and solve all your problems.
Of course, Wong Kwok-Leung cannot match the masterful performance of Master Killer, but he fits the role well. After demonstrating forms on pole with twigs, San Tak says how that pole will become famous in years to come and how all students will want to learn it. He’s talking about the wooden dummy of course. Again, it was Ng Mui who’s said to have created the wooden dummy as we know it by combining the 108 dummies (one for every move) into one. Ni Kuang added a samurai sent by the Japs to serve under the Qing court, and a taoist priest who’s gathering kung fu experts to help fight the Shaolin. This indicates Wudang was included in the attack on Shaolin. There is a story saying Wudang disciples sided with the Qings in attempt to locate and eliminate San Te, but other than that, this is the first time I’ve heard the rivalry between the two schools went this deep.
Tony Liu Jun Guk plays a minor role here as Mr. Ho, keeper of the abandoned Buddhist Temple whose family has been killed by the Qings. Taking on a role in his own films, even if just a cameo, will in a way become almost a trademark for this director, peaking with his role in The Lady Assassin (1983) as the cold blooded japanese fighter wearing red lipstick. Unfortunately, Mr. Ho’s snake fist was not good enough to challenge the evil Kang, white haired villain with the lethal Manchu queue. He is of course, eagle claw master who attained higher level of skill by drinking children’s blood thus revitalizing his whole physique. Kang also mastered the golden bell shield which makes him immune to any weapon attack. In the role of lord Kang is Thompson Kao Kong, and his performance is on the level. Chan Lau is the taoist priest, and Cecilia Wong is brilliant as Yim Wing Chun.
By combining the Ming – Qing conflict with the inevitable revenge plot, Ni Kuang opens much space for action. That’s where Yen Shi-Kwan and Leung Ting come in. Action is not great, faster and better performed choreography can be seen in some of the 1976. kung fu films, but it’s pretty solid. Most of the fights were shot wide and often in long takes. Leung Tin was a real life wing chun master, so what we’re getting here are authentic wing chun forms showcased by Cecilia Wong through three elaborate training sequences. She learns the basics by training in the well at Shaolin Temple and then later on trains on a wooden dummy, practices with butterfly swords and works hard on her one inch punches. Finally, there’s another display of wing chun forms and training with rattan rings. Yim Wing Chun uses what she learned in the final fight which, for some unknown reason, changes locations and seasons. The sandy coast of the river gets suddenly covered with snow, and then later on replaced by a valley surrounded with rocks.
Stranger from Shaolin can’t compete in the same league as the genre’s finest. It looks and is cheap, but far from being without it’s qualities. What makes it interesting and even important in a way is the fact that it is, as far as I know, the very first kung fu movie that portrayed wing chun! It will take another year for Sammo to direct the first of his two classics regarded today as some of the finest examples of wing chun style on film. Though Stranger from Shaolin isn’t that great, it deserves to be kept alive.
Matija Makotoichi Tomic’s Rating: 7/10
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on Hong Kong’s Heaven’s Gate? Juno Mak’s long-delayed, over-budget thriller ‘Sons of the Neon Night’ to finally shine in 2025What's the best version of Heaven's Gate available on the market? on Hong Kong’s Heaven’s Gate? Juno Mak’s long-delayed, over-budget thriller ‘Sons of the Neon Night’ to finally shine in 2025As Heaven’s Gate ended up being a good movie once the director’s cut was rele… on New Fist of Fury (1976) ReviewI still feel the film was building to her fighting Cheng Siu-siu until they r… on Corey Yuen, ‘Righting Wrongs’ and ‘The Transporter’ director and action choreographer, Dies at 73This is a great compilation. It’s interesting to read how he doesn’t gush ove… on Village of Doom (1983) ReviewYou basically came full circle with why the director, of Nikkatsu studio’s st… on New Fist of Fury (1976) ReviewThat's great to know, Killer Meteor. Thanks for the info. How dare they cut o… on New Fist of Fury (1976) ReviewAnd I finally saw the Cantonese version - which is cut by 37mins! What a mess…
on Corey Yuen, ‘Righting Wrongs’ and ‘The Transporter’ director and action choreographer, Dies at 73I wish he had done more interviews. This person's article combines the magazi…
on Golden Harvest Vol. 2: Shining Stars | Blu-ray (Shout!)Screw criterion. too little too late! on Dread flying? ‘The Raid’ martial arts star Iko Uwais is Ashton Chen’s wingman for IQIYI thriller ‘Wings of Dread’Sounds like you're bought and paid for by the Anti-Tiger Chen movement.
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