Yonggary | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

Posted on October 11, 2015 by JJ Bona
Yonggary | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

Yonggary | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

RELEASE DATE January 5, 2016

Kino Lorber presents the Blu-ray for 1967’s Yonggary (aka Great Monster Yongary or Yongary, Monster From the Deep), directed by Kim Ki-duk (no relation to the Moebius filmmaker of the same name) and starring Oh Yeong-il and Nam Jeong-im.

Yongary, Korea’s first entry into the kaiju movie genre, revolves around a prehistoric, gasoline-eating reptile that soon goes on a rampage through Seoul. Essentially, this is Korea’s answer to Godzilla. | Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Yonggary from Amazon.com today!

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

Giant monsters attack! ‘Gamera’ to return to the big screen

Posted on October 8, 2015 by JJ Bona
"Gamera" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Gamera” Japanese Theatrical Poster

Poll just about anyone around the world and they’re likely to know who Godzilla is. The giant irradiated lizard has been crushing cities underfoot since 1954. Lesser known, however, is Gamera, the larger-than-life turtle who is a friend to all children. The lovable creature has starred in a host of his own movies, though he’s perhaps best remembered for the stellar trilogy of films that started with 1995’s Gamera: Guardian of the Universe.

Because you can’t keep a prehistoric kaiju turtle down, Gamera is set to return next year with 2016’s simply titled Gamera. The film will arrive from director Katsuhito Ishii, an unlikely choice considering his resume of more adult-leaning titles such as Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl and Funky Forest.

An action-packed trailer for the movie recently premiered at the New York Comic Con and it looks like Gamera will be following in the grim ‘n gritty, color-drained look of contemporary monster features such as Cloverfield and Godzilla (2014). Stay tuned for more details as they develop…!

Posted in News |

Bruce Strikes Back | aka The Ninja Strikes Back (1982) Review

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Paul Bramhall
"Bruce Strikes Back" Theatrical Poster

“Bruce Strikes Back” Theatrical Poster

AKA: Eye of the Dragon
Director: Joseph Kong, Bruce Le
Co-director: Jean-Marie Pallardy
Cast: Bruce Le (aka Huang Kin Long, Wong Kin Lung), Hwang Jang Lee, Casanova Wong, Harold Sakata, Bolo Yeung, Chick Norris, Fabienne Beze, Andre Koob, Monica Lam, Jean-Marie Pallardy, Dick Randall
Running Time: 111 min.

By Paul Bramhall

American producer Dick Randall’s name is synonymous with the exploitation genre, having a career which spanned 3 decades, from the early 60’s to the early 90’s he made a slew of entertainingly low budget B-movies. Be it giallo thrillers, slasher flicks, soft-core sleaze, or mondo-documentaries, whatever was popular at the time, Randall got in on. The kung fu genre was no different, and in 1980 he somehow created the unlikely pairing of Bruce Lee imitator, Bruce Le, and Godfrey Ho’s favorite white guy ninja, Richard Harrison. The movie was Challenge of the Tiger, and in a plot to foil a terrorist group who’ve stolen a formula with the power to kill sperm (yes you read correctly), Le and Harrison head to Spain and battle through crazed bulls, Hwang Jang Lee, and other assorted bad guys.

A couple of years on, Randall and Le unite once more for Bruce Strikes Back. Several faces also return from their previous collaboration, including Hwang Jang Lee and Bolo. Notably Le seems to have dug up his wardrobe from Challenge of the Tiger, strutting around in the same white blazer jacket and oversized shades as he did a couple of years prior, but he wears them well so it’s forgivable. Bruce Strikes Back is also much bigger in scope, with Le globetrotting around Italy, France, Hong Kong, and Macau. While he’s lost his partner Harrison, who was probably off fighting the Ninja Empire at this time, Le does get temporarily paired up with a French cop, played by André Koob, and his partner, played by Randall’s wife Corliss Randall (hilariously credited as Chick Norris).

Much like Challenge of the Tiger, Bruce Le is again listed as the fight choreographer and co-director, this time paired with frequent collaborator Joseph Velasco. Velasco (usually credited as Joseph Kong) and Le worked on countless Bruceploitation pictures together, from My Name Called Bruce in 1978 through to Bruce’s Secret Kung Fu in 1988. True to form, in Bruce Strikes Back Le also gets to play a character imaginatively called, wait for it, Bruce. The plot is standard stuff – Le and Hwang Jang Lee play best of friends working for the Chinese mafia in Rome, however when an exchange goes wrong, Hwang gets away and Le is left to take the rap. After serving his jail time, Le’s seen the error of his ways and decides to go straight, however the mafia won’t have any of it. Soon he’s being pursued by Hwang Jang Lee and mob boss Sakata, who is played by Harold Sakata, better known as Odd Job from the 007 franchise !

Sakata even gets to wear the famous steel rimmed hat as he did in Goldfinger 18 years prior, and for good measure has a bronze hand cast that fits on his hand. The cast is the most ridiculous weapon I’ve ever seen, it’s literally just a cast, immobile in every way, like an overly heavy fly swatter. However it seems to do the job of striking fear into any one who questions his authority, as witnessed when he brings it out in front of Bolo, and with a quivery voice the muscle man is reduced to begging, “Please, put that away!” The pairing of Sakata and Bolo as the bad guys also matches with the whole Enter the Dragon meets ‘007’ theme that the movie appears to be stretching for. Musical cues from both movies are used throughout, and you’re never quite sure if the next scene is going to be influenced by Bruce Lee or James Bond.

Thankfully Bruce Strikes Back happily goes off in its own crazy direction more than enough during its compact 80 minute run time. Female nudity is prevalent throughout, and within the first 4 minutes we’ve already been introduced to the bad guy’s mansion, mainly through images of topless women frolicking around the pool. Not to mention the tigers. For the duration of the movie any scene taking place in the mansion comes with a gratuitous topless shot of some well endowed female. By far the most out there scene though comes during a chase sequence through Paris, of which it turns out the destination is an apartment in which a lesbian porno movie is being filmed, in 3D! At least that’s what the director shouts that he wants. The sequence spends more time on the two women, awkwardly fumbling about naked on top of each other, than it does the pursuit itself. When Le eventually gets there, it turns out it’s the wrong apartment! You have to love the exploitation genre.

Speaking of exploitation, the bad guy’s mansion also contains a Bob Wall imitator within its grounds, which possibly make this the first movie to feature a case of Bob Wallspolitation? The scene also deserves a special mention which has the French cop attempting to interrogate a subject by drowning him in a urinal. Somehow everyone working on the production failed to point out that, whose ever idea it was to modify the ‘head in the toilet bowl’ concept to a ‘head in a urinal’ one, the physics of it simply don’t work. But kudos to the actor suffering the interrogation, he does a great job of looking terrified as his face is pressed to the ceramic surface of the urinal, a small trickle of water streaming down his cheek every time the French cop hits the little flush button.

Eventually plot points transpire to propel the movie forward. The daughter of the US ambassador in Italy, played by Randall himself, has been kidnapped, and Le suspects it’s his old cohorts who are behind it. After running into a dead end in Paris, he follows a lead to Hong Kong, only to find his sister there has also been kidnapped. Le’s been spending most of the movie up until this point convincing his Italian girlfriend to come with him to Hong Kong, mostly set to panpipe versions of such classics as ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and ‘Morning Has Broken,’ however it would be a spoiler to say if she joins him or not. In an unexpected turn of events though, when he meets his sister’s boyfriend, the character is played by Casanova Wong.

This leads to an unexpectedly enjoyable scene of Le and Wong teaming up to take on a pair of ninjas in a cemetery, and it’s also worth mentioning an especially well put together scene of when Le goes solo against a disappearing ninja. The sequence has been cut in such a way that it looks like Le is seamlessly performing his choreography, and that whenever the ninja teleports to a different spot around him, his blows land on him perfectly. It would be easy to do with today effects (see Rain vs. Sho Kosugi in the finale of Ninja Assassin), but to see it in 1982, in what’s essentially an old school kung fu flick, it was entertaining to watch just how well it was executed.

As Le gets closer to the truth, events transpire to see him back where it all started, in Rome, Italy. He gets to square off against Sakata, which includes the use of the deadly hat that will be forever associated with Odd Job (and the brass hand cast gets some action as well), however a Bruceploitation flick with a finale set in Rome was only ever going to go one way, and Bruce Strikes Back doesn’t disappoint. Decked out all in black, Hwang Jang Lee awaits Le in the coliseum, and just like Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris had their epic showdown 10 years earlier, the Korean super kicker and former Shaw Brothers actor go toe to toe in the legendary arena. Apart from the obligatory fists and kicks, the fight also comes with a healthy dose of eagle and tiger sound effects, x-ray vision bone breakages, and for anyone who ever wanted to see an animated version of Hwang Jang Lee’s heart, this movie has it.

Bruce Strikes Back may be Bruceploitation, and there’s little doubt that anyone would class it as anything other than a B-movie. But to see Bruce Le punching and kicking his way through Italy, France, and Hong Kong, with a cast that includes names like Hwang Jang Lee, Casanova Wong, and Bolo, for any discerning kung fu fan the movie should provide a good time. For everyone else, there’s gratuitous nudity and Odd Job, not necessarily in that order.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 7.5/10

Posted in All, Bruceploitation, Chinese, Ninja, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , |

COF Presents: Top 10 Worst Hong Kong Movie DVD Covers

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Paul Bramhall

Warning: This Article May Cause Discomfort for the Eyes

Marketing Hong Kong movies to a western audience has always been a tricky business, especially when it comes to DVD releases. Amongst the countless latest Hollywood titles fighting for your attention and shelf space, arguably the most important asset a DVD can have is an attention grabbing cover. Hong Kong movies in particular have been subjected to some ‘interesting’ design choices since the inception of the DVD format, and while plenty of titles have been released with artwork that captures the essence of the movie perfectly, those aren’t what this article is about. Instead, we’re going to take a look at some of the worst cover designs that the movies we love have been stuck with, whether it be questionable design choices, completely misleading images, or the just plain bizarre, take a look at the list below and see if you agree.

1. New Fist of Fury
Released by Beverly Wilshire in 2001

In 1976 Jackie Chan was still relatively unknown, and his contract under Lo Wei saw the director trying to style Chan as a character in the vein of Bruce Lee. What Lo Wei can never be accused of though, is attempting to style him as a Chinese version of Rambo (by pasting Jackie’s head on Stallone’s body from the First Blood poster), which is what seems to be the message being conveyed on the cover of this 2001 release of the movie. Sporting a legless (literally, not the drunken kind) Chan set against the backdrop of the Japanese Imperial Flag, the fact that he’s brandishing a huge machine gun, complete with a belt of bullets wrapped around his torso, gives no indication to the old-school kung fu movie behind the title. Still, the designer of the cover certainly can’t be accused of not being creative. Note: The artwork originally appeared on the film’s 1985 VHS release by All Seasons Entertainment.

2. Meltdown/Another Meltdown
aka High Risk/The Blacksheep Affair
Both released by Sony Pictures in 2001

Poor Jet Li and Vincent Zhao, not only do each of their respective movies here have nothing to do with each other, but they both had their heads poorly photoshopped onto the body of other Hong Kong stars. Clearly doing a Google search of ‘muscular Asian body’ wasn’t enough for Sony, so here we have Jet Li’s head stuck on top of Donnie Yen’s body, and Vincent Zhao’s head stuck on top of Bruce Lee’s body. Ironically Zhao doesn’t even get billing on the cover, instead having Shu Qi and Andrew Lin steal his limelight. As for Meltdown, a re-title of High Risk, the cover gives no allusion to the fact that the movie is in fact a zany mix of Die Hard meets a satire of Jackie Chan, with Jacky Cheung aping the stars claims to perform all his own stunts.

3. Infernal Affairs/Infernal Affairs 2
Released by Miramax in 2004/Tartan in 2005

With the original Infernal Affairs being a taut thriller played out between a cop working undercover as a triad, and a triad working as a mole in the cops, you would never guess from the cover Miramax decided to place on it. If anything, you would presume it’s about a love triangle between Andy Lau, Tony Leung, and a generic Asian female holding a gun. Generic Asian Female – 1, Integrity of the movie – 0.

The sequel to Infernal Affairs is unique in that it’s just as good as the original, however it’s certainly not an action flick. Thankfully proceedings play out in such a way that at one point, a minor character played by Chapman To, breaks out a pair of handguns and starts blasting away. It’s a brief flash of violence, but it gave Tartan Video the solution they needed. Take a screenshot of To in action, then awkwardly photoshop one of the movies main stars, Shawn Yue, onto his body for the DVD cover. The resulting composition has Yue seemingly with no neck, with Edison Chen menacingly feeling his butt from behind.

4. The Founding of a Republic
Released by Metrodome Group in 2011

This pompous overly long movie was commissioned by the Chinese government in 2009 to mark the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. Telling the tale of how the Communist party rose to triumph, it was notable for having cameo appearances by just about every actor working in the Chinese/Hong Kong movie industry you can think of. Amongst those cameos were Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Donnie Yen. The resulting release by Metrodome Group sneakily saw them use the trio’s names as headlining stars, photoshopping them to wear matching white kung fu garments, with their images above a traditional Chinese landscape. Enticing as the cover may seem, it couldn’t misrepresent the movie anymore if it tried.

5. PTU: Police Tactical Unit
Released by Dragon Dynasty in 2008

Johnnie To’s quietly enthralling 2003 police thriller was released by the Weinstein’s Dragon Dynasty label 5 years later, and they’ll be damned if they’re going to believe anyone would be interested in buying such a movie. So instead of creating a cover which represents what PTU is actually about, we get a photoshopped Simon Yam brandishing a pistol in each hand, an exploding building behind him, and a helicopter that may or may not be the reason why the building is exploding (it is flying pretty low). Anyone wanting to find answers to the events playing out on the cover by watching the movie would be sourly disappointed, as none of them actually happen, but as the expression goes, never let the truth get in the way of a good story!

6. Jackie Chan and his Black T-Shirt
Released by – too many to mention

The legend of Jackie Chan and his black t-shirt has many variations, the most popular one seems to be that at some point during the late 90’s/early 00’s, he did a photo shoot to promote his image as an action star in the States. Since then, images of Chan and that damn black t-shirt have appeared on so many of his movies DVD covers, that there’s enough to make a separate Top 10 all together. But we won’t. Instead, check out the thumb nails to flick through a fashion catalogue of Chan and his favorite t-shirt, being used on everything from Project A to Police Story. Possibly the most iconic piece of clothing since the white vest Bruce Willis wore in Die Hard?

7. Dragon Dynasty Shaw Brothers Releases
 Released by Dragon Dynasty in 2011

While some of the Shaw Brothers movies that were put out on the Dragon Dynasty label sported perfectly suitable covers, others veered off into the bizarre. Take the cover of Five Shaolin Masters for example, who exactly is that in the centre of the cover!? Why is Fu Sheng brandishing nunchucks!? What’s Gordon Liu doing there!? Then you have Avenging Eagle. So Fu Sheng is fine to appear on the cover of Five Shaolin Masters, but here his sleeve blade wielding character has his face replaced by…who even is that!? It looks like some strange composite of several actors faces put together. The same strange characters seem to appear on both the covers for Flying Guillotine (Chen Kuan Tai after going through some Mickey Rourke style procedures?) and Executioner from Shaolin, which has someone that looks like Norman Chu destroying a dummy with a flaming fist. Great.

8. The Jet Li Collection
Released by Dimension in 2000

The only thing worse than the re-titled, cut up, dubbed, and newly scored versions of these movies which were put out by Dimension, were the covers that came with them. Featuring scenes from different movies (The Enforcer has a scene from Fists of Legend on its cover, while Twin Warriors features an image of Michelle Yeoh in Project S, re-positioned in what we’re supposed to believe is a flying kick). Burdened with tag lines that reference every cliché in the book, from Fists of Fury to my personal favorite – ‘Loyalty. Honor. Vengeance’. If anyone was foolhardy enough to pick up one of these DVD’s, they quickly learned that the only collection these releases deserved to be a part of, was the one pre-faced with the word ‘garbage’.

9. Ninja Masters
aka: Coweb
Released by Lions Gate in 2013

In 2008 a new female kung fu talent made her debut with Coweb, a tale of underground fight tournaments that are broadcast on the web, and featuring some solid kung fu talent in the form of opponents like Kane Kosugi and Mike Moller. The modern day set actioner was picked up by Lions Gate, and released in 2013 under the bizarre title of Ninja Masters. Featuring a DVD cover with a male dressed in full ninja garb, and a pagoda in the background, Coweb feature zero ninjas or pagodas, nor is it from Japan. Sporting the tagline ‘They are the Perfect Weapon’, to further mislead buyers, one can only wonder what someone who bought this would think, once they find it’s a tale of a tough femme fatale battling it out in modern day Hong Kong.

10. Kung Fu Master
aka: Looking for Jackie
Released by Phase 4 Films in 2010

Jackie Chan marks his fourth appearance on the list, this time for his 2009 Chinese family drama Looking for Jackie. The family friendly tale of a teenage boy who goes off to find Jackie Chan in Beijing, believing he’ll be able to learn kung fu from him, the movie is a torture to get through, and what’s more, features Chan for just a few mere minutes at the end. Undeterred by this, Phase 4 Films picked up the title in 2010 and released it under the name Kung Fu Master, featuring a gigantic Jackie Chan who’s about to kick a bunch of miniature sized battling soldiers and monks into oblivion. Needless to say, anyone who was expecting to see kung fu, Jackie Chan, or miniature sized soldiers and monks would be left feeling severely misled.

That wraps up the list, but we’d love to hear what some of your personal picks are for the worst DVD covers that Hong Kong movies have been subjected to? Who knows, perhaps we’ll get enough for a Part 2. Now, where did I leave my black t-shirt?

Posted in Features, News |

Tokyo Tribe | Blu-ray & DVD (XLrator Media)

Posted on October 5, 2015 by JJ Bona
Tokyo Tribe | Blu-ray & DVD (XLrator)

Tokyo Tribe | Blu-ray & DVD (XLrator)

RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2015

XLrator Media will be releasing Tokyo Tribe on Blu-ray & DVD! This modern day cult classic – based on the popular manga by Santa Inoue – is a one-of-a-kind experience that fuzes Yakuza violence with martial arts and music.

In a futuristic, alternate Tokyo made up of ghetto slums and nightclub playgrounds, territorial street gangs rule the city. The opposing factions – each with their own distinctive style – control different neighborhoods and crossing territorial lines leads to riots and rumbles. When a megalomaniacal gang leader tries to invade the other gangs’ turf, the city explodes into an all-out war.

Tokyo Tribe is written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Sion Sono (Why Don’t You Play In Hell?, Cold Fish, Love Exposure, Guilty of Romance). It stars Ryohei Suzuki, Young Dais, Nana Seino, Ryuta Sato, Shoko Nakagawa, Mika Kano, Yosuke Kubozuka, Riki Takeuchi and Takuya Ishida. | Click here to watch an exclusive clip. Also, don’t miss the film’s North American trailer.

Pre-order Tokyo Tribe from Amazon.com today!

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

Updated: Rare footage from the unreleased ‘HK Superstars’

Posted on October 5, 2015 by JJ Bona
"Hong Kong Superstars" VHS Cover

"Hong Kong Superstars" VHS Cover

We are pleased to share extremely rare footage from the unreleased Hong Kong Superstars video, featuring revealing English interviews and behind-the-scenes footage with some of Hong Kong’s most popular action stars.

Hong Kong Superstars was a fan magazine from the UK focusing on Hong Kong Cinema (as edited by Chris Ducker). The video magazine was modeled on what Eastern Heroes had done by branching out into making videos.

Eastern Heroes were actually set to release the Hong Kong Superstars video in 2001 under the title of Cinema of Vengeance 2. For unknown reasons this never happened and the project was shelved.

With the exception of the Donnie Yen interview, which was featured on the UK DVD release of Drunken Tai Chi, the contents of the Hong Kong Superstars video has never been seen until now – and this is thanks to Lee Mason, who not only edited the videos, but also made them public on youtube.

Without further ado, here’s the first wave of footage: Anthony Wong’s UK visit in 1999 (click here to watch). |  Simon Yam’s UK visit in 1999 (click here to watch). | Behind-the-scenes footage from Johnnie To’s The Mission, featuring interviews with Simon Yam, Johnnie To and Francis Ng (click here to watch). | 1999 interview and dance demonstration by Moon Lee (click here to watch).

Updates: Behind-the-scenes footage from Purple Storm, featuring interviews with Daniel Wu and Teddy Chen, and on set footage of Josie Ho, Emil Chau and Gam Kwok-leung (click here to watch). | Interview with Shaw Legend Lo Meng (click here to watch) on set of Dru Hill’s music video in London 1999. Also includes footage of Bobby Samuels choreographing action for Dru Hill.

Interview footage of Daniel Wu and Stephen Fung promoting the release of Gen X-Cops in Hong Kong 1999 (click here to watch). | Interview with Darren Shahlavi shot in 1999, featuring behind-the-scenes footage from Tai Chi 2 (Tai Chi Boxer) and Bloodmoon (click here to watch). | Last but not least, HK Superstars’ opening (click here to watch) and closing credits/outtakes (click here to watch).

Rare interview with Donnie Yen, conducted by Andy Prior in Hong Kong 1999 (click here to watch). This interview was taken from the unreleased Hong Kong Superstars interview (although this footage was previously used on the UK DVD of Drunken Tai Chi from Eastern Heroes).

BREAKING NEWS: In 2000 Jet Li visited the UK to promote Romeo Must Die. While there he took time out of his busy schedule to meet his UK fan club at the Warner Brothers offices in London. Except for a few VHS copies that were produced in 2001, the following video documenting the event has rarely been seen until now (although some of the footage was included on the HKL DVD of Once Upon A Time in China 2). Due to copyright issues here on youtube, several film clips had to be edited out, resulting in some unfortunate jump cuts (click here to watch).

Posted in News |

Garm Wars: The Last Druid | DVD (Arc Entertainment)

Posted on October 4, 2015 by JJ Bona
Garm Wars: The Last Druid | DVD (Arc Entertainment)

Garm Wars: The Last Druid | DVD (Arc Entertainment)

RELEASE DATE: November 3, 2015

Arc Entertainments presents the DVD for Mamoru Oshii’s (Ghost in the Shell) first English-language film, Garm Wars: The Last Druid. This live-action film stars Lance Henriksen, Kevin Durand, Melanie St-Pierre, Andrew Gillies, Dawn Ford and Patrizio Sanzari.

Garm Wars: The Last Druid takes place in a world where clone soldiers from three military tribes are locked in a perpetual battle of air, land and technology. One clone is separated from the battle and finds herself on the run with a group of unlikely companions. | Watch the trailer.

Pre-order from Garm Wars: The Last Druid Amazon.com today!

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

Won Jin kicks martial a$$ in ‘Kwon Bob: Chinatown’

Posted on October 2, 2015 by JJ Bona
"Kwon Bob: Chinatown" Korean Theatrical Poster

"Kwon Bob: Chinatown" Korean Theatrical Poster

The talented Park Sang-Hyun – who is part of a team responsible choreographing the action in films like Kundo: Age of the Rampant (2014) and For the Emperor (2014) – has made his directorial debut in a new Korean martial arts film called Kwon Bob: Chinatown (“Kwon Bob” means “martial arts”).

Kwon Bob: Chinatown stars Seo Joon-yeong (Bleak Night) as a detective who tries to take down a gang of martial arts fighters. The film also stars Ban So-yeong (The Princess’ Man), Won Jin (The Suspect), Oh Seung-yoon (Stalker), Lee Si-yoo (Traffickers) and Seo Beom-sik (Fists of Legend).

Updates: Even though the film opened in Korea on July 9, 2015, an online trailer is yet to be present. There is, however, an exciting fight clip, featuring the great Won Jin (Operation Scorpio aka The Scorpion King).

Posted in News |

A Look Inside: Arrow Video’s ‘Stray Cat Rock Collection’

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Kelly Warner

After Roger Corman’s 1966 outlaw biker film The Wild Angels became a surprise hit in Japan, Japanese studios were quick to cash in and make similar films. One such popular film was Toei’s Delinquent Boss from 1968. The Nikkatsu film studio saw Stray Cat Rock: Delinquent Girl Boss as their way to jump in and compete with Toei’s product. Unlike most films with copy-cat origins, Delinquent Girl Boss successfully started a series that ran for five films (spread out over just two years) and is fondly remembered as one of the country’s best film series of the 1970s.

It’s a strange series. Directors Yasuharu Hasebe (Retaliation) and Toshiya Fujita (Lady Snowblood) split the series, with each director giving their films a particular style. Sometimes a Stray Cat Rock film is a gritty crime drama, other times it’s a youth comedy. One film deals with the subject of racism, another film has a dude dying from sexual excitement while using a jackhammer. The series used many of the same actors from film to film (including Meiko Kaji, Tatsuya Fuji, Eiji Go, and Rikiya Yasuoka), but the actors never played the same characters. And though the films are often funny and wildly different, they all invariably end in shocking, downbeat fashion. The Stray Cat Rock series is part Nikkatsu action movie, part Easy Rider, part counterculture comedy, and 100% 1970s.

For the longest time, only the third film of the series, Sex Hunter, was available on DVD in the US. That’s now changed as the complete series has received a Blu-ray/DVD release from Arrow Video. Over the past month, I’ve had a chance to go through the series to watch and review each film.

Delinquent Girl Boss (1970)

In Yasuharu Hasebe’s Delinquent Girl Boss, Nikkatsu basically took a bit of everything that was working for them at the time and threw it all together. We get a yakuza action movie plot infused with rock & roll, 70s counterculture, violent youth, girl power, and a dash of ‘pinky violence’ to top it all off. An entertaining mix. Read my full review.

Wild Jumbo (1970)

After the success of Delinquent Girl Boss, a follow-up film was rushed into production and released just three months later. Toshiya Fujita’s Stray Cat Rock: Wild Jumbo is a messier, cheaper looking film than its predecessor, but somehow that doesn’t seem to matter. While the first film played with audience expectations and genre clichés, this movie just wants to have fun. Read my full review.

Sex Hunter (1970)

Yasuharu Hasebe returns to the series he helped create after Toshiya Fujita stepped in for him on film 2. Under Hasebe’s direction, Sex Hunter leaves Wild Jumbo’s beaches behind and returns to the bloody city streets. Sex Hunter is not only the most well-known entry of the series but it’s also probably the best. Sex Hunter tackles political themes and racism in 1970s Japan, making for a darker, more thought-provoking film. Read my full review.

Machine Animal (1970)

Hasebe’s final film in the series borrows moments and themes from earlier Stray Cat Rock films, feeling like a blend of Delinquent Girl Boss and Sex Hunter. The least original of the bunch, Machine Animal is lacking something that keeps it from fully coming to life. Still, there are enough interesting scenes and entertaining performances to make it worthwhile for fans. Read my full review.

Beat ’71 (1971)

Director Toshiya Fujita returns to the Stray Cat Rock series for the fifth and final installment, Beat ’71. This may not be the most polished film in the series but it is one of the funniest. In Stray Cat Rock: Wild Jumbo, Fujita broke away from the delinquent girl gang stuff that the series is generally known for, and he moves even further away from that sort of movie with Beat ’71. The final Stray Cat Rock film isn’t about cool, good-looking young people hanging out in clubs and getting into altercations with their rivals, instead it’s about homeless hippies and a society that doesn’t see a use for them. It’s a fun, weird movie. Read my full review.

"Stray Cat Rock: The Collection" Blu-ray Cover

"Stray Cat Rock: The Collection" Blu-ray Cover

About Arrow Video’s release:

The complete series has been released in a 5 disc DVD/Blu-ray set from Arrow Video. The set contains 2 Blu-rays and 3 DVDs. I did not have the DVD versions of the film to review, but as far as the Blu-ray presentation is concerned, the five films are packed onto the 2 Blu-ray discs.

Because the films are short and special features are minimal, I don’t think there are any compression issues. The picture quality of the films is good but not great, thanks to prints that do not appear to be in pristine condition. Some of the picture quality’s faults are also likely attributed to the filming techniques used, as dark scenes have a tendency to look very dark. Still, the films look good in high-definition, and Sex Hunter is a noticeable upgrade over the previous DVD release. I think Beat ’71 looks the best out of the bunch.

For special features we have trailers, a booklet containing writing on the films by Jasper Sharp, and a trio of 30 minute interviews with subjects Yasuharu Hasebe, Yoshio Harada, and Tatsuya Fuji. The interviews appear to have been conducted in 2006, before we sadly lost both Hasebe and Harada. I found the interviews to be both informative and entertaining.

Hasebe’s memory of shooting the series has gotten a bit fuzzy over the years but he shares a few interesting stories about the origin of the series, casting the actors, and questions about Sex Hunter’s strange ending. Yoshio Harada talks about his transition for a stage actor to film actor at a time when the Japanese film industry was starting to fall apart. Harada shares stories about Tatsuya Fuji and Meiko Kaji, saying that they were more than just co-stars, they were his teachers as he started work in film. Tatsuya Fuji has the sharpest recollection of what filming the series was like and shares many humorous stories about the guerilla-style filmmaking. Fuji it seems was good friends with Hasebe, but he couldn’t quite figure out what to make of Stray Cat Rock’s other director Toshiya Fujita.

Overall it’s a great collection. I do wish there were more special features, but the interviews are good. This set is a Limited Edition of only 3,000 copies. So, if you’re interested in picking up a copy, then you best not delay.

The Verdict:

Stray Cat Rock is crazy, violent, and frequently funny. I’m stumped at trying to pick out a similar series. I was happy to finally get a chance to see the entire series after having only seen Sex Hunter before. My opinion is that Sex Hunter is the best (and Machine Animal is my least favorite), but each entry has its own special something to offer, so everybody may have their own differing opinions on best and worst. It’s a strong series, one that allowed two very different filmmakers to go all-out and create some memorable films about the youth of the 70s. If you’re a fan of Japanese cinema, you should definitely give Stray Cat Rock a look.

Blu-ray screen shots courtesy of doblu.com. Please take a moment to read their coverage of Arrow Video’s Stray Cat Rock Collection by clicking here.

Posted in Features, News |

Cityonfire.com’s ‘Avenging Fist’ DVD Giveaway! – WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Posted on October 1, 2015 by JJ Bona
The Avenging Fist | DVD (Well Go USA)

The Avenging Fist | DVD (Well Go USA)

Cityonfire.com and Well Go USA are giving away 3 DVD copies of Avenging Fist 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 DVD for Avenging Fist will be officially released on October 13, 2015. We will announce the 3 winners on that day.

CONTEST DISCLAIMER: You must enter by October 13, 2015 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: Ben, Ritchie Cruz., and Rhonda F.

Posted in News | Tagged |

Iron Girl II | DVD (Switchblade Pictures)

Posted on September 30, 2015 by JJ Bona
Iron Girl II | DVD (Switchblade Pictures)

Iron Girl II | DVD (Switchblade Pictures)

RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2015

Switchblade Pictures presents the DVD for Kenichi Fujiwara’s Iron Girl II (aka Iron Girl: Ultimate Weapon), the sequel to 2012’s Iron Girl.

It’s the same post-apocalyptic world and Chris, the mysterious bounty hunter better known as Iron Girl (Kirara Asuka), is still the deadliest fighter on the planet. Unfortunately, she also still has no memory of who she is or where she came from, and, in a land where knowledge is power that means her days could be numbered. Regardless, Iron Girl must take on an army of assassins and a renegade group of bandit militia called Sparti United. | Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Iron Girl II from Amazon.com today!

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

Yakuza Apocalypse | Blu-ray & DVD (Entertainment One)

Posted on September 30, 2015 by JJ Bona
Yakuza Apocalypse | Blu-ray & DVD (Entertainment One)

Yakuza Apocalypse | Blu-ray & DVD (Entertainment One)

RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2015

Entertainment One presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Yakuza Apocalypse, directed by Takashi Miike (13 Assassins).

In the world of the yakuza, Kamiura is the boss. He is rumored to be invincible, but in truth is a vampire. When assassins aware of Kamiura’s secret arrive from abroad, he is given an ultimatum: return to the syndicate he left years ago or die.

The film stars Ichihara Hayato (Negative Happy Chain Saw Edge), Lily Franky (The Devil’s Path) and Yayan Ruhian (The Raid 2). | Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Yakuza Apocalypse from Amazon.com today!

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

Shanghai 13 | aka Heroic Ones from Shanghai (1984) Review

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Martin Sandison
"Shanghai 13" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Shanghai 13” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Cheh
Cast: Chiang Ming, Ti Lung, Cheng Tien Chi, David Chiang, Lee Chung Yat, Chi Kuan Chun, Wong Ching, Chiang Sheng, Leung Kar Yan, Lu Feng, Chai Kai, Chan Sing, Chen Kuan-tai, Cheung Taai Lun, Jue Hoi Ling, Andy Lau, Danny Lee, Jimmy Wang Yu, Wang Chung, Clement Yeh
Running Time: 85 min.

By Martin Sandison

The great Chang Cheh – one of the most revered, prolific and revolutionary directors of all time – created some of the greatest innovative kung fu movies. By 1984 he was 60, and was considering retirement. To fund this, he made one of the most ridiculously action- packed and star-packed kung fu films of all time: Shanghai 13. With a veritable smorgasbord of action stars from the classic Shaw Brothers era, this is cinematic heaven. Made in Taiwan on a pretty small budget, Chang virtually started most of the stars of the films careers they agreed to appear, no matter how small their part. The film ultimately is a celebration of the classic kung fu film; the movie techniques that Chang made famous, the stars he discovered, the perfunctory storylines. This creates a depth that goes beyond how silly the film appears on the outset, and ensures its place as one of the all time greats.

The credit sequence for the movie is unfeasibly cool as a funky but tinny song plays and each actors face appears in illustrated form. The plot is undoubtedly throwaway, just a vehicle for as many stars to appear as possible. The film is set in 1920’s Shanghai, and involves a patriot called Gau attempting to deliver important documents to Hong Kong and an army of traitors after him. Basically every scenario revolves around Gau being escorted by patriots, and traitors attempting to kill him. That means there is a fight in every scene! The match ups are positively mouth watering, and the choreography and filming of them is top notch.

Action direction is credited to five different film makers, the first being Lau Kar Wing. Younger brother of the legend that was Lau Kar Leung (RIP), by 1984 he had proven himself as one of the greatest performers and choreographers of the golden age. He appeared in and worked behind the scenes of countless classics, including The Odd Couple with Sammo Hung. That movie is, in my opinion, the greatest classical weapons film ever made. He also fought his older brother in the second best classical weapons film ever made, Legendary Weapons of China! Two of the Venoms, Chiang Sheng and Lu Feng, also serve as choreographers on Shanghai 13, who by this point had worked on numerous Venoms films and had become very accomplished.

Next is Wong Gwok Chue, a veteran who also worked on Scorching Sun, Fierce Winds and Wild Fire, starring Tan Tao Liang and Chang Yi (one of the greatest Independent kung fu movie villains). And last but not least Ricky Chen Tien Chi, who also has a large part in Shanghai 13. He was first credited choreographer on Mystery of Chess Boxing, one of the all time classic Independent kung fu movies, and appeared in plenty of Shaw Brothers and other Independent productions. Chang Cheh really pulled out the stops on talent behind the camera, but onscreen the talent pedigree goes through the roof.

The first star to appear is Jimmy Wang Yu, and despite his non-fighting role, the one-armed swordsman makes an impact. Next up is Chen Kuan Tai, who does a little fighting and is as regal and composed, as always. Danny Lee plays a sniper, exuding coolness and channelling his persona from the Heroic Bloodshed classic City on Fire (finally got to mention it!). Co-choreographer Chiang Sheng pops in as the fights start to heat up, battling three heavies while still having a cigarette holder in his mouth! He shows his natural aptitude for acrobatics here.

The next scene features the non-martial artist legend Beardy (Leung Kar Yan) hanging out in his plush apartment with a bevy of pretty ladies, just being Beardy. He is interrupted by Venom Lu Feng (looking ripped and up for a fight), and one of the best fights in the film proceeds. There is a magnificent shapes hand exchange between the two, which had me in that zone of martial arts movie awestruck consciousness. Beardy even fights on with numerous injuries, referencing that other Chang Cheh masterwork Boxer From Shantung.

Then a very young Andy Lau shows up (complete with cool white outfit and converse) and despite some doubling, he delivers some fine flowing martial artistry. Here the filming techniques amp up, with reverse photography and clever editing to paper over the cracks. Chang clearly knows what he is doing: creating a visual festival of all the innovations he made famous.

The next scene features Toby Chi Kuan Chun and David Chiang, two of the masters of kung fu cinema, as they go at it with Ga Hoi (a recognisable face especially from the shapes genius 7 Steps of Fung Fu) and Wong Chung, a veteran Shaw Brothers and Indie bit part actor. All four perform admirably, with Chiang really cutting loose. He even has an exploding pocket watch that he puts to good use!

The best entrance for any character is undoubtedly Ti Lung, as he appears to save Gao by slitting two guys throats. The camera centres on his iconic face complete with moustache, cool hat and pipe. The final fight (and the whole film really) is a fan’s dream. Two big surprises are the inclusions of Chen Sing and Sonny Yu. Chen Sing suddenly arrives on the scene, looking a little overweight – sporting a Karate suit – diving into the action with abandon. By this point he had moved away from Shaws to star in innumerable Indie flicks, with his nickname “The Chinese Charles Bronson.” His battle with Ti Lung is one for the ages, despite it not being as intricate as other sections of the action. Sonny Yu was a relatively new star compared to the rest of the cast, with only a few films under his belt. His technique is exemplary especially in kicking, and he more than holds his own.

When this film finished I was spent. But in a euphoric way. I would urge any fan of kung fu cinema, whatever age or stage, to check this undoubted masterpiece out (available on DVD from Terracotta). Despite not being Chang Cheh’s swan song (that would come in 1993 with Ninja In Ancient China), it is a fitting jewel in the crown of his unbelievable filmography.

Martin Sandison’s Rating: 10/10

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

Dolph Lundgren and ‘Kickboxer’ actress vs ‘Shark Lake’!

Posted on September 29, 2015 by JJ Bona
"Shark Lake" Theatrical Poster

"Shark Lake" Theatrical Poster

Action legend Dolph Lundgren is getting his bait ‘n tackle box ready for a Jaws-like thriller titled Shark Lake (formerly titled The Lake). We’re crossing our fingers that this upcoming film is a step above the recent wave of shlockbusters (i.e. Sharknado, Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus), but only time will tell.

Here’s the official plot: Fiercely protective single-mom Meredith Hendricks happens to also be the best cop in her quiet town on Lake Tahoe. When a black-market exotic species dealer named Clint, is paroled from prison, something he let loose begins to make its presence known. Swimmers and land-lovers alike begin to become part of the food chain at an unbelievable rate.

Shark Lake is directed by Jerry Dugan (Between Grass and Sky) and also stars Sara Malakul Lane (Kickboxer: Vengeance), Lily Brooks O’Briant, James Chalke, Michael Aaron Milligan and Ibrahim Renno. Check out the first trailer!

Updates: Watch Shark Lake’s newest trailer. The film hits theaters and iTunes on October 2nd, 2015.


Posted in News |

Zero Tolerance | aka Angel (2015) Review

Posted on September 27, 2015 by Zach Nix
"Maximum Crash" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Maximum Crash” Japanese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Maximum Crash
Director: Wych Kaosayananda
Cast: Dustin Nguyen, Scott Adkins, Sahajak Boonthanakit, Gary Daniels, Prinya Intachai, Kane Kosugi, Ammy Chanicha, Steven Clarke, Yuhkoh Matsuguchi, Damian Mavis, Charlie Ruedpokanon, Ron Smoorenburg
Running Time: 90 min.

By Zach Nix

Zero Tolerance is the latest actioner from director Wych Kaosayananda (Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever). However, one must familiarize them selves with the film’s interesting production history in order to fully appreciate and understand it. Zero Tolerance was previously completed and released only in Vietnam under the title of Angels. The film was designed to be a slow burning drama with action scenes peppered throughout it.

Unfortunately, Kaosayananda found it difficult to sell his film to distributors because Angels was more of a drama than an action film. Therefore, Kaosayananda decided to add action star Scott Adkins (Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning) into the mix for marquee value and to reshoot and re-edit the entire film in order to craft more of a stream lined actioner that would interest buyers. This re-edited version, entitled Zero Tolerance, is the cut of the film that has been released to the rest of the world.

Few action films undergo such re-editing and re-labeling as Kaosayananda’s latest. Therefore, Zero Tolerance’s drastic re-edit and added star power of Scott Adkins should be enough to pique action fans’ interests. Unfortunately, action fans will find nothing but disappointment with this new Thai production. All of Zero Tolerance’s post-release meddling has done nothing but waste an otherwise excellent cast comprised of Dustin Nguyen (The Rebel), Sahajak Boonthanakit (Only God Forgives), and Gary Daniels (City Hunter).

When a female corpse is uncovered in the waters of Bangkok, Thailand, resident detective Peter (Sahajak Boonthanakit) identifies her as Angel, his goddaughter. Peter notifies her biological father, Johnny (Dustin Nguyen), of the unfortunate news and vows to help Johnny uncover her killer. The two tear their way through pimps and drug pushers in search of the truth, only to find their quest complicated by pushers Steven (Scott Adkins) and Sammy (Gary Daniels).

Even though Zero Tolerance’s plot sounds simplistic and straightforward, Kaosayananda’s film is anything but. Zero Tolerance is an overly complicated and dull revenger thriller burdened by confounding editing choices and unnecessary characters. The film’s notable re-edit has done nothing but harm what was otherwise a mostly dramatic actioner. It’s a shame that Angels was re-edited, as it would be nice to see Kaosayananda’s original cut of the film attached to a future DVD release of Zero Tolerance in order to compare and contrast the two.

Nguyen is the protagonist of the picture. However, one will have difficulty figuring this out based on the film’s editing and introduction of the character several scenes into the movie. It doesn’t help that Nguyen’s performance is extremely frustrating as well. Nguyen showcases intense emotion during some scenes, but otherwise acts emotionless and dull throughout the rest of the picture. When Nguyen is told that his daughter has died, he barely seems to care at all. Nguyen’s search for his daughter’s killer is in no way personal, believable, or engaging. He simply mumbles his way through dialog and than brutally murders people every once in awhile.

The most confounding addition of Zero Tolerance comes in the form of action star Scott Adkins. It’s clear that Adkins was added purely for marquee value. His character serves no true purpose within the film other than to add two extra action scenes to the mix and to draw in action fans expecting a film to star one of contemporary action cinema’s greatest stars. Adkins must appear on screen for less than 10 minutes. He barely constitutes as a character and does nothing but overly complicate an already confounding revenge thriller.

Boonthanakit gives the best performance of the film as Angel’s loyal godfather. He plays co-lead to Nguyen and conveys a sense of determination in his quest that seems lacking in even Nguyen’s scenes. It’s a shame that Adkins is advertised as one of the film’s stars while Boonthanakit, who plays a major role in the film, is reduced to purely a name on the film’s poster. Gary Daniels also appears in a small dramatic role as a pimp previously involved in Angel’s life. What remains of Daniels’ scenes within this re-edit does not constitute much. Action fans should also not expect for Daniels to participate in any of the film’s action, as his role is purely dramatic in nature. Kane Kosugi (Tekken 2: Kazuya’s Revenge), also advertised on the film’s poster, literally appears in one scene alongside Adkins. That Kosugi is advertised within the film at all is unbelievable.

Zero Tolerance’s few shootouts are particularly bloody and quite exciting, although few and far between. It’s clear that Angels was envisioned as a mostly dramatic film peppered with action scenes. Therefore, only two major action sequences from Angels, along with two additional action sequences added from the reshoots, constitute the film’s action quota. The most notable addition to Zero Tolerance, and arguably the biggest take away of the film’s meandering experience, is a one on one showdown between Nguyen and Adkins. Even though their fight is entirely pointless, Nguyen and Adkin’s final throw down will give action fans something to talk about.

Zero Tolerance is a fascinating and sad reminder of the woes of distribution and marketing. While far from perfect, it’s clear that Kaosayananda’s originally envisioned Angels was a personal and dramatic actioner that was near to the director’s heart. Unfortunately, Kaosayananda had to compromise his vision in order to get Angels sold to the rest of the world. Therefore, his mostly dramatic film was cut down to a mere hour and a half, retitled, and turned in to more of a streamlined action picture that would pique action fan’s interest, especially with the inclusion of Adkins. The saddest truth of them all is that Zero Tolerance’s post-production woes are more fascinating than the film itself. What remains of Kaosyananda’s Angels is an extremely dissatisfying revenge thriller plagued by weak editing and poor direction.

Zach Nix’s Rating: 3/10

Posted in All, News, Reviews, Vietnamese | Tagged , , , , , , , , |
  1. Pages:
  3. 1
  4. ...
  5. 252
  6. 253
  7. 254
  8. 255
  9. 256
  10. 257
  11. 258
  12. 259
  13. 260
  14. 261
  15. 262
  16. ...
  17. 489