Chocolate | aka Fury (2008) Review

"Chocolate" Japanese DVD Cover

“Chocolate” Japanese DVD Cover

Director: Prachya Pinkaew
Cast: Yanin Vismitananda, Hiroshi Abe, Pongpat Wachirabunjong, Taphon Phopwandee, Ammara Siripong, Dechawut Chuntakaro, Hirokazu “Hero” Sano, Sirimongkol Singwangcha, Su Jeong Lim
Running Time: 92/100 min.

By HKFanatic

I thoroughly enjoyed the Thai action movie Chocolate when it first came out in 2008, but revisiting it a few weeks ago on blu-ray – with the sound cranked – I think I loved it even more. This is a Thai action movie I feel will stand the test of time for fans of females who kick butt. Star Jeeja Yanin literally came out of nowhere and debuted with a film that has fight scenes and stunts that nearly rival Jackie Chan in his heyday.

Reportedly director Prachya Pinkaew (Ong Bak) saw Jeeja Yanin performing Taekwondo and was impressed enough to cast her in her own movie. This was a gamble that paid off remarkably. Jeeja engaged in rigorous Muay Thai and stunt training before cameras started rolling on Chocolate. Whether you love or hate Pinkaew’s style of filmmaking, all you need to do is watch the outtakes to know that Yanin is willing to bleed for her art.

The story has the potential to be offensive – I’ve heard it half-seriously labeled “special needs’ploitation” since Yanin’s character has autism. Yanin plays the result of a star-crossed romance between a Thai female gangster and a member of the Yakuza. Her parents split when she is a baby in order to prevent an all-out gang war and the mom ends up raising Yanin on her own. Yanin is indeed a special child, one who lacks social skills but has an uncanny sense of hearing and the ability to mimic whatever she sees performed in front of her – including martial arts moves. She studies the films of Tony Jaa and Bruce Lee, as well as the fighters in the gym that just so happens to be outside her window. In a few years’ time she becomes a prime ass-kicker.

Yanin ends up needing to raise money for her mother’s medical bills. Along with her childhood friend, she goes around to collect the money that various corrupt businesses owe her mom from her days in the Thai mafia. What follows are several set-pieces where shady managers order their employees to beat up Yanin and she lays waste to them in spectacular fashion. After a bit of a slow start, this movie is almost non-stop martial arts action.

What I love about the fights is that Yanin doesn’t just be a the crap out of everybody; the filmmakers went out of their way to feature the kind of obstacle-maneuvering stuff that Jackie Chan would do in his heyday. Yanin slides under glass tables, slips through spaces that the bad guys can’t fit in, swings through guard rails, etc. She’s really a marvel to watch.

The ending provides what might be a homage to the House of Blue Leaves sequence from Kill Bill: Volume 1, with Yanin taking on about 80 guys in black suits in a Japanese restaurant. She’s also finally provided with a fellow martial arts master to truly test her mettle. To say that the finale brings the house down would be an understatement; it features a death-defying sequence high above the ground that put at least one Thai stuntman in a neckbrace.

If you don’t enjoy the bone-breaking simplicity of most Thai action movies like Ong Bak, then Chocolate probably isn’t going to change your mind. But for people who love this kind of stuff or get a drug-like high from it (heh), then Chocolate is the ultimate fix. JeeJa Yanin is cute as a button and kicks ass like nobody’s business. Her character is a likable protagonist and you actually care about her quest to help her mom, which does strengthen the movie.

I’m certain JeeJa Yanin has an excellent career ahead of her, but if debut film goes down as her finest moment I might not be surprised. Chocolate features the kind of electrifying action sequences that ensure it will be watched and re-watched by martial arts fans for years to come.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 10/10

Posted in News, Reviews, Thai | Tagged , |

The only law is gravity in the 1st ‘Point Break’ remake trailer!

"Point Break" Teaser Poster

"Point Break" Teaser Poster

THE MOVIE: Ericson Core is currently on post-production phase for his remake of Kathryn Bigelow’s 1991 heist action film Point Break. Mostly known for his 2006 debut feature Invincible (with Mark Wahlberg), Core started his career as a cinematographer for films such as The Fast and the Furious, Daredevil and Payback.

The remake, which releases on December 25th 2015, will be about an undercover FBI agent who infiltrates an extreme sports-lovin’ criminal gang. Luke Bracey (November Man) will be playing Johnny Utah (previously played by Keanu Reeves). Edgar Ramirez (The Bourne Ultimatum) will be playing Bodhi (previously played by Patrick Swayze).

The original, which starred Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves and Gary Busey, was a box office success and has gathered a worldwide cult following. It has been referenced in numerous action films, most notably Johnnie To’s Fulltime Killer.

Update: According to THR, the Point Break reboot has become the biggest success story of the 2013 American Film Market after selling out to foreign distributors around the globe. | Kurt Wimmer (Equilibrium) is writing the screenplay.

BREAKING NEWS: Check out the film’s 1st teaser trailer.

Posted in News |

Fox Hunter (1995) Review

"Fox Hunter" Chinese DVD Cover

“Fox Hunter” Chinese DVD Cover

AKA: Hunting Fox
Director: Stephen Tung Wai
Cast: Jade Leung, Jordan Chan, Yu Rong Guang, Ching Fung, Guy Lai, Ng Git Keung, Roger Lee
Running Time: 92 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Fox Hunter was the second of only 4 movies that legendary Hong Kong action choreographer Stephen Tung Wei would direct, as well as taking on action duties. To his credit, with each movie he did something a little different – his 1990 production Magic Cop gave us Lam Ching Ying on ghost busting duties, but with the twist of it taking place in modern day Hong Kong. In 1998 he directed The Hitman, which was the first movie to feature Jet Li’s real voice, as well as being the last time Li would work in HK before attempting to break the US market. Then in 2001 he stepped into the director’s chair for the final time with Extreme Challenge, which revolved around a fighting tournament, and gave us an early glimpse at the talent of a certain Scott Adkins.

With Fox Hunter, at first glance it looks to be another low budget ‘Girls with Guns’ flick, with Jade Leung in the lead role. Leung was a unique case amongst the familiar faces of the genre. Actresses like Moon Lee and Cynthia Khan had dance backgrounds, which allowed them to adapt to the HK style of fight choreography, Yukari Oshima had a martial arts background, as well as being mentored by Mark Houghton, and Michiko Nishiwaki had a strong presence thanks to her body building regime. Leung on the other hand was a fashion model, plucked from the industry in 1991 to star in Black Cat – a loose remake of Luc Besson’s Nikita – she went on to win the Best Newcomer Award at the 11th Hong Kong Film Awards (and star in several crappy sequels).

Leung was not an obvious choice to be molded into the next female action star, especially in a genre that was already overcrowded, however she managed to leave her mark in the few years that she was active. While she didn’t have the raw physical talent that her peers possessed, Leung brought something different to the table. For a start she was a good actress, and she also didn’t fit the typical image of the fighting femme – her tall figure and flawless complexion never leaving any doubt as to why she was previously a model. But Leung also had something else, and that something could most closely be described as a reckless abandon. She may not have been able to fight, but in her movies she regularly shows her willingness to get thrown around, take falls from high places, and do her own high risk stunts. She doesn’t look too bad brandishing a machine gun either.

Fox Hunter is arguably Leung’s best movie as it combines her vulnerability, with the willingness to be thrown into the thick of things, to great effect. Playing a cop, in a tightly edited opening scene she enters a karaoke bar undercover as a hostess, in an attempt to take down a gangster. The scene is juxtaposed with another one in which she’s told by her superiors at the police station that she’s failed the gun test for a third time, so won’t be able to get a promotion to detective. However she’s given a chance to be a part of an “off the books” operation to take down the gangster they’re after in the bar. The scenes cut back and forth, with Leung’s hesitation to take the position, edited with jumps back to her making contact with the gangster, building up a suitable level of tension.

The gangster, played by Ching Fung, is eventually captured, but ends up escaping and in an act of vengeance, kills Leung’s uncle and leaves her for dead. This acts as the trigger for the events that unfold during the rest of the move, with Leung kidnapping a low level pimp who runs the karaoke bar, played by Jordan Chan, and illegally entering the mainland on the tail of Fung.

It’s interesting how much the characters of Chan and Fung earmark the movie as a distinctively pre-1997 product of Hong Kong. With only a couple of years before the handover back to China, HK movies still portrayed the mainlanders as either criminals or country bumpkins. Here Chan may be running the karaoke bar, but it’s only because his parents are poor farmers back in China, and Fung is introduced as a Vietnam-Chinese. I’m unsure why but in HK movies of this era I’ve seen villains who are described as Vietnam-Chinese more than once, Yuen Wah’s character in Royal Warriors being another example which immediately springs to mind.

Yu Rong Guang also shows up as the head of the mainland cops, either lighting or already smoking a cigarette in every scene he appears in. However instead of coming across as ridiculous, Rong Guang makes his character the epitome of cool. At one point he even shoots a criminal between the eyes, then casually flicks a cigarette out of its pack and lights it up. In what’s rare for a HK movie, all characters are fairly fleshed out. Chan’s pimp is initially annoying in his constant attempts to escape from Leung, but as the movie progresses he ends up being a sympathetic character, at one point yelling to Leung that he doesn’t want her to pursue Fung as she’ll only end up dead. He could well be right, as Fung’s criminal isn’t just a ruthless gangster, he’s also very smart, constantly outwitting the cops, and has a penchant for using explosives as his main form of attack.

The use of explosives result in some great action scenes, particularly using grenades. In one scene Leung is left in a small room with one which is about to detonate. While I’m sure the grenade itself isn’t real, the explosion which goes off is very much the real thing, generating a massive fire ball in the confined space, while Leung flips a sofa on top of herself to be shielded from the blast. It’s the type of scene in which if one thing had gone wrong, she would have been severely burnt. In others action scenes Tung Wei gets to show off his directing skill alongside his action direction. The plot device of Leung and Chan being in peril together is used effectively throughout, such as in one scene which has Leung holding onto Chan to stop him falling from a window, only for Fung to appear in the doorway armed to his teeth. Left with the choice of holding onto Chan and being riddled with bullets, or diving out of the way and dropping him, these scenes provide a lot of tension along with the action spectacle which is taking place.

By the time the finale comes around, which sees Leung, Chan, and Rong Guang locked down in a crowded shopping mall with Fung threatening to blow the place up, there’s enough creative gunplay, smashed glass, and stunt work happening that it transcends the small budget the movie was made on. Fox Hunter could have been just another low budget throwaway ‘Girls with Guns’ flick, but thanks to the competent direction, strong characters, and frequent action scenes, instead it comes off as a tight little action thriller. Well worthy of a recommendation for those who think they’ve seen everything that 90’s HK action cinema has to offer.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 7/10

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

2nd trailer for Johnny Depp’s gangster flick ‘Black Mass’

"Black Mass" Theatrical Poster

"Black Mass" Theatrical Poster

The first trailer for Black Mass, an upcoming gangster-drama starring Johnny Depp and Joel Edgerton, is now online. The film is directed by Scott Cooper (Out of the Furnace) and also stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, Dakota Johnson, Jesse Plemons, Corey Stoll, Rory Cochrane, Sienna Miller and Adam Scott. Catch it in theaters on September 18th, 2015.

Synopsis: In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly (Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster James “Whitey” Bulger (Depp) to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the true story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement, consolidate power, and become one of the most ruthless and powerful gangsters in Boston history.

Updates: Watch the 2nd trailer for Black Mass.

Posted in News |

Has ‘John Wick’ met his match in Eli Roth’s ‘Knock Knock’?

"John Wick" International Theatrical Poster

"John Wick" International Theatrical Poster

Looks like John Wick has finally met his match. Just recently, Eli Roth (Hostel), a writer/director known for his horror productions, released a teaser trailer for an upcoming Keanu Reeves film simply titled Knock Knock, an updated version of Peter Traynor’s Death Game (1977). In a nutshell, the flick is about a pair of femme fatales who wreak havoc on the life of a happily married man. Given Roth’s demented reputation, it’ll be interesting to see what he does with a thriller starring Reeves.

Here’s the film’s partial official plot: Evan Webber (Reeves) is living the dream: a beautiful wife, two wonderful kids, and a stunning house. Things are going so well, Evan doesn’t even mind spending Father’s Day alone while the rest of his family heads out for a beach weekend. And then there’s a knock on the door by two young women (Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas)…

Enjoy Knock Knock’s clever teaser trailer, which comes to an abrupt end before you can figure out what’s going on. Stay tuned for its official theatrical release date.

Updates: The 2nd trailer for Knock Knock is now available. Enjoy!

Posted in News |

Deal on Fire! A Better Tomorrow | Blu-ray | Only $9.07 – Expires soon!

"A Better Tomorrow" Blu-ray Cover

"A Better Tomorrow" Blu-ray Cover

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for 2010’s A Better Tomorrow, a Korean remake of the 1986 John Woo film of the same name.

In the treacherous world of the black-market weapons trade, honor and vengeance go hand in hand…

This new take on the Hong Kong gangster classic features an all-star cast including Kim Gang-Woo’s (Marine Boy), Joo Jin-Mo’s (Musa) and Jo Han-Seon. It’s directed by Song Hae-Seong (Failan) and produced by John Woo himself.

Order A Better Tomorrow from Amazon.com today!

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Soo | aka Art of Revenge (2007) Review

"Soo" Korean Theatrical Poster

“Soo” Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Yoichi Sai
Ji Jin-Hee, Kang Sung-Yeon, Moon Sung-Geun, Lee Ki-Young, Oh Man-Seok, Jo Kyeong-Hwan, Kim Jun-Bae, Choi Duk-Moon, Choi Jung-Woo, Lee Jae-Gu
Running Time: 122 min.

By HKFanatic

Soo is not a movie I ever hear listed in the same breath as other Korean revenge flicks like Oldboy or A Bittersweet Life. In fact, it’s not a movie that I ever hear listed at all! It’s a shame this film remains so damn obscure. For my money, Soo is one of the best revenge movies out there.

Actor Jin-hee Ji stars as the titular character Soo, who’s one of the top assassins in all of South Korea. Gangsters live in fear of him and the cops whisper his name with bated breath. But the man himself is haunted by a tragic past, until one day he gets the chance to reconnect with a figure from his youth. I won’t spoil the plot at all, but suffice to say Soo is sent on a quest for revenge that has him assuming another man’s identity and targeting an entire criminal organization. What follows is both a dark character study and a mesmerizing bloodbath.

Now, the big complaint I’ve heard about Soo is this: despite Soo being revered as a bad-ass by just about everybody in the film’s universe, and the fact that we clearly see he has an entire arsenal of automatic weapons in his apartment, most of the time he goes after his foes with nothing but a baseball bat or his wits. And he’s not so much a great martial artist as he is a scrappy fighter who won’t stop until he’s won. So, for some viewers this will hurt the realism of the movie; here we have the supposedly top assassin of Korea and he’s not a king of killers, but a messy fighter who won’t quit. This might be part of the reason why the movie maintains such a low rating at places like IMDB.

Personally, I loved this aspect of the movie. The character of Soo is like a mad-dog who refuses to be put down. You can stab him, try to blow him up, or hit him over the head with a baseball bat, and he will still come after you. There’s a saying like ‘you only die when you give up on living’; if that’s the case, then Soo is one tough bastard who refuses to draw his last breath. The action sequences in this movie aren’t your typical heavily-choreographed fights; they’re bloody brawls and stabbings that the characters barely crawl away from. The ending is one of those big “attack on the bad guy’s base” set-pieces you don’t see much outside of a John Woo movie, this time set to Italian opera. It’s spectacular.

I’ve probably made this movie sound like nothing but violence, but at 122 minutes there is a good deal of plot, character analysis, and strong performances from the two leads. Superb photography and a haunting soundtrack also help make Soo one of my favorite Korean films. Sometimes it’s not about striding into battle in slow motion and never once getting hit; sometimes it’s about picking yourself up off the floor and keeping your guts in your stomach with your own hands as you throw yourself at the bad guy once more. Soo is that kind of movie. Highly recommended for fans of gritty, violent films.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 9/10

Posted in Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged |

And they thought a ‘World War Z’ sequel would be ‘Impossible’

"World War Z" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"World War Z" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Deadline reports that Paramount and Skydance have signed Juan Antonio Bayona (The Impossible) to direct a sequel to World War Z, with a script by Steven Knight (Locke). At this time, there’s no official word on the return of Brad Pitt. Deadline says “there’s no real road map for this yet and that will have to be solved on the page before anything else happens.”

The original film was directed by Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) and definitely had its share of production hell (over budget, massive reshoots, etc), but despite its problems, World War Z became both a critical and financial success.

Updates: According to sources, the World War Z sequel has a release date set for Summer of 2017. No plot details have been unveiled, but according to scriptwriter Steven Knight, they’re approaching the sequel with a “clean slate”.

Posted in News |

Big Match (2014) Review

"Big Match" Theatrical Poster

“Big Match” Theatrical Poster

Director: Choi Ho
Producer: Park Sang-Hyun
Cast: Lee Jeong-Jae, Shin Ha-Gyun, Lee Sung-Min, BoA, Kim Yui-Seong, Bae Sung-Woo, Son Ho-Jun, Kim Yun-Sung, Choi Woo-Sik, Park Doo-Sik
Running Time: 112 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Director Choi Ho is certainly not someone you could say is afraid of working at his own pace. Since his feature debut in 1998 with the youth drama Bye June, skip forward 16 years and Big Match is only his fifth movie, with perhaps his most famous being the 2006 effort Bloody Ties, an action thriller which starred Ryoo Seung-beom and Hwang Jeong-min. While none of his movies have been runaway box office success stories, he’s a director who is still able to attract big names, as his latest production Big Match proves with a cast headed by Lee Jeong-jae and Sin Ha-gyoon.

Jeong-jae and Ha-gyoon also shared the screen together in the 2012 blockbuster The Thieves, in which Ha-gyoon has a cameo as the rich businessman that Jeong-jae steals a rare antique from to kick things off. Since then Jeong-jae has been on a roll, with starring roles in the gangster thriller The New World, and The Thieves director Choi Dong-hoon’s The Assassination. Ha-gyoon hasn’t been quite so lucky, and Big Match marks his first return to the big screen since the poorly received 2013 production Running Man, which thanks to Fox International Productions has its place as the first (and last?) Korean movie to be completely financed by a Hollywood studio.

The plot of Big Match could well have been thrown together during a night of heavy intoxication. It takes the ‘Simon Says’ elements of movies like Die Hard with a Vengeance, mixes them with the illegal betting syndicates seen in the likes of Bangkok Knockout, and hopes for the best. We’re quickly introduced to Jeong-jae’s character, Zombie, an MMA fighter who wanted to be a soccer player, but since he played a match which saw him beat the daylights out of everyone on the opposing side, his brother decided that MMA was a better fit. His brother is played by regular supporting actor Lee Sung-min, and it’s not long into the movie we discover he’s been kidnapped by Ha-gyoon. The only way for Jeong-jae to get him back, is to play a dangerous game of cat and mouse around the city, having instructions fed into his ear by Ha-gyoon of where he should go and what he should do.

That’s the extent of the plot for Big Match, I’m not really sure I could add anymore to it even if I wanted to. Ha-gyoon cruises around the city in a blacked out van surrounded by monitors and touch screen displays, extravagantly gesturing and yelling out new bets and challenges that Jeong-jae has to complete, and then it’s Jeong-jae’s job to make sure he completes them. On paper, Big Match looks like a half baked concept. Ripping off two genres that aren’t even popular at the moment, it’s almost a given that most people who want to check it out will likely have low expectations and not be hoping for much. It is then, perhaps for this very reason, that Big Match turns out to be a surprisingly entertaining time at the movies.

From the get go Ho ensures that this is not a production which is looking to take itself seriously. Jung-jae and Ha-gyoon might as well be playing a pair of cartoon characters – Jung-jae as the quick tempered MMA fighter running around the city, and Ha-gyoon as the villainous mastermind laughing it up from behind closed doors. Big Match also earns points for keeping things humorous throughout, there are plenty of sight gags, and the dialogue is often on the ball as well. Clearly not afraid of coming across as absurd, in one scene Ha-gyoon tells Jung-jae that the ankle bracelet he’s wearing is a bomb, and outlines the conditions that will set if off. Jeong-jae proceeds to break down into histrionics, only instead of begging for his life, through a maniacal grin he yells “This is great! I’m so excited I could shit myself!”

These laugh out loud moments punctuate the runtime of Big Match, which includes probably the most unique karaoke rendition you’ll see in a movie. The breakneck pacing in maintained for the entire 110 minutes, never stopping for any overly long exposition or meaningful moments, and unlike so many Korean comedies, it doesn’t betray itself by turning everything on its head in the finale and pouring on the melodrama. Ho’s intention seems to have been to create a fun flick from start to finish, and in that regard, the movie is a success.

Big Match is at its core though, an action flick. From the moment Jeong-jae finds the door of the prison cell he’s in being remotely opened thanks to Ha-gyoon, he’s pitted against police officers, gangsters, MMA fighters, and even K-pop star BoA is thrown into the mix. Many of the action scenes are played for laughs, which perfectly fit in with the overall tone, however we do get treated to some surprise set pieces that are likely to satisfy action fans.

In particular, at the 40 minute mark Jeong-jae finds himself in the traditional OldBoy style predicament – a corridor, he’s standing at one end of it, and a group of armed gangsters standing at the other. It’s a great scene, and just like Gareth Evans has proved to us with The Raid and its sequel, it shows that it is possible to have an action sequence in which the camera is constantly moving, and still be able to see everything. All of the angles work perfectly, adding impact, complimenting the moves, and most importantly of all, capturing everything that’s going on. The fact that it gets quite bloody is just a bonus.

The lack of reliance on CGI for many of the stunt scenes is also a bonus worth mentioning, which means that sometimes it’s possible to see Jeong-jae’s double ducking out the way of a speeding car, or being thrown across a room. In an age in which CGI has become the quick and easy solution to create almost anything, essentially robbing audiences of the excitement of seeing an actual stuntman perform his craft, it adds a nice old school charm to proceedings to see doubles still being used for stunt work.

Some may dismiss Big Match as an overly simple exercise in genre film-making, and to some degree it would be difficult to argue with them. It doesn’t offer anything new, and the whole thing is a decidedly one dimensional affair, however what it does do is offer something old. Old school CGI free action, old school plotting which doesn’t feel the need to throw in a twist ending, and old school characters that might well be nothing but caricatures, but at the end of the day, who doesn’t look at a caricature and find it even a little bit amusing?

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged , |

Cityonfire.com’s ‘Taking of Tiger Mountain’ Blu-ray Giveaway! – WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

The Taking of Tiger Mountain | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

The Taking of Tiger Mountain | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Cityonfire.com and Well Go USA are giving away 3 Blu-ray copies of Tsui Hark’s The Taking of Tiger Mountain 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 & DVD for The Taking of Tiger Mountain will be officially released on June 2, 2015. We will announce the 3 winners on June 8, 2015 and ship out the prizes immediately.

CONTEST DISCLAIMER: You must enter by June 7, 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: Sheldon, Frankie C, and Damon.

Posted in News | Tagged |

Move over Donnie Yen! Enter ‘The Monkey King’s Daughter’!

"The Monkey King" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"The Monkey King" Chinese Theatrical Poster

US’s ANA Media and China’s Chunqiu Time Culture Company are joining forced to bring The Monkey King’s Daughter to the big screen. Although the story is based on the hugely popular Chinese legend, The Monkey King’s Daughter is not a sequel, spin-off, nor is it related to Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons or The Monkey King. Instead, the film is based on the young-adult book series by Todd A. DeBonis, who is also writing the screenplay.

Accoring to VarietyThe Monkey King’s Daughter follows Meilin, a California high school sophomore who knows nothing about her father’s true Chinese heritage. On her 16th birthday, her genetic make-up activates, transforming her into an extraordinary, super-heroine and thrusting her into the magical realms of the past to battle monstrous demons from ancient China. With the help of her father, the Monkey King , she must save her mother and friends from certain death.

As of right now, there are no directors or actors attached to The Monkey King’s Daughter. The film is scheduled to shoot in December in China and Canada. Stay tuned as we hear more!

Posted in News |

It’s Donnie Yen to the ‘Big Rescue’ for a kung fu road movie!

Donnie Yen Promotional Poster

Donnie Yen Promotional Poster

Currently in post-production is Big Rescue, an upcoming “family film” starring Donnie Yen (Kung Fu Killer) and directed by Liang Ting (producer of Yen’s 14 Blades and The Lost Bladesman).

According to Variety, Big Rescue tells the story of a group people who embark on fun-filled cross-country road trip but are captured by an evil villain. They are rescued by a team of kung fu fighting dogs who save them in the nick of time.

In addition to Big Rescue, Yen fans have Ip Man 3Iceman 2 (post-production), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2 (post-production) and Noodle Man (pre-production) to look forward to. As always, we’ll keep you in the loop on all these projects!

Posted in News |

Absolution | Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

Absolution | Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

Absolution | Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2015

Lionsgate presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Steven Seagal’s The Mercenary: Absolution (aka Absolution), directed by Keoni Waxman (Force of Execution). The Mercenary: Absolution also stars Byron Mann (The Corrupter) and Vinnie Jones (Escape Plan).

When an ex-operative is recruited by his old boss to assassinate an Afghan drug dealer, he begins to suspect a link between a drug smuggling operation, a sex trafficking ring and the US Government. Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Absolution from Amazon.com today!

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

Exclusive: Interview with the author of the upcoming Alexander Fu Sheng book ‘The Biography of the Chinatown Kid’

Alexander Fu Sheng: The Biography of the Chinatown KidAnyone familiar with the Shaw Brothers studio will no doubt be aware of Alexander Fu Sheng. A charismatic performer known for his mischievous persona and physical dexterity, he quickly became a favorite of both Chang Cheh and Lau Kar Leung, starring in such classic slices of Hong Kong cinema ranging from kung fu epics like Five Shaolin Masters, to comedies such as Hong Kong Playboys.

His life was tragically cut short at just 28 years of age, however his legacy has endured thanks to his many memorable performances. To add to his legacy, screenwriter and kung fu movie enthusiast Terrence J Brady has spent the last couple of years deep in research to create the definitive biography of the star. Looking to debunk the many myths about his life, as well as sharing a wealth of new information and anecdotes, the tentatively titled Alexander Fu Sheng: The Biography of the Chinatown Kid is shaping up to be a must-have for any fan of both Fu Sheng, and the Shaw Brothers studio in general.

"Chinatown Kid" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Chinatown Kid” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Cityonfire was recently able to conduct an exclusive interview with Terrence, who took a break from his busy schedule to answer our question on what, and when, we can expect his book.

1. When you consider all the legends of Hong Kong cinema, Fu Sheng may not necessarily be the first name that springs to mind when you think who could be the subject for an upcoming biography, what gave you the idea for the book?

The idea started back in 2007 when I planned an article in observation of the 25th year of his passing. Life though interceded and it got put on the back burner. Three years later, I traveled to Hong Kong with some friends and one of our primary objectives was to visit Alex’s burial site and pay our respects. Prior to that day, he was simply a two-dimensional image on a TV screen but now, being there in his presence, he became very real. Someone who possibly walked the same streets we did while exploring Hong Kong.

I felt he needed a proper tribute and that meant rethinking my article. But why stop there? Why not a book-length biography? The information on many of these Shaw stars comes in scattered bits and pieces and there are truly few books dedicated to a specific individual. Alex was one of the most popular actors of his time whose life was snuffed out prematurely. He was the genuine article and never thought of himself as a movie star. An everyman kind of fellow. I’m sure he would even be a bit embarrassed of the thought of someone writing a book about him.

David Chiang, Fu Sheng, Chang Cheh, Chen Kuan-Tai and David Chiang.

David Chiang, Fu Sheng, Chang Cheh, Chen Kuan-Tai and David Chiang.

We have seen many books on Bruce. On Jackie. Now its Alex’s time. I hope my efforts will do him justice and that his family, friends and fans will enjoy this biography as much as I have enjoyed researching and writing it.

2. There seems to be a substantial amount of information out there already on Fu Sheng, such as him graduating in Hawaii and living in Bruce Lee’s house at the time of his death, what would you say is the appeal of your book to those fans out there who already know all these things about him?

I think there is a good deal of (mis)information out there on Alex. Rumors and hearsay that have been repeated over the years to the point where it becomes an assumed fact. Take for example the story of Bruce Lee’s home. People like the allure that these doomed men shared the same domicile. It links them to a common destiny of two martial arts action stars whose lives were taken in their prime. It makes for good storytelling; a movie-of-the-week! Truth is, reality is boring and for a few dollars to the HK Land Registry, one would discover that Bruce’s old Cumberland Road home has been owned by the same company since 1974.

"Boxer Rebellion" Promotional Still.

“Boxer Rebellion” Promotional Still.

As for Alex? He was staying with his brother in Mei Foo Sun Chuen, a housing estate in Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon, at the time of his fatal accident. I know, not as enthralling, but that’s reality. The other urban myth we continue to hear is Alex graduated from a high school in Hawaii. I have even seen some places on the web list the name of this school; Roosevelt High School in Honolulu. I obtained a copy of the RHS Class of ‘71 yearbook and strangely enough, not a single photo of Alex. I then proceeded to speak with a member of the ‘71 graduating class who also happens to run the RHS class reunions since the early ‘90s. She contacted several of her classmates and they do recall seeing Alex – in the theater. “We used to all watch those movies and we would have known that he was one of ours. Local media are big on touting our “local talent” or if they ever lived on the island of Oahu. I don’t ever remember anything in the local press about him ever having lived here,” she stated.

The Cheung family valued education and three of Alex’s brothers went on to become doctors but Alex? Alex was the least educated of his siblings, dropping out of school at 15. Despite his lack of a formal education, he proved that one could still be a success even without a diploma. Of course if he had followed in his brothers’ footsteps, I probably wouldn’t be writing this biography. I considered myself a knowledgeable fan of Alex before starting this book but what I knew at the start pales in comparison to what I know now. This book will be enlightening to even Alex’s biggest fans.

Fu Sheng in "My Rebellious Son"

Fu Sheng in “My Rebellious Son”

3. You’ve clearly done a lot of legwork on getting the truth about Fu Sheng’s life, what’s been your favorite moment so far during the time you’ve been researching the book?

The band Deep Purple once sang, “It’s not the kill but the thrill of the chase.” My research on this project has become quite addictive. I have spent upwards of two years researching material and have worked with three different Hong Kongese translators. These native speakers have provided me with a treasure trove of material that, as an English speaker, I would not have been able to acquire alone.

Some of the most satisfying moments though have been following a simple clue on my own, which revealed new clues, which then revealed even further clues. It’s the journey “down the rabbit hole” which has lead me to many dead ends but also has provided some true nuggets of gold.

The historical significance or the real-life events that some of Alex’s films were based on has been an eye-opener to China’s history that was previously unknown to me. I could devote an entire chapter or more, for example, to the 1976 war film The Seven Man Army. This movie is one of my personal favorites and my research has helped me better understand the battles that ignited the Second Sino-Japanese War, those who commanded the field and even led me to the grandsons of the one member of the “seven” who was the only known soldier in this film (the identities of the other six, including Alex’s character, are unknown and the names used in the film are fictionalized).

Fu Sheng on the set of "Marco Polo" with Richard Harrison and Carter Wong.

Fu Sheng on the set of “Marco Polo” with Richard Harrison and Carter Wong.

Of course, meeting and/or interviewing some of the stars that worked alongside Alex has also been a highlight. I’ve got to know Alex through the eyes of Robert Tai, Kara Hui, Lo Mang, Chu Ker, Chen Kuan Tai and several others.

4. Fu Sheng obviously had a wide appeal in his prime, what do you think it was about him that gave him such a connection with the audience of the time, and indeed ensures he still has a fan base even today?

Alex was the complete package. He had the looks, charisma, sex appeal, comedic timing and a vivacious screen presence. Women adored him. Men emulated him. He could act … sing … dance … and most importantly, fight. Though sometimes he would behave like the fool, his martial skills were clean and flowed with a matter-of-fact tone. He was versatile and employed a wide range of characterizations; funny, charming, psychotic, deadly. When he was on the screen, one could not help to focus their gaze on him and forget everything else transpiring.

As for a fan base today? When a person of fame dies at an early age, it seems that their following surges. Some even become the stuff of legends; Bruce Lee, John Lennon, Mozart, Billy the Kid, etc. The same can be said about Fu Sheng. His celebrity status continues to grow despite his passing over 30 years ago. Facebook pages, YouTube tribute videos, web articles, even a bronze bust was recently created and donated to the Martial Arts History Museum in Los Angeles. Hopefully this book will only bolster Alex’s fan base and help find a whole new generation of readers who will be introduced to his films for the first time.

The charismatic Fu Sheng.

The charismatic Fu Sheng.

5. What’s your personal opinion on Fu Sheng’s place in Hong Kong movie history?

I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t see his name on Hong Kong’s Avenue of Stars but since I’m unfamiliar with the criteria for nomination, I cannot judge too harshly. Shaw Brothers is the most famous of the film studios to operate in the Pearl of the Orient and Alex was certainly one of their shining jewels. I’m not sure where I would place Alex in the overall picture of Hong Kong cinema as I’ve only experienced a small portion of it.

However, when I think of Shaw’s Movietown, many who worked there seemed to agree that Alex’s presence, both on screen and off, made it a memorable place to be. He was a down-to-earth person who didn’t get caught up in all the glitz & glam that show biz would bring. His idea of entertainment would be to bring his dogs to the studio which would always liven things up. He had a unique camaraderie with the highest directors to the lowest set construction workers. Dedication to his craft, tomfoolery, random acts of kindness. This was Fu Sheng. To those folks that worked alongside him, he will always have a special place in the history of Hong Kong cinema.

6. What’s your personal Fu Sheng performance and why?

Surprisingly I don’t think I have one. Last year I watched all 43 of his films in production order and it was amazing to watch Alex mature as both martial artist and cinema star. I got to revisit some of his films I had only seen once before and there were four which were a first time viewing for me. The Chinatown Kid will always be a favorite because it’s one of his films I saw back in the 80s but his performance in Sung Chung’s The Avenging Eagle certainly stood out during this marathon as it was his first film with a director other than Chang Cheh. A little trivia here. Most believe it was Chang who gave Alex his start but this is incorrect. It was actually Sun who cut him his first break. Details in the book…

Fu Sheng in "Wits of the Brats"

Fu Sheng in “Wits of the Brats”

7. A lot of people like to speculate on where Bruce Lee would be today if he was still around, do you think Fu Sheng would have potentially rivaled Jackie Chan for the king of kung-fu comedy throne had his career not been cut short so tragically?

Good question. And I’m sure many might be disappointed to hear this but I don’t believe he would have rivaled Jackie as the king of kung fu comedy. No, not because Jackie was more skilled. Au contraire. It was Jackie who mimicked Alex.

But Alex’s misfortunes on the set, his moving towards working behind the scenes and lastly his own admission pretty much ends any speculation: “No. I am not particularly interested in acting in films. It’s mainly because I make a living at it is all. Since I left school, I have never asked my family for money. I don’t want to rely on my family for my whole life. To be independent and make a living, I chose shooting films, but this is temporary. I won’t stay in the industry for the rest of my life.” While discouraging those words might be to his fans, Alex was not one to sugarcoat things. He spoke his mind and despite his future plans to leave the industry, he has left us with an exciting collection of films to explore.

Chang Cheh and Fu Sheng.

Chang Cheh and Fu Sheng.

In the book, I will take an in-depth look at each production, those who worked on the films and provide many colorful conversations from behind the scenes. While Wits of the Brats was Alex’s first film as director, there was at least two other productions in the pipeline that he was going to helm plus other films he was slated to appear in but did not do so for various reasons. I will also explore the unfinished Chor Yuen crime caper The Mark of The Eagle featuring Ti Lung which was shelved due to his Black September injuries.

8. Most importantly of all, when can we expect Alexander Fu Sheng: The Biography of the Chinatown Kid to be hitting the shelves?

I’m working on the second draft at the present, and would love to see this in the hands of Hong Kong cinema fans in 2016.

If anyone has any questions they’d like to ask Terrence regarding the book, he can be contacted at fusheng@teako170.com.

Posted in Interviews, News |

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Miss Osbourne, The (1981) Review

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Miss Osbourne "Blu-ray" Cover

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Miss Osbourne "Blu-ray" Cover

Director: Walerian Borowczyk
Writer: Walerian Borowczyk, Robert Louis Stevenson
Cast: Udo Kier, Marina Pierro, Patrick Magee, Gérard Zalcberg, Howard Vernon, Clément Harari, Jean Mylonas, Eugene Braun Munk, Louis Colla
Running Time: 92 min.

By Kyle Warner

Walerian Borowczyk’s 1981 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a graphic and savage take on the classic story. While it features a doctor who transforms into a madman, the film does not share much else in common with the Jekyll/Hyde story as I remember it. I guess you’d call it a reimagining. Still, it has a strong cast and the film often looks beautiful. For a moment there I really thought I was going to like it… But that moment passed.

Udo Kier plays Dr. Jekyll. He invites friends and colleagues to his mansion for a dinner party to celebrate his engagement to the lovely Miss Fanny Osbourne (Marina Pierro). The party is interrupted when a lunatic starts attacking the guests and the mansion goes into lockdown.

It’s almost like a game of Clue. It even features a similar cast of characters—the doctor, the priest, the decorated soldier, the maid, and the psycho killer. Except here there’s no mystery about who’s behind the madness. We know it’s Hyde, who is also Jekyll, and so the film takes on a strange kind of slasher movie quality. What’s puzzling is how many of the characters disappear for long periods of time without people taking notice, and only on rare occasions do the characters wonder where Dr. Jekyll is during the attacks. Also, why didn’t anyone try to leave the house? They’re in control of their own fates and could very easily flee for their lives, but instead the men give the women morphine and send them to bed while they try to trap the murderer within the house. Characters behaving like morons is something that some viewers seem willing to forgive in horror movies, but I can only take so much of it. Here, idiotic choices by the characters are one of the only things that keeps the story moving.

What makes this take on Jekyll and Hyde different than many of the others is that Jekyll enjoys his time as the monster. As Hyde he is free to be an animal, to perform heinous acts for pleasure’s sake, and be granted anonymity behind the face of another man. While Hyde is perfectly fine strangling and stabbing people, he much prefers raping his victims to death (both women and men) with his dangerously long and pointy manhood…

As an exploitation film, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Miss Osbourne might be considered a success. As a horror film, not so much. The film doesn’t try to scare you or conjure up dread, it’s more interested in just going for shock value. And 30+ years after its release, some of the images remain shocking as it mixes violence and pornographic images.

The best example of the film going for shock value comes early on in the picture. Up until this point I thought it was a good looking film with some potential to go to interesting places later on, then this scene came along and I knew I was in for some trouble. The sequence I’m talking about is the dinner, where everyone’s sitting down and engaged in high-class conversation. In the middle of the conversation we are treated to three images from later on in the film—a violent stabbing, the pointy penis, and a naked black woman hung upside down, her crotch bloodied. None of these images have anything to do with the dinner conversation. The quick shots give you a jolt because you’re not expecting them, but it has the same artistic merits as those internet videos that were everywhere ten years ago— those videos where you’re lulled into a state of calm by images of an idyllic countryside then suddenly assaulted by a screaming crazy person on screen. Sure, it gets the shock that it’s after, but it never aims much higher than that.

The film looks very good, though. There’s a haze and sparkle to the picture, making it seem like a dream at times. The film I was most reminded of (in a good way) was Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula. Like that film, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Miss Osbourne gives us a dreamlike reimagining of a classic horror story. And like Coppola, director Borowczyk had an interest in the tricks of early cinema. The result is a stylish and handsome looking film about some very ugly incidents.

Arrow Video gave the movie a full restoration for its Blu-ray release. Having not seen a previous edition of the film I cannot compare it to how it used to look on home video, but I thought the picture on this disc was very nice. The Blu-ray is loaded with special features, including interviews with Udo Kier and Mariana Pierro, two short films, featurettes about the director and his career in animation and his love for classic (often silent) cinema, and a commentary compiled of interviews with the cast and crew. It’s an impressive collection of extras that should make fans of the film happy.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Miss Osbourne looks and behaves a bit like a dream that slowly turns into a nightmare. And like most nightmares, I just wanted to wake up and be done with it. I mean, hey, it’s an arthouse slasher horror film with a killer that murders people with his pointy penis. It’s not going to be for everyone.

Kyle Warner’s Rating: 4/10

Posted in News, Other Movies, Reviews |