Fearless also stars Collin Chou (Special ID), Dong Yong (The Lost Bladesman), Chen Zhi Hui (14 Blades), Nakamura Shidou (Red Cliff), Nathan Jones (Muay Thai Giant), as well as a special appearance by Hong Kong film expert, Mike Leeder (Pound of Flesh).
See why Gareth Evans, director of Merantau, The Raid and The Raid 2, calls Fearless “one of the best martial arts films of recent times”.
Director: Kim Ki-Duk Producer: Kim Soon-Mo Cast: Ryoo Seung-bum, Young-Min Kim, Lee Won-Geun, Choi Gwi-Hwa, Jo Jae-Ryong, Ahn Ji-Hye Running Time: 114 min.
By Matija Makotoichi Tomic
Filmography of Kim Ki-Duk could be the subject of many theories and endless discussions. Personally, I see it divided into two major phases: pre and post-Arirang one.
Arirang had that something I’ve been missing the whole time, and it had me admiring the man behind the camera, not just his films. Some may not agree, but Arirang is undoubtedly the greatest filmmakers confession ever witnessed on film and a proof Kim Ki-Duk is not only a great auteur who’s always been honest to his audience, but also a great man who’s (what’s even more important) always been true to himself.
The incident that happened on the set of his 2008 movie Dream really did leave a mark on guilt-ridden Ki-Duk both personally and profesionally, forcing him to suclude himself for a three-year period of solitude and repentance. The result was Arirang and a different Kim Ki-Duk. The meditative mood of Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring and the poetic violence of The Isle were gone. New Ki-Duk was angry and never so much in war with the world and himself. Moebius, his dialogue-free, blood-soaked family drama was the proof of that. One year after, he left us with a scene of a soldier beating up a guy sitting on a rock in lotus position. That image with its dual symbolism was almost like a self-portrait, an ending that gave no sense of the direction Kim Ki-Duk was going to take next.
His latest movie, The Net, was screened at this year’s 73rd edition of Venice Film Festival. For years now, Venice has a special place for Ki-Duk. After he won the Silver Lion award for best direction in 2004. for 3-Iron and Golden Lion award in 2012. for Pieta, in 2013. Moebius was invited to the festival in the Out of competition section and in 2014. One on One was the opening film of Venice Days. This year, The Net had its world premiere as part of the new programme held in the newly opened Sala Giardino. Kim Ki-Duk came to Venice and was present at the press screening, but unfortunately stayed for two days only and was long gone by the time his film was scheduled for public screening.
Geumul tells a story of Nam Chool-Woo, poor North Korean fisherman who accidentally drifts into South Korean territorial waters after his fishing net gets wrapped around his boat’s propeller. In South Korea he is immediatelly interrogated under the suspicion of being a spy, and no better destiny expects him upon his long-awaited return home to his family.
Little could anyone expect, but much like Park Chan-Wook’s Joint Security Area, new film by Kim Ki-Duk deals with the problematic relationship between the two neighboring Koreas, only this time the border in question is that on water. The title of the movie appears over the fence which surrounds the road leading to Seoul. The net from the title however, is not the one with which the fish is caught, this time, it is the fisherman who gets trapped. Kim Ki-Duk’s message is clear and straightforward: the capitalism of South Korea is every bit as absurd as the dictatorship of North Korea and the ones that get stuck in the political ideology are the people. His characters would love to have a beer together but that won’t be possible until the two countries reunite. In the beautiful scene where the fisherman is talking to the young South Korean agent, he asks why aren’t people from South Korea happy when they have their freedom? The answer he got is even better than his question: “The more light there is, the greater the shadow.â
Films made by Kim Ki-Duk were never a fun watch. They are dark, brutal and hard-hitting, far from the stylish genre pieces or the big-budget blockbusters that made South Korea the Hollywood of Asia. This one is no different. Kim Ki-Duk digs up the dirt underneath the shiny facade of Korean society once again and the way he does it is masterful and beautiful to watch. With directing so precise and full of confidence, it takes no more than a few shots for Ki-Duk to set the mood and lay out the plot basis. Before you know it, he’s right there where his place of interest is delivering a forceful drama, wonderful and touching yet not deprived of humor. Style was never his tool of trade, but a by-product of his sincere storytelling which often results in technical rawness. This one continues to walk the same path: the shaky cam in the outdoor scenes, the shadow of the camerman in one shot, the difference in the video quality between shots, it’s all there.
Ryoo Seung-Bum marked his first collaboration with Kim Ki-Duk in The Net. Well known Korean movie star made famous by his brother, great director Ryoo-Seung Wan, is perhaps not the obvious choice, but though the role of Nam Chool-Woo differs from the ones he is accustomed to, his performance is amazing. The character of the fisherman he created is quite lovable and will make you feel sorry for him when he’s being beaten up and ill-treated, but also put a smile on our face once he finaly delivers justice as promised.
If you’re not a fan of political themes, let me be the first to say, neither am I. Still, it would be a mistake not to watch The Net on that account. Kim Ki-Duk is back with a great movie that reminds of his old days, dark and bitter but with a surprising aftertaste that resembles hope. I’m sure that true fans won’t be dissapointed.
Anchor Bay presents the Blu-ray for Into the Badlands: Season One, starring Hong Kong film star Daniel Wu (Purple Storm, Shinjuku Incident) and Aramis Knight (Ender’s Game, Billy Boy).
Set in a world centuries from now, Into the Badlands: Season One focuses on the spiritual journey of Sunny (Wu) and M.K. (Knight), a teenage boy who harbors a unique ability, and their growing relationship as teacher and student. Both discover their true purpose and decide to explore what lies beyond the borders of the Badlands.
Into the Badlands also stars Emily Beecham (28 Weeks Later), Sarah Bolger (The Tudors) and Oliver Stark (My Hero). Wu’s long time friend and partner, Stephen Fung (Tai Chi Hero), is serving as executive producer.
Into the Badlands: Season One will include featurettes delving deeper into the world of the Badlands: making of the fight scenes, characters of the series, digital comic and a lot more. See below:
Features:
Inside Into the Badlands
Anatomy of a Fight
Building the World of Into the Badlands
The Characters of Into the Badlands: The Barons
The Characters of Into the Badlands: The Clippers
The Master: Into the Badlands Fight Camp Episode 1
Creating Real Kung Fu: Into the Badlands Fight Camp Episode 2
Bringing It All Together: Into the Badlands Fight Camp Episode 3
Fall is traditionally a fantastic time for movie releases, with some real heavy blockbusters hitting the big screen around this time of year. Given the volume of great movies that are due for release in the coming weeks, is it possible to choose just one as the most anticipated movie of fall this year?
Asian and martial arts films aside, let’s take a closer look at some of the Hollywood contenders that are hoping to nab the title of the best movie of fall 2016. Let’s start with a biggie…
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Gareth Edwards â what have you done to the Star Wars name? All joking aside, this movie, coming out on December 14th, is going to be massive. Whether or not it can exceed the records set by its predecessor remains to be seen, but with the promise of more Darth Vader on screen â and the addition of COF favorites Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen â this first in a standalone Star Wars Anthology series is sure to pack out movie theatres for weeks after its release date.
Doctor Strange
Fresh from roles in the Hobbit movies, Black Mass and Zoolander 2, Benedict Cumberbatch returns to take on his most challenging role yet, that of Marvel comic’s Doctor Strange. This movie is the 14th to be set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
That means that you can expect a cameo from at least one other Marvel super hero at some stage in the movie (not to mention a surprise role from one of my favorite martial arts stars, Scott Adkins). Coming this November, this movie is surely one to look out for.
The Girl on the Train
Based on the smash hit novel of the same name, The Girl on the Train busts into theatres in October. For those who have yet to read the book, the basic premise follows Rachael Watson (played by Emily Blunt) on her daily commute via the train service.
A web of mystery follows what should have been a normal morning. We refuse to give any more spoilers so youâll have to catch it when itâs released for the full story.
Jack Reacher â Never Go Back
Tom Cruise returns as the one man wrecking crew that is Jack Reacher. Set four years after the ending of the first movie, Reacher returns to his old military unit, only to discover that he is being accused of a 16 year old homicide. Naturally, destruction will follow and lots of action is guaranteed. Look for this one in October.
Inferno
Skipping Dan Brown’s follow up to The Da Vinci Code, in director Ron Howard’s vision, Inferno is the next movie in the Robert Langdon epic. Tom Hanks again reprises the role; with his character Robert Langdon suffering from amnesia. He must make his way across the entirety of Europe (with Rogue One’s Felicity Jones), while attempting to overcome a deadly plot. This one appears in cinemas on October 13th.
Assassin’s Creed
Based on the mega popular video game series, Michael Fassbender brings the Assassin’s to the big screen in a whole new adventure, which are all unrelated to the events of the video games. The back-story of the battle between the Templars and Assassin’s is, of course, present however. This one launches in December and is promised to be a sell-out. However if you are fond of video games we advise you to visit Apnet.com â Casino to find new online games. Or you can just wait when Assassin’s Creed appears on screen and enjoy your time.
September 2016 saw the release of the Scott Adkins action vehicle Hard Target 2, a sequel to Hong Kong auteur John Wooâs 1993 Hollywood debut. Just like any fan of action cinema, I was eager to check it out, and as a writer for cityonfire.com, I was just as much looking forward to giving the British stars latest leading role the review treatment. Writing for a website has its perks, one of which is often distributors are happy to provide screeners before a movies official release, be it via physical media or a secure download link. So, no doubt the same as many other fellow action cinema writers, I reached out to Universal Studios Home Entertainment to see if this was the case with Hard Target 2. Alas though, they werenât going the screener route with their latest release, so it turned out weâd have to wait for the official release on September 6th like everyone else.
“Hard Target 2” is currently available for purchase.
If any action stars movies are capable of generating discussion on piracy and its effect on the industry, then it has to be Scott Adkins. Iâve read several interviews with the affable star, as well as meeting him during the SENI Combat event in London back in 2014, and heâs always very vocal and upfront about how piracy is effecting the industry and his own career. After Undisputed 3: Redemption was released in 2010, which saw his supporting character of Yuri Boyka from the previous instalment take center stage, heâs been subjected to an almost never ending barrage of questions of when Boyka would be returning to the screen. Itâs worth noting that at the time of writing, the fourth instalment in the Undisputed franchise, simply entitled Boyka: Undisputed, has been completed, and is due for release in early 2017.
The following is an excerpt from a recent Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything), featuring Scott Adkins and his fans.
However every action star has a shelf life, weâre all only human, and action filmmaking takes a remarkable physical toll (just ask Jackie Chan). So why is there a 7 year gap between the installments of whatâs considered to be Adkinsâ most iconic role? The answer is a straightforward one â Undisputed 3: Redemption was illegally downloaded so much, that its profit from legitimate sales was barely enough to scrape even. Producers donât back titles based on a starâs output being overwhelmingly popular on illegal torrent sites, they back them based on knowing theyâll get a return on their investment. Go onto any action movie site or forum, and youâll see nothing but praise for Undisputed 3: Redemption, but if you were to show a producer its profit as a sales pitch to make a fourth instalment, youâd be understandably laughed out of the room.
While I, just as everyone else, have high hopes for Boyka: Undisputed, thereâs already a trailer out there, and the production values are undeniably on the low end of the scale. Thankfully Adkinsâ talent is more than enough to overlook such issues, so letâs hope that it delivers, because 7 years is a long time to wait. As recently as Adkinsâ last starring role in 2015âs Close Range, during an interview to promote the movie he explained that the original vision was much grander in terms of action, however with only a small budget and tight filming schedule, they had to make the most of what was available. Why did they have to work in such a restrictive environment? Again it was a simple answer, the producers didnât want to invest too much, as they werenât confident theyâd get much of a return.
Just like weâre seeing with Hard Target 2, in the lead up to the release of Close Range reviews started to flood the net, many of which pointed to the somewhat rushed nature certain aspects of the production appeared to have. So we have a vicious cycle – we have a ready and willing action star whoâll always give 110%, but who many feel doesnât get productions that are worthy of his talent, because of low budgets and restrictive filming schedules. Adkinsâ puts it out there that for him to have those bigger and better opportunities, his fans need to legitimately purchase his movies, and stop downloading them before theyâre released. His pleas seems to fall on deaf ears, and with the imminent release of a new movie, opinions start appearing on the net, often complaining of the apparent low budget and anything else they can gripe about. This pre-release negative feedback inevitably has an impact on the chances of increasing legitimate copies being shifted, and hence we end up back at square one.
Click here to order a copy of “Lackey and the Lady Tiger”
I wish the above was conjecture on my part, but for a real time example, all you have to do is go onto Adkinsâ official Facebook page, and check out the hundreds of comments from before September 6th of so-called fans labelling Hard Target 2 as âboringâ or âstupidâ. Scroll just a mere few posts down, and youâll see a post from Adkins promoting the DVD and Blu-ray release, with a note from him requesting to support the legitimate release for all the hard work that was put into it.
So whatâs the deal? Is this issue of piracy one that spans across genres, or is it more specific to the martial arts genre? A great example to look at is the recently proposed Zinemaxploitation Blu-ray release of the Hwang Jang Lee and Mars vehicle, Lackey and the Lady Tiger. The release was limited to 200 copies at âŹ20 each, and to make it happen they needed a minimum of 75 purchases, which they aimed to get between 9th August and 9th September 2016. Fans have been demanding Blu-rayâs of kung fu classics for years, and Zinemaxploitation are making the bold move to step up and deliver whatâs being asked for. I was waiting for the announcement that the 200 copies had fully sold out, so that the campaign was closed, but instead, 2 days before the campaign ended they were still short of the minimum order of 75. Thankfully, due to several pledgers double dipping, it just scraped over the line.
Now, letâs look at another niche genre, that of Italian horror. Earlier this year UK based distributor 88 Films launched a crowdfunding campaign on the Indiegogo platform, with the aim to restore 4 obscure Italian horror titles. They were looking for a minimum of ÂŁ10,000 to restore one of them, and ÂŁ40,000 would result in all 4 titles being restored and released. When the campaign wrapped up in June, theyâd raised ÂŁ83,155, which just to put it in perspective, is 808% of their original target, achieved through 1452 backers. Then we have kung fu cinema fans like myself and others reading this article, who can barely find 75 people to purchase a Blu-ray of a movie that features such legendary names as Hwang Jang Lee. Itâs kind of sad isnât it?
The âgot through by the skin of its teethâ nature of the Zinemaxploitation campaign saw a certain level of backlash from fans across social media platforms. In the days before the campaign ended, those who had pledged âŹ20 seemed genuinely exasperated that the possibility of not reaching 75 purchases was a very real one, and in one post I read, labelled fans of kung fu cinema âa tight fisted bunch of idiots who want everything for freeâ. Harsh, however itâs hard to ascertain what else could possibly be the reason for such an appealing title to have struggled to reach a perfectly reasonable number of sales. Is it really the case that fans of kung fu cinema have come to expect everything for free?
You’ve waited for a “Pedicab Driver” DVD for years. Now what?
I decided to research more into this, however ultimately I stopped delving into the matter too deeply, as it paints a depressing picture. Going back to the end of 2015, the Warner Brothers studio finally decided to unearth a movie which had been sitting in their vaults for a countless number of years, the Sammo Hung classic Pedicab Driver. Go on any forum relating to kung fu cinema, and itâs possible to find threads dating back to the early 00âs of posts making enquiries as to when this title would hit DVD. The fact is, itâs never had a DVD release anywhere, not even in Hong Kong, so for it to be finally unleashed as part of the Warner Brothers Archives series was big news. At last, people could rejoice and throw away the poor quality bootleg copies that theyâd been living with so long, and enjoy the movie in crystal clear clarity from a legitimate release.
One day after the release, a good friend of mine who is well known amongst kung fu cinema fan circles, e-mailed me to express his disbelief at how many requests heâd had from people, asking when he was going to upload the DVD that they knew heâd purchased onto a torrent site. Having purchased the title on the day it was released, in the hope that supporting it would result in Warner Brothers releasing more of the titles they have sitting in their vaults, the fact that so many were automatically assuming itâd be immediately up for free download, paints a grim picture. The short sightedness, and sheer volume of requests heâd received, is indicative of just how much kung fu cinema fans are their own biggest enemy. Yes itâs possible to get everything for free, but it comes at a price thatâll far exceed the $12 – $15 it costs to pick up the title legitimately.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGmae-CNj5w
So where does that leave us? It seems to boil down to one thing â as fans of martial arts and kung fu cinema, we have to be willing to put our money where our mouth is. We need to stop being our own worst enemy. Itâs not enough to keep on complaining that thereâs no more companies releasing kung fu movies on DVD or Blu-ray, but when companies like Terracotta Distribution and Zinemaxploitation put product out there hardly anyone buys them. Itâs not enough to complain that stars like Scott Adkins are appearing in movies that donât do their talents justice, but then ensure that the situation is never going to change by continuing to illegally download their movies before theyâre released. Movie piracy will always be there, and to some extent the large Hollywood studios can absorb the damage it does, however for a niche genre such as ours, where itâs a struggle to even find 75 people to buy a Blu-ray, every illegal download of a new movie has an impact.
In February of this year, I attended a drinks function for the Edinburgh Film Festival, which takes place in June. I bumped into an acquaintance Iâd known for many years, an actor and senior programmer called Niall Fulton, who the previous year had put on a Walter Hill retrospective. This guy knows his stuff. He almost immediately said âIf you thought last year was good, wait until this year. It will be right up your streetâ. He wasnât joking.
The festival managed to secure 35mm prints of both Sword of Vengeance and the rare Golgo 13, starring Ken Takakura. Just before the lights went down for the former, he told me they had almost given up on securing the film, because Japanese studios such as Toho are so protective of their legacy. They told him if the print was shown, it would have to be burnt straight away. He decided to go down the private collectors route, and discovered a guy in Germany who owns all 6 films in the series, and had given them to a German label for the Blu-ray release. However, when they tested the print, the audio was out of sync. This was days before the film was to be shown. Kudos to the projection team at the best cinema in Edinburgh the Filmhouse, they took apart the projector and through the miracles of soldering and tweezers, managed to sort the problem. I can tell you seeing Sword of Vengeance on the big screen was worth all of their efforts.
It can be difficult to know how to approach reviewing a film as important and notorious as Sword of Vengeance, but Iâll approach it with my ultimate weapon: passion. Some of the series Iâve only watched once, but my favourite was always Babycart at The River Styx. Both Sword of Vengeance and Babycart at The River Styx were combined into the grindhouse classic Shogun Assassin, which as with most of you, I saw first. A bastardisation of the story really, it concentrated on including all of the violence from them. Nothing wrong with that, but in the heart of Lone Wolf and Cub there is a beautifully observed narrative. This is culled from the huge resource of Manga the films are based on, by the wonderful team Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima. Having read most of the series, I can say it is my favourite Manga (and comic book). As the co-programmer of the retrospective David Cairns said, the Manga is sombre and multi-layered, as if Kurosawa had written it.
I would guess that all of our readers know the story already, so Iâll keep it brief. Ogami Itto (Tomisaburo Wakayama) is the Shogunâs executioner, and is framed by the evil Yagyu clan as being disloyal to the Shogunate. He escapes the attack, and goes on the road as an assassin for hire with his infant son Daigoro (Akihiro Tomikawa), and decides to wage war on the Yagyu.
One can only guess at the impact this first movie had on an unsuspecting Japanese and International audience when it was released in 1972. Prior to this, Samurai cinema was classical and traditional concentrating on existential heroes and historical narratives. Sword of Vengeance treads a line between this and exploitation, with blood spurting action and explicit sexual scenes. A game-changing approach, and one that has influenced filmmakers the world over. The most obvious champion is Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bil Vol. 1), without whom the series of films would not be nearly as well known. Director Darren Aranowskyâs (Requiem for a Dream) dream project is a remake. It was revealed recently that the team behind the forthcoming Ghost in the Shell live-action film have optioned the Manga of Lone Wolf and Cub to make a movie. Iâm sure many of you agree with me that itâs a bad choice. There is no need, when there exists these note perfect interpretations. As soon as the first frames of Sword of Vengeance appear onscreen, you just know this movie is going to be a stone cold classic.
As the exploitation genre goes, there may not be another film as beautifully shot and stylistically immersive as Sword of Vengeance. Director Kenji Misumi made many Samurai films prior, with notable inclusions in the Sleepy Eyes of Death and Zatoichi series. His combination of classical Japanese styles with a sharp eye for period detail and gore that had never been seen before in the Samurai genre is a joy to behold. The violence is meticulously staged, with group battles and one on one showdowns ringing with tension. Some of the editing is ground breaking, with short sections depicting extreme violence cutting to long shots with intricate swordplay. One pivotal battle in a lake depicts Ogami Ittoâs sword techniques in unbelievably inventive fashion, with fantastic editing that blows my mind every time I see it. Credit to the soundtrack composers Hideakira Sakurai and Kuuihiko Muurai for creating a beautiful score that compliments the imagery, â it’s even worth listening to on its own.
Wakayama as Itto, in the role that became his signature, is magnificent. He communicates through his body language and eyes a man of iron will that will not be shaken, still able to care for his son and those he meets and helps despite laying waste (in imaginative styles) to all those who oppose him. Wakayamaâs brother Shintaro Katsu (the actor who played the original Zatoichi) produced Sword of Vengeance and the first three films in the series. Tomikawa, as Daigoro, was only 4 years old at the time, and absolutely captures the spirit of the depiction in the Manga. Various bit parts are played by actors such as Fumio Watanabe and Shigeru Tsuyuguchi, who were part of the Toho stable and went on to work on movies such as the Female Prisoner series.
As the lights came up after taking in the movie, I was speechless. I hadnât watched it in a long time, and from the dream like opening to the iconically framed last shot, this is a timeless masterwork.
During the 2015 Hong Kong Filmart, a new movie celebrating Wong Jingâs 100th film as a director, titled The Invincible 12 (aka Dirty Dozen), was announced.
The plan was to cast 12 leading men whom he worked with previously. The actors he was considering include Chow Yun-Fat, Jackie Chan, Andy Lau, Huang Xiao Ming, Louis Koo, Nick Cheung, Ekin Cheng, Daniel Wu, Shawn Yue, Nicholas Tse and Tony Leung Ka Fai.
Wong stated that The Invincible 12 would be an action-packed, HK$ 300 million blockbuster full of pretty girls and a lot of fun for the audience. Filming was supposed to start in June of 2016 (which obviously didn’t happen) but now we have new updates suggesting the project is still alive…
According to MT (via DiP), Wong Jing revealed that he still intends to make The Invincible 12 and plans to bring together Donnie Yen, Andy Lau and Chow Yun-Fat as a big tribute to classic Hong Kong cinema. None of the actors are officially signed on, but Jing did make one thing clear: “There will be Chow Yun Fat, without him, I would not shoot.” During this same meeting, Jing also announced the inclusion of Andy Lau in Donnie Yen’s Chasing the Dragon.
The veteran filmmaker directed his first film, Challenge of the Gamesters, in 1981. Since then, he has gone on to write, direct and produce a huge number of films, including some very commercially successful ones such as God of Gamblers, Royal Tramp and City Hunter.
It’s probably time for them to update the 2015 teaser poster for the film. If our calculations are right, The Invincible 12 would now be Jing’s 102th film.
We’ll keep you updated on The Invincible 12 as we hear more. For now, watch this:
Martial arts star Conan Lee (Cyprus Tigers) â an actor known for the Hong Kong classics Ninja in the Dragon’s Den and Tiger on the Beat, and Hollywood films such as Eliminators, Armed Response and Lethal Weapon 4 â is making a comeback in MMA, an upcoming film he’s directing, writing and also starring in.
According to SA, MMA is a semi-autobiographical tale about an action star “who is more than willing to put his career on hold to care for his ailing mother. He sees the sacrifice as a simple gesture of gratitude, happy to give back to the woman who gave him everything.”
MMA (perhaps a double entendre for both MMA and MAMA, as suggested by SA) is set to begin production in September. Stay tuned for more details.
For now, here’s a look at what Conan Lee is capable of:
Fists of Fury: 4K Special Edition | Blu-ray (Shout! Factory)
RELEASE DATE: December 6, 2016
Shout! Factory presents the Collector’s Edition Blu-ray for Fists of Fury (aka The Big Boss), featuring an all-new 4K scan and restoration from the film’s original negative.
Fists of Fury stars martial arts legend Bruce Lee as Cheng Chao-an, a young man that moves to Thailand to take a job in an ice factory.
One day, when a block of ice is cracked open, two co-workers find out that something is being smuggled inside the blocks of ice. The two workers disappear without a trace and Cheng starts to investigate their disappearance. He soon finds out that the factory is smuggling heroin and comes face to face with the Big Boss for a climatic showdown.
Product information:
Running Time: 100 min.
Aspect Raio: 2.35:1
Languages: English, Cantonese, Mandarin
Subtitles: English
NEW Audio Commentary With Asian Film Expert Brandon Bentley
Audio Commentary With Asian Film Expert Mike Leeder
Includes Rare English Dub Track That Was Not Used For Its U.S. Release
The Chinese Connection: 4K Collector’s Edition | Blu-ray (Shout! Factory)
RELEASE DATE: December 6, 2016
Shout! Factory presents the Collector’s Edition Blu-ray for The Chinese Connection (aka Fist of Fury), featuring an all-new 4K scan and restoration from the film’s original negative.
In The Chinese Connection Chen Zhen (Bruce Lee) returns to Shanghai to attend the funeral of his teacher. He vows to uncover what happened to his mentor and all signs point to the local Japanese Marital Arts school who have been taunting and insulting the students of the Ching Wu School.
The local police won’t do anything about the death, so Chen decides to restore honor to his school and his teacher by bringing down some furious vengeance on the Japanese school.
Product information:
Running Time: 106 min.
Aspect Raio: 2.35:1
Languages: English, Cantonese, Mandarin
Subtitles: English
Audio Commentary With Asian Film Expert Mike Leeder
After apparently feeling that his job was done, director Shunya Ito left the Scorpion series after the third film, Beast Stable. Stepping into his place would be Yasuharu Hasebe, a director with no shortage of experience working in the exploitation genre, including three Stray Cat Rock films with Scorpion star Meiko Kaji. In his time on the Scorpion series, Ito brought crazy visuals, angry political commentary, and nightmarish horror aspects to the story of the female prisoner antihero. Hasebeâs vision is more restrained, more⊠sane. And as an unfortunate result, Hasebeâs Scorpion is a less interesting movie than what came before.
Matsushima the Scorpion (Meiko Kaji) is still on the run, but the cops are closing in. After a violent run-in with the fascistic Detective Kodama (Eros + Massacreâs Toshiyuki Hosokawa), Matsushima hides out in the bathroom of a strip club. If youâre familiar with the series, the idea of sneaking into a seedy sex club probably seems like the worst idea imaginable. However, Matsushima finds the most unlikely thing in that strip club: a caring man with whom she will soon fall in love with. The sex clubâs technician Kudo (Masakazu Tamura) isnât interested in Matsu for sex or a reward from the police. Theyâre kindred spirits with similar backgrounds of fighting the system, each with the scars to prove it. Kudo and Matsushima flee together, leading the cops on a chase throughout the city. But itâs not long before the cops catch Kudo and torture him for information. Will he, like his lover, keep silent in the face of opposition? Or will he break and reveal Matsushimaâs hiding place to the cops who so want to punish her for all her misdeeds?
Both visually and dramatically, #701âs Grudge Song is a major departure from the tone that Ito helped create in the first three films. I have no issue with Matsu falling in loveâher whole story of vengeance began with a sad love story, after allâbut sheâs not really the same character for much of the movie here. Itoâs Scorpion was a woman of action, Hasebeâs Scorpion is one of reaction. Sheâs chased, so she runs. Sheâs attacked, so she fights back. Sheâs wronged, so she retaliates. The Scorpion avenger who inspired fear amongst those around her doesnât reveal herself until the filmâs final moments (which, it should be noted, are also the filmâs most visually inventive). Even Meiko Kajiâs terrifying glare is much more subdued this time around.
Even ignoring how it compares to the earlier films in the series, #701âs Grudge Song storyline is poorly constructed. Itâs a film thatâs split right down the middle, with the chase for the fugitives dominating the first half and a return to the prison system in the second half. While I appreciated Grudge Songâs attempt to come full circle and return to the first filmâs setting, the second half has all new supporting characters and half-baked subplots that feel rushed.
The love interest character Kudo makes for a fine addition to the story. Masakazu Tamura (Samurai Banners) does a good job with the conflicted character. Kudo succeeds when heâs silent and violent like Matsushima, and he falters when heâs soft. Kudo also represents the only major political subplot of the film, as he was once a student protester and is now crippled by the punishment the police dished out on him back then.
The new villain Detective Kodama is a less interesting addition. The villains of Itoâs Scorpion films all had personal grudges against Matsushima, thus making their rivalries more dramatically compelling. Dirty cop Sugimi (Isao Natsuyagi) used Matsushima and tried to cover it up. Warden Goda (Fumio Watanabe) was a cruel man that treated Scorpion like any other inmate until she cost him his eye. Katsu (Reisen Ri) was a former inmate who bore a grudge against Matsushima for their time spent in prison together. Not to mention the strong villains brought to life by Kayoko Shiraishi, Mikio Narita, and Rie Yokoyama. Toshiyuki Hosokawaâs Detective Kodama is a cruel bastard that wants to see Matsushima punished because sheâs committed crimes and killed cops⊠and thatâs pretty much it. Thereâs no real link between Scorpion and Kodama beyond the fact that they belong to opposite sides of the law. Despite this, the obsessive detective goes to cruel, illegal lengths to punish Scorpion. It just doesnât make for a great villain. Itâs not helped much by the fact that Toshiyuki Hosokawaâs performance is a little stiff and one-note.
Yasuharu Hasebeâs Female Prisoner Scorpion: #701âs Grudge Song is not a bad film but it doesnât look so good following the wild pieces of cinema that Shunya Ito created. The things that made the series so special and weird are in short supply here. Even Meiko Kajiâs performance isnât the same. The actress has since said that she quit the series after this film because the role was so exhausting, both physically and mentally, and thatâs beginning to show here as she looks a bit tired.
The series would continue without Kaji, as series assistant director Yutaka Kohira rebooted the series with New Female Prisoner Scorpion: #701, starring Yumi Takigawa as Matsushima in one film and Yoko Natsuki in the next. There would be future remakes and reboots, as well, with varying degrees of success. But nothing quite matches what Kaji and Ito created. The Scorpion films are based on a manga series by Toru Shinohara, who also created Zero Woman. The first Scorpion movie is said to be a fairly faithful adaptation, except in the case of the title character. In the manga, Matsushima is a buxom blonde with a foul mouth. It was supposedly Kajiâs idea, after reading the script, to perform the character mostly mute. The choice to change the character, which mightâve bugged fans of the source material at the time if current comic-to-film changes are any indication, would end up being one of the best creative decisions for the series. Most performers are looking for more lines, but the bold choice to go silent made the Scorpion more intimidating and memorable. A fantastic lead female performance, matched with crazy visuals, political symbolism, and no shortage of exploitation cinema trademarks, the Female Prisoner Scorpion series is crazy cool.
Kyle Warner’s Rating: 6.5/10
About this release: The Female Prisoner Scorpion series arrives on Blu-ray and DVD in a box set of the original four films from Arrow Video. The release is said to be a limited edition of only 4,000 copies and is available in the US and the UK. As stated in my earlier reviews and by other reviewers all across the web, the picture quality of the new release leaves something to be desired. Very grainy and very blue, itâs a rough video transfer thanks to poor source materials. Everything else about the set is top-notch, though. It comes in a sturdy box with attractive new art from Ian MacEwan.
The films come in individual Blu-ray cases with reversible artworkâone side is MacEwanâs new art, one side is the original poster. Thereâs also a hardbound 56-page booklet and a folded up, double-sided poster. The little book is a nice addition; it has a Chris D. interview with Meiko Kaji from 1997, a translated interview with manga Scorpion creator Toru Shinohara, and a great series overview written by Chuck Stephens. I thought each piece was an excellent read.
The special features are different for each disc, with extras both old and new (you can read my reviews for the earlier films Prisoner #701: Scorpion, Jailhouse 41, and Beast Stable for details and comments on those special features). #701’s Grudge Songâs disc includes Japanese film expert Jasper Sharpâs exploration of Yasuharu Hasebeâs film career, an archival interview with Hasebe on finishing the Scorpion series, a 40 minute visual essay on the Scorpion series from Midnight Eyeâs Tom Mes, and an appreciation from filmmaker Kazuyoshi Kumakiri (Kichiku: Banquet of the Beasts). Director Kumakiri talks about how the Scorpion series influenced his films and how he admires âshowmanshipâ and reckless, daring filmmaking. Itâs not the most focused of interviews and I donât know Kumakiriâs films well, but itâs entertaining. Jasper Sharpâs detailed rundown of Hasebeâs career is worth watching, especially if youâre familiar with the directorâs other works. The 2006 Hasebe interview is a very welcome addition, as he talks about growing up on American cinema, becoming a director, working with Meiko Kaji, and his intentions when he made the #701âs Grudge Song. I think the Hasebe interview is the best extra on the disc.
The 40 minute visual essay on the series from Tom Mes is pretty good, though sometimes it feels like repeated information. The soft-spoken Mes knows his subject well, putting the Scorpion series into historical context with Japanese cinema at the time it hit theatres. The best part of this extra from Mes is the short glimpse at footage of other, later Scorpion series. Iâm especially keen to see the 1991 V-Cinema film from Evil Dead Trap director Toshiharu Ikeda.
All in all, itâs another solid disc with some welcome extra features for fans of the series. Though the picture quality for all films is lacking, Iâve very much enjoyed digging through the Scorpion box set.
As a child of the early 80âs I, and most likely many others, had my first exposure to John Woo from his 1993 Hollywood debut Hard Target. A tale which seeâs Jean Claude Van Damme on the run from a group of wealthy hunters, led by a menacing Lance Henriksen, despite Wooâs own complaints about what he felt was a rushed production schedule, the final version still arguably delivers an action classic. I still remember being on holiday with my parents as a teenager, and picking up a double VHS pack which contained Hard Target (the âFull Uncensored Versionâ no less) on one tape, and Timecop on the other. While Van Dammeâs time travelling action flick certainly entered the VHS player more than once, it was usually Hard Target which needed to be ejected first – simply put it lived in the player.
Timecop may have gotten a Van Damme-less sequel in 2003, with the Jason Scott Lee vehicle Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision, but Hard Target has had to wait a significantly longer time, with an equally Van Damme-less sequel being delivered in 2016. In place of the Muscles from Brussels, we have who many people consider to be his spiritual successor, British martial arts star Scott Adkins. Adkins has stated many times how much Van Damme was an influence on his career, and to date the pair have featured in four movies together, proving that in some cases, dreams do indeed come true. For the sequel, Adkins finds himself back in Myanmar, the country which also provided the stomping ground for his 2013 movie Ninja: Shadow of a Tear.
The story see Adkins playing an MMA fighter, who during a fight which pits him against one of his closest friends, sees him accidentally kill his opponent. To drown his sorrows, he ups and leaves the States to move to a ramshackle hut in Bangkok, in which he lives with a pet white dove (itâs never clearly stated if it is his pet, but itâs always hopping about in the hut somewhere), the digital watch his friend gifted him with before their fight, and plenty of alcohol. Adkins spends his time in Bangkok switching between American and British accents, drinking, and getting involved in a series of bare knuckle off the books fight tournaments. When a rich business man, played by Prison Breakâs Robert Knepper, offers him a million dollar pay cheque to take part in a final match in Myanmar, Adkins takes the bait, and the rest as they say, is history.
Things do get a little more interesting once the action moves to the jungles of Myanmar (although the scenes are actually shot in Thailand). Knepper and Morrison lead 6 other hunters â a redneck father and his reluctant son, a big game hunter, a matador (who comes complete with sword), a first person shooter software developer (donât ask), and a spoilt rich girl with a sadistic streak, notably played by British actress Rhona Mitra, who refined her action chops in 2008âs <em>Doomsday</em>. After narrowly escaping his first encounter with the hunters, Adkins happens upon one of the locals, played by Ann Truong, who becomes his guide through the dense jungle. Truongâs wardrobe makes her appear as if sheâs just come from auditioning for the role of Pocahontas, but her character is a pleasant enough addition, and she soon has Adkins paying his respects to the âspirits of the forestâ and ensuring her safety.
When it comes to the action, the vast majority of it consists of Adkins dodging arrows, being thrown into the air from explosions, and indulging in some fisticuffs. Itâs a somewhat surprising decision that two of the one-on-one fights during the hunt donât go to Adkins at all, instead giving us an all female showdown with Ann Truong vs. Rhona Mitra, and then later the actor who plays Truongâs brother fights the matador. Both fights are completely unremarkable, and plagued by quick cutting to disguise the lack of screen fighting talent. However itâs perhaps indicative that beyond the Adkins Greatest Hits book of moves, the choreographers really didnât have much up their sleeve for him to do. There is a face off which pits Adkins against Mitra mid-way through, however itâs so stilted and one-sided that it leaves the memory almost as soon as itâs over.
Proceedings build up to a finale which attempts to rectify this, as events culminate in a New One Armed Swordsman style stand off on a bridge, which pits Adkins against 5 of Knepperâs fighters at once (two of which are played by Jija Yanin and Patrick Kazu Tang, clocking in about 30 seconds of screen-time between them), followed by Morrison, and then Knepper himself. It allows Adkins the chance to briefly let loose, in a face off which provides the most complex choreography of the movie, but thereâs an inescapable feeling that it was rushed. Some camera angles are taken from rather odd positions, and there are kicks on display which clearly donât connect, immediately taking you out of the action. Itâs enough to make you wish that Hard Target 2 had a bigger budget behind it, combined with more time to film, as thereâs a good action B-movie in there somewhere.
A remake of John Sturges 1960 classic, The Magnificent Seven, is shooting to theaters on September 23, 2016. Antoine Fuqua (The Equalizer) is directing the film, which is based off a script by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side) and Nic Pizzolatto (True Detective).
The original The Magnificent Seven (read our review) â a remake itself of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai â starred Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, and Horst Buchholz. The plot involved seven American gunmen who are hired to protect a small village in Mexico from a group of Mexican bandits.
Fuqua brings his modern vision to a classic story. With the town of Rose Creek under the deadly control of industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), the desperate townspeople employ protection from seven outlaws, bounty hunters, gamblers and hired guns consisting of Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), Josh Farraday (Chris Pratt), Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), Jack Horne (Vincent DâOnofrio), Billy Rocks (Byung-Hun Lee of I Saw the Devil), Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier).
It’s been over ten years since the release of 2003’s Shanghai Knights – and, indeed, it’s strange to reflect back on a time when Donnie Yen’s most high-profile gigs included a cameo in a Jackie Chan Hollywood movie – and rumors of a sequel have been long dormant.
The franchise, which saw Jackie Chan’s Imperial guard teaming up with Owen Wilson’s laconic outlaw, was always viewed as something of an Old West take on the popular Rush Hour formula (i.e. pair Jackie Chan’s fists of fury with a fast-talking funnyman).
Now, THR reports that MGM has recruited Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) to direct Shanghai Dawn. Back in ’03 Owen Wilson had told Empire Magazine he thought a third film in the series might see him and Jack head to Egypt. Who knows if that particular plotline will survive, but the question remains: would you be interested in seeing Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson team up one last time to close out the Shanghai Noon trilogy?
In addition to Shanghai Noon, Chan now currently has many movies on his current/to-do list, including Bleeding Steel, Chinese Zodiac 2, The Civilian and a possible Rush Hour sequel. In the next year or so, you can catch him in a handful of upcoming titles, which include Foreigner, Kung Fu Yoga and Railroad Tigers. His latest  released film, Skiptrace, is currently available On Demand.
Director David Lam (Street Angels) and superstar Louis Koo (The White Storm) are back with S-Storm, the sequel to 2014’s Z-Storm. S-Storm follows the further predicaments of William Luk Che Lim (Koo) â a lead investigator in the ICAC unit (Independent Commission Against Corruption) â and his war with naughty organizations.
S-Storm features a mix of new and returning stars that include Julian Cheung (Flying Daggers), Vic Chou (Detective Gui), Ada Choi (Fist of Legend), Dada Chan (Z-Storm), Janelle Sing (Kung Fu Angels)Â and Bowie Lam (The Most Wanted).
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