Heroic Ones, The (1970) Review

Posted on March 19, 2015 by JJ Hatfield
"The Heroic Ones" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The Heroic Ones” Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Shaolin Masters
Director: Chang Cheh
Writer: Chang Cheh, Ni Kuang
Producer: Run Run Shaw
Cast: David Chiang, Ti Lung, Chan Chuen, Lily Li Li Li, Chan Sing, Bolo Yeung, Ku Feng, Chin Han, Wang Chung, James Nam Gung Fan, Chan Feng Chen, Cheng Hong Yip
Running Time: 121 min.

By JJ Hatfield

In a time when warring factions fought for a divided China, a powerful Mongol warlord and his thirteen generals ruled the territory with swift and savage force. Any and all who dared challenge their authority were summarily dispatched. They were an invincible force none could defeat, meeting every challenge with supreme confidence, never doubting certain success. To those who counted them on their side they were The Heroic Ones.

Amidst the chaos and conflict of the latter part of the Tang Dynasty, Li Ke-Yung, played by Ku Feng (My Rebellious Son), together with his thirteen generals, is a power to be reckoned with. Li considers all the generals his offspring, lavishing them with the best of everything, denying them nothing. His generals are as enthusiastic about bloody battle as they are about drunken debauchery – every one of them a fierce fighter and arrogant as hell.

The Heroic Ones is directed by the prolific Chang Cheh (Five Deadly Venoms) with David Chiang (Kung Fu Jungle) and Ti Lung (A Better Tomorrow) having standout roles in the large cast. Though an early ‘Iron Triangle’ film, Chiang has the lead role to himself with the most screen time as Li Tsun Hsiao, the youngest of the thirteen and the fond favorite of Li Ke-Yung. Tsun Hsiao is deadly in combat being exceptionally skilled with a spear. He also carries out a unique piece of action choreography during an encounter with an enemy general played by Bolo Yeung of Enter the Dragon fame.

Ti Lung is Shih Ching Szu, the only other brother to recieve much attention from Li Ke-Yung. Though he isn’t the focus of the film, Ti manages to shine in an epic warrior battle against a barrage of hundreds of the enemy. Not only an impressive display of valor but one of the longest fight scenes to be found in a martial movie of any age.

With The Heroic Ones, Chang and his co-writer Kuang Ni (The Pirate) drew from the late 800’s – early 900’s China for the basis of the story with more more than a few liberties taken with the facts. The movie has been noted by some for the effort afforded to costumes and set pieces consistent with the time period and culture, but it should not by any means be taken as a true portrait of history.

If The Heroic Ones was being filmed today, it would feature computer generated armies with one or two actual people doing battle. In 1969, they did it the real way with a couple hundred people and Lau Kar-leung, Tony Gaai, and Lau Kar-wing orchestrating the training and directing for the throng of actors, stuntmen and extras who must appear to be familiar with weapons. The hard work paid off in the realism of fight scenes, many times with one general against a multitude.

Once the onslaught begins, the torrent of enemies rarely lets up. Purely on an action level fans will be thrilled with the profusion of nearly non-stop combat and The Heroic Ones certainly delivers on that count. Unfortunately, the size of the cast is unwieldy even in Chang Cheh’s usually capable hands. And though the film clocks in at a little over two hours, Chang spends little time on character development for the majority of the cast. That decision on Chang’s part ultimately renders the film’s ending unfulfilling, lacking the impact The Heroic Ones could have had.

JJ Hatfield’s Rating: 7.5/10

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

Blind Woman’s Curse (1970) Review

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Kelly Warner
Blind Woman’s Curse | Blu-ray (Arrow Video)

Blind Woman’s Curse | Blu-ray (Arrow Video)

AKA: Black Cat’s Revenge
Director: Teruo Ishii
Cast: Meiko Kaji, Hoki Tokuda, Makoto Sato, Hideo Sunazuka, Shiro Otsuji, Toru Abe
Running Time: 85 min.

By Kelly Warner

Teruo Ishii was an incredibly prolific filmmaker, directing nearly fifty movies in the 1960s alone. Referred to in Japan as “the King of Cult”, Ishii dabbled in many genres: he made exploitation films such as the Joys of Torture series, a large collection of gangster pics like Female Yakuza Tale, and also some horror films like the controversial Horrors of Malformed Men (which I believe is still banned in its native Japan). His 1970 film Blind Woman’s Curse could almost be described as a sampler platter of the themes and styles he worked with throughout his career. Blind Woman’s Curse is a very strange film – part yakuza revenge tale and part grotesque horror show – but it’s a whole lot of fun to watch.

In the stylish, slow-motion opening sequence, female yakuza Akemi Tachibana (Meiko Kaji) and her gang raid a rival’s stronghold. As she’s striking down the rival’s boss, her sword accidentally swipes across the eyes of the old man’s female underling. The woman goes down screaming and out of nowhere a black cat appears to lap up the blood that gushes from her eyes. Tachibana goes to prison for her crimes, but the prison bars are the least of her worries – she believes she has been cursed by the cat: “A black cat that loved the taste of blood.” Three years later and Tachibana’s out of prison. She reforms her gang, now mainly operated by women she met in prison, all of whom are decked out with the same dragon tattoo. Tachibana’s problems multiply as a new rival wants her turf… and her past comes back to haunt her.

The story really gets interesting when a blind swordswoman enters the picture. The blind woman resides in a grotesque theatre-based freak show, and is aided by a crazy hunchback and an evil black cat. From her theatre, the vengeful swordswoman plots against Tachibana, and the hunchback picks off members of the Tachibana crew one by one, cutting the dragon tattoos from their backs as trophies.

It’s an interesting mix of genres and for the most part it succeeds in throwing competing styles into the same story. However, some scenes stand out so much that they seem to belong to an entirely different movie. There’s just so much going on in Blind Woman’s Curse – so many unique visuals and crazy ideas – that perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised when some of it doesn’t make that much sense. What’s frustrating, though, is that the film doesn’t allow all of its various themes and plot points to reach a satisfying conclusion. Is something truly supernatural going on or is it just made to seem that way? Did all of our heroes survive the final battle? You’re not likely to notice this until after the film is finished – during the film you’re gonna be having too much fun with the nonsense on screen – but in the hours or days after holes in the film may seem to develop. I really enjoyed the film, but the execution can be a bit messy.

At the center of it all is Meiko Kaji. The film came out as she was beginning her steady rise to fame and Kaji puts forth a strong performance as the center of the film’s ensemble. It’s actually a warmer character than most US fans would expect from her, but you can see the traits that would later find their way into more well-known roles such as Lady Snowblood, Female Convict: Scorpion, and Wandering Ginza Butterfly in the years to come. In the 1970s Meiko Kaji would become one of the most popular and highest paid Japanese actresses, so it’s interesting to watch Blind Woman’s Curse and see some of that star power as it first started to present itself.

There are also some fine comedic performances from Hideo Sunazuka (Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster) and Ryohei Uchida (Shadow Hunters). Uchida’s character is a real oddball – he plays a foul-smelling gangster that goes around in a bowler hat, jacket, and red loincloth. I think Uchida’s exposed backside receives more close-ups than his face does. It’s stupid, cheap comedy, but somehow it feels right at home in a movie like this.

Blind Woman’s Curse can also be seen as a film that helps represent the ending of an era. The film industry in Japan had been incredibly successful in the 50s and early 60s, but by the end of the 60s ticket sales were steadily declining. Much of this was thanks to the rise in TV productions in Japan –why go to see a movie when you can stay at home and see some of the same stories on TV for free? Major studios like Daiei were folding while other studios were forced to make fewer movies on smaller budgets. Nikkatsu, the studio behind Blind Woman’s Curse, went in a different direction. Starting the year after Blind Woman’s Curse, Nikkatsu changed its entire production model and moved towards almost exclusively filming Roman-Pornos (or pink films). Much of the talent that had been groomed at Nikkatsu – including Meiko Kaji – wanted no part in this change and quickly jumped ship, joining other studios instead. In recent years Nikkatsu has gotten back to producing films for general audiences again and has a hand in such films as Yakuza Apocalypse, Tokyo Tribe, and Killers.

Blind Woman’s Curse arrives on Blu-ray thanks to Arrow Video. Film buffs in the US should definitely be excited that Arrow has chosen to cross the pond and release Blu-rays stateside. Similar to Shout! Factory and Criterion, Arrow uncovers gems from years past and gives them the care they deserve, with great picture and interesting extras. Blind Woman’s Curse is now 45 years old and it looks absolutely excellent on Blu-ray. For extras we get a commentary from Japanese film expert Jasper Sharp, a trailer for Blind Woman’s Curse, four trailers for the Stray Cat Rock series which Meiko Kaji starred in, and a booklet with an essay on the film from Midnight Eye’s Tom Mes. Jasper Sharp’s commentary is very informative, lending lots of information about Ishii, Kaji, and the state of Nikkatsu at the time of the production. I enjoyed listening to it. Sharp also mentions that the film was once known to some foreign audiences under the title of The Haunted Life of a Dragon-Tattooed Lass — which is such an awesome title that I’m shocked they changed it.

Blind Woman’s Curse is often strange and sometimes nasty, but Ishii’s colorful style is infectious, giving the viewer plenty of shocks and laughs along the way. The film’s many bizarre ideas don’t always connect to make a cohesive whole, but it’s a fun film experience and one you won’t soon forget.

Kelly Warner’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in Japanese, News, Reviews | Tagged , |

‘I’m Not Bruce’ moves forward despite unsuccessful funding

Posted on March 17, 2015 by JJ Bona
"I Love You, Bruce Lee" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"I Love You, Bruce Lee" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Looks like documentarian Mark Hartley may have some furious competition ahead of him. Hartley’s first film, Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! (2008), examined the deranged side of Australian cinema; his second, Machete Maidens Unleashed! (2010), explored the tropical storm of some of the most wackiest movies produced in the Philippines; and his latest feature, Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014), reminded us how an insanely productive B-movie company was responsible for corrupting our childhoods with sex ‘n violence (as Paul Bramhall states in his review).

Now, the upcoming I’m Not Bruce, a documentary that centers on “Bruceploitation” flicks – a sub-genre that had actors mimic the look, style, and mannerisms of martial arts legend Bruce Lee – is currently in the works by filmmaker Nickolas Nielsen (Critical Fumble).

I’m Not Bruce promises to uncover questions like: Why did they make so many knock-off movies imitating Bruce Lee? How did these projects come to fruition? What’s their story? And most interesting of all, Nielsen is planning to locate Bruce Li (The Chinese Stuntman), Bruce Le (Mission Terminate), Dragon Lee (Enter Three Dragons), etc., so we can finally meet the real clones as they reflect on their infamous careers.

The producers are aiming for a December 2015 release. Until then, you can help fund I’m Not Bruce by visiting its Kickstarter page – or by simply spreading the word about this ambitious project. Until then, be sure to check out our extensive list of Bruceploitation reviews.

Updates: The Bad News: The documentary did not reach its Kickstarter goal (only $2,344 of $96,000 was pledged); The Good News: Director Nickolas Nielsen is still moving forward with it! In addition to already-filmed interviews – with Leo Fong (Killpoint), Deborah Dutch (Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave), Andre Morgan (producer of Enter the Dragon) and Mel Novak (Game of Death) – Nielsen is currently wrapping up an interview with Martin Kove (Karate Kid). We’ll keep you updated on I’m Not Bruce as we hear more. We definitely commend Nielsen for his continued dedication to making the documentary happen!

Posted in News |

Jason Statham poses solo in the new ‘Spy’ poster!

Posted on March 17, 2015 by JJ Bona
"Spy" Teaser Poster

"Spy" Teaser Poster

Jason Statham (Parker) will be starring alongside Melissa McCarthy (The Heat) in Spy, formerly known as Susan Cooper, an upcoming action-comedy directed by Paul Feig (Bridesmaids). The film also stars Rose Byrne, Jude Law, Bobby Cannavale, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Peter Serafinowicz, Miranda Hart, Allison Janney and Morena Baccarin. It hits theaters on May 22, 2015.

The thought of Statham doing an “action-comedy” with McCarthy isn’t as odd as you think. We’re obviously used to all the testosterone-filled movies he currently does, but let’s not forget that he wasn’t always the action star that he is today. In films like 1998’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and 2000’s Snatch, it was more of his comedic performance that ultimately caught Hollywood’s attention.

Updates: New Red and Green Band trailers for Spy.

BREAKING NEWS: Check out one of the latest posters featuring Jason Statham.

Posted in News |

Strike of Thunderkick Tiger (1981) Review

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Paul Bramhall
"Strike of Thunderkick Tiger" Korean Theatrical Poster

“Strike of Thunderkick Tiger” Korean Theatrical Poster

AKA: My Name is Twin Legs
Director: Park Woo Sang
Cast: Charles Han, Casanova Wong, Bak Min Wong, Han Jee Ha, Peggy Min, Lisa Lee, Billy Yuen, Alfred Ma, Chan Taiyun, Dragon Lee, Phillip Leung, David Kao
Running Time: 85 min.

By Paul Bramhall

The Korean old-school kung fu movie is without doubt the most bastardized genre out there. To this day, the number of legitimate releases of old school Korean kung fu on DVD, which contain the original Korean language track, original title sequence, with an uncut run time, equate to a grand total of zero. Robbing the western world of its chance to see these Korean movies in their original format usually comes down to the man named Godfrey Ho. A Hong Kong filmmaker who became legendary in the 1980’s for creating the ‘cut and paste’ movie – usually involving purchasing the rights for low budget Thai or Filipino movies, re-dubbing them, and splicing in newly filmed ninja footage in an attempt to create a whole new movie.

When Ho wasn’t busy with his cut and paste jobs, his production company Asso Asia, which he ran along with Joseph Lai and Tomas Tang, was also in the habit of purchasing overseas distribution rights for Korean movies. While the Korean productions would usually escape the fate of being cut to pieces and inserted into other footage, the alternative wasn’t much better.

The typical case would see a new opening sequence inserted over the original one, replacing the actor’s names with English pseudonyms, adding a whole new title, and using a fake director’s name. The plots would then be re-dubbed, usually in a bizarre mix of heavy cockney, stiff upper lip English, and straight-out-of-a-western American. It may sound like a potent combination, but it worked, the companies policy of aiming specifically for the English language market at bargain prices saw their made over (or perhaps ‘under’ is a better term) flicks become distributed far and wide.

Skip forward to around 35 years later, and it’s these versions that remain as the only available options to check out Korea’s entries into the kung-fu genre. Strike of Thunderkick Tiger is one such example. Originally released in its native Korea under the title My Name is Twin Legs and directed by Park Woo-sang, Asso Asia got their hands on it and edited it into the version most widely available today, with a credit sequence which lists the director as Henry Wong.

What’s interesting in the case of Strike of Thunderkick Tiger, is that it appears to be a Korean production filmed at least partly in Hong Kong. During the 70’s Hong Kong productions often filmed in Korea due to the wider variety of choices when it came to filming locations, something that the small island of Hong Kong and its New Territories couldn’t compete with, however it’s unusual to see the scenario reversed. At first I thought the scenes of Hong Kong must have been another cut and paste job, but scenes when a vehicle with HK number plates arrives to pick up a character, along with another on the famous HK Star Ferry, confirm that it was definitely filmed there.

While it’s safe to say the dubbing of the movie gives it a plot which strays from the original version, one thing that can’t be denied is that – when approached with the right mindset – a lot of entertainment can be had from the reworked scripting. So here we have three main characters, Snake, Monkey, and of course, Thunderkick Tiger. Snake is played by the legendary Casanova Wong, best known for his roles in the Sammo Hung classics The Iron Fisted Monk and Warriors Two. Monkey is played by Wong Bak-min, and the Thunderkick Tiger is played by Han Yong-cheol, who became better known as Charles Han.

Yong-cheol worked almost exclusively in Korea, and never attempted to break into Hong Kong, and as such not as many fans are aware of him as his contemporaries like Casanova and Hwang Jang Lee. However at 6 feet tall, a Taekwondo expert, and usually found adorned in some dapper 70’s threads, even in the heavily dubbed and altered versions of his movies that we’re left with, it’s easy to see the guy had plenty of charisma and screen presence. Combine that with his impressive height, and when he unleashes his kicks, it’s a pleasure to watch. Amusingly, in the dub it’s explained that he once had both of his legs broken, and as a result when they healed they became much stronger than an average persons legs. If you’re going to watch this movie, you have to accept that this makes sense.

The plot, for what it’s worth, involves a bag of stolen money that all three characters are after. Yes, it’s like a kung fu version of The Good, The Bad, The Weird. The guy who originally stole the money died, but not before depositing the money in the bank, and putting the account details in a Rubik’s Cube, which he left with his niece who keeps the cube in her bra. I can’t imagine it’s particularly comfortable, but no one seems phased when she takes it out. Eventually of course things come to a head, but not before plenty of fist and kicks are thrown.

Special mention must go to Casanova Wong’s performance, as it alone is almost enough reason to warrant giving Strike of Thunderkick Tiger a viewing. Wong’s vicious gangster is gay, and spends part of the movie running around in a blue leotard and black tights. Yes you read that right. If the immediate assumption is that it must have been written in as part of the new dub, the fact that he has a ‘partner’ who wears a layer of white makeup with red lipstick, and likes to mimic everything that Wong does, confirm that his character was always intended to be played that way. At one point Wong even kisses him on the cheek, before yelling at him to put more lipstick on! It certainly stands out in Wong’s filmography as his most unique role, but thankfully it plays no part in affecting his fighting performance.

For a 1981 Korean movie, the fight action is particularly impressive for those looking purely for their kung fu fix. The benefit of these Korean flicks is that almost all the performers are usually Taekwondo experts, rather than trained screen fighters that the Beijing Opera Schools produced in HK, so as a result we’re always treated to plenty of high power kicking. In Strike of Thunderkick Tiger many of the fights are ridiculously under cranked, however ultimately it doesn’t take away from them. This applies particularly to the finale, which momentarily presents us with the unique scenario of 3 characters all going at each with equal ferocity, before segueing into a more traditional 2-on-1.

There’s also plenty of one versus many throw downs throughout, usually involving Yong-cheol dishing out his thunderkicks to a bunch of hapless goons, but it all makes for an entertaining watch, his single legged multiple kick being of particular note. Throw in musical cues which range from A Clockwork Orange to Korea’s own Miss, Please Be Patient, and Strike of Thunderkick Tiger is a worthy entry into the old school kung fu genre. What gives the movie its Korean identity more than anything else though is its closing moments, which feature a twist that, despite all the goofy dubbing and nonsensical events which have just taken place, manage to provide a dramatic punch to the chest that only Korean cinema is, and it appears always has been, capable of.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 6.5/10

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

Chow Yun Fat takes on Stephen Chow, Jet Li and Aaron Kwok in the fight for Lunar New Year box office supremacy in 2016

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Sam the Man
"From Vegas To Macau II" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"From Vegas To Macau II" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Since its release during the Lunar New Year holiday in China, Chow Yun Fat’s From Vegas to Macau 2 (aka The Man From Macau 2) has earned over RMB900 million at the box office, well exceeding its predecessor’s RMB600 million. So it should come as no surprise that there will be a third film in the franchise.

It has just been officially announced that From Vegas to Macau 3 will be filmed this year with a budget of RMB200 million, and some parts may be filmed in Vegas. The film will join a crowded line-up at the cinemas during the Lunar New Year period in 2016, which already includes:

– Stephen Chow’s Mermaid, his latest film since Journey to the West 3D

– Jet Li and Huang Xiao Ming’s 3D Investiture of the Gods, an adaptation of the classic Chinese fantasy novel that features gods, demons, spirits and humans

– Aaron Kwok and Gong Li’s Monkey King: White Bone Fiend, the sequel to Donnie Yen’s Monkey King, only without Yen who is busy with other projects.

Which one of these Chinese blockbusters are you most looking forward to seeing?

Posted in News |

Ran (1985) Review

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Kelly Warner
"Ran" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"Ran" Japanese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Chaos
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Writer: Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, Masato Ide
Producer: Serge Silverman, Masato Hara
Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryu, Masayuki Yui, Kazuo Kato, Peter, Hitoshi Ueki, Jun Tazaki, Mieko Harada, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Norio Matsui
Running Time: 160 min.

By Kyle Warner

Throughout Akira Kurosawa’s illustrious career the director often adapted classic literature from overseas and transformed the stories into tales about Japan. Some of his favorite writers that he took the most inspiration from were Shakespeare, Dostoevsky, and Maxim Gorky, but it’s the Shakespeare adaptations that made for the most interesting films. Kurosawa did away with Shakespeare’s words but kept the tragic plots largely intact. Shakespeare’s Macbeth became Throne of Blood, a film about a samurai that commits murder in order to chase destiny. Hamlet was an inspiration for The Bad Sleep Well, a drama about a businessman carefully plotting his revenge against the executives responsible for his father’s death. King Lear would become Ran, Kurosawa’s final Shakespeare adaptation, which transformed the tragedy into a samurai epic.

In the King Lear role is Lord Hidetora (Tatsuya Nakadai). The story of Lear has an aging king that decides to live out his final years in peace and divide his kingdom among his three daughters. In Ran, Hidetora is a samurai lord with three sons, but the basic idea is the same. Hidetora believes that one son acting alone can be defeated but three united together are unbeatable, a point he attempts to illustrate when he passes along a bundle of three arrows from son to son. His eldest son Taro (Akira Terao), the man who is set to inherit the most from his father, is unable to break the three arrows. The middle son Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu) is also unable to break the arrows. The youngest son Saburo (Daisuke Ryu) struggles with the arrows at first, then breaks them over his knee. Saburo argues that his father is a senile old fool that cannot possibly understand what he’s setting in motion. Saburo’s older brothers scold him for questioning their father, but Saburo persists. In the end, Lord Hidetora disowns the disrespectful Saburo and banishes him into exile. Of course, we soon learn that Saburo, though blunt, was speaking the truth. Taro’s wife Lady Kaeda (Mieko Harada) is the daughter of one of Hidetora’s vanquished foes. Now that Lady Kaeda and her husband are in a position of power previously occupied by Hidetora, she manipulates Taro into a feud with Hidetora, which leads the old lord to leave the castle. Hidetora angrily stomps off to Jiro’s castle, but Jiro is ambitious and believes he can supplant his older brother – his father will find no shelter here either. It’s worse than Saburo warned him it would be, as ambition and vengeance drives the two brothers to war, which in turn drives Hidetora towards madness.

In Kurosawa’s earlier years he had directed many pictures about heroes. With Ran he deconstructs the hero, makes it into something misleading and cruel – even Hidetora, who we feel sympathetic for, is a warlord that killed mercilessly in his time. Ran is a very cynical film about the violence that men do to one another in order to get what they want. Thousands of people are asked to die for the vanity and greed of powerful men and women. In the big battle sequences where Kurosawa had previously showcased courage and resourcefulness, he now showcases blood, death, and pitiless tactics. The film’s finest moment involves Taro and Jiro attacking the castle in which Hidetora is residing. It’s a striking sequence where the sound effects and dialogue are muted and we only hear Toru Takemitsu’s amazing score. The sequence finds Hidetora losing his mind within his castle as it burns around him. Kurosawa’s production actually built the castle from the ground up only to burn it down. The sequence could only be shot once, making it all the more impressive as hundreds of extras charge past the camera, flames burn, arrows fly, blood is shed, and Tatsuya Nakadai goes crazy at the center of it all.

I’m not always the biggest fan of Tatsuya Nakadai (though let’s be clear, he’s done some incredible work over the years). Occasionally I find his performances too calculated, like he’s showing off his acting muscles instead of giving us a character of flesh-and-blood. His performance in Ran is sometimes criticized for being over-the-top, but I don’t really see it that way. He begins the film as a proud samurai lord and is eventually reduced to a madman, a shadow of his former self. At the time Nakadai was only in his fifties but under makeup he successfully plays the part of a man about thirty years older. The makeup grows more exaggerated as the film progresses, making him appear ghost-like in the final act. His performance is certainly high-strung, but personally I consider it to be among his very best.

The other most notable performance comes from Mieko Harada. Her Lady Kaeda is perhaps the best of Kurosawa’s villains and must rank as one of the best female villains in all of Japanese cinema. Though the men she beds with like to think they are in control, it’s actually Lady Kaeda that’s pulling the strings and making them go where she wants. It’s a great character and a great performance.

Behind the scenes Kurosawa is joined by talents both old and new to him. Kurosawa’s one of those directors who always had a big hand in writing his screenplays, but knew it was best to bring in other co-writers to keep him honest (his 1990 film Dreams was written by Kurosawa alone and it suffers for it). His co-writers for Ran, Hideo Oguni and Masato Ide, had both worked with the director before on previous films, but here he works with famed composer Toru Takemitsu for the first time. It’s a strange score which features both Japanese flutes and a dreamlike new age quality. Music has always played an important part in Kurosawa’s films and Takemitsu’s score for Ran is one of the finest for any of his films. Joining Kurosawa as assistant director is Ishiro Honda, the director of such kaiju classics as Godzilla, Mothra, and Rodan. Honda retired from directing after 1975’s Terror of Mechagodzilla, but he had always been a good friend of Kurosawa’s. In his later years Honda became Kurosawa’s chief assistant director and valued confidant onset, something Kurosawa apparently needed in the rapidly changing landscape of filmmaking.

The previous 20 years had been rough for Kurosawa. His 1965 film Red Beard was the ending of an era both creatively and thematically. He suffered a falling out with both longtime leading man Toshiro Mifune and longtime composer Masaru Sato. Red Beard also went way over schedule and over budget, which upset the studio. Kurosawa then went to make movies in America. His first US film was to be the thriller Runaway Train. However, snowstorms pushed the production back, and Kurosawa was constantly at odds with the American financial backers, and was supposedly unwilling to give up the control he was used to in Japan. Kurosawa left the project. Runaway Train was eventually filmed in 1985 by director Andrei Konchalovsky (Tango & Cash), using unknown portions of Kurosawa’s original screenplay. Kurosawa then went to film the Japanese segments for 20th Century Fox’s Tora! Tora! Tora!, but this too ended in failure. Despite working two years on pre-production for the war film, Kurosawa was fired just two weeks after shooting began and was replaced by Kinji Fukasaku (Battle Royale) and Toshio Masuda (Rusty Knife), while Richard Fleischer (Soylent Green) would stay on to direct the American segments. Fans are always hopeful that one day Kurosawa’s filmed scenes from Tora! Tora! Tora! will be discovered in a vault somewhere, but it’s reasonable to believe that they are either lost or destroyed.

Rumors began to spread from Fox that Kurosawa was mentally unstable and his work methods had a perfectionism to them that bordered on madness. The rumors followed Kurosawa back to Japan where he now found it nearly impossible to raise the money for future projects. Japan had always been strangely ambivalent towards Kurosawa. His films were viewed as too “Western” by some in the Japanese viewing public. And though his movies were often successful financially, he was not thought of as a national treasure while he was still alive the same way that Ozu and Mizoguchi were. Instead of turning to the producers and to young talents in the Japanese film industry after his failure in America, Kurosawa turned to old-school masters like himself and formed the production company Yonki-no-Kai Productions (Club of the Four Knights) with directors Masaki Kobayashi (Harakiri), Kon Ichikawa (The Burmese Harp), and Keisuke Kinoshita (Twenty-four Eyes).

The first Yonki-no-Kai film would be Kurosawa’s 1970 drama Dodes’ka-den, which turned out to be such a financial failure that Yonki-no-Kai Productions only produced one other film before disbanding. Akira Kurosawa would attempt suicide the following year by slitting his wrists and throat. He survived, but now he was further ostracized from the Japanese public. His next film Dersu Uzala would be made in Soviet Russia in 1975 (and would end up as the only film he made outside of Japan). After that Kurosawa returned to Japan again. The 80s would prove to be a more successful decade for him than the 70s had been, but it was not thanks to the Japanese studios willing to give him another shot. In 1980 he made the historical epic Kagemusha only after longtime admirers George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola stepped on as producers and were able to convince 20th Century Fox to help finance the film. And despite writing Ran around 1975, Kurosawa was unable to acquire funding for the project until 1984 when French producer Serge Silberman offered to help get the picture made (as such Ran is considered a Japanese/French co-production). With a budget of $12 million, Ran would become the most expensive Japanese film made at that point. Considering all of this, the fact that Ran was made at all is something of a miracle… but the fact that Ran is a brilliant film should come as no surprise. No director before or since made so many consistently entertaining films about the samurai world as did Kurosawa. But it’s more than just a piece of entertainment. Kurosawa has said that “Hidetora is me” which is understandable when you stop to consider that this is a film about an old man who has lost his place in the world and is besieged by ambitious youth who want to remove him in some disrespectful manner. It’s a samurai historical epic, it’s a Shakespeare adaptation, and it’s the work of an artist that’s putting his life on screen behind the veil of storytelling.

Kurosawa would go on to make three more films, but Ran is his last true masterpiece. Despite this, the Japanese were mostly unimpressed when it was first released. It was generally well received by critics but only barely earned enough to make back the money spent on the production. When award season rolled around, Ran was not even nominated for Best Picture in Japan’s Academy Awards. For the Oscars, each country is allowed to submit one film to represent them for the Best Foreign Language Film category. Japan did not submit Ran, but rather Shunya Ito’s Gray Sunset. Disturbed by this, American filmmakers (led by longtime fan Sidney Lumet) campaigned on Kurosawa’s behalf to get Ran nominated for as many Oscars as possible. Ran was nominated for four Oscars, including costume design (which it won), cinematography, art direction, and Best Director: Akira Kurosawa. Gray Sunset did not make the shortlist for Best Foreign Language Film and has since faded into almost complete obscurity; meanwhile in the thirty years since its release Ran’s reputation has only grown and the movie is now commonly thought of as one of the greatest epics ever made, as well as one of the best Shakespeare adaptations ever put to film.

Ran is available on Blu-Ray from Lionsgate as part of their StudioCanal Collection line. If I’m to be perfectly honest, the picture quality is far short of what the colorful film deserves. The bright scenes look good and there’s plenty of detail on screen, but the dark scenes are way too grainy – distractingly so. Ran had previously been available on DVD from the Criterion Collection, but that DVD is now out of print. The StudioCanal Blu-Ray does look better than the Criterion DVD, but it’s not a huge improvement. Sadly unless new source materials are discovered this may end up being the best the film will ever look.

It’s my opinion that Akira Kurosawa is the best director of all time. He made so many brilliant films that even some of his less successful attempts might’ve been considered masterworks in most other director’s filmographies. Kurosawa worked as a director from 1943 to 1993. It’s difficult to pick a favorite among his more active first three decades, but if you look at the films he made from 1970-1993 the pick should be an obvious one: Ran, a historical epic of the highest order.

Kyle Warner’s Rating: 10/10

By Numskull

How best to refer to this Kurosawa classic’s relationship to the Shakespearean play “King Lear”? Well, Shakespeare is little more than a glorified, romanticized hack whose plays were based on well-known (in his day) stories that he himself did not create, so…”adaptation”? No. “Translation”? Nay. “Recreation”? I think not. I suppose “interpretation” will suffice, though I’m sure some caricature of an English professor with a stick up his ass could come up with something more accurate while chewing me out for daring to speak ill of the biggest sacred cow in all of literature.

Anyway… this is one of Kurosawa’s last films, and perhaps it’s no coincidence that he chose the theme of the elderly passing the reins or the banner or the (fill in the metaphor) down to the next generation. Lear’s equivalent character in Ran is 70-year old warlord Hidetora Ichimonji, hauntingly portrayed by venerable actor Tetsuya Nakadai, a veteran of several earlier Kurosawa films. No daughters has he… just a trio of sons named (eldest to youngest) Taro (Akira Terao), Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu), and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu). As is the case in the play, the two older offspring give their dad a verbal blow job when it’s time to divvy up the territory, and only the youngest speaks the truth. Hidetora, too prideful to see through Taro’s and Jiro’s flattery, banishes Saburo. He then finds himself unable to adapt to life on a lower rung of the ladder of power, and Taro and Jiro, ungrateful swine that they are, refuse to treat him with the dignity and respect he believes he is due. His world turned upside-down, Hidetora succumbs to madness while his violent rise to power in a half-forgotten past comes back to bite him on the ass.

As Shakespearean tragedies go, King Lear has one of the highest body counts… possibly THE highest. It therefore comes as no surprise that Ran has no shortage of bloodshed, both referred to in the past tense and displayed to us through an unflinching lens. A gruesome siege an hour or so into the film is turned into a thing of perverse beauty by the expert cinematography by Takao Saito and the absence of dialogue and sound effects; Toru Takemitsu’s musical score is the only aural component. As is to be expected for a film bearing the “epic” label, the visuals aim to impress; there are some choice shots that do a fine job in showing the majesty of both Japan’s man-made structures and its untamed countryside.

Outstanding amongst the supporting characters are Taro’s vicious, conniving wife, Lady Kaede (Mieko Harada), and Hidetora’s irreverent but fiercely loyal jester/nurse, Kyoami (played by an actor credited only as “Peter”). He provides the only comic relief in this grim tale but also displays wisdom unusual for one of his standing, dispensing gems such as “In a mad world only the mad are sane”, “If the rock you sit on starts to roll, jump clear…or you’ll go with it and be squashed”, and my personal favorite, “Man is born crying. When he’s cried enough, he dies.” There was a six year gap between the two times I watched this movie, but that particular quote stayed with me for the whole period.

Age (and a failed suicide attempt) did nothing to dull Kurosawa’s talent. This is a film that keeps your attention securely wrapped around its finger from its tranquil opening shots to its heart-wrenching final image.

Numskull’s Rating: 8/10

Posted in Japanese, News, Reviews | Tagged , |

Jacky Cheung and Nick Cheung are about to raise ‘Helios’

Posted on March 13, 2015 by JJ Bona
"Helios" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"Helios" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Coming to Hong Kong theaters on April 30th is Helios, an action-thriller directed by Longman Leung and Sunny Luk, the duo behind Cold War.

Helios sports a Chinese/Korean ensemble cast that includes: Jacky Cheung (As Tears Go By), Nick Cheung (Unbeatable), Shawn Yue (Motorway), Wang Xueqi (Bodyguards and Assassins), Janice Man (Nightfall), Ji Jin-hee (H), Choi Siwon (A Battle of Wits), Yoon Jin-yi (We Are Brothers), Josephine Koo (Shanghai Story), Feng Wenjuan (The Last Tycoon) and Chang Chen (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).

Here’s a brief plot: South Korea’s most wanted criminal Red Bandit uses the uranium stolen from North Korea to make a mobile nuclear bomb, which is scheduled to change hands in Hong Kong in the next 6 hours.

Updates: Click here to watch the newest trailer, courtesy of FCS.

Posted in News |

Cyprus Tigers (1990) Review

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Martin Sandison
"Cyprus Tigers" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Cyprus Tigers” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Philip Ko Fei
Producer: Philip Ko Fei
Cast: Simon Yam, Conan Lee, Philip Ko Fei, Collin Cheung Chi Tak, Robin Shou, Joey Wong, Shikamura Yasuyoshi, Winston Ellis, Sophia Crawford, John Ladalski
Running Time: 87 min.

By Martin Sandison

Ask a Kung Fu movie fan about the greatest actors to come out of the golden age and the name Phillip Ko will surely arise. One of the most prolific and recognizable faces of Kung Fu cinema, Ko appeared in hundreds of films of varying quality. And yes, he was an extra in Enter the Dragon and tells the tale of Bruce Lee fighting that guy on set. Ko has said that two films are his best: The Loot and The Challenger. Two of the greatest Independent Kung Fu movies, these films are a must watch.

Through the 80’s and 90’s Ko became a director and producer, while still appearing in his own films. One of these is Cyprus Tigers. Filmed around the same time as Killer’s Romance, both star Simon Yam and both were filmed partly in Europe (London and Cyprus, of course). Killer’s Romance is a heroic bloodshed film loosely based on the Manga Crying Freeman, featuring some extreme violence. Cyprus Tigers meanwhile is a mash up of comedy, gunfights and martial arts which is in the tradition of HK film-making, crazy and uneven in tone.

Cyprus Tigers features so many of the stars of lower budget HK action films of the time it’s ridiculous. Simon Yam was not a huge star at this point, and had appeared in some action films such as the classic Bloodfight, one of my personal favorites, and dodgy category 3 films such as Hong Kong Gigolo. In Cyprus Tigers Yam plays a good natured cop called Dick, the leader of the ‘Cyprus Tigers’ a bunch of HK cops who have relocated there. Love him or hate him, Conan Lee is a good Martial Artist and did appear in one of the all time greatest Kung Fu movies Ninja In the Dragons Den. He plays ‘Climax’ (?!) a sex-mad cop with good Martial Arts chops. Ko himself plays King Wu, a criminal who appears to be a good guy at first. Winston Ellis an African American plays Black Spot, one of Ko’s minions.

This was his first Hong Kong film, and he followed it up with a small part in Operation Condor, one of Jackie’s best 90’s efforts. Robin Shou plays Yau Gin, a Japanese criminal. Shou is famous for playing Liu Kang in the Mortal Kombat movie, and had faced off against Donnie Yen in Tiger Cage 2, one of my favorite fights ever. Luk Chuen, also the action choreographer, plays another Japanese villain. He had been around the block, also choreographing the Shaws masterpiece Killer Constable. Sophia Crawford has a small part as Wu’s minion, looking great as ever, the time when she was it seemed in every lower budget HK production! Even the great John Ladalski gets a tiny part, he’s only on screen for a matter of seconds. He also appeared in Bloodfight, training Yasuaki Kurata, and numerous other Ninja and HK movies. Finally the lovely Joey Wong appears as Yam’s girlfriend, radiating beauty and grace despite the low brow tone of the plot.

The first half of the movie is based around the cops bumbling around on the beach and getting in to scrapes in a comedic manner, while the second half features them going against Ko who is trying to get hold of plates for laundering money and is much more serious. The movie starts as it means to go on, with equal parts intentional and unintentional humor and solid action. The version I watched has burnt in subtitles that go over the edges of the screen, meaning the dialogue is hard to follow. Not that it matters, the subtitling is so bad. Some choice ones from the opening scene are: ‘Men look at your bottoms’ and ‘look he has climax every day’.

The first half is that cheesy comedy so prevalent in HK movies at the time, with the funniest sub plot featuring Yam being forced at gunpoint to take off Lee’s clothes. Of course the villains are filming it and it becomes a porno VHS, and Lee goes all over town buying up copies. Some of the bad taste humor leaves a nasty taste in the mouth, especially when involving Ellis as Black Spot; it’s bordering on racism.

The action hots up around the middle of the film, and some of it is of a high standard. Lee battles Ellis in a fight which features some nifty handwork, and the centerpiece of Yam vs Ko lives up to its billing. It’s good to see Yam performing a lot of the Martial Arts himself, despite being doubled for a couple of crazy stunts. One involves him being kicked into the air and with the aid of wire-work spins twice and lands on a table, with inventive editing meaning everything is clear despite there being a lot of cuts.

Unfortunately while the movie has some great action and is entertaining, it suffers from too much cheesy comedy and bad plotting. I mean seriously the contrasting tones are so extreme it’s like you’re watching three different movies at once. As it features so many actors they jostle for attention, with little room for good or developing characterizations. Ko directs in a pretty bland manner until the action kicks in, basically the main reason to watch the movie.

Overall it’s a lackluster effort, but worth checking out for some vintage fun if you like that kind of thing.

Martin Sandison’s rating: 5/10

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

Vengeance of an Assassin (2014) Review

Posted on March 10, 2015 by oneleaf
"Vengeance of an Assassin" Theatrical Poster

“Vengeance of an Assassin” Theatrical Poster

Director: Panna Rittikrai
Writer: Wichit Wattananont
Cast: Changprung Chupong, Nantawooti Boonrapsap, Ping Lumprapleng, Ooi Teik Huat
Running Time: 99 min

By oneleaf

Natee (Changprung Chupong) and Than (Nantawooti Boornrapsap) are orphans raised by their parent’s friend (Ping Lumprapleng). Never knowing their parents or how they died, the two boys had always wondered who was responsible for their murder. The pursuit of vengeance is the centerpiece of Vengeance of an Assassin, the last film by Panna Rittikrai before his untimely death at the age of 53 (from complications associated with acute liver and kidney failure).

Rittikrai started his career in 1979 as a physical trainer for Bangkok actors. Inspired by Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, he later started his own stunt team, PNP Stunt Team (Muay Thai Stunt Team). He appeared in countless films throughout the 80s, but it was Gerd Ma Lui (1986) that gave him his first directorial feature.

In addition to being the mentor to Tony Jaa (Ong-Bak), JeeJa Yanin (Chocolate) and Dan Chupong, Rittikrai was the main instrument that launched all three of their film careers. But to most, Rittikrai will be remembered for his groundbreaking choreography work in the acclaimed Ong-Bak (2003) and Tom-Yum-Goong (2005), both of which starred Jaa.

Vengeance of an Assassin reunites Rittikrai and Chupong from their Born to Fight (2004) collaboration. The film opens with a very unusual sequence of men screaming, kicking and punching each other while trying to maneuver a soccer ball in a dusty industrial warehouse. At one point, while the men are going at it in slow motion, they try to kick a ball in a small body of water, which appears out of nowhere. It makes absolutely no sense, but is fun to watch. Maybe Rittikrai was experimenting with some of his shots?

Vengeance of an Assassin mixes gunplay with hand-to-hand combat. Some of the firefights feel out of place. On numerous occasions, camera placement is at odds with what’s transpiring on screen. One such sequence involves an unknown figure entering a restaurant while opening fire on men (credit jones). The scene, which was filmed with the camera pointing up-below the waist from the assailant’s viewpoint (shot to hide the identity of the assailant), felt more like a video game than a movie, which left me with an unpleasant viewing experience.

Other problems in the movie was the use of CGI that didn’t match the surrounding scenery. Case in point was a scene on a speeding train where the the landscaping on both sides of the train look unreal and blurry. The color scheme of explosions didn’t match either. The compositing and rendering of images were so off that I couldn’t believe what I was looking at. Furthermore, when guys are fighting, it appears as if they’re on stationary platforms because they had no issues balancing themselves on a speeding train. These embarrassing visuals are not something you would expect from an experienced filmmaker like Rittikrai. It’s safe to assume that his health problems had something to do with the film’s careless post-production effects.

The martial arts combat, however, does not disappoint. One of the more exciting examples is Chupong’s fight with Nui-Kessarin Ektawatkul. This sequence takes place inside another warehouse where cables, pipes and anything within reach are used as weapons. What amazes me most is how Ektawatkul was able to go ballistic while wearing a sexy, sleeveless dress that didn’t seem to hinder any of her movements.

Another engaging action piece involves the elder Ooi Teik Huat versus a group of bad guys. He quickly disarms them with a rapid fire succession of punches, low kicks, throw downs and take downs. He’s not much of an actor, but his skills are stunning. My jaw literally dropped when I witnessed the exchanges on screen. So next time you see an older gentleman doing his morning Tai Chi routine, you might want to cancel your scroffs.

The star of the film, no doubt, is Chupong, but I find Boornrapsap’s physical ability more entertaining. Being younger and more acrobatic, his 360º kicks definitely steal the show. One such frenetic scene involves him exchanging punches and kicks through several glass panes, as shards of glass scatter every which way between the two combatants.

The bare-bones plot, disjointed script, bad CGI and other flaws shouldn’t be a deterrent to enjoying Vengeance of an Assassin. Being Rittikrai’s last project, action enthusiasts should embrace this important piece of Thai action cinema. R.I.P. Ah Gjan (“Teacher” in Thai) Panna, you will be sorely missed.

oneleaf’s Rating: 6/10

Posted in News, Reviews, Thai | Tagged , |

Admiral: Roaring Currents | Blu-ray & DVD (CJ Entertainment)

Posted on March 10, 2015 by JJ Bona
Admiral: Roaring Currents | Blu-ray & DVD (CJ Entertainment)

Admiral: Roaring Currents | Blu-ray & DVD (CJ Entertainment)

RELEASE DATE: April 28, 2015

CJ Entertainment presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Admiral: Roaring Currents, a South Korean box-office hit directed by Kim Han-Min (War of the Arrows).

Admiral: Roaring Currents depicts the Battle of Myeongryang, which took place October 26, 1597. The historical event involved Admiral Yi Sun-Shin (Old Boy and I Saw Devil’s Choi Min-Sik), who had only 12 ships under his command, against the Japanese navy which had over a hundred ships (led by Ryoo Seung-Ryong of The Target). Watch the trailer

Pre-order Admiral: Roaring Currents from Amazon.com today!

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

Francis Ng and Simon Yam get ‘Two Thumbs Up’

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Sam the Man
"Two Thumbs Up" Teaser Poster

"Two Thumbs Up" Teaser Poster

Two Thumbs Up is an upcoming action comedy that stars two of Hong Kong’s top leading men, Francis Ng and Simon Yam. The supporting cast include Leo Ku (Hot Blood is the Strongest), Patrick Tam (Beast Cops), Mark Cheng (Election 2) and Philip Keung (Unbeatable).

The film is produced by Soi Cheang (Motorway) and directed by first-time director Lau Ho Leung (screenwriter for Kung Fu Killer, 14 Blades and Painted Skin).

Official synopsis: Lucifer and his gangsters dress their minibus to resemble a police vehicle, and pose as policemen for a robbery. Police Officer Chui sensed “criminal intent.” Without police orders, he investigates these gangsters. At the robbery the gangsters engage in a gunfight against the real criminals, who kill randomly. Lucifer and his men are infuriated. They may wear police costumes and use toy guns, but their passion is real. Sensing their righteous passion, Chui decides to side with the impostors and their 16-passenger EU vehicle. Lucifer and his men re-discover the bond they felt when they used to battle together. Finally, Chui, Lucifer and the gang defeat the criminals, showing Chui that anyone can be a hero, and righteousness resides within us all.

The film’s full trailer has arrived, and judging by it, Two Thumbs Up looks like a really fun film. It is due to be released in Hong Kong cinemas on April 2.

Posted in News |

Kaos pushes Kane Kosugi and Jason Patric to the ‘Maxx’

Posted on March 9, 2015 by JJ Bona
"Tekken 2: Kazuya's Revenge" International DVD Cover

"Tekken 2: Kazuya's Revenge" International DVD Cover

Will the team that brought us the horrendous Tekken 2: Kazuya’s Revenge redeem themselves? The answer is in the hands of Maxx, an upcoming action film that reunites director Wych Kaosayananda (aka Kaos of Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever fame) and martial arts star Kane Kosugi (Coweb). Appearing opposite Kosugi is the unexpected addition of Hollywood star, Jason Patric (Narc, Speed 2).

Details on the project are limited, but according to FCS, Maxx is described as a “driven character action-adventure filled with the usual tropes of classic Bond with nudge to Showtime series, Dexter.”

Maxx is set to begin production in a few days. Until then, be on the lookout for Kaosayananda’s Zero Tolerance, which will hopefully see the light of day in the U.S. Stay tuned!

Posted in News |

White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom, The (2014) Review

Posted on March 8, 2015 by Kelly Warner
"The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom” Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: The White Haired Witch
Director: Jacob Cheung
Cast: Fan Bing Bing, Huang Xiao Ming, Vincent Chiu, Shera Li Xin Ru, Wang Xuebing, Du Yiheng, Nicholas Tse, Yin Zhusheng, Wang De-Shun, Dong Zi-Wu
Running Time: 103 min.

By Kyle Warner

Liang Yusheng’s popular wuxia novel Baifa Monu Zhuan has been adapted for television and film multiple times since its debut in the 1950s. The adaptation you’re most likely familiar with is Ronny Yu’s crazy 1993 film The Bride with White Hair starring Brigitte Lin in the title role and the late Leslie Cheung as her lover. It was a popular film upon its release and it has become something of a cult classic in the years since. While I’m not the biggest fan of The Bride with White Hair I did enjoy how it mixed kung fu, romance, fantasy, and horror into one package without the stitches coming undone. Now writer/director Jacob Cheung Chi-Leung (Battle of the Warriors) brings us his adaptation of Yusheng’s novel, 2014’s The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom. Compared to The Bride with White Hair, Jacob Cheung’s film is relatively tame and seems more geared towards a wider audience. Cheung does without much of the horror and fantasy elements of Ronny Yu’s film, but somehow his White Haired Witch does come undone, thanks mostly to too much going on and too little effort given to make it all feel worthwhile.

In the waning years of the Ming Dynasty, corruption runs rampant and the people are suffering. The vigilante hero Jade Raksha AKA Lian Nishang (Fan Bingbing) and her band of heroes protect the weak from the tyrants. Elsewhere in the story, the new leader of the Wudang, Zhuo Yihang (Huang Xioaming), is tasked with bringing medicine to the ailing Emperor. When the pills are switched with poison and the Emperor dies, Yihang is the prime suspect. Circumstances and action sequences pull Nishang and Yihang together. Though initially they do not trust one another, they slowly fall in love and join forces to challenge the corrupt men of power who threaten the land and its people.

White Haired Witch is both an overplotted and underwritten film. The script is just chockfull of characters, subplots, and political intrigue that could’ve easily been edited down to better focus on the heart of the story… However, there seems to be an inner conflict about just what the heart of the story actually is. I would believe it to be the romance between our two heroes. And while Fan Bingbing and Huang Xioaming have the most screen time, the film’s true focus seems to be elsewhere, resulting in a rather jumbled story. Over the course of the film we are treated to two frame-up assassinations, an assortment of factions with their own heroes and villains, and a small helping of history thrown in amongst the fiction. It all makes for a very bloated and frequently confusing film. Too often I was left wondering who a character was and what his motivations were. Over time I figured it out: some of these characters are just simply there. They don’t all have a purpose. They’re just extra pieces to an already crowded puzzle.

White Haired Witch feels underwritten because while the film is always busy with new things to do and people dying left and right, it somehow manages to seem empty. A large number of the supporting characters are introduced with their names and titles printed on the screen. I’ve generally never been a fan of this method of character introduction. It asks the viewer to remember characters and factions so that the screenwriter doesn’t need to bother so much with character development. Some of these characters may be well-known to either fans of the book or those with knowledge of this part of Chinese history, but for other viewers they’re just names and faces. Similarly, the film throws in a bit of history involving the “Case of the Red Pills” which involved the fatal poisoning of the Emperor. The Red Pills fit into the plot well enough, but it still feels like an underdeveloped footnote in the story.

Perhaps the most disappointingly underwritten part of the script is our two heroes. She’s gorgeous, he’s handsome, and they stare at each other longingly, but that’s not enough to make for a believable romance. The tragic love story should’ve received more care than it does here. When inevitable heartbreak occurs, the moment is hollow. There’s no chemistry here, no fire, just pretty people and CGI spectacle.

Fan Bingbing is good in the title role. She’s gorgeous but she doesn’t get by on looks alone. She brings a cool intensity to her character, making her White Witch both intimidating and alluring. Vincent Zhao also puts in a good performance as one of the film’s central villains and his skillset brings more believability to the action. Huang Xiaoming’s less impressive as Zhuo Yihang. Instead of emoting he does his best to appear dashing and handsome in every scene, reminding me a bit of a lovesick puppy that’s just begging you to love him back.

Much of the swordplay featured in the film is aided by wirework and CGI. While I prefer more visceral, old-school martial arts, I’m not opposed to CGI-infused action sequences in a martial arts movie. When done right, CGI and wires can make for very graceful action. Sadly, that’s not what we get here. Thanks to choppy editing, the choreography has no elegance to it. The action is serviceable, but it’s never all that impressive.

In the film’s final moments Leslie Cheung’s song from The Bride with White Hair plays over the onscreen action. Though obviously meant as a respectful nod to the popular film and its star, the song forced me out of the movie for a moment as I realized with absolute certainty that I’d rather be watching Ronny Yu’s film instead. Still, fans of The Bride with White Hair may want to give this film a try for curiosity’s sake if nothing else. It features many of the same central ideas and lead characters, but it’s a wildly different movie (villainous Siamese twins are nowhere to be found in Jacob Cheung’s film, just for example). Based on what I’ve read, White Haired Witch is closer to the original material of Yusheng’s book. However, White Haired Witch serves as proof that the more faithful adaptation is not always the better one.

When The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom debuted in Chinese theatres it was given the 3D treatment. For those interested, White Haired Witch arrives on Blu-Ray from Well Go USA with only the 2D version of the film included on the disc. Like most Well Go USA Blu-Rays, White Haired Witch features excellent picture and sound. We also get about 20 minutes of behind-the-scenes material. Much of those 20 minutes are little more than puff pieces for promotional purposes, but there was one interesting segment about how Huang Xiaoming was filming an action sequence on wires when his wire snapped, dropping him about ten feet. He suffered a severe foot injury which required surgery. Huang eventually returned to the set in a wheelchair. While he recovered, they filmed Huang in a tall chair so that it looked as though he was standing next to his co-stars. I learned this information after watching the film and I am half-tempted to rewatch certain sequences to see if the trick can be detected… but ultimately I don’t care that much.

Jacob Cheung’s White Haired Witch isn’t an awful film – it keeps up a fast pace and there’s enough talent in front of the camera to make the thing watchable. But thanks to a poor screenplay and some lacking visuals, it’s not a terribly interesting film, either. White Haired Witch might be fine as a diversion on some rainy night, but overall I found it to be an incredibly underwhelming film experience.

Kyle Warner’s Rating: 4.5/10

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

Trailer arrives for Carrie Ng’s directorial debut ‘Angel Whispers’

Posted on March 8, 2015 by Sam the Man
"Naked Killer" Chinese DVD Cover

"Naked Killer" Chinese DVD Cover

Angel Whispers is the directorial debut by Carrie Ng Ka Lai, successful Hong Kong actress who starred in films such as Naked Killer, City on Fire, Call Girl ’88 and more recently Pang Ho Cheung’s Aberdeen and Nick Cheung’s Ghost Rituals (another directorial debut by an actor).

Co-directed with Shirley Yung, also a first-time director, Angel Whispers was the winner of a HK$150,000 prize at the Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum last year. It tells the story of a group of female sex workers faced with a mysterious killer.

Don’t miss the film’s suspenseful trailer!

Posted in News |
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