"R100" Theatrical Poster

Hitoshi Matsumoto’s (Big Man Japan) R100 hits Drafthouse theaters and VOD on Friday, January 23rd. As Collider points out, the title of the film is a play on the Japanese rating system (R18 is equivalent to our NC-17), so “R100” should give you an idea of what to expect. Read on for the official plot synopsis…

In this audaciously kinky, meta-comedic thriller, a lonely father with a secret taste for S&M (Nao Ohmori, best known for his titular turn in Takashi Miike’s Ichi the Killer) hires a boutique dominatrix agency that specializes in guerilla acts of public degradation.

Although the rough treatment and humiliation Takafumi Katayama receives from these leather-clad women––in cafés and on the street––drives him to ecstatic pleasure, he soon finds himself over his head during a surprise house call by one of the mistresses. After a freak and fatal accident, Takafumi is forced into action with a slew of vengeful dominatrices chasing him down. With the help of his son, he’ll have to devise a plan to take on the relentless femmes fatales, who each possess a unique S&M talent by which to exact painful revenge.

Without further ado, here’s the trailer for R100. Enjoy!

"Web of Death" Blu-ray Cover

Last month, there was a recent discovery that a number of Blu-ray titles from Well Go USA have become defective, due to an error during the pressing of the actual discs. The defect consists of a bronze-like discoloration which forms on the play-side over time, and can potentially affect playback.

Today, Well Go USA contacted cityonfire.com regarding their “Defective Disc Replacement Program,” which has officially launched today for both their U.S. and Canadian customers.

Read on for a revised list of potentially affected Blu-ray titles and instructions on how to replace your defective discs:

Plano, TX (November 18, 2014) – Well Go USA has confirmed certain Blu-ray discs pressed at a replication facility used for a period between May 2010 – September 2011 may have a defective issue resulting in a bronze discoloration on the underside of the disc potentially leading to playback problems. We have confirmed this potential problem on 19 titles, though only small numbers of affected quantities.

Update: Well Go USA expects to have the new discs, without the defect, delivered to their offices around the second week of January. Once they receive them in, they’ll begin to fulfill and send out replacement discs, according to the order in which the discs were received.

The potentially affected Blu-ray titles are:

9TH COMPANY
ASSAULT GIRLS
BLOOD
BROTHERS FIVE
DELIGHTFUL FOREST, THE
DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, THE
FORK IN THE ROAD, A
HEROIC ONES, THE
IP MAN
IP MAN 2
KUNG FU DUNK
LEGEND OF THE FIST
MAN FROM NOWHERE, THE
SAMURAI PRINCESS
SHAOLIN
STOMP LIVE
STOOL PIGEON
WEB OF DEATH
WHITEWALL, THE

If you discover that your Blu-ray copy of one of the above titles has the bronze discoloration and will not play, please send the disc only (no packaging, please) to the following address for a replacement:

UNITED STATES:

Well Go USA Entertainment
ATTN: Defective Disc Replacement
1601 E. Plano Parkway
Suite 110
Plano, Texas 75074

CANADA:

Unidisc Music Inc.
ATTN: Defective Disc Replacement
57 b Hymus Blvd.
Pointe-Claire, QC
Canada, H9R 4T2

Please include only your disc — no packaging — along with the address to which you’d like us to mail your replacement. We will not be replacing or exchanging packaging. There is no need to email us in addition.

In the event any other titles are discovered with the same issue, they will be replaced accordingly. Thank you to our loyal fans and customers for your patience and understanding in this matter.

– Thanks to Well Go USA for their prompt reply and excellent customer service

“REC 4” Theatrical Poster

The 2007 Spanish-language horror film [REC] managed to set a bar for the genre, reinvigorating the zombie movie through the then-fresh ‘found footage’ approach. [REC] proved popular enough to inspire two sequels and now another is on the way. [REC]4: Apocalypse finds original director Jaume Balaguero returning to tell a new story ([REC]3 was actually something of a prequel. Confused yet?) about the sole survivor from the first film.

The trailer for the Apocalypse is online now and Balaguero appears to be dropping the found footage conceit to tell a visceral zombie tale, complete with a wet, grimy atmosphere a la Alien. The oil tanker setting may even remind some Asian film buffs of the 2011 Korean monster movie Sector 7, but it’s likely a mere coincidence.

Update: Enjoy the latest (and NSFW) trailer for the film!

7 Assassins | DVD (Lionsgate)

So here we are again, my favorite time of year, Christmas!

It’s a magical time of Santa, toys, trees, tinsel, elves, Rudolph, carols and turkey. “It was the night before Christmas” still sends thrills of delight to my heart as I think of my childhood waiting for Santa to come down the chimney.

But now I’m a wise adult and I realize that sh*t isn’t going to happen. So, I’m going to face reality by treating myself to some of my favorite films – rather than eating that re-gifted fruitcake that gets passed around – which brings us to this month’s Blu-ray & DVD release list, handpicked by cityonfire.com!

The month of December brings Brandon Lee, Live-action Anime, Shaw Brothers Classics, a Michael Dudikoff gem, old school Cheng Pei Pei flicks, a gritty South Korean crime thriller and a handful of great Hong Kong legends – all under one tree!

If you’re interested in purchasing any of the titles, we’re hoping you’ll click on our Amazon.com links to show your support towards cityonfire.com.

Cheng Pei Pei Double Feature: December 2, 2014

Shout! Factory presents the DVD for the Cheng Pei Pei Double Feature, which includes 1973’s Kung Fu Girl and 1974’s Whiplash. Directed by Lo Wei (Fists of Fury) and Ding Sin Saai (Furious Slaughter), respectively, these two Golden Harvest classics feature Cheng Pei Pei, who would gain mainstream recognition for her role as Jade Fox in 2000’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Legacy of Rage: December 2, 2014

Shout! Factory presents the DVD for 1986’s Legacy of Rage, a Hong Kong revenge flick starring the late Brandon Lee (The Crow) and directed by Ronny Yu (The Bride with White Hair), who will be providing an informative audio commentary track. Legacy of Rage is more along the lines of a John Woo shoot ’em up, than a martial arts movie. Nonetheless, it was one heck of a debut for Brandon!

The film also stars Michael Wong (Knock-Off), Chan Wai-Man (Bruce Lee the Invincible), Regina Kent (A Better Tomorrow II), Bolo Yeung (Enter Three Dragons) and Mang Hoi (Heart of the Dragon).

Kite: December 2, 2014

Anchor Bay presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Kite. When her cop father is killed, a young woman tracks the murder with the apparent help of his ex-partner. Kite is said to have more “modern” approach to the material (based on the Anime by Yasuomi Umetsu), using our current economic problems as a backdrop for the story. Ralph Ziman’s (Gangster’s Paradise: Jerusalema) Kite stars India Eisley, Callan McAuliffe, Cleo Rinkwest, Samuel L. Jackson and Russel Savadier.

Hickey & Boggs: December 2, 2014

Is Bill Cosby innocent or guilty? Who cares! Kino Video presents the Blu-ray & DVD for 1972’s Hickey & Boggs, written by Walter Hill (The Warriors). I Spy stars, Cosby and Robert Culp (who also directed), are united again in this modern film noir about two detectives investigating a kidnapping and running into a gang of vicious criminals responsible for a string of murders. The film also stars James Woods (The Onion Field), Michael Moriarty (Q), Vincent Gardenia (Death Wish), Bill Hickman (Bullitt) and Ed Lauter (Breakheart Pass).

The Shadow Boxing: December 9, 2014

Well Go USA presents the DVD for 1979’s The Shadow Boxing (aka The Spiritual Boxer 2), not to be confused with 1974’s The Shadow Boxer, which was also released by Well Go USA in 2009. Now’s your chance to own this classic Shaw Brother’s gem! Directed by Lau Kar Leung (Drunken Master II), this kung fu “comedy” stars Wong Yu (Shaolin Executioner), Gordon Liu Chia Hui (Shaolin Mantis) and Lau Kar Wing (The Dragon Family).

Trail of the Broken Blade: December 9, 2014

Well Go USA presents the DVD for Trail of the Broken Blade, directed by Chang Cheng (Chinatown Kid, Five Element Ninjas), one of Shaw Brothers Studio’s best known and most prolific film directors! This 1967 classic stars Jimmy Wang Yu (Man Called Tiger), Chin Ping (Killer Darts), Lisa Chiao Chiao (Seven Warriors), Paul Wei Ping Ao (Way of the Dragon) and Wu Ma (White Vengeance).

Avenging Force: December 9, 2014

Kino Lorber presents the Blu-ray for 1986’s Avenging Force (aka Night Hunter), directed by Sam Firstenberg (Revenge of the Ninja) and starring Michael Dudikoff (American Ninja). Not many people are aware of this tidbit, but in this Cannon cult classic, Dudikoff portrays Matt Hunter, a character previously played by Chuck Norris in 1985’s Invasion U.S.A. So, Jack Ryan, eat your heart out! This newly remastered Blu-ray for Avenging Force will feature Audio commentary by Dudikoff and Firstenberg, plus interviews and the original theatrical trailer.

The Traffickers: December 23, 2014

Well Go USA presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Kim Hong-sun’s The Traffickers. This Award-winning South Korean crime thriller takes place in six hours on a passenger boat with an ongoing black-market organ-trafficking operation, and a desperate husband out to find his missing wife. The film stars Im Chang-jung, Choi Daniel, Oh Dal-su and Jo Yoon-hee. Watch the trailer.

7 Assassins: December 23, 2014

Lionsgate is set to release the DVD for Eric Tsang’s 7 Assassins on December 23rd. The Canadian-American entertainment company is marketing the 2013 Hong Kong production as “The story of brotherhood, loyalty, and the rise of the underdog intersect in this epic movie in the vein of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and 47 Ronin.”

Directed by both Tsang (who also stars) and Hung Yan Yan (action director), 7 Assassins features an all-star cast of old school action stars such as: Felix Wong, Ray Lui, Guo Tao, Kara Hu, Well Lee, Michael Wong, Fung Hak On, Waise Lee, Leung Kar Yan, Ken Lo, Mars, Jason Pai Piao, Ti Lung, Dick Wei, Simon Yam, Yu Rong Guang and many others!

Looking for new import releases?
If you’re looking for a new import release, please visit DDDhouse.com. The trusted retailer carries new and upcoming releases that are not yet available in North America.

“Ring of Fire” VHS Cover

THE MOVIE: Ever since Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables brought back some of our favorite 80’s heroes to the big screen, action buffs have been dreaming about an Expendables-like film for the other video kings we looked up to long ago: stars like Jeff Speakman (The Perfect Weapon) and Mark Dacascos (Brotherhood of the Wolf).

Well, it sounds like Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson shares that dream as he and a group of producers are reportedly mounting a new project called The B-Team.

At present, it looks like Wilson (Ring of Fire) will be joined by Cynthia Rothrock (Yes, Madam) and Michael Dudikoff (American Ninja) for an action romp in the country of Papua New Guinea. Don promises there’s plenty of room in the screenplay for other notable action stars to make cameos too.

Possible contendors to join Wilson and co. include Richard Norton (Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars), Billy Blanks (The King of Kickboxers), Loren Avedon (No Retreat, No Surrender 2), and the aforementioned Speakman and Dacascos. Thanks to Impact Magazine for the scoop.

Updates: During a recent interview with Don “The Dragon” Wilson, he stated that due to political reasons, the production of The B-Team is “uncertain.” However, Wilson did say he is working on a movie called Blood Raid, which will utilize many of his “B” movie star friends. Click here for the full interview.

Looks like Don “The Dragon” Wilson’s “low budget Expendables” is still alive and kicking. It may or may not be the planned B-Team or Blood Raid, but it’s definitely close enough! In a recent interview with CMAC’s Debbie Goodman, here’s what Wilson had to say about the upcoming project: “I’m working right now on a film… it’s a cop actioner with a twist. And, umm, you know, I promised I wasn’t really going to use the word ‘Expendables,’ but it’s kind of a lower budget [version] of it, because we’re going to have all the B-movie action stars that you’ve seen. So, in that regards, it’s in action film and it will not have one star – because we each used to carry our own films – but now with all of this together, we’re hoping we’ll have the same success that they had with Expendables. With ours, we’ll have all the B-movie people that you’re used to… Richard Norton, Cynthia Rothrock, Michael Dudikoff… just on and on, as many of them as we can fit on the screen.”

BREAKING NEWS: So Blood Raid it is, and B-Team it’s not… During a recent interview with Ric Drasin, Don “The Dragon” Wilson had this to say: “I’m working pre-production on a movie called Blood Raid, which is my version of The Expendables. It’s gonna have all the B-movie guys – everybody who has ever said a word of dialogue!” On December 4th, Wilson gave us a quick description of what to expect from Blood Raid: “It’s a cop actioner with a vampire twist, ala Dusk til Dawn. It will be like The Raid and Die Hard in that the bulk of the action will be in one-building location.”

"Tattooed Hit Man" Theatrical Poster

Media outlets are reporting the death of Japanese actor Bunta Sugawara, who died at the age of 81 on November 28th, due to liver cancer.

Sugawara has left behind an astonishing 200+ filmography, but he is perhaps best known to mainstream audiences for Tattooed Hit Man (1977), a Yakuza film that was imported by New Line Cinema the same year it was released in Japan.

Some of his most notable Japanese films include Kinji Fukasaku’s Without Honor and Humanity (1973) and the Truck Yaro films (1975 to 1979), which was a popular Toei series about a pair of truckers and their adventures in blinged out trucks. Sugawara also did Anime voice work for Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away (2001) and most recently, Mamoru Hosoda’s Wolf Children (2012).

Our condolences go out to Sugawara’s family and friends.