The latest on martial arts movie ‘Wu Dang’ – new trailer!

"Wu Dang" Chinese Theatrical Poster

The trailer is online for Wu Dang, a new fantasy-based Chinese martial arts film from the director of Twins Effect II and featuring action choreography by the legendary Corey Yuen. The film stars Vincent Zhao, who is probably most famous at the moment for dropping out of Donnie Yen’s Special Identity, alongside Siu-Wong Fan (Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky) and Yang Mi.

Based on the trailer, it looks like this movie is leaving reality far behind, with characters floating through the air, walking on water, and generally defying gravity like it ain’t no thing.

Chinese Films has more details, with Wu Dang slated for a July 17th, 2012 release date in China.

Update: Some very brightly colored promotional posters over at Chinese Films. Actress Yang Mi has actually arrived in France to help promote the film at Cannes since this is her first martial arts role.

While promoting Wu Dang in Beijing yesterday, actor Vincent Zhao spoke out about the controversy surrounding his departure from the Donnie Yen aciton film Special Identity. Says Zhao: “I’ve been in this industry for over 20 years. I was taught to treat people with respect. But he [Yen] destroyed everything I knew about him.

A final, and generally more impressive, trailer is now online. This trailer puts more emphasis on the film’s slick production values and Corey Yuen’s action choreography. Now this looks like something we’d actually want to see!

BREAKING NEWS: Guess that final trailer wasn’t so final after all. Wu Dang opens in China in just two days. Check out the latest trailer.

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Starship Troopers: Invasion Blu-ray & DVD (Sony Pictures)

Starship Troopers: Invasion Blu-ray & DVD (Sony Pictures)

Starship Troopers: Invasion Blu-ray & DVD (Sony Pictures)

RELEASE DATE: August 28, 2012

Sony Pictures presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Starship Troopers: Invasion, directed by Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina). This CG/Anime-style continuation to Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 cult classic promises to be “A fast-paced thrill ride that tops the original,” according to Movieweb.com. Check out the trailer.

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

Extreme Asian Cinema meets the zombie genre with ‘Zombie 108’

"Zombie 108" on UK DVD

There’s no denying the zombie genre has grown a little stale these days. George Romero has said just about everything has to say with the genre and zombies are now beamed into our homes on a regular basis thanks to The Walking Dead. But Taiwanese director Joe Chien may have stumbled upon a way to make the shambling undead seem interesting again, by adding a healthy dose of Category III-style nastiness in his new film Zombie 108.

In this highly buzzed about film, a deadly virus spreads throughout Tapei, Taiwan, turning the populace into zombies. SWAT teams are called into action to try and fight off the dead. The only trouble for them and the rest of the human survivors is that gangs have taken control of the panicked streets.

Meanwhile, a deranged killer (played by the director himself!) is preying on young women in the area, torturing them in secret while the rest of the world goes to hell outside his door.

By all accounts, Zombie 108 is one depraved and sick little zombie movie. You can watch the trailer in HD here to get a taste for the film. Unfortunately, Zombie 108 hasn’t secured a release date in North America yet, but you can purchase the Region 2 UK DVD courtesy of Amazon UK.

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Blu-ray and DVD Releases for 7/3/12

Wind Blast Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Wind Blast Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

It’s not even the Fourth of July yet and already I’m tired of all the fireworks that have been going off in my neighborhood. Anyway, let’s take a look at what’s available this week, shall we? Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 7/3/12:

ASIAN CINEMA

Wind Blast (Blu-ray/DVD) – Well Go USA releases this 2010 Western-tinged Chinese action film starring Wu Jing and Francis Ng

The Great Killing (DVD) – a 1964 samurai film from the director of the original “13 Assassins”

FOREIGN CINEMA

Joe + Belle (DVD) – the cover describes this 2012 Hebrew-language film as “the lesbian Thelma and Louise,” so let’s just go with that

Department (DVD) – this action-packed 2012 Bollywood picture has a bunch of tough cops fighting corruption in Mumbai

MAINSTREAM

The Hunter (Blu-ray/DVD) – Willem Dafoe tracks down the deadliest game, a Tasmanian tiger, in this acclaimed 2012 drama

God Bless America (Blu-ray/DVD) – two people fed up with contemporary society go on a shooting spree in Bobcat Goldthwait’s violent 2011 comedy

Born on the Fourth of July (Blu-ray) – Oliver Stone’s 1989 war drama starring Tom Cruise hits Blu-ray this week

Tough Enough (Blu-ray/DVD) – Dennis Quaid headlines this 1983 boxing drama, now in hi-def

Firestorm (DVD) – looks like this 1998 action vehicle starring Howie Long is receiving a new DVD pressing

Phenomenon (Blu-ray) – John Travolta has the healing touch in this 1996 drama, now in hi-def

CULT

Django Kill… If You Live, Shoot! (Blu-ray) – the good folks at Blue Underground bring this 1967 spaghetti Western starring Thomas Milian to Blu-ray

Barbarella (Blu-ray) – at last! The kinky 1968 sci-fi classic starring Jane Fonda is now viewable in hi-definition

No Holds Barred (DVD) – the new packaging makes this action movie looking like a wrestling event, but it’s actually a 1989 starring vehicle for Hulk Hogan

The Pirate Movie (DVD) – a 1982 update on the Pirates of Penzance, starring Kristy McNichol

Vanishing Point (DVD) – a 1997 Fox TV remake of the cult classic film, featuring Viggo Mortenson in the driver’s seat

ANIMATION

Treasure Planet (Blu-ray) – the 2002 Disney animated feature comes to hi-definition in a 10th anniversary package

Home on the Range (Blu-ray) – the 2004 Disney cartoon featuring singing barn animals is now on Blu-ray

HORROR

The Entity (Blu-ray/DVD) – Barbara Hershey is, um, violated by a ghost in this 1982 cult favorite horror film

Some Guy Who Kills People (DVD) – a 2011 pitch-black comedy about a comic fan who fantasizes about murdering people in his spare time

Ghost in the Machine (DVD) – this 1993 cyber-thriller follows a killer who is zapped by lightning and is then able to travel inside electronic devices

Nightwatch (DVD) – Ewan McGregor plays a morgue attendant in this 1997 thriller co-starring Josh Brolin

Quicksilver Highway (DVD) – two stories from horror icons Stephen King and Clive Barker are brought to life in this 1997 feature

Joshua (DVD) – Sam Rockwell and his wife try to figure out what’s up with their Satanic son in this 2007 horror flick

Interested in any of these movies? If so, we hope that you’ll consider ordering from our affiliate to help support this site. Thank you!

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Time Traveller: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2010) Review

"Time Traveller: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" International Theatrical Poster

"Time Traveller: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" International Theatrical Poster

Director: Masaaki Taniguchi
Writer: Tomoe Kanno, Yasutaka Tsutsui
Cast: Riisa Naka, Akiyoshi Nakao, Narumi Yasuda, Masanobu Katsumura, Kanji Ishimaru, Munetaka Aoki, Anna Ishibashi, Shota Chiyo, Tokio Emoto, Mayu Kitaki, Yuya Matsushita, Toshiya Toyama, Maya Okano
Running Time: 122 min.

By Ningen

Akari is former high school student about to head off into college, when her mother gets into a semi-coma after being in the path of a car. Akari’s mom was viewing a photo of herself in junior high paired with a mysterious man. She asks Akari to visit him in the 70s and meet him to fulfill a “promise”. Akari discovers a mysterious liquid which allows her to do just that, and she “leaps” 35+ years in the past. There, she encounters a amateur student film director who she works with to find the man from her mother’s past.

I’m commenting on this pic from the perspective of the original English in the UK-only Yasutaka Tsutsui novel, and the 2006 anime film from Mamoru Hosoda. Time Traveller is more tied into the former story, and less so the latter story, even though they’re both adaptations of the same source material. I enjoyed the novel’s surprisingly dark sci-fi tone coupled with its overall optimism, and so I felt ready to see what they could do with a “sequel”. I’d say the anime is the definitive adaptation, even though there have been many live-action versions of the book in Japan. Nonetheless, the 2010 movie works in its own right, if you’re willing to accept its preference towards atmosphere and realism, rather than fantasy.

The only gripe I have is that you’re thrown a bit of a curveball in assuming that it’s about discovering how Akari’s parents got together, when it’s really about her parents’ friends’ social scene. Not to mention that I’m not entirely fond of movies which feature subplots about making movies, as I’ve already had my fill of that for the next decade, after Martin Scorsese’s Hugo. But if you have any connection to that era, and are in the mood for a bit of nostalgia, then Time Traveller does a damn good job rebuilding the setting from scratch. The clothes look like they’re right out of The Street Fighter and Three’s Company; the Spartan lifestyles resulting from the energy crisis of the 70s are properly observed; and the posters look like they came from Quentin Tarantino’s basement.

The story itself is quiet and off-beat, with few real moments of tension until near the end. The supporting characters take a while to grow on you, but the actors show a lot of enthusiasm for their roles, and don’t try to ham it up, in spite of the rampant kitsch camp they were exposed to on a regular basis. The actual sci-fi aspect of the film does not come into play often, but it works when it does-and logically so. The negative is that time can’t be changed for the better, like it was in the anime film. Well, to be more precise, it’s denied from changing for the better, for the sake of continuity with the present. However, Akari is able to grow and appreciate life, even if she’s a bit fuzzy on the details why by the end. So I’d say Time Traveller works as an enjoyable coming-of-age story, even if it does not incorporate the wish-fulfillment of its predecessors.

Ningen’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in Japanese, Reviews | Tagged , |

Karate-Robo Zaborgar Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Karate-Robo Zaborgar Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Karate-Robo Zaborgar Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: September 11, 2012

Well Go USA presents the DVD and Blu-ray for Karate-Robo Zaborgar. From the director of Robo-Geisha and The Machine Girl comes this action-packed tale of a police officer and a robot created by his father. The robot, known as Zaborgar, is an expert in martial arts and has the ability to transform into a motorcycle. Check out the trailer.

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

More details on Lionsgate’s ‘Total Recall: Mind-Bending Edition’

Total Recall: Mind-Bending Edition Blu-ray (Lionsgate)

Total Recall: Mind-Bending Edition Blu-ray (Lionsgate)

Just in time for the 2012 release of the theatrical remake, fans can experience the original sci-fi masterpiece like never before when Lionsgate releases Total Recall: Mind-Bending Edition on Blu-ray Disc and Digital Download this July.

Comprised of an all-new Director approved, high-definition transfer from the original film negative and including exclusive bonus materials, there’s no better time to revisit this cult classic starring action legend Arnold Schwarzenegger (Terminator). Winner of a Special Achievement Academy Award® for its groundbreaking visual effects, the blockbuster action film was also nominated for two Oscars®*. Inspired by the short story We Can Remember it For You Wholesale by Phillip K. Dick, Total Recall: Mind-Bending Edition features a screen story by Ronald Shusett & Dan O’Bannon and Jon Povill and a screenplay by Ronald Shusett & Dan O’Bannon and Gary Goldman.

Highlighted by an exclusive, never-before-seen interview with director Paul Verhoeven and restoration comparison, Total Recall: Mind-Bending Edition also contains additional bonus materials that fans will love including a behind-the-scenes documentary, a “making of” featurette, a special effects featurette, audio commentary with Arnold Schwarzenegger and director Paul Verhoeven, a photo gallery and the theatrical trailer. Total Recall: Mind-Bending Edition will be available on Blu-ray Disc July 31st for the suggested retail price of $14.99. The new HD version of the film will also be available on Digital Download July 17th featuring the new interview with director Paul Verhoeven.

Posted in News |

A ‘Marvel’ takes on ‘Cabin Fever: Patient Zero’

"Cabin Fever" Theatrical Poster

"Cabin Fever" Theatrical Poster

Cityonfire.com has received the following press release from Indomina on June 30th: Production on Indomina’s Cabin Fever: Patient Zero will commence on August 13th in the Dominican Republic with a cast that includes Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings), Brando Eaton (Born to Race) and Ben Hollingsworth (The Joneses). Renowned comic book artist, turned director, Kaare Andrews, is directing.

Indomina, the fast-growing U.S. and Dominican Republic based producer and distributor of film, TV and trans-media content, committed to resurrecting the popular Cabin Fever franchise by producing and distributing at least two more feature installments: Cabin Fever: Patient Zero and Cabin Fever: Outbreak. Both films will be shot in the Dominican Republic.

Original Cabin Fever producer Evan Astrowsky and his Hypotenuse Pictures is producing Patient Zero with Indomina.

Astrowsky commented, “With Sean, we wanted an actor with gravity who is also popular with the fanboy fan-base. Coupling Sean with fresh faces like Ben and Brando gives Cabin Fever the pedigree of cast we’ve always desired.”

Jake Wade Wall (The Hitcher) wrote the Patient Zero screenplay.

When a bachelor party cruise in the Caribbean unexpectedly runs ashore on a medical research island, a deadly virus is unleashed. The passengers must struggle to find a way to survive before their own demons and the flesh eating bacteria consumes them all.

Director Kaare Andrews is best known as a writer and artist who worked on Marvel Comics’ The Incredible Hulk, Ultimate X-Men and Spider-Man: Reign. He is currently drawing covers for Marvel’s recently relaunched Ultimate line of comics. He made his feature debut with the supernatural horror movie Altitude, which starred 90210’s Jessica Lowndes and was released by Anchor Bay, and is in post on the ABC’s of Death, a horror anthology featuring up-and-coming genre directors tackling each letter of the alphabet and building a story around that. Andrews’ entry is V is for Vagitus, a sci-fi horror movie.

Award winning cinematographer Zoltan Honti (The Last Exorcism) is Director of Photography.

In addition to Cabin Fever: Patient Zero, uupcoming productions from Indomina include a new live action Afro Samurai with Samuel L. Jackson and Cabin Fever: Outbreak.

Recent acquisitions for The Indomina Group’s releasing division include the French drama Holy Motors and the Chinese blockbuster Flying Swords of Dragon Gate, which will have an IMAX theatrical run in the U.S. this fall.

Posted in News |

Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures Blu-ray Collection (Paramount)

Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures Blu-ray Collection (Paramount)

Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures Blu-ray Collection (Paramount)

RELEASE DATE: September 18, 2012

Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount. The set will include Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, plus a load of extra features!

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

Yuen Woo-ping speaks in lengthy interview with Hollywood Reporter

Yuen Woon-ping

Yuen Woon-ping

Legendary martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping (The Matrix, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter to reflect back on his long and illustrious career in both Hong Kong cinema and Hollywood. It’s a worthwhile read, which you can find over at Chinese Films.

It’s long been rumored that Yuen Woo-ping and actor Donnie Yen were no longer on good terms, despite Yuen Woo-ping helping give Yen his big break, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. In the interview, Woo-ping discusses the aging of the ‘old guard’ of Hong Kong talent: “It’s very difficult find the next Jackie Chan or Jet Li, and even Donnie Yen isn’t a young man anymore. He’s paid his dues, and finally got his break.”

Speaking of the old days and how things have changed, Woo-ping states: “In the era of ‘Drunken Master,’ all the fighting you see on screen were genuine fighting; the actors were hitting each other for real, and it really hurt…The action nowadays is all about romance, and the whole process is so much more careful and meticulous when putting together an action scene.”

At present, Yuen Woo-ping is reuniting with one of his other former pupils, Keanu Reeves, who Woo-ping trained to fight for The Matrix trilogy, in order to direct the action sequences in Reeves’ The Man From Tai Chi.

Posted in News |

Do you like scary movies and ‘Horror Stories’?

"Horror Stories" Korean Theatrical Poster

There’s a new horror anthology film coming out of South Korea, featuring five tales of terror from five uniquely talented directors, and appropriately enough it’s titled Horror Stories. The trailer is now online and it’s equal turns atmospheric and disturbing. Past works from the filmmakers involved include Epitaph, White, and Memento Mori. Supposedly each story in the film will explore a relevant topic in contemporary Korean society, such as capitalism run amok.

Of course, there’s an over-arching narrative tying the various stories together: in this centerpiece, a serial killer holds a a young woman captive and demands that she scare him to death with a terrifying tale. Horror Stories arrives in Korean theaters this July 26, 2012. Thanks to 24 Frames Per Second for the story.

Posted in News |

Prison on Fire II (1991) Review

"Prison on Fire II" Chinese DVD Cover

“Prison on Fire II” Chinese DVD Cover

Director: Ringo Lam
Producer: Ringo Lam, Karl Maka
Cast: Chan Chung Yung, Chow Yun Fat, Victor Hon Kwan, Frankie Ng Chi Hung, Elvis Tsui Kam Kong, Tommy Wong Kwong Leung, Yu Li, Ng Kwok Kin, Roy Cheung You Yeung, Vincent Wan Yeung Ming
Running Time: 109 min.

By Numskull

This here sequel reunites director Ringo Lam, writer Nam Yin, star Chow Yun-Fat, and a few supporting actors in another episode in the topsy-turvy life of #41671. It’s not as good as its predecessor, but few sequels are.

There’s a bit of a political struggle here, with the cons from Mainland China at odds with the ones from Hong Kong…”Hongkies.” Our hero Chow Yun-Fat (of the latter group) becomes the object of the Mainlanders’ hostility when all he really wants is to ensure the safety and happiness of his motherless son. Between that and the circumstances of CYF’s wife’s death being revealed, the film really tries to play up to the sentimentality of its audience. The nerves that Nam and Lam attempt to touch are raw ones, but their efforts may strike some as mere pandering to the basest of emotions while the civil feud between the two Chinese factions ultimately seems rather pointless.

The problems don’t stop there. Chow escapes from prison not once but twice, with so little difficulty that it’s a wonder why half of the other inmates haven’t done it already. As in the first film, there’s a lovely scene where Chow takes a shit with some charming sound effects for accompaniment, and the part where he and the “boss” Mainlander frolic in the water naked as the day they were born is just plain wrong.

Perhaps worst of all is the Category IIB Universe DVD’s very noticeable “time warp” during the scene where Chow stabs one of the villains in the eye with a sharpened toothbrush. Since this is the only version of the film I’ve seen, I suspect that the most graphic shot…the actual penetration…has been removed. This pisses me off. Reminds me of the missing female ass cracks from Mega Star’s Category I DVD of Armour of God 2: Operation Condor. I hope I’m wrong, but I doubt it.

Despite these flaw, Prison on Fire II is a pretty worthy follow-up that retains much of the original’s overall feel and spirit. Recommended to fans of the first for the sake of completeness.

Numskull’s Rating: 6/10

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Prison on Fire (1987) Review

"Prison on Fire" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Prison on Fire” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Ring Lam
Writer: Nam Yin
Cast: Chow Yun Fat, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Roy Cheung Yiu Yeung, William Ho Ka Kui, Victor Hon Kwan, Tommy Wong Kwong Leung, Frankie Ng Chi Hun
Running Time: 98 min.

By Numksull

Lots of directors out there could learn a valuable lesson from Ringo Lam. No artsy-fartsy cinematic snobbery to be found in his films, for better or for worse. He and screenwriter Nam Yin simply tell the story, holding little, if anything, back, with a distinct and refreshing lack of frills. Whereas other writer-director reams try to be the well-balanced meal from the yuppie restaurant with all the extra shit that nobody eats, Lam and Nam are the big, juicy, sizzling hunk of dead animal from the jam-packed steakhouse that satisfies even the heartiest appetite.

Tony Leung Ka-Fai is a mild mannered guy who gets imprisoned for accidentally causing the death of some asshole who had it coming, and Chow Yun-Fat is the wise, charismatic con who befriends him. Both men light the screen on fire (there you have it, friends: my lamest “joke” of all time) with high-energy performances, assisted in no small part by a talented supporting cast of troublesome inmates and corrupt officials for them (Chow and Leung) to clash with. There are several bare-knuckle brawls, the last (and best) of which has Chow Yun-Fat going absolutely berserk on Micky (the Triad who looks like an Asian Bill Gates) and then Scarface. In an unforgettable moment sure to inspire more predictable Mike Tyson jokes than you can wave a subpoena at, he bites the fucker’s ear off, spits it out and spews a liberal amount of blood along with it, then laughs maniacally. The thunder and lightning outside for this scene crank the melodrama up to a deliciously absurd level, and I half-expected Chow to shout “IT’S ALIIIIIIVE!!!” in true Viktor Frankenstein fashion. It would have been easy for Ringo Lam to excise this image (along with the bloody smear under the bus after Mr. Asshole gets squished by it) from the film to get a Category IIB rating, rather than the Category III classification it carries now. He didn’t. Bravo!

Prison on Fire is solid if not spectacular entertainment that would be a worthy addition to an introductory Hong Kong film package. The only real problem is the skimpy shorts that the cons have to wear. Ick. Let the sodomy references fly.

Numskull’s Rating: 7/10


By Tequila

The film that convinced me Chow Yun Fat was the greatest actor of all time. And also the film that convinced me Ringo Lam is one sick bastard too.

Leung Ka Fai gets sent to jail for manslaughter after kicking a triad under a bus, complete with sound effects (EWW!). There, he meets up with Chow Yun Fat’s Ah Ching character, who happens to be the most charismatic prison inmate ever. Stuff happens, but I don’t need to say more because you WILL see Prison on Fire.

Basically, Chow Yun Fat and Leung Ka Fai both deserved awards for this film as both of them are F*CKING FANTASTIC. No jokes. While some may say Roy Cheung is his usual sneering self, it works here and the evil prison warden is bloody well suited to this flick. I was stuck to the screen for the whole thing and I hated the fact that it ended because it just really demands more – probably why there was a sequel that was almost as good (but not quite). Ringo Lam really made the dull grey prison come alive with the characters and not the visual aspect because there’s only so much you can get from grey walls and dusty exercise yards.

Prison on Fire gets a bit freakin’ sick near the end and Chow Yun Fat shows that Mike Tyson watches Hong Kong movies with a nasty moment, but it doesn’t detract from the film because it’s already shocked you with the way the prisoners are treated. Ah Ching must be the most luckless man in Hong Kong…

Tequila’s Rating: 9.5/10 (Some of the best acting ever)


By Retter

Ringo Lam’s “Prison on Fire” is a gritty prison drama that revolves around two inmates. When one of them notices a triad inmate steel a pair of scissors a war of grudges erupts with violent confrontations between prisoners and even the warden.I enjoyed this movie because it seemed quite realistic especially Chow Yun Fat’s good performance as the experienced prisoner used to life in the “Big House”. Ringo Lam has constructed a good plot that includes emotions from joy to hatred. The climax is especially entertaining and I give it my strong recommendation. This film was followed by a sequel but it failed to capture the grittyness and haunting themes of the original. Chow Yun Fat’s character in this film resembles Paul Newman’s in the classic 1967 film “Cool Hand Luke”. I think all Hong Kong movie fans should watch this film because it’s a hidden gem that although was not an international hit ranks among my all time favorites.

Retter’s Rating: 8/10

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Keep your enemies close and your organs closer in ‘Conspirators’

"Conspirators" Korean Theatrical Trailer

Just what is the upcoming South Korean horror/thriller Conspirators about? Well, as of right now the plot is anyone’s guess. Some suspect it’s about an organ harvester claiming victims on a cruise ship, while the Asian Wiki has a more cryptic summary of Chinese cruise passengers under siege by ‘pursuers.’ Either way, it sounds like this particular oceanbound trip is going to be anything but smooth sailing.

Check out the striking poster and then hop over to Beyond Hollywood for the teaser trailer. Let’s hope that a full-length trailer will be released shortly and shed some light on the plot. We do know the cast includes Im Chang-jeong, Choi Daniel, Oh Dal-soo, Jo Yoon-hee, Jo Dal-hwan, and Jeong Ji-yoon. Expect Conspirators in Korean theaters this August 2012.

Posted in News |

Seven Samurai (1954) Review

"Seven Samurai" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Seven Samurai” Japanese Theatrical Poster

AKA: 7 Samurai
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Daisuke Kato, Isao Kimura, Minoru Chiaki, Seiji Miyaguchi, Yoshio Inaba, Kamatari Fujiwara, Bokuzen Hidari
Running Time: 207 min.

By Numskull

Akira Kurosawa is what I refer to as a “sacred cow” director (others include Ingmar Bergman and Wong Kar Wai). To suggest that any of his films is anything less than perfect in every way is to be labeled a blasphemer by all sorts of people. People generally being untrustworthy and despicable creatures, this is of no consequence to one such as myself, and it is without apology that I consider this film to be… well, actually it’s very good, but still overrated.

This three and a half hour tale of desperate farmers recruiting wandering samurai warriors to protect them from (a.k.a. “annihilate”) a band of forty marauding bandits has a scope and sense of heart and soul that few modern films can hope to match in spite of (or perhaps because of) its fairly straightforward storyline. Though its length is staggering, it does not suffer from excessive pacing problems or any significant amount of sheer monotony. Still, it definitely FEELS like three and a half hours. The film is interesting enough to draw you in and make you feel like a part of the world in which it takes place (you may even believe that life really was black & white back then), but you may get a bit more anxious to leave than it would like you to as the conclusion inches ever closer.

Our dauntless heroes: Kambei, the wizened tactician (Takashi Shimura); Shichijori, his old right hand man (Daisuke Kato); Heihachi, the jesting vagabond (Minoru Chiaki); Kyuzo, the consummate swordsman (Seiji Miyaguchi); Gorobei, the impulsive well-wisher (Yoshio Inaba); Katsushiro, the idealistic youngster (Isao Kimura); and Kikuchiyo, the temperamental wild card (scene-stealing Toshiro Mifune). Their nefarious adversaries: …… uh…… um….. a bunch of….. well…. a bunch of, um, bad guys.

The best antagonists are always the ones with names, faces, and memorable lines and deeds. The bandits in Seven Samurai have none of these things… well, OK, I guess they have faces on their skulls, but there’s still nothing distinct about them (the bandits, not the faces). Rather than existing as a collection of individual characters, the bandits are a collective plot device. Aside from the film’s very first scene, there are no segments that present their perspective or illustrate their reactions to the heroes’ attempts to thwart them (except when the two factions are face to face). Of course, this is not a generic good guys vs. bad guys story, and, considering the length of the film, an argument could be made against more spotlight for the villains as this would only make the movie longer to the point of insufferability. But, considering how much time is spent recruiting the samurai and then getting them to the soon-to-be-besieged village, I think the film would have been better off if Kurosawa had cut back on the philosophy-laden dialogue and presented the additional point of view. On the other hand, philosophy-laden dialogue IS one of the things that makes a Kurosawa film a Kurosawa film. There’s no easy answer. I’ll just shut up about this whole issue.

Another related problem is character exposition for the samurai. For the most part, these guys aren’t exactly bursting with personality. Kambei probably has the most screen time, Kikuchiyo is obviously Kurosawa’s favorite, and Katsushiro is involved in one subplot too many. Gorobei, Heihachi, and Shichijori get somewhat shafted in the spotlight department while Kyuzo hovers between the two degrees of exhibition. This is not to say, however, that our septet of brave warriors don’t have good chemistry together. They do. Kurosawa assembled a cast that seems to have a great sense of camaraderie, and that translates well to the screen.

The second half of the film is more involving than the first and is where the majority of the action takes place. By “action” I mean stuff happening, not just fighting, although there is a small amount of that, all of it brief and about as “un-flashy” as can be, for which it is all the more realistic. These scenes are largely devoid of the sound effects typically associated with scenes of swordplay.

If you have yet to see Seven Samurai, don’t watch the trailer first as it reveals things it shouldn’t (and also promises “A FLAMING LOVE IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH!” Um…yeah). I stand by my belief that this film is not God’s gift to cinema, but nevertheless it fully deserves much of the praise that has been heaped upon it and didn’t spark a transcultural remake (The Magnificent Seven) by accident. It is a standard bearer, if nothing else. So be it.

Numskull’s Rating: 7/10

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