THE LADY IS THE BOSS
Interesting modern-day spin on MY YOUNG AUNTIE but suffers from that film's problem - Kara Hui is shoved out of the way in the finale so the boys, especially 'Pops', can rescue her. The presentation of 80s HK pop-culture was probably dated before the film even came out - very much a film version of an old man trying to get the kids to turn down the music! The fighting is very good, with Gordon Liu and Hsiao Ho sending up their classic kung fu roles.
As with the IVL dvd, the source audio for 88's release is quite harsh on the ears, especially when Kara's Cantonese dubber mangles the English language in a manner not heard again from an "American" until SHIN GOJIRA. There is a lot of harsh siblilance whenever anyone says an "s" and it probably would have helped if the Cantonese dubbers didn't shout down the mike! Subtitles are good, but oddly when the actors names appear on-screen, the names are back-to-front - so Lau Kar-leung is Kar-leung Lau etc.
What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
-
Killer Meteor
- Hail the Judge!
- Posts: 2374
- Joined: 16 Mar 2005, 23:05
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
bradavon wrote:
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
-
HungFist
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 11837
- Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
- Location: Japan
- Contact:
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
A Lawless Outpost (無法の宿場) (1963) [35mm] – 3/5
A relatively obscure samurai film about a swordsman (Chiyonosuke Azuma), who wanders into a small town with vengeance in his mind. The opening scene where our anti-hero comes across three thugs on a dusty countryside road is superb. The poor bastards thought they could grab his money and live. Once in the godforsaken town, our protagonist rents a blood soaked room where the previous inhabitant’s guts are still on the tatami. The old man offering the room warns him of local gangsters, especially a hell raiser who looks like a bear. “Oh, him? I killed him this morning in the bar” responds our hero. The film then somewhat slows down when the protagonist becomes obsessed with challenging a local old master to a duel. His motivations won’t be explained until later on. It would be fair to say this film (among other similar pictures) very much anticipated the Italian spaghetti westerns that were just around the corner. It doesn’t quite live up to its premise as it’s held down by what is ultimately a pretty standard storyline, and lacks the finishing touch in style and nihilism, but it’s a good film and deserves to be seen by anyone curious the genre.
Gang vs. Gang (ギャング対ギャング) (Japan, 1962) [TV] – 3/5
A more stylish than average noir from Teruo Ishii. Koji Tsuruta stars a gangster who finishes his five year prison stint. He's greeted with a bullet into the arm as soon as he walks out from the gates. In return, he decides to take down his ungrateful ex-boss' drug operations. This is one of the better Gang films Ishii directed. It’s not without some slow patches, but also not lacking highlights. The entire sequence where weak-willed drug operations manager Ko Nishimura is being interrogated by mean boss Tetsuro Tamba is supremely stylish, as is the thrilling last 20 minutes that probably borrows from Wages of Fear. I’ve not seen the French classic, but the tension is comparable to the William Friendkin remake. The cast is uniformly excellent, full of mean and lean Toei heavies.
A relatively obscure samurai film about a swordsman (Chiyonosuke Azuma), who wanders into a small town with vengeance in his mind. The opening scene where our anti-hero comes across three thugs on a dusty countryside road is superb. The poor bastards thought they could grab his money and live. Once in the godforsaken town, our protagonist rents a blood soaked room where the previous inhabitant’s guts are still on the tatami. The old man offering the room warns him of local gangsters, especially a hell raiser who looks like a bear. “Oh, him? I killed him this morning in the bar” responds our hero. The film then somewhat slows down when the protagonist becomes obsessed with challenging a local old master to a duel. His motivations won’t be explained until later on. It would be fair to say this film (among other similar pictures) very much anticipated the Italian spaghetti westerns that were just around the corner. It doesn’t quite live up to its premise as it’s held down by what is ultimately a pretty standard storyline, and lacks the finishing touch in style and nihilism, but it’s a good film and deserves to be seen by anyone curious the genre.
Gang vs. Gang (ギャング対ギャング) (Japan, 1962) [TV] – 3/5
A more stylish than average noir from Teruo Ishii. Koji Tsuruta stars a gangster who finishes his five year prison stint. He's greeted with a bullet into the arm as soon as he walks out from the gates. In return, he decides to take down his ungrateful ex-boss' drug operations. This is one of the better Gang films Ishii directed. It’s not without some slow patches, but also not lacking highlights. The entire sequence where weak-willed drug operations manager Ko Nishimura is being interrogated by mean boss Tetsuro Tamba is supremely stylish, as is the thrilling last 20 minutes that probably borrows from Wages of Fear. I’ve not seen the French classic, but the tension is comparable to the William Friendkin remake. The cast is uniformly excellent, full of mean and lean Toei heavies.
-
HungFist
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 11837
- Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
- Location: Japan
- Contact:
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Hole in the Pants: Hanagarabatake de inputto (パンツの穴 花柄畑でインプット) (Japan, 1985) [Streaming] – 3/5
A largely forgotten sequel to Norifumi Suzuki's raunchy / tender youth comedy Hole in the Pants (1984), somewhat surprisingly directed 70s gun for hire Yutaka Kohira (Dragon Princess, New Female Prisoner Scorpion) and written by Masahiro Kakefuda (Horrors of Malformed Men, Terrifying Girls’ High School). This unfolds very much in the fashion as the first film. It's another high school comedy about horny boys chasing after pretty girls and failing miserably, something that could’ve been a typical idol film were it not so full of gross jokes and even some nudity, not entirely unlike American 80s teen sex comedies. It's politically about as incorrect as they get by today’ standards, comes with more boner jokes than Love Exposure, and packs a very nice pop soundtrack. And much like Suzuki's film, it eventually comes out almost adorable. As for casting, Yoichi Yamamoto returns from the first film but Momoko Kikuchi, who had become too popular to appear in junk like this, has been replaced with a new idol of the day, Kaori Shimura (whose career did not last much beyond this film). Also look out for a Tatsuo Umemiya cameo. Released theatrically as a double feature with Kazuhiko Yamaguchi’s Big Magnum Kuroiwa.
Chivalry of One Lone Flower (任侠花一輪) (Japan, 1974) [TV] – 4/5
A lone wolf yakuza (Tatsuya Fuji) just out of prison is searching for his long lost sister (Yumi Takigawa) on the streets of Tokyo in this melancholic gangster ballad. This came out well into the jitsuroku era, after ninkyo films had gone out of fashion, but carries the DNA of the former while being set in the gritty world of the latter. There is however a third reference that should not be overlooked: the untitled wave of late 60s & early 70s nocturnal dramas following pimps and hostesses, set in the neon-lit red light districts, and usually based on pop ballads (*), produced mainly by Toei and Nikkatsu. Perhaps not surprisingly, this film was also based on a song: Fuji's debut single of the same title from earlier in 1974. The film became his first lead role after having been a notable supporting player for a decade, first at Nikkatsu and later at Toei. He's solid here as a tormented man of few words. Co-star Takigawa, fresh off her debut in School of the Holy Beast, doesn't get much to do in the masculine narrative; however Tatsuo Umemiya is given a good “ninkyo role” as an honourable enemy. Atsushi Mihori (Criminal Woman: Killing Melody) helms the film with loads of style and atmosphere; the cinematography and art direction are some of the most stylish you’ll find in any 70s yakuza movie. This film feels slightly out of time for 1974, but serves as a fine swansong to the old fashioned yakuza romanticism: the honour and humanity among outlaws.
* Examples of the many films belonging to this “genre” include Toei's Youth of the Night series (1965-1968), Song of the Night series (1967-1974), Neon kurage series (1973), Nikkatsu's Night Butterflies (1971), Women’s Police series (1969-1970) (especially part 4), and many others.
A largely forgotten sequel to Norifumi Suzuki's raunchy / tender youth comedy Hole in the Pants (1984), somewhat surprisingly directed 70s gun for hire Yutaka Kohira (Dragon Princess, New Female Prisoner Scorpion) and written by Masahiro Kakefuda (Horrors of Malformed Men, Terrifying Girls’ High School). This unfolds very much in the fashion as the first film. It's another high school comedy about horny boys chasing after pretty girls and failing miserably, something that could’ve been a typical idol film were it not so full of gross jokes and even some nudity, not entirely unlike American 80s teen sex comedies. It's politically about as incorrect as they get by today’ standards, comes with more boner jokes than Love Exposure, and packs a very nice pop soundtrack. And much like Suzuki's film, it eventually comes out almost adorable. As for casting, Yoichi Yamamoto returns from the first film but Momoko Kikuchi, who had become too popular to appear in junk like this, has been replaced with a new idol of the day, Kaori Shimura (whose career did not last much beyond this film). Also look out for a Tatsuo Umemiya cameo. Released theatrically as a double feature with Kazuhiko Yamaguchi’s Big Magnum Kuroiwa.
Chivalry of One Lone Flower (任侠花一輪) (Japan, 1974) [TV] – 4/5
A lone wolf yakuza (Tatsuya Fuji) just out of prison is searching for his long lost sister (Yumi Takigawa) on the streets of Tokyo in this melancholic gangster ballad. This came out well into the jitsuroku era, after ninkyo films had gone out of fashion, but carries the DNA of the former while being set in the gritty world of the latter. There is however a third reference that should not be overlooked: the untitled wave of late 60s & early 70s nocturnal dramas following pimps and hostesses, set in the neon-lit red light districts, and usually based on pop ballads (*), produced mainly by Toei and Nikkatsu. Perhaps not surprisingly, this film was also based on a song: Fuji's debut single of the same title from earlier in 1974. The film became his first lead role after having been a notable supporting player for a decade, first at Nikkatsu and later at Toei. He's solid here as a tormented man of few words. Co-star Takigawa, fresh off her debut in School of the Holy Beast, doesn't get much to do in the masculine narrative; however Tatsuo Umemiya is given a good “ninkyo role” as an honourable enemy. Atsushi Mihori (Criminal Woman: Killing Melody) helms the film with loads of style and atmosphere; the cinematography and art direction are some of the most stylish you’ll find in any 70s yakuza movie. This film feels slightly out of time for 1974, but serves as a fine swansong to the old fashioned yakuza romanticism: the honour and humanity among outlaws.
* Examples of the many films belonging to this “genre” include Toei's Youth of the Night series (1965-1968), Song of the Night series (1967-1974), Neon kurage series (1973), Nikkatsu's Night Butterflies (1971), Women’s Police series (1969-1970) (especially part 4), and many others.
-
Killer Meteor
- Hail the Judge!
- Posts: 2374
- Joined: 16 Mar 2005, 23:05
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
MAGNIFICENT WANDERERS
I'm not sure what prompted Chang Cheh to try out a kung fu comedy 2 years before they became fashionable, and this is a rather odd beast, not least because much of the comedy comes from the goony bad guys, whilst the heroes are much more restrained. But it does have some genuine laughs in there, and it's an interesting companion peace to HALF A LOAF OF KUNG FU where the comedy waters are tested by people who think stuttering is the height of hilarity.
6/10
I'm not sure what prompted Chang Cheh to try out a kung fu comedy 2 years before they became fashionable, and this is a rather odd beast, not least because much of the comedy comes from the goony bad guys, whilst the heroes are much more restrained. But it does have some genuine laughs in there, and it's an interesting companion peace to HALF A LOAF OF KUNG FU where the comedy waters are tested by people who think stuttering is the height of hilarity.
6/10
bradavon wrote:
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
-
Killer Meteor
- Hail the Judge!
- Posts: 2374
- Joined: 16 Mar 2005, 23:05
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Yesterday I watched the Japanese movie THREE OUTLAW SAMUAI, followed by its Shaw remake (official or not, the credits don't say) THE MAGNIFICENT TRIO - last time I watched the latter was 20 years ago on the rubbish non-anamorphic Momentum Asia DVD!
It's quite interesting seeing how the two films differ. At first, there are almost shot-for-shot, which doesn't do Shaws that much favours as their more theatrical look is negated by the gritty realism of the Japanese film. And Jimmy Wang Yu, all masacara and posing, couldn't compete with Testuro Tamba if you cut off both of Tamba's arms! Cheng Lei should have been the breakout male star of this, as he really steals the show, but sadly afterwards he just seemed to be there in movies to take his shirt off and die quickly.
But, and this is truly remarkable when you consider this is a Chang Cheh movie, it is the Shaw film that has much more active roles for its female chacters. In 3OS, they are there to help the heroes a bit then die horribly, but the resolution of the Shaw film relies on the villian's daughter putting justice over family, and the final closing shot is genuinely moving.
And since this is 1966 and Chang Cheh was just starting out with his Yang Gang formula, it is rather surreal to see our three burly leading men arrive on screen with the title THE MAGNIFICENT TRIO...but then the three top-billed actors are the leading ladies, which creates the odd impression that Jimmy Wang Yu's real name is Margaret.
8/10
It's quite interesting seeing how the two films differ. At first, there are almost shot-for-shot, which doesn't do Shaws that much favours as their more theatrical look is negated by the gritty realism of the Japanese film. And Jimmy Wang Yu, all masacara and posing, couldn't compete with Testuro Tamba if you cut off both of Tamba's arms! Cheng Lei should have been the breakout male star of this, as he really steals the show, but sadly afterwards he just seemed to be there in movies to take his shirt off and die quickly.
But, and this is truly remarkable when you consider this is a Chang Cheh movie, it is the Shaw film that has much more active roles for its female chacters. In 3OS, they are there to help the heroes a bit then die horribly, but the resolution of the Shaw film relies on the villian's daughter putting justice over family, and the final closing shot is genuinely moving.
And since this is 1966 and Chang Cheh was just starting out with his Yang Gang formula, it is rather surreal to see our three burly leading men arrive on screen with the title THE MAGNIFICENT TRIO...but then the three top-billed actors are the leading ladies, which creates the odd impression that Jimmy Wang Yu's real name is Margaret.
8/10
bradavon wrote:
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
-
HungFist
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 11837
- Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
- Location: Japan
- Contact:
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
A Violent School Revolution (青春讃歌 暴力学園大革命) (1975) [TV] – 2.5/5
Makoto Naito helms this largely forgotten entry into Toei's delinquent boy genre. There were a handful of similar films, such as the Waru series (1973 1974) and the Gang of Men series (1975-1976), made in the mid 70s when girl gang films had begun to fade away. One should not draw too direct comparisons between the two delinquent youth genres as one was largely a sub-genre of Toei Porno while the other were comic book films with a far wider intended mainstream appeal. The delinquent boy films were targeting mainly adolescent boys with their manga mayhem and visual gags, and perhaps girls too with the handsome bad boy leads ("I love a violent guy with a tender heart" is even uttered in the film!). The tormented heart knob here is Makoto Hoshi, a top student who puzzlingly becomes a school gang boss. Girls compete for him, teachers are suspicious of him, and rival biker gang boss Koichi Iwaki tries to barge into his turf. Unfortunately the film suffers from a near complete lack of plot (not entirely unusual in a mid 70s Toei film) and a general lack of punch that may partly be due to its mainstream box office ambitions. There is however enough good music, badly behaving boys, occasional nudity, and a cool sunset closing shot to keep a 70s Toei fan moderately entertained. Just don’t expect too much.
Edo Ninja Scroll: Seven Shadows (江戸忍法帖 七つの影) (Japan, 1963) [TV] – 3.5/5
Seven Koga ninja are sent to find and kill for the former Shogun’s secret illegitimate son (Kotaro Satomi) and all of his acquaintances. It’s surprising that this pulpy ninja action film from Toei isn’t better known. Not only is it an entertaining genre picture, it’s also based on a novel by ninja exploitation favourite Futaro Yamada (Female Ninja Magic, Samurai Reincarnation, Ninja Wars). There’s at least two film’s worth of intrigue and at times surprisingly bloody action packed into brisk 85 minutes. The action choreography which utilises various ninja weapons is thoroughly entertaining and the film's dark tone feels slightly ahead of its time for early 1963. There are quite a few moments where not only fans of the mid 60s gritty and brutal new jidaigeki films but also the 70s Lone Wolf and Cub films should feel at home. Best of all, the entire film is strikingly photographed on black and white film making full use of noirish shadows, smoke, snow and stylish frame compositions. The only area where the film fails is telling a particularly memorably story or crafting unforgettable characters. Nevertheless, genre fans ought to check it out. For some reason the film has long been difficult to see, having fallen into oblivion for ages until Toei just recently remastered it in HD alongside another ninja picture, Moonshadow Ninja Scroll: Twenty-One Eyes (1963), from the same director, Junji Kurata.
Makoto Naito helms this largely forgotten entry into Toei's delinquent boy genre. There were a handful of similar films, such as the Waru series (1973 1974) and the Gang of Men series (1975-1976), made in the mid 70s when girl gang films had begun to fade away. One should not draw too direct comparisons between the two delinquent youth genres as one was largely a sub-genre of Toei Porno while the other were comic book films with a far wider intended mainstream appeal. The delinquent boy films were targeting mainly adolescent boys with their manga mayhem and visual gags, and perhaps girls too with the handsome bad boy leads ("I love a violent guy with a tender heart" is even uttered in the film!). The tormented heart knob here is Makoto Hoshi, a top student who puzzlingly becomes a school gang boss. Girls compete for him, teachers are suspicious of him, and rival biker gang boss Koichi Iwaki tries to barge into his turf. Unfortunately the film suffers from a near complete lack of plot (not entirely unusual in a mid 70s Toei film) and a general lack of punch that may partly be due to its mainstream box office ambitions. There is however enough good music, badly behaving boys, occasional nudity, and a cool sunset closing shot to keep a 70s Toei fan moderately entertained. Just don’t expect too much.
Edo Ninja Scroll: Seven Shadows (江戸忍法帖 七つの影) (Japan, 1963) [TV] – 3.5/5
Seven Koga ninja are sent to find and kill for the former Shogun’s secret illegitimate son (Kotaro Satomi) and all of his acquaintances. It’s surprising that this pulpy ninja action film from Toei isn’t better known. Not only is it an entertaining genre picture, it’s also based on a novel by ninja exploitation favourite Futaro Yamada (Female Ninja Magic, Samurai Reincarnation, Ninja Wars). There’s at least two film’s worth of intrigue and at times surprisingly bloody action packed into brisk 85 minutes. The action choreography which utilises various ninja weapons is thoroughly entertaining and the film's dark tone feels slightly ahead of its time for early 1963. There are quite a few moments where not only fans of the mid 60s gritty and brutal new jidaigeki films but also the 70s Lone Wolf and Cub films should feel at home. Best of all, the entire film is strikingly photographed on black and white film making full use of noirish shadows, smoke, snow and stylish frame compositions. The only area where the film fails is telling a particularly memorably story or crafting unforgettable characters. Nevertheless, genre fans ought to check it out. For some reason the film has long been difficult to see, having fallen into oblivion for ages until Toei just recently remastered it in HD alongside another ninja picture, Moonshadow Ninja Scroll: Twenty-One Eyes (1963), from the same director, Junji Kurata.
-
chazgower01
- King of Beggars
- Posts: 530
- Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Love Hunter: Hot Skin aka Burning Skin (1972) Japan 2.5/5
Controversial director Maseru Konuma features Mari Tanaka as a young woman who was in a car accident that has left her husband impotent. She’s horny as hell but can’t get no satisfaction. Three thrill seeking hoodlums (2 guys and a girl) force her to give them a ride - one goes down on her while the other two get it on in the back seat - all while she’s driving.
Yep. There’s something about driving that…
She’s goes to a disco and meets a guy and they get it on in the car, while the hipster hoodlums spy. Her foot accidentally knocks the parking brake off, but a rock stops the car from rolling too far until… one of the hoodlums kicks the rock away and over the short cliff it goes - killing the dude during sex, while she survives and is rescued by the hoodlums. As she passes out one of the hoodlums takes pictures!
THEN: Her husband comes and sees her in the hospital and peels an apple over her, the skin of it left over her naked body - he squeezes her boobs and she cries out and he grabs the cast on her leg and she cries out and he hold up a mirror to her face so she can see herself cry out and he bites her wrist and then bites her boob… it does the trick!
The Hoodlum blackmails the husband for those pictures…. They take the money and buy noodles and then have a threesome!
What does it all lead to? BDSM…Betrayal… and Murder.
It’s interesting, stylish, and weird, with a sparse jazz soundtrack…. it’s considered the least liked of his ‘Love Hunter’ movies, but… I didn’t dislike it.
Controversial director Maseru Konuma features Mari Tanaka as a young woman who was in a car accident that has left her husband impotent. She’s horny as hell but can’t get no satisfaction. Three thrill seeking hoodlums (2 guys and a girl) force her to give them a ride - one goes down on her while the other two get it on in the back seat - all while she’s driving.
Yep. There’s something about driving that…
She’s goes to a disco and meets a guy and they get it on in the car, while the hipster hoodlums spy. Her foot accidentally knocks the parking brake off, but a rock stops the car from rolling too far until… one of the hoodlums kicks the rock away and over the short cliff it goes - killing the dude during sex, while she survives and is rescued by the hoodlums. As she passes out one of the hoodlums takes pictures!
THEN: Her husband comes and sees her in the hospital and peels an apple over her, the skin of it left over her naked body - he squeezes her boobs and she cries out and he grabs the cast on her leg and she cries out and he hold up a mirror to her face so she can see herself cry out and he bites her wrist and then bites her boob… it does the trick!
The Hoodlum blackmails the husband for those pictures…. They take the money and buy noodles and then have a threesome!
What does it all lead to? BDSM…Betrayal… and Murder.
It’s interesting, stylish, and weird, with a sparse jazz soundtrack…. it’s considered the least liked of his ‘Love Hunter’ movies, but… I didn’t dislike it.
-
chazgower01
- King of Beggars
- Posts: 530
- Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Female Leopard (1985) Japan 2/5
When Yuko (Kozue Tanaka - the hot girl on the cover art) was a little girl, her older brother apparently had the hots for her, so her parents sent her away to school. Now she returns, as a young lady, only to find her brother is even more perverted. He has hidden identity parties where leather masked, codpiece wearing, muscle men take one of the guests and expose her identity, then strip, abuse and gang rape her while everyone watches.
It sounds sinister but… the movie lacks any real menace. It’s just comes across as kind of cheesy.
I mean… they do all the bad things they’re supposed to do - Yuko gets drugged, has sex with her brother, the girlfriend retaliates by having her gang raped, etc… but it’s a Japanese Roman Porno exploitation movie. You expect that!
Maybe it’s the music, or the acting, or whatever, but nothing here is all that good.
The only real reason to see this is that Tanaka has a great set of natural boobs, that she very liberally shows throughout the movie.
When Yuko (Kozue Tanaka - the hot girl on the cover art) was a little girl, her older brother apparently had the hots for her, so her parents sent her away to school. Now she returns, as a young lady, only to find her brother is even more perverted. He has hidden identity parties where leather masked, codpiece wearing, muscle men take one of the guests and expose her identity, then strip, abuse and gang rape her while everyone watches.
It sounds sinister but… the movie lacks any real menace. It’s just comes across as kind of cheesy.
I mean… they do all the bad things they’re supposed to do - Yuko gets drugged, has sex with her brother, the girlfriend retaliates by having her gang raped, etc… but it’s a Japanese Roman Porno exploitation movie. You expect that!
Maybe it’s the music, or the acting, or whatever, but nothing here is all that good.
The only real reason to see this is that Tanaka has a great set of natural boobs, that she very liberally shows throughout the movie.
-
HungFist
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 11837
- Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
- Location: Japan
- Contact:
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Good to see you back!
Yeah, not much to remember about those two films. However, Love Hunter: Lust (1973) is excellent and probably one of the most political and poetic films in the Roman Porno series. Tanaka plays a stripper arrested for obscenity, interviewed by a disillusioned reporter who used to be part of the student movement. Director Yamaguchi made the film while he (and Nikkatsu, and even Erin ratings board employees) were on trial accused of distribution of obscene material (the original Love Hunter film).
Yeah, not much to remember about those two films. However, Love Hunter: Lust (1973) is excellent and probably one of the most political and poetic films in the Roman Porno series. Tanaka plays a stripper arrested for obscenity, interviewed by a disillusioned reporter who used to be part of the student movement. Director Yamaguchi made the film while he (and Nikkatsu, and even Erin ratings board employees) were on trial accused of distribution of obscene material (the original Love Hunter film).
-
chazgower01
- King of Beggars
- Posts: 530
- Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Yes I want to track that one down!HungFist wrote: 24 May 2025, 16:42 Good to see you back!
Yeah, not much to remember about those two films. However, Love Hunter: Lust (1973) is excellent and probably one of the most political and poetic films in the Roman Porno series. Tanaka plays a stripper arrested for obscenity, interviewed by a disillusioned reporter who used to be part of the student movement. Director Yamaguchi made the film while he (and Nikkatsu, and even Erin ratings board employees) were on trial accused of distribution of obscene material (the original Love Hunter film).
Hey, I'm planning on visiting Tokyo in July for at least a week - do you know of any film festivals going on or special events? It would be really cool to see some of these in an actual theater...
-
HungFist
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 11837
- Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
- Location: Japan
- Contact:
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Sure. Can you give me your exact (or at least more exact) Tokyo travel dates?chazgower01 wrote: 25 May 2025, 13:56 Hey, I'm planning on visiting Tokyo in July for at least a week - do you know of any film festivals going on or special events? It would be really cool to see some of these in an actual theater...
-
chazgower01
- King of Beggars
- Posts: 530
- Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Right now it's looking like sometime between July 15th and 30th.HungFist wrote: 25 May 2025, 16:43Sure. Can you give me your exact (or at least more exact) Tokyo travel dates?chazgower01 wrote: 25 May 2025, 13:56 Hey, I'm planning on visiting Tokyo in July for at least a week - do you know of any film festivals going on or special events? It would be really cool to see some of these in an actual theater...
-
HungFist
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 11837
- Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
- Location: Japan
- Contact:
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Most of the programs haven't been announced yet. Remind me again closer to your trip. And study this thread.chazgower01 wrote: 27 May 2025, 11:21Right now it's looking like sometime between July 15th and 30th.HungFist wrote: 25 May 2025, 16:43Sure. Can you give me your exact (or at least more exact) Tokyo travel dates?chazgower01 wrote: 25 May 2025, 13:56 Hey, I'm planning on visiting Tokyo in July for at least a week - do you know of any film festivals going on or special events? It would be really cool to see some of these in an actual theater...
Laputa Asagaya (All 35mm)
Morning Show: Keiko Sekine retrospective
Main Program: Nikkatsu Golden Age / Takiko Mizunoe retrospective
Late Show: Yumika Hayashi retrospective
Jinbocho theater:
Not announced yet (late May)
Shin bungeiza
Not announced yet (mid/late June)
Meguro Cinema
Not announced yet (announced a week or two before)
Waseda Shochiku
Not announced yet (announced some weeks before)
Sadly you'll be late for Film Archive's Nobuo Nakagawa retrospective, and Cinema Vera is just doing a useless Willian Wyler digi screenings
-
chazgower01
- King of Beggars
- Posts: 530
- Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Thank you!HungFist wrote: 27 May 2025, 18:09Most of the programs haven't been announced yet. Remind me again closer to your trip. And study this thread.chazgower01 wrote: 27 May 2025, 11:21Right now it's looking like sometime between July 15th and 30th.HungFist wrote: 25 May 2025, 16:43Sure. Can you give me your exact (or at least more exact) Tokyo travel dates?chazgower01 wrote: 25 May 2025, 13:56 Hey, I'm planning on visiting Tokyo in July for at least a week - do you know of any film festivals going on or special events? It would be really cool to see some of these in an actual theater...
Laputa Asagaya (All 35mm)
Morning Show: Keiko Sekine retrospective
Main Program: Nikkatsu Golden Age / Takiko Mizunoe retrospective
Late Show: Yumika Hayashi retrospective
Jinbocho theater:
Not announced yet (late May)
Shin bungeiza
Not announced yet (mid/late June)
Meguro Cinema
Not announced yet (announced a week or two before)
Waseda Shochiku
Not announced yet (announced some weeks before)
Sadly you'll be late for Film Archive's Nobuo Nakagawa retrospective, and Cinema Vera is just doing a useless Willian Wyler digi screenings
-
chazgower01
- King of Beggars
- Posts: 530
- Joined: 24 Mar 2017, 20:19
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Night of the Felines (1972) Japan - Digital File - 2.5/5
Masako (Tomoko Katsura) and her two friends work in a Soapy Massage place where we see their nightly life, the good of it, the bad of it, the money, the smiles, the tears… She also has sex with her perverted next door neighbor in their run down apartment complex. He has a roommate that is a sought after gay escort (who also sometimes works as a live photography model who gets whipped naked), who isn’t sure if he’s gay or straight.
He tries to have sex with a girl he’s seeing (they’re in love), but when they try to do the deed, he can’t get a hard on. (She’s actually the cutest girl in the movie).
So the pervert neighbor has Masako fuck him, but again he has trouble, UNTIL… the pervert neighbor starts massaging his butt and ‘helping’ him.
“You did it”, he whispers in his ear. LOL.
Ultimately it doesn’t help, leading to the shocking end… but life goes on for the girls at the local soapy. We see their nightly life, the good of it, the bad of it, the money, the smiles, the tears…
I started off thinking I’d be bored by this, but I actually ended kind of liking it…
Masako (Tomoko Katsura) and her two friends work in a Soapy Massage place where we see their nightly life, the good of it, the bad of it, the money, the smiles, the tears… She also has sex with her perverted next door neighbor in their run down apartment complex. He has a roommate that is a sought after gay escort (who also sometimes works as a live photography model who gets whipped naked), who isn’t sure if he’s gay or straight.
He tries to have sex with a girl he’s seeing (they’re in love), but when they try to do the deed, he can’t get a hard on. (She’s actually the cutest girl in the movie).
So the pervert neighbor has Masako fuck him, but again he has trouble, UNTIL… the pervert neighbor starts massaging his butt and ‘helping’ him.
“You did it”, he whispers in his ear. LOL.
Ultimately it doesn’t help, leading to the shocking end… but life goes on for the girls at the local soapy. We see their nightly life, the good of it, the bad of it, the money, the smiles, the tears…
I started off thinking I’d be bored by this, but I actually ended kind of liking it…
-
Lou Bloom
- Little White Dragon
- Posts: 52
- Joined: 08 Apr 2023, 12:29
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Crocodile (South Korea, 1996) 3/5
Kim Ki-duk's debut picture is far from his best, but has its moments. The story follows a violent thug who lives off grid beneath an underpass with an elderly and a small kid. When he rescues a woman from a suicide they form a dysfunctional family unit which is doomed from the start. There's some nice imagery, a daring and disturbing plot, but unfortunately it never really comes together.
Kim Ki-duk's debut picture is far from his best, but has its moments. The story follows a violent thug who lives off grid beneath an underpass with an elderly and a small kid. When he rescues a woman from a suicide they form a dysfunctional family unit which is doomed from the start. There's some nice imagery, a daring and disturbing plot, but unfortunately it never really comes together.
-
grim_tales
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 22130
- Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
- Location: St. Albans, UK
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Shaolin Kung Fu (Taiwan, 1974): 3.5/5
First time seeing this one. An IMDB review wondered this movie has this title, since there isn't really anything to do with Shaolin here, no monks, Shaolin temple..
Instead, a new rickshaw business opens in town, but instead of competing fairly, they start abusing other rickshaw businesses and nicking their customers.
It's not bad and darker in places than I thought it would be.
First time seeing this one. An IMDB review wondered this movie has this title, since there isn't really anything to do with Shaolin here, no monks, Shaolin temple..
Instead, a new rickshaw business opens in town, but instead of competing fairly, they start abusing other rickshaw businesses and nicking their customers.
It's not bad and darker in places than I thought it would be.
-
grim_tales
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 22130
- Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
- Location: St. Albans, UK
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
The Shaolin Kids (Taiwan, 1975): 4/5
I found this one pretty entertaining - though it doesn't feature the Shaolin Temple or kung fu, but does feature the Wong Fei Hung music a few times for some reason. It's a period film and reminded me of some of King Hu's films such as Come Drink with Me (1966) or Chang Cheh's The Heroic Ones (1970).
I found this one pretty entertaining - though it doesn't feature the Shaolin Temple or kung fu, but does feature the Wong Fei Hung music a few times for some reason. It's a period film and reminded me of some of King Hu's films such as Come Drink with Me (1966) or Chang Cheh's The Heroic Ones (1970).
-
grim_tales
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 22130
- Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
- Location: St. Albans, UK
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
The 18 Bronzemen (HK/Taiwan, 1975): 4.25/5
A cross between 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Shaolin Wooden Men (though it seems to predate both, oddly enough) - very entertaining and well done. Features the Wong Fei Hung music again, and music used in Come Drink With Me (1966). I watched the shorter version on the Blu Ray, didn't realise the HK version was longer.
A cross between 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Shaolin Wooden Men (though it seems to predate both, oddly enough) - very entertaining and well done. Features the Wong Fei Hung music again, and music used in Come Drink With Me (1966). I watched the shorter version on the Blu Ray, didn't realise the HK version was longer.
-
grim_tales
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 22130
- Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
- Location: St. Albans, UK
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Return of the 18 Bronzemen (Taiwan, 1976): 4.25/5
As enjoyable as the first one IMO, but has a twist of the titular character (Carter Wong) being the villain
First he can't join the Shaolin Temple as he's too old, but he waits outside the gate for days for some reason, does the training and is accepted in the end.
All that work, and he doesn't complete the last test. I guess they couldn't show that because he's the bad guy
Great fights with opponents who are either mechanical men (?) in metal suits, or fighters covered in gold with lamé trousers
Was there a 3rd film in the series?
As enjoyable as the first one IMO, but has a twist of the titular character (Carter Wong) being the villain
First he can't join the Shaolin Temple as he's too old, but he waits outside the gate for days for some reason, does the training and is accepted in the end.
All that work, and he doesn't complete the last test. I guess they couldn't show that because he's the bad guy
Great fights with opponents who are either mechanical men (?) in metal suits, or fighters covered in gold with lamé trousers
Was there a 3rd film in the series?
-
HungFist
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 11837
- Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
- Location: Japan
- Contact:
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Midnight Stalker (ザ･ストーカー 暗闇で抱いて！) (Japan, 2002) [TV] – 1/5
Prolific actor turned over-rated director Yutaka Ikejima helms this lackluster erotic thriller about a blind woman who “witnesses” a murder. Supposedly inspired by Wait After Dark (1967), but having not seen that film I cannot comment further. This isn’t the worst film in its genre, but ultimately it doesn’t have anything worthwhile to offer. One might ask “why only one star?”, to which the obvious answer would be “why not?” It’s dull and uninspired from start to finish. Perhaps the only remarkable thing about the film is that it proves Hotaru Hazuki cannot act after all, unless directed by someone like Toshiki Sato. She has an interesting deadpan presence in many of Sato’films, but here she’s hopelessly unconvincing as a blind woman.
競艶おんな極道 色道二十八人衆 (Japan, 1969) [35mm] – 2.5/5
One of the barely surviving films from the long-gone pink film studio Roppo Eiga, much of whose legacy was nearly lost in 2019 when the East Japan Typhoon damaged surviving film materials. I’m struggling to translate the title into English (Letterboxd gives a nonsensical/incomplete English title “Competitive Female Yakuza: 28 Sexual”), but as a rough reference let’s call it “Competing Female Yakuza Beauties: The Lustful 28” (where the “28” is a reference to folk hero Jirocho Shimizu’s 28 gangsters). The film presents itself as a female yakuza pink film, but to be honest the advertising department and the gorgeous poster somewhat over-sell the former aspect. There are female yakuza and gamblers in the film, but a lot of the time it's male yakuza quarrelling amongst each other. The plot, which is all over the place and confusing at times (possibly partly due to the print seemingly missing bits here and there), is about countryside gangsters taking a stance against an arrogant Tokyo gang that invades their hot spring turf. The movie plays out as a half-arsed yakuza / sex hybrid with plenty of humping and nudity though most of it is relatively tame even by 1969 standards. The sex scenes play in color though the film is otherwise black and white. It’s not really until the gunplay/sword wielding finale that this becomes a girls-kick-ass picture, and even then we are talking about a movie whose production values and tech credits are a far cry from similar pictures made by Toei or Nikkatsu. Nevertheless the picture is reasonably watchable, even interesting to genre aficionados as a product of its time. There are quite a few notable names from 60s pink productions from Rumi Tama to Miki Hayashi and many others, and the screenplay was written by none other than Oniroku Dan.
Prolific actor turned over-rated director Yutaka Ikejima helms this lackluster erotic thriller about a blind woman who “witnesses” a murder. Supposedly inspired by Wait After Dark (1967), but having not seen that film I cannot comment further. This isn’t the worst film in its genre, but ultimately it doesn’t have anything worthwhile to offer. One might ask “why only one star?”, to which the obvious answer would be “why not?” It’s dull and uninspired from start to finish. Perhaps the only remarkable thing about the film is that it proves Hotaru Hazuki cannot act after all, unless directed by someone like Toshiki Sato. She has an interesting deadpan presence in many of Sato’films, but here she’s hopelessly unconvincing as a blind woman.
競艶おんな極道 色道二十八人衆 (Japan, 1969) [35mm] – 2.5/5
One of the barely surviving films from the long-gone pink film studio Roppo Eiga, much of whose legacy was nearly lost in 2019 when the East Japan Typhoon damaged surviving film materials. I’m struggling to translate the title into English (Letterboxd gives a nonsensical/incomplete English title “Competitive Female Yakuza: 28 Sexual”), but as a rough reference let’s call it “Competing Female Yakuza Beauties: The Lustful 28” (where the “28” is a reference to folk hero Jirocho Shimizu’s 28 gangsters). The film presents itself as a female yakuza pink film, but to be honest the advertising department and the gorgeous poster somewhat over-sell the former aspect. There are female yakuza and gamblers in the film, but a lot of the time it's male yakuza quarrelling amongst each other. The plot, which is all over the place and confusing at times (possibly partly due to the print seemingly missing bits here and there), is about countryside gangsters taking a stance against an arrogant Tokyo gang that invades their hot spring turf. The movie plays out as a half-arsed yakuza / sex hybrid with plenty of humping and nudity though most of it is relatively tame even by 1969 standards. The sex scenes play in color though the film is otherwise black and white. It’s not really until the gunplay/sword wielding finale that this becomes a girls-kick-ass picture, and even then we are talking about a movie whose production values and tech credits are a far cry from similar pictures made by Toei or Nikkatsu. Nevertheless the picture is reasonably watchable, even interesting to genre aficionados as a product of its time. There are quite a few notable names from 60s pink productions from Rumi Tama to Miki Hayashi and many others, and the screenplay was written by none other than Oniroku Dan.
-
Markgway
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 20188
- Joined: 18 Feb 2005, 02:04
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Blazing Temple (1976)grim_tales wrote: 18 Jun 2025, 19:29 Return of the 18 Bronzemen (Taiwan, 1976): 4.25/5
As enjoyable as the first one IMO, but has a twist of the titular character (Carter Wong) being the villain
First he can't join the Shaolin Temple as he's too old, but he waits outside the gate for days for some reason, does the training and is accepted in the end.
All that work, and he doesn't complete the last test. I guess they couldn't show that because he's the bad guy
Great fights with opponents who are either mechanical men (?) in metal suits, or fighters covered in gold with lamé trousers
Was there a 3rd film in the series?
-
Killer Meteor
- Hail the Judge!
- Posts: 2374
- Joined: 16 Mar 2005, 23:05
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
THE DEADLY KNIVES (1972)
Wacky Shaw attempt at copying FIST OF FURY (as with their other two attempts, KING BOXER and THUNDERBOLT FIST, this has B-stars and a Korean director) with some nicely brutal action from the Yuens, a proto Dean Shek role for...Dean Shek (!) and most bizzarely of all, the normal reserved and grandfatherly Ching Miao as the least convincing Japanese since Sean Connery, cackling away as he gets naughty with a nude body double for Lily Li. Such behaviour!
6/10
Wacky Shaw attempt at copying FIST OF FURY (as with their other two attempts, KING BOXER and THUNDERBOLT FIST, this has B-stars and a Korean director) with some nicely brutal action from the Yuens, a proto Dean Shek role for...Dean Shek (!) and most bizzarely of all, the normal reserved and grandfatherly Ching Miao as the least convincing Japanese since Sean Connery, cackling away as he gets naughty with a nude body double for Lily Li. Such behaviour!
6/10
bradavon wrote:
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
-
Killer Meteor
- Hail the Judge!
- Posts: 2374
- Joined: 16 Mar 2005, 23:05
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
It's a shame BT and other Kuo titles are yet to make it to blu-ray.Markgway wrote: 27 Jun 2025, 00:18Blazing Temple (1976)grim_tales wrote: 18 Jun 2025, 19:29 Return of the 18 Bronzemen (Taiwan, 1976): 4.25/5
As enjoyable as the first one IMO, but has a twist of the titular character (Carter Wong) being the villain
First he can't join the Shaolin Temple as he's too old, but he waits outside the gate for days for some reason, does the training and is accepted in the end.
All that work, and he doesn't complete the last test. I guess they couldn't show that because he's the bad guy
Great fights with opponents who are either mechanical men (?) in metal suits, or fighters covered in gold with lamé trousers
Was there a 3rd film in the series?
bradavon wrote:
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
but I guess you're more intelligence than me.
-
grim_tales
- Bruce Lee's Fist
- Posts: 22130
- Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 18:34
- Location: St. Albans, UK
Re: What asian film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5
Thanks MarkMarkgway wrote: 27 Jun 2025, 00:18Blazing Temple (1976)grim_tales wrote: 18 Jun 2025, 19:29 Return of the 18 Bronzemen (Taiwan, 1976): 4.25/5
As enjoyable as the first one IMO, but has a twist of the titular character (Carter Wong) being the villain
First he can't join the Shaolin Temple as he's too old, but he waits outside the gate for days for some reason, does the training and is accepted in the end.
All that work, and he doesn't complete the last test. I guess they couldn't show that because he's the bad guy
Great fights with opponents who are either mechanical men (?) in metal suits, or fighters covered in gold with lamé trousers
Was there a 3rd film in the series?
I haven't seen Blazing Temple before. Have you seen it? How does it compare to Bronzemen in your opinion?