tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281081202024-03-18T04:48:33.187-05:00View from the Brooklyn Bridge (brns.com) - What's NewUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2086125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-50562837199691714802024-03-18T02:17:00.001-05:002024-03-18T02:22:35.851-05:00Little Godfather from Hong Kong (1974) - 6.5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZhMlpLfX0WVPaKG9xpLL_RAakgom7Dz-1QZ2DDqVJtvuBeQAVlqzrI7DkWQtG8JNMqPj7mPbQYobntfcEd-OU0AWqyhZA0oq7Cae0UY6DZv4UbQ6r5RVT2PMaKjchM1isdQBXCC5LCGa3NCnprFgxf_kRwoZKQyYF2VN5rt6eULk_zRpT_g7/s400/little_godfather2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="283" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZhMlpLfX0WVPaKG9xpLL_RAakgom7Dz-1QZ2DDqVJtvuBeQAVlqzrI7DkWQtG8JNMqPj7mPbQYobntfcEd-OU0AWqyhZA0oq7Cae0UY6DZv4UbQ6r5RVT2PMaKjchM1isdQBXCC5LCGa3NCnprFgxf_kRwoZKQyYF2VN5rt6eULk_zRpT_g7/w283-h400/little_godfather2.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /><p>Aka - The Godfather Squad</p><p>A while back I watched the film Kidnap in Rome that was directed by Ng See-yuen starring Bruce Leung and little Mang Hoi. It took place in Rome and was so bad that I had to enter into a rest home for a few weeks till I could look at myself in the mirror again. In the same year, while in Rome Ng also directed this one with the same two stars and I could not help myself. I had to see how bad it was. And damn, it was pretty good. Not a brain in its head but good stupid fun. The plot can fit on the back of a stamp from China but every few minutes a fight breaks out. A lot of people get killed. Choreographed by Bruce Leung. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3xT-DdihLiXefUJ90yKWeSkMFj0svRdpqN_WbPeW0yeQhQfJbzqOWDkwnzPg3x6VlGxbsZ7G6ixogCFpX7hGN7AUbjQXmMUKfKlfnfTeLy6ZoMTL_LSQKvjkCcmD59tXNV9LnkwWlw_dQcCLqIO8DQSENmQACi1zvoEExi_kzSz4T9YjLPnB/s400/little_godfather1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="234" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3xT-DdihLiXefUJ90yKWeSkMFj0svRdpqN_WbPeW0yeQhQfJbzqOWDkwnzPg3x6VlGxbsZ7G6ixogCFpX7hGN7AUbjQXmMUKfKlfnfTeLy6ZoMTL_LSQKvjkCcmD59tXNV9LnkwWlw_dQcCLqIO8DQSENmQACi1zvoEExi_kzSz4T9YjLPnB/w234-h400/little_godfather1.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><br /><p>Don Caro has been hired to knock off some Interpol agents around the world. One is shot in London, another garroted in Paris and the third in Hong Kong is supposed to be killed by a dog with an exploding collar. Don't get too fond of the dog. But Bruce happens to be walking by and saves him from being killed. Caro and his three sons - Mario Cutini, Gordon Mitchell and Kurata Yasuaki - an equal opportunity father - lose face and decide they have to kill Bruce. And he gets hired to appear in a film in Rome. Convenient for the killers. Homemade pasta and an army of professional killers. Bruce shows up with his younger brother Mang Hoi who looks to be 12 and pedophile bait. He is kind of Veronica Lake to Alan Ladd - the only martial artist that Bruce can find that is shorter than him. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWr8CxsKQsYHrnUGNCvKmpOa8qrXooX3tb6cjUR_IKfE4fcfaxhSX_r4A1PaHdBmktmuaCi3i_d-1NmhJ_SOYIe2tMZpVyxiMPM_8fKIBX2jBwSttycrbH7oEZZnEAuigsXy7_3-1GLBmk4EbSjhyphenhyphenjnqHddo8zHu6gE568OG4QN2XqeQ4UjHZ/s419/little_godfather3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="419" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWr8CxsKQsYHrnUGNCvKmpOa8qrXooX3tb6cjUR_IKfE4fcfaxhSX_r4A1PaHdBmktmuaCi3i_d-1NmhJ_SOYIe2tMZpVyxiMPM_8fKIBX2jBwSttycrbH7oEZZnEAuigsXy7_3-1GLBmk4EbSjhyphenhyphenjnqHddo8zHu6gE568OG4QN2XqeQ4UjHZ/w400-h286/little_godfather3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>They stay with his older brother who begs for him to go back to Hong Kong - Bruce refuses - he has a contract - the next morning his brother has been killed. And then pretty much everyone in Rome tries to kill him. A couple with an exploding camera, an EKG exam, poison darts in St. Peters Square while the Pope preaches, a washroom attendant who locks him into his stall and pulls out a machine gun, a stuntman in the movie who switches blanks for real bullets and many more. I am only surprised that the Pope didn't try and kill him. Most of them end up dead including one of Caro's sons. Caro weeps for him. "When he was four years old he strangled a cat. When he was ten, he killed two negros. I was so proud of him." Gordon Mitchell all scarred up and acting like Klaus Kinsky has a nice fight - first with a machine gun, then a revolver and finally brings out the whip. It takes a while but the showdown with Kurata takes place as they run all over Rome to stop and fight and then run again. In fact, they run so much that they cut from the steps of a church to the countryside with snow. The oddest transition in movie history. Its loopy and the climax is the loopiest of loopy. Lots of great location shooting - lots of fights - though you can easily see Bruce's kicks missing by a good foot most of the time - but damn can he kick - and jump over cars. No rest home this time. Ng made a third film that year with Bruce, Mang Hoi and Kurata called Call Me Dragon but fortunately I don't have it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeTergdIRnz2_TPM-twanVQ_6chnt4TLAAduQ1qkKrwXOwDc763cy4cLwAaH52aQ7L-TZsSmz2JPg8Hdos9lan8F90TrsTuaiYXwEEwDCYGcyie46NHjcsOOgH86zHmUkpJsip-CIsOydFA9YIsiegZQ78nqTaHJ5LQmq4mhbyag2e-TZtDZz/s493/little_godfather4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="493" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeTergdIRnz2_TPM-twanVQ_6chnt4TLAAduQ1qkKrwXOwDc763cy4cLwAaH52aQ7L-TZsSmz2JPg8Hdos9lan8F90TrsTuaiYXwEEwDCYGcyie46NHjcsOOgH86zHmUkpJsip-CIsOydFA9YIsiegZQ78nqTaHJ5LQmq4mhbyag2e-TZtDZz/w640-h454/little_godfather4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-10037440859166038912024-03-17T01:29:00.002-05:002024-03-17T01:34:24.980-05:00Jump (2009) - 7.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoKWRplxP9zr3qpxKP4gbr-ZkBjY9aN1oP0nFFrzxg3Lf_w2pK58-Yf-1KwTYPMh82pE7hySxcV93bcrEM_7b-RcHvt28Kk4LIvQA4SRKq4I7S2TMFACxClwJpVhBmPiAuYv4G8ar6OOxjH6SRHWb6peIRgZUQxQxZN_THulyDhO6FZXAEqhA/s374/Jump1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoKWRplxP9zr3qpxKP4gbr-ZkBjY9aN1oP0nFFrzxg3Lf_w2pK58-Yf-1KwTYPMh82pE7hySxcV93bcrEM_7b-RcHvt28Kk4LIvQA4SRKq4I7S2TMFACxClwJpVhBmPiAuYv4G8ar6OOxjH6SRHWb6peIRgZUQxQxZN_THulyDhO6FZXAEqhA/w285-h400/Jump1.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><br /><p>I sometimes wonder if I live in the same universe as other people. At least the movie universe. I seem to like a lot of films that no one else does. This film for example. I thought this was delightful, funny, adorable and cute. The other reviews I have read were not so kind. It is like they are stomping on a Hello Kitty stuffed animal. The star of the film is sort of a human Hello Kitty and every time she laughed, so did I, every time she gave one of her broad as a barn smiles, I laughed. In fact, I laughed a lot in this silly film. It unfortunately slides into predictable dross without the laughs towards the end - only to be saved by a little Drunken Kung Fu. The fact that Stephen Chow was behind this film and that Stephen Fung directed it gives me hope that I am right and everyone else in the universe is wrong! From the moment Kitty Zhang (Phoenix) opens her window to look out on the verdant green rural fields and women pop up out of the high grass to start singing, I was hooked. There are times and angles where she looks so much like a young Cecilia Cheung in King of Comedy that I thought - ok - Chow found his new Cecilia and he starred her in CJ7 and The Mermaid. She gives to say the least, a high energy performance. She is a Mainlander and the film is shot in Mandarin.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJiZRH6zi-vwrO7uf8bFzhejpy78wmwS0RC5sobU8uWrsseWr_7oMvstNDaloOH5pBFdVPg22BAzKQF5JHpHkSzdlnMkmmXtCPoQua6X0hMsmcjUhux2zFs-xqiGqzBfJ8AmODRiuyXmx-u-vOAEyN_R-JnEas-LULXQGCv-Tb-xExrwbVqP8/s533/Jump4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="533" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJiZRH6zi-vwrO7uf8bFzhejpy78wmwS0RC5sobU8uWrsseWr_7oMvstNDaloOH5pBFdVPg22BAzKQF5JHpHkSzdlnMkmmXtCPoQua6X0hMsmcjUhux2zFs-xqiGqzBfJ8AmODRiuyXmx-u-vOAEyN_R-JnEas-LULXQGCv-Tb-xExrwbVqP8/w640-h360/Jump4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Phoenix is a hick from the sticks - or as she is called by the urban elite, a peasant. She overflows with simple joy. Everything makes her laugh. A big let it go laugh. She is made for the simple life, but she wants to dance. She needs to. Her father (Yuen Cheung-yan) has taught her kung fu and how it is like dance. At dinner they have chopstick kung fu battles for the chicken wings. A native of the town who has made it big returns to tell the village that he has ten openings for jobs at a factory in Shanghai and the only fair way to choose - since everyone wants to go - is a game of musical chairs. Ten chairs. Ten people. When the music stops there is a riot of people beating each other up to get one of the chairs. Almost by accident Phoenix gets one. But she gives her voucher to her large rotund friend Snow (Yao Wen-xue) but decides to go with the group to the big city. The first thing the two friends do is go to a plastic surgeon in hopes of getting bigger breasts. The doctor keeps showing them his Harvard degree but every time he sneezes either his nose or ears go flying. He is played by Daniel Wu in a cameo.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4llvcueFDXMeZ-Kjb8YhQ2y2A-FdftXWeCdz_o5p2FjWQlgpGdexhy-1EBrtLBqDCvXmsAqqyjOlXCzhqCMhG8O9esY-HCDz8cdSYx07rDK4PK51m-abeDd_VY6PNn_7Xokoj6w5A7Nur4Gxv7snuvc6ntSlclvDHBeRROeub8WCIdptPaDBo/s400/Jump2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4llvcueFDXMeZ-Kjb8YhQ2y2A-FdftXWeCdz_o5p2FjWQlgpGdexhy-1EBrtLBqDCvXmsAqqyjOlXCzhqCMhG8O9esY-HCDz8cdSYx07rDK4PK51m-abeDd_VY6PNn_7Xokoj6w5A7Nur4Gxv7snuvc6ntSlclvDHBeRROeub8WCIdptPaDBo/w265-h400/Jump2.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>She ends up working at the factory anyways and also becomes a janitor at a street dance class studio - having to sneak into the locked factory at night across the rooftops. As a janitor she watches all the dance moves and practices them on her own - there are a few kung fu films that were similar. All the city folks make fun of her manners - peasant - but then this light charming film has to go down a well-trodden path - part Pretty Woman part Breakin' - a street dance competition against a Korean team and some romantic nonsense. And the film loses its mood of exuberance and slight believability but Kitty Zhang stays adorable till the end. </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG3V05DWyGo" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Trailer</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU8dxkDAbil4LWm_e7kYuilVxi9Rrfz1REWNPXco4oYYn43he8S6nkmTFuonjPTeeRg4UFoWvkwo3xQ_vi_sx94tYACen_Q7v__sqGmXGOdPqMiZtHLoJftyL_bKPXrEssreYPJIXe8icCM2pEXXbZILPJB-NiuB_OCa7Hp-FUvwlrVjn88qo/s517/Jump3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="517" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU8dxkDAbil4LWm_e7kYuilVxi9Rrfz1REWNPXco4oYYn43he8S6nkmTFuonjPTeeRg4UFoWvkwo3xQ_vi_sx94tYACen_Q7v__sqGmXGOdPqMiZtHLoJftyL_bKPXrEssreYPJIXe8icCM2pEXXbZILPJB-NiuB_OCa7Hp-FUvwlrVjn88qo/w640-h373/Jump3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-48984616392330821332024-03-16T08:28:00.005-05:002024-03-17T03:01:26.127-05:00Taxi Driver (1954) - 7.5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQOmQyMAAS0mcT2Fq5ZA78EoRxPrOZ_cHi3lA7sCgiUtr2bSlZY7QOsith2Da9dhuajRvVtZGPlg5TFJT_F3C3U6oLI1lhDhGwO8Cr8yJdXvLZPfpqZt7um-520mFGx5eWutmq4Qcm-Rij98Dzm-Zb_sbItr7guoNwQ2gvFwXm7RdUAug_FEC/s400/taxi_driver1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQOmQyMAAS0mcT2Fq5ZA78EoRxPrOZ_cHi3lA7sCgiUtr2bSlZY7QOsith2Da9dhuajRvVtZGPlg5TFJT_F3C3U6oLI1lhDhGwO8Cr8yJdXvLZPfpqZt7um-520mFGx5eWutmq4Qcm-Rij98Dzm-Zb_sbItr7guoNwQ2gvFwXm7RdUAug_FEC/w300-h400/taxi_driver1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>No, not that one. This came years before and is set in Bombay where two small insignificant people try and find a place for themselves in a big city. One of the pleasures of this film is seeing so much of Bombay as the taxi driver roams the streets of Bombay looking for fares. At the time in 1954 the populating was about 3.5 million - today it is over 20 million. It looked very livable back them - wide boulevards with little traffic, all large American cars, prominent buildings, the beaches nearby, the bungalows and duplexes. But there were still the poor and the working class struggling to make a go of things. Our two subjects are fairly rootless without the large family to fall back on when times get tough. But friends fill in.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdR00zYD3k1LcZgbKE6uvb8N-s23-LnW9-SjAZkNu3TxgoNraTtPwpVD2Fg8XC266rr0G04soFVzKBgQtzLnqm3ES5CuNLIcSWWGDv3nwHdRfzjXJ77dnSCRPqgnOFMn1h7H-Nqduznt6zBXYV1IQ7iYKpzCuio2D1GllcqvAbXYqmQ0DmMcI/s400/taxi_driver4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdR00zYD3k1LcZgbKE6uvb8N-s23-LnW9-SjAZkNu3TxgoNraTtPwpVD2Fg8XC266rr0G04soFVzKBgQtzLnqm3ES5CuNLIcSWWGDv3nwHdRfzjXJ77dnSCRPqgnOFMn1h7H-Nqduznt6zBXYV1IQ7iYKpzCuio2D1GllcqvAbXYqmQ0DmMcI/w400-h400/taxi_driver4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>The 1950s were an interesting time for Bollywood films - often termed the Golden Age - but I have only seen a few. They are not easily available. India had gained its Independence in 1947 and it was a country looking for its identity as a new nation. There was also social upheaval happening with leftist movements driving much of the electoral base and political thinking. The nation was also slowly transitioning from a rural society to an urban one. This is reflected very much in the cinema. Much of it centers around the working class or the rural poor. The dispossessed. By the 1960s the movies moved away from this theme and often centered around the wealthy and their huge mansions and opulent lifestyle. In ravishing color which few films from the 1950s had. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyai0TKo1ylg4Mh4t2ki4xJ3BMcJvfBJNTMjEzsZKvt2gZLezvllKCo__dx7VMFHRGf4Bd7xIOnokr4S6K1dV_xgx7psHKrRFFNipq2iHtnhbPPzqpXzyRS0fqRAQJdXniw95c8ieCNRML1QTI01BrLtEvBA5-4Vl7Y5C6JxDqr5CdG1tQhdu/s441/taxi_driver3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="441" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyai0TKo1ylg4Mh4t2ki4xJ3BMcJvfBJNTMjEzsZKvt2gZLezvllKCo__dx7VMFHRGf4Bd7xIOnokr4S6K1dV_xgx7psHKrRFFNipq2iHtnhbPPzqpXzyRS0fqRAQJdXniw95c8ieCNRML1QTI01BrLtEvBA5-4Vl7Y5C6JxDqr5CdG1tQhdu/w640-h436/taxi_driver3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>This is a lovely film in which very little happens except two people inevitably drawn to one another. No great dramas. No over the top melodrama. Just life. Some good moments, some not. With songs thrown in of course. But even then, they are very natural - no fantasy numbers, no traveling to Switzerland, no large ensemble pieces with loads of beautiful dancing girls. The film was produced by Navketan Films, formed in 1949 by the Anand Brothers. Chetan was the older brother and directs this, the younger brother is Vijay who scripted this film and was later to direct classics like Guide, The Jewel Thief and perhaps my favorite Bollywood film, Teesri Manzil. The face to the public though was Dev Anand who would become one of the most famous actors in Bollywood history. In the 1950s Bollywood male actors were dominated by the Big Three - Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Ashok Kumar. By the end of the 50s into the early 60s, a new generation of younger, more urbane hipper actors were coming to the fore with Dev and Shammi Kapoor. Dev came first and his characters are typically contemporary, urban, fast-talking, quick witted, stylish and often a bit of a rascal. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBZteqdjOJYastjw8Ta8AfqO0SRnq2v3_Ct2aTzj4YtgbzjoyNcn1H7HicUfTGjA3Xptx0-CZcqsIrvfzRTbIu8fQ7hJGJB1-7Ok5x7aID3at_8PQdgrFMvmchw_61DUEZC0sTyXSBVz1LPMSLl0ee0qV3u8TZtHAKLCB4v1BePQIr_On4LLJ/s491/taxi_driver2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="491" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBZteqdjOJYastjw8Ta8AfqO0SRnq2v3_Ct2aTzj4YtgbzjoyNcn1H7HicUfTGjA3Xptx0-CZcqsIrvfzRTbIu8fQ7hJGJB1-7Ok5x7aID3at_8PQdgrFMvmchw_61DUEZC0sTyXSBVz1LPMSLl0ee0qV3u8TZtHAKLCB4v1BePQIr_On4LLJ/w640-h392/taxi_driver2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Mangal (Dev) is the taxi driver in this one. Living on the whims of luck and passengers. A good man who looks out for all his friends even when times are tough for him. Always ready with ten rupees for a friend. He lives in a one room bungalow apartment down a small quiet lane. After driving for hours, his Cheers is a lower working-class bar where the patrons play cards, gamble away their wife's jewelry, where people are as likely to draw a knife as a royal flush. Men come to be with friends and get away from nagging wives. But there is also Sylvie (Sheila Ramani) who is the entertainment - singing and slow dancing by herself, giving Mangal looks of smoldering heat like an inside fast ball - looking like a sultry Indian Ava Gardner. But this is Bollywood and the "bad" girl never gets the good guy - though in truth she has a heart of gold. But she is tainted by her profession. His best friend is the comic relief (the legendary Johnny Walker) who tells another friend that he is lucky his possible wife has a bad leg - she will never be able to run away.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85M9Gzqeu8eksHALfahhx3xdx-a7w2DczQkXIAqdaRNOnxGtVx2_5is6FwC1Moorop1RUWKLc3_HkgH_0rC5O4q4Fs74yPNuF1FqVTVZrfUNmakNel0RiefSXBmIxd2qa5y7zOsNBQ3OUQZC-zS5_xMmPZvEme5Bfr3fYmztpSFuAzd_T5Pj8/s400/taxi_driver6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85M9Gzqeu8eksHALfahhx3xdx-a7w2DczQkXIAqdaRNOnxGtVx2_5is6FwC1Moorop1RUWKLc3_HkgH_0rC5O4q4Fs74yPNuF1FqVTVZrfUNmakNel0RiefSXBmIxd2qa5y7zOsNBQ3OUQZC-zS5_xMmPZvEme5Bfr3fYmztpSFuAzd_T5Pj8/w400-h300/taxi_driver6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>One day Mangal picks up three passengers - two men and a woman - and they have him drive outside of Bombay to a lonely patch of palm trees and beach. They have told the woman Mala that this is where the Indian composer lives that she is looking for. Instead, they try and rape her but Mangal intervenes and is now stuck with her. She has no family, no money - came from the hinterlands to be a singer - and so he lets her stay in his room while he sleeps in the taxi. In the daytime, they try and track down the composer with no luck. Having her stay with him is scandalous, so they cut her hair, dress her up as a man and he tries to teach her how to smoke and curse - every fifth word should be damn - with little success. She is way too cute. Mala is played by Kalpana Kartik. She was originally Mona Singha, a Punjabi Christian, who Chetan discovered and convinced to be in his film Baazi, directed by Guru Dutt. During the filming of this, she and Anand skipped out and got married and stayed that way till his death in 2011. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebCGw_XyXLFg57LSKcwk-F_0iAI7XKBHpJZZXErnh14EAhPc-m7uZwF78-9D7GnO3wrzRTEF4QMe8zyvI9TasXaM-uzsmXcExM5ACA0RC955JTI_GvotEGx93_B8C9OcXsahFxUMG1rQJ0aotc0rzEPP52aQu3IbtdXgGpKlsXOBflvn_B6E0/s404/taxi_driver7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="404" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebCGw_XyXLFg57LSKcwk-F_0iAI7XKBHpJZZXErnh14EAhPc-m7uZwF78-9D7GnO3wrzRTEF4QMe8zyvI9TasXaM-uzsmXcExM5ACA0RC955JTI_GvotEGx93_B8C9OcXsahFxUMG1rQJ0aotc0rzEPP52aQu3IbtdXgGpKlsXOBflvn_B6E0/w640-h476/taxi_driver7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>There are a few small dramas along the way - she leaves because she thinks he loves Sylvie, some gangsters come after both of them, they find the composer but the ending - as sloppy as it is with a big brawl in the club - is inevitable. The composer for this film is the great S.D. Burman, father of R.D. Burman and the singers are Lata and her sister Asha trading off songs. For a Bollywood film it only runs 133 minutes and I enjoyed it a lot though it was the mood of it, the location shooting, the understated performances that won me over. In the opening credits they put down Bombay as Guest Appearances and it is the heart of this film.</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1ITbSJ2ee0" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Song from Sheila</span></a></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhleLRqF5K1W67PJTtDm6-5VjmC0wEQz6LecnfgBOU3E17J4ZViXFsGNKDjggPGzupWQ8oGLdHYZRocKl0E3EH-53Rs6z8yZS1GeB-UNfTsNiupn7UKHm-UAf8p5MYGIAVvvEyzTIMto3HnKR5AKPVXCuUHLyTfg9gdTSm_fBKbpRSbIFBmZvyi/s422/taxi_driver5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="422" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhleLRqF5K1W67PJTtDm6-5VjmC0wEQz6LecnfgBOU3E17J4ZViXFsGNKDjggPGzupWQ8oGLdHYZRocKl0E3EH-53Rs6z8yZS1GeB-UNfTsNiupn7UKHm-UAf8p5MYGIAVvvEyzTIMto3HnKR5AKPVXCuUHLyTfg9gdTSm_fBKbpRSbIFBmZvyi/w400-h379/taxi_driver5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-33843320712384734342024-03-15T05:28:00.001-05:002024-03-15T05:28:12.072-05:00Arise, My Love (1940) - 7.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipd8MFOpU4QMXRIs9KeylFaM3OgtU3F6fbTc_HuUPszcnEmZHbvmrrCzqVcVERXVd7pHQSkOC_g8EwhRbNjYBC3Dkn_98f9HgjUY-LdY6tmQEzT0saYWDfmkQhgfg2nWrfbxRnr5fQfWGRaUVBT6x-TrPlrdJ315jCOfJT_1_B_ldH7oZq6v_t/s400/arise_my_love1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipd8MFOpU4QMXRIs9KeylFaM3OgtU3F6fbTc_HuUPszcnEmZHbvmrrCzqVcVERXVd7pHQSkOC_g8EwhRbNjYBC3Dkn_98f9HgjUY-LdY6tmQEzT0saYWDfmkQhgfg2nWrfbxRnr5fQfWGRaUVBT6x-TrPlrdJ315jCOfJT_1_B_ldH7oZq6v_t/w268-h400/arise_my_love1.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><p>Director Mitchell Leisen and his scriptwriters Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett and Jacques Théry produce a strange hybrid of a film that had dual purposes - to entertain and to warn. It is a screwball comedic romance wrapped tightly within an anti-Fascist message. Always welcome in my book. Much of the film is about the budding romance between two characters that is a witty fairly charming slice of mushy cake but also nothing new - and then Germany invades Poland and the comedy is gone. The surprising thing though is that this was made in 1940 - a full year before America entered the war. The movie studios had done their best to stay neutral during the run-up to the war, not wanting to offend Germany or upset the American Firsters who were adamant about not getting America involved and in some cases were pro-German - i.e. Lindberg, Joseph Kennedy. Sounds familiar. There will always be cowards. But after Poland the studios saw the writing on the wall and gave filmmakers more leeway in criticizing Nazis and Germany. Wilder was a German Jew, Théry a French man - so they had some money in the game. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1Q9ySWNw30GvAEdvglVPtOhKeDJBzQmpnLokrbwm96fzLumMpWuaWka98Wck4TJ0T19Qh3ov3suru8c086mVhoWjvFxJnOG2lmez36-aDHyo1id_XaOh6RMuwxZyTDaGUJ6OVxNCV1NpmDm5OTqhJ3-kW03AFjhVJZAsxc1Ytyi17AMls64I/s530/arise_my_love2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="530" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1Q9ySWNw30GvAEdvglVPtOhKeDJBzQmpnLokrbwm96fzLumMpWuaWka98Wck4TJ0T19Qh3ov3suru8c086mVhoWjvFxJnOG2lmez36-aDHyo1id_XaOh6RMuwxZyTDaGUJ6OVxNCV1NpmDm5OTqhJ3-kW03AFjhVJZAsxc1Ytyi17AMls64I/w640-h362/arise_my_love2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Martin (Ray Milland) is waiting to be executed in Spain as the film begins. He was a fighter pilot with a number of kills for the Republic but the Spanish Civil War is over and he was captured. He has named the rat in his cell Hitler. He and a few buddies came to Spain to fight fascism - to help the little guy. His character is based on a real person - Harold Edward Dahl who was part of a group of American pilots called the American Patrol. He too was sentenced to death but escaped execution when his wife called on Franco and convinced him to let her husband go. In this case though, it is not Martin's wife but a female news reporter who pretends to be his wife and is able to get the prison commander (George Zucco) to let him leave. She is played by Claudette Colbert and her character too is based on a real person - Martha Gellhorn. She was a remarkable person - reported from all the war zones and even pretended to be a nurse to be able to get on a ship to D-Day. And also one of Hemingway's wives. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAuW5DJU7Gm9405FxQnxxnP42QXAo9rhy7kQgS3xgvkKwvE_6QayFBSEBgBhExAaOhS9gZMGDHRzaoTCa-0WqCUM8R07duvT_CjgZZ2F6BcVhlVeKWU3z6fXLc1KBweDEr5jcu9hc1CqJadsUQGpEy0Csf6WGPdwG7t17kMrfZrg97hnEEkM_/s400/arise_my_love3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAuW5DJU7Gm9405FxQnxxnP42QXAo9rhy7kQgS3xgvkKwvE_6QayFBSEBgBhExAaOhS9gZMGDHRzaoTCa-0WqCUM8R07duvT_CjgZZ2F6BcVhlVeKWU3z6fXLc1KBweDEr5jcu9hc1CqJadsUQGpEy0Csf6WGPdwG7t17kMrfZrg97hnEEkM_/w400-h400/arise_my_love3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Martin has no idea who she is but plays along. Unfortunately, he left a will behind him giving his money to his executioners because he had no wife. A chase ensues that ends up in the skies. Between all this they trade insults and witticisms like a machine gun. Typical screwball stuff. You know love can't be far away. And in Paris it inevitably happens. Amour. But she wants to be a serious journalist and waves off his embraces and kisses. He wants to go to Poland to be ready for the Germans. She is sent to Berlin, he to Poland - on the same train - but they get off for a few more days of amour. In the train she is reading Mein Kamph for research, but after a few pages, she tosses it out the window. As they lie peacefully in the forest, they see the squadrons of planes fly above them and know playtime is over. Newspaper headlines of German conquests flash on the screen - Poland, Norway, Finland, Paris. In the end there is a similar cry to America as there was in Foreign Correspondent - Arise America, the war is heading your way. Build the planes. Train the pilots. Be ready.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1Y0SRIk03fR_I3KrTRq4mQg8w-3eyN1KAlPs2897uDvP69vuOtkabzYVlxBnNRTDKzFqlnBvVSfPwGf-cBYG0qeysTSXo7oGgC_PaoyuyI510bloo-kEI1BlA5rhhUN4wTiWkMeOYJub2XePfqcyXsn9GMNql_kJx6qQ8f_JELYb7Lfjcgtk/s393/arise_my_love4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="393" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1Y0SRIk03fR_I3KrTRq4mQg8w-3eyN1KAlPs2897uDvP69vuOtkabzYVlxBnNRTDKzFqlnBvVSfPwGf-cBYG0qeysTSXo7oGgC_PaoyuyI510bloo-kEI1BlA5rhhUN4wTiWkMeOYJub2XePfqcyXsn9GMNql_kJx6qQ8f_JELYb7Lfjcgtk/w640-h488/arise_my_love4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-23522754410535440972024-03-14T06:21:00.002-05:002024-03-14T06:21:37.525-05:00Sleepy Eyes of Death - 5 & 6<p><b>Sleepy Eyes of Death 5: Sword of Fire (1965) - 7.0</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcN2nyHzmHd9dzDftzmMENvMVRkNakQrdaahaTpFbKtvT0EUQuHMdzlQMqvnfGmNsF3szYJJWAtdodePv6glyZOVIFB3QSYyi9DVu9TcjE0gxncSBPpidxhWBBVSkKVRTUmxSPAOIaPYE-BRiVSNmxiOEDnmWVRmV2daCbax5refUg6lkzqZ4/s400/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="278" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcN2nyHzmHd9dzDftzmMENvMVRkNakQrdaahaTpFbKtvT0EUQuHMdzlQMqvnfGmNsF3szYJJWAtdodePv6glyZOVIFB3QSYyi9DVu9TcjE0gxncSBPpidxhWBBVSkKVRTUmxSPAOIaPYE-BRiVSNmxiOEDnmWVRmV2daCbax5refUg6lkzqZ4/w278-h400/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire1.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><br /><p>In my review of the fourth in this series, I asked whether the film company would begin to give him a more positive character or a lesser one. This fifth in the series about swordsman Nemuri Kyoshiro partly answers that question. In fact, he does in the first minute when a woman running away from a Samurai trying to kill her asks for his help on a deserted road. "I am a ronin, I won't risk my life to help anyone". He finally relents when she says I will do anything for your help. Anything? Yes. He disarms the samurai (Saburo Date) where upon she sticks a knife into him. Before he dies, he yells to Kyoshiro "If you help her, you will bring disgrace upon yourself". Those words ring true to him. But he still takes her up on her promise and forces her to have sex with him - after she first tries to kill him. She is Higaki Nui (Tamao Nakamura) and she is the devil in disguise - playing everyone for a sucker - playing both sides and using her sexual wiles on many. He tells her tonight we have sex, by tomorrow I will forget you. If only but he like everyone else gets ensnared in her perfidy. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgennc4pA_xaC-77EKLAhU41gBhVUsefimkrsd9qPYjyx6xT37T3b80loS1oMwKClIBGXylvwo0qfKSK-ScVCC4RCZnCBAd1OuTCCerb_CztAxwhT6c2QFgDCol8E5divDB3MQl04GRWkxztFi6WLee4X220P5EOzrAvcfOOxQkmgNNpBTz5rrV/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgennc4pA_xaC-77EKLAhU41gBhVUsefimkrsd9qPYjyx6xT37T3b80loS1oMwKClIBGXylvwo0qfKSK-ScVCC4RCZnCBAd1OuTCCerb_CztAxwhT6c2QFgDCol8E5divDB3MQl04GRWkxztFi6WLee4X220P5EOzrAvcfOOxQkmgNNpBTz5rrV/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWjG59wZb9cfInDwyi0M7zfTc2Fw2jJZeNt-7TzI_5vEUfumemXgjdAF_s3tHU5oR5NkTuSTz2npYajq6Wn91W1Ihyphenhyphen4ub_t5VK9a-uZN3VXHgHItGOgFqOinmWHPW22Otk0XOKE0YX61jKyZp5kBCOWTNeu1K6Sge9pxGt3EzVslKJr34Qusd/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWjG59wZb9cfInDwyi0M7zfTc2Fw2jJZeNt-7TzI_5vEUfumemXgjdAF_s3tHU5oR5NkTuSTz2npYajq6Wn91W1Ihyphenhyphen4ub_t5VK9a-uZN3VXHgHItGOgFqOinmWHPW22Otk0XOKE0YX61jKyZp5kBCOWTNeu1K6Sge9pxGt3EzVslKJr34Qusd/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>The plot revolves around a pirate ship that was captured by the Toda High Retainer Sir Atobe (Tôru Abe)- he was supposed to destroy all the smuggled goods aboard but kept them for himself. He is in league with the wealthy rice merchant Narumiya (Kô Nishimura) and Nui is part of their conspiracy. Some of the pirates escaped death and now she is heading the effort to ferret them out and kill them before they talk to the Magistrate. Kyoshiro always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is having tea in an in inn when one of the pirates is chased inside. He asks Kyoshiro to look after his daughter who is working at Narumiya's home. Sticking to his word, the ronin kicks him away and refuses. The man is caught and executed but Sir Atobe thinks the man spilled the beans to Kyoshira and has his men try to kill him. That does not go well for them. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizVpda-xAzis4x_55Z9Q2tJ8wSlzbRmT_PwkIYMHkkg96coS-hK89tsPXTBvAPuRDTOTD2bqgnSOz-d4N2A92zpWc1xBd4f6IjgeYVSLxSOos2E7TDnMCGQbf_cgDlgMzcA7W6HtrjhKIx4eiDWhvdYMBCQSAN86ZGaCfsYx2jPj68U_5TIss/s699/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="699" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizVpda-xAzis4x_55Z9Q2tJ8wSlzbRmT_PwkIYMHkkg96coS-hK89tsPXTBvAPuRDTOTD2bqgnSOz-d4N2A92zpWc1xBd4f6IjgeYVSLxSOos2E7TDnMCGQbf_cgDlgMzcA7W6HtrjhKIx4eiDWhvdYMBCQSAN86ZGaCfsYx2jPj68U_5TIss/w640-h274/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtEYEl_v0311iB2oS7t2xbKePM7quthPRxGUEc0wofSPHSHaA8SltWOgjewcW3raBNXYi0qI6ORenq6t49DQCMBSjH6d0I6n3ias-3mpL2ER-yb4dqLHxGrSJ-Ied9qcfYTvW3XFmJ9b-CMNQYYDNNUlag41CwYgW0g6Bp9ZVpW7hUpsf_8U3v/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtEYEl_v0311iB2oS7t2xbKePM7quthPRxGUEc0wofSPHSHaA8SltWOgjewcW3raBNXYi0qI6ORenq6t49DQCMBSjH6d0I6n3ias-3mpL2ER-yb4dqLHxGrSJ-Ied9qcfYTvW3XFmJ9b-CMNQYYDNNUlag41CwYgW0g6Bp9ZVpW7hUpsf_8U3v/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>There is a lot of not going well for the people who keep trying to kill him. Narumiya in trying to buy him off offers him a "virgin" to plow the fields with - she needs breaking in - her body tattoos tell a different story. He tracks down the head pirate and his granddaughter Oryo (Sanae Nakahara) who is a blade thrower expert. She challenges him - I will kill you but if I don't you can have me. He deflects the blade. And she lies down ready to comply. The two of them go into a hut where her grandfather is and Kyoshiro tells him they are coming for him and a few dozen show up just then. In a lovely scene two of the men go barging in and then stumble out dying - Kyoshiro enters the doorway and the men pull back. They are soon dead by his blade or her knives. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwjrh-jlZoXPsOtW8mz8LIdSSGAyZ5V1YRYzVPGiq_l7Q83rY4x8YDhz0YpKyaoUcVccC2jN4h-pyHvSWEvVyjh17qlnQQSDvX7v5TPynaVroTlPeWNjhSvhskW3ray8a-G9rvA4A_sqsPpebmzgol-AvWZTvYV8n9tFbReMWg3nlnmEmIIuy/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwjrh-jlZoXPsOtW8mz8LIdSSGAyZ5V1YRYzVPGiq_l7Q83rY4x8YDhz0YpKyaoUcVccC2jN4h-pyHvSWEvVyjh17qlnQQSDvX7v5TPynaVroTlPeWNjhSvhskW3ray8a-G9rvA4A_sqsPpebmzgol-AvWZTvYV8n9tFbReMWg3nlnmEmIIuy/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78BeQwrFnwLAbYGmXmorrbp9UykItO_KijjGWNnsTmUCUDkDtrKpbn63N61oLV_k-F1d6FvdbreusulpngcTCVE4ig22sY6HhAWwgzD3Zr1Dlak6fdMafn4m08Qz3NfVcFaFvuYa3wi_4xjZjtAkhkbLxyLSneX-I8e-oEsBI2hZ1cGpVpBxE/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78BeQwrFnwLAbYGmXmorrbp9UykItO_KijjGWNnsTmUCUDkDtrKpbn63N61oLV_k-F1d6FvdbreusulpngcTCVE4ig22sY6HhAWwgzD3Zr1Dlak6fdMafn4m08Qz3NfVcFaFvuYa3wi_4xjZjtAkhkbLxyLSneX-I8e-oEsBI2hZ1cGpVpBxE/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Life is complicated for the Ronin. Part of him just wants to be left alone but a part of him enjoys killing people. That is what he does. He shows a bit of unexpected kindness to the daughter of the executed pirate - the maid Kayo (Michiko Sugata) and then a minute later is killing another defenseless woman as he did in the previous film. A bad habit to pick up. I am getting the impression that these films appreciate complicated plots and lots of characters - nothing goes in a straight line but they are full of action - quick and sharp - and his character is the epitome of the anti-hero.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJHWvLBztfsm9s5RM_xVI8qOFjUvfWTQHBgEquf9z3b9NyfFUGpuLnQP3uYhv1W7YzwriT6pAPiR9S69eREpw-YV7YXJWkq7vfvCdd_ioHSA6CTd8peWCJs15Av4KvirfA_bEFx91Qq5b1SoE8t83UqcbnfeRe6zWRNxjW8yUw352XQYBFUh8/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJHWvLBztfsm9s5RM_xVI8qOFjUvfWTQHBgEquf9z3b9NyfFUGpuLnQP3uYhv1W7YzwriT6pAPiR9S69eREpw-YV7YXJWkq7vfvCdd_ioHSA6CTd8peWCJs15Av4KvirfA_bEFx91Qq5b1SoE8t83UqcbnfeRe6zWRNxjW8yUw352XQYBFUh8/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2jENTQmEcHSXfDRhyphenhyphentOihQU0KzDc-t8bWTCY2LLlbohZzU0a9VXz4pZXSsKxhxtQf2RRopfEGR7nE1Nj7mnKwa-rrn5lr2OE7drPKfFaBW-TrGIyaYh1IagAP9KLo8x0B7oma09OTsSxBwDnPj8AnSzEq0wth7uJli1tli2iGxiwyrzaYoMx/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2jENTQmEcHSXfDRhyphenhyphentOihQU0KzDc-t8bWTCY2LLlbohZzU0a9VXz4pZXSsKxhxtQf2RRopfEGR7nE1Nj7mnKwa-rrn5lr2OE7drPKfFaBW-TrGIyaYh1IagAP9KLo8x0B7oma09OTsSxBwDnPj8AnSzEq0wth7uJli1tli2iGxiwyrzaYoMx/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_fire2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Sleepy Eyes of Death 6: Sword of Satan (1965) - 6.0</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZ-1pcTFS59HgTIDMIU55KtQ3RB7-7bY7W0kFRxjwNuR0EF4RDiO9CV5swWSdwHwZ40HSj2bd7aiWAREUd4ljAj6AgYjF3WOf7d1CYfHxkZoiTq0ai0rMmPEtU82aVkD8Yr-l8JQ6NUPPd5AeL1j6U4X3Cp8bkswxL_hlvgGp7KTkgV8V8nJz/s400/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZ-1pcTFS59HgTIDMIU55KtQ3RB7-7bY7W0kFRxjwNuR0EF4RDiO9CV5swWSdwHwZ40HSj2bd7aiWAREUd4ljAj6AgYjF3WOf7d1CYfHxkZoiTq0ai0rMmPEtU82aVkD8Yr-l8JQ6NUPPd5AeL1j6U4X3Cp8bkswxL_hlvgGp7KTkgV8V8nJz/w280-h400/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan1.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br /><p>The sixth in the Sleepy Eyes of Death series starring Raizô Ichikawa as Nemuri Kyoshiro. Three of the series were produced in 1964 but Raizô was knocking out one Samurai film after another. He appeared in 13 films in 1961, 12 films in 1962, 11 in 1963, 10 in 1964 and a mere 8 in 1965. Besides this series he was also doing the Shinobi No Mono series in which he is an assassin. Nearly all these films as best as I can tell are Samurai or ninja films. He was obviously enormously popular. In this one he edges a bit closer to being more like Zatoichi - or I can see this as fitting for the blind masseur. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjymSpE6X1QsTuiVZGeo7vqtjp_qfQOvzwPIHgzxwg3S0oESbQiWx6kr2ObkcXzNOCPlRehkn2Sf4D0AzpMOCufrEBkqFTgL0VO4f01S2dQpMf33BfsmUH22nkhe_iwrI7FfXB2jzAYc-7o6LozLsljSNboybWFOX0hHBxEer7IVjHibpmljL/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjymSpE6X1QsTuiVZGeo7vqtjp_qfQOvzwPIHgzxwg3S0oESbQiWx6kr2ObkcXzNOCPlRehkn2Sf4D0AzpMOCufrEBkqFTgL0VO4f01S2dQpMf33BfsmUH22nkhe_iwrI7FfXB2jzAYc-7o6LozLsljSNboybWFOX0hHBxEer7IVjHibpmljL/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTXNt0FLqP5PvZENzXOLRlRffk9GaAlxqpuslcV1LUsTE5QMBfCdj2mZ7oPkpq3DeK0zsbRVU5sKkWRimgSVcjOEOtWHz1eGcu_p0yKMOj7fXdXRps9_rxZijmhkoJ7VXZG87Gjk9QAqujg62mlTW3EImvXu2kcdckqRQ3f0-NgwvQlKfAH3r/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTXNt0FLqP5PvZENzXOLRlRffk9GaAlxqpuslcV1LUsTE5QMBfCdj2mZ7oPkpq3DeK0zsbRVU5sKkWRimgSVcjOEOtWHz1eGcu_p0yKMOj7fXdXRps9_rxZijmhkoJ7VXZG87Gjk9QAqujg62mlTW3EImvXu2kcdckqRQ3f0-NgwvQlKfAH3r/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>He is walking down a lonely road at night when a woman on the side of asks him to buy her for the night. Considering that half of the time a woman tries to seduce him, it is a trap to kill him, you might think he would be more careful. But no, he agrees but when he enters the room, she is wearing a Noh mask. He tells her, by the way you talk I can tell that you are from the upper class. Why are you doing this? Are you ashamed or are you diseased. He throws her a gold coin and begins to leave when she pleads with him. He insults her and goes. She cuts her throat and leaves the gold coin to Kyoshiro in a hastily written will. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghn5d_M_wmTJNy0qhZwBSVygWvWere_FFm2tOhrYIlv0jsCY3sdlH4OB-7DIykhySKXaUQAe_fHXeVDXfA0EV39J6ZciPgIu787aDLEYJXKCwY1k-uaOQoLo9i6UlThMg5XIniGrv71c5pPPxHEHx7VVP9vT8thLbyjEc691XqojKmixXK5bXl/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghn5d_M_wmTJNy0qhZwBSVygWvWere_FFm2tOhrYIlv0jsCY3sdlH4OB-7DIykhySKXaUQAe_fHXeVDXfA0EV39J6ZciPgIu787aDLEYJXKCwY1k-uaOQoLo9i6UlThMg5XIniGrv71c5pPPxHEHx7VVP9vT8thLbyjEc691XqojKmixXK5bXl/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZalDYkB2xk7oT0PQKyssu8cL2UNx_9h-qvdA3hTUBP6qhLJVvzJOMSpNNqb4oiz-zMV841knqVvjrEbcppYztgDb8Cni53oYimFEk-THUwCEXEN_RZpoR_40Jobnn2kJ8pPw8HD2hf2fQ9zyW6B__Sor_mv5et_4HwxQ6jsitO10hY8Pyjb8/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZalDYkB2xk7oT0PQKyssu8cL2UNx_9h-qvdA3hTUBP6qhLJVvzJOMSpNNqb4oiz-zMV841knqVvjrEbcppYztgDb8Cni53oYimFEk-THUwCEXEN_RZpoR_40Jobnn2kJ8pPw8HD2hf2fQ9zyW6B__Sor_mv5et_4HwxQ6jsitO10hY8Pyjb8/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>When he finds out his guilt is overwhelming - if not for me she would still be alive - my bad karma surrounds me and anything I touch. He discovers that she was taking care of Tsurumatsu, a small boy who is in hiding. He is the heir to the Iwashiro Clan after a few successors died and the clan is looking for him. If he is not in the castle when the Shogun's Investigator comes, the entire clan will be dismissed and their property will be confiscated to the state. This was a common practice at the time - the Shogun was using any excuse to close down clans and centralize power. Kyoshiro is determined to keep the boy safe and away from the clan. At the same time, he has to fend off the numerous assassination attempts by Orin (Michiko Saga) - who is the sister of the Flying Squirrel who Kyoshiro killed in an earlier film. Her method is the same as her brother's - slicing playing cards that kill. The actor who played her brother is Saburô Date and this is the third film in a row in which his characters are killed by Kyoshiro. He just has that kind of face. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xEkfmDaCqcYEMPcrlo3Ll8BQYgmZrtGnbWqiDaIf_FfHCu74k1XPu3wzZX_2RJsivQi4V9_wuH48bC3fS_4PKp2ZD2WtAKg-mZ5F7tk0JZ-mxObZ_yvKoy2gG62W_bIfozsm23rpIrjNOs0n3w-56cTqHP7aEwIogQxLFccPbiIeQwpaaV6Y/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xEkfmDaCqcYEMPcrlo3Ll8BQYgmZrtGnbWqiDaIf_FfHCu74k1XPu3wzZX_2RJsivQi4V9_wuH48bC3fS_4PKp2ZD2WtAKg-mZ5F7tk0JZ-mxObZ_yvKoy2gG62W_bIfozsm23rpIrjNOs0n3w-56cTqHP7aEwIogQxLFccPbiIeQwpaaV6Y/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXUpfAyl_yMlqCzMONfcEhuSYUUXzVwvUcYJ82MQlqsA60WQiYKl6Z3hFvtnJNzD6oIMn4DCPp9g2zslRhrRPKrfGqGcGXcgfDOoywOJ0zeR3ETIiLNVqcbkgl9bXvi0SBpA00SAqLPf54FYhT12KJqM77CT5N-fxDJK203t_WnKTMU8YtBqe/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXUpfAyl_yMlqCzMONfcEhuSYUUXzVwvUcYJ82MQlqsA60WQiYKl6Z3hFvtnJNzD6oIMn4DCPp9g2zslRhrRPKrfGqGcGXcgfDOoywOJ0zeR3ETIiLNVqcbkgl9bXvi0SBpA00SAqLPf54FYhT12KJqM77CT5N-fxDJK203t_WnKTMU8YtBqe/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Other weird elements are brought in - Oito who is looking after the boy as well is kidnapped and sacrificed at a Black Mass before Kyoshiro kills them all. The boy is kidnapped and taken to the Iwashiro Castle and on his journey to the castle there are multiple attempts on his life. One being a nun who wants him to give her a child, the old-fashioned way. "When a woman offers a meal, a man must eat it", he tells her. Or the woman who tries to kill him with snakes. Or dynamite. I think the pressure would get to me. When do you sleep if everyone is trying to kill you. He seems to enjoy it; especially killing those worthy of his blade. After those, he takes out the white paper in his pocket and wipes his blade clean again. Ready for the next one because there will always be a next one. This film is a little bloodier than the previous ones - not geysers of blood but when he cuts them, they bleed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-13PA2f3Yu_Zu4mEHieFLAHAFbvK5XQNWfsU3j8Hqxb-uvkhztyw8U3KKEsCFavFZsWI9D7IU6ex1bjtxf0rY1Nu8EMJWwFiWjvkEwRQwdiHQahvgU2lOZR9GqTMspJ9x_480cWDKcmM5w_qg2i4SbA_rVODKNJ775sdiai2owbBR4yOA-FZ/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-13PA2f3Yu_Zu4mEHieFLAHAFbvK5XQNWfsU3j8Hqxb-uvkhztyw8U3KKEsCFavFZsWI9D7IU6ex1bjtxf0rY1Nu8EMJWwFiWjvkEwRQwdiHQahvgU2lOZR9GqTMspJ9x_480cWDKcmM5w_qg2i4SbA_rVODKNJ775sdiai2owbBR4yOA-FZ/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3m_bbf1R-c23Tlmkai_iIjmB2w2RO0DD927BJNuhbhAiODu5XyBjnA4x51vykvEr-96CFSDErxs5otoahNpvNFHggsSI-FK7Hht_5CoBsb7dZbMFknmN5VGn7pJJKoVl8yqjqJodHrh5fQbSx3XnNRyV3cvu9t6BOJq_m2BPUNlLIgPS1fEq/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3m_bbf1R-c23Tlmkai_iIjmB2w2RO0DD927BJNuhbhAiODu5XyBjnA4x51vykvEr-96CFSDErxs5otoahNpvNFHggsSI-FK7Hht_5CoBsb7dZbMFknmN5VGn7pJJKoVl8yqjqJodHrh5fQbSx3XnNRyV3cvu9t6BOJq_m2BPUNlLIgPS1fEq/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeF27Am-i3lnu4omh38pEPdfCCt3FuhLvqPWpTaOLUl8ChHly8sC4ygyVWLv13LAtbufG5DY_AbACvYryIzLvFYXxERPuXeiwdjT0FK0op1_CFRzUm9QmkgZM4Q7In0FVnDWgJKq14UDuN_RNV7lEu6plbrxd0PIDiReeHCsZ7biyqWSCo9CO-/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeF27Am-i3lnu4omh38pEPdfCCt3FuhLvqPWpTaOLUl8ChHly8sC4ygyVWLv13LAtbufG5DY_AbACvYryIzLvFYXxERPuXeiwdjT0FK0op1_CFRzUm9QmkgZM4Q7In0FVnDWgJKq14UDuN_RNV7lEu6plbrxd0PIDiReeHCsZ7biyqWSCo9CO-/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgll3GQboKS0sDyKb1j2e00TxRh-FzE4pVyoA4rixvCnwicZ0jLYMp6eYTBOjFv01dqEMctMFBHFBVYAO3uAK-RcBqD9XakluW5fPYoE9-AFliOaROcqCAFsZMoe8p9F8yIZa7yH71zy8r4fhtessIEiD6P-Jzd5VJFkXyFDsjvHxTmrKVqJAKT/s735/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="735" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgll3GQboKS0sDyKb1j2e00TxRh-FzE4pVyoA4rixvCnwicZ0jLYMp6eYTBOjFv01dqEMctMFBHFBVYAO3uAK-RcBqD9XakluW5fPYoE9-AFliOaROcqCAFsZMoe8p9F8yIZa7yH71zy8r4fhtessIEiD6P-Jzd5VJFkXyFDsjvHxTmrKVqJAKT/w640-h262/sleepy_eyes_sword_satan2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-1319414967445936032024-03-12T11:30:00.004-05:002024-03-12T11:30:57.611-05:00Tiger Stripes (2023) - 7.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3NZnjnkiB46tOBSlgPa_n33j7ijamzKczAI-1sFbteUIGS0mwUwJyv5_aRzTuZmOLfD7MhBwC-WBYjTIe2otmBA2LmBpxs_qgOxfqqsk22T1ElcMFNaCIxYdXDRLDhGwM50HsFRQqvKAvO_nRWj56rvpRzVNVkW21HsgQd4i8yTX4zT7B9OK/s400/tiger_stripes1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3NZnjnkiB46tOBSlgPa_n33j7ijamzKczAI-1sFbteUIGS0mwUwJyv5_aRzTuZmOLfD7MhBwC-WBYjTIe2otmBA2LmBpxs_qgOxfqqsk22T1ElcMFNaCIxYdXDRLDhGwM50HsFRQqvKAvO_nRWj56rvpRzVNVkW21HsgQd4i8yTX4zT7B9OK/w280-h400/tiger_stripes1.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br /><p>This coming-of-age film touches on a myriad of subjects from puberty to bullying to friendships, parental conflict, religious conservatism and societal taboos - all under the cover of a folk-horror tale. The transgressiveness of the film right from the beginning is particularly surprising in that it was made in Islamic Malaysia which is very strict in what is allowed to be depicted. And in fact, the version seen in that country was highly censured. From what I have read they censored scenes of dancing, blood on a tampon, the taking off of the school-girls Abaya, the trying on of a brassiere on top of her clothes. Things that would go unnoticed in a film from The West but are asking for trouble in a country like Malaysia. While watching the film it is difficult to discern how much of it is real, how much fantasy, how much are dreams, how much is symbolism, how much the imagination of a young girl under stress or even how much is the perspective of the religious establishment. Is she being seen and judged through their eyes. Or is this just a modern-day folk tale of the Pontianak or a Penanggal, a story that will be told to scare children late at night to behave correctly. On top of this is the fact that the director is a female, Amanda Nell Eu, who went to film school in London. Considering the content of the film - revolving around a girl's first menstruation, that makes sense. It is a subject that men tend to stay away from. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqgJoh3DyS0n2Od0bXodW5zLh15vfO5qRU6uQ5HYw_ETfggvOgfxFGTVRrdW70aWj96gNTLJ42C_sH7UGFktJu0CH1pCyzVrLnD6DH_PpTcol2q8ghNdU0vxr0r7qqDInFiOnOaBpsrOzVceqFPqvBXmN6KBZM3MVOhx1uUnObgEzcefMQnArt/s557/tiger_stripe3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="557" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqgJoh3DyS0n2Od0bXodW5zLh15vfO5qRU6uQ5HYw_ETfggvOgfxFGTVRrdW70aWj96gNTLJ42C_sH7UGFktJu0CH1pCyzVrLnD6DH_PpTcol2q8ghNdU0vxr0r7qqDInFiOnOaBpsrOzVceqFPqvBXmN6KBZM3MVOhx1uUnObgEzcefMQnArt/w640-h344/tiger_stripe3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Three eleven-year-old female friends - gather in the woman's bathroom at school to frolic. Zaffan (Zafreen Zairizal) begins a wild frantic dance that her two friends video on their phone. It is likely that it is something she saw on TikTok. Then she takes off her Abaya revealing her pants and shirt beneath. Already a breach of Islamic decorum. Then she shows her friends that she is wearing a bra - and takes it off to allow her friend Farah (Deena Ezral) to put it on over her clothes. Three close friends in this rural town surrounded by the jungle. But then Zaffan gets her first period and everything changes. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0m0Owno06FVF5LJ30yzG_Ocv1yExbbqgzDBLTT5TH9112TgQulqrecsDeeBQNTQFbhEwkFtNCP79_Ge09hQ0jkwPB3nFPurJE2nO0_154PclSy6nC11eRU05t84dEW9k37TPGXX_ZEIn5sjz7FzWrDFRfsYAIEYj27EPd90m8A0PSlzag2Gu/s557/tiger_stripe4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="557" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0m0Owno06FVF5LJ30yzG_Ocv1yExbbqgzDBLTT5TH9112TgQulqrecsDeeBQNTQFbhEwkFtNCP79_Ge09hQ0jkwPB3nFPurJE2nO0_154PclSy6nC11eRU05t84dEW9k37TPGXX_ZEIn5sjz7FzWrDFRfsYAIEYj27EPd90m8A0PSlzag2Gu/w640-h344/tiger_stripe4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>It puts her in a category from the other girls. She no longer has to attend prayer at the school. She gets whelps all over her body, omits a revolting odor that drives her friends away, sees demons in the treetops. And begins to get a hunger. All of her friends at school turn on her, bully her, humiliate her and there is a mass hysteria that overcomes them. At home she gets no support from her parents. She is going through body changes and has no one to talk to. She is able to scamper up trees and rundown small animals. That hunger. But then the film confuses us by having her back at school wearing her uniform in class - was it all a dream, a fantasy, a wish. An Islamic exorcist is brought in by her father; primarily because she has become so disobedient. The film moves slowly, adding layers of disquiet but it never quite goes where you expect it to or want it to. The horror is off screen. I am sure everyone wanted Farah to become a meal. Instead, it goes into the mystic and you are not quite sure what you have witnessed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1e6f0thzcsp0dtPz0Axr4VJg3swZmBeFg9UdPz6tnHXfWHbPulpdWJ1Z2_QLfHrvxasTrP6vzJdsshg_2PSO9djrtfEikOw5SAbUgIN3dgPsqhm9Q9Bn8XPTuTJIETWssXdRNGiBmoYdGP8VZMoSfLv4s1Dnmtq3XhohUN8PRmeB95Xl9FVdx/s593/tiger_stripe7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="593" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1e6f0thzcsp0dtPz0Axr4VJg3swZmBeFg9UdPz6tnHXfWHbPulpdWJ1Z2_QLfHrvxasTrP6vzJdsshg_2PSO9djrtfEikOw5SAbUgIN3dgPsqhm9Q9Bn8XPTuTJIETWssXdRNGiBmoYdGP8VZMoSfLv4s1Dnmtq3XhohUN8PRmeB95Xl9FVdx/w640-h324/tiger_stripe7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8k21enP4mh9-_c23Heyumpt0cS4vzRK5CzzH3Qj7b4CWXa5As0asN746CUgdfUEp3ZqUH_yo5SG8a0dB6A9-TbEhPhPdHmvpWLMI8oKLyd0aug6I6sxkNcLbV0cMV3_p6BCgOSf0BT9SeLciPq3v2gj2yt2h6f8W0ZVO_0onOQ4-3iOM0Z3z/s569/tiger_stripe6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="569" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8k21enP4mh9-_c23Heyumpt0cS4vzRK5CzzH3Qj7b4CWXa5As0asN746CUgdfUEp3ZqUH_yo5SG8a0dB6A9-TbEhPhPdHmvpWLMI8oKLyd0aug6I6sxkNcLbV0cMV3_p6BCgOSf0BT9SeLciPq3v2gj2yt2h6f8W0ZVO_0onOQ4-3iOM0Z3z/w640-h338/tiger_stripe6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWeWLJ38a0xaufQfxzTjW7gwqDij4KZqyCV10vYj6IKeTlTJfqHX2brLxKTxTZG1dXbChaHaBx67n__S2CkP0AMiaG7kDM5pKGlxp9Z8WNXsu-LofjoEY9SnGZP_HqFxmR7W9TbYatMZ-cqQVkUE5zEDCLwnOdRhsNXZnDApQUcsgPmK3Is5R8/s574/tiger_stripe5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="574" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWeWLJ38a0xaufQfxzTjW7gwqDij4KZqyCV10vYj6IKeTlTJfqHX2brLxKTxTZG1dXbChaHaBx67n__S2CkP0AMiaG7kDM5pKGlxp9Z8WNXsu-LofjoEY9SnGZP_HqFxmR7W9TbYatMZ-cqQVkUE5zEDCLwnOdRhsNXZnDApQUcsgPmK3Is5R8/w640-h334/tiger_stripe5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-55441814438616654232024-03-11T09:22:00.005-05:002024-03-11T09:25:31.643-05:00Lady of the Dynasty (2015) - 5.5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq0dy-HzNhDQcizZOeapPEgutqSNqJPDIsh6aa5sR6rxS99RpEVMumQlN1hqosM_w3ShJPfbTQT8ROaHv7fV6I3cQ-Vr0vcK5AjeIARuiUeBNTnzRnYvhvWMcio9wEjBHx7_grQFdn0jxShrFpMYgLvOlZ1UGp7Mw1F67fO8_JCrcDaN4DbiD5/s400/lady_of_dynasty1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq0dy-HzNhDQcizZOeapPEgutqSNqJPDIsh6aa5sR6rxS99RpEVMumQlN1hqosM_w3ShJPfbTQT8ROaHv7fV6I3cQ-Vr0vcK5AjeIARuiUeBNTnzRnYvhvWMcio9wEjBHx7_grQFdn0jxShrFpMYgLvOlZ1UGp7Mw1F67fO8_JCrcDaN4DbiD5/w280-h400/lady_of_dynasty1.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br /><p>Based on the life of one of the Four Beauties of Chinese history, Yang Guifei. It takes place during the Tang dynasty in the 8th century. For me it is another video building block in the vastly complicated history of China. This takes place after the death of Empress Wu (Empress Wu, 1963; Detective Dee, 2010) in 705 and the ascension to the throne by Emperor Xuanzong in 712. By the time this film begins he has been emperor for many years and has had some eighteen sons, who all have their eye on the throne. The Tang Empire is at its height of power and influence and then into this situation comes Yang Guifei, a commoner of exceptional beauty and charm. As with most of these Mainland epic historical films it is loaded down with ornate and over the top sets, costumes and ritual. Not to mention court intrigue. It is visually stunning - nothing more so than Fan Bingbing as Yang. Director Cheng Shi-qing luxuriates in her image - the ghostly white skin and the fabulously stunning outfits she wears. She is center-stage throughout the two-hour film with the camera fawning over her like a precious jewel. Credited along with Cheng is Zhang Yimou as an advisor and that may explain the gorgeous style of the film.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQ13Ei38OtvCssIBix3W94xNBC0BVWe2hbNFdRASVWf60n-ISBRERX-Yzah06At5Zwlj4-AoTbalapyLvVKnDEb0chNEij4Oh4mASD5qN9js7kJ-pRqmGdUgpTHq3FGg9oOUP2cjUktN5Uio-101tmmvBWyrBT645aYvD5vceVdfqRlWPNV23/s464/lady_of_dynasty3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="464" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQ13Ei38OtvCssIBix3W94xNBC0BVWe2hbNFdRASVWf60n-ISBRERX-Yzah06At5Zwlj4-AoTbalapyLvVKnDEb0chNEij4Oh4mASD5qN9js7kJ-pRqmGdUgpTHq3FGg9oOUP2cjUktN5Uio-101tmmvBWyrBT645aYvD5vceVdfqRlWPNV23/w640-h482/lady_of_dynasty3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>The film is a big opulent royal romance and tragedy that looks wonderful, but often plods along from scene to scene with little zest. It is a fascinating true story but it is weighted down by giving it no room to breathe. It is stuck in its beauty like a moth in amber. But damn, it/she looks so good I stuck with it, even knowing how it must end if it stayed true to history. Narrating the events at times is a Byzantine envoy in English - which seems an odd choice - and seems more than anything to be PR for the Tang dynasty. He tells of how Yang came to the attention of the royal family. She has a dance performance bathed in blood red attire before the Emperor (Leon Lai) and Consort Wu (Joan Chen). Wu has been the Emperor's favorite for years and has given him one son, Prince Mao (Wu Chun) who is far down the line of succession. Not that this ever stops an ambitious mother in these films. Reading about this period and the many suspicious deaths or exiles of royalty, you realize what a snake pit it was. I would be afraid to eat. At one point, the Emperor confides to Yang that all of his uncles were murdered in their sleep and it makes him terrified to do so. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVz4GipZ-6HzUiMsDkpZZJ58EYPviC-3P3y4b_18Lcb5sgGECe6tATMyk7TLhKMRmN5YC1oidhXl0lquCrJd8ZjGnTCY0EmXC4A1hECTYP-1qkJo0I57Au-gkAOu11sRynD_JRJLbajgAYwTiz0MUIxVRcMTRBQse2M24JueQp6Nme1SO7AFJ/s537/lady_of_dynasty5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="537" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVz4GipZ-6HzUiMsDkpZZJ58EYPviC-3P3y4b_18Lcb5sgGECe6tATMyk7TLhKMRmN5YC1oidhXl0lquCrJd8ZjGnTCY0EmXC4A1hECTYP-1qkJo0I57Au-gkAOu11sRynD_JRJLbajgAYwTiz0MUIxVRcMTRBQse2M24JueQp6Nme1SO7AFJ/w640-h418/lady_of_dynasty5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Consort Wu seeing the clear interest on the face of the Emperor as he watches Yang dance, tells him that she has chosen her to be the wife of her son. Lucky Mao. But Emperor's will be Emperor's. They are used to getting their way. I have to say that Leon brings the energy of a wet stone to his role. Meanwhile, the conniving mother plots to have the 18 sons reduced by framing some of them as conspirators. Mao realizes his father has an itch for Yang and so tries to poison her. Yang as portrayed here is just a sweetie pie. She likes to dance and play her string instrument - and clearly spends a lot of time in looking her best. She decides to become a nun and goes away but she has gotten under his skin and the Emperor comes to claim her. The Emperor is a nice guy too - for an Emperor - who executed three of his sons - and he romances her like a school boy. But it inevitably lurches towards the famous tragic ending which the director attempts to wring out every tear that the audience has but it is so absurd that I stared at the screen in disbelief. Seriously, just go to the last ten minutes for this. It is weird and wonderfully bad. A double climax. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiZaekSCrW3NhpL5kzfRggdEwQyZcMLvyRlik5T-z3oudWyYYCdOcwR6b_kTUkEyaOsesMGN4YUJZ7l9r0xDYChyphenhyphenC0k78GhBYgMYvqB2s8f4Tm7Tq961hT9R9pJrOnD73YQTLhAk-yHltq6AOYhEtjcHHdgUvO-jl1dFZMoedcd7CADk7BKXd/s519/lady_of_dynasty4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="519" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiZaekSCrW3NhpL5kzfRggdEwQyZcMLvyRlik5T-z3oudWyYYCdOcwR6b_kTUkEyaOsesMGN4YUJZ7l9r0xDYChyphenhyphenC0k78GhBYgMYvqB2s8f4Tm7Tq961hT9R9pJrOnD73YQTLhAk-yHltq6AOYhEtjcHHdgUvO-jl1dFZMoedcd7CADk7BKXd/w640-h432/lady_of_dynasty4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Apparently, the Chinese audience wasn't enthralled with the film and it bombed and the director has not been heard from since. Princess Yang has been depicted in a few other films - Princess Yang Kwei-fei (1955) from director Kenji Mizoguchi, The Magnificent Concubine (1962) from director Li Han-hsiang and in numerous TV shows - one starring Fan Bingbing as Yang. How one gets consideration for being one of the Four Beauties I don't know. Was there a vote? If we did that today my votes would be for Brigitte Lin, Gong Li, Maggie Cheung and Joey Wong. </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WuAAm-USzs" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Trailer</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFEg4S7waYpssuqxnTPQ2ztNZpkVqkhoA43qskDFAhY9qpol2qeqi_-vpH_0LTuKFclKmSkdSMU89T5Fzl1x-Z5cVJsHJKVc2Yubvupr7rI9XIuif0pEfdh_aRXzJasLpoKBkrF3Epv5sNKVJEM29P6UtCY-ipBR7vZ2cwfbbc5HxmqeAhTsW/s538/lady_of_dynasty2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="538" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFEg4S7waYpssuqxnTPQ2ztNZpkVqkhoA43qskDFAhY9qpol2qeqi_-vpH_0LTuKFclKmSkdSMU89T5Fzl1x-Z5cVJsHJKVc2Yubvupr7rI9XIuif0pEfdh_aRXzJasLpoKBkrF3Epv5sNKVJEM29P6UtCY-ipBR7vZ2cwfbbc5HxmqeAhTsW/w640-h416/lady_of_dynasty2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-12867076657863164732024-03-10T07:23:00.001-05:002024-03-10T07:27:05.302-05:00Convoy Busters (1978) - 6.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EFPVu5LX9cRaujewh73pRFiRNgR6rEFCE6mmRao4fRrWmhXRqhrAjl4SMLXQc1rybtw01B5KQZ4NpOJblppXwF_OXThKBdCbGfrw0DCF48vxF75m9IJAsYV6DqCAe8PxGWCwclU2yOsfAF92p-38c82FC3IrnZe2MlbLSc77sZ-yGi4AW-PS/s400/convoy_busters1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="275" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EFPVu5LX9cRaujewh73pRFiRNgR6rEFCE6mmRao4fRrWmhXRqhrAjl4SMLXQc1rybtw01B5KQZ4NpOJblppXwF_OXThKBdCbGfrw0DCF48vxF75m9IJAsYV6DqCAe8PxGWCwclU2yOsfAF92p-38c82FC3IrnZe2MlbLSc77sZ-yGi4AW-PS/w275-h400/convoy_busters1.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /><p>This late period Poliziotteschi comes out of the gate as if the director is in a hurry to get home to his mistress before it settles down to a slower paced thoughtful film. It is directed by Stelvio Massi who had helmed a number of hard-edged police and Giallo films prior to this. Initially, it looks like it might be a Giallo film but quickly turns into your basic Dirty Harry styled police investigation. Meaning a few people get shot and witnesses beaten up. The relentless cop Olmi is played by Maurizio Merli who could play this character in his sleep, he has done it so often before. An honest man in a corrupt system. His blonde hair and thick moustache make him easily recognizable. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKnMXL_5xwOD7WB6Yv3200v3R30qXXDNBzpIunpgdgAplo_oE3T0WdKN7M7riotN5s-SDN0lQqU_OL2_w5VHiZU62xBPaQmKlsOrpIXXL32umEmmWwuhAzLb3Ai_F8YELcbXrfZUG9vigxPEWhBVt9d5i1pfZLoViD4cGmo7GLf0QdpDz_S9T/s533/convoy_busters2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="533" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKnMXL_5xwOD7WB6Yv3200v3R30qXXDNBzpIunpgdgAplo_oE3T0WdKN7M7riotN5s-SDN0lQqU_OL2_w5VHiZU62xBPaQmKlsOrpIXXL32umEmmWwuhAzLb3Ai_F8YELcbXrfZUG9vigxPEWhBVt9d5i1pfZLoViD4cGmo7GLf0QdpDz_S9T/w640-h360/convoy_busters2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>A young woman is found on the beach with her throat cut and then her boyfriend is found burnt to death in a car. Olmi wastes no time in tracking down the dead woman's friend and with a few slaps she tells him who may have been responsible. A hard beating later in the woods and this man admits that his father was probably behind it. The woman overheard a conversation and had to be silenced. Her boyfriend too. The father Degan (Massimo Serato) is a slick highly positioned part of the Customs Dept. With friends. One being the judge in charge of the case who tips Degan off that he better make a getaway. He does. And that weirdly is the end of Degan and the judge in the film as Olmi is so disgusted and realizes he can't fight City Hall. He also hears a sound behind him at night and turns and shoots killing an innocent man. It is time to get out of town. All this happens in no time. There is also a very cool scene unrelated to any of this in which Olmi tracks down four killers in a car from a helicopter and shoots them all dead from up high. A classic scene. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCxLl4RfedMg6qeB-C-COyKewH_HBBsNQM9o82A-ItOcnY0EZEndYBZNU9b_jQPDbLisqXln9YD__DFaFy3LXsSD3p2x-LJvjqvF7XECGZ8NW1-MJO_fkn8MIvH3bx9nggJwnFvmyQdOmGKdy3RuVN-9oKKB7kUfqEkBi8fiNGZ2AAxm52Jna/s600/convoy_busters3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="600" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCxLl4RfedMg6qeB-C-COyKewH_HBBsNQM9o82A-ItOcnY0EZEndYBZNU9b_jQPDbLisqXln9YD__DFaFy3LXsSD3p2x-LJvjqvF7XECGZ8NW1-MJO_fkn8MIvH3bx9nggJwnFvmyQdOmGKdy3RuVN-9oKKB7kUfqEkBi8fiNGZ2AAxm52Jna/w640-h342/convoy_busters3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>He transfers to a sleepy seaside town where the cops spend much of the day reading newspapers. Apparently, there were no repercussions for killing an innocent man. Sounds familiar. The first thing he does is take out his gun, empty it of bullets and locks it in a drawer. He is sick of killing. You have a feeling it won't stay in there. He also meets a woman, an elementary school teacher when he beats up four punks harassing her. Instant romance and the film slows down to a crawl as they tour around and make love. What woman could resist a guy who beats the crap out of a bunch of young toughs and doesn't even identify himself as a cop. A fresh fish from the Atlantic sets off his cop radar and sets him down the path to having to open that drawer and load up. Time to get back to killing. About time. I didn't come here for no stinking romance. </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU3Rv92mJiY" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Trailer</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNLHqNAICrBTDRUhan27Zhfb93Y8qNr5eR6gC56zO0NdxCOkzcHuoAjlBBE9gYF1Y9K6nqPDPP89Nj952YCARr1TJBGGy34Jvz3op69kL6ZwsX4VgYLSvsD_I4GqWiIJxIH_fyIlRegAv-g0Q_nJkLTi-klluf2WGVHXx5shSDXnrk5JTO2_B/s561/convoy_busters4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="561" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNLHqNAICrBTDRUhan27Zhfb93Y8qNr5eR6gC56zO0NdxCOkzcHuoAjlBBE9gYF1Y9K6nqPDPP89Nj952YCARr1TJBGGy34Jvz3op69kL6ZwsX4VgYLSvsD_I4GqWiIJxIH_fyIlRegAv-g0Q_nJkLTi-klluf2WGVHXx5shSDXnrk5JTO2_B/w640-h342/convoy_busters4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-7034685891669306742024-03-09T13:34:00.003-05:002024-03-09T13:34:29.199-05:00Ultimate Code (2021) - 5.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9kegOqjAexD4HJ-5T4KPU5QXx0Dx8vh9kxwaY0TkmzdTp_DI0LjaNmFm7Z1L_xoXfqGJSxRdEUwtPNoXbUEJgLUt2-TtGiVrhvPARiqTqnSVOhUcLxBknCiSpR4s-77y5fm_5_WWz8GEMLjE_Ax2oFNH6gBseu5ap7CDgR8wCNse0X4Inxpl/s400/ultimate_code1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="272" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9kegOqjAexD4HJ-5T4KPU5QXx0Dx8vh9kxwaY0TkmzdTp_DI0LjaNmFm7Z1L_xoXfqGJSxRdEUwtPNoXbUEJgLUt2-TtGiVrhvPARiqTqnSVOhUcLxBknCiSpR4s-77y5fm_5_WWz8GEMLjE_Ax2oFNH6gBseu5ap7CDgR8wCNse0X4Inxpl/w273-h400/ultimate_code1.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Good to know that the Chinese can make as brainless an action film as America does. I actually had to read another review in order to understand what this was about and to get a little background on the director. So, thanks to Derek Elley on the Sino-Chinese Blog. This makes as much sense as a peanut butter and radish sandwich, but some of the action isn't bad till we get to the end when it goes bonkers CGI like the Jet Li film, The One. The director and star Wu Zhiting shot the film four years before it got a release in an attempt from Zhiting who had no director credits or many acting credits to make him an action star. Since there seems to have been nothing from him since - per IMDB - it doesn't seem to have worked. Not that he is terrible but he only shows one expression in the film and that isn't jovial. He is pissed off throughout the film and his grim relentless look says to stay out of his way. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugOqHce2mZwKfm36XNfaKS6sSuzh2wh62upJl47bv0GY5C-WulHarils1XXuomhII4INBGdYddcVwt6GdhXF3dPVNQqzVIqVvz0K6s0zboN2q8cd1RsI1RDup7WfdWouI08rP5pP4_yKXOUiQNEaW7VyIzINfImtyP02WZcI1v51a2as7y7ru/s536/ultimate_code2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="536" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugOqHce2mZwKfm36XNfaKS6sSuzh2wh62upJl47bv0GY5C-WulHarils1XXuomhII4INBGdYddcVwt6GdhXF3dPVNQqzVIqVvz0K6s0zboN2q8cd1RsI1RDup7WfdWouI08rP5pP4_yKXOUiQNEaW7VyIzINfImtyP02WZcI1v51a2as7y7ru/w640-h358/ultimate_code2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>His character is Xiao Yu, a professional killer who has been enhanced by a computer chip inserted into his body. He was the number one killer for X Corporation which is being run by a madman who wants to conquer the world by putting chips into the population. Wait a second. Shot in 2017 with a corporation named X, a psycho running it and putting chips into people that can be controlled. Maybe Zhiting should be a fortune teller instead. Xiao betrayed this psycho Mick and has been imprisoned by him. Mick is played by Frenchman Philippe Joly who has had parts in a number of Asian films - Dragon Blade, Little Big Master, Chasing the Dragon and Goldfinger - and has managed to acquire the Chinese name of Langsen which translates to Wolf Forest, which is pretty cool. Mick takes the wife (Le Guan) and child of Xiao's hostage and tells Xiao that if he doesn't retrieve this code that was stolen by Enoch in seven days, they will be killed - by a laser that will divide that into fourths. Which is a messy way to go. I would not want to be the janitor. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrayP5itvOAQaBB5c-6nhOejvl45LvpC4Qe2UexlhdlnkE577EbirZzUI7akemTBuZaXQxbL5EJ2dvZes12aiB-d0m-m1VQjWGLLJyhHfiE-kd-MlCKtPI4Mmz16p62rkgyqQaHIHHbjoyvP2xkL5QnhVsWC3InAn5UhYXnOaAHZ30ToVpD45/s533/ultimate_code4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="533" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrayP5itvOAQaBB5c-6nhOejvl45LvpC4Qe2UexlhdlnkE577EbirZzUI7akemTBuZaXQxbL5EJ2dvZes12aiB-d0m-m1VQjWGLLJyhHfiE-kd-MlCKtPI4Mmz16p62rkgyqQaHIHHbjoyvP2xkL5QnhVsWC3InAn5UhYXnOaAHZ30ToVpD45/w640-h360/ultimate_code4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Enoch is played by David Belle and is the main reason I watched this. He is the Frenchman who is given credit for inventing parkour and was in a few parkour films. His moves are amazing. But he gets written out of the script early on after a fine chase on foot and motorcycle with Xiao after him. First though Xiao picks up a female journalist (the lovely Meng Lu) who he thinks has some connection to Enoch and is more than just a journalist. He is right - she is looking for revenge - Enoch killed her parents years ago and she has become a tech genius. Enoch had been part of X but along with other escapees are now trying to stop Mick from taking over the world. Damn another person who wants to take over the world. Both sides want to kill Xiao and some solid action comes along. The film looks fine, sleek and lots of techno babble and computers - but damn next time Zhiting needs to write a better script. </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iX7WxEwur8" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Trailer</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWhIXScurYYlChCbZF6fb5zgHJJ222LDTh824x_8Gr12w1_s_os_wzEQUQtEFJXCNQJLERgRngsJLS_WrlL1Fh2ap2rLawby5dI5Lhr1F5ZplHGW4h8tGQen9t8ZHOZQf0cSHJdCPdXAV17nbysT3woWIZSyyp9VaxP8zDy9698li41W1WXeD/s533/ultimate_code3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="533" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWhIXScurYYlChCbZF6fb5zgHJJ222LDTh824x_8Gr12w1_s_os_wzEQUQtEFJXCNQJLERgRngsJLS_WrlL1Fh2ap2rLawby5dI5Lhr1F5ZplHGW4h8tGQen9t8ZHOZQf0cSHJdCPdXAV17nbysT3woWIZSyyp9VaxP8zDy9698li41W1WXeD/w640-h360/ultimate_code3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-72762065593699071672024-03-09T03:46:00.002-05:002024-03-09T03:46:33.270-05:00The Final Five Films of the Dr. Kildare Series<p><b>Dr. Kildare Goes Home (1940) –
6.0</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYOfmi4wZfkWYnSD_H1Q5mQWOmDG8td8ruxNF5LmRGgB66g53GbBMVf54CBVj9U5qjgmstJ54SOSSQT8H4g-yUt2s7PbWYKhtuskTD7ZfgeGspL8U57kQSVpbdgPuGVUw02ik69dT-NubJtZGRbElDVQT6-Js4ZSuV2eYuBbk-yHG3WmbYS16/s380/kildare_goes_home1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYOfmi4wZfkWYnSD_H1Q5mQWOmDG8td8ruxNF5LmRGgB66g53GbBMVf54CBVj9U5qjgmstJ54SOSSQT8H4g-yUt2s7PbWYKhtuskTD7ZfgeGspL8U57kQSVpbdgPuGVUw02ik69dT-NubJtZGRbElDVQT6-Js4ZSuV2eYuBbk-yHG3WmbYS16/s320/kildare_goes_home1.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">The fifth in the Dr. Kildare
series and it is just as homey as all the rest. All good people and fine
doctors. Good to see after I read the other day that over 250,000 people died
in America due to a misdiagnosis in the emergency room. I think we can feel
confident that none of those happened at the Blair General Hospital with Dr.
Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore), Dr Kildare (Lew Ayres) and Nurse Lamont (Lorraine
Day). There is good news for Kildare. He is no longer an intern at $20 a month.
The bad news is that now he can marry Lamont. But not yet. The usual cast is on
hand and it feels comfortable being in their company. No major drama in this
one, just a bit of socialism from the writers!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wonder if they were ever dragged in front of a Congressional Committee
and called Lefties.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUt7zMQS20bpXFHIplfWaBDUj0li889Ae2fSjCdDdk5NiBpjSiFjgFfMbESqkJ33SU3t1EvlgAkAvOco2Lq9i2tiFvhMMSzC_qruKxKzqtA75LVrpR2EnvWWj5IR_tNnfh8ttjJ9zGncZE90zz1HQ3ISfFZp0BJXd_DovWpELbZP-IVansKNZb/s384/kildare_goes_home3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="384" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUt7zMQS20bpXFHIplfWaBDUj0li889Ae2fSjCdDdk5NiBpjSiFjgFfMbESqkJ33SU3t1EvlgAkAvOco2Lq9i2tiFvhMMSzC_qruKxKzqtA75LVrpR2EnvWWj5IR_tNnfh8ttjJ9zGncZE90zz1HQ3ISfFZp0BJXd_DovWpELbZP-IVansKNZb/w400-h313/kildare_goes_home3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">The day that Kildare finds out
that he is now a full-fledged doctor, he finds out from his mother (Emma Dunn)
that his father (Samuel Hinds) who is also a doctor is exhausted from doing his
rounds. In the neighboring town the doctor left and he has had to take on his
patients as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The town can't find a
doctor because it is poor with high unemployment and people can't afford the
few dollars to see a doctor. It was the tail end of the Depression. Gillespie
comes up with fifty percent of the solution. He knows three doctors who can't
find work. Maybe they can go to this town and set up a clinic. Except the money
issue. This is where socialism comes in. Kildare comes up with a crazy idea,
the damn Commie. How about if everyone in town pays ten cents a week and the
town is covered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obamacare before Obama.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprEoUG9AaqXWalwNbQgAC32EDxl52DE3wkAeXe8EoXeUUbLryEHobuWQJ_NjfAqstJ2PUyD5sg9a5cJqbKXThlmUfD3sWdzKY_6KSry8ZL2CTmdTX293Td87SJ9dpPsPM136RBikN-XqnY94jjc9FjjHC02UjtuuZ8AjaVy4MNG-xBx-GjotY/s393/kildare_goes_home2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="393" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprEoUG9AaqXWalwNbQgAC32EDxl52DE3wkAeXe8EoXeUUbLryEHobuWQJ_NjfAqstJ2PUyD5sg9a5cJqbKXThlmUfD3sWdzKY_6KSry8ZL2CTmdTX293Td87SJ9dpPsPM136RBikN-XqnY94jjc9FjjHC02UjtuuZ8AjaVy4MNG-xBx-GjotY/w400-h305/kildare_goes_home2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><b>Dr. Kildare’s Crisis (1940) –
5.0<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fyhCPmvd_6HVMZTB_8ex6cMb96Tb37OrUl4FmPj10quqdF2SOCBSmvfQScw8rmORGyTezolHTZVJmDtvwqygrsjulo-i1u5lILUw-JuQTKxXbWhcIht31N-XuLVQZiALTKjoLVwHxvyiAR8-AVQWF95gPrZFR6nD6jRlh1a_2FcFUDhrZqbY/s400/kildares_crisis1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="270" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fyhCPmvd_6HVMZTB_8ex6cMb96Tb37OrUl4FmPj10quqdF2SOCBSmvfQScw8rmORGyTezolHTZVJmDtvwqygrsjulo-i1u5lILUw-JuQTKxXbWhcIht31N-XuLVQZiALTKjoLVwHxvyiAR8-AVQWF95gPrZFR6nD6jRlh1a_2FcFUDhrZqbY/s320/kildares_crisis1.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">This is the 6th in the Dr. Kildare
series of films and if you got this far, you know exactly what to expect. Some
drama, some humor, a touch of romance, the same cast of lovable characters as
in all the films, a homey tale of mentorship and a large city hospital in which
the staff sees every patient and fixes them up no matter if it is an illness or
love. "Call her up and ask her to marry you." the grumpy curmudgeon
advises one patient with stomach problems. He does and all is fine. Our
healthcare system 80 years ago. Now not so much. Time for a screed from me
because there isn't much to say about this amiable family film.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LmCfa0TyQ9Nu7VhTJVAKnpz_9lJ18lNSVrM6-C9GiCrfICRdNa4yww70J3JBpj5WXykJK9CjaBJKJy_Hp5aNprIsSgzsA9gZRSIb_T09A9tF5T_ckZc9-vDyCyUM7ce4OyUMEO4IrP1pLJuFy-1da_C_7bCEdebaJU8TdzNy8xizo0xOhuk3/s394/kildares_crisis3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="394" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LmCfa0TyQ9Nu7VhTJVAKnpz_9lJ18lNSVrM6-C9GiCrfICRdNa4yww70J3JBpj5WXykJK9CjaBJKJy_Hp5aNprIsSgzsA9gZRSIb_T09A9tF5T_ckZc9-vDyCyUM7ce4OyUMEO4IrP1pLJuFy-1da_C_7bCEdebaJU8TdzNy8xizo0xOhuk3/w400-h305/kildares_crisis3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">In Thailand, I was diagnosed with
2 kidney stones. No big deal. I have literally had dozens. Dug out with a
scalpel and a shovel. My doctor who looked like a Thai version of Doogie Howser
advises I have them taken out before they block fluids from going into my
bladder. Cost. $18,000. No insurance in Thailand. But hell I was coming to
America where I have Medicare. So I go to the large local hospital, ask to see
a urologist. Instead I get a phone number. I call for 3 days. No one answers or
returns messages. So I go to a different building which houses the Urology
unit. Ask to see a doctor. Sure. End of July. July? This is May. Yes July. This
would not have happened at Blair General Hospital. What a shit system we have.
A few days later I get a pinched nerve in my neck. Really painful. I didn't
even bother to call a hospital. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYo9SIrDzXWTQzSX_Px0kMpOfS_3IhnYr2axXw0V7QduwGO3-c2pWk94LuLlHZZFhQPGuQu9DYl1o-ZvdD8mjr8U9m8f2rOoNjNffEJHP1D6wsRH7ksPxgy7TUaW3JKQ1zO2KMUSYxSyg8vhjTb1sfrEgg_7FzCEE2YpHGO-j8_0eP4Hxu347/s386/kildares_crisis2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="386" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYo9SIrDzXWTQzSX_Px0kMpOfS_3IhnYr2axXw0V7QduwGO3-c2pWk94LuLlHZZFhQPGuQu9DYl1o-ZvdD8mjr8U9m8f2rOoNjNffEJHP1D6wsRH7ksPxgy7TUaW3JKQ1zO2KMUSYxSyg8vhjTb1sfrEgg_7FzCEE2YpHGO-j8_0eP4Hxu347/w400-h311/kildares_crisis2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">Of course, they didn't always get
it right back then. The love of Kildare's life Mary Lamont (Laraine Day) is
visited by her brother. Played by Robert Young. Kildare notices that the
brother seems to be hearing things and after two minutes of research decides
the brother has a fatal case of epilepsy. He tests him with a steak with salt
poured on it. Everyone freaks out till Gillespie asks the brother a question
and figures out what is really wrong with him. Not one of his better days.
Always get a second opinion. Which is really all I wanted here.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirznH4C9iitMcO4fe-DmG5BkHYkq1nx3GAmAkyq971kKiGnIQdmsQ5HLHLtVX5_7DStgdKE_xRifHO4vBK55gYzUGfhQc368mu1cQtYO31YevYZS84teH5I_IDT-aC_MqTWaOpg3FxGEptq57CdA3s9Gg1fQt_uauDeyoXGuHnBeGxJ0LxR27-/s411/kildares_crisis4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="411" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirznH4C9iitMcO4fe-DmG5BkHYkq1nx3GAmAkyq971kKiGnIQdmsQ5HLHLtVX5_7DStgdKE_xRifHO4vBK55gYzUGfhQc368mu1cQtYO31YevYZS84teH5I_IDT-aC_MqTWaOpg3FxGEptq57CdA3s9Gg1fQt_uauDeyoXGuHnBeGxJ0LxR27-/w400-h293/kildares_crisis4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><b>The People vs. Dr. Kildare
(1941) – 6.0<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif27NoFA1-KtpnV0seOodTHf6oUPXQRrJ52h_REQ14YyRyQPujEu29pcOVhkb4wUCHyjIgZYNLOtzVP8IqgjXSRfPYKIC8-DWgPEOS0f6jGalVcGWh_y664eRVgxNw4JDn-AXVFJ_O1rjmknYpllsA6KLL7g-EPEYg1YojLnELW0xciN3Twj8L/s400/kildare_people_vs1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif27NoFA1-KtpnV0seOodTHf6oUPXQRrJ52h_REQ14YyRyQPujEu29pcOVhkb4wUCHyjIgZYNLOtzVP8IqgjXSRfPYKIC8-DWgPEOS0f6jGalVcGWh_y664eRVgxNw4JDn-AXVFJ_O1rjmknYpllsA6KLL7g-EPEYg1YojLnELW0xciN3Twj8L/s320/kildare_people_vs1.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">The seventh film in the Dr.
Kildare series of nine. All of the regulars are back - Lew Ayres as Kildare,
Lionel Barrymore as Gillespie, Laraine Day as Nurse Lamont, Alma Kruger as Head
Nurse Molly Byrd and Marie Blake as the gossipy telephone operator (sadly, no
Nat Pendleton as comedy relief). But they add a few other actors of note as
well - Tom Conway as the hospital's lawyer, Red Skelton in an early film role as the orderly and comedy relief and
Bonita Granville as the patient. Granville was Nancy Drew only two years previously
in that four-film series - and here she is a fully formed attractive woman. How
does that happen? It is a solid episode in the series - once again Kildare and
Lamont have to postpone their wedding - and in some ways it is good to see that
not everything has changed since 1941. These days if someone calls out for a
doctor in a packed theater because a person has had a heart-attack, no one will
likely answer because if you try and help and can't save them, chances are you
will be sued. Kildare being the good chap he is learns this lesson. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukTXDMNWOTtVSXTcs-BvXOgvPgoP_IahNTvyPYFcsuUfh1bHHjVdGeYD4L0pA4dwaYemh2xrNlZVP_qPHTGc6oNwCQ2rTzPMjBGtGTX0evI6z3KUBRzwwODFsNjQFC76riOLF7RRNGHvC01jWXSvToap9Min8jdtO0CGQW6z_6_BlvxBApQyo/s383/kildare_people_vs3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="383" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukTXDMNWOTtVSXTcs-BvXOgvPgoP_IahNTvyPYFcsuUfh1bHHjVdGeYD4L0pA4dwaYemh2xrNlZVP_qPHTGc6oNwCQ2rTzPMjBGtGTX0evI6z3KUBRzwwODFsNjQFC76riOLF7RRNGHvC01jWXSvToap9Min8jdtO0CGQW6z_6_BlvxBApQyo/w400-h314/kildare_people_vs3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">He and Lamont are driving along
when they witness a car and a truck crash into one another. Instead of just
driving away like any sensible doctor would do now, he stops and mends everyone
- but Granville has a ruptured spleen and he surmises will die if not operated
on immediately. So, he does it on the road with a bag of instruments and Lamont
urging him on. That turns out to be fine - but her leg was also fractured - and
when she gets out of the hospital 8 weeks later - I wonder what the bill was -
her leg is paralyzed. Kildare and Gillespie have no idea why but she gets a
shark and sues for $100,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was a
professional ice skater and sues for everything under the sun and moon. If she
wins the case, it will be the end of Kildare's career. And we can't let that
happen.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">The Nancy Drew series reviewed <a href="http://brns.com/Hollywood/Pages1/holly468.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0Y3AUqKvdFY8vCTQTaAoCiwxwQhuONgWLszD9ZMwOehbspenshg9hnqpefZ3EQRBnZSNsB0nHE4zsVltx-w8UG23A6586m2dcf38426mcQx3ibGfkWon6X3gaudJ3PDcP8P5DWVe5TBSrbuoQAu5Wm0N02FaFWXmyOPIPv_lOOPfv0CgSgDx/s393/kildare_people_vs2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="393" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0Y3AUqKvdFY8vCTQTaAoCiwxwQhuONgWLszD9ZMwOehbspenshg9hnqpefZ3EQRBnZSNsB0nHE4zsVltx-w8UG23A6586m2dcf38426mcQx3ibGfkWon6X3gaudJ3PDcP8P5DWVe5TBSrbuoQAu5Wm0N02FaFWXmyOPIPv_lOOPfv0CgSgDx/w400-h305/kildare_people_vs2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><b>Dr. Kildare’s Wedding Day
(1941) – NR<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh527nbNhufbOhvBMxenbcNV4AyJCnqNDfBMyVOq3Y0RPYI_HD76V071cjrb3AeW5XcYwmLJF2vQvdri-0p3mK1OVGN7-DWZGTerkuIR5u4XGCN4pAQxxxOLOk7gnxhrwHv_y3W1tFXTcyEFENzg6WxSzlsaDtStpny4bnsyk_32eH6XwMswd-7/s400/kildares_wedding_day1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh527nbNhufbOhvBMxenbcNV4AyJCnqNDfBMyVOq3Y0RPYI_HD76V071cjrb3AeW5XcYwmLJF2vQvdri-0p3mK1OVGN7-DWZGTerkuIR5u4XGCN4pAQxxxOLOk7gnxhrwHv_y3W1tFXTcyEFENzg6WxSzlsaDtStpny4bnsyk_32eH6XwMswd-7/s320/kildares_wedding_day1.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">The eighth of nine films in the
Dr. Kildare series. I won't say much about this one other than it was a kick in
the head. About the last thing I expected. I hated it.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><b>Dr. Kildare’s Victory (1942) –
5.0<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8yi24LKHXMSLTunUBOu82WURpBJyB6FV3ta0Za8iJNSHAz6J6wErQzc8lsELOy3qfh4WS4vXavTTL_XyIpGCNKDRYzyx1f-9EfgfPqKDnexr6f1RcTfQp92nbhShyphenhyphenltjbWEjmCvckmPp4sSF6lBaHubCygsJCTfQulzmHstHJKP2pHdVzX1aR/s400/kildares_victory1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="260" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8yi24LKHXMSLTunUBOu82WURpBJyB6FV3ta0Za8iJNSHAz6J6wErQzc8lsELOy3qfh4WS4vXavTTL_XyIpGCNKDRYzyx1f-9EfgfPqKDnexr6f1RcTfQp92nbhShyphenhyphenltjbWEjmCvckmPp4sSF6lBaHubCygsJCTfQulzmHstHJKP2pHdVzX1aR/s320/kildares_victory1.jpg" width="208" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">This is the 9th and last film in
the Dr. Kildare series. It ran from 1938 to 1942 with Lew Ayres as Kildare in all of them. Joel McCrae was Kildare in the first film (1937) but that was meant to
be a standalone film that MGM then decided to make into a series. He starts off
as a fresh-faced intern from the sticks and ends with him as a top doctor still
fighting for his patients and often against the board of the hospital. It is
always a little bit sad for me when one of these series from the 1940s come to
an end. Over the series, you get to know the characters and like them. Most of
them are B films or soon become ones after the first couple and their lack of
imagination and creativity becomes comfort food. When their popularity begins
to wane, the studio cuts them off without hesitation. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_dc6AF0_kcvMCT6Zph7VwDwS4LpH1nxP_3Fikc6M_tMi-wgrjvLnz9FOXD0JgPv5ZevvVn4rj6O-yqlW-J34FrZwckXIdbIzgVQDl6I9_osIQdWMLr8TBNnD9tLbX9_NDRbSnkuAx1ibjmb3RaExlxrbCpxunDsZjp-N2NOi8C_jP0NKUmbx/s380/kildares_victory2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="380" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_dc6AF0_kcvMCT6Zph7VwDwS4LpH1nxP_3Fikc6M_tMi-wgrjvLnz9FOXD0JgPv5ZevvVn4rj6O-yqlW-J34FrZwckXIdbIzgVQDl6I9_osIQdWMLr8TBNnD9tLbX9_NDRbSnkuAx1ibjmb3RaExlxrbCpxunDsZjp-N2NOi8C_jP0NKUmbx/w400-h316/kildares_victory2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">I am not sure if that was the case
with the Kildare series. The downbeat eighth film though sort of foretold that
the series was coming to an end. There was nowhere for it to go really. In this
film it looks like they may be setting up another young doctor to carry on the
concept but that never happened and in fact it was the crotchety Dr. Gillespie
(Lionel Barrymore) who went on to his own series. But the stake that certainly
killed the series was WW II and Lew Ayres's decision to declare himself a
conscientious objector. That was not a popular move in 1942. To his credit, he
trained as a medic and entered the Pacific War in very dangerous circumstances.
He should just have used bone spurs as his excuse. He didn't make another film
till 1945. Dr. Kildare in the Pacific would have made a great film. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Eks4TyDgDW2-jOGL38CDlJO8B7Zz5S15FO2McGhoN4t84qDnLiensp8XAllH8q_9qTVNOZzGw6ssUzazGs-HTy-m_Xx9H5rZ4Tma3Rrb98Q_vPqgu_NY9ONh8P6ZpDWpbUSN1N6PyZ1SfzrTemjCTLkWnxcc9WwKY441xxgjCzsaMAbqvk_a/s395/kildares_victory3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="395" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Eks4TyDgDW2-jOGL38CDlJO8B7Zz5S15FO2McGhoN4t84qDnLiensp8XAllH8q_9qTVNOZzGw6ssUzazGs-HTy-m_Xx9H5rZ4Tma3Rrb98Q_vPqgu_NY9ONh8P6ZpDWpbUSN1N6PyZ1SfzrTemjCTLkWnxcc9WwKY441xxgjCzsaMAbqvk_a/w400-h304/kildares_victory3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">This one is similar to the early
films - a number of small subplots are interwoven with none of them dominating
the film. After the bummer of the previous film, none of it feels important and
a dour mood is constantly present. Kildare is nearly fired by the Board once
again but Gillespie saves his bacon once again. Much of the same group of
actors are present and they were to continue on to the Dr. Gillespie films. The
first film in the new series was shot in this same year, so they didn't miss a beat.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">I reviewed the Dr. Gillespie series a while back. It is <a href="http://brns.com/Hollywood/Pages1/holly430.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4-1Fbae_ilRGHnyZUvQX7Y7SvmerkTkA_j6tUaHfFtt4LMjiOM-NnSRrbR7wb_FCbp3lzAEVLxNmic1Ke44Tzb6eE1T1ByfsxKTS_TwVWdWKJWY36q2oWrCRZKNPn0JSiGDKeVq_t5UWoMasQRUnR1NUDywjUY3kcKIy8PzlvAeHIlrDB1FC/s402/kildares_victory4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="402" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4-1Fbae_ilRGHnyZUvQX7Y7SvmerkTkA_j6tUaHfFtt4LMjiOM-NnSRrbR7wb_FCbp3lzAEVLxNmic1Ke44Tzb6eE1T1ByfsxKTS_TwVWdWKJWY36q2oWrCRZKNPn0JSiGDKeVq_t5UWoMasQRUnR1NUDywjUY3kcKIy8PzlvAeHIlrDB1FC/w400-h299/kildares_victory4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-46551614127576328102024-03-08T02:09:00.002-05:002024-03-08T02:09:16.968-05:00Devil and Master (1991) - 4.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI35iFBw_1kbF3d8StSYzT-v8_ccw9JugbFR7BHYLBTuNLEriUnh1ItelXCJ-VQe9v82-nexAfRbQklVMXCuQWV7V4iUe_7oABzlQRoRv5EdHCCyTQvwP3U1plwxG3ZTbqcmCZUnW6jraZvJGSGBuYEw9b1iwjW48O-xGpAjTKIYJ7fy_-taq3/s400/devil_master1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="246" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI35iFBw_1kbF3d8StSYzT-v8_ccw9JugbFR7BHYLBTuNLEriUnh1ItelXCJ-VQe9v82-nexAfRbQklVMXCuQWV7V4iUe_7oABzlQRoRv5EdHCCyTQvwP3U1plwxG3ZTbqcmCZUnW6jraZvJGSGBuYEw9b1iwjW48O-xGpAjTKIYJ7fy_-taq3/w246-h400/devil_master1.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>I had to shed a tear for Wu Ma and Ku Feng for having to appear in this low budget Taiwanese fantasy film. Two of the greats in Hong Kong film going back to the Shaw Brothers and now in dreck like this. Oh well, a paycheck is a paycheck. At least Wu Ma got to play a familiar role for him - that of a Taoist Priest while poor Ku Feng as an Uncle, just stands around before he mercifully leaves the film. There isn't much good to say about this but then a high percentage of it is shot at night in the dark - either to hide how low-budget it is or because that is when ghosts come out. In either case, the extensive wire work is lost in the darkness. This may be the fault of the vcd I saw it on of course. If this one gets a blue-ray treatment, I will eat my slippers. There is apparently a Malaysian dvd for any interested souls out there. These are the types of films that are slowly being lost as they become out of print and no one can bother to make more. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKH-fw1ifZTFqz_f1Qkmm9dmdJI7hDyIJWBdMzicOTXlDRQehbDSC_ipqO4W6jeOU6mv0MXTvyO3o4CxnY7P1xQOXhRWivgoKyG01TPmz5h4TpN4pQagSRxRbELayXTci5TIdj1FESCqF01xh18jLedbDBQE2Pl0C_JxWc3MNRgjLiWkb8bqt/s531/devil_master3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="531" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKH-fw1ifZTFqz_f1Qkmm9dmdJI7hDyIJWBdMzicOTXlDRQehbDSC_ipqO4W6jeOU6mv0MXTvyO3o4CxnY7P1xQOXhRWivgoKyG01TPmz5h4TpN4pQagSRxRbELayXTci5TIdj1FESCqF01xh18jLedbDBQE2Pl0C_JxWc3MNRgjLiWkb8bqt/w640-h338/devil_master3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Jay (Lau Siu-kwan) and the attractive Wendy (Huang Nan-hsi) are out hiking looking for ancient artifacts. Jay makes this look very authentic by every now and then using a brush to wipe dirt away. They find a skull and a plate and take it back home. Setting the skull next to his bed. Who wouldn't. The skull bites Wendy and the bit of blood brings back the ghost - the lovely Joan (Lin Pei-un) - she announces to Jay that she is a ghost to which he replies. "How can a ghost be so pretty". She is able to possess the body of Wendy, but she isn't an evil ghost - only a trapped one. She can't reincarnate because the Devil King has her under control and has a few other female ghosts that are all kept in a multi-colored chamber. The Devil King is played by Tu Kuei-hua, a name that may twinkle a bell for the hard-core Girls with Guns enthusiasts. She was in a bunch of them though in one of the lesser roles - Braveful Police, Big Circle Blues, Angel of Vengeance and Pink Panther among others. She is a Taiwanese body builder. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZiv7ziUFA-kAKBMdswzbGnuVrermMoDVucxcpE2GXNa6ecUaeA7N8CjFqABRTk1efMAkQ25ROW0qV7oWbuqv4SiP7eLWChIkORbCN9Htz2U4RrnBsjLdq7pXZuRY_-A-dyTp1Mjua44wBhjeNAAgUSsT1rAhyqAwD2QiPkqJb1o0FwwoYw50/s510/devil_master4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="510" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZiv7ziUFA-kAKBMdswzbGnuVrermMoDVucxcpE2GXNa6ecUaeA7N8CjFqABRTk1efMAkQ25ROW0qV7oWbuqv4SiP7eLWChIkORbCN9Htz2U4RrnBsjLdq7pXZuRY_-A-dyTp1Mjua44wBhjeNAAgUSsT1rAhyqAwD2QiPkqJb1o0FwwoYw50/w640-h352/devil_master4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Joan doesn't want to go back and Jay, Wendy and their uncle Ku Feng send for a Taoist Priest to help. Enter Wu Ma and his bag of Taoist tricks. The Devil King sends four of her ghost girls to bring Joan back and it becomes an endless string of fights between them and Joan and between them and Wu Ma. They are able to spit exploding balls. Finally, the King Devil comes down and the big finale between her and Wu Ma. Wu Ma must have been thinking I was in Mr. Vampire, Peking Opera Blues and A Chinese Ghost Story and now this.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MTSptzA10JgqO_DouNCplOukoBrpqv3MpbD3dz_jR3W9gyFkHR7QMK4p3dqLhv7pBPWqbraB_fYUVP_4qaMXMGnjBuWpG21BOTWTIFyq0JoakjcCBaiGvGqyZz_6WrxxtE_i0DuR952aYfGD2pf06kK-JXNyV81L9x-z1AEOPLRKm2MKbb3V/s513/devil_master2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="513" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MTSptzA10JgqO_DouNCplOukoBrpqv3MpbD3dz_jR3W9gyFkHR7QMK4p3dqLhv7pBPWqbraB_fYUVP_4qaMXMGnjBuWpG21BOTWTIFyq0JoakjcCBaiGvGqyZz_6WrxxtE_i0DuR952aYfGD2pf06kK-JXNyV81L9x-z1AEOPLRKm2MKbb3V/w640-h350/devil_master2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-49276167037948288382024-03-07T05:56:00.002-05:002024-03-07T05:56:20.667-05:00Abbott and Costello x 2<p><b>Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953) - 5.0</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlkMJoD8kzb7FoXKpXBQP1bDCCnkCtyJOq0MU-WDBqM-2yA8WV-kLHdrGAziXT03s2fYpM1kV6sXXrIaD4oNULH10CO6RrZU6-NWcJuR8qcYb15QhVeC-OzMLNUzOa005h_TA6mcAyx3btJKmEM2-4bx6mups1ZKZPjjZm7XUenbqwlXaaWXf/s400/a_c_goto_mars1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlkMJoD8kzb7FoXKpXBQP1bDCCnkCtyJOq0MU-WDBqM-2yA8WV-kLHdrGAziXT03s2fYpM1kV6sXXrIaD4oNULH10CO6RrZU6-NWcJuR8qcYb15QhVeC-OzMLNUzOa005h_TA6mcAyx3btJKmEM2-4bx6mups1ZKZPjjZm7XUenbqwlXaaWXf/w263-h400/a_c_goto_mars1.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>This one is so stupid that it sort of works. Not that A&C are that funny with their typical slapstick shenanigans but the situations they are put in are so absurd and ridiculous that I found it entertaining enough. It is also fairly quick at 77 minutes and considering that they go to New Orleans and Venus that isn't bad. It is also filled with beautiful women - some 20 who were American Miss Universe contestants. In there somewhere was Anita Ekberg in her second film. There are so many good-looking women that I could not pick her out. They are all on Venus of course. Our chuckle-headed friends never actually make it to Mars but they do fly through the Lincoln Tunnel. On a spaceship. If you can buy that they are both so stupid that they land in New Orleans and think they are on Mars and land on Venus and think they are on earth, and not worry about it, then this film may be for you. By this film, they have established their credentials as idiots many times over. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiO1Bo72RmEWiTuOFD714uyO0wkEgJ5hEJy6iXRozRn56HKKP4opVJI_QdCQAinhQTkbp83hWmTXaC5S7NxaHSeBPGVn3xUmXcGxVUfjFWUhxWXgK9fItqOcs9dH3PFg_IlQHsulu3gzfx4eJ-D7EwucvMrF0kblqDC1kfLUdY48FBTCqYHyEH/s385/a_c_goto_mars3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="385" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiO1Bo72RmEWiTuOFD714uyO0wkEgJ5hEJy6iXRozRn56HKKP4opVJI_QdCQAinhQTkbp83hWmTXaC5S7NxaHSeBPGVn3xUmXcGxVUfjFWUhxWXgK9fItqOcs9dH3PFg_IlQHsulu3gzfx4eJ-D7EwucvMrF0kblqDC1kfLUdY48FBTCqYHyEH/w400-h301/a_c_goto_mars3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Orville (Costello) hides in the back of a van driven by Lester (Abbott) who takes him to a top secret base that has developed a rocket that can fly to Mars. They get on the ship to deliver supplies and Orville starts pushing buttons and up they go. First, they fly through NYC and then land in New Orleans. It is Carnival time and all the people are dressed up in bizarre contests with giant heads. In their spacesuits A&C fit in fine. They think they are on Mars. They are mistaken for two crooks who just broke out of jail and hightail it back to the ship. Where the two jailbirds force them to fly to Mars. Instead, they land on Venus - easy mistake to make - took a left instead of a right - and think they are on earth. When Orville looks out the window and sees how little he can see, he says we must have landed in Los Angeles. If only it was earth. It is a female paradise of stunning women who live forever and have not seen a man in hundreds of years. Even I would do well in that situation. Not our boys. Ya, dumb as rocks but would you expect anything else from a A&C film?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbGZILIaAXyEAx6ghc87aXjgYJzkA5tokENu4ilBMUUHm1mffZ6EIeVprf-21ASYC5LAFPGqpO85Wr7_cY5mcUAfMOC_BSGH1JH_3P_ZkFwyzr3AQ6WJLGzHkIx0YpV-lMwUc6RkxPwShTZeNiablwx1wTfLREjoOALr2N6hVceueq7yUtMgh/s500/a_c_goto_mars2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbGZILIaAXyEAx6ghc87aXjgYJzkA5tokENu4ilBMUUHm1mffZ6EIeVprf-21ASYC5LAFPGqpO85Wr7_cY5mcUAfMOC_BSGH1JH_3P_ZkFwyzr3AQ6WJLGzHkIx0YpV-lMwUc6RkxPwShTZeNiablwx1wTfLREjoOALr2N6hVceueq7yUtMgh/w400-h240/a_c_goto_mars2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953) - 4.0</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixasWEsTYe7fuuBhpu_HQAoV3MzINp4ORm8_t4pdovgmNwMQ8mVTHqnUeemWwkX5iqxS_2txFljGttnAN6EaiaPjjNnQ_4mhAF6Hwj46JGSBYQVo7zwZ9sXoImqLEwHLpxlpXz1C6F7Jspxpx9W8bAEPUtW0byx5N_5jq6Fi09vwNCbBAjJn4D/s400/a_c_jekyll_hyde1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixasWEsTYe7fuuBhpu_HQAoV3MzINp4ORm8_t4pdovgmNwMQ8mVTHqnUeemWwkX5iqxS_2txFljGttnAN6EaiaPjjNnQ_4mhAF6Hwj46JGSBYQVo7zwZ9sXoImqLEwHLpxlpXz1C6F7Jspxpx9W8bAEPUtW0byx5N_5jq6Fi09vwNCbBAjJn4D/w265-h400/a_c_jekyll_hyde1.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p>This is another in the series of Abbott and Costello popular Monster films that in other movies brought in Frankenstein, the Wolfman, Dracula and The Mummy. All Universal Monsters as is the studio behind the Abbott and Costello films. In this case though, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was not. I guess they were running out of Universal monsters. Interestingly, this stars Boris Karloff as the Monster while he had no interest in playing Frankenstein in the 1948 film, Meet Frankenstein. At the time, he wanted nothing to do with his monster. I am very hit and miss on this comic duo, mainly miss. They have some wonderful moments or routines in many of their films but for me most of it is looking for cheap laughs. You can often see the jokes coming from miles away. If they are waiting around the corner to hit the villain, you know they will instead hit their partner, if there is something there for Costello to trip over, he will. This film was like having a date with a wood chipper. I thought the pain would never end. Every joke was predictable, repetitive, ancient and groan inducing. This is their 34th film together as best as I can count. No wonder it feels like we have seen it all before. We have. Yet this seems to have its fans, so what do I know.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmshyphenhyphenrwM0IAh0TmMJZy1EMaXuHKB7TnHkj6-ZWNZjD9nZ-ASqHCEPZw_SPGzkhPhsqtBtJNzj-pgnd_vlsZtgcAMT2nsBN9k1mRQzzKHsL_x3DX100eGNTw2bBQlCRrClm4zBdEf3hsWZJAPaVtduWU4DdNCoiWM_q9YOZWPRqkm5zft5OV11Q/s400/a_c_jekyll_hyde4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="315" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmshyphenhyphenrwM0IAh0TmMJZy1EMaXuHKB7TnHkj6-ZWNZjD9nZ-ASqHCEPZw_SPGzkhPhsqtBtJNzj-pgnd_vlsZtgcAMT2nsBN9k1mRQzzKHsL_x3DX100eGNTw2bBQlCRrClm4zBdEf3hsWZJAPaVtduWU4DdNCoiWM_q9YOZWPRqkm5zft5OV11Q/w315-h400/a_c_jekyll_hyde4.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><br /><p>A&C (Slim and Tubby) are in London turn of the century. What are they doing in England? They are Bobbies of course and where else would a Bobby be other than England. A Monster has been killing people in brutal and shocking ways. Even more shocking is that women are demanding the vote in protests with men on the sidelines scoffing at them. Reporter Bruce Adams (Craig Stevens) when asked if he believes in women's rights says "No, I don't" but this doesn't stop him from romancing the pretty rabble-rouser (Helen Westcott). When not demanding equality for women, she works in a music hall, displaying more leg than had to be legal back then. A big fight breaks out at the protest and our two heroes try and break it up, only to be pummeled by the women and losing their jobs. "I should never have given these jobs to Americans", says Inspector Reginald Denny. They decide that the only way to get their jobs back is to catch the Monster. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQ6ZR88UThNLj2iL1x_eFttuzchi22LZ9ZhxNSy4Z1AYko1ODk1tqc5Hc0ORsziL21KSSb9ZkfpZQEzPmv15M2myQEA61IUBsVtmlBMJhzkqPHlyCzSUiz5vmQLptvv3RSoIK9vTKRSGmgLqto9YVH9fUE0gVo8N1vrRrjolNpkUI4U7BIWaV/s532/a_c_jekyll_hyde2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="532" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQ6ZR88UThNLj2iL1x_eFttuzchi22LZ9ZhxNSy4Z1AYko1ODk1tqc5Hc0ORsziL21KSSb9ZkfpZQEzPmv15M2myQEA61IUBsVtmlBMJhzkqPHlyCzSUiz5vmQLptvv3RSoIK9vTKRSGmgLqto9YVH9fUE0gVo8N1vrRrjolNpkUI4U7BIWaV/w400-h225/a_c_jekyll_hyde2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>And sure enough they see him climbing up a building and give chase leading to the expected silly shenanigans. They are joined by Adams and end up in a Wax Museum - where there is a Frankenstein figure - and Tubby thinks he has locked up the Monster. But by the time the cops arrive, it isn't the Monster but the respectable Dr. Jekyll. But but but but - he was a Monster. Now being played by Boris Karloff. The Monster was played by a stunt man. In this telling of the classic tale, Jekyll is a psychopath who uses his alter-ego to kill people he doesn't like. In this case he wants to kill Adams who his ward/rabble-rouser, Vicky, wants to marry. He has loved her since she was a little girl - creepy - and wants to marry her. Even creepier. A&C end up having to stay the night at Jekyll's home where he has an Igor type assistant willing to kill. Tubby is turned into a mouse and then a monster. As a mouse he goes to have a drink at a pub and scares the hell out of another mouse. It gets a bit funny when we have two Monsters being chased by the cops all over London, but it wasn't enough to save a film that feels like it has cobwebs around it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMn9CQBvBAj4k5xVZR-nxD3oOzVdNxkgsw6ZZ4ktIJuKA5UebWQO6L7oRrO4zcFYP6SPuOloV96iYtI_6DYFv4GjCFYN4kuOt7_ft0ms-HGFuZftoYubtht2UTeX1NNqPELUqNmyrQJA7hyphenhyphenaVmt1tTNe1KiwBJgnF8wyQsKfcHY6aB_YnHjq9d/s455/a_c_jekyll_hyde3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="455" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMn9CQBvBAj4k5xVZR-nxD3oOzVdNxkgsw6ZZ4ktIJuKA5UebWQO6L7oRrO4zcFYP6SPuOloV96iYtI_6DYFv4GjCFYN4kuOt7_ft0ms-HGFuZftoYubtht2UTeX1NNqPELUqNmyrQJA7hyphenhyphenaVmt1tTNe1KiwBJgnF8wyQsKfcHY6aB_YnHjq9d/w400-h264/a_c_jekyll_hyde3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-12427094717913892892024-03-06T02:59:00.002-05:002024-03-06T02:59:17.918-05:00Gun n' Rose (1992) - 6.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPS83PD8r6VSDqRFjIIPBsRo8k_IzDTzFhLxgMtwNO230Di0KOi5CFmieUXQOIOK15LbBddvYIdcmYQJprcZxWGt8daVOXjgJdBzK_nLxRV4QQbKSZ7w4H_ATiEdfwlfEcjN16cC-ufuKFfnTV3ePH8Q-mB45GKm7R2laEt_NiqY_fGGNFMbls/s400/gun_n_rose1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPS83PD8r6VSDqRFjIIPBsRo8k_IzDTzFhLxgMtwNO230Di0KOi5CFmieUXQOIOK15LbBddvYIdcmYQJprcZxWGt8daVOXjgJdBzK_nLxRV4QQbKSZ7w4H_ATiEdfwlfEcjN16cC-ufuKFfnTV3ePH8Q-mB45GKm7R2laEt_NiqY_fGGNFMbls/w268-h400/gun_n_rose1.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><p>Not to be confused with Guns & Roses (1993) or Guns and Roses (2012).</p><p>Director Clarence Ford (aka Clarence Fok) is best known for his outrageously stylish films that are often narratively a mess - but they look so good that they have their legions of fans anyways. Examples of this are Dragon from Russia, Naked Killer and Warriors: The Black Panther. I love all three though I would have a hard time explaining what the plots were. Filled with slick action that moves at the speed of light and beautiful women who move like seductive snakes. The actresses always look their best in his films, dressed to the nines with red lipstick like a welcome home sign in the darkness. Starting in 2002, he made ten New Option films starring Michael Wong and Suki Kwan but he hasn't had a new film since 2013, so I don't know what's going on. In this film though, he leaves a lot of his trademark glam style behind and produces a traditional triad film of killings and betrayals. There is a ton of gunplay that is pure 1990s with huge kill counts and carnage that flash by so quickly that you can't really tell what is going on. Narratively though, it often makes no sense at all as it jumps around as if it has attention deficit syndrome. Ford just seems to think the audience should be able to keep up. He also brings together a top of the line cast for this one. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdDTROseykmuCpir7c2WHdyn3scNHiDdItN4gBbYJa3UM2CJBQbh-rvhOXixebgNYhP-TJoq-qECga-4gFwocR-u8v8WvhGaqk73PwEn3jYbWXmrA2cq9Ujh-niOzkHrzC4om7VNkxWdNOIMHSI6p8-SCRB9rDPqpJeWqMvRCdIKyavB7dVAU/s509/gun_n_rose3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="509" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdDTROseykmuCpir7c2WHdyn3scNHiDdItN4gBbYJa3UM2CJBQbh-rvhOXixebgNYhP-TJoq-qECga-4gFwocR-u8v8WvhGaqk73PwEn3jYbWXmrA2cq9Ujh-niOzkHrzC4om7VNkxWdNOIMHSI6p8-SCRB9rDPqpJeWqMvRCdIKyavB7dVAU/w640-h440/gun_n_rose3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>It begins in Taiwan with a man on his knees begging triad boss Alan for money for his father's operation. He says he will do anything for it. Even kill. Alan gives him a little bit but it is his brother Simon driving by in a car who gives him the money he needs. I was like - was that Leon Lai begging? Yes, but he disappears for a while only to return later as a conflicted professional killer. Alan is played by Alan Tang and Simon by Simon Yam. The killer is named Leon. You see a pattern here. Alan and Simon are two of three brothers to their father Tien Feng. The third brother is Bowie - played by guess who? Yup Bowie Lam. Alan is the tough one and the favorite though adopted, Simon the ambitious one and Bowie the weak one. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2ViOH8cw-pnwh0YpYGE8HiWqZtlHCC87JQaUFebxl_dJAimS-LqFmV-x9OjlieceisxRQx0t1cgjrkM4TDszqDOPYuG6kD_K5-pvZfTql7k7Jbqh9jMUJrrRYEj9qDy8-F8f-laHgn6GBhm3O8tuEy6WQtp5noBfwt2_v2CD_hChKCxnBeco/s787/gun_n_rose13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="787" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2ViOH8cw-pnwh0YpYGE8HiWqZtlHCC87JQaUFebxl_dJAimS-LqFmV-x9OjlieceisxRQx0t1cgjrkM4TDszqDOPYuG6kD_K5-pvZfTql7k7Jbqh9jMUJrrRYEj9qDy8-F8f-laHgn6GBhm3O8tuEy6WQtp5noBfwt2_v2CD_hChKCxnBeco/w640-h244/gun_n_rose13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>This begins to play out when the father is shot and paralyzed. The three sons begin to turn on one another. First though Alan falls for the nurse who saved his father - the lovely Monica Chan. Secondly, he just starts killing people that are responsible for the attempt on his father's life. Starts slow by getting out of his car and shooting three in a doorway. Then goes to their headquarters and kills a small army of men. Masses of men keep coming and getting riddled with bullets. And none of them can shoot. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwirQWFmB-3hT9wzcSpULohQIuBDgZqGcy8H5JImZNe-iAH9eugAIsPhJ7O4sJnKxxSbTEKc8ViO6NyTitsz82SUecha4Ju5XaAavtxsuLQWUW8YyCb-SBSxWZPH_Zf1AI09vOhEaQzl7892uibXuNAiTj9Gf4afoWqv7N130QpoahyOJPkxu/s780/gun_n_rose15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="780" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwirQWFmB-3hT9wzcSpULohQIuBDgZqGcy8H5JImZNe-iAH9eugAIsPhJ7O4sJnKxxSbTEKc8ViO6NyTitsz82SUecha4Ju5XaAavtxsuLQWUW8YyCb-SBSxWZPH_Zf1AI09vOhEaQzl7892uibXuNAiTj9Gf4afoWqv7N130QpoahyOJPkxu/w640-h246/gun_n_rose15.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>After Alan and Monica are nearly killed while eating at an outside café, he decides to get out of the business but not fast enough for Simon and Bowie who try and kill him or put him in jail. At his wedding. Hong Kong films like the image of white wedding dresses soaked with blood. Monica is shot and for some odd reason we next see him taking her on a boat. A hospital might have been a better option. Leon has shown up as Simon's main killer. But one with a lot of respect for Alan. Then a new movie practically begins in Hong Kong with Andy Lau as the boss of a small street gang who has a territory he is responsible for. His righthand man is a woman - his girlfriend Loletta Lee - who sticks with him through fights and lovemaking. His sister is a horny and frustrated Carrie Ng (a favorite of Ford's), who gets excited listening to her brother's lovemaking. A little perverse. She owns a bar. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAN6flGnbB6UOjv1vRmb4cqtBIcgToO7AmntLAJDVI8cxejDGiD5BKxDN2egZm4LgbnpbCHfcr5CAPIFu9nHoWKlI-mwmLG5pJpPl5bIjc0NJrBWdxW7EW0Hdj3oNzMSwoo1az9cnczQf1UcJwR_9u7LwRjcyhc2p2aXtjXotcJEFuogkVGh2/s785/gun_n_rose14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="785" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAN6flGnbB6UOjv1vRmb4cqtBIcgToO7AmntLAJDVI8cxejDGiD5BKxDN2egZm4LgbnpbCHfcr5CAPIFu9nHoWKlI-mwmLG5pJpPl5bIjc0NJrBWdxW7EW0Hdj3oNzMSwoo1az9cnczQf1UcJwR_9u7LwRjcyhc2p2aXtjXotcJEFuogkVGh2/w640-h244/gun_n_rose14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Another street gang run by Bee (John Ching) keeps trying to sell drugs in Andy's territory - leading to street fights. We meet both of them as they sit on a bus with explosions all around them - and then the bus heads for a cliff. Why? No idea. A delivery guy starts making stops at Carrie's restaurant and she flaunts her sexuality - but he is uninterested. Damn, there must be a good reason. Yes, he has a paralyzed wife at home. It's Alan of course. Did he take that boat all the way to Hong Kong? He refuses to get involved in the gang warfare even when Bee's group smacks him around. Till Michael Chan as their boss makes an appearance. Then the triad in him bursts forth. And then Leon shows up. As cool as a cucumber with orders to kill. There is a lot going on in the film - some of it makes sense, some doesn't but a great cast is a real plus. Andy was in 12 films in 1992, so you can understand that he is only in half of the film. Simon was in 11 films - so you can understand why he disappears for most of the second half.</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THn38X31_xA" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Trailer/Music Video</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0V2olC3RzIHXW61no6aJ6_IYGjjgDSl2PThNnrm_ckWKC_AJQf7T3WXDjK4JptWM470_CLzJ-g7vJoHkQLVNhnlW9JfrwZAM7cyeARE6MQRc2MWoH4Laa1Hj3fOgJGcyvM2iMbQ7hudCVCRJeU8chH2CFFBNBaMyzyzz4DEIm-CQ5Rg3R-vB/s400/gun_n_rose2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="276" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0V2olC3RzIHXW61no6aJ6_IYGjjgDSl2PThNnrm_ckWKC_AJQf7T3WXDjK4JptWM470_CLzJ-g7vJoHkQLVNhnlW9JfrwZAM7cyeARE6MQRc2MWoH4Laa1Hj3fOgJGcyvM2iMbQ7hudCVCRJeU8chH2CFFBNBaMyzyzz4DEIm-CQ5Rg3R-vB/w276-h400/gun_n_rose2.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-48681356823288714972024-03-05T09:55:00.000-05:002024-03-05T09:55:23.374-05:00Bang Rajan 2 (2010) - 6.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzK3phdGWKvqk-aJ9ehrlK49xxCMMBjs8PDCazw1Qn6iYyzCIr2VZDkwARleA72gIA0Bag88S_WrF_cG-iZteiREM-TKMFV1_2sI9B7efI6H3wfXjluQe8F0-gTk_ThXsNc8MIU5PT9RaP0Jo7pxOPCWRTUztmkmj_mCnRgOuJbK0CPIcH57_9/s400/bang_rajan1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzK3phdGWKvqk-aJ9ehrlK49xxCMMBjs8PDCazw1Qn6iYyzCIr2VZDkwARleA72gIA0Bag88S_WrF_cG-iZteiREM-TKMFV1_2sI9B7efI6H3wfXjluQe8F0-gTk_ThXsNc8MIU5PT9RaP0Jo7pxOPCWRTUztmkmj_mCnRgOuJbK0CPIcH57_9/w268-h400/bang_rajan1.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Ten years after the epic Bang Rajan, director Tanit Jitnukul returns to continue the story. Long ago, for Bang Rajan I wrote "The year is 1765 and once again the Burmese Kingdom to the west is invading Thailand. The overwhelming Burmese force is descending from the north heading for the capital of Ayutthaya and only the small nearly unnoticeable rural village of Bang Rajan lies in its way of victory. The people of Bang Rajan pick up their cleavers, their swords, their farm implements, their bows and arrows and stop the Burmese in their tracks for five long and bloody weeks before they are defeated. To the Thais this is their Alamo – a tale full of valor and the ultimate sacrifice from the men and women of Bang Rajan for the love of their country. It is stirring, ferocious and delivers an accumulated emotional wallop that will leave you saddened and stunned." How much of the story of Bang Rajan is historically true is up for grabs, but in the Thai consciousness it has become an essential part of who they are. The Burmese were actually able to defeat the Thais in this war and destroy the Ban Phlu Luang dynasty that had ruled Ayutthaya for over 400-years. But the Burmese soon had to leave and the Chakri dynasty came into power. The current King is a Chakri. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJWAVMKnUR39U0719kkTdav6RHy5sc0md-bqYm-qh3Cdz4vd7T1CdxVPO8YG-YZnKidWce1hcJ6d7vfuoQWrx9htOsDP_fr-3febSO3AEREoWSz5cFe2sRLIwH8swHR2ZDP4RDhDqZ8zPbNH1yhNiiUyqzjqGaOR9b_yX0_aa9kWbQn02K7Le/s480/bang_rajan2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="480" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJWAVMKnUR39U0719kkTdav6RHy5sc0md-bqYm-qh3Cdz4vd7T1CdxVPO8YG-YZnKidWce1hcJ6d7vfuoQWrx9htOsDP_fr-3febSO3AEREoWSz5cFe2sRLIwH8swHR2ZDP4RDhDqZ8zPbNH1yhNiiUyqzjqGaOR9b_yX0_aa9kWbQn02K7Le/w400-h266/bang_rajan2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>For a few years in the 2000 decade the Thais were making epic historical films - the King Naresuan films, The Legend of Suriyothai, The King Maker, Edge of the Empire. They were big films with huge battles, royalty, elephants, tons of extras and filled to the brim with patriotism and Thai identity. Bang Rajan more than most and this follows in those footsteps. The hated Burmese are on the verge of taking Ayutthaya and there are only pockets of resistance outside of the city. They use guerilla tactics in slaughtering Burmese troops when they are isolated in the countryside. The name of Bang Rajan is a rallying cry. Most of those men and women are now dead but these carry on the fight and are just as ferocious. In pretty much any Thai film, the Burmese are depicted as monsters. Even today there are no fond feelings for them from the Thais. There was a long history of wars between the two countries - though back then they were not so much countries as territories run by various warlords. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7V64esJb8Z8tNzyvCvzsT-z-dtN9UTGuiaYtozRgyvdcEslK6ADo_RUJmZprPzw01IVVhtPfhNCvLCrY_95dZFxecKdGnpuGc6NuXvsraWYc09aP84uq4Kzv2yLP_wDXL_2UyKvfR9bJoigg8wu6Kcn2smKWGYqyn4_9qwHfcFXQuRtFzxLV/s600/bang_rajan4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7V64esJb8Z8tNzyvCvzsT-z-dtN9UTGuiaYtozRgyvdcEslK6ADo_RUJmZprPzw01IVVhtPfhNCvLCrY_95dZFxecKdGnpuGc6NuXvsraWYc09aP84uq4Kzv2yLP_wDXL_2UyKvfR9bJoigg8wu6Kcn2smKWGYqyn4_9qwHfcFXQuRtFzxLV/w400-h266/bang_rajan4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>The film goes back and forth between the rebel band living in their small village full of refugees from the fighting and scenes of action. Burmese are murdering entire villages or making them slaves. When the band of fighters called Yantric Cloth Warriors are home there are small stories that play out - Daeng wants to marry his girl but her mother doesn't approve of him, the leader of the group finds out his wife is pregnant, food is running out, a monk rallies them all. But about every 25 minutes they go off to kill Burmese. In violent head bashing, head cutting, leg breaking ways with arrows and muskets doing their bit. The fights are brutal and nicely done with lots of CGI blood spraying all over. One scene of them luring the Burmese into a jungle ambush is great. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDixnb0hElDMjOALd6b8GUC_c1G1bYbIccLRrsR3JMQAELnETX3gQbeGMTGJvNPOmlV1xi5Ht1sE1QeGOv6XH5wccR6ewmfzQ4LWYPGneZyU02OrxX7iqJq3YUufnEGS92H8uw4JxkQSuf0vRI1aaal92jkJM4m9v7nrNxbcQrQZ1J0vlxRLF/s544/bang_rajan5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="544" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDixnb0hElDMjOALd6b8GUC_c1G1bYbIccLRrsR3JMQAELnETX3gQbeGMTGJvNPOmlV1xi5Ht1sE1QeGOv6XH5wccR6ewmfzQ4LWYPGneZyU02OrxX7iqJq3YUufnEGS92H8uw4JxkQSuf0vRI1aaal92jkJM4m9v7nrNxbcQrQZ1J0vlxRLF/w400-h265/bang_rajan5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Finally, they have to face the big army and are vastly outnumbered. The Monk has already told them, you are only borrowing your body - we all have to leave it some time, Maybe this is the time. The leader gives comforting words to his wife who wants to leave. Leave? This is my soil. My land. Where would I go? And they march off. I am not sure why since I saw Bang Rajan over 20-years ago but this one didn't capture my imagination in the same way. Ponderous when they aren't cracking skulls. None of the characters stood out like some of those did. Though the guy with the two axes was pretty cool. In Bang Rajan the women warriors were magnificent - here there are not any till the end battle. Still always good to see Thais killing the evil Burmese. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqjjY_YhTwBlyKRznfuyhODlT2hth5EHxlg4mdW8csLAm8sH-DG1cIWCI5VQBgW1dGuRzToIdv1-NJdDjANThMTVQy8xTfDZ8WyFrq-_xgolH9S9VQBlgvt2uS0LH-a-ITpT146lAvL75ZjHRWJ_vZUJ99N4kn2lZ-7pPgROq4azEwz56nvSq/s368/bang_rajan3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="256" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqjjY_YhTwBlyKRznfuyhODlT2hth5EHxlg4mdW8csLAm8sH-DG1cIWCI5VQBgW1dGuRzToIdv1-NJdDjANThMTVQy8xTfDZ8WyFrq-_xgolH9S9VQBlgvt2uS0LH-a-ITpT146lAvL75ZjHRWJ_vZUJ99N4kn2lZ-7pPgROq4azEwz56nvSq/w279-h400/bang_rajan3.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-12470414829574185192024-03-05T03:27:00.002-05:002024-03-05T03:27:15.880-05:00Bhoot Bungla (1965) - 6.5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHUBpmspY63KQY4qlzZL6IoqhdJkNzgHIerkQHjT_gSkoxd6nC2xdpgLCl0IU19nPCsypROCcZ8sAadZmKN8bjtbbGTCC3ItYJfn_YuUrZeAElBYscUjCf8Yx0p-Js-1s2fG3eC87XHkcbi0sYyYlPmZ_C1uKp6yAgZoyfIF8HMYmu9ldutNAE/s388/bhoot_bungla2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="256" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHUBpmspY63KQY4qlzZL6IoqhdJkNzgHIerkQHjT_gSkoxd6nC2xdpgLCl0IU19nPCsypROCcZ8sAadZmKN8bjtbbGTCC3ItYJfn_YuUrZeAElBYscUjCf8Yx0p-Js-1s2fG3eC87XHkcbi0sYyYlPmZ_C1uKp6yAgZoyfIF8HMYmu9ldutNAE/w264-h400/bhoot_bungla2.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><p>Aka - Haunted House</p><p>This director's debut from Mehmood is a narrative train wreck but then what can you expect from a film that incorporates pretty much everything into it. It is a murder mystery with elements of the supernatural, comedy, dancing skeletons, romance, suspense, horror and of course a number of wonderful musical numbers. There are times you want to roll your eyes and other times when you want to applaud. It is all over the place like a runaway car but I could not stop watching because you never know what will happen next. It has one of the best comedic haunted house sequences ever that plays like an Abbott and Costello film on steroids. Mehmood was one of Bollywood's most famous comedians - often the friend of the hero or he just shows up to do his comic bit. Being the director though, he gives himself the role of the hero and even with his slightly goofy looks, it works. He only directed some eight films but acted in over 200 movies in a lengthy career. The Ramsay Brothers were still a few years away and Bollywood had only a few horror films in its history - but if you subtracted the comedy and the music from this film, you would actually be left with a decent horror film. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-l7r8omtWQ-4iGyoH5ysE6HCxhjPSnyh4SvOzY9YRG94zi1pQZzkXwK9Wvch14NNWOvU_ya5EVcjkFLe7aWmVVMSLjGM49fAAPxPulpX-mKiSKJBSkss5BCsDJxzak-Zf16VchY-59J11Tcrq6aICyzaGxJx7czDHDqjL_o128yDGg-TK1qYr/s355/bhoot_bungla4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="355" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-l7r8omtWQ-4iGyoH5ysE6HCxhjPSnyh4SvOzY9YRG94zi1pQZzkXwK9Wvch14NNWOvU_ya5EVcjkFLe7aWmVVMSLjGM49fAAPxPulpX-mKiSKJBSkss5BCsDJxzak-Zf16VchY-59J11Tcrq6aICyzaGxJx7czDHDqjL_o128yDGg-TK1qYr/w400-h394/bhoot_bungla4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>It begins with a man falling down the steps to his death in his house. His wife goes streaking out without even checking to see if her husband is alive with her small son. She runs and runs and disappears. Jump ahead fifty years and three brothers are now living in the same house with a couple of very scary looking servants - one looks like a vampire, one looks as if she died years ago and no one bothered to bury her. One of the brothers is stark raving man and thinks everyone is trying to kill him. And someone is. The older brother gets a telegram that his daughter Rekha is coming to visit. His car blows up on the way to the airport and he is killed. The crazy brother is found hanging in a room. A nice homecoming for Rekha. Rekha is played by Tanuja Samarth, from one of those prominent filmi families. Her father was a director, her mother an actress, she married into the Mukherjee family and her daughter is Kajol. And Kajol married a well-known actor. This is how it is in Bollywood. Almost a caste system. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwgKvXYp36soAvhIxRb9bGcKzEGG9uyf_vuWn70aApEU-ohUs5AQfBRYHwge4NLjsTrck18AE9woRAWCcbDJ537dPVFkDS5kWog5xAXAO1Rh7eI66sdNKMa6ZQXf6m_QbCp50PIqsicwfaQcXxqkRY3_hnblUrb3jD9wBkarXkEq-nQrz5NAS/s326/bhoot_bungla5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="326" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwgKvXYp36soAvhIxRb9bGcKzEGG9uyf_vuWn70aApEU-ohUs5AQfBRYHwge4NLjsTrck18AE9woRAWCcbDJ537dPVFkDS5kWog5xAXAO1Rh7eI66sdNKMa6ZQXf6m_QbCp50PIqsicwfaQcXxqkRY3_hnblUrb3jD9wBkarXkEq-nQrz5NAS/w400-h399/bhoot_bungla5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Ok, where was I? Oh yes, two dead brothers and the remaining one Shyamlal (Nasir Hussain) tells everyone that he is next. And then his niece. Which makes her feel great. They move out of the house to an apartment but the gaslighting follows them. Phone calls telling her she will die soon. Doors being locked. Smoke coming into the room. She spends a lot of the film looking scared out of her wits and screaming. She does that well. Fortunately, she finds time to go to the Beach Club to sing a song in a competition and is annoyed when she is beaten by Mohan (Mehmood) and his band who do a twist number, suspiciously sounding like Twist Like You Did Last Summer. He falls for her and she wants nothing to do with him. A typical Bollywood romance. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ksZEVdHKN-3euYHTQIQhMmBh0ORlru43oVg9augQbXer2Q-yBQCPrgIDzZ_iH97yJkbNb4_7HFTjNenzCE6mAYfqF3TOuOfWloDI4m11m9IIol45KSQQ6MKm9b1Xl73vlcnHT2wgCDEB5Do3_j6YGE_H_I_5rZHIEBLEAUW8ndHlB2YQ2mMw/s450/bhoot_bungla1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="450" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ksZEVdHKN-3euYHTQIQhMmBh0ORlru43oVg9augQbXer2Q-yBQCPrgIDzZ_iH97yJkbNb4_7HFTjNenzCE6mAYfqF3TOuOfWloDI4m11m9IIol45KSQQ6MKm9b1Xl73vlcnHT2wgCDEB5Do3_j6YGE_H_I_5rZHIEBLEAUW8ndHlB2YQ2mMw/w400-h308/bhoot_bungla1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>He comes in handy though when she thinks she will be killed. Mohan runs a youth organization in which nearly everyone looks over 30 - certainly he does - their rule is don't fall in love with a woman. They all decide to protect Rekha. At one point he dresses up as a woman pretending to be a model and looks surprisingly like Jack Lemmon in Some Like it Hot. In another instance the gang protects an old man from another gang and it turns into a mild version of West Side Story for a minute as the gangs dance. In that great haunted house sequence Mohan and his friend Talkie go out to the Haunted House to see what is going on. Talkie is played by R.D. Burman who also composes the music to this film and many classics. One of the best. Cute seeing him here doing the Costello part. Skeletons come out of everywhere. And begin to dance. They join them. When the killer is finally revealed, it makes absolutely no sense. None. Zippo. Nada. But that is really a minor point. Getting there is surprisingly fun. It is up on YouTube with subs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGVEwTTVPi4rsrboB7rzjfdFzZUgdNobZRe_yKEuF5UOHB7sdDGWZKCmsszeY3RClPnElyn1c0xJrETukxsRo1yd2Yra-hs0rptcrHqpxXJ8dEuAzKWPwZKdLOgwoAU-wG8f1LecISeW49B_tfTTtr6Y3iGjxH3GYbBDfrgyjNoA4-EogO_FT/s400/bhoot_bungla3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGVEwTTVPi4rsrboB7rzjfdFzZUgdNobZRe_yKEuF5UOHB7sdDGWZKCmsszeY3RClPnElyn1c0xJrETukxsRo1yd2Yra-hs0rptcrHqpxXJ8dEuAzKWPwZKdLOgwoAU-wG8f1LecISeW49B_tfTTtr6Y3iGjxH3GYbBDfrgyjNoA4-EogO_FT/w400-h400/bhoot_bungla3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-82333696536762239852024-03-03T21:27:00.003-05:002024-03-03T21:27:58.743-05:00The Valley of Gwangi (1969) - 6.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFwOiV58vWb3Fk0FQWELsrmyD6XePnzfA8aeZcXBULYyd62UwS3HE753Kzvw4_WgpRm4Q8s0Gvo0mrfCi0ha_8rfGpblsN0fHIfTc9i8OkpUdm3xuCQjFFhmXd97wTlAYkVjCc2IMhWFCS40bFWu4Y95D4kIZUWpWPIbDbhSS5wkZX1CyEBfq/s400/gwangi1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFwOiV58vWb3Fk0FQWELsrmyD6XePnzfA8aeZcXBULYyd62UwS3HE753Kzvw4_WgpRm4Q8s0Gvo0mrfCi0ha_8rfGpblsN0fHIfTc9i8OkpUdm3xuCQjFFhmXd97wTlAYkVjCc2IMhWFCS40bFWu4Y95D4kIZUWpWPIbDbhSS5wkZX1CyEBfq/w300-h400/gwangi1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>And Man Killed the Beast. Ray Harryhausen carried out the idea that his mentor had decades before. Willis O'Brien was one of the great special effects men in film history using stop-motion animation in films such as The Lost World, She, Mighty Joe Young and most famously King Kong. Harryhausen had studied under O'Brien on Mighty Joe Young in 1949. O'Brien had been tinkering with the idea of cowboys coming into contact with prehistoric animals since the late 1930s but the project never came off the ground. There is a definite plot similarity to King Kong. Harryhausen and his usual producer Charles Schneer made a deal with Warners to make the film. It wasn't a success at the box office - poorly marketed and perhaps dinosaurs were losing their luster. Harryhausen had animated dinosaurs only three years earlier in the successful One Million Years BC, but that had the Raquel Welch special effect. This one doesn't. It was to be his last dinosaur film and he slowed down considerably after this with only three more films that he did special effects for. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXbz0eqIkIq2GzkROcO5eRP7EVZQ7SzKaYK4kOSEOYhhGVRDq1YNjl5Oo5OqHQDz1Ye5E3epiMx-1pKIO-YFf92GDsxdWUG1dkg8O-gM66AoJIgKxL8pELOA_srhdNPA40G93wBsa3bgRQ0vMymU5ZIjuPX8fzOI6mRw-dnwdfPvmElDAVxKt/s533/gwangi3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="533" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXbz0eqIkIq2GzkROcO5eRP7EVZQ7SzKaYK4kOSEOYhhGVRDq1YNjl5Oo5OqHQDz1Ye5E3epiMx-1pKIO-YFf92GDsxdWUG1dkg8O-gM66AoJIgKxL8pELOA_srhdNPA40G93wBsa3bgRQ0vMymU5ZIjuPX8fzOI6mRw-dnwdfPvmElDAVxKt/w640-h360/gwangi3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Harryhausen does some nice work with a dinosaur or two, a miniature horse and an elephant but nothing here feels as original or as complicated as his earlier work - Medusa, the Skeleton swordsmen and Cyclops. There was a bit of me that said, seen it before. We get jaded so easily. The scene of the cowboys lassoing the dinosaur was pretty well-done. But it is more the non-special effects part of the film that is a let down. None of the characters are at all likable - so much so that you will end up rooting for the dinosaur, none of the actors have much personality and the vibe is very King Kong. But no Fay Wray. Or Empire State building. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WCSk3SmRAR4VPvXc5NsGiRUyLyZJEPEZGGaih7crATODLYBxQCly5-3wHd0XHkmIsyf7UbSzsOCc8K6U_80gPqISb60rFzfa5AMHYOXjNcYayHz4ZgIOehU-VIiss8hq67FUGC7lRX0AR4ln8S47LfBbyN14j6A2_9-Dia01Ah9r2x9zB3ep/s485/gwangi2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="485" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WCSk3SmRAR4VPvXc5NsGiRUyLyZJEPEZGGaih7crATODLYBxQCly5-3wHd0XHkmIsyf7UbSzsOCc8K6U_80gPqISb60rFzfa5AMHYOXjNcYayHz4ZgIOehU-VIiss8hq67FUGC7lRX0AR4ln8S47LfBbyN14j6A2_9-Dia01Ah9r2x9zB3ep/w640-h396/gwangi2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Tuck Kirby (with a name like that, you know he is a jerk) played by James Franciscus goes into Mexico where his old girlfriend T.J. (Gila Golan) runs a Wild West show with a wagon going in circles and Indians shooting arrows at it. Then she jumps into a large bucket of water on her horse from a high height. This was a real thing back in the 1880s and lasting as long as the 1970s in Atlantic City. Those darn animal rights folks shut it down. The show is near folding up until someone brings her a miniature horse - by miniature I mean about 6 inches high. Tuck sees this and along with a paleontologist (Laurence Naismith) think that wherever that came from, there must be more. In the Forbidden Valley! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjti23c7R4tc-BBXsgVIvxtvhwqOl6RonRFbJ6ysksZgGat_NSD4Rd3ud15IRHesqHWR8SxwHC76WBUSzCsRKsdqon8ZMyQoGm0hqiI4A-2IESGmPcN8egonwioWIwfDyI5WitZp_jO4Kd9H53ywCXXqubcZjlrMIbzivWgXznCHer5x9BIbdBl/s533/gwangi5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="533" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjti23c7R4tc-BBXsgVIvxtvhwqOl6RonRFbJ6ysksZgGat_NSD4Rd3ud15IRHesqHWR8SxwHC76WBUSzCsRKsdqon8ZMyQoGm0hqiI4A-2IESGmPcN8egonwioWIwfDyI5WitZp_jO4Kd9H53ywCXXqubcZjlrMIbzivWgXznCHer5x9BIbdBl/w640-h360/gwangi5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>They end up in it with a few cowboys from the show and T.J. and soon find a bunch of gigantic creatures. A Styracosaurus, a Pteranodon, a Ornithomimus and the main star, an Allosaurus, which they name Gwangi. A lot of terrified running takes place, some terrific horse stunts and trying to lasso it. Of course, someone comes up with the brilliant idea of capturing and putting it in the show. You can imagine how that goes. Greed will always win over common sense with humans.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56EKkfNE7EL8WlIvsF2MEPLgSGYSsU2NiZg4oeAW5oBx7ipDS1ZULTg4wZqYF2qbueo-CgyKz9zAMW14TeBBaL8_4m-l5gvtKXAcE7PPerMpimLRe3KH55AtMOyD6N6RL4De0EG-TzHzQXjZSb4oL1zONUgPSNGcIj0MQwoGE7kJLdy2-vmfz/s536/gwangi4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="536" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56EKkfNE7EL8WlIvsF2MEPLgSGYSsU2NiZg4oeAW5oBx7ipDS1ZULTg4wZqYF2qbueo-CgyKz9zAMW14TeBBaL8_4m-l5gvtKXAcE7PPerMpimLRe3KH55AtMOyD6N6RL4De0EG-TzHzQXjZSb4oL1zONUgPSNGcIj0MQwoGE7kJLdy2-vmfz/w640-h358/gwangi4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-11389886295986268362024-03-03T05:38:00.006-05:002024-03-03T05:38:59.166-05:00Dirty Ho (1979) - 8.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWIM5SK9WWcdvug0yNKkSc-PRYRIkl8DPh9elNjkTbT4RCRyDwak4VC32PZnDT5Ci053s_6FEgfWb89gb8EQVUsGQG7KjxPBZboPtFoXtjXflc0nlaJZTVHezT6x2Bu3sNLqvvgvwPgCYEFre21xuZSYN7ahEyQPMWbADgqtci0-mHXVO_XBI/s400/dirty_ho1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWIM5SK9WWcdvug0yNKkSc-PRYRIkl8DPh9elNjkTbT4RCRyDwak4VC32PZnDT5Ci053s_6FEgfWb89gb8EQVUsGQG7KjxPBZboPtFoXtjXflc0nlaJZTVHezT6x2Bu3sNLqvvgvwPgCYEFre21xuZSYN7ahEyQPMWbADgqtci0-mHXVO_XBI/w300-h400/dirty_ho1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>None of the usual cracks regarding the title from me, but I imagine if this played on 42nd street in the 1970s there were a bunch of disappointed patrons. Or maybe not. Go in for a porn film and see a great martial arts film. The film oddly though does begin in a bordello. One of those classy period Chinese ones of hot and cold running beauties. Two men are separately ordering the same two women to their table - Tsui Hung (Kara Hui) and Tsui Bing (Helen Poon). Back and forth they go like yo-yos - happy ones as both men are spending lavishly on the girls. One of the men is Master Wang (Gordon Liu Chia-hui) who has a basket of jewels and banknotes while the other man Dirty Ho (Wong Yu) got his goods in a felonious manner. They clash - mainly under the table as they play kung-fu footsie. Master Wang pretends not to have skills but accidentally thwarts Ho. That sets the mood for this generally light hearted kung-fu film directed by Lau Kar-leung. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWR19S3vkQab7GpHpjCIDIelE-U4y9yWwzHByjeQ3Vsfca7eKf6C8H3yZerjrtekgycy-0cdhPHhRmBf1a5E6H9tyUbl2bXYoW7w5AjNA4GZIeM1tfTyON4NuPeBC8_MOL5zGM7I0P7eH85A9jlvWzh5E2iz3qVNOVtsGgd_N-gTE7qkzPmU6y/s672/dirty_ho2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="672" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWR19S3vkQab7GpHpjCIDIelE-U4y9yWwzHByjeQ3Vsfca7eKf6C8H3yZerjrtekgycy-0cdhPHhRmBf1a5E6H9tyUbl2bXYoW7w5AjNA4GZIeM1tfTyON4NuPeBC8_MOL5zGM7I0P7eH85A9jlvWzh5E2iz3qVNOVtsGgd_N-gTE7qkzPmU6y/w640-h334/dirty_ho2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>After years of performing action choreography for other directors, Lau had finally begun helming his own films in 1975 and knocked out one film after another that are considered classics today. His style was different from both the other two great Shaw action directors - Chor Yuen and Chang Cheh. Cheh is all blood and guts which can be very satisfying and Chor was grace and style. Lau said that his goal was to exalt martial arts and this comes from his background growing up with his father who was a martial arts teacher in the Southern school. He felt that martial arts is about training yourself to be the best you can be and following the ethics of the creed. It is not about killing people though his films certainly have that. But his films often have lengthy training scenes and there is usually a master/disciple relationship. The action choreography consists of intricate perfectly timed movement with legs, fists and weapons at the speed of light. It could be dance as much as fighting as they move in perfect unison. This film has all of that- numerous clever complex one on one action scenes of incredibly quick thrusts and counter thrusts. There is only one big set piece as most are small and hover between humorous and serious. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHq83bC9uw75Izku2OXZPEp95_KXd5FUftQPsCpKnT02cPIZYbZHTlfHJWJuZAalbzFXN29A2T8I7yCUTgV-ab3L2eemKx53YlynqkS9YxmFWSKfvB_NmoSsqCZwnhHb3yz6INmCOGFyHaifX97Fs0qR8LmbYkjJYO4upHfaiJ5vIL-8b5FhSs/s500/dirty_ho5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="500" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHq83bC9uw75Izku2OXZPEp95_KXd5FUftQPsCpKnT02cPIZYbZHTlfHJWJuZAalbzFXN29A2T8I7yCUTgV-ab3L2eemKx53YlynqkS9YxmFWSKfvB_NmoSsqCZwnhHb3yz6INmCOGFyHaifX97Fs0qR8LmbYkjJYO4upHfaiJ5vIL-8b5FhSs/w640-h454/dirty_ho5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Master Wang for some reason takes a liking to this rogue and puts him into a position of having to be his disciple. Ho isn't the brightest of students though and it takes him a while to realize that forces are trying to kill his master - a lovely wine scene with Johnny Wang and a showing of antiques with Wilson Tong. The two of them try and kill Wang and Wang pretends that they aren't as he fends off his death. It is revealed that he is actually the 11th Prince and someone wants to take him out of the running for the throne. Lo Lieh as General Liang is behind these assassination attempts. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyb13obIxqW8GxtkysMIM-_zCNPfNJR8V2yFgOI_QtJJCdo8NlGJhYvyiWCg1Sa6MMM4MKMotMSucDdEqDjT2bhFcNEV3aqcsefZmXsis60WEDxCvSJOYNJBDyQRqzp_doDdYLQOU_2zJZ4rbYhw8QHl6jZTZJOFpaFbuKuxL2M2DBQK5qHrSh/s494/dirty_ho3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="494" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyb13obIxqW8GxtkysMIM-_zCNPfNJR8V2yFgOI_QtJJCdo8NlGJhYvyiWCg1Sa6MMM4MKMotMSucDdEqDjT2bhFcNEV3aqcsefZmXsis60WEDxCvSJOYNJBDyQRqzp_doDdYLQOU_2zJZ4rbYhw8QHl6jZTZJOFpaFbuKuxL2M2DBQK5qHrSh/w640-h518/dirty_ho3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>In the fight with Wilson Tong, Wang gets stabbed in the leg and can't walk. And he knows killers will come for him. So, he trains Ho to be his bodyguard. Training consists mainly of putting lit candles on his shoulders and kicking. There is some silly dilly action against a bunch of miscreants that wasn't needed but the final two scenes are terrific - as Wang and Ho have become a synchronized fighting unit - Ho standing next to him and Wang in a wheelchair fighting their way through hordes of men and arrows and then the matchup against Lo Lieh and two henchmen. This final fight is so perfectly choreographed and performed that it just amazes at how much time it must have taken. Earlier on Kara sort of got in on the action when Ho attacks her and Wang behind her manipulates her legs and arms to beat him. I think we have seen that a few times since. A very good film but don't go in expecting a Chang Cheh bloodbath. Lau did that plenty of times for Chang but not on his own.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eUY56qyH8SLmGY3OPN0iXmHIhwo85lWBhRa9UcCMea9-jSsq3vcnkpMk_SotV8yB5cCWE_Mmuh7uroM1rNFBk3jMRTzIULasKDy9K3f0MnuMePeEk4xECZtrCSk6Pa3Ymoa9xgIJ26-JCwllWUUFTnqc5xqsBP-YgFJeXQegk1VdZlbdjA9N/s622/dirty_ho4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="622" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eUY56qyH8SLmGY3OPN0iXmHIhwo85lWBhRa9UcCMea9-jSsq3vcnkpMk_SotV8yB5cCWE_Mmuh7uroM1rNFBk3jMRTzIULasKDy9K3f0MnuMePeEk4xECZtrCSk6Pa3Ymoa9xgIJ26-JCwllWUUFTnqc5xqsBP-YgFJeXQegk1VdZlbdjA9N/w640-h360/dirty_ho4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXIK4j6Qdmly11ZhkL36WAfWQrR2XCoHCd9CBIcnXWz_kq9tDd5WqzitY7w7u4GvUi4-2kF4JWxQyNrrtNuTVyyWp1A96ydjpqZmWGVIKd4Wy6SiLzyq1dtJD7-sDQoFr6NYxnFrBTkhTyxktxZ4_LZijhJDK7BKQSW3I09SxFOojDSKZPDBn/s500/dirty_ho7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="500" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXIK4j6Qdmly11ZhkL36WAfWQrR2XCoHCd9CBIcnXWz_kq9tDd5WqzitY7w7u4GvUi4-2kF4JWxQyNrrtNuTVyyWp1A96ydjpqZmWGVIKd4Wy6SiLzyq1dtJD7-sDQoFr6NYxnFrBTkhTyxktxZ4_LZijhJDK7BKQSW3I09SxFOojDSKZPDBn/w640-h388/dirty_ho7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0t4sF-vPytvYQwpejaLen5yvKRemyuV39Mp3yBtNQXHf9JdunZeLZ23yhkHNmVFszgG_ijRUJmHnqQcEiu-VY-183BOKqq33SBQU8dZnWpfLrRFHC7SEIx8Awuktw-BuOYx17mo8JaqcoZrkUA4pkZZts_2VdD2V-M5Alli5-ABETgNxurzt/s567/dirty_ho6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="567" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0t4sF-vPytvYQwpejaLen5yvKRemyuV39Mp3yBtNQXHf9JdunZeLZ23yhkHNmVFszgG_ijRUJmHnqQcEiu-VY-183BOKqq33SBQU8dZnWpfLrRFHC7SEIx8Awuktw-BuOYx17mo8JaqcoZrkUA4pkZZts_2VdD2V-M5Alli5-ABETgNxurzt/w640-h338/dirty_ho6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-40822214326905630082024-03-01T07:24:00.006-05:002024-03-01T07:24:51.807-05:00Dirty Tiger, Crazy Frog (1978) - 7.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAIXVi6ziyCSTxVirJhtNBF2GZJp3WMrww0IXxzgqiwUo_T_jVr7ARgxLaHHOafblqnK5qJONF5kj-twZk6vF71RxwCKWp3fHObxmRx3YYDDwWa_EE0BUwTiwJrBFFZvuNRVvBoDd4c_5dD5ykTJ_dun1avlPDWSY1pyYdFkJEw62iNIkIMsnl/s400/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="301" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAIXVi6ziyCSTxVirJhtNBF2GZJp3WMrww0IXxzgqiwUo_T_jVr7ARgxLaHHOafblqnK5qJONF5kj-twZk6vF71RxwCKWp3fHObxmRx3YYDDwWa_EE0BUwTiwJrBFFZvuNRVvBoDd4c_5dD5ykTJ_dun1avlPDWSY1pyYdFkJEw62iNIkIMsnl/w301-h400/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog1.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>I don't know if the many action actors in this film were officially part of Sammo Hung's team at the time - but over the next ten years they became an integral part of why his films were so great. There is a cornucopia of talent in this film with a cast that became very popular. This is produced by Gar Bo Films, a company formed by Sammo, Lau Kar-wing and Karl Maka in 1978. It was only to produce one more film before dissolving - the classic The Odd Couple. This is directed by Maka which to me is a danger sign that the movie will be one of those idiot comedic kung-fu films - and to a small degree it is but it doesn't go overboard with the exaggerated silliness as some of his films do. It is more genial than stupid and the many well-choreographed action scenes by Sammo and Lau allow you to overlook the cornier moments. Sammo and Lau make a great team and their interplay is precise and very clever and constant. Lau plays the sneaky trickster while Sammo is missing a few brain cells and is outwitted by Lau time after time. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcEfRNM9B3Fn4MPr4g9yYsWLvw6tBwy4xdgH9ENk5G8KNkQGXYdIj4mt_muP0XR7n3zqQQq7sB0j4WblfVcnyawIDpM4kO228A0QsDhqsReF25XxXrvpguLNdipweEm4_umJyuDggMsKx1K0D02xHC51ZEGr5Fag4hzyV_RqBwcm2nbzzlXAGO/s628/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="628" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcEfRNM9B3Fn4MPr4g9yYsWLvw6tBwy4xdgH9ENk5G8KNkQGXYdIj4mt_muP0XR7n3zqQQq7sB0j4WblfVcnyawIDpM4kO228A0QsDhqsReF25XxXrvpguLNdipweEm4_umJyuDggMsKx1K0D02xHC51ZEGr5Fag4hzyV_RqBwcm2nbzzlXAGO/w640-h306/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>One doesn't have to wait long for the action to begin - about 30 seconds. Three men (Chung Fat being one) come looking to kill Tiger (Lau) and he handles them with some fast moves and sends them packing. He is asked by a very unattractive old wife (Chan Lap-ban) to bring her husband back home. A much younger husband - Frog (Sammo) who at the time is gambling in a casino. A female pickpocket (Meg Lam) with many tricks up her sleeve sticks the stolen wallet into Sammo's pocket and he has to fight a group of men (Yuen Biao, Mars and Mang Hoi among them). They are unable to hurt him though because he is wearing mesh armor under his shirt - called Invincible because no blade can pierce it. He stole it from his wife. He is seduced by the pickpocket and has his armor stolen and dropped down to her confederate (Fung Hak-on). She then later steals it from him with her fake arm trick which she uses often.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTao5rK50gJ_APiifTiv80CnA04a_bddvTKHi_E1FIzLdDByDr83kFTp0blTVCil7ZLPO84KaunrGYIcvlhdE2pvSNh-q8IdFiMfz9fUFu1iRVlS2QKBEVejjNwfyH0nKEJ8cgTd3312gXQp1_NWAUrdkWqrzjZw2STz1j8bNfeC7mfdOv1knW/s624/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="624" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTao5rK50gJ_APiifTiv80CnA04a_bddvTKHi_E1FIzLdDByDr83kFTp0blTVCil7ZLPO84KaunrGYIcvlhdE2pvSNh-q8IdFiMfz9fUFu1iRVlS2QKBEVejjNwfyH0nKEJ8cgTd3312gXQp1_NWAUrdkWqrzjZw2STz1j8bNfeC7mfdOv1knW/w640-h308/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vYV3MsOHH3pjpBmY4eUgLbywT55s3glS7vFt50O4ysa3khLjMOBKFA3-Wh_rR4JJhxx0Woa4utQ6BHssDvt_zFJme_P9GYa3pQY359kcQQFTxrNbzrfzMvFP_zFjrGfVqWrkJWOkF4tz7zvcDFV4r2TY6sbqsbQBPRY2ySBLGu77_3zkktk1/s616/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="616" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vYV3MsOHH3pjpBmY4eUgLbywT55s3glS7vFt50O4ysa3khLjMOBKFA3-Wh_rR4JJhxx0Woa4utQ6BHssDvt_zFJme_P9GYa3pQY359kcQQFTxrNbzrfzMvFP_zFjrGfVqWrkJWOkF4tz7zvcDFV4r2TY6sbqsbQBPRY2ySBLGu77_3zkktk1/w640-h312/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5WlFeV9XKrTAVztnimkXIEFMlkS026qkQH8QE06eOMpjANy8t6ZgITQzlqiILZXzhWdppOH-4zwmUom23FFmQdg13qzgs-8pmDLgTfY4X3s39SZt28MTGOC0W-e1Qj-SY3oiOLeIaQy4Er-g2YBHlJeZ3jqyBPcT2h-WjPXjw1HOimNbt2Ox/s638/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="638" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5WlFeV9XKrTAVztnimkXIEFMlkS026qkQH8QE06eOMpjANy8t6ZgITQzlqiILZXzhWdppOH-4zwmUom23FFmQdg13qzgs-8pmDLgTfY4X3s39SZt28MTGOC0W-e1Qj-SY3oiOLeIaQy4Er-g2YBHlJeZ3jqyBPcT2h-WjPXjw1HOimNbt2Ox/w640-h300/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Everyone wants the armor - the Coffin King and the Bandit Brothers and their father (Dean Shek, Jason Piao and Lee Hoi-sang). Tiger and Frog want it back as well - after Tiger captures him for his wife, he uses Sammo as the horse for his carriage. Over the next hour there are constant fights between all the parties. Some small, some bigger. Within the bandit brothers minions are Lam Ching-ying, Billy Chan and Peter Chan-lung. The town sheriff is Karl Maka. I mean everyone is here. It must have been a lot of tough work but fun too. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPGLeXex-dr8JWibvYcG4BTMcuYPm6NlIYAH5ULRVENT-_NN5HblfxFpkpfXsnaRqZVOjZ_DqaE5A56ieqCG29qI4AsFqzPHZBfW2vMoIHBLsl_1pBN0AiY1CqUSIoGNp8z8Gs1Plx6xov_ncebjSAoUVoovZ8B_TlddfNRmEzLCxGlilgajl/s609/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="609" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPGLeXex-dr8JWibvYcG4BTMcuYPm6NlIYAH5ULRVENT-_NN5HblfxFpkpfXsnaRqZVOjZ_DqaE5A56ieqCG29qI4AsFqzPHZBfW2vMoIHBLsl_1pBN0AiY1CqUSIoGNp8z8Gs1Plx6xov_ncebjSAoUVoovZ8B_TlddfNRmEzLCxGlilgajl/w640-h316/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog15.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhED8MC2o1o6IJkJGPWSUnl92KWLh_fmhMDbCz8Ffk5MAGzpeCNso3UwupBcvbpIl7USALOHcwt3N8BdZLsHOB88cYTNBiJmrR514anV-gTF2hChQEiqtSS2y4tBGAh-hb-mUI35hSrjD3hj8iZ4UjNUD87oCQq9ia6AcuoYnx6ep4QC31h_kp/s642/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="642" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhED8MC2o1o6IJkJGPWSUnl92KWLh_fmhMDbCz8Ffk5MAGzpeCNso3UwupBcvbpIl7USALOHcwt3N8BdZLsHOB88cYTNBiJmrR514anV-gTF2hChQEiqtSS2y4tBGAh-hb-mUI35hSrjD3hj8iZ4UjNUD87oCQq9ia6AcuoYnx6ep4QC31h_kp/w640-h300/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The main set-up is between Tiger and Frog who are sometimes on the same side, sometimes not, but always looking to screw the other. When they later fight their main enemy, their teamwork is amazing, full of rolls and somersaults. Among Sammo's work this is not considered near his best and it feels slight in some ways - but if you just analyze the martial arts of him and Lau, there are some beautiful moves, graceful and gymnastic that fly by so quickly that you can barely notice it before the next one. All these folks would go on to appear in many classic films.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcj8KrsW1nhN7adsaArP0nsFNWgyMGIkoq46w6WHiWNhtD0ZBfyPbj1Q7ZO_hqpxmzFZegr-c_qpZ7mOpHHw1Szi8bW26LshtBzc4MArz8gD1HXKm0jNxAF84-Kta-LUvFXHC2qMOV1cTmeOZfKXTKe0CHiTDTrILiVFKZjGt_o6MK3_bUh2C/s623/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="623" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcj8KrsW1nhN7adsaArP0nsFNWgyMGIkoq46w6WHiWNhtD0ZBfyPbj1Q7ZO_hqpxmzFZegr-c_qpZ7mOpHHw1Szi8bW26LshtBzc4MArz8gD1HXKm0jNxAF84-Kta-LUvFXHC2qMOV1cTmeOZfKXTKe0CHiTDTrILiVFKZjGt_o6MK3_bUh2C/w640-h308/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJGzSqK3ImOhyxjBbH7IGyJotJhxccoyvqQtuOdr42r2dC48zSv8YJQz38ELnT36GajhyphenhyphenunbZ0RXamBfHY27xNBRAzSE7l45TiE014zoC9KgAJNCBronEzUfw723n4imgbkJTfBNU4olwECGlq-Kr6JBvvlbyzRZHZ2Qwh7Bft5v3e4DHSMxF2/s622/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="622" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJGzSqK3ImOhyxjBbH7IGyJotJhxccoyvqQtuOdr42r2dC48zSv8YJQz38ELnT36GajhyphenhyphenunbZ0RXamBfHY27xNBRAzSE7l45TiE014zoC9KgAJNCBronEzUfw723n4imgbkJTfBNU4olwECGlq-Kr6JBvvlbyzRZHZ2Qwh7Bft5v3e4DHSMxF2/w640-h308/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrjuYvRlBzl2dAO5MTvRx-Qdl4HscGjZNVik_vbdR9K3LunEKKsimkworgIVMv-H4iigBK8q2-aU1Ar_tHdDrWXzYZWUNMrBjnn54ZLR0ryhe6CTfM_issPNHdWlWiI4eOs5XaW80Ahtto1tXEEjTafWHulONqGLwMXAAKn9iCEOd3A1Bbl6C/s655/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="655" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrjuYvRlBzl2dAO5MTvRx-Qdl4HscGjZNVik_vbdR9K3LunEKKsimkworgIVMv-H4iigBK8q2-aU1Ar_tHdDrWXzYZWUNMrBjnn54ZLR0ryhe6CTfM_issPNHdWlWiI4eOs5XaW80Ahtto1tXEEjTafWHulONqGLwMXAAKn9iCEOd3A1Bbl6C/w640-h294/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWVCXVcR8FZ8sn4b3sEQCiZcLQKwIDsgl6UISbCcUQbZYgIHlXD-khCrig1vtP9E1vkelpg0TxsPwlcDWvs2o00aOHyU7E5I825ltb9_FiYCILMXioxhHhxxldAXfdBJMx_vDoOYmhHYW3PVnJmJ507jknTpp-hHtR0bPpGWVScTObqJ6ttCE/s600/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWVCXVcR8FZ8sn4b3sEQCiZcLQKwIDsgl6UISbCcUQbZYgIHlXD-khCrig1vtP9E1vkelpg0TxsPwlcDWvs2o00aOHyU7E5I825ltb9_FiYCILMXioxhHhxxldAXfdBJMx_vDoOYmhHYW3PVnJmJ507jknTpp-hHtR0bPpGWVScTObqJ6ttCE/w640-h320/dirty_tiger_crazy_frog2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-10674333659052981672024-02-29T13:06:00.001-05:002024-02-29T13:06:19.314-05:00Joy Ride (2023) - 6.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeqHKlq5DFxiGuHaWpdXW66WpT6iVszN5zdd7RqprpPSqhDkm7mmbwNz0yeNMXyaVqslhlglj8-ChIvymFKPS0f-UmO-Cqof8Te9Xuvf8NyBe5EEVcJ8rcNes1pJlcIwTfyKyXQVGGuDwtzG24SN6vS8KAnTeagQLBvi1GhbXZ3MJiGA66FLL/s400/joy_ride1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="270" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeqHKlq5DFxiGuHaWpdXW66WpT6iVszN5zdd7RqprpPSqhDkm7mmbwNz0yeNMXyaVqslhlglj8-ChIvymFKPS0f-UmO-Cqof8Te9Xuvf8NyBe5EEVcJ8rcNes1pJlcIwTfyKyXQVGGuDwtzG24SN6vS8KAnTeagQLBvi1GhbXZ3MJiGA66FLL/w270-h400/joy_ride1.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><br /><p>This film starts off cute, moves to sweet, then becomes extremely foul-mouthed and finally predictably verves to sentimental mush. It is sort of like a Hangover movie except with women. Bonding over dicks, blow jobs, vomiting, vaginas and K-pop. I am not sure I was ready for this honestly. I am 70 years-old and the crudeness of the dialogue stuck in my throat like a dry cracker. I mean I was brought up on the Donna Reed Show. But it is directed and written by women, so I guess this is how it really is for that generation. Damn, I am so old-fashioned! I watch films with men talking like this and don't think twice but coming out of the mouths of nice middle class American-Chinese girls was hard for me to swallow. I have a lot to learn about women and I am running out of time. All that said, this can be quite outlandishly funny as the quartet goes from one absurd situation to an even more absurd situation. Stretching one's credibility to the breaking point and beyond. I can imagine writing the script was good fun - there were no rules - just whatever struck them as silly and dirty. My mother would have probably enjoyed this. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkJzZvN1gF1f9socaSkIoCes70ltO8DU8pALieVJ_6ki8NnzzbdbawMCq0UlVytsdcbl9jrtfilzF-PGy2c-8QZirjvjUXGnVVVP-xhCDjYgbutNZO191eA76e-mD5k-iG6R-Pj9AUdsxcjfhcx5gkWeiWWNxExpKmr5p3cGU209BFEZtQMt5/s791/joy_ride4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="791" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkJzZvN1gF1f9socaSkIoCes70ltO8DU8pALieVJ_6ki8NnzzbdbawMCq0UlVytsdcbl9jrtfilzF-PGy2c-8QZirjvjUXGnVVVP-xhCDjYgbutNZO191eA76e-mD5k-iG6R-Pj9AUdsxcjfhcx5gkWeiWWNxExpKmr5p3cGU209BFEZtQMt5/w640-h284/joy_ride4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Like I said it begins cute - somewhere in white America a Chinese couple move in with their young daughter Lolo (Sherry Cola). At the park a white couple approaches them and asks if it is ok if their daughter (Audrey) plays with her. Audrey is adopted and Chinese. As they go to get on a slide a little shit white boy calls them a slur and Lolo punches him in the nose. Of such things are life-long friends made. Jump ahead 20-years or so and they are still best buddies - Audrey is a top lawyer and Lolo is an aspiring artist of porn art. Audrey (Ashley Park) has to close a deal in China and Lolo is going with her as translator - joined by Lolo's cousin Deadeye (Sabrina Wu) a K-pop fan and kind of gender neutral. In China they meet up with Audrey's college roommate Kat (Stephanie Hsu) who is a popular actress in China. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRxSNn-5VQhmsVIL27m-XciERR29pJV8vdNK2pOChFTdQjdwAyWozhxoAGSDY6z3VNBB3SyN16NlxOEtL-VpFRmmAbUC22G1GexuWCU49CXjHplzDEjS1z5LP6z0UBX6Y7Gu_301qJqQRF4xODQwDCThLRh8wIqf1b-T-eMqHBZaLn9FXf-V1/s600/joy_ride3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRxSNn-5VQhmsVIL27m-XciERR29pJV8vdNK2pOChFTdQjdwAyWozhxoAGSDY6z3VNBB3SyN16NlxOEtL-VpFRmmAbUC22G1GexuWCU49CXjHplzDEjS1z5LP6z0UBX6Y7Gu_301qJqQRF4xODQwDCThLRh8wIqf1b-T-eMqHBZaLn9FXf-V1/w640-h320/joy_ride3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>And the adventure begins. With talk of dicks and tattoos on vaginas. Of Kat pretending to her boyfriend that she is a virgin though she has had more traffic than the Lincoln Tunnel. All four of them meet up at a disco with the man (Ronny Chieng) about signing the deal. Drinks and vomiting all around but he says he won't sign the deal till he meets Audrey's birth mother. Not so easy and they have to go on the road with complications like having to stuff drugs up their butt, having a threesome, having a crazy night with a big Chinese family, disguising themselves as a K-Pop group to try and get into Korea, becoming a viral video for the wrong reasons and lots of talk about sex. Maybe it could have been toned down for an old fart like me. I would guess women would appreciate this more. Four independent women talking trash and living it. Basically, going fuck you to those that don't accept them. The director is Adele Lim in her debut. She was one of the writers of Crazy Rich Asians. I get the impression that all four actresses are pretty well-known out there in comedy land - stand-up and such but they were all new to me. Raunchy and funny all with distinct personalities.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBIGsfDa6IhdmQmA-ujgV_epzYW69OBK4G-_MuY8-QOTN8_xKOwXtb5u5mao0dnJONsM6UgzpgcuwTvd3AQdwepTIer7aDucoTTHI36_rwmi_ZKxyeyAfIdQU74wkx2NV238i6SfN5DD73n2nn_cLbt-M37foyDiebzz98ILyiFcdzkOR8Y6Y/s533/joy_ride2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="533" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBIGsfDa6IhdmQmA-ujgV_epzYW69OBK4G-_MuY8-QOTN8_xKOwXtb5u5mao0dnJONsM6UgzpgcuwTvd3AQdwepTIer7aDucoTTHI36_rwmi_ZKxyeyAfIdQU74wkx2NV238i6SfN5DD73n2nn_cLbt-M37foyDiebzz98ILyiFcdzkOR8Y6Y/w640-h360/joy_ride2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-56732264259837223422024-02-29T08:26:00.003-05:002024-02-29T08:26:41.222-05:00Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1969) - 5.5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEBu5hkJXlYF0L3oUTEBRLbvf3Aa-rhyphenhyphenzSg0fNWo4X5DPdjCSJ6WyIbZivxKDU3BVj5H3vaGXswOeMYYcnC8T_g58sNRRmVV91S7pTiIqPiKZH6j_xhAuBZkRdGewoOrwuWWXwttnd6HOnz5azxrrzMycdCCsDYNtytpuhRcfeqeuHtY8tXHM/s400/captain_nemo_underwater_city1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEBu5hkJXlYF0L3oUTEBRLbvf3Aa-rhyphenhyphenzSg0fNWo4X5DPdjCSJ6WyIbZivxKDU3BVj5H3vaGXswOeMYYcnC8T_g58sNRRmVV91S7pTiIqPiKZH6j_xhAuBZkRdGewoOrwuWWXwttnd6HOnz5azxrrzMycdCCsDYNtytpuhRcfeqeuHtY8tXHM/w264-h400/captain_nemo_underwater_city1.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br /><p>This is more my kind of Captain
Nemo. He has gone well beyond a mere submarine and built a city beneath the
sea. A gorgeous technologically advanced city and he has stocked it with
penguins, pelicans and beautiful women. None of this on a submarine with a bunch
of seamen sort of thing. This is a fairyland with a lovely pool, a band,
swimming events and one would assume a lot of fooling around since there are
bunches of children. It is a form of Utopia. But not one meant for everyone
because this is where you will live and die. You are never leaving. As long as
I had movies, my Kindle and music that would be fine. Oh, and Luciana Paluzzi,
who is one of the women. In the water again; poor Luciana from Thunderball.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-umogbd6cWtdRZbF9zb5TpJdWKabgAJhyphenhyphenqehoMxkpn3bRa0JD5ltKW2vyMXup7ufZnLWyVRMXVyBZX39MQ4-YYVGbW6IiL3IKWN3jfF-UHbI1JzokoDJtsKfc80pItAFvJSgTGE_qs0rm6ULpNTMaoORUDM8FoPT-sge1O-nHJQB5kZyEfm15/s689/captain_nemo_underwater_city2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="689" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-umogbd6cWtdRZbF9zb5TpJdWKabgAJhyphenhyphenqehoMxkpn3bRa0JD5ltKW2vyMXup7ufZnLWyVRMXVyBZX39MQ4-YYVGbW6IiL3IKWN3jfF-UHbI1JzokoDJtsKfc80pItAFvJSgTGE_qs0rm6ULpNTMaoORUDM8FoPT-sge1O-nHJQB5kZyEfm15/w640-h326/captain_nemo_underwater_city2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">It begins with a ship going down
in a storm and passengers jumping off. Six of them are sinking fast when men in
scuba gear rescue them and bring them into the Nautilus. Four men, a woman and
a young boy. And his cat. They of course being human begin complaining
immediately. One is played by Chuck Conners (The Rifleman), the woman by
Nanette Newman, the major whiner by Allan Cuthbertson who is a mealy-mouthed
whiner in most movies. The other two men jump for joy when they find that Nemo
(which means nobody in Latin) has a machine that makes gold out of candy cane or
something. All of them want to leave - Connors because he was on a secret
mission for the Yankees in the Civil War. But Nemo says nobody leaves. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbzeGQkek_lJP-SbJGqWdcz_7Qw7tYZcm-D5Ni2AW_GTgmEFgx64V1cTIZv2J-3swyjI_TupRWFtW1-mkaZD3KnlYLIrfv4JtlGAc1UD8FDr8ZpWBMeQN2ybO3w0s_8-BW2Zb08_uZa6ODJVcK0FCveJwdCTUc62VmgHugFmuVPh5yfguxFy2/s400/captain_nemo_underwater_city3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="400" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbzeGQkek_lJP-SbJGqWdcz_7Qw7tYZcm-D5Ni2AW_GTgmEFgx64V1cTIZv2J-3swyjI_TupRWFtW1-mkaZD3KnlYLIrfv4JtlGAc1UD8FDr8ZpWBMeQN2ybO3w0s_8-BW2Zb08_uZa6ODJVcK0FCveJwdCTUc62VmgHugFmuVPh5yfguxFy2/w640-h500/captain_nemo_underwater_city3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;">Well, you know that isn't going to
sit right. One of the crew men has a thing for Luciana but as soon as she sees
Connors she falls for him. Is it true that they call you the Rifleman. Can you
show me why, she purrs. Trouble ahead. Nemo is played by Robert Ryan who is
actually nicer than in most of his films and with Nemo he could have gone
full-bore psycho but he holds back. Too bad. Ryan was supposed to be one of the
nicest people in the world but he could be so villainous on the screen. I think
this was mainly for children. Nice designs and sets and miniatures but not much
drama really.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJiSvw5Bb98XzwqD9S4rLeKXuQ7ctfnzVgbX6gJ-j6Tnh2AGwlqpMlxpV1_WoF2yO_f9VysP1iEdbS9Y6DU-YhyphenhyphenzYy5WzBXOmtSsu-o0i2k-vXh7-zgvG6Rqwqt55FvS33uHrsKMQFf0moy_U4mPk3xcCPbPwkhIBZ6QHHwPDyFYZIbZiwcVQ/s389/captain_nemo_underwater_city4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="389" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJiSvw5Bb98XzwqD9S4rLeKXuQ7ctfnzVgbX6gJ-j6Tnh2AGwlqpMlxpV1_WoF2yO_f9VysP1iEdbS9Y6DU-YhyphenhyphenzYy5WzBXOmtSsu-o0i2k-vXh7-zgvG6Rqwqt55FvS33uHrsKMQFf0moy_U4mPk3xcCPbPwkhIBZ6QHHwPDyFYZIbZiwcVQ/w640-h506/captain_nemo_underwater_city4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 47.25pt;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-50238139804366321482024-02-29T05:28:00.003-05:002024-02-29T05:28:31.914-05:00Warlords of Atlantis (1976) - 6.5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UZFmRXxQgt7jfTFDtQYb6OUWV5Td0iqHEldpL4p-iw0Z2GlgHM9a8a5ssuQ94_Um6DbjamZWXZYJrojmZpd-U2rzbkfDMarij6O03TxI0bJ5vYZScuo9KjUtSccFLdWtHP5XoMyGvfrjCQp9AqKIK3z4LuGLk9ltuVn3q-3Y5Vs1SyxFiRDc/s400/warlords_atlantis1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UZFmRXxQgt7jfTFDtQYb6OUWV5Td0iqHEldpL4p-iw0Z2GlgHM9a8a5ssuQ94_Um6DbjamZWXZYJrojmZpd-U2rzbkfDMarij6O03TxI0bJ5vYZScuo9KjUtSccFLdWtHP5XoMyGvfrjCQp9AqKIK3z4LuGLk9ltuVn3q-3Y5Vs1SyxFiRDc/w268-h400/warlords_atlantis1.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Aka - Warlords of the Deep</p><p>Damn, that poster alone should get this film more respect than it seems to. Most of the reviews seem to be ho-hum but I thought it was good pulpy fun. Doug McClure was the go-to man for medium budget fantasy adventure films in the 1970s. The Land That Time Forgot, At the Earth's Core, The People That Time Forgot and this one. I don't know why. If he has a lot of acting skills, it passed me by. If he has charisma, I must have been out that day. But he did sort of have an All-American chiseled chin look and a lot of teeth. That must have been worth something. These films don't rely on his acting skills though - he is just a place mat for all the nifty special effects in the films. And no matter where he goes- to the bottom the ocean, into the past, to the center of the earth, you can count on him finding a beautiful girl who falls for him. It's a talent I don't share. The first three films mentioned above were directed by Kevin Connor as is this one and they were produced by the British studio Amicus. By the time they got to this one, Amicus was out of business, so they turned to EMI. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhoYERFBgzSW4zb5usWRDAIy2MqmP86TAYS4rzptjNqcpVPbTU8n4oH-jVcnOOAs1OPBeyyNtujXdtruCUSxmIxOybzIpZ4oxTlxtlBZ2It_7bCbBjn9FJbu8Xc-K5XnDndujdcdmn1BSz2q0jYpoRzVf5YRHhgZu1-kH0fNc53hvHUKw2I2e/s533/warlords_atlantis3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="533" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhoYERFBgzSW4zb5usWRDAIy2MqmP86TAYS4rzptjNqcpVPbTU8n4oH-jVcnOOAs1OPBeyyNtujXdtruCUSxmIxOybzIpZ4oxTlxtlBZ2It_7bCbBjn9FJbu8Xc-K5XnDndujdcdmn1BSz2q0jYpoRzVf5YRHhgZu1-kH0fNc53hvHUKw2I2e/w640-h360/warlords_atlantis3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>The plot is pure gonzo nonsense as they throw in aliens, an underwater city, monsters and rascals. It is a rare minute that something is not happening. The monsters particularly are well done and great fun. The special effects guys - John Richardson and Roger Dickens between them worked on films as diverse as Harry Potter, When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, The Land that Time Forgot, Aliens and a few Bond films. They certainly didn't have much of a budget here but they do a lot with it. The second giant octopus attack on the ship is brilliant. As good as Harryhausen, I would say. The flying fish with sharp teeth is a terrific scene as well and the attack on the city by these armored sloth-like creature was fine. So how did McClure get in a mess like this?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtviBu8wtb3eiAyj_WMibwdLxBYcCpeZRcdc6frKB2TISupFOU0OQAqR1rMhv_udY6atDlkjF1z3UVLpOxtCyamp3aXgvSfeaBh0ZcDwkeKoKpTdaN1aVA1m3dz3cp6-AmM_21dHhtLYH2GzmxlIICwIZ_PhyphenhyphenSfxPoME7Hl8oUIezvR71kspS/s368/warlords_atlantis5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="368" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtviBu8wtb3eiAyj_WMibwdLxBYcCpeZRcdc6frKB2TISupFOU0OQAqR1rMhv_udY6atDlkjF1z3UVLpOxtCyamp3aXgvSfeaBh0ZcDwkeKoKpTdaN1aVA1m3dz3cp6-AmM_21dHhtLYH2GzmxlIICwIZ_PhyphenhyphenSfxPoME7Hl8oUIezvR71kspS/w640-h522/warlords_atlantis5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>He has built a bathysphere that is lowered down by cables from the ship for his friend Charles (Peter Gilmore) and Charles's father. This seems to take place around the turn of the century and they are on a sailboat to get to their destination with a small crew. Unknown to everyone else, the father and son are looking for Atlantis. Yes, Atlantis. Down Charles and Collinson (McClure) go. For reasons I never quite understood, Collinson's design has no bottom. Of course, he probably wasn't planning on a giant eel like creature poking its head in with its biting teeth. A few electric shocks takes care of that. Then they find a large gold statue and send it up. That was a mistake because the crew decide to keep it and cut the cable and shoot poor old dad. Then the octopus attacks the ship and drags the men into the water. The bathysphere goes out of control and ends up . . . in Atlantis - as do the crew.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHBdWgP4QdDju-gGK7JhxfZxWe9o_fx5Wz3SZk1PCO-saiJy6vdy4qDx70qk6rm0ArPigk4DB4wZRSlmv1z84LQ7cEQChh_SaBMqzEpFfL-18xmXKfA4O70WtC5SO-NxQpYTtv4hAoSG99AKdsWXLonEzPmHadm_UuMrcyzWvXoZ8BMewTMAz/s445/warlords_atlantis2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="445" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHBdWgP4QdDju-gGK7JhxfZxWe9o_fx5Wz3SZk1PCO-saiJy6vdy4qDx70qk6rm0ArPigk4DB4wZRSlmv1z84LQ7cEQChh_SaBMqzEpFfL-18xmXKfA4O70WtC5SO-NxQpYTtv4hAoSG99AKdsWXLonEzPmHadm_UuMrcyzWvXoZ8BMewTMAz/w640-h432/warlords_atlantis2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>To be met by guards who look like mackerels standing up with spears. They are led to the wonderful city of Atlantis - but it is not below the water - it is on land with the sky above surrounded by mountains - quite confusing. Turns out not to be so wonderful after all - it is run by a species of elite Martians who are trapped on earth and who have plans for mankind. Not good ones. There are also the worker bees aka slaves who the octopus has dragged off of ships and delivered by hands. And the monsters attack the city. It is just nutty and fun. The octopus stole the show. Cliff from Cheers is one of the crew men. The babe was Lea Brodie.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3mQmtVqYGUm5VMmCMQB6ue_0iQfq20IxZGm127rdzv4-AlC78xLka_Q60UPwRULDfTcMXBzHb0eoU2BM62WS6eTqsRO-k6M1x0DrtNKsTrHE2COsO1xnrNGayR-FpXYeEaY6Cwh7mcK7DnmctZ0bmzgymMLqaoWNr8ZfT-pRCCl9PfodjElh/s359/warlords_atlantis4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="359" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3mQmtVqYGUm5VMmCMQB6ue_0iQfq20IxZGm127rdzv4-AlC78xLka_Q60UPwRULDfTcMXBzHb0eoU2BM62WS6eTqsRO-k6M1x0DrtNKsTrHE2COsO1xnrNGayR-FpXYeEaY6Cwh7mcK7DnmctZ0bmzgymMLqaoWNr8ZfT-pRCCl9PfodjElh/w640-h534/warlords_atlantis4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-58595996728891642422024-02-28T03:10:00.001-05:002024-02-28T03:16:46.110-05:00Dry Wood, Fierce Fire (2002) - 7.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IntCLtboQyt1dEP9br_Wy2VYxq2XLQ_W_5QeUwKn0SNjlznE07YueIuCcZszA4oEP7sc5HT5lUv_BN01Emt2IY7o5hkb3zWQxmoZEnTHSim0fSLxqhdp4MrDCXWIGtPdgapX7aN_t5Yq_YchgkqOPcrC8h2v1uFM4DNbX6i7NWMr9BpSc58J/s400/dry_wood_fierce_fire1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="286" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IntCLtboQyt1dEP9br_Wy2VYxq2XLQ_W_5QeUwKn0SNjlznE07YueIuCcZszA4oEP7sc5HT5lUv_BN01Emt2IY7o5hkb3zWQxmoZEnTHSim0fSLxqhdp4MrDCXWIGtPdgapX7aN_t5Yq_YchgkqOPcrC8h2v1uFM4DNbX6i7NWMr9BpSc58J/w286-h400/dry_wood_fierce_fire1.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>By 2000 Hong Kong comedy films were quickly shifting away from the crazy slapstick pun-infested nonsense that had been the norm for years. To something more sophisticated, less crude, more Western that was built on character and realistic plots as opposed to jokes and comedy bits. This had begun a few years earlier with the UFO films like He's a Woman, She's a Man or one offs such as The Chinese Feast. Even Stephen Chow had evolved over time from his earlier films full of puns and gags to The God of Cookery and the brilliant King of Comedy (though Love on Delivery is still his funniest film). By 2000, Milkyway was making clever comedies and two female stars were making their mark - Sammi Cheng and Miriam Yeung. Miriam was fairly new to the business but had appeared in the popular Love Undercover and Dummy Mommy Without a Baby. Sammi did her better with Needing You, My Left Eye Sees Ghosts and Love on a Diet. These two women brought a fresh modern feel to the comedies and characters - independent, fast talking, vulnerable and lovable. It took me longer to warm up to Miriam who seemed too much like Sammi, but she won me over - not with a comedy but with the horror film, Dumplings. After that you could never say she was a Sammi imitator again. She is great here and drags Louis Koo along with her like charred pork. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfYa6vPhOYFi6FB_LEbwCExNhecnucyd5GKNybXr65yMOLeIMD872H10OJzK7vGi5suHQqUVrwbfGPSgwdZVn7w3PkKJjCyMzVIUVocQn635tPeBQfffTflAhm1LFELgitDqsX-XsUfadIaRryhA0U1G4GVNd8ZoICrqQXcpnUhA6fHeMKqqr/s450/dry_wood_fierce_fire3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="450" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfYa6vPhOYFi6FB_LEbwCExNhecnucyd5GKNybXr65yMOLeIMD872H10OJzK7vGi5suHQqUVrwbfGPSgwdZVn7w3PkKJjCyMzVIUVocQn635tPeBQfffTflAhm1LFELgitDqsX-XsUfadIaRryhA0U1G4GVNd8ZoICrqQXcpnUhA6fHeMKqqr/w400-h311/dry_wood_fierce_fire3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Alice (Miriam) grows up in an herbal shop run by her father (Lo Meng) and mole infected mother (Kingdom Yuen). They both teach her their craft but the father also teaches her martial arts and the mother teaches her kindness. She thinks glasses will make her prettier and kinder and so stares up close at a TV to become nearsighted. She works at a women's magazine and when they merge with a men's magazine she meets Ryan (Koo) in a not cute way, by blowing blood from her nose all over him. He has his own issues and faints all the time. All of her co-workers come to her for medical advice and she is so good that she can even detect if you have hemorrhoids by feeling your pulse. It is one of those films where no one actually seems to work in the office. She is immediately attracted to him, him not so much to her. Ya, give it time because she is as nutty as a Baby Ruth bar and a live wire. With a big laugh. She sets off to Save Private Ryan.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9UiVgRDq2ZaBiA_ehel_6Nk4GEs6WcWAMYVSR58q1AuYxsATRwWxj5i7FQikDbXRUXLvf5x8v68f0BRdrlZvVM9gdQk-AikWtSWtkRvK65idSdGQTCHmQ5SM7NHRzvvEqfPGa_rnxI2nBBvyUQZG4nHtv5aQhoLMgTihHtRxyoXFTPJqWGN5/s450/dry_wood_fierce_fire4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="450" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9UiVgRDq2ZaBiA_ehel_6Nk4GEs6WcWAMYVSR58q1AuYxsATRwWxj5i7FQikDbXRUXLvf5x8v68f0BRdrlZvVM9gdQk-AikWtSWtkRvK65idSdGQTCHmQ5SM7NHRzvvEqfPGa_rnxI2nBBvyUQZG4nHtv5aQhoLMgTihHtRxyoXFTPJqWGN5/w400-h311/dry_wood_fierce_fire4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>The film goes a little Cyrano on us - he is in love with the owner (Flora Chan) and she becomes his confidant - picking out a necklace, designing his home, giving him love advice. In a terrific scene she is in his apartment when the owner unexpectedly shows up and she hides and hides and hides like a ninja - finally in the freezer. Now we know they are meant for each other but it is getting late in the film. As light on its feet as a French pastry and just as tasty. Constantly amusing and Miriam owns this film. Not many big laughs but a lot of grins and small chuckles. Directed by Wilson Yip before he became the big action director he is best known for - SPL, Flashpoint and four Ip Man films.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEomkvRNbT9V1QDlzl7RsuvZ2hjGR36VmVqENEHlHUikxqDiMqi59NZjOGTovVT2qNKweLLFzWRnHiMSqZluKb7V_H3joVkFZsUFlIEQKh3WDeP_ZFNLF-43xJgPtYwZJ8OT5wdSCIwPBo5j1T8pR52UuzIUicHAOMgZXkJsG21Ql8J108s8tQ/s450/dry_wood_fierce_fire2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="450" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEomkvRNbT9V1QDlzl7RsuvZ2hjGR36VmVqENEHlHUikxqDiMqi59NZjOGTovVT2qNKweLLFzWRnHiMSqZluKb7V_H3joVkFZsUFlIEQKh3WDeP_ZFNLF-43xJgPtYwZJ8OT5wdSCIwPBo5j1T8pR52UuzIUicHAOMgZXkJsG21Ql8J108s8tQ/w400-h311/dry_wood_fierce_fire2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-89634404853404406032024-02-27T08:42:00.003-05:002024-02-27T08:42:53.178-05:00Battlefield Baseball (2003) - 4.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSmrNHjHzeIo7ip3Wzw2bs__Eg7wPUruEo75PXGGLaD4oSKRA2S4IKajRFZxlwJYLOISh9GeLc5ck9zFcFiy1LxAat-x1NvfxMnSSxzp3RW3lI_2JhnGe_mgsBNgA6GBWQioR7_lHLzCvieXK0BQDLv868ozLgxuAnX4rQ-b4g1QgzWD63hMQ/s400/battlefield_baseball1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="285" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSmrNHjHzeIo7ip3Wzw2bs__Eg7wPUruEo75PXGGLaD4oSKRA2S4IKajRFZxlwJYLOISh9GeLc5ck9zFcFiy1LxAat-x1NvfxMnSSxzp3RW3lI_2JhnGe_mgsBNgA6GBWQioR7_lHLzCvieXK0BQDLv868ozLgxuAnX4rQ-b4g1QgzWD63hMQ/w285-h400/battlefield_baseball1.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><br /><p>Baseball can be a contact sport in Japan. Way back in 2003 or thereabouts we showed this film in our Subway Cinema Festival. I thought it was terrible but was out voted by the others. The audience as far as I recollect liked it. I didn't understand why then and still don't. I figured it was time for a revisit to celebrate the soon to be opening baseball season. To see if my taste has changed. For the worse. Thankfully, no. Still a stupid snore. In truth this film has as much to do with baseball as a poke in the eye or a poached egg. Or a detached head. Or arm. Or leg. It's a comedy so silly, exaggerated and detached from reality that I was bored out of my mind. With a few exceptions. When the hero has to free his teammate from the cage his mother has put him into, the fight between him and the rough and ready mother is good fun - it reminded me of Kung Fu Hustle for a minute. I get that the film is making fun of a lot of things - baseball fanaticism, school fervor, melodramas, zombies - but does it with a sledgehammer. Its manga petticoats are showing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVoRxC1gDf2MF4GVv-P51r6VqMlP6muXOV7EO9AP16oC2b-2hvzBKCGe3uPvyT04ALGFn7V3TuG46F9oW80l4pnkltiEjHT4qaM6NAX0UxcbwMq2XJkgVgHapbdvEZoryy8_qQAAzBylLtTf1SoUUA4cyKDxtzd6RtvuxKECq1dokk_wwa1SNQ/s545/battlefield_baseball4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="545" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVoRxC1gDf2MF4GVv-P51r6VqMlP6muXOV7EO9AP16oC2b-2hvzBKCGe3uPvyT04ALGFn7V3TuG46F9oW80l4pnkltiEjHT4qaM6NAX0UxcbwMq2XJkgVgHapbdvEZoryy8_qQAAzBylLtTf1SoUUA4cyKDxtzd6RtvuxKECq1dokk_wwa1SNQ/w640-h352/battlefield_baseball4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>The Seido High coach Kocho thinks the team has a great chance to get to the Koshien Tournament which is the annual High School Championship. They have a pitcher who can throw the ball in the 90s and Gori can hit anything out of the park. But then he gets the bad news that their first opponent is Gedo High School. He collapses on the floor. Not because they are good but because they kill the other side. Literally. You see once you are on the field, everything is legal. As the Gedo Coach says "These are the rules. There are no rules". There is no baseball played but the bats come in handy. The Gedo team shows up looking like leftovers from the Walking Dead. All the Siedo players are killed but we don't see that - just the aftermath of the players and their various parts left on the field. We don't see how it happened. Damn. The director Yûdai Yamaguchi certainly didn't show that restraint later with Chromartie High or Meatball Machine in which splatter was the name of the game. This though is his debut and I expect he didn't have the budget for it. There are only three cheerleaders and one person and his dog in the stands - reinforcing how small a budget they had. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUcMz3-Qs4_81TILS18ymyQ5cuFevb0Py2b7jA-8mF7EYyU2w8vfor8EpOibCMqC0q9yyTkp8A8SCi2TDsyjq8GUsUQ17zeVDGeI0O-ABSgIHoZDFuTCok7CBKOrkAgyMez9iQeVG-zORGF6vKAlfKqojIw90xH6qUAGk_JkZq8BbA45mIacnl/s622/battlefield_baseball3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="622" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUcMz3-Qs4_81TILS18ymyQ5cuFevb0Py2b7jA-8mF7EYyU2w8vfor8EpOibCMqC0q9yyTkp8A8SCi2TDsyjq8GUsUQ17zeVDGeI0O-ABSgIHoZDFuTCok7CBKOrkAgyMez9iQeVG-zORGF6vKAlfKqojIw90xH6qUAGk_JkZq8BbA45mIacnl/w640-h360/battlefield_baseball3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Their only hope for revenge is Jubeh, a transfer student who has been kicked out of various schools and has a liking for violence. He loves baseball but has sworn never to play it again - in song he tells us that his pitches are so fast that he killed his father while playing catch - it went through him. He goes to face Gedo on his own but others come out - Gori was brought back to life as a robot, another as a cyborg, the mother shows up and the fight is on. At one point in the film Jubeh is killed but meets his father in heaven riding a bike and is sent back. That really doesn't do justice to how idiotic this film is. Every moment is either comically overly melodramatic or overly stupid. Jubeh is played by Tak Sakaguchi who has become almost an action cult figure. Before this he was in Versus and Aragami, both directed by Ryûhei Kitamura, who produced this film. I wish they had given him better action scenes to be in. Just not my cup of tea, then or now but clearly liked by many others. Once you get past the shock value of how idiotic it is, it loses its punch quickly. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzAnRy3xWHBJxrypcHZsNDoYD1zP1sqSyZ2-6PBmEUanrpFh6M_YwRGgj58rCU5cXhyphenhyphent8ZM5K_tZXaiD1ihGum2ZIBgBQ6MNWI_31ya2MiPJCC51xFr4lwl1b68H1kzcHXL6RWZn91AYHr_vujajW2AucxAJ0h8viV3s0_NbbXZNK1Fzt3MYG/s545/battlefield_baseball2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="545" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzAnRy3xWHBJxrypcHZsNDoYD1zP1sqSyZ2-6PBmEUanrpFh6M_YwRGgj58rCU5cXhyphenhyphent8ZM5K_tZXaiD1ihGum2ZIBgBQ6MNWI_31ya2MiPJCC51xFr4lwl1b68H1kzcHXL6RWZn91AYHr_vujajW2AucxAJ0h8viV3s0_NbbXZNK1Fzt3MYG/w640-h352/battlefield_baseball2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-84924951481208574442024-02-26T15:51:00.002-05:002024-02-26T15:51:51.475-05:00Trouble with the Curve (2012) - 6.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaS_QO-pQRk8D8rA9YuWHhUJXqsB891wBFUXU3xPW2wBUJ5JKDxYXkoMbEZFl7rbnwAgGLAd37-GbcPmArmqN5lGZFD5Rq2FGx9wEiNRM9ELRc6bHAST02-EYpsPj2vR-k7PIwBM8FRa7P23ywG2zerkOGmu62pMdTC0yL9CrWUAWfJJ4x_AmZ/s400/trouble_curve1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaS_QO-pQRk8D8rA9YuWHhUJXqsB891wBFUXU3xPW2wBUJ5JKDxYXkoMbEZFl7rbnwAgGLAd37-GbcPmArmqN5lGZFD5Rq2FGx9wEiNRM9ELRc6bHAST02-EYpsPj2vR-k7PIwBM8FRa7P23ywG2zerkOGmu62pMdTC0yL9CrWUAWfJJ4x_AmZ/w268-h400/trouble_curve1.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><p>Is there anything that says America more than combining Clint Eastwood and baseball? If he had been eating some apple pie, it would have been the trifecta. I would have stood up and sang the National anthem. I really liked this film when baseball was at the center of it. Less so when it was the father-daughter relationship that was under the microscope and even less so when it brought in the romantic interest. For the daughter thankfully. Clint was a few years beyond having a romantic fling in films. You can practically hear him creak when he moves. He was 82 when he made this film and looks every minute of that. And his character plays to form. Eastwood has always been touchy and grumpy in his films, but he has reached the Get Off My Lawn Old Man grumpiness stage in this one. A real sourpuss. Getting old just sucks. Ask me. I know. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBIL62rrA3e3KLGyXshe8nTWUJwO8sRiQbNhYTwf81jchLnNIgGfESak-9Auj7jaPcvrUwp7ugzFj0YeeEpgvkpvjzdefqbAA0eiQpJQ8ED0ebf_ZHzVGAb_QMznKERAhUtn_x60zHhe4tMgQSd7Dwkn_5wjfz6xdMXhPROCTMYk6NbucmgNpl/s533/trouble_curve3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="533" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBIL62rrA3e3KLGyXshe8nTWUJwO8sRiQbNhYTwf81jchLnNIgGfESak-9Auj7jaPcvrUwp7ugzFj0YeeEpgvkpvjzdefqbAA0eiQpJQ8ED0ebf_ZHzVGAb_QMznKERAhUtn_x60zHhe4tMgQSd7Dwkn_5wjfz6xdMXhPROCTMYk6NbucmgNpl/w400-h225/trouble_curve3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>He plays a legendary scout for the Atlanta Braves and in the very first scene of him trying to urinate sets the mood. He is losing his sight and bumps into everything without a warning sign. Yet he is Eastwood and you believe every second of his performance. Irritated with everyone, with himself, with his doctors, he lashes out at his daughter who loves him even with all the baggage she totes with her. He loves her but is unable to express it or explain to her why he has been such a shit to her. He is that generation. You don't talk about that sort of thing. Better to sweep it under the rug and move on. A friend texted me about a film he just saw "Good but like all films now about 20 minutes too long". Very true with some exceptions. This isn't one of them. There were chunks that could have gone AWOL and no one would have minded. But keep the baseball parts - every pitch, every swing, every observation, every quiz. When the daughter - Amy Adams by the way - quizzes the guy she is becoming interested in about baseball, I can actually boast that I got most of them. The team with four pitchers with 20-game winners. Easy. Who hit the homer before Fisk hit his. Easy. The three pitchers that Reggie Jackson hit homers off of in the World Series. Not so easy. </p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xRTXuLHy2e69zS33TcuIYSir061WJzy7AV5Up6l60-ghoEWocwvWbBLOM6RA89u84315CUEfNWzDKYPCET4f0Ui9843kMJ-8Z0Cb7y3YZmk3gYaYF6li7IsakEvpa84RZyh-n7zigRDdRG5pVM9L_3uF1C-cSymFicGTuok5ER6PuSIvsH26/s450/trouble_curve4.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="450" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xRTXuLHy2e69zS33TcuIYSir061WJzy7AV5Up6l60-ghoEWocwvWbBLOM6RA89u84315CUEfNWzDKYPCET4f0Ui9843kMJ-8Z0Cb7y3YZmk3gYaYF6li7IsakEvpa84RZyh-n7zigRDdRG5pVM9L_3uF1C-cSymFicGTuok5ER6PuSIvsH26/w400-h266/trouble_curve4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Atlanta has sent Gus (Clint) to scout a high school hitter who has all the scouts buzzing. Hits everything a mile. Mickey, his daughter, goes as well as she has become worried about him. She is a top lawyer on the verge of becoming partner. The Red Sox scout is there as well who sees Gus as his idol and Mickey as a babe. I kept thinking I know this actor from somewhere but could not place him. Justin Timberlake. Still not sure who that is. Much of the film and the part I liked was just Gus sitting in the stands or in the bar with other scouts and talking baseball or movies. He can't see so well but he can hear. And so concludes that this say hey kid can't hit the curve. A great ending to this film. Just too much filler. Directed by Robert Lorenz (Mystic River) and John Goodman has a nice part.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiDSKSYW63vKYhyphenhyphenDkruwq3WxuTGusDLAG9jPGOdLj06F68hy8z-uwFXJBUZ2Xlbg5t1tFbg4UQFAsjHT3uuFSjmC5B0b4Mmvsevuxw4OVIBJyY60lxk33hcnotuQHPZwgaGv41itYxA9uaMNSlDlvz3l9hMnnyorjuw_8NHc-rPBpNc6Qeq0X2/s500/trouble_curve2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiDSKSYW63vKYhyphenhyphenDkruwq3WxuTGusDLAG9jPGOdLj06F68hy8z-uwFXJBUZ2Xlbg5t1tFbg4UQFAsjHT3uuFSjmC5B0b4Mmvsevuxw4OVIBJyY60lxk33hcnotuQHPZwgaGv41itYxA9uaMNSlDlvz3l9hMnnyorjuw_8NHc-rPBpNc6Qeq0X2/w400-h240/trouble_curve2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28108120.post-21086938076884860292024-02-25T20:01:00.002-05:002024-02-25T20:01:48.157-05:00Song of Baseball Enthusiasts (1979) - 6.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQ2941Vx1S4wvunZG76smW8G20O3KQJvkDREgqvmZWEgDm197IIjkK4pCJ3vJnPr300v_VC1SkE5r_ZBYdJpLa1xjBrecDH6eJaZipXljrJ-lfTe8lUUKsYfix7kOZJRmeOEU4jurHwBhuN3gUJCcsPtx5wqDz-g_oFdUf_UflBMUZ9SP4pIP/s400/Yakyukyao_no_uta1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="297" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQ2941Vx1S4wvunZG76smW8G20O3KQJvkDREgqvmZWEgDm197IIjkK4pCJ3vJnPr300v_VC1SkE5r_ZBYdJpLa1xjBrecDH6eJaZipXljrJ-lfTe8lUUKsYfix7kOZJRmeOEU4jurHwBhuN3gUJCcsPtx5wqDz-g_oFdUf_UflBMUZ9SP4pIP/w298-h400/Yakyukyao_no_uta1.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br /><p>Aka - Baseball Mad Poem: Northern Wolf, South Tige</p><p>Aka - Yakyukyô no uta</p><p>The Tokyo Mets are the bad news bears of professional baseball in Japan. That doesn't deter their fans who come out in force to cheer or boo them. One of their pitchers is the southpaw Tetsu who is in his fifties looking for his 200th win and with a fastball that a fly literally rests on as it goes to the plate. In the final game of the season, he gets bombed but refuses to let them take him out. He is a legend and was once great. After the game he makes an announcement which everyone assumes will be his goodbye speech to baseball. Instead, he promises to be back the following year and the fans riot and try to beat him up. This is a harmless light comedy that has its charms and a lot of baseball. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLv4h5PNOU9g_JNbcyq-nSLcIYEaG9r0BDrZfhBCvLc5gCS6b82_EAiseMLD8pxgkucj0UmdPZpaxGpbRRf514sR7y1QFPT-Hc5d9Clb-4EUPGJWk2OV784nFlChElh3zf354EgL4vMvlIlyfx28bO5pgmRZW84HwfAnnpnM3UISXukvROJ1p/s719/Yakyukyao_no_uta5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="719" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLv4h5PNOU9g_JNbcyq-nSLcIYEaG9r0BDrZfhBCvLc5gCS6b82_EAiseMLD8pxgkucj0UmdPZpaxGpbRRf514sR7y1QFPT-Hc5d9Clb-4EUPGJWk2OV784nFlChElh3zf354EgL4vMvlIlyfx28bO5pgmRZW84HwfAnnpnM3UISXukvROJ1p/w640-h268/Yakyukyao_no_uta5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Tetsu says until they find another left-handed pitcher, he will keep playing. A scout finds one in high school. A girl. With a submarine delivery and a ball that moves like a flamenco dancer. Yuki is as cute as a button with legs that could double for straws. She has no real desire to go pro though especially as a woman where she knows she will get a lot of flack but Tetsu finally convinces her to at least come out and throw to him. He wants to see if she is really as good as she looked to him. When she strikes out the legend Katsuya Nomura (played by him), he knows she is the real thing. In her first game, she comes in as a relief pitcher with men on base and the game on the line.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07iwc-XN3ct_uq628dwBDSXvfV8BuNszzkjaOf4S0VktvXzncX6nnKhURg6ooyYpyjVH1TAgFitaqL3FJhXkuaoJiFf7lcGljxzRGplIhaXMvjZaoXHJ-tP9TeSL4rgivZMfMzVtLIDYgMA7Aq4urJvTv6g7cXybt2ol7eBfHUMKTtjpTSWp-/s718/Yakyukyao_no_uta4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="718" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07iwc-XN3ct_uq628dwBDSXvfV8BuNszzkjaOf4S0VktvXzncX6nnKhURg6ooyYpyjVH1TAgFitaqL3FJhXkuaoJiFf7lcGljxzRGplIhaXMvjZaoXHJ-tP9TeSL4rgivZMfMzVtLIDYgMA7Aq4urJvTv6g7cXybt2ol7eBfHUMKTtjpTSWp-/w640-h268/Yakyukyao_no_uta4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p> It's a sweet movie that is easy to drink down and will leave a good taste. Tetsu is played with nutty loud energy by Asao Koike who you generally see as a tough guy in Yakuza films - here he is a teddy bear. Yuki is played by Mieko Nobusawa who has a nice wind-up but isn't too convincing as a pitcher. She has mainly been a voice actress in anime - Summer Wars, Kiki's Delivery Service. Lee Joo-young is more convincing as a female baseball pitcher in the Korean film, Baseball Girl (2020).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IZfoKNoo7DoXEe_oNM2ZozbmhFIJrbB-g93X-nwhsrMyKTAg5qjZKPAqPX3OWhwuivie33hACbzNB8eoF3VPPg5OK5SzhFIf_Tn_8TfN41QXry-GdBg2Au_RBnKWT89sUZuSopl5e5mGlfFCB9IaRGHz_WWF5bJOSZbn6XunhRBpRqclJHLf/s715/Yakyukyao_no_uta2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="715" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IZfoKNoo7DoXEe_oNM2ZozbmhFIJrbB-g93X-nwhsrMyKTAg5qjZKPAqPX3OWhwuivie33hACbzNB8eoF3VPPg5OK5SzhFIf_Tn_8TfN41QXry-GdBg2Au_RBnKWT89sUZuSopl5e5mGlfFCB9IaRGHz_WWF5bJOSZbn6XunhRBpRqclJHLf/w640-h268/Yakyukyao_no_uta2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>The film is based on a manga by Shinji Mizushima that was published from 1972 to 1976 and then adapted into this live action film, an anime film and an anime TV series. Those follow the career of Yuki past where this film does.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-y_ztyHum05kW6R7clcj1_jSLeBv7Oh5acMcS7BGXPP0XU_Ujx0xKsxbRtkxs7oCurK7_CVpff5C0XP0wn2qkhQ0VLEDatRLUZcOVngbnba81m18jMU4h3-KUZ60A21WEkcf3HZ5UYzawnpwrz0370CrR8nC-9W-B0xRM7kgUVlxeqP6PzT8G/s710/Yakyukyao_no_uta3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="710" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-y_ztyHum05kW6R7clcj1_jSLeBv7Oh5acMcS7BGXPP0XU_Ujx0xKsxbRtkxs7oCurK7_CVpff5C0XP0wn2qkhQ0VLEDatRLUZcOVngbnba81m18jMU4h3-KUZ60A21WEkcf3HZ5UYzawnpwrz0370CrR8nC-9W-B0xRM7kgUVlxeqP6PzT8G/w640-h270/Yakyukyao_no_uta3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0