HUMAN LANTERNS Movie and DVD Review

HUMAN LANTERNS (1982)

Rivals Lung and Tan have been at each other for years, trying to best the other in everything from martial arts skills to festival competitions. When Tan invites Lung to his home, only to show off what will be his entry in this year’s lantern competition, Lung is jealous and humbled. But when Tan brings out a local prostitute in front of Lung and his wife, who Lung has been secretly seeing, Lung is humiliated. Vowing revenge, Lung turns to a master lantern craftsman (Shaw Brothers legend Lo Lieh) to construct a lantern guaranteed to win the competition.

Meanwhile, a psychotic madman with a mastery over monkey-style kung fu has vowed to take away everything that is precious to Tan and Lung. Dressed in black and donning a skull mask, the madman begins to kidnap women including Tan’s sister and Lung’s wife. Tan and Lung at once begin to suspect each other, and bring in the local police to place blame on one another. The police begin to search for clues, hoping to find the women still alive, unaware the kidnapped victims have already been skinned alive to be used as material for the madman’s dazzling lanterns.

Mixing the expected incredible martial arts choreography that the Shaw Brothers are known for with the rising desire for macabre subject matter of the early eighties, director Sun Chung (THE SEXY KILLER, THE AVENGING EAGLE) along with co-writer Ni Kuang, who has written pretty much every worthwhile Shaw Brothers title since the mid 1960s, created what would become one of the studio’s most sought after cult films.

Starting with the shocking and seductive title, which also goes by the slight more descriptive Human Skin Lanterns, the film proceeds to deliver the goods with several jaw-dropping sequences in which the still living women are turned into raw material for lanterns while strung up in a fog-drenched torture chamber and workshop. Using clever camera angles, along with latex, flesh-toned fabrics and copious amounts of bright red food coloring, these sequences may even bring a grimace to those with a penchant for gore and horror. While the grotesque skinning is shown as much as it can, just enough is left not seen in order for a vivid imagination to fill in the blanks.

But for its alluring title and gory sequences, the film is much more in line with putting another notch in the Shaw Brothers’ martial arts belt than experimenting and expanding into horror. Lung and Tan, played by Liu Yung and Chen Kuan-Tai respectively, provide several fun one-on-one martial arts duels using classic Shaw Brothers choreography techniques. But it is the fight sequences that focus on the mystery madman that are surely the highlight of the film. His style, which emulates the movements of a wild monkey, is made all the more unreal by altering the film speed of the camera. By either slowing down or speeding up the movements, his attacks seem impossible to overcome, and merely toys with his kidnap victims and opponents until he is through having his fun.

Individually, the macabre horror and martial arts scenes are well done and left on their own provide great entertainment. But this is clearly a case where the parts are greater than their sum. Sun Chung often has difficulty switching between the vastly different styles, and the jarring editing at times feel like two entirely different films were used to create one. That being said, it is certainly nowhere close to ruining the picture, but perhaps a more thought out singular feel would have made the editing flow better and given fans and even greater movie.

Helping to give HUMAN LANTERNS its rise in cult status and infamy is due to the unavailability of an uncut print on any commercial format. Originally released in its entirety for its 1982 theatrical run in Hong Kong, subsequent VHS releases had much of the gore and nudity cut out. Even for its remastered release on DVD in 2003 by Celestial Pictures in Hong Kong, some of the most noticeable cuts remained and left fans more than a bit disappointed. But now, with the help of Image Entertainment through their Eastern Masters banner, the hunt is a thing of the past. Sporting extended footage of the these infamous scenes, this release is exactly what the fans have been waiting for.

Using Celestial Pictures remastered print, Image provides an anamorphic widescreen transfer with the original Mandarin soundtrack along with English and Spanish subtitles. The DVD features an interview with actress Shaw Yin-Yin, who recalls her days at Shaw Brothers and her time on the set of HUMAN LANTERNS. Also included is one of the skin peeling scenes with alternate footage cut in, as well as a selection of production stills. Finishing out the disc are a large assortment of classic martial arts and action movie trailers from Hong Kong.

HOLY VIRGIN VS THE EVIL DEAD (1991) Movie Review

HOLY VIRGIN VS THE EVIL DEAD (1991)

On the night that Shiang (Donnie Yen) and a small group of his female students are having a late night picnic, the moon turns red and from out of nowhere comes a man who quickly knocks Shiang out and attacks all of the girls. When Shiang awakes, he finds his students dead, and quickly becomes the main suspect in their murders. Local police inspector Chen takes up the case, and begins to follow Shiang around. When a second murder takes places, it happens in a small temple. Shiang and his private investigator friend do some research, and discover that temple is for worshipping a god in an ancient religion that in Cambodia.

Shiang and his group of friends head into Cambodia, in the search for the tribe that still worships this religion. They have also discovered that the man who attacked Shiang is actually the inhuman Moon Monster. Once in Cambodia, they cross paths with the Princess White, who has been charged by her tribe to kill the Moon Monster. They are on a tight deadline though, for when the New Year begins, the Moon Monster will regain all of its powers and become unstoppable. Will Shiang, Princess White, and their friends be enough to put an end to an army of machine-gun totting fanatics and the vicious flying Moon Monster?

In this everything-but-the-kitchen-sink Category III extravaganza, logic and taste are thrown out the window to make room for a hodge-podge of erotic-tinged fantasy, supernatural horror, insane action, wire-fu martial arts, and pure exploitation. This is classic Hong Kong entertainment, the kind where the plot seems to have been made up as the movie was being made, where action set pieces are placed at even ten-minute intervals, where crude sexuality is debased to even cruder comedy, and where the film title offers more to the imagination than the actual film. This is definitely not the kind of Hong Kong import that has any fear of being remade. Ever.

Donnie Yen, who is the star of this because of his name recognition, and not due to his screen time, plays a meek teacher until it is he is threaten. He gleefully pushes the stereotype that all Chinese know kung-fu, for his character is given no background as to why he knows how to do flying spin kicks and scorpion kicks. He just naturally does. The rest of the actors, if they can even be called that in a production such as this, also are well versed in advanced martial arts, and are proficient in operating machine guns as soon as they pick them up. Pauline Yeung, who was Miss Hong Kong 1987, as Princess White, is the films main source of charming eye candy (but who is the only female actress not to go nude) and holds her own as a female warrior. She glides through the air with ease and has at her command a host of magical spells. But it is Ken Lo, Jackie Chan's then bodyguard and cinema career bad guy, as Moon Monster who takes the cake. His Jon Bon Jovi and Joe Elliot inspired wardrobe, long flowing black hair, and snarling growl make his performance truly memorable.

Part of the charm of HOLY VIRGIN VS THE EVIL DEAD, apart from the fact that there are no holy virgins and no evil dead mentioned in the entire film, is the ludicrous low-budget nature. The special effects, including lightning bolts, energy beams, and glowing eyes, are literally painted on the frames in post-production. Quick and choppy editing allow the characters to fly or leap great distances. Sound and Image rarely sync up, as the soundtrack was created after principal photography. The English subtitles, which disappear half the time when there is too much white on the screen, include such zingers are "bastard, run you!" and "hold it or I'll shoot her to dead!" And the music score, composed of mostly synth-score snippets on repeat, sets a truly ridiculous tone. Even White Princess' sword has a diddy that gets played each time it is drawn.

Though stamped with the nefarious Category III, it avoids the truly nasty territory that many of its brethren would wallow in. Instead, director Wong Chun-Yeung is merely dancing with joy at the freedom of the rating that was new at the time, and seeing just how far he can go with it. He succeeds in creating a high watermark example of the what-the-heck-did-I-just-watch cinema which was pouring out of Hong Kong at the time. It is films like this, which have sadly been weeded out of Hong Kong as their moviemakers became more internationally conscious, that made Hong Kong the go to source for exciting, unique and over the top movies in the first place and gave Hong Kong its international appeal.

BLOOD BROTHERS Movie & DVD Review

BLOOD BROTHERS (2007)

In 1930s China, Fung (Daniel Wu) and two brothers Kang and Hu lead a quaint life in their hometown village. But with dreams of finding a better life, the naive trio head off to Shanghai with visions of success and wealth. There, Kang gets a job as a waiter in the Paradise Club, while Fung and Hu pull rickshaws. When Boss Hong, a shady movie producer who runs the Paradise, is caught up in a gang turf war, he sends Kang on a mission to rob a rival boss, who in turn brings along Fung and Hu.

Before the three friends realize it, they are swept up into Hong’s gang and turn to a life of crime and murder. Kang, a natural fighter, rises through the ranks quickly gaining power and respect. Hu, on the other hand, is unable to deal with the situation and turns to the bottle. Meanwhile, Fung becomes infatuated with LuLu, the club’s main entertainment attraction, who also happens to be Boss Hong’s girl. The pressure of the criminal underworld takes its toll on the trio’s friendship, but when Chen orders them to murder LuLu (Shu Qi) who has been having an affair, they will be forced to choose sides that will forever sever their bond.

Read my full review at The DVD Lounge!

TAI CHI MASTER Movie Review

TAI CHI MASTER (1993)

As children and later as young men, Buddhist monks Jun (Jet Li) and Chin were furiously inseparable at their monastery, and used their friendship and competitive natures to better each others teachings and martial arts skills. But when Chin’s rash temper leads to a brawl between all the monks, both Chin and Jun are banished from the monastery and sent out into the world for the first time. Their journey brings them into a nearby town, and no sooner do they arrive then they witness the power of authority that the local Governor has on the town.

Jun tries to help a few of the locals being bullied by the soldiers and later joins a growing underground rebellion including an alcoholic scorned by her husband (Michelle Yeoh). Meanwhile, Chin becomes obsessed with obtaining the wealth and power he sees being used by the Governor and joins the local military to begin his ascension toward greatness, but only finds himself corrupted by his desires. Now on opposite sides, Jun and Chin have become the worst of enemies. As Chin, who has now gained control of the military, seeks to crush the rebels once and for all, Jun makes a singular attack against Chin using his newly mastered technique of Tai Chi!

Read my full review on Geeks Of Doom!

INVISIBLE TARGET Movie & DVD Review

INVISIBLE TARGET (2007)

With a huge explosion, a bold heist in the middle of the day gets underway as a notorious criminal gang robs an armored truck in Hong Kong carrying millions. The bomb’s explosion and the ensuing firefight in the street leave scores wounded and several dead, including the fiancee of Detective Chan. After disappearing without a trace for six months, the gang returns just as mysteriously and begins killing those that were associated with the robbery. Chan, who has been patiently biding his time to get his revenge against the men responsible for his fiancee’s death, begins relentlessly pursuing the criminals through the underworld.

Meanwihle, a young rookie cop, Officer Wai, becomes caught up in the mess when it is discovered that his brother is now part of the murderous gang of thieves, and Inspector Carson lets the case get personal when the gang attacks his police division. Chan, Carson, and Wai create an unlikely and unbalanced alliance as they pursue the criminals, who they discover were double crossed after the robbery by the mastermind of the heist. The identity of the mastermind, who may just be a dirty cop, is unknown to even the gang’s leader, Tien, but he is going to discover who it is even if he has to destroy the entire police station to find out!

Read my full review on Geeks of Doom!

THE EYE 3 (aka THE EYE INFINITY) Movie Review

THE EYE 3 (aka THE EYE INFINITY) (2005)

When a group of friends from Hong Kong visit another friend, Chongkwai, in Thailand they are taken on a fun tour of Bangkok’s sights and sounds, but on their way back to Chongkwai’s house they see a person who had been killed by the side of the road. Morbidly fascinated by the death, the five friends begin to tell ghost stories, and that is when Chongkwai pulls out a book her purchased that goes through ten steps to actually see ghosts! The friends decide to try a few of the tricks out, and lo and behold, they are visited by ghosts from the Spirit World! Things take a turn for the worse, though, when one of their friends seemingly disappears during one of the ghost “games.”

Devastated by Gofei’s disappearance, the others return to Hong Kong, but the ghost games keep on going, and the horrified teens keep seeing spirits at every corner. Reluctantly, they return to Thailand where Chongkwai believes that they will have to go through all ten ghost games in order to make them stop. To the teens’ horror, the final game involves pretending to be dead in order to cross over to the Spirit World. Donned in funeral dressings, May and Tak boldly cross over to the other side, but what they discover will stay with them for the rest of their lives!

Read my full review on Geeks of Doom!

INTIMATE CONFESSIONS OF A CHINESE COURTESAN Movie Review

INTIMATE CONFESSIONS
OF A CHINESE COURTESAN (1972)

In the snowy mountains of China lies a brothel run by the iron-fisted Lady Chun, where girls who have been kidnapped are brought and sold into a life of sex and servitude. Among the latest batch of girls is the fiery and wild Ainu, who refuses to accept her ill fate and tries desperately to escape time and time again. Chun, whose reputation as a lesbian and a hater of men is legendary, becomes instantly infatuated with Ainu and uses all her resources to break her, including auctioning off Ainu’s virginity to a group of wealthy and salacious men.

With Ainu’s spirit finally broken and her newfound life accepted, Chun begins to bathe Ainu with lavish gifts and training in both pleasure and martial arts in hopes of winning her heart. While at first Ainu seems all to willing to accept her gifts and training, it is all in an effort to position herself so that she may unleash her brutal acts of revenge. Her first targets include the very men who bid upon her, but her ultimate plan includes bringing down Lady Chun using what Chun desires most - Ainu’s love. Her plan culminates with a desperate attack on the brothel using her newly mastered martial arts skill, and only when the snow-covered ground is stained red with blood will she feel satisfied!

Read my full review on Geeks Of Doom!

FLASH POINT Movie Review

FLASH POINT (2007)

Undercover officer Wilson is in deep with a trio of vicious Vietnamese gangsters who work out of Hong Kong smuggling drugs across the sea. Wilson’s partner, Ma (Donnie Yen), is a tough-as-nails cop who doesn’t hesitate to pick a fight when it comes time to bringing down the criminals. When the final bust goes down, Wilson’s identity is discovered, and he is soon targeted for assassination so that he cannot testify. When he survives the attack, Wilson’s girlfriend is kidnapped and held as ransom so that he won’t testify. Wilson buckles to their demands, and the case is thrown out due to lack evidence. But Ma isn’t going to let them walk away so easily and heads out into the streets knowing that one way or another justice will prevail!

Read my full review on Geeks Of Doom!

THE MAGIC BLADE Movie Review

THE MAGIC BLADE (1976)

Master swordsmen Fu and Yen must put aside their rivalry when the mysterious underworld figure Lord Yu begins sending a never-ending barrage of assassins and henchmen to kill the pair. Fu and Yen discover that Yu wants to have complete control over the swordplay world, and in order to do so must dispatch of the pair and then obtain the mythical and deadly Peacock Dart. Without a moment to lose, Fu and Yen team up and ride off into the night to get to the Peacock Dart first.

Their travels lead them through the lawless villages and roads of China, with assassination attempts coming at them left and right from a host of colorful killers. When Fu becomes separated from Yen, he must travel the final legs of the perilous journey to the Tien Wai Mansion alone. There, Fu is tempted with the most decadent of foods and women as a gift to enjoy on his last night on Earth, before facing off against five perfect killers and Yu himself!

Read my full review on Geeks Of Doom!

PTU Movie & DVD Review

PTU (2003)

In a single night on the quiet streets of Hong Kong, two policemen could very well have their lives changed forever. When the obnoxious and out-of-shape Sergeant Lo (Lam Suet) loses his gun after being jumped by a local youth gang, he panics at the thought of the consequences that follow. Sergeant Ho (Simon Yam), a friend of Lo’s and a leader of a local Police Tactical Unit, offers to help track the gun down with his team. As long as they can find it before the shift is over, they will not have to report the infraction.

The two go their separate ways, with Lo becoming more frantic as the hours tick away, even going so far as to buy a replica toy gun as a last resort, and coming under the thumb a local triad boss who Lo believes may have come into possession of the gun. The triad boss asks Lo to kill his main rival, and he will return the gun. Meanwhile, Ho and his team keep their calm and begin hitting up the low-end criminals of the area for information. And by that, Ho literally begins hitting up anyone who may have information as he dishes out some not-quite-legal persuasive techniques to get the information he wants. As the dawn hours slowly creep up, a meeting between the two rival triad leaders and Lo on Canton Street could lead to an all-out gang war, and Ho must decide to let the events play out, or step in with his team and intervene.

Read my full review on Geeks Of Doom!

PTU is currently available on Amazon.com

THE BANQUET Movie Review

THE BANQUET (2006)

It is 10th century China during the Five Dynasties Period. When the Emperor is murdered, his brother Li usurps the thrown and takes his wife Empress Wan as his own. Prince Wu, fearing for his life, and knowing that he will never have the heart of Wan, flees the palace and politics in favor of a life of theatre and song. Li fears that Wu will someday return and try to take the throne for himself, so he dispatches his loyal guards to assassinate him. Wan though, who was originally to marry Wu, sends her own dispatch to protect Wu. When Wu survives the assassination, he returns to the royal palace to face Li, who he believes is responsible for his father's death.

Upon returning, Wu finds a divided fracture of men who remain loyal to his deceased father and a royal court who are dedicated to Li in so much that they wish to keep their heads on their shoulders. As emotional tension rises, and with each party trying to get the better of the other through political trickery and dedication to traditions, Emperor Li forces Prince Wu into a position that he must accept, but will ultimately lead to his death. And with Wu believed out of the picture forever, Li confidently sets up a midnight banquet for his entire court against his chamberlain's warning that it is not an auspicious evening.

Taking on Akira Kurosawa's penchant for turning Shakespearian tragedies into period swordplay epics, debut writers Qiu Gang-Jian and Sheng He-Yu loosely adapt "Hamlet" into THE BANQUET, which is helmed by mainland China director Feng Xiao-Gang, who undertakes his biggest challenge yet with this monstrously epic production. While Feng's previous experience dealing with smaller comedies and dramas might give pause in his ability to pull off Qiu and Sheng's script, his main production team, many of whom are being reunited once again after their work on CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON and HERO, has more than enough experience and raw talent to cover any of his blemishes.

The first thing that pops right off the screen as The Banquet begins is the breathtaking beauty of the costumes and scenery courtesy of art director Timmy Yip, whose wonderful previous period work on CROUCHING TIGER and before that the turn-of-the-century ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA III gives him an edge in bringing the biggest set ever created in China to life. Yip's use of color and sweeping fabrics rivals even that of 2002's HERO, and the costume designs are utterly fantastic, even if they are not one hundred percent accurate to the time period. Yip's visual creations are complimented by composer Tan Dun, another veteran of Crouching Tiger, who once again turns to rolling drums and quiet strings to give the auditory presence a film like this requires.

One thing that will no doubt make or break this melodramatic tragedy for many is the first fight sequence which washes across the screen like a slow-flowing river shortly after the movie begins. Master martial arts choreographer Yuen Wo-Ping, along with his unstoppable stunt team, bring to the screen what can only be described as the bloodiest ballet ever committed to celluloid. With the assistance of cinematographer Zhang Li, Yuen Wo-Ping slows his fight sequence down to nearly one-half speed, giving each swing of a weapon, each connected kick, and each spray of blood a dreamlike feel. His choreography is beautifully complicated and orchestrated as only one with his knowledge can conduct. While the movements are beautiful to look at, the damage dealt is anything but, as the intense focus on weapons impaling their targets and the force of each blow is only magnified by the film's slower speed.

Yuen's choice to maintain this ethereal motif throughout the film is a bold choice, but one that sets his work here apart from much of his recent fare. While those that are used to seeing his fast and frenetic work in the likes of FIST OF LEGEND and DRUNKEN MASTER 2 or his work on U.S. productions may be disappointed with how slowly his fights play out, this artistic choice can only be described as a parallel to song numbers in a musical. Each fight is a much an mental attack as a physical one, and these master fighters have honed their skills to the point where this is the speed at which they channel that energy and express their emotions.

When the action takes a backseat to the unfolding drama, Feng continues to use cinematographer Li's long fluid sweeps to bring the characters' inner and external struggles to the forefront. As with any period piece, Feng lets each scene slowly unfold so that the sets and costumes can become supporting characters capable of enunciating what is happening. But it is Feng's choice in actors that gives the storyline its core strength. Zhang Ziyi, who plays Empress Wan (a role that was originally intended for Gong Li) performs with a regal power that is a necessity in making the character believable. This is certainly her toughest role yet, and her successful tackling of the character shows that she is becoming a great actress to continue watching. Her counterpart, Daniel Wu, equally breathes the necessary tragic melancholy needed for his Prince Wu to become believable.

While the connection to Hamlet in the most rudimentary sense automatically implies the story's ultimate tragedy, it is Feng Xiao-Gang's placement of all the pieces that creates this successful Eastern adaptation of a Western story.

Read about the movie's U.S. DVD release, which has been renamed LEGEND OF THE BLACK SCORPION, at Geeks Of Doom and pick it up on Amazon now!

THE ROYAL TRAMP Collection DVD Review

THE ROYAL TRAMP 1 & 2 (1992)

Political strife is dividing the current reign of China during the Ching Dynasty, as the Emperor believes that one of his top advisors Obai is planning to kill him, and the Society Of Heaven And Earth is plotting to overthrown the government and return power to the Ming Dynasty. Enter Wei Siu Bo (Stephen Chow), a charismatic and manic con man with no allegiance save to himself who has no martial art skills but has a mastery over wordplay. By fate and perchance, Bo is swept up by Heaven And Earth to infiltrate the palace and steal a book that contains the secrets which will allow the anti-government society to defeat the Emperor. Instead, Bo becomes friends with the Emperor and his sister. As secret attacks and double crosses plague the palace, Bo is able to take advantage of one situation after another to gain the confidence of the Emperor and uses his wit and dumb luck to maneuver out of one deadly situation after another. But he is unaware that there is yet another plot underway to take over rule of China, and that the saga of the Royal Tramp could be over just as quickly as it started!

Filmed back to back in 1992 by the highly prolific director Wong Jing, Royal Tramp and Royal Tramp 2 take their inspiration from the wildly popular serial story "The Duke Of Deer Mountain" that appeared in a Hong Kong newspaper, from which Wong Jing also wrote the screenplays. At the head of this incredible comedy and spoof on period dramas and wuxia martial arts epics is Stephen Chow, who has had his unique comedic style tailor woven into the scripts.

[Read my full review at Geeks Of Doom]

ELECTION 2 Movie Review

ELECTION 2
(aka TRIAD ELECTION) (2006)

It has been two years since the events of ELECTION, in which Lok (Simon Yam) battled for and won the seat of chairman in the Wo Shing Triad Society. Now it is time for a new election, and while Lok's godsons all vie for the position, it is Jimmy Lee (Louis Koo) who seems to be a shoe-in for the position. The only problem is, Jimmy doesn't want the title and is currently working on becoming a legitimate businessman in China. Even more so, the power of the chairman title has gotten to Lok's head, and he plans to defy tradition and make a power play to be re-elected.

When Jimmy makes a trip to China to try to finalize his new business venture, he is arrested by the police and forced into a very precarious situation - if he wants to continue doing business in China, he must win the election to be chairman so that they will have an inside connection. With dreams of still going legit, Jimmy agrees to make his bid as the next chairman. Jimmy soon realizes though that becoming chairman takes a lot more than just throwing money in the faces of those that would vote for him, and that Lok has no intention of simply giving up the title. It boils down to a battle of wits and perseverance, and only the one that is willing to shed the most blood will survive long enough to make it to election night.

Johnnie To returns to continue the saga of the Wo Shing Society and excels in every aspect from his original film with Yip Tin-Shing and Yau Nai-Hoi once again returning to screenwriting duty with a much more grand and attention grabbing storyline. All of the actors of the first film, those that survived to the end credits anyway, also return to step back into their character's shoes with strength and confidence.

Louis Koo, who held a supporting role in the original, now takes center stage as Jimmy Lee, in a role that seems somewhat inspired by Michael Corleoni in THE GODFATHER, as he fights to become free of the criminal element that created him so that he can lead a legit life with his wife and soon-to-be children. But the harder he struggles, the more the society clamps their fist around him. Koo's performance is incredible, and adds an electric current to the conflicted turmoil found in the script.

Returning with his lust for power as Lok is Simon Yam. Yam works as a polar opposite to Koo with a determined cool and a bottled rage that was seen in such evidence in the original. His character becomes all the fearful with his zen-like calm, as we know that at any moment, he could simply snap if he felt he was in danger.

Johnnie To, who has had a string of triad-based crime drama over the past few years, reaches the apex with ELECTION 2. He finds a perfect balance of his tried-and-true stoic long shots and visceral exposure of true violence to give his fans, as well as inquisitive newcomers, a one-two combination that can not be beat. Given the more dynamic script this time around, To is able to bring a more varied emotional energy to the screen, and with both Jimmy Lee's tumble into the chairman position, and Lok's young son taking his first steps into the criminal lifestyle, To hones in on the darkness that permeates the story.

A special mention must be made to the soundtrack that underscores almost the entire film. With heavy rumbling percussion and moody deliberate guitar string plucking, the music simultaneously recalls the notions of a pre-battle build-up to a fight where there is no winner and inevitable post-battle blood-stained recollection. It captures the tone of the desperate and tragic story, and is a key element that makes the movie work as well as it does.

While ELECTION 2 certainly references the first ELECTION and makes for a much more fulfilling experience in its character development and mirror scenes, it is not necessary to see the original. U.S. distributor Tartan Asia Extreme makes a bold decision to rename it TRIAD ELECTION (though the film credits retain the original title) as a way to disconnect it as a sequel so that it may stand on its own. Though it echoes the blatant re-titling seen by Miramax/Dimension in the 1990s and countless distributors before them, in their defense they do seem to have the film's best intentions at heart.

FATAL CONTACT Movie & DVD Review

FATAL CONTACT (2006)

Naive mainlander Kong, who is currently in Hong Kong making some extra money as a Peking Opera actor, is offered a lucrative deal by the local triad to fight in an illegal martial arts competition. Although Kong resists at first, he takes the opportunity after being convinced by Tin, one of his fellow performers that he secretly has a crush on. His first fight is a one-kick success, and he soon becomes indoctrinated into the gang, in the process making friends with one of the younger underlings, Captain, whose goofy persona is more than meets the eye.

With each successful bout, Kong gains more recognition as he defeats the tougher combatants in Hong Kong, while his new boss falls under the scrutinizing watch of a rival gangster who also deals in gambling and underground fights. These two triad bosses start exponentially increasing their wages in the fights, with Kong caught in the middle and unaware of just how deep he has gotten himself. He soon learns just how far down he's gone though, when he becomes one of six martial artists in a three-on-three "Street Fighter rules" competition that could very well end his life!

Read my full review at Geeks Of Doom

THE KILLER SNAKES (1974) Movie & DVD Review

THE KILLER SNAKES (1974)

Poor Zhihong has spent his entire life being beat up and humiliated, and now lives in squalor in one of Hong Kong's rundown neighborhoods. His only true friend is Xiujuan, a young woman who runs a street vendor stall. Zhihong is too shy to ask her out, and unbeknownst to him, she is equally too shy to ask him out. One night, a wounded snake from a delicacy restaurant next door, slithers into Zhihong's apartment. Zhihong nurses the snake back to health, and realizes that he has an almost telepathic connection to the snake. He soon rescues more snakes from certain death in the restaurant, and builds up an army of reptilian friends to confide in.
One day, while delivering food for his new job, a street gang attacks Zhihong and steals his monthly wages. His boss doesn't believe Zhihong's story and fires him. And on top of that, Zhihong is stood up by Xiujuan, whom he had asked out just hours before. He finally decides to get back at all those who have humiliated and beaten him, and sets out with his snakes in tow to kill them all! Soon, gang members and prostitutes are falling dead left and right, but how long will it take for the authorities to track the slayings back to Zhihong?

Read my full review at Geeks Of Doom

ROB-B-HOOD Movie and DVD Review

ROB-B-HOOD (2006)

Master thief and compulsive gambler Thongs (Jackie Chan) along with his womanizing criminal partner Octopus (Louis Koo) find themselves smack in the middle of Three Men And A Baby when their boss kidnaps a newborn that will be passed on to the grandfather for a fee of seven million dollars! Thongs and Octopus, who have no experience with babies, must watch over the tyke for a week until the arrangement is all sorted out, during which time the pair have to take a crash course in caring for an infant, avoid the suspicion of the local authorities, and deal with pesky triad debt collectors. But when it is finally time to turn the baby over, will Thongs and Octopus be able to put aside their newfound parenting instincts in return for the big payday?

Under the direction of Benny Chan, who may be best known in the west for his previous collaboration with Jackie on Who Am I and the Gen-X Cops series, Jackie shines through with his usual charismatic self. Though it takes Jackie almost an hour to get into the first fight sequence, it is great to see that the 53-year-old actor can still pull off some incredible aerial feats and go toe-to-toe with martial artists half his age. The choreography, which has been set up by Jackie and his stunt team, is as fluid as always and once again utilizes unique set-ups to their full advantage. Though there are a few wire cheats used to keep the actor safe, Jackie still gets away with a lot more on his home turf than he ever would in an American production, including the avoiding a two car collision and dodging multiple speeding trains on a spiraling rollercoaster. Despite Jackie's desire to become someone known as a great actor, the stuntwork and action sequences seen here are still the number one reason to keep tabs on him.

Read my full review at Geeks Of Doom.

THE FLYING GUILLOTINE Movie Review

THE FLYING GUILLOTINE (1974)

It is the Ching Dynasty. The Emperor has been routinely using his Manchu officers to oppress the Chinese people, and to kill any who oppose him. When he believes that two of his officers have betrayed him, he instructs one of his slaves to assassinate them. The slave creates a new weapon, the Flying Guillotine, which is thrown at the intended target and instantly decapitates him. The Emperor is so impressed that he creates a small group to master the weapon and uses these soldiers for his purposes.

Ma, one of these warriors, quickly shows his prowess with the weapon and gains favor with the Emperor. But he also has a rival, Xu, who is jealous of Ma. During their first mission, Xie is unable to assassinate his target, and Xu kills him in response. He also frames Ma, who is sympathetic toward Xie, and now Ma is on the run. When Ma arrives at a nearby town, he is aided in his escape from the following soldiers by a street performer, Yu Ping. Together, they escape from village to village, trying to stay one step ahead of Xu and his officers.

After several encounters, in which Ma is forced to use his martial arts and expertise with the Flying Guillotine to protect himself, Xu finally catches up. Ma knows that he can not run any more, and makes his final stand to protect Yu Ping and their son. Now it is guillotine against guillotine, and only one will keep their head!

From the Shaw Brothers studio in Hong Kong, which was the premiere powerhouse of kung fu cinema from the late 1960's through the early 1980's, comes this unique tale about an imaginary weapon. Chen Kuan-Tai, one of the A-list actors in the studio, plays Ma. His performance is what holds the storyline together, and he pays as much attention to the action scenes as he does showing his love for Yu Ping and his reluctance to use his killer training.

The action sequences in the film are a blast to watch, as the guillotines make their mark and splatter bright red blood everywhere. The editing here is a little choppy, but it can be forgiven as it is only through editing that the made up weapon can work and be made believable in the first place. The pacing is a little uneven as well. There is plenty of action in the beginning of the film and builds back up toward the end, but the middle becomes sluggish as the story gets sidetracked with political posturing.

Upon initial release, the film was not very successful, and as such this movie has fallen through the cracks of kung fu cinema. However, the weapon itself became the object of affection for fellow Chinese actor Jimmy Wang Yu, who incorporated it into his much more popular film THE MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE (1975). It is this movie that would bring about a brief infatuation with decapitation, and led to the demand for the sequel FLYING GUILLOTINE 2 (1978) and the unrelated film THE FATAL FLYING GUILLOTINE (1977).

THE FLYING GUILLOTINE is where it all started though, and is worth watching for the origin of the weapon. It is available from various outlets with the original Mandarin language and English subtitles, as well as an English Dub version.

DOG BITE DOG Movie & DVD Review

DOG BITE DOG (2006)

After a savage assassin named Pang (Edison Chen) enters illegally into Hong Kong and hits his target, the police respond with equal savagery as they tear into the night to find him once they realize that he is a Cambodian that has been raised to do nothing by fight and kill for his very survival. On the team is Inspector Ti (Sam Lee), who makes the case personal and focuses his very being on catching the assassin after an initial negotiation attempt turns deadly.

As the manhunt continues, and with each time the assassin successfully alludes capture, the police resort to rash unprofessional means to capture him that border on criminal. Ti himself becomes an animal as he bursts through the most seedy and disgusting shadows of Hong Kong trying to find information and pummeling anyone who might have some information. When he finally reaches his target, after witnessing his fellow officers murdered, Ti and Pang make their shocking and jaw-dropping last stand that could only be "made in Hong Kong."

Read The Rest Of My Review At Geeks Of Doom

DRAGON HEAT Movie & DVD Review

DRAGON HEAT
(aka DRAGON SQUAD) (2005)

When Panther Duen is apprehended and brought to justice, an international team of special agents are brought to Hong Kong to testify against him. During his transport to trial, Panther's police caravan is attacked, and in a military-style ambush, Panther is taken away. While at first it is thought that it was his triad who saved him, it becomes clear after inspecting the attack style and the aftermath in the criminal underground that Panther has been abducted instead. The agents that were only brought in to testify have now teamed up and storm the streets to figure out who is behind the brutal attacks. Commander Hon (Simon Yam) offers all the police back up he can, while Kong Long (Sammo Hung), who has been demoted to transportation supervisor, offers the team advice on what they are going up against. And what they are going up against is a team of ruthless mercenaries who will stop at nothing to collect the money that is owed them.

For pure balls-to-the-wall action that is going to satisfy your need for hails of bullets, there is still no other source more reputable than Hong Kong to turn to. Even in this day, where current films must live in the shadows of their predecessors, Hong Kong can still deliver the goods. Director and writer Daniel Lee, who was the force behind mid-nineties martial arts fare such as ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN '94 and BLACK MASK starring Jet Li, now focuses his lens and pen on the cops-n-criminals bullet fest genre. [Read My Full Review At Geeks Of Doom]

THE UNTOLD STORY (1993) Movie Review

THE UNTOLD STORY (1993)

In Macau, the discovery of some severed limbs in the bay begin an investigation by the local inept police department. Through sheer luck, they discover clues that lead them to the Eight Immortals Restaurant, and the cook/owner Wong Chi-Hang (Anthony Wong). They believe that Wong may be guilty of killing the family, and when they discover the shred of evidence they need, they arrest him, and through unrelenting police beatings, Wong finally submits and tells his tale. But what he tells them, which includes the horrific murders of the family, and what he did with the bodies, is beyond anything they are prepared to hear.

Deftly mixing extreme gore, shocking brutality, the blackest of humor, and lowbrow comedy that can only come from Hong Kong, writer/director Herman Yau cooks up a dish that is the perfect recipe for cult status. Most shocking of all, though, is that the tale of Wong Chi-Hang is based on a true story, which Yau investigated extensively to stay as true to the real events as possible. With the then newly created "Category III" movie rating in Hong Kong (the equivalent of NC-17), Yau was able to push his shocks further than any director previously could, and portray Wong's psychopathic acts without much fear of censoring. The results could make the unsuspecting queasy, nauseous , disgusted, and maybe even all three at once.

Yau, though, in his wisdom, realized that these vile actions need to be balanced, and so he concocted a bumbling, moronic and sex-crazed police force to act as a relief. The result is a little jarring to those unaccustomed with the Hong Kong comedy style, but it does make the film a little easier to swallow (no pun intended) and does make for some great bits. Try to think Beavis, Butt-Head, Jim Carrey and John Belushi all trying to work together to catch Ted Bundy or Ed Gein. It is a blend that inconceivably works, as if this were the rule to crime-horror writing, rather than the exception.

Upon its release, THE UNTOLD STORY was taken quite seriously. While such a film would have been relegated to some obscure direct-to-DVD release if made in America, in Hong Kong it was given praise, and even netted Anthony Wong a Best Actor Award for 1994. His complete metamorphosis into the deranged killer is mesmerizing, and the cruelty his is able to conjure up, while over-the-top, seems natural amongst the unbelievable things that happens during the course of the film.

For the horror fans out there, the blood and guts delivered in here are enough for two films, and rest assured, realism is attempted as much as possible (pig flesh stood in for the human close-ups). This can really only be recommended for those that want to get a physical reaction out of your cinematic viewings, or for those whose taste in comedy is so twisted and demented that the likes of SEVEN and SILENCE OF THE LAMBS made you laugh. If even a little of this review has given you pause (it is even more disgusting than the review implies), skip this one and head on to the next. Don't feel bad about it. But for those of uneasily turned stomachs and seekers of the bizarre, see for yourself just what has been told. Rest assured, after viewing, you'll never forget what you've just witnessed. Oh, and you may never eat Chinese food again.

THE UNTOLD STORY is currently available uncut on VCD from Bloodwave DVD. It features the original aspect ratio, Cantonese audio and English/Chinese subtitles. The print used is a little beat up but is quite watchable, and the subtitles, even though burned in, are usually very easy to read.