belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
126 mins directors cut
What DVD / Video did you watch last night? (pt3)
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TruXta
tired
It did get better, but yeah, massively overhyped in a way that reminded me of Argo last year (or the year before?), both decent films but by god shut up already.
Pol Bishop
New Member
Recently watched The Butler with Forest Whitaker. It's a great movie with nice historical references, I recommend it to all.
Idris2002
canadian girlfriend
rekil
to menny cranks
.
I thought it was shit. A poor pastiche with a laboured story arc. Adams was out of her depth and is there a greater ham than Bale?
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
He's great in the right role. Equlibrium. He was a crap batman and shit in terminator as well
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
and Machinist, Prestige, 3.10 to Yuma
Cant decide if I want to see Hustle, looks annoying but entertaining. I'll probly see if its still on in a couple of weeks and kill an afternoon with it
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
I re-watched 'Something from nothing: the art of rap' because my brother was wanting to see it and came visit.
depressingly, he kept pointing out how old the rappers of our yoot now are
depressingly, he kept pointing out how old the rappers of our yoot now are
Thought 3:10 to Yuma was a brilliant Western.
DexterTCN
Troy and Abed in the morning
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
First time I've seen Drag Me To Hell. A minor gem.
MellySingsDoom
Decimated by the shrapnel of his rhetoric
Three The Hard Way (1974) - dir. Gordon S Parks - Blaxploitation epic which involves three fighting experts (Jim Kelly, Fred Williamson and Jim Brown) taking on a gang of white supremacists who intend to poison the US water supply in a way that only kills blacks. There's plenty of action along the way, and there's also a trio of topless, leather trouser clad ladies, who interrogate one the white supremacists with much kicking ass. There's the (inevitable) love scenes, and the action ramps up even more as we see the white supremacists gathering together (including activists dressed in what can only be described as Sturmabteilung uniforms from Milletts), and just when you think they're going to get away with it, in come our heroes to dispense martial arts justice once and for all.
This is a film I've wanted to see for years, and it certainly didn't disappoint. There's great performances from the leads (Jim Kelly has an especially fine presence), more action than you can shake a stick at, and the plot moves along nicely. Although the script is a bit ridiculous at points, it's overall believabe and is structured well. Park's direction ensures that there's never a boring moment, and delivers a cracking film on all fronts.
Surprisingly, it appears that Gordon S Parks has only directed 4 films (including 1972's "Superfly") - I wonder why his career came to an end so soon? Nevertheless, "Three The Hard Way" is a definite highlight of the Blaxploitation genre, and comes highly recommend to all film lovers.
This is a film I've wanted to see for years, and it certainly didn't disappoint. There's great performances from the leads (Jim Kelly has an especially fine presence), more action than you can shake a stick at, and the plot moves along nicely. Although the script is a bit ridiculous at points, it's overall believabe and is structured well. Park's direction ensures that there's never a boring moment, and delivers a cracking film on all fronts.
Surprisingly, it appears that Gordon S Parks has only directed 4 films (including 1972's "Superfly") - I wonder why his career came to an end so soon? Nevertheless, "Three The Hard Way" is a definite highlight of the Blaxploitation genre, and comes highly recommend to all film lovers.
MellySingsDoom
Decimated by the shrapnel of his rhetoric
Taste Of Fear (aka Scream Of Fear) (1961) - dir. Seth Holt - A wheelchair-bound woman (Susan Strasberg) returns to her father's estate, but keeps seeing her father dead, to her horror. The woman slowly begins to unravel, as her stepmother and her doctor father's friend plot to send her further over the edge. Eventually, she is killed, and it seems that the stepmother has got away with it. However, a doppelganger appears, who is not disabled, and the tables are turned on the stepmother, who meets an untimely end into a rock-strewn sea just as the law is closing in on her.
This is an impressive effort from the Hammer Films stable. There's a sense of dreas and suspense as the film progresses, and Strasberg cuts an impressive figure as the wheelchair-bound victim of circumstance. The stepmother (Ann Todd) comes across as suitably malevolant, and realises only too late what her fate entails. There's a fairly brief appearance by Christopher Lee as Doctor Gerrard, and he doesn't have quite the presence that he's capable of in other films of this genre. A decent script is supplied by Jimmy Sangster, and Seth Holt's direction allows the tension to build as the film progresses to it's twist-end climax. Although the film is shot in black and white, it adds to the overall atmosphere, and certainly looks great and suits the film.
Overall, a worthwhile entry into the Hammer stable, and definitely recommend to fans of atmospheric horror.
This is an impressive effort from the Hammer Films stable. There's a sense of dreas and suspense as the film progresses, and Strasberg cuts an impressive figure as the wheelchair-bound victim of circumstance. The stepmother (Ann Todd) comes across as suitably malevolant, and realises only too late what her fate entails. There's a fairly brief appearance by Christopher Lee as Doctor Gerrard, and he doesn't have quite the presence that he's capable of in other films of this genre. A decent script is supplied by Jimmy Sangster, and Seth Holt's direction allows the tension to build as the film progresses to it's twist-end climax. Although the film is shot in black and white, it adds to the overall atmosphere, and certainly looks great and suits the film.
Overall, a worthwhile entry into the Hammer stable, and definitely recommend to fans of atmospheric horror.
MellySingsDoom
Decimated by the shrapnel of his rhetoric
Ninjas, Condor 13 (1987) - dir. Kuo-Ren Wu - This is a Hong Kong ninja/action epic, which features an evil dude ("Lucifer") being pursued by an aggrieved former minion of his. He's joined by a charismatic black guy, who later turns out to be a police officer, and both of them pair up to take on all comers. After much chasing around and fighting, "Lucifer" is eventually offed, and the former minion and his lady are told to take a hike by the police officer, who suddenly doesn't want to know them.
To describe the "plot" of this would take some doing - ninja fights break out at random, and in all sorts of places. Often the ninja scenes have little to do with the actual plot, and seem to have been shoehorned in at moments when the pace/plot is sagging away. "Lucifer" resembles BBC journalist Gavin Esler, and has about the same amount of charisma. There's a hair-raising chainsaw scene 20 minutes into the film, a fight in an ice rink, and the final ninja showdown has nothing to do with the film's climax. People blow up at random, there's much flinging of ninja stars, and some OK gore sequences are present as well.
'The only "name" actor in this is Alexander Lo Rei - the other actors are either assumed names or aren't listed at all in the credits. The script for this is the work of one Godfrey Ho, of whom more later in my next review. The print of the film under review was in a fairly OK state, and seems to have been sourced from the film itself, as opposed to a VHS transfer. The music that accompanies the film is pretty generic 80's stuff, and the dubbing is quite a work in itself. Performances overall are pretty whacked out, and the direction could best be described as a bit chaotic.
This film was my first exposure to the "Ninjasploitation" genre, and for all it's baffling elements, it remains a highly entertaining work of Hong Kong action cinema. It's definitely put me in the mood to see more of this sort of thing.
To describe the "plot" of this would take some doing - ninja fights break out at random, and in all sorts of places. Often the ninja scenes have little to do with the actual plot, and seem to have been shoehorned in at moments when the pace/plot is sagging away. "Lucifer" resembles BBC journalist Gavin Esler, and has about the same amount of charisma. There's a hair-raising chainsaw scene 20 minutes into the film, a fight in an ice rink, and the final ninja showdown has nothing to do with the film's climax. People blow up at random, there's much flinging of ninja stars, and some OK gore sequences are present as well.
'The only "name" actor in this is Alexander Lo Rei - the other actors are either assumed names or aren't listed at all in the credits. The script for this is the work of one Godfrey Ho, of whom more later in my next review. The print of the film under review was in a fairly OK state, and seems to have been sourced from the film itself, as opposed to a VHS transfer. The music that accompanies the film is pretty generic 80's stuff, and the dubbing is quite a work in itself. Performances overall are pretty whacked out, and the direction could best be described as a bit chaotic.
This film was my first exposure to the "Ninjasploitation" genre, and for all it's baffling elements, it remains a highly entertaining work of Hong Kong action cinema. It's definitely put me in the mood to see more of this sort of thing.
MellySingsDoom
Decimated by the shrapnel of his rhetoric
Ninja Thunderbolt (1984) - dir. Godfrey Ho - This is another entry into the Ninjasploitation stakes, and the plot is almost impossible to describe, though it involves a ninja leaving his master's gang and seeking revenge in time honoured fashion. There's all sorts of fighting action going on here, including an improbable scene of ninjas giving chase on roller skates. There's also a skiing sequence which seems to bear no relation to the rest of the film. There's one sex scene which gets very fruity indeed, until it's swiftly cut away from. I found it so hard to keep up with what was going on, I had trouble understanding the ending - the ninja master battling it out with a female ninja (who I don't remember being present much at all previously).
Whilst remembering the plot is a very difficult one in this case, "Ninja Thunderbolt" sure had an effect on me. The endless ninja fighting, random exposition scenes, and very disjointed structure make it a psychotronic film par excellence. A bit of research has revealed that Godfrey Ho directed many Ninjasploitation and Hong Kong action films during the 1980's, and has a devoted following to this day.
As far as uncategorisible films go, this is up there with the works of exploitation directors such as Jesus Franco. Godfrey Ho has been compared to Ed Wood Jr in some places, and although I'm new to the world of Ho, you can see a similar aesthetic at play in places. I really do want to see more of Godfrey Ho's films, as he seems to be capable of coming up with brain-blasting films at their most whacked-out.
Whilst remembering the plot is a very difficult one in this case, "Ninja Thunderbolt" sure had an effect on me. The endless ninja fighting, random exposition scenes, and very disjointed structure make it a psychotronic film par excellence. A bit of research has revealed that Godfrey Ho directed many Ninjasploitation and Hong Kong action films during the 1980's, and has a devoted following to this day.
As far as uncategorisible films go, this is up there with the works of exploitation directors such as Jesus Franco. Godfrey Ho has been compared to Ed Wood Jr in some places, and although I'm new to the world of Ho, you can see a similar aesthetic at play in places. I really do want to see more of Godfrey Ho's films, as he seems to be capable of coming up with brain-blasting films at their most whacked-out.
Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
Enemy At The Gate.
Why is it always acceptable, when they need to have characters who would irl speak a foreign language, to use British actors?
All the Russians have British accents. It seems normal somehow. Bob Hoskins is Krushchev, for God's sake.
I was watching a show set in Scandinavia. Same thing. All British accents. You look at them, and because they're speaking with a British accent, you start to believe that they're Swedish.
Or Romans. Romans always have British accents.
Certain countries, no, though. A Spaniard in a movie will never have a British accent. Germans, yes. Italians, no. Even Chinese, sometimes: think of Fu Manchu.
Why is it always acceptable, when they need to have characters who would irl speak a foreign language, to use British actors?
All the Russians have British accents. It seems normal somehow. Bob Hoskins is Krushchev, for God's sake.
I was watching a show set in Scandinavia. Same thing. All British accents. You look at them, and because they're speaking with a British accent, you start to believe that they're Swedish.
Or Romans. Romans always have British accents.
Certain countries, no, though. A Spaniard in a movie will never have a British accent. Germans, yes. Italians, no. Even Chinese, sometimes: think of Fu Manchu.
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
It's fucking pants
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Nah. For a low rating horror film, it's pretty good and manages to be gross without really being violent. There are a few ED2 style moves (particularly in the seance scene) and the lady in it is hot.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
The Prophecy
Walken on top form.
Walken on top form.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
It's quite astoundingly racist
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Being a film doesn't make it not racist.
Calling out racism is fair comment.
Calling out racism is fair comment.
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