Red Riding Trilogy - Episode 1974 - Julian Jarrold - UK- (2009)

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259574/ 

Plot by Imdb: "A rookie journalist looks to solve the increasingly vexing case of a serial killer on the loose."

Whoa ! The Brits did it again ! This is one of the best hardboiled crime movie I've seen in ages. This is really giving you the creeps. Why ? Because of a vicious, evil serial murderer ? No. Because when a serial killer - raping, torturing and murdering little girls - is nowhere to be found, you KNOW, society is protecting him. I must say that the 70's feeling of this movie is really well done (in the vein of "Zodiac") and the acting is amazing. I wasn't sure about the main character at first, but with the movie growing darker and darker, he really convinced me. (he'll be in the next David Fincher).  This is a grim look at corruption in action. Not the "entertaining" one from Hollywood, the real one, the bloody fucking disgusting one. The one we don't talk about because we know, in our guts, that we'll be loosing our lives, messing with those people. So we shut the fuck up. And we go on with our life. Felt the same after watching this as after closing the book: "No Pockets in a Shroud " (1937) from Horace McCoy: RAGE !

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Trailer for the 1974  episode:

trailer for the all trilogy: 

Tokugawa irezumi-shi: Seme jigoku - Inferno of Torture - T.Ishii- (1969)

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0142920/ 

Plot from Nippon cinema: A farmer is forced to hand her daughter Nami off to the local prison warden to pay off a mounting debt. Stuck in the middle of two sexually torturous tattoo artists, Nami and other helpless women must endure her abuse until the Shogun puts an end to their immoral practices.

What should have been a sequel of "Joy of Torture", from the same director Ichii, a specialist in gore and sadism, is really a WIP movie with a strange comment on creation. Actually, apart from the others subplot,  like the one about the girl with a "chastity belt" the real central plot revolves around the "duel" between the two tattoo artists and their rivalry about a girl. But don't worry, you pervert maniacs, there is enough bondage torture and some slight gore here to keep you happy. Some aspects of this movie are really good: the sets (marketplace, the opium den), the interpretation and the overhaul production quality is top notch. Of course, there is also a few "out there" scenes, like the ones with two comical (sic) transvestites, that are amongst the imprisoned girls (soooo not funny) and the weird fluorescent tattoos defile at the end. 

If you like Pinku, S&M and Tattoo, you'll be delighted. Check it out !

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

trailer from Nippon Cinema:

If you wants to see some traditional tattoos from Japan (Irezumi), here is a nice video: 

 

Darkplace Episode 2- Hell Hath Fury - UK serie - (2004)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397150/ 

Witch series has a 9.2/10 on Imdb ?

Just discovered this ! It's pure genius ! The English are just the best !

(And for those you loved "IT Crow", you'll be happy to see Richard Ayoade aka "Moss"  again)

The Beast of War - Kevin Reynolds - USA - (1988)

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094716/ 

Plot from Imdb: During the war in Afghanistan a Soviet tank crew commanded by a tyrannical officer find themselves lost and in a struggle against a band of Mujahadeen guerrillas in the mountains. A unique look at the Soviet 'Vietnam' experience sympathetically told for both sides.

Quite unique harsh war movie. The good thing about this film is that it doesn't make you, yes you  - testosterone freaks, want to "join the military and live wild adventures". Oh noooo....It shows you the gruesome reality of war. Destruction of innocent village, torture, fights between men from the same side, a test to the limit of your inner morality. Very nice fights sequences & a very impressive production values for this quite unknown 80's war flick. Clearly a forgotten gem. One thing would have made this movie perfect: to have chosen a real Russian cast and to have stick with Russian language. The fact that they all speak English is weird in the movie (specially when the Afghans have kept their language + subtitles)...but, tragically, also premonitory. Check it out !

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

There's no trailer available, so here is an extract:

Du bi quan wang da po xue di zi - Master of the Flying Guillotine - Yu Wang - HK - (1975)

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072913/ 

Plot by Imdb: The one-armed boxer is stalked by a vengeful flying guillotine expert, after his disciples were killed in the first 'One-Armed Boxer' film...

One of the best kung-fu flick EVER ! Really funky & over the top all the way.

Not much of a storyline here, a revenge path, a bloodsport-like tournament and some crazy fights, HK style. The fun factor comes from the weaponry and the crazy 70's style of the movie. The main villain, the master of the flying guillotine, is really outrageously dressed, with a complete Buddhist monk robe, huge eyebrows (as usual), and a swastika sign  around his torso (this has not the same connotation for Asians as for Europeans of course, swastika is still used there as a religious symbol). The fights are nicely done, and quite entertaining, thanks to the different styles presented: Thai boxing, Indian Kalaripayattu (with extending arms !!!!), Mongolian wrestling, monkey kung-fu, Japanese sword-fighting, you name it !

Of course, the real heroe here is the Flying guillotine, apparently a real weapon used in the YongZheng era !

Nice treat for the 70's electro-rock fanatics, like myself, during the flashy opening credits, there is a crazy tune by NEI!, a german band that could be compared to Tangerine Dream...Of course,  the chinese producers had not purchase the rights and, due to complaints, it was removed in some later releases of the movie. (the US dvd version still has it). I choose a trailer with this music, because it was such a shock to me the first time I saw it. Enjoy !

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

The Mystery of the Leaping Fish - C. Cabanne & J.Emerson - Silent - USA - (1916)

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0007108/

Plot by Imdb: Coke Ennyday, the scientific detective, divides his own time in periods for "Sleep", "Eat", "Dope" and "Drink". In fact he's used to overcome every situation with drugs: consuming it to increase his energies or injecting it in his opponents to KO them. To help the police he discovers a contraband of opium (which he eagerly tastes) transported with "Leaping Fishes", and the blackmail of a mysterious man who wants to marry the "fish blower" girl. Will Coke be able to free the girl ? 

While Europe was busy killing half of its male population, Hollywood was high on cocaine, making crazy comedy about it. Great gem from the silent area, Douglas Fairbanks & Bessie Love + Todd Browning at the script...Nice to see that Hollywood was at that time already hooked on drugs...Not a great surprise to anyone, I guess. Great interpretation by Fairbanks, who is unstoppable as the junky detective and dance around like a madman, every chance he's got. Story really doesn't matter much, but some nice ideas and a real feeling of freedom in this movie. Really vintage wackiness....

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Die Antwoord - Fucked up HipHop from South Africa (with Progeria in it)

 (I humbly bow to the extreme weirdness of my lifelong best friend Alexis, who still manage to amaze me with his bizarre findings - helped by Jaimie in his quest of the insanely deviant. Thanks mates !)

Be afraid....Be very afraid...

The Ninja "hit":

Die Antwoord 

The Book of Orgasmo - 40 minutes Doc

A doc about "Orgasmo", the second movie from genius duo Matt Stone & Trey Parker ! Made my day !!

("whooo ! Assfuck twins !!")

part 1

part 2

part 3

part 4

For the fools out there, who have NOT seen this movie, here is the trailer (you HAVE to see it, if you want to go on reading my blog...I'm not kidding...It's like...mandatory.)