Can't wait for this Miike chambara remake:
Monday, October 04, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tony Curtis R.I.P
-The Vikings
- Some like it hot !
- Spartacus
- The Boston Strangler
- The Manitou
and dozens of others, good and bad alike.
Respect for a party animal that had a really "cool" attitude.
Below the final duel of richard Fleischer "The Vikings", one movie that traumatised me for life when I was a child, with Tony Curtis & Kirk Douglas:
Friday, September 17, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Dream Home - Ho-Chueng PAng - Hk - 2010 - trailer
Looking forward to watch the last Ho-Cheung Pang movie, with Anthony Wong !
I really enjoyed his previous movies: "You shoot, I shoot", "Men suddently in black" and "Exodus". All extremely original ones.
International trailer:
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Nikutai no Mon aka Gate of Flesh - Seijun Suzuki -Japan - (1964)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058409/
Plot by imdb: "After World War II, some Tokyo prostitutes band together with a strict code: no pimps, attack any street walker who comes into our territory, defend the abandoned building we call home, and punish whomever gives away sex (who falls in love). Maya, a young woman whose family has died, joins the group. Into the mix comes Shin, a thief who's killed a G.I. The women allow him to hide while recovering from wounds, but then he won't leave. Maya is drawn to him, discovering as she falls in love that she can feel again; she's now more fully human, but at the same time, she's endangered herself and her livelihood. Can she and Shin make it out of Tokyo to establish as a couple?"
A sexploitation plot, a realistic historical background, the pop/flashy colorful aspect of Seijun Suzuki frame composition, his desperate romanticism and his fascination for outlaw groups, in this case prostitutes, all these are turning this movie into an instant cult classic for me.
How can I describe how magnificent is the movie ? Just watch the trailer and the screencaps. It's mesmerizingly beautiful. Having been shot in the Nikkatsu studio with all the crafty technicians around and a comfortable budget allowed this very stylish director to fully control every aspect of his creation. It will go even further in his following works, "Tokyo drifter" & "Branded to kill", pop insanities disguised as yakuza eiga, leading to his firing by the Nikkatsu in 1968, supposedly for "making incomprehensible pictures". Those fucking dumb suits !
A wonderful dive into the dark underbelly of post-war Japan, a huge sense of desperation and bitterness is felt all along the movie, that really explains a lot about the generation of directors that emerge in the 60's: Suzuki, Fukasaku, etc.... Having lost their illusion on mankind in their childhood during the war, they went on making "genre" movies that were extremely cynical and quite desperate, but who showed an incredible vitality.
"Gate of flesh" is amongst those movies. A sense of constant emergency and at time, hysteria is only compensate by the inner feeling of the main characters that "there is more to life than this". "This" in that case is stealing, robbing, being a prostitute, etc... Anything that can make you survive in a desperate situation.
The cast is top notch, all the prostitutes having their own strong personality but the main roles belongs to Yumiko Nogawa and Jo Shishido (and his silicones cheeks), both great.
Another amazing piece of work from Suzuki and a movie that goes really beyond its exploitation genre.
Kiru aka Kill ! - K.Okamoto - Japan - (1968)
Plot by Imdb:"Two ronin - an ex-samurai and an ex-farmer - get caught up in a local officials complex game of murder and betrayal."
Technically impressive and beautifully framed, this classical tale of two extremely different characters, one disillusioned ex-samurai and a poor farmer wannabe samurai, being thrown into a local treacherous politics maneuvers, finds its originality in its constant humor and ironic comments on Japanese Medieval stereotypes. Kihachi Okamoto knew his craft well, having directed such Chambara classics as "Samurai" and the amazing "The sword of Doom" (both with Toshiro Mifune), and once again he delivers. Photography, framing, lightning, editing, etc, all technical aspects are excellent and should be praised but what really tops everything else are the actors performances. The two main characters are likeable and complex. They try to find their own way in the mist of the violent and erratic events happening all around them. Tatsuya nakadai, who'll be a Akira Kurusawa favorites many years later, is just wonderful in his depiction of a cynical character in search of his own way.
Apparently inspired by Sergio Leone and its Spaghetti western original style, the "comic book" approach is clearly visible here. Once again, a Japanese classic Jidaigeki happens to be a very special movie: a Chambara satire, hilarious, deep and exhilarating at the same time. Highly recommended for fans of the genre.
Trailer:
Monday, August 30, 2010
Rabid (also known as Rage) - David Cronenberg - Canada - (1977)
Plot by Imdb:"A young woman develops a taste for human blood after undergoing experimental plastic surgery, and her victims turn into rabid, blood-thirsty zombies who proceed to infect others, which turns into a city-wide epidemic."
Excellent follow up to "Shivers" and annunciating the little known masterpiece "The Brood", this vampire-zombies-virus paranoid movie is one of the gems from the early years of master David Cronenberg carrier. Low budgeted but already carrying all the ingredients of Cronenberg's obsessions: mutation, biological decay, contamination, social ostracism in front of a disease, society (or culture) seen as weak in front of biology, etc...The carrier is sexy pornstar Marylin Chambers, that pulls out a great performance and shows everybody that she can act with clothes on, as well. As she carries on spreading the virus, the weakness of human sociological behavior in front of a biological threat is more and more present until a chaotic final that is clearly shows that our society can fall into panic anytime, confronted to its very organic composition: us.
Then our only response for survival is a non-human one: extermination.
Incredibly modern in its themes, this Cronenberg movie will creep under your skin and make you unconfortable.
If you start spitting white mossy liquid and feeling enraged, it's too late.
Trailer:
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
SATOSHI KON R.I.P
SATOSHI KON
(1963-2010)
Maybe my favorite contemporary animation director.
Paprika (2006), "Paranoia Agent" tv series (2004), Tokyo Godfathers (2003), Millennium Actress (2001), Perfect Blue (1998). All cinema masterpieces. Full of poetry and intelligence.
He also was the scriptwriter of "warudo apatomento hora", the Otomo live directorial debut. He was working on "The Dreaming Machine".
It's a gigantic loss. He passed away at only 46 years old.
All animation fans are orphans today.
R.I.P
Okuyami moshiagemasu.
Okuyami moshiagemasu.
Perfect Blue:
Millenium Actress:
Tokyo Godfathers:
Paranoia Agent Tv serie:
Paprika:
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