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Spoilers What Movie Are You Watching?
- Thread starter Huntn
- Start date
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Now I have several unopened Shaw Brothers films I haven't gotten to yet, and what do I do? Watch previously viewed titles, including my favorite SB film.
Naval Commandos, The Deadly Breaking Sword and Human Lanterns.
This'll probably be the last time I watch HL for awhile as I am presently in a retreat from bleak horror films mindset. It's a great movie but I am finding the more I watch, the more I have to be in the mood for it and other titles.
DBS - goes without saying. I love the lead and his surviving adversary, sure there's some silly choreography but those two characters are just awesome.
Naval Commandos - while most of the cast are one note whisper thin characters, I still sob when Ti Lung's Captain goes down with his ship and smirk at David Chiang's expertly staged bull stuff on the Japanese. I think if they exercised the opening 8-9 minutes and cut right to the Naval board meeting it probably would have helped the pace a bit more. I don't know how Chang Cheh went from from the awesome of staging Shaolin Temple (and introducing the Venoms boys as Ti Lung, David Chiang and Fu Sheng were being phased out) to this but...
--
As I said with bleak horrors it is becoming harder for me to watch these days, a trend I notice as I try to watch content that is more positive and fun (the mind space I want to be in). I was initially psyched beyond belief that my seemingly favorite Michele Soavi horror, The Sect is finally being released properly next month; but after finding the English dub on YouTube the other day, I promptly cancelled my pre-order. Seems that my memory of the film held it in higher esteem than the actual movie. Still, this innocent-woman-births-the-antichrist tale has many arresting and garish visuals (especially the late in the game resurrection ritual which is crazy). Again, another really good movie, rather strange and creepy... but even with the upbeat and very surprising ending, it's one I'll have to be in the mood for. So I'll wait for the sales on the blu ray.
Naval Commandos, The Deadly Breaking Sword and Human Lanterns.
This'll probably be the last time I watch HL for awhile as I am presently in a retreat from bleak horror films mindset. It's a great movie but I am finding the more I watch, the more I have to be in the mood for it and other titles.
DBS - goes without saying. I love the lead and his surviving adversary, sure there's some silly choreography but those two characters are just awesome.
Naval Commandos - while most of the cast are one note whisper thin characters, I still sob when Ti Lung's Captain goes down with his ship and smirk at David Chiang's expertly staged bull stuff on the Japanese. I think if they exercised the opening 8-9 minutes and cut right to the Naval board meeting it probably would have helped the pace a bit more. I don't know how Chang Cheh went from from the awesome of staging Shaolin Temple (and introducing the Venoms boys as Ti Lung, David Chiang and Fu Sheng were being phased out) to this but...
--
As I said with bleak horrors it is becoming harder for me to watch these days, a trend I notice as I try to watch content that is more positive and fun (the mind space I want to be in). I was initially psyched beyond belief that my seemingly favorite Michele Soavi horror, The Sect is finally being released properly next month; but after finding the English dub on YouTube the other day, I promptly cancelled my pre-order. Seems that my memory of the film held it in higher esteem than the actual movie. Still, this innocent-woman-births-the-antichrist tale has many arresting and garish visuals (especially the late in the game resurrection ritual which is crazy). Again, another really good movie, rather strange and creepy... but even with the upbeat and very surprising ending, it's one I'll have to be in the mood for. So I'll wait for the sales on the blu ray.
I fullheartedly agree there! Not watching that many movies nowadays anymore but I rarely "jump" into one without absolutely being in the mood to do so - I've been way more forgiving/adventurous before.
Saw two haunted house flics lately: The Legend of Hell House (`73) and The Haunting (`63). Waiting for The Innocents to arrive.
Both movies share the same premise: a team of four people enter a supposed to be haunted house to examine it scientifically and prove a hoax. While sharing that premise the ecexution is vastly different but imo equally interesting: The Haunting is extremely slow and of the "the less you show the more frightening it gets" kind. More of a psychological study with its real creepiness found in-between the lines or after you thought about it for a while. The Legend of Hell House is far more bold, although its graphic content is rarely used but the atmosphere is just great! And while the other haunted house is just called "Hill House" this one truly goes for its "Hell House" depiction. Love it!
Made me also order the book "Hell House" it is based on (Matheson was also writing the script and screen-play for the movie).
@kazmac : do you know the Shaw B's Hex by the way? Any good?
I fullheartedly agree there! Not watching that many movies nowadays anymore but I rarely "jump" into one without absolutely being in the mood to do so - I've been way more forgiving/adventurous before.
Saw two haunted house flics lately: The Legend of Hell House (`73) and The Haunting (`63). Waiting for The Innocents to arrive.
Both movies share the same premise: a team of four people enter a supposed to be haunted house to examine it scientifically and prove a hoax. While sharing that premise the ecexution is vastly different but imo equally interesting: The Haunting is extremely slow and of the "the less you show the more frightening it gets" kind. More of a psychological study with its real creepiness found in-between the lines or after you thought about it for a while. The Legend of Hell House is far more bold, although its graphic content is rarely used but the atmosphere is just great! And while the other haunted house is just called "Hill House" this one truly goes for its "Hell House" depiction. Love it!
Made me also order the book "Hell House" it is based on (Matheson was also writing the script and screen-play for the movie).
@kazmac : do you know the Shaw B's Hex by the way? Any good?
I've seen all of those and the Innocents was on TCM this past weekend. I haven't read Hell House though (I hear it is great).
88 Films are now releasing Shaw Brothers films either on blu ray or a combo (dvd / blu), Hex is alright. Not quite as gross as Black Magic 1 and 2, or the SB horror films that would come after it: Boxer's Omen (gosh I nearly puked watching that, no fun), Seedling of a Ghost (which 88 will be releasing in January).
A bit more on Hex, this was before the utterly crazy go for completely broken and very gross SBs mentioned above. As bonkers as Bloody Parrot was (in a completely WTF way with an occasional gross out moment - the cannibal), I'd still rather sit through that again than these more extreme Shaw horrors.
So far the only 88 SB title I can 1000% recommend is, Five Elements Ninjas. I will be picking up House of Traps too because my exposure to that on 35mm made me really appreciate and enjoy the movie.
Black Magic despite having my beloved Ti Lung on board, is rather mean spirited and can get gross (and for someone whose sat through Fulci, Umberto Lenzi and Argento) that these SB horrors gross me out is saying something. They will also be releasing another Venoms title, Masked Avengers which isn't one of my favorites but gorehounds seem to love due to the violence levels (and to wit, far more extreme traps than in the subsequent film and last Venom film, House of Traps).
Since 88 tend to release trash along with gore, the SB I hope they release include Sexy Killer, Lady Exterminator (which would be great), Mercenaries from Hong Kong (which is so stupidly macho and OTT it's perfect. So much fun).
Yes this became a bit more longwinded than you probably wanted. Sorry.
Nope. Right up my alley.
Keep 'em coming!
Okay, so long post short:
88 films shaw brothers releases:
Five Elements Ninjas = Buy. You will revisit this one, it's so OTT ridiculously fun and the gore is hilarious. Plus, Chan Wai Man rules as the king of the ninjas: Such a great villain and a supreme bada$$ with the naginata (well he's a supreme bada$$ anyway...but give that man a bladed weapon and run...far...away.)
Hex = Pass.
Black Magic = Pass.
Masked Avengers = Pass.
House of Traps - Maybe. If you can roll with some fun political intrigue, not quite a house as ominous as the title claims (though there is some gore) and long stretches before the three of the four Venoms cut loose in the finale, well then yes.
Wait a minute!? Is this a Shaw Brother's haunted house flic?! lol
Thanks for the recommendations, kazmac!
Next stop: Let's see if they are even available around these parts...
Wait a minute!? Is this a Shaw Brother's haunted house flic?! lol
Thanks for the recommendations, kazmac!
Next stop: Let's see if they are even available around these parts...
Most are not available yet. Hex was released, Black Magic is due next week. Five Elements Ninjas was pushed back to late November. You can pre-order Five Elements though for 8.99 through Amazon.co.uk. Hex is also available at that price, but for some reason the light on extras Black Magic is 14.99 at Amazon.co.uk and the same price at 88 Films site.
Not sure when House of Traps and Masked Avengers were due to be released but Seeding of a Ghost (by the way, pass) is some time in January.
House of Traps is not a haunted house film, but a sadistic booby trapped house where the priceless stolen objects the lead villain had thieves procure for him (as a long road of vengeance) are kept. Anyone who tries to get those objects must run through a gauntlet of spikes, blades, archers etc. The house is pretty creaky though (fx not executed as well as they could have been, but SB had to account for their actors safety (for once.))
I forgot a couple of more titles 88 are due to release, but I think one of them might be Killer Constable which is a great drama / wuxia but way too bleak for me. It's one of the few SB films that really feels like a Japanese film mixed with the primary color cinematography of Bava and Argento. Beautifully shot and the lead actor is terrific, but...not something I'd own beyond digital. Many, many people would disagree with me though. It is a much loved SB film.
Me, I am waiting for Film Arts / GMBH in Germany to release the blu ray of Wu Ma's The Heroes (the german title has Kobra in it, but I can never remember the German titles for these films); The Heroes is a Shaw Brothers movie in everything but name and budget (that doesn't stop Ti Lung and Chan Wai Man from being awesome, especially in the final fight. Another awesome villain from CWM (and his look here is another super villain type - so cool.)
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Westworld - awesome premise, ok-ish execution but Yul Brunner makes it a keeper. 7.5/10
I stand by my comment that the movie is a bit too short (85min) for conventional standards - so the build-up takes too long (imho just right) but leaves little time for the conflict and its resolution, which is hence a bit rushed and makes it overall feel a bit imbalanced. I say conventional because it is somewhat a nice change of unexpected pace and adds some kind of frenzy to it.
On a side note: Brolin looks like Christian Bale's twin brother!!
I stand by my comment that the movie is a bit too short (85min) for conventional standards - so the build-up takes too long (imho just right) but leaves little time for the conflict and its resolution, which is hence a bit rushed and makes it overall feel a bit imbalanced. I say conventional because it is somewhat a nice change of unexpected pace and adds some kind of frenzy to it.
On a side note: Brolin looks like Christian Bale's twin brother!!
White Vengeance (2011) - pretty usual assassin defects to the other side period story, but Andy On was particularly good as the assassin. Director Daniel Lee is only one of two modern Chinese directors whose work I've enjoyed because of his lush visual style, old school stories, and yes, insistence on using older actors including some of my Shaw faves in key roles. He also always inserts some of kind of grounded fighting in his period films as well (and goes presumably bonkers in his wuxias); overall his work feels like a modern styled Shaw Brothers film as a total package. Not every film has been good (14 Blades suffers from a horribly wooden performance by Donnie Yen* and the only character who was interesting was Chen Kuan Tai's awesome Moon Water Monk assassin), but I have a real soft spot for Three Kingdoms Resurrection of the Dragon and I liked this film a lot too.
*While I am okay with Donnie as a martial performer, the more I watch of his work the less compelling he is an actor so I honestly no longer care that he's in Rogue One.
I haven't seen Daniel Lee's latest two, so I hope he's still casting some old school folks, but White Vengeance was a solid period drama with some fighting.
And I capped that off with another screening of Three Kingdoms Resurrection of the Dragon (2008). Well of course Ti Lung as Guan Yu (perfect casting that should have been done decades prior) and Yueh Hua as a stoic Liu Bei are pretty darn great. I can take or leave Andy Lau, but he and Sammo Hung were believable here as blood brothers. Sammo's fighting is far more grounded here than it has been in recent years. I've come to really enjoy this (well okay I love the scenes with Ti and Yueh and enjoy the rest). The costume & make up design is terrific too.
*While I am okay with Donnie as a martial performer, the more I watch of his work the less compelling he is an actor so I honestly no longer care that he's in Rogue One.
I haven't seen Daniel Lee's latest two, so I hope he's still casting some old school folks, but White Vengeance was a solid period drama with some fighting.
And I capped that off with another screening of Three Kingdoms Resurrection of the Dragon (2008). Well of course Ti Lung as Guan Yu (perfect casting that should have been done decades prior) and Yueh Hua as a stoic Liu Bei are pretty darn great. I can take or leave Andy Lau, but he and Sammo Hung were believable here as blood brothers. Sammo's fighting is far more grounded here than it has been in recent years. I've come to really enjoy this (well okay I love the scenes with Ti and Yueh and enjoy the rest). The costume & make up design is terrific too.
Thor: The something something. It was loud, explosions, blah. Natalie Portman. The guy playing Loki. The other guy playing Odin. I'm sure it was great. I could not get into it at all.
hahaha, well I felt the same way after realizing how awful this series is (despite thinking Hemsworth is perfect for the character).
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)- Love this con movie and have lusted after the featured villa since 88. Guest appearance by Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).
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