What ELSE (other than KUNG FU) has everyone been watching?

[DrNgor]

4 minutes ago, Drunken Monk said:

The whole film feels like Fulci trying to crowbar as much bush as he can into 90 minutes. He's obviously bending his craft to some kind of audience. I'm just not sure what that audience is.

This is generally considered to be the hands-down sleaziest giallo (or Italian horror film in general) of them all, beating out Strip Naked for your Killer and The Stendahl Syndrome, in which Dario Argento filmed his own daughter getting raped.

[Drunken Monk]

39 minutes ago, DrNgor said:

This is generally considered to be the hands-down sleaziest giallo (or Italian horror film in general) of them all, beating out Strip Naked for your Killer and The Stendahl Syndrome, in which Dario Argento filmed his own daughter getting raped.

I can see why it wears that crown. It's a horribly misogynistic piece of cinema that doesn't really have any redeeming qualities.
I think I've discovered two things recently: I'm not a fan of giallo movies and I'm not a fan of Italian sleaze. Shit, I might not be a fan of sleaze at all. 

[DrNgor]

7 minutes ago, Drunken Monk said:

I'm not a fan of giallo movies

I like some giallo movies, but they have some messed-up psychology to them. Slashers tend to be straight forward: revenge as a motive, the sex is generally consensual (if punishable by death), there's usually a Final Girl who fights back at the end. German Krimi films usually have a logical motive, usually revolving around greed. With Italian films, the repressed emotions and sexuality of growing up in a conserative Catholic society seems to embrace their liberty in the most bizarre, sleazy ways possible.

Edited April 9, 2021 by DrNgor

[Drunken Monk]

3 minutes ago, DrNgor said:

I like some giallo movies, but they have some messed-up psychology to them. Slashers tend to be straight forward: revenge as a motive, the sex is generally consensual (if punishable by death), there's usually a Final Girl who fights back at the end. German Krimi films usually have a logical motive, usually revolving around greed. With Italian films, the repressed emotions and sexuality of growing up in a conserative Catholic society seems to embrace their liberty in the most bizarre, sleazy ways possible.

Growing up it was always my goal to find Italian horror movies, uncut and uncensored. So many were banned or heavily trimmed in the UK.
I definitely tend to lean towards films like Demons, Antropophagus and The Beyond than stuff like Deep Red and Tenebrae.
Deep down I'm a slasher guy at heart but I like my slashers as simple, cheesy and gory as possible. I'll take something like Friday 12th VI over something like The New York Ripper.

[nectarsis]

10 hours ago, Drunken Monk said:

I decided to revisit Lucio Fulci this week. I grew up a huge horror fan but many of his films I haven't watched since I was a teen. I opted for his "Gates of Hell" trilogy first:

The Beyond - There's something about Fulci's style that makes his movies an "experience" more than just a simple watch. He is a true master of atmosphere. The Beyond is typical for this trilogy: a specific event has resulted in the gates of hell opening in a specific place. This makes way for plenty of ultra violence and eerie goings on.
In my eyes, The Beyond is one of the greatest horror movies of all time. It doesn't necessarily need to be coherent. It's a vague film. But it makes sense in a "spooky shit is happening kind of way." Just sit back and let it take you on its journey.
There is some really nice gore scenes in this one for those who are into that.

House by the Cemetery - Another blood drenched masterpiece. This one feels a little more claustrophobic than his other movies as most of the spooky stuff happens in a particular house. But the stuff that does happen is pretty original; including a rather vicious bat attack.
Again, another somewhat vague film that feels like Fulci just wants to take you on a hellish ride. This might actually be my favourite of the three.

City of the Living Dead - Fulci doesn't need to justify this one, though some people may feel that way. There are a lot of unusual happenings here. Thankfully, they lead to the maestro's trademark ultra-gore. A woman vomits up her internal organs and a poor dude catches an industrial drill through the brain.
I love the final fifteen minutes of this one. It's just so dark and grim. Though, admittedly, I have no idea what happens in the last five seconds.

Onto The New York Ripper, Zombie and A Cat in the Brain.

All 3 of these are SUPER high on my buy list.

[DragonClaws]

On 4/9/2021 at 1:09 PM, Drunken Monk said:

Growing up it was always my goal to find Italian horror movies, uncut and uncensored. So many were banned or heavily trimmed in the UK.

 

I think A Blade in The Dark held the record, for most heavily censored Itlaian Horror film in the U.K?. I think it was missing a good 15-minutes from the U.K the VHS releases?. The Region 2 U.K DVD was Uncensored. Dont quote me on this, as my knowledge of Itlaian horror is a little hazy these days. During my mid to late teens, me and my friends went through a big Itlaian horror phase. Just when the British censors were lifting bans and allowing most of these films to pass UNCUT.

 

On 4/9/2021 at 10:54 AM, Drunken Monk said:

The Beyond - There's something about Fulci's style that makes his movies an "experience" more than just a simple watch. He is a true master of atmosphere.

 

It sometime since I viewed The Beyond, House by The Cemetery & City of The Living Dead. But I recall all three were dripping in that weird Lucio Fulci horror atmosphere.

 

Edited April 11, 2021 by DragonClaws

[Takuma]

Vampire Lovers (UK, 1970) – 2/5
Dated Hammer horror with plastic beauty Ingrid Pitt seducing naïve countryside girls behind men’s backs. Loads of nudity, but the whole thing feels silly, clumsy and morally conservative. Peter Cushing only shows up in the beginning and end. Twins of Evil did something similar far more convincingly a year later.

Twins of Evil (UK, 1971) – 3.5/5
Sisters Mary and Madeleine Collinson, one virginal and the other not so, move in with uncle Peter Cushing who just happens to be a man of faith who spends his nights chasing sexy young girls and burning them to death in the name of God! A later day Hammer film with a welcome blurring of lines: evil is seductive and the good guys are blind. Some great supporting characters, surprisingly grizzly violence at the end, and nudity mixed with classic Hammer magic. Cushing (having just lost his wife in real life) is excellent in the dark role, too!

Countess Dracula (UK, 1971) [VoD] – 3/5
Old and ugly Ingrid Pitt discovers how she can become young and beautiful Ingrid Pitt again - by bathing in virgin blood. Late Hammer with some blood and boobs, but the film is remarkably tame for the era, and the tale itself sits comfortably with older incarnations of the same / similar tales. It is a reasonably good film, however. Pitt is better than she was in Vampire Lovers, and Nigel Green is great as the envious lover who constantly gets traded for younger flesh. The ending is painfully predictable, though. Based on "Blood Countess" Elizabeth Bathory.

Dracula A.D. 1972 (UK, 1972) [VoD] -3/5
A bunch of kids resurrect Dracula in modem day London. Thankfully Peter Cushing is in town (as the old grandson of Van Helsing). Not a highly regarded film (and admittedly one has to wonder why they brought Dracula to modern day and then essentially limited his movements to one old church?) but it’s a rather entertaining movie nevertheless. Lee & Cushing are always watchable together, and the modern twist at least makes it more interesting than Dracula has Risen from the Grave (1968) or Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970).

Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (UK, 1974) [VoD] - 3/5
A young medical student caught playing with body parts is sent to a madhouse, the same one they sent Dr. Frankenstein to some years prior (yeah, some serious incompetence on the court's part here!). You can guess the rest. Gory, occasionally disturbing Hammer with a pinch of old magic remaining. It was behind the times, but works pretty well in retrospect. But no boobs. Bummer.

[Hong Kong Cinema Appreciation Society]

I got a James Bond blu ray box for my birthday a few weeks ago, been plowing through those as I set in excruciating pain awaiting a root canal. Watched the first seven so far, while also reading a book about the Bond series. Been a nice distraction. 

I also revisited Carpenter's Prince of Darkness, which I absolutely love. Heresey to say, I know, but maybe my favorite Carpenter. That and Escape From New York duke it out for first place. 

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Way Down East (1920: D.W. Griffith):  

It has been awhile since I have seen a Griffith film. Overall I like this. Has a lot to do with Lilian Gish (love seeing her later in The Night of the Hunter) who is the best aspect of this movie. She reminds me of a person I know but I digress. What she is put through it harrowing, but it has a nice ending to avoid a certain amount of over-mawkishness which I worried might happen. But she is Gish, she invented the close-up (I hope you get this reference). 

Griffith could have avoided the overly didactic intro, but I know he could not resist. He has a tendency to over-explain and over-preach and no different here. Still, much better than Birth of a Nation and around Intolerance (which I currently rate higher). 

Is this the face of a playboy? I really had a hard time accepting him as a successful womanizer. Not the most come-hither look. More like a look of pretzels and beer after an evening of charades. But he is the antagonist. 

What he does is atrocious. He lures Gish's character into marrying him (for obvious reasons) with a mock wedding. She gets pregnant and well he will give her hush money, but the wedding was fake (and the infant dies).  In this society she goes back, eschewing telling anyone this and of course she is going to fall for someone else while that man above will enter her life again. Add in some annoying busybodies and well expect a bit of pathos. 

John Ford's earliest films show a huge Griffith influence, especially with comedy (sometimes a weakness in Ford's movies; also a weakness in Griffith's films). 

The earliest full length film where I saw a double wedding and a male-to-male kiss (accidentally of course). 

The ending action sequence was pretty impressive. It looked good, it was dangerous (for the stunt person/people) and filmed very nicely. I wish the Kino DVD transfer was better though. 

[Yihetuan]

The last non-Asian film, let alone kung fu movie that I've watched was Brandon Cronenberg's Possessor.  I enjoy body horror films but I didn't like this film as much as I had anticipated going in with all the hype surrounding it.

 

[Super Ninja]

9 hours ago, masterofoneinchpunch said:

The ending action sequence was pretty impressive. It looked good, it was dangerous (for the stunt person/people) and filmed very nicely.

That's pretty much the only thing I remember about it, great stuff!

3 hours ago, Yihetuan said:

The last non-Asian film, let alone kung fu movie that I've watched was Brandon Cronenberg's Possessor.  I enjoy body horror films but I didn't like this film as much as I had anticipated going in with all the hype surrounding it.

 

Was a bit of a disappointment for me as well, an early review rated it 10/10, I expected more.

[DarthKato]

Watched "Psycho Goreman(2020)" today. It was absolute garbage. Seriously, other than some of the monster costumes, there wasn't another redeeming thing about this movie. The characters were awful, being either psychopaths'(The little girl Mimi and the monsters/aliens) or idiots(Everyone else). To the point that I could have cared less what the hell happened to them(The only one that was semi-okay was Luke, and he was just  ridiculed and abused the whole film). The story might of been salvageable with better characters, but as is, I could care less what was happening. The effects and costumes were good, but with me not invested in what was happening, it might as well of been a turd with glitter pored on it. So yeah, if you are looking for a fun, nostalgic movie that takes you back to the days of Power Rangers and the like(As I was) or are just looking for a decent film, run far, far away from this trash. 

[TheKungFuRobber]

Waltz With Bashir (2008)

Good movie

[Takuma]

Bond, part 1

Dr. No (UK, 1962) [BD] – 4/5
Stylish, exciting spy film with exotic locations. Connery is terrific, full of charm, but not without menace. This is also pleasingly low-key compared to some of the later films. The limited budget only hurts the ending, which is a bit bargain basement.

From Russia with Love (UK, 1963) [BD] – 4.5/5
Elegant, romantic follow-up is an almost a Hitchcock level thriller. Beautifully written, filmed and scored, with wonderful performances. Robert Shaw makes a great villain, and Daniela Bianchi is a pleasure for the eye even if her role is a bit sexist. Lotte Lenya is admittedly cartoonish as hell.

Goldfinger (UK, 1964) [BD] – 4/5
One of the highest regarded Bond films this may be, it doesn’t quite have the elegance of From Russia with Love. It’s a pulpier, more superficial action film, with some tonal misfires (the bloody cowboy culture bits), but it’s still full of enjoyable 60s swing.

Thunderball (UK, 1965) [BD] – 2.5/5
A rather dated adventure, with expensive underwater sequences that fail to excite 55 years after. Tom Jones’ theme song and some clever moments (the ending, the discussions between Connery and Adolfo Celi etc.) are what the film’s got going for it. Not bad, buy a bit underwhelming. Connery looks a bit uninspired in the role, too.

You Only Live Twice (UK, 1967) [VoD] – 4.5/5
Imaginative, tremendously exciting adventure, also a great example how utilize Japan in a foreign film: integrate the setting into the plot, marry the hero to a Japanese girl, cast local superstars and hottest young talent (Tetsuro Tamba, Akiko Wakabayashi, Mie Hama) in well written roles, and bring in grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi to help with your ninja action! Also features a great score, Little Nellie, couple of delightfully insane scenes (e.g. Bond turning Japanese) and Donald Pleasence as Blofeld. Oh and Wakabayashi is a goddess, and Hama is hot too.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (UK, 1969) [VoD] – 2.5/5
Despite the neglected gem reputation, this is a messy, overlong mishap. From Bond posing as a genealogy lecturer (in kilt!) to planning a marriage with a gangster’s daughter, this is ridiculous to the point of turning into a self-parody (which may, but should not have, been their intention). Oddly enough, the action is abysmally edited despite director Hunt being a former editor. But the film does have a fantastic Barry score, beautiful scenery, and a great ending, so it’s still worthwhile despite it all!

Diamonds are Forever (UK, 1971) [VoD] – 3/5
A tougher, 70s style crime film with Connery back after 4 years (somehow he seems to have aged 14 years!). The film’s second half goes for the more outlandish Bond spheres, which is also when it starts losing steam. Shirley Bassey’s theme song is the best in the series!

[AlbertV]

Trompie (1975): South African family film from the writer and producer of Joe Bullet. Based on Toppy Smith's books, this is a standard kids film about the titular character and his three friends causing all sorts of mischief. It's nothing special, but cute in its own way. 

Joe Bullet (1973): The 1st South African movie to have an all-African cast with Kill and Kill Again's Ken Gampu in the lead role. The film looks like a typical Blaxploitation film without the nudity. However, this film is important as after only 2 screenings in 1973, the film was banned by the Apartheid government and was thought to have been lost for 40 years until it was founded by Benjamin Crowley of Gravel Road Entertainment, whose "Retro Afrika Bioscope" is reviving what was known as the "B-Scheme" era of South African cinema: films made during Apartheid but made for African audiences. 

House on Willow Street (2016): Alastair Orr's tale of a group of pretty crooks who plan to kidnap the daughter of a diamond exporter for one last score. However, they are all in for a surprise when the victim is actually the host for a demonic presence. Insane jump scares and a great cast with You're Next's Sharni Vinson as the leader of the crooks and Canadian Carlyn Burchell as the woman possessed. Some crazy twists mixed in but it's clear Orr has a love for the genre.

Love and Monsters (2020): Fun adventure film with Dylan O'Brien traveling and avoiding monsters (the result of an asteroid hitting Earth and causing a chemical outbreak 7 years ago) to find Jessica Henwick.  

Taking the Fall (2021): Turbo Kid's Munro Chambers is one of my favorite actors for roles like this. He plays Tyler, a man who is out of prison after 6 years on a marijuana charge and reunites with his old friends for a celebratory party. There, he learns his friends hanve changed and do nothing but bitch about the situations they are at now (except one friend) and he finally goes off on them and tells them how ungrateful they are after he took the rap for something they all should have been involved in.  Lots of tension and realism in this well-made Canadian drama. 

Edited April 22, 2021 by AlbertV

[Drunken Monk]

Zombie aka Zombi 2 aka Zombie Flesheaters - Fulci once again delivers the atmosphere in this undead classic. It’s a grimy, gory movie with a wonderful sense of pending doom throughout. Sadly, the plot really isn’t all that present which is a shame since many of the film’s individual scenes are truly memorable. I prefer Fulci’s Gates of Hell trilogy but this is up there. Certainly one of the best zombie movies ever made.

Nightmare aka Nightmares in a Damaged Brain - A film that tries so hard to be a sleazy exploitation flick but fails due to its lumbering plot and flat out dullness. Despite the brutal gore, it’s definitely more reserved than it thinks it is. Especially when it comes to nudity. To make matters worse, the killer isn’t remotely menacing. “Uh oh, here comes a guy that looks like a history teacher in a trench coat!” I didn’t care for this one at all and can’t really fathom why it’s so appreciated within the annals of horror.

[Hong Kong Cinema Appreciation Society]

I watched Double Team yesterday. That movie is like 90s post modern cinema and cocaine in a blender set to Tsui Hark. It's amazing. It's like 90s James Bond mixed with buddy cop movies mixed with bad television and I'm pretty sure nothing about it is supposed to be taken seriously except the scene in which Van Damme fornicates with a bath tub. 

[masterofoneinchpunch]

The Silent Partner (1978: Daryl Duke):  

Many times we watch a film because someone else has seen it. This is one of those. I did want to get to it at some point because John Candy was in it and some point I want to see all his movie filmography. 

But it does not feel like John Candy here. Was his talent not noticed yet? Ultimately this crime caper felt a bit underwhelming. I actually like the plot's premise and how it turned out. This film is almost good. 

Eliot Gould is a banker with a somewhat boring life. However, he is a chess enthusiast and as you find out he is pretty good at strategy. What he does in the film is pretty cool. I do not want to spoil it if you get around to the movie. 

However, what was with Christopher Plummer's character? One note. Also, he does not make a convincing woman. 

70s fashion is horrific. Can you make your lapels even more clown-like? But I digress. 

I'm still internally debating on whether this is a **½ or ***/**** film. It has a good structure. The execution and some of the performances are flawed. It meanders without adding anything. But I would take some scenes from this to use later (aka homage hee hee). 

Unfortunately the highlights are spoilers. If you get bored you might as well finish it because the denouement is solid. 

[DragonClaws]

23 hours ago, masterofoneinchpunch said:

I did want to get to it at some point because John Candy was in it and some point I want to see all his movie filmography. 

 

Have you watched Cool Runnings(1993)?, and if so what were your thoughts on that one.

[masterofoneinchpunch]

2 hours ago, DragonClaws said:

 

Have you watched Cool Runnings(1993)?, and if so what were your thoughts on that one.

I have it on VHS and DVD.  I like the film overall.  Fun underdog story (a bit cliche) with a nice storyline (based on real-life) with Candy just being so damn Candy-like which helps tremendously.  I cannot help liking it.

[masterofoneinchpunch]

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946: Tay Garnett):  

Oh this was such a good film noir. I've seen several films from the director like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, but this is his most well known and most critically popular. 

John Garfield died way too young (he looks older than he is) and I need to see him in more films before I have a better opinion of him (seen him in Destination Tokyo). He is effective here. Even more so because the lovely Lana Turner overacts sometimes while he does not. 

The plot twists toward the end really make this interesting. In the back of your head will be The Hays Code and you know what they cannot get away with (sometimes the annoyance of The Hays Code), but it has an interesting work around which I will not spoil. 

You see, she is married to this man. Yeah, that just does not look right. Is it money? Partially. She actually does not hate him (well not yet), even if he is cheap and a bit of a slush and looks like Fred Mertz's uglier brother.

Yeah, I still don't get it, but you need it because of the plot, well the plot of the book it was based on (like so many of this time period). Though when you overuse wearing this head piece it does make me wonder. 

Garfield is a plain man. A bit of a tramp, a wanderer who falls for the femme fatale in Turner. So much she gets him to wear this tie. 

A fashion aside: Leon Ames's (the DA in this film) has some spiffy sartorial style. You can see how plain John Garfield is here (which he is supposed to be). 

Several say Hume Cronyn steals the show and in a way he does. It really is the back and forth between the DA and his PD (oh how the bet is so slimy like a Trading Places bet) that makes part of this film so interesting. 

I just love this shot: 

This one is just cool because it has several meanings. 

At some point I'll watch the 1981 remake (need to buy a copy first). I probably should do it soon to compare and Nicholson is always fun to watch. Who has seen either? 

[DragonClaws]

 

Sunday in the Country -  (1974) - Ernest Borgnine & Hollis Mclaren star in this violent Hollywood home invasion movie. Straw Dogs, Clockwork Orange & Last House on the Left had been popular with audiences   at the time. This production could easily have fallen into the exploitation genre, like Last House on the Left did. Its saved by two strong performance from the Borgnine and Mclaren, with the violence reigned in. That said, I’ts still packs a pretty powerful punch for an older movie.

When three killers go on the run with a stash of money, they end up in the wrong country town. Dropping on a farmer(Borgnine) and his grandaughter(Mclaren), in the hopes to take advantage of them. This backfires badly, and they end up becoming the victims themselves. Canadian born director John Trent builds up the tension nicely, and keeps the simple story going at a steady pace.

It’s the excellent central performance from Ernest Borgnine that holds the whole movie together though. With his highly Religious, strong willed character Adam Smith, who won’t be pushed around easily. Only as the story progresses it becomes clear, there’s a moral commentary on taking the law into your own hands. The line between the good guys and the bad guys becomes more and more blurred. As Borgines character starts to reveal his own darker side.

Actress Hollis Mclaren is on fine form as the farmers educated grandaughter who sees the violence from a very different, perspective. A lot of tension comes from the opposing views of the two main characters. With the villains almost becoming background characters to some degree.

There's a great turn from American character actor Michael J.Pollard, who Ive yet to see deliver a bad screen performance. He brings one of the unhinged criminals to life, with a sinister presence. He appears to be channelling Malcolm Mcdowell in A Clockwork Orange. Some of the soundtrack, even uses a synth like sound that is clearly inspired by the same movie. An average crime drama thriller, that’s essential viewing for fans of Ernest Borgnine.

 

Home secruity, Ernest Borgnine in character as Adam Smith with his two dogs Peter & Paul.

Edited May 11, 2021 by DragonClaws

[shukocarl1441996347]

Blazing Saddles

The Parallax View

The Prestige

The Intelligence Men

Where Eagles Dare

Superman

Batman

Batman Returns

Fist of Fury III

[WangYu]

I’ve recently seen the 2 Bahubali films from India. While the cgi is often quite playstation like, it is a tremendous film bending genres like musical, adventure, action, comedy and romance. It’s fun and over the top epic and I loved it. This is cinema.

[DragonClaws]

On 4/28/2021 at 11:47 AM, masterofoneinchpunch said:

I have it on VHS and DVD.  I like the film overall.  Fun underdog story (a bit cliche) with a nice storyline (based on real-life) with Candy just being so damn Candy-like which helps tremendously.  I cannot help liking it.

 

There was a lot of hype around this movie at the time of its release, in the U.K at least. It's one film from my childhood that I have very fond memories of, but its been some time since I watched it.