It never ceases to amaze me how genre cinema can adapt itself to anything. From sociopolitical melodrama to generations divided, whether it be Science Fiction or Horror, there are reasons why so many of us are drawn off the beaten path and into the spooky woods of the cinematic landscape. […]
Ben Jones
Horror, Cult, Grindhouse & Psychotronic B-Movies. Celebrating the Trashy side of Cinema. Crowned “Trash King” by podhard & Official NWPPVIP of
The New World Pod
Doctor Vampire (1990) Hong Kong’s Wild, Goofy Take on the Western Bloodsucker
Whilst there is a long list of Chinese and Hong Kong “Vampire” movies, this would usually conjure up images of hopping blood suckers attacking our fighting heroes in an attempt to rid them of their lives, a la Mr Vampire (1985) which sees our Taoist priest Lam Ching Ying and […]
Running on Karma (2003) Fate, Forgiveness, and a Musclebound Andy Lau in a Thong
The Hong Kong film industry of the late 90s and early Noughties was a shadow of the business that had become the definition of “Action Cinema” for the global market. From Jackie Chan to Bruce Lee, it had become synonymous with some of the wildest and most daring movies the […]
Horrible History: Four Films by Chang Cheh (1972-76)
It’s impossible to talk about Hong Kong cinema without mentioning Chang Cheh. From his prolific output to his genre-defining works, Chang’s films may have lacked the nuance of some of his peers—but when those peers are the legendary King Hu and the artistically refined Lau Kar Leung, it’s little wonder. […]
Broken Oath (1973) The Ultimate Showcase for Angela Mao Ying
By the time Raymond Chow left Shaw Brothers to form Golden Harvest in 1970 (along with fellow Shaw Brothers alumni Leonard Ho) he had already been head of production at Shaw Brothers for 10 years. But being frustrated with the limitations of the restrictions put in place place by Run […]
Two Taoist Tales (1984 & 86) Taoism Drunkard & Young Taoism Fighter
Lo Wei had an eye for a star. After all he had already brought Bruce Lee to the world with films like The Big Boss and Fists Of Fury (aka The Chinese Connection). Lo Wei also had an ego, one so large that it would put many of the Hollywood […]
Before Shaolin Soccer, there was… The Champions (1983)
In the late 1970s and early 1980s the world was football mad. Even those countries that had traditionally been less than enthusiastic about the sport, instead opting to create their own sports so they could anoint themselves as “World Champions”, despite being the only country to actively participate in them. […]
A Man Called Tiger (1973) A Vanity Project that lives up to the Hype? (Review)
In 1970 two former Shaw Brothers executives, Raymond Chow and Leonard Ho, started their own production company – Golden Harvest. While their early films were reasonably successful, it wasn’t until a certain Bruce Lee released The Big Boss that the studio was really put on the map. In a weird […]
Mermaid Legend (1984)(Frightfest 2024) Review
Come the late ’60s the Japanese film industry was floundering, hurt by the rise in popularity of television and the constant influx of Hollywood movies to satisfy an ever present American contingent. Japanese films seemed tired and out of ideas, so budgets were cut and the rise of exploitation cinema […]
Wolves, Pigs & Men (1964) Yakuza Cinema By way of the French New Wave (Review)
The influence that French New Wave had on Japanese cinema throughout the 60s can never be understated. With its swathes of nihilism and cool tragedy, it seemed that one perfectly reflected the emotions of the other, as all sides (just 15-20 years removed from World War II) these children of […]