Yuen Woo Ping. One of the few names that has transcended the films he worked on and become synonymous with top quality fights. Thanks to his work on films such as The Matrix, Kill Bill and arguably the one that put his name on the global cinematic map, Crouching Tiger, […]
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
A Queens Ransom (1976) The One with The One Armed Boxer and James Bond (Review)
Did you ever hear about the time James Bond and The One Armed Swordsman started in a film together? No? Would it surprise you more to know that they did two movies in the mid 70s, both made under the banner of Golden Harvest? One of which sees release this […]
China O Brien I & II (1990) The Simple Pleasures of the Straight to Video Years(Review)
Having blazed a trail for non-Hong Kong/Chinese actors in such hi-octane action movies as Yes, Madame (1985), Millionaires Express (1986), Righting Wrongs (1986) and going as far getting her own starring feature in the 1989 action/comedy Lady Reporter (aka The Blonde Fury), the time had come for Cynthia Rothrock to […]
Black Mask (1996) Hong Kong’s Answer to the 1990s Superhero Boom (Review)
The years leading up to the hand over of Hong Kong from the UK to China was starting to show in the pop culture produced at this time. Films that were drenched in paranoia and uncertainty of what the future held under the Chinese Communist Party. This mood reflected in […]
A Bittersweet Life (2005) & The Chaser (2008) Two Korean New Wave Classics (Review)
Two South Korean films that straddle one of the most important events in Korean cinema in the 21st century. One by an established director of TV and Film whose name would be placed next to the modern greats like Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-Ho, the other by a new up […]
Swordsman of all Swordsmen (1968) Essential Viewing for Fans of East Asian Action (Review)
It cannot be understated just how dominant the Shaw Brothers studio was in the late 60s and early 70s. If you wanted to have any traction in the Chinese market then you had to go through Run Run Shaw and his studio. They had a stranglehold on the theatres (due […]
Bodyguard Kiba 1&2 (1973) Never a bad thing when it comes to Sonny Chiba (Review)
Adapted from the action manga by Ikki Kajiwara, the Bodyguard Kiba movies were another series in a long line which were starring vehicles for arguably the most charismatic actor on Japan at the time, one Shinichi “Sonny” Chiba. Having made a steady stream of movies since 1959 for TOEI, working […]
Yakuza Wolf I & II (1972) A Snapshot of a World long gone, Oozing Cool (Review)
TOEI were at their height of their Yakuza related movie output when the early 70s came around. They also had arguably the biggest star on the block in Shinichi “Sonny” Chiba, star power that was only matched by his vast output (37 acting credits across TV and Film between 1970 […]
Slaughter in San Francisco (1974) One for the Brucesploitation Faithful (Review)
Lo Wei had his fingers in a lot of successful pies. From “discovering” and getting Bruce Lee on the big screen with The Big Boss and Fists Of Fury (1971 & 1972 respectively), as well as “launching” the career of Jackie Chan. Jackie Chan was under an exclusive contract with […]
Kung Fu Cult Master (1993)… But Hot Damn, that action is Awesome (Review)
Louis Cha Leung Yung casts a huge shadow over the wuxia. Better known by the pen name Jin Yong, he would not only co-founded the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao, his wuxia novels would become essential reading and influence the genre on the large and small screen alike to this […]