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 […]
Reviews
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. […]
The Oblong Box (1969) A Flawed piece of Poe-ish Gothic
“Oh, pity me, miserable wretch that I am! –I dared not –I dared not speak! We have put her living in the tomb!” These lines from The Fall of the House of Usher could well apply to much of Poe’s output, such was his fascination with being buried alive. The […]
MadS (2024) – Talk about a bad trip!
MadS had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest 2024, a one-take thrill ride with a refreshing take on the zombie sub-genre. Directed by David Moeeau, the film follows 3 teenagers, each with their own story and events in store for them in the night ahead. We first meet Romain (Milton […]
She is Me, I Am Her (2022) A Sincere Showcase for Fusako Urabe
It’s always a pleasure to see more Japanese cinema made readily available to UK/USA shores, especially that of a more dramatic mode. I love the Gonzo stylings of Tetsuo and Takashi Miike, as much as the next reviewer, but my heart will always be with the contemplative works of Ozu […]
Daddy’s Head (2024) Frightening Exploration of Grief via Polished Filmmaking
Although its title suggests something pulpier, Shudder’s latest release, Daddy’s Head is actually a frightening exploration of grief told via polished filmmaking. It leans towards elevated horror aesthetics, most notably in the modernist house setting which recalls Ex-Machina, Parasite, The Invisible Man, etcetera. It is the distinction between the sharp-edged, […]
Haunted Ulster Live (2023) Ghostwatch… with Laughs (Review)
Arriving just in time for Halloween this year, Haunted Ulster Live is another addition to the horror subgenre that can perhaps best be described as “fake live Halloween broadcast”. Late Night with the Devil earned plenty of plaudits earlier this year, and back in 2018 Inside Number 9‘s Dead Line […]
Night Of The Living Dead (1968) A Pioneering but Imperfect Trailblazer
At this point in time it’s fair to say that the reputation of George A Romero’s zombie trilogy is so embedded into the history of horror that no amount of criticism would be able to shift their reputation. Even me, apologetically as a first-timer to these films, knew so much […]
The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) Vin Diesel’s Patchily Plotted Sci-Fi Space Opera
Like the first film, The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), continues to shape the “Riddick-verse”, enhancing the foundation that was created in Pitch Black (2000). In that first film we’re given a basic story and world view, and it works – in fact, it’s an excellent film because of it. Vin […]