BOO KUNG FU!

Pic from an eBay auction by emovieposter.com
(click to enlarge)

Ad from a posting on DVD Maniacs by Fred Adelman.
I used to get his zine Critical Condition that has now hopped online.

(click to enlarge)

God of Vampires trailer

just found on youtube, a trailer for an upcoming US indie horror/gangster flick:

Shaw Brothers Shockers

Pulled out some of posters from my collection of some seasonal Shaw offerings. Looking forward to the North American DVD release of THE BOXER'S OMEN!

SEX BEYOND THE GRAVE

THE GHOST STORY

THE BOXER'S OMEN

SEEDING OF A GHOST

tis the season...

ahh, the days when the local multi-cultural tv channel would broadcast ENCOUNTER OF THE SPOOKY KIND 2 on Halloween. One of the best end fights in the spooky genre...

Hong Kong's New Superstar! Jacky!

Been going through an old Cannes market issue of Variety from 1978 (?) and finding some interesteing goodies that I will be scanning and sharing. Click on the picture for a bigger and readable image.

nostalgia

Link to more pics

another obit: Tetsuro Tamba

Again more late news of passings from the ScreenDaily.com's obits, but this one writen by Kung Fu Fridays Disciple Jason Gray (at least one glimmer of hope in this sad occasion)

Japanese actor Tetsuro Tamba dies aged 84

Tetsuro Tamba, one of Japan’s most famous and prolific actors, died of pneumonia late September 24 at the age of 84. Born in Tokyo in 1922, Tamba became a translator for allied occupation forces after Japan was defeated in WWII. He made his film debut in 1952, going on to appear in over 300 features and scores of TV dramas.

Tamba was perhaps best known by Western audiences for his role as Tiger Tanaka in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice (1967).

Some of his most famous Japanese films included Hideo Gosha’s Three Outlaw Samurai, Shohei Imamura’s Pigs And Battleships, Masaki Kobayashi’s Harakiri And Kwaidan, Kinji Fukasaku’s Black Lizard and Under The Flag Of The Rising Sun, Teruo Ishii’s Abashiri Prison and the original adaptation of Submersion Of Japan. His lead role in TV series G-Men '75 is one of his best known in Japan. He also won the Japanese Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1981’s The Battle Of Port Arthur (203 Kochi), which also starred Toshiro Mifune.

Tamba remained active in the industry, with recent roles in Yoji Yamada’s Oscar-nominated The Twilight Samurai and cult director Takashi Miike’s The Happiness Of The Katakuris and Gozu (Cannes 2003 Directors’ Fortnight).

Jason Gray in Tokyo 26 September 2006

And aside from Happiness of the Katakuris and Gozu, Tamba also starred in Takeshi Miike's Graveyard of Honor (2002), Deadly Outlaw: Rekka (2002) and Kikoku (2003). For a sad and fitting clip of Tamba from Katakuris watch this.

Happiness of the Katakuris

Happiness of the Katakuris

You Only Live Twice

You Only Live Twice

The Ceiling at Utsunomiya, 1956

The Water Margin (Hong Kong, Shaw Brothers, 1972)

Goyokin (1969)

Five Man Army - Tamba center along with Peter Graves and Bud Spencer

Trailer for Five Man Army!

Gillo Pontecorvo dies in Rome

Old news and not kung fu related, but I love the film BURN! (based on the misadventures of real life mercenary William Walker who was also the subject of Alex Cox's WALKER) and the Morricone soundtracks for Pontecorvo's work. Watch BATTLE OF ALGIERS to get a better understanding of the occupation situations in the Middle East. You can watch the trailer here.

13 October 2006 12:31 As the inaugural Rome Film Fest is set to get underway tonight, Italy is mourning one of its cinema greats. Gillo Pontecorvo, most famous for directing The Battle Of Algiers, died yesterday in Rome at the age of 86. Pontecorvo’s other films include Kapo, Ogro and Burn (Qeimada) starring Marlon Brando. He worked in journalism and was a resistance fighter in WWII before getting started in a film career in the 1950s. His 1966 classic The Battle Of Algiers is a realistic look at Algeria’s war of independence from France from 1954-1962. Pontecorvo directed and co-wrote the film with Franco Solinas; it won Venice’s Golden Lion and was nominated for three Oscars.

from ScreenDaily.com

and the awards are in!

so the fest ended last weekend, but by the time I came back, adjusted back to NA time... yup. just a whole load of excuses... but here are the Sitges award winners!

OFICIAL FANTÀSTIC
JURY: Monte Hellman, Leticia Dolera, Carlos Losilla, Pilar Pedraza, Tom Schiller

Best Short Film: A FOR(R)EST IN THE DES(S)ERT, by Luiso Berdejo
HANDYMAN, by Simon Rumley

Best Production Design: Are Sjaastad, for THE BOTHERSOME MAN

Best Make Up FX: Jang Jin, for TIME

Best Special Effects: Jang Heui-cheol, for THE HOST

Best Original Soundtrack: East, for TZAMETI (13)

Best Cinematography: Jonathan Sela, for GRIMM LOVE

Best Script: Sam Hamm, for HOMECOMING (Masters of Horror)

Best Actress: Sandra Hüller, for REQUIEM

Best Actor:Thomas Krestchmann, for GRIMM LOVE
Thomas Huber, for GRIMM LOVE

Best Director: Martin Weisz, for GRIMM LOVE

Special Jury Award: HOMECOMING (Masters of Horror), by Joe Dante

Best Motion Picture: REQUIEM, by Hans-Christian Schmid

Hans-Christian Schmid accepts his award for REQUIEM

CARNET JOVE JURY
Gerard Casau Vaz, Blanca Esteva Ballús, Stefan Ivanic, Zouhair El Hairan, Beatriz Martínez Gómez

FANTÀSTIC
EXILED, by Johnnie To

Special Mention to CIGARETTE BURNS (Masters of Horror), by John Carpenter.

MIDNIGHT X-TREME
WHAT IS IT?, by Crispin Glover

Special Mention TO BEHIND THE MASK: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, Scott Glosserman’s feature film for his skills in showing how to create a “slasher” movie milestone.

SEAT AWARD - NOVES VISIONS
JURY: John Fallon, Carlos Martin Ferrera, Frédéric Temps

EDMOND, by Stuart Gordon

Special Mention to THE LIVING AND THE DEAD, by Simon Rumley.

Nova Autoria Award (Sponsored by l’SGAE)

Best direction
Jorge Tur Moltó (UAB), for DE FUNCIÓN

Best script
David Jiménez, Rubén Molina, Albert Solà and Joseph Lluïs Marín (EMAV), for BOWMAN

Best original music
Roger Padilla (ESCAC), for NO QUIERO LA NOCHE

ORIENT EXPRESS - CASA ÀSIA
JURY Jean-Pierre Dionnet, Enrique Garcelán, Amaia Torrecilla
THE HOST, by Bong Joon-ho

ANIMA’T – Gertie Award
JURY: Juan Giménez, Ken Niimura, Sandra Salvador

Best Animated Film
THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME, by Mamoru Hosoda

Best Animated Short film
DREAMS AND DESIRES-FAMILY TIES, by Joanna Quinn

Special Mention to THE BOOK OF THE DEAD, of Kihachiro Kawamoto, for his excellent technique and his real skill in the difficult art of puppet animation.

BRIGADOON
JURY: Jose Espinosa, Paul Naschy, Carles Muñoz Miralles

Best short film
TIGHT, by Sergio Vizcaíno

SILVER MÉLIÈS
JURY Adrián Guerra, Antonio José Navarro, Mireia Ros

Silver Méliès for Best European Motion Picture
PRINCESS, by Anders Morgenthaler

Silver Méliès Award for Best Europea Short Film
DOODLE, by Sam Rogers

OTHER AWARDS

Audience Award for Best Motion Picture (Sponsored by El Periódico)
LA CIENCIA DEL SUEÑO, by Michel Gondry.

Jose Luis Guarner Critic Award
JURY: Marta Monedero, Desirée de Fez, Pedro Adrián Zuloaga
REQUIEM, by Hans-Christian Schmid

Citizen Kane Award to an up-and-coming director
Rian Johnson, for BRICK

post and run...

More photos of Sitges..

One of the old posters for the Fest, whcih this year is celebrating it's 39th edition

Some of the past guests of the Festival

A 1am screening of the new print of HOLY MOUNTAIN. Quite a trip sitting on the third balcony, drinking and smoking as Jodorowsky's vision unfolded before us.

The real masters of horror?

Top L-R: Richard Stanley, Karim Hussain, Simon Rumley, Mitch Davis,
Doug Buck, JT Petty
Below: Me and Nacho Cerda

Richard Stanley, director of HARDWARE and DUST DEVIL presenting his short film SEA OF PERDITION

Anthony Wong, Hong Kong Superstar!
(HARDBOILED, FULL CONTACT, UNTOLD STORY, INFERNAL AFFAIRS, EBOLA SYNDROME, EXILED, THE MISSION, and many, many more!)

A motely group of fantastic film fools in the wee hours of the morning

dark dark future

Yesterday I attended a screening of CHILDREN OF MEN, by Alfonso Cuarón and like RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR, it was an emotional experience. A thoughtful sci-fi thriller set in a not too distant future. Astounding. At the end of the screening in the 1300 seat cinema the applause was like thunder and there were screams of approval. My eyes were watering. Due on NA shores soon. Trailer can been seen here and the offical site is here.

the rain in spain...

Still at Sitges. Internet connection has been spotty and want to elaborate on these photos soon.

the centre piece on the tables of the hotel restaurant

the lobby of the cinema at the main hotel

the lobby of the cinema at the main hotel

the lobby of the cinema at the main hotel

a party for Paul Verhoven at a swanky castle

from the director of Schiller's Reel comes his new mini-movie "Scared in Sitges"

Paul Verhoven et moi

no, I am not Paul Verhoven, but this is his award...

ola! emotionally devastated

thud! that was the cinematic sledgehammer that smacked me on the head 2 hours ago. just saw a powerful film that made me cringe and hold my breath (a feeling shared by the 5 friends sitting with me). we are all still shaking and communing after the experience... see this film and then call your loved ones and tell them how much they mean to you. sounds corny and sentimental, butif you are a friend of mine reading this – BIG HUG!

the trailer is here

RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR
Dirty bombs have been simultaneously detonated in Downtown, Beverly Hills, and at LAX, spreading mass panic through Los Angeles. By focusing on one couple (Mary McCormack and Rory Cochrane) and driving the narrative via news radio, writer-director Chris Gorak has made what is perhaps the first indie urban crisis movie a heart-in-your-throat viewing experience. But it is Gorak's background as a production designer ("Lords of Dogtown") and art director ("Minority Report") that may be most responsible for his ability to pull it off: in this movie, dollops of ash fall like toxic snow as whole city blocks burn in the distance. A story about the life-and-death choices one couple must make in the face of chaos, RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR is also a timely rumination on how the press and federal government responds to disasters of unthinkable proportions.

sandy beaches and severed ears

Where am I? Relaxing after the Toronto Int'l Film Fest by heading to Sitges, Spain to enjoy someone else's festival- The Sitges Festival - the number one European Fantasy Film Fest! The bloody ear? Why? Because they are having a tribute to David Lynch is why! Will add more details when I get a chance. Seeing movies, hanging with friends, eating incredible food and sampling the local spirits. I'll get sand between my toes soon...

Bong Joon-ho, the director of THE HOST, fresh from Toronto and New York!

Informal master class with Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger from KNB Effects Group the dudes behind the FX and make-up for: The Chronicles of Narnia, Hostel, Land of the Dead, Sin City, Lemony Snicket, Kill Bill, Hulk, Men In Black, Minority Report, The Cell, Men in Black, Scream, From Dusk Till Dawn, Casino, "Xena: Warrior Princess", In the Mouth of Madness, Army of Darkness, Reservoir Dogs, The People Under the Stairs, Misery, Bride of Re-Animator, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, UHF (Weird Al's Rambo muscle makeup), etc, etc, etc...

The Casino Prado Cinema at 2am for BOXER'S OMEN (Down in front Mr Marc Walkow!)