Seen and not seen's, recommendations and queries on top films in general.

[NerveGas]

To me it tells a story of violence and revenge as a universal redeemer, equaliser and progressive force. Viggo Larsen's monologue halfway in about how mankind has lost touch with the violent nature which has evolved humanity highlights that. It's a universal theme and a controversial one in todays cultural climate thus also an interesting and important one. To then take it in a feminist direction at the end not only discards the theme, it cheapens the whole story and worse, it nails it to the narrative of its time making it forgettable.

I can understand the desire for a focus on more universal/philosophical themes instead of specific “moment in time” political issues and it makes sense that the ending would piss people off. I guess I just don’t understand how people didn’t see it coming. From episode one throughout the entire series there is constant reference to misogyny/gender/masculinity as societal issues... among other “current issues”. Probably just as much as the idea of revenge. Whether or not you or I feel anyway about those issues or agree with any possible points being made is irrelevant. The point is that the ending doesn’t just jump out of nowhere nor is the show subtle. I enjoyed it, but would even admit it’s a little heavy handed. Money raining down in front a Nazi flag, a woman shoots a Nazi in the dick, a cop dating a 16 year old standing in front of an American flag for an extended shot, cops chanting “fascism”, police threatening and extorting a woman, multiple references to powerful men hating or killing women, the lyrics to the reggae song used in the dancing/drive by shooting scene, Diana’s speech in the final episode about the future. Once again not subtle. I can probably agree that the show just like most movies, books, etc would be better if it stayed in the realm of the universal instead of the politically specific, but to be disappointed that something ends in a manner that’s specifically in line with how it had been set up doesn’t seem to make sense to me.

Regardless, thought it was worth watching and surprised Amazon was willing to sink any money into something that seems to be met with poor reviews or confusion twice as often as anyone actually being able to sit through it and enjoy it. Probably not one of their smarter financial moves.

[ConcreteMascara]

Four movies this weekend, how nice for me.

Friday was Himiko [dir. Masahiro Shinoda, 1974] - per my review on letterboxd - This feels like a cross between Holy Mountain and Horrors of Malformed Men. Part of that feeling comes from the presence of Teruo Ishii regular Tatsumi Hijikata, founder of Butoh dancing; part from the brilliant use of color; and last, the religious themes. The Holy Mountain came out the same year so I doubt it's an influence but the most famous Ishii films 3-5 years prior so I wouldn't be shocked if there was some influence from them. The interior shots of the film look like a modern stage play with high production values in the best way possible, and the limited exterior shots are used to great effect. Somehow it all comes together to be something greater than just a feast for the eyes. While it's certainly not my favorite Shinoda film, I'd recommend it for those at least passingly familiar with Japanese new wave and ero guro.

Saturday I got to go to the movies for the first time since the pandemic started. Philadelphia Film Society started two drive-in locations and Saturday was Get Out [dir. Jordan Peele, 2017]. My fiance's choice and my second viewing. I definitely liked it more the second time than the first as I had no expectations to meet and could focus on what was done well, which honestly was a lot, rather than trying to guess what was going to happen. It was a good movie for the drive-in too.

Yesterday was a double feature. First was Replacement Killers [Antoine Fuqua, 1998], Chow Yun-Fat's US debut and US simulacra of HK heroic bloodshed, five years late. I remember wanting to see this movie bad as a kid but it getting terrible reviews so my mom wouldn't take me. Well it's definitely not a classic by any means but honestly it was pretty decent for a shoot a million bullets but never kill anyone except sometimes kind of '90s gangster genre film. If it had come out after The Matrix I think people would have a much more favorable opinion of it. It's 90s as hell in the best ways, the pacing is brisk and it's got Jurgen Prochnow and Michael Rooker [as a good guy!!]. If you fuck with John Wick type shoot em ups you'll be able to enjoy this easy. I certainly did.

To close out the evening I watched Samurai Rebellion [dir. Masaki Kobayashi, 1967], which was about as far from Replacement Killers as you can get. For a two hour samurai film, there's no sword play until the last 25 minutes. I expected this coming from Kobayashi, but be forewarned. The titular rebellion is primarily one of words and actions, a patriarch trying to protect the love of his son and his wife against an unjust daimyo from one tense conversation to the next. Definitely not everyone's cup of tea. The general message of the film is everything sucks for everyone back in ye old shogun times except for those with power or without scruples. It's a good drama nonetheless and I enjoy any film where Mifune and Nakadai are pitted against each-other. Just know this isn't really a chanbara film but a period drama more than anything.

[ConcreteMascara]

Hunter in the Dark [dir. Hideo Gosha, 1979]
I've been watching a lot of chanbara films lately, more than usual at least, because I've been playing the shit out of Ghost of Tsushima, which gives you about as much samurai sword swinging action as you can handle. But funny enough, some of my favorite chanbara movies have limited sword play. Well last night's feature, Hunter in the Dark by Hideo Gosha is not one of those movies. The intro sequence shows Yoshio Harada's amnesiac swordsman on an assassination mission where he kills his target who is traveling by palanquin. Harada waits in a boat below the bridge for the perfect moment to thrust a sharpened bamboo shoot through the wood slats of the bridge into the palanquin. He then climbs up the bridge and murders the fuck out of everyone else in a scene of really visceral violence and exaggerated sound effects. Happily this killer intro sequence is not the high point but just the first in scene after killer scene.

The film is a multilayered crime drama essentially, set in the later Tokugawa period that manages to juggle a lot of interesting characters and story lines and somehow bring them all to a satisfactory resolution by the end. The aforementioned Harada does a great job of talking like he’s got gravel in his throat while murdering his way through the underworld. Tatsuya Nakadai plays THE yakuza boss, who immediately recruits Harada and uses him to deadly effect. I typically really like Nakadai but this was immediately one my favorite roles I’ve seen him in. Also special mention to Sonny Chiba who plays a really cruel bastard to great effect. To my taste the only mildly week part of the film was the score which sounded too modern at times, but otherwise I was in yakuza/samurai heaven. If you’re looking for something violent, miserable, cruel with a multi-tiered plot than look no further.

[ConcreteMascara]

Ronin-gai [dir. Kazuo Kiroki 1990]
So the few plot synopsis I read of this film before I watched it don't do it justice at all. A few ronin don't band together to protect a whorehouse from mean officials, no no no. It's more like "a few ronin watch indifferently as a serial killer preys on prostitutes from the whorehouse they drink at, sometimes making the situation worse with good intentions". It's not very snappy but that's basically the plot. Forget anti-heroes, there are no heroes. The bad guys are pretty dang mean though! The music and direction of this one keep it from feeling as miserable as it mostly is, to a point of near contention between script, on-screen action and music. It was nice to see Renji Ishibashi as a sword-swinging ronin and a pleasure to Yoshio Harada again being an even bigger lout than usual. Some of the ladies were qtpis too. I was not instantly in love like I was with Hunter in the Dark and I probably wouldn't rush back but I would watch again. I think I'm nearing jidaigeki saturation anyway right now.

[ConcreteMascara]

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers [dir. Dwight H. Little, 1988]
Definitely the best 4th installment of anything I've ever watched. But it gets big points off for teasing us with mega-huge titties and then not showing them at the last second. What. the. fuck.  Also, I know Halloween isn't typically famous for its gore but the lack thereof when there were so many opportunities for it was disappointing. Gorier than the first but way less gory than the 2nd. I liked many parts of this one, but goddamn I wanted to see those gigantic titties swing free....

[ConcreteMascara]

Death Laid an Egg aka ‘La morte ha fatto l'uovo’ [dir. Giulio Questi, 1968]
I've wanted to watch this pseudo-giallo since college and just my luck it showed up one some streaming service Monday night. Sadly the transfer is mediocre DVD quality but not completely painful. After such a long wait this was a real disappointment. Many individual elements were great: the interior aesthetics were A+, all of the chicken themed modern art; Ewa Aulin being Ewa Aulin; the extremely prickly guitar and string improvisation heavy score; the prostitute killings; the voyeurism; the mutant chickens; Trintignant's general miserableness. But despite having all the elements for a good thriller [turns out its not really a giallo at all], it just doesn't come together. I'm not looking for masterpiece writing but it's so glib and fast paced things barely feel connected and motivations are poorly fleshed out. There's very little graphic violence, almost none. A little dog falls in a chicken grinder. And there's not a goddamn titty in sight. Now I could forgive the lack of graphic violence or nudity if this was a taught psychological thriller, but instead it's a patchwork one trying to go too many places at once and getting nowhere. But it does look and sound good doing it. Worth watching once but I can't see myself revisiting it any time soon.

[TS]

Death Laid an Egg aka ‘La morte ha fatto l'uovo’ [dir. Giulio Questi, 1968]
I've wanted to watch this pseudo-giallo since college and just my luck it showed up one some streaming service Monday night. Sadly the transfer is mediocre DVD quality but not completely painful. After such a long wait this was a real disappointment. Many individual elements were great: the interior aesthetics were A+, all of the chicken themed modern art; Ewa Aulin being Ewa Aulin; the extremely prickly guitar and string improvisation heavy score; the prostitute killings; the voyeurism; the mutant chickens; Trintignant's general miserableness. But despite having all the elements for a good thriller [turns out its not really a giallo at all], it just doesn't come together. I'm not looking for masterpiece writing but it's so glib and fast paced things barely feel connected and motivations are poorly fleshed out. There's very little graphic violence, almost none. A little dog falls in a chicken grinder. And there's not a goddamn titty in sight. Now I could forgive the lack of graphic violence or nudity if this was a taught psychological thriller, but instead it's a patchwork one trying to go too many places at once and getting nowhere. But it does look and sound good doing it. Worth watching once but I can't see myself revisiting it any time soon.

Agreed, it's a fun watch, great visually, but doesn't leave too much of a mark emotionally. Good Easter movie though. Eggnog, mutant chickens and Ewa Aulin!

[ConcreteMascara]

had the apartment to myself last night so I was able to watch not one but two Shinya Tsukamoto films I had never seen before on my big TV instead of being relegated to my back room. #blessed

First up was Kotoko [2011] which I semi-recently picked up in the Arrow boxset of Tsukamoto films. One of the few in the boxset I hadn't seen several times already, I was putting it off because in my mind it was going to be some kind of lighter fare drama about mental health and child rearing. Well it is about mental health and motherhood, but it's easily the most unpleasant film by Tsukamoto I've ever seen, not counting the nauseating camera work of Testuo: The Bullet Man. All of the fantasy and metaphor of previous Tsukamoto films is removed so the tension, violence and mental breakdowns are entirely real. I could identify with many aspects of Kotoko's mental state and actions to an uncomfortable degree from either personal experience or through my day to day work experience. Of the 91 minute run time there was maybe 20 minutes where I felt like I could relax. This is not a fun movie but it is a hell of an achievement. I watched the included interview done for Third Window after the films release immediately after watching the movie and the insight only increased my appreciation of the movie.

I was going to watch a Godzilla movie to chill out after that brutalization but I decided to take the bit in my teeth and watch Gemini [1999] instead. Ah this was easy-peasy Tsukamoto in comparison. One of his few works for hire, sort of, Gemini is an adaptation of an Edogawa Rampo story. Visually the movie is beautiful and it reminded me many times of Teruo Ishii's prior adaptations of Rampo work, and satisfied in a similar way. Overall it felt like a minor work in Tsukamoto's oeuvre, but I still really enjoyed it. The over-the-top of the protagonist and wild-then-guarded style of the love interest felt like classic '90s Japanese cinema. Glad Mondo Macabro made this more widely available for US audiences with their new Bluray but I was pissed to find out the essay by Tom Mes was only available with copies bought straight from MM. WTF.

[host body]

Has anyone seen the new Brandon Cronenberg movie "Possessor" yet?

[absurdexposition]

Has anyone seen the new Brandon Cronenberg movie "Possessor" yet?

Been trying to cop a torrent but only came across a seemingly low-quality screener. Hopefully it won't be long before something pops up in decent quality now that it's been doing more of the rounds.

[Hatefukk]

I think I picked up a good quality screener of this.  Great picture quality but it has that annoying "property of blah blah blah" watermark across the bottom of the screen.  I will give it a watch this weekend.  To be honest I snatched it a while ago and then completely forgot who was behind it until just now so I will for sure give it a watch this weekend.

[online prowler]

Hitchcock's FRENZY (1972): The camera flees the scene.

WATCH FILM SCENE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VSXmnMJrxI

This scene with 'Barb' and 'Rusk', and its minute construction, is closely linked with Frenzy's first sex crime scene -



- the viewing public's knowledge slash expectations of narrative, and the execution of a resolution denied the film's spectator towards scene end.

When the camera transforms to our direct gaze at 1.52 minutes and retracts at climax peak 2.07 - we - as the camera recoil of instinctual fear. But as the camera glide backwards, it strangely also push towards the viewer like a dead boy lake-drowned in a Dennis Cooper poem. And in this moment Hitchcock's sum of film cues gear-shift to implant an idea inside us... The realization, that we - as - she are equally alone and helpless and in no power or position to help.

Take your time and study, this is masterful craft. Barb's premonition of ill at 3 seconds; the green shadow in the background, floating past at second 5 towards the right, erasing her intuition in one movement; they at 0.23 entering the narrow passage of the wholesale flower hall that gradually permeate into Barb's funeral or a public mausoleum for each of Rusk's dead girls. How many flower racks are there on site? How many flower pots resemble toddler coffins? At 1.33 minutes he gestures with right hand - stretching it out in a 'this is all yours' sentiment (is it her death he is referring to, or the last beautiful minutes of her life - what is worst?) and saying: "You got the whole of your life ahead of you!" - to ten seconds later when she walks into her certain death and the tomb that is his house.

[ConcreteMascara]

Friday night was a double feature, Dracula 2000 and What We Do In The Shadows.

Dracula 2000 [dir. Patrick Lussier, 2000] - I've watched the commercial for this movie at least 15 times with my friend, each time confirming it would indeed be a laugh riot. It was somehow better and worse than we expected and a hell of a lot more boring. Despite our own endless stream of commentary it couldn't alleviate the sluggish feeling of everything. the last 20 minutes or so were just a painful slog. If this movie had a ton of tits and/or gore I could've easily been into it. But instead you get Gerard Butler trying to bang his ugly half-sister/half-daughter, which would've been hot if she was hot or there was any chemistry between them. However, there two things worth noting: first, this movie captures the powerful plasticity of the year 2000 in fashion, music, cars, and special effects. ugh. second, there are a lot of actors from different nerd fandoms making an appearance which is kinda cool. oh and Christopher Plummer shoots up Dracula leech blood.

What We Do In The Shadows [dir. Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, 2014] - So I watched the TV show before this and Matt Berry is probably my favorite comedic actor so I didn't really expect to like this more than the TV show and I didn't. BUT it was still fine and fun and a nice pallet cleanser after Dracula 2000.

Then yesterday I watched a bunch of stuff while dubbing tapes and cutting and folding jcards.

Mechanical Violator Hakaider [dir. Keita Amemiya, 1995] - I've been waiting to watch this until the right mood struck, but I was a little more hesitant after watching both Zeiram films as I liked them but wasn't as in love as I'd hoped. Well Hakaider is exactly what I hoped it be, a sumptuous visual affair with nearly non-stop violence and A+ aesthetics. While half the dialogue is just exposition, there's still so little its not an issue and 90% of the world building is done visually. It reminds me of Dark Souls style storytelling. It's definitely supremely corny in some ways but then all the white armor gestapo dudes carry P90s and get blown up constantly so it goes down easy for me.

Godzilla vs Biollante [dir. Kazuki Ōmori, 1989] - I've been wanting to watch this one for a minute. My first Heisei era Godzilla film, so I can't compare it to anything but the Showa era or Shin Godzilla. Damn did I enjoy it though! I can typically get behind "genetic modification gone awry" plots so that worked well and Biollante was even cooler than I hoped. Bonus points for Mitsubishi Starion and the badass Saudi Arabian assassin who drove it. My only complaint, one that's applicable to most Godzilla movies, is people just nonchalantly watch him destroy and fight instead of having mental breakdowns. He's a good of doom and destruction and the army and scientists watch him like he's a dog taking a shit on their lawn. And I'd think Biollante and him have a through down would be the most terrifying experience of anyone's life, but nope, everyone is nonplussed. But yeah, otherwise way better than I was expecting and it serves as the forceful shove I needed to starting watching the other Heisei era films.

I finished out the weekend by watching the first half of the The Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor OVA from 89-92 on Youtube. Image quality was of course shit from old mediocre transfers but sure beats spending 100+ to buy the DVDs or VHS. The English dub is all that's available on Youtube and is also notoriously bad but it's also from before the time of quality dubs so it is what it is. Noteworthy is voice actors Steve Blum's first voice acting roll as Agito Makishima. Despite a bad dub and poor image quality watching the Guyver was incredibly fun. It's super violent, high school kids get murdered regularly, arms are ripped off, eyes are gouged out, people liquefy. The soundtrack is perfect anime OST stuff. And eventually there's even a naughty tentacle scene. It really bums me out that all the ultra-violent anime of my youth is mostly languishing on OOP VHS and DVDs without hope of reissue due to convoluted licensing problems and therefore selling for insane prices on Ebay. I get sick of shitty Youtube rips and torrent files.

[host body]

Could you give a rec list of some more obscure ultra violent anime from that era? I loved Ninja Scroll, Akira, Ghost In The Shell, Angels Egg and Wicked City when I saw em and was sorely disappointed with everything else I could get my hands on. I've had better luck with manga although I don't still like most of what's universally acclaimed.

[ConcreteMascara]

Sure, here's a couple off-hand suggestions. One-off OVAs or short OVA series were big back then so these things are mostly short meaning plot development and common sense are cast aside for maximum carnage and tits. Most of these titles were released by Manga Corps or Urban Vision at some point.

Most stuff by Oichi Ohata is hyper-violent but dumb as hell. Not really obscure per se, but definitely demanding collector prices at time:
Genocyber 1994 - 5 part series of extreme violence and non-sensical plot. My favorite Ohata.
MD Geist 1986
MD Geist II: Death Force 1996 - legendary box art, dumb plot, great violence
Cybernetics Guardian 1989

Bio Hunter 1995 - sleazy mutant monster OVA

Twilight of the Dark Master 1997 - a goth-y take on sleazy mutant monster OVAs. if you like the aesthetics of Vampire Hunter D then you'll dig this

Urotsukidōji: Legend of the Overfiend 1989 - Hideki Takayama - I've never seen it but a famous violent anime meets hentai film. there are many censored cuts available but the old VHS ones weren't censored fyi

Now two well-known shows I'd recommend are the Fist of the North Star [84-87] and Berserk [1997]. Berserk is legendary these days and while I like the FotNS show, I think the movie from 1986 is a better starting place because the show had a ton of episodes.

There are many many other good shows and films to recommend like Devilman, Violent Jack, Angel Cop or any other film by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, but that ought to get you started :)