Don't think any of these have already been mentioned, although apparently there were some previews of 'Helldriver' at SDCC. Can't 'recommend' as such, as I haven't seen any of them yet. However the director of 'Helldriver' also made 'Tokyo Gore Police', & the 'Sushi Typhoon' label sounds like an interesting project. Anyway, just thought I'd leave this here rather than start a new thread ... From today's 'Daily Yomiuri': Helldriver Dir: Yoshihiro Nishimura Cast: Yumiko Hara, Eihi Shiina, Minoru Torihada Helldriver is one of four films to be released by Sushi Typhoon, the new label set up under Nikkatsu Corp. to sell Japanese films to overseas markets. To deliver pure entertainment, all Sushi Typhoon movies must meet two criteria: Something must happen every five minutes, and they must feature a comical character. Other than that, filmmakers are free to create whatever they want. Evidently, the first four Sushi Typhoon movies are all slightly extreme and cover such genres as action, comedy, violence and brutality. Helldriver portrays the battle of a girl against a gang of zombies in a world where people are turning into the walking dead one after another. Helldriver director Yoshihiro Nishimura, who directed the cult movie Tokyo Gore Police (200, mutilates human bodies and liberally splatters so much blood that it's beyond imagination. But the talented director's scenes are never merely gross; rather, his inconceivably violent sequences transform brutality into laughs. The frantic pace of Helldriver never lets up until the very end. Sushi Typhoon's other three films are also entertaining. Directed by Yudai Yamaguchi and starring Taku Sakaguchi, Yakuza Weapon is based on a Ken Ishikawa action comic, while Deadball portrays murderous baseball tournaments. The fact that director Seiji Chiba's science-fiction movie AVN/Alien vs Ninja will be remade in Hollywood shows that Sushi Typhoon is attracting plenty of attention for the Japanese film industry. Helldriver Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=576zdqnbhvs
I was at a special presentation during last year's Fantasia Film Festival, for the start-up of the Sushi Typhoon label/distribution. And not that I want to take away anything from these movies, but I did get the impression that there wasn't too much emphasis being placed on much 'content'-wise; just read their press release and it kinda spells it right out. What I mean is, I love these crazy-splatter-WTF is going on-mash-ups as much as anybody, but in all honestly, unlike say 5-10 years ago, they are now being done to death, and while they might not have reached the mainstream market, there is no shortage of films applying the same recipe over and over, without any basis in a story/characters/etc. I am not expecting Oscar here, but I would like to see at least some sense of purpose, other than making a movie just to splatter fake blood all over the screen. They have lost the fundamental originality of the Tetsuo films but are failing to make up for it otherwise. With some exceptions (e.g. some of the films mentioned here), they are churning out formulaic schlock, and I just don't want to see good films cheapened by hackneyed attempts to replicate them and cash in on a cheap thrill (that's what we have Hollywood for....).
I couldn't make it through Tokyo Gore Police - I found it boring. But I LOOOOOOOVED RoboGeisha! Though I don't know that RG was a Sushi Typhoon production. In my mind they're similar movies, but RG was actually fun unlike TGP.
man oh man. so many movies I haven't seen. will have to add to my list. 2 that i would like to mention Chugyeogja (The Chaser) by Na Hong-jin is fantastic. Really gripping detective film (cheating here, it's a Korean film) Best anime I have seen in the last few years is hands down Tekkonkinkreet. I can't begin to even try and describe how awesome this film is.
A hearty second for Tekkonkinkreet - it's another full-length by Studio 4°C, the production house that made Mind Game, the other best anime from the past decade! Also kind of essential to track down are their feature-length collections of shorts, Genius Party and Genius Party Beyond together almost three hours of the most varied, original and spectacular animations I've ever had the fortune to encounter. A nice write up on them can be found here.
I'm glad someone mentioned Funky Forest. I am a huge fan of Katsuhito Ishii. Everything I have seen by him I have liked thus far. If anyone can help point me in the right direction on how I can get a copy of Sorasoi, it would be appreciated. Been wanting to watch it since it came out.
Okay, admittedly I am really stretching the limits by posting this here, but as we've established this could cover "asian" movies, even then I am testing the definition but this is just too awesome not to share http://io9.com/5837098/in-the-pakis...ing-korans-blow-up-salman-rushdie-with-lasers Like Rushdie or not, Khomeini's fatwah was (I believe) a key factor in bringing him the international reputation he now enjoys. Never really got the controversy from reading it myself, but there ya go. The fact that he supported the unbanning of this movie is pretty awesome though. It's like the Turkish Star Wars (or Rambo, or Superman, or etc.); hilarious to check out, but I can't see many with the patience to sit through an entire viewing.
Watched Takashi Miike's ZEBRAMAN the other night, which is a fine, fine flick. I've heard that there is a ZEBRAMAN II movie, but haven't seen it yet.
Hell yes! I think that started off my obsession with Tadanobu Asano. Was such a badass in the film. Party7 was another great movie. Maybe a guilty pleasure, as it was almost a movie about nothing but crap, peeping and strange costumes. Funky Forest and Taste of Tea were to that really are truly magical. Great films. And I HIGHLY second Mindgame! I put it over TekkonKinkreet for having much more artistic craziness and story. Might have to add Blue Spring to the list: And 9 Souls. Toyoda has a great taste in music and editing.
Two really great war movies I would recommend: Tae Guk Gi (The Brotherhood of War) - 2004 The Assembly - 2007 Don't mistake these for action-oriented blockbusters, they are heart-wrenching stories about humanity and the nature of war.
Vampire Doll - 1970 Lake of Dracula* - 1971 Evil of Dracula - 1974 Ever been curious what the Japanese take on Hammer horror films might be like? Michio Yamamoto's early seventies trilogy has your answers. Not particularly good films, arguably, but gorgeous and utterly fascinating nonetheless. I'll leave it at unique. Loved every minute. * Contains no lake.
^^^ I was really pleased to find images of the paintings used for the posters. Great, huh? Japanese take on the American horror films of the 1950's, anyone? Hoo boy! I'd never heard of the '57 film Invisible Man Vs the Human Fly until last week. How about you? The great thing about a movie with a title like this is that you don’t need a plot summary. Still, at its heart, it’s a police procedural, and while much more primitive than modern cop shows, the flatfoots are amply driven and jaded. The villain also has an interesting motive related to WWII and unlike so many other SF offerings of the era wisely shies away from lecturing on science respecting that “there are some things that man was not meant to know.” Think of a Corman picture with a noir vibe. I got into it, and I’d say, if you only watch one 50s monster movie this year, it should be The Invisible Man vs. the Human Fly. -- notes from the translator responsible for us monolingual cads being able to have a look. What a treat! 透明人間と蠅男
I'd read a couple of years ago that Criterion had the North American right to this spectacular picture, but had no immediate plans to release it. Still no word on a release date, but I'm happy to be able to confirm the above rumor as I discovered the film steaming as part of my fresh subscription to huluPLUS. I hate to plug the modern machine, but Goke is just one of the dozens of Japanese films unavailable in translation otherwise that the service has up, so... Eight well-spent bux! So what have you guys been watching?
Wasp Woman in Tokyo just came out... I read there is going to be a 3d version so I am going to hold out for that, not sure if I could enjoy this movie knowing that I could be watching it in 3d.
Watched Lady Snow Blood recently. Or as I call it the prequel to Kill Bill. I love Tarantino, but man what a rip off. Still a really good movie. I totally want to check out Wasp Woman in Tokyo that looks awesome!
^^^ Although quite different, and oft maligned, Fujita's sequel is quite a good picture, too. For more tastes of similar candy you can't go wrong with Norifumi Suzuki's Sex & Fury, or it's sequel Female Yakuza Tale, the later directed by the gigantically talented Teruo Ishii. The more you see from this period of stuff the clearer it becomes how many different places Tarantinio looked to to patch together his epic - I'm of the mind that Kill Bill, rather than being a rip-off, is actually the greatest fan letter ever filmed! Common knowledge to many, but one of the many reason's check out Goke is QT's rip of the orange sky for The Bride's plane ride into Japan.
Toothaction, don't get me wrong. I LOVED Kill Bill Volume 1&2, rip off is the wrong word, or the one that people use to sound cool. I think it's more of an homage, like most of his films. If I had any cinematic talent whatsoever, I would basically rip off QT, to make it full circle.
We have similar taste in terrible movies. I want to finish Zebraman I and II this week so hopefully the 3D Wasp Woman is out by then.
I meant no criticism, dB - I was just spouting a bit about some movies I love! psilo 110 --I was all set to love Zebraman, but wound up finding it kind of a snooze. I heart bad, but this one just didn't grab me. With this in mind would you say I should check the sequel or give it a pass?
The first one is kind of slow, but I love the director (Takashi Miike) so I am determined to finish it. I will have to get back to yo on the sequel. Black & white ecstasy !
