2007: The Digital Scrounge

[Mike Thomason]

I was thinking of Rick Baker , who you have probably never heard of (and have no need of knowing about). I've nothing against Toby Russell except for his involvement with the Eastern Heroes venture...

Probably never heard of? Have only spoken on the phone* to the man numerous times and wrote for EH between '95 and '98 (just prior to their untimely demise). But please don't hold that against me...

* probably actually spoke to Toby a number of times too, without realising it (as he was very lowkey when I knew them all).

[cal42]

So what did you think of Rick Baker?

[Mike Thomason]

John Brennan was the main guy I dealt with (and Toby and Rick communicated to me through), but I never had any unpleasant or bad dealings with Rick in the time that I knew him. I haven't heard from any of them in years! Maybe as far back as 1999 was the last time I heard from anyone involved with EH (and, believe it or not, I used to speak to Brian White when he was originally working for EH too); it's been so long I doubt any of them would even remember me now anyway...

Mind you, I've learnt better than to bring up my nineties associations with Rick, Toby, EH and the EH crew. I've had people pester and hound me online on forums for money they lost when EH when down the gurgler, as well as had all manner of animosity and vitriol directed at me for having "worked" for them. Fact of the matter was, I was a freelance foreign correspondent for the magazine -- with an emphasis on FREE; I was never paid any money for my work at EH -- though they did occasionally send the odd VHS tape my way in gratitude for my writing.

So, in a nutshell, never had a problem -- but then, being a freelance writer I'm probably the wrong guy to ask as it's all just a passing memory now.

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

Weekend buys:

Ringu (Japan): yes I've seen this but it was cheap and I finally got my own copy. Not as scary to me as Juon (either the two V shorts as well as the movie versions).

The Sea Is Watching (Japan): a Kurosawa's script that was filmed in 2002. So far best Kurosawa script (not directed by) I've seen has been Runaway Train.

White Dragon (2004 HK)
Curse of the Golden Flower (2006 China)
Won Black Magic (HK Image/Celestial) online. Looking forward to watching this .

[Brian Thibodeau]

Won Black Magic (HK Image/Celestial) online. Looking forward to watching this

As good as BLACK MAGIC is, the sequel (in title only, but featuring the same cast) is even better!

I won BOXER'S OMEN online awhile back. Not sure when I'll get around to it, but I'm hoping at least some of the breathless online hype was true! BLACK MAGIC 2 at least give me an idea of the what the "extreme" threshold might have been in Hong Kong cinema at the time (an era I'm not overly familiar with...just yet), so if BOXER'S OMEN matches that, I'll be a happy man.

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

I finished Vengence Is A Golden Blade and would suggest to watch (or buy; especially for extras) Water Margin before that. Vengence makes good use of the Shaw Brother's set design and I like some of the inventive camera use (part of the great thing about having a studio is the use of cameras from the ceiling instead of having to use a crane). Though when they make use of the models it tends to be very obvious and the use of rear projection is a bit much (rear projection seems to work better with black and white than color). The biggest problem is the melodrama though and some silly situations (why tell your cheating wife to take poison and not watch what she is going to do with it?) The two terse reviews in HKMDB are close to how I feel about the film (both were 7/10).

Also looking forward to Boxer's Omen whenever I purchase that . Mention of BLACK MAGIC 2 as an early Story of Ricky type has me intrigued (I know it will not be as gory ).

I too need to increase my Shaw Brothers knowledge (and many many other areas of cinema too so I can be master of esoteric cinema instead of jack of some minute areas of film like Jackie Chan movies).

[Mike Thomason]

200 Pounds Beauty (South Korea) (DVD)
After This Our Exile (Hong Kong) (DVD)
Between Love And Hate (South Korea) (DVD)
Bloody Ties (South Korea) (DVD)
The Butterfly Murders (Hong Kong) (DVD)
Happy Birthday (Hong Kong) (DVD)
Mission Sex Control (South Korea) (DVD)
No Mercy For The Rude (South Korea) (DVD)
One Day Suddenly: 4 DVD boxset (South Korea) (DVD)
--features: Dark Forest; February 29; Hidden Floor; Roommates
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2: SE (US) (DVD)
We're Going To Eat You (Hong Kong) (DVD)

[cal42]

I should have the following by this weekend:

Golden Buddha: 60's Lo Wei directed James Bond type deal by the look of it. Could be quite fun.
Human Lanterns: Never seen this before, supposed to be a strange mix of horror and kung fu.
Sukeban Boy (Japan): blame Brian.

Still got Brothers Five and Sons of Good Earth to watch as well. I'm lagging behind as usual...

[Bearserk]

Got some spare money from my last order as they weren't abløe to get hold of all the titles I ordered, so ordered these instead.


Fing'S Raver - (Sam Lee, Sarah Lee and Sophie Ngan ) - Blame Crawford and Brian

Guys in Ghost Hand - (Kara Hui, Ku Feng, Lau Siu-Gwan)

Ghost Story - Horrible Tea - (Wayne Lai, Helena Law Lan)

Invisible Waves - (Eric Tsang, Maria Cordero, Asano Tadanobu)

Mr A? Mr C? - (Grace Lam, Oscar Lam, Helena Law Lan)

Unplugged Nightmare - (Yoyo Mung, Edmond Leung, Helena Law Lan)

Seven Angels - (Deannie Yip, Poon Sin-Yee, Fong Bik-Laan)

Shadow Mask 3? - (Fan Siu-Wong, Nagai Ritsuko, Cheng Pei-Pei)

The Tigers - (Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Ken Tong)

[Brian Thibodeau]

Sukeban Boy (Japan): blame Brian.

Why, whatever do you mean?!

Fing's Raver - (Sam Lee, Sarah Lee and Sophie Ngan ) - Blame Crawford and Brian

I'm always amused when old farts—in this case Lee Siu-kei—try to make "relevant" and "hip" movies and fail so pathetically. That's when drive-in classics are born!

"FING PILLS: ASSASSIN OF YOUTH!! See it for the sake of your children!!!"

(you could also blame Mike T for this one. He brought it up! )

[Brian Thibodeau]

While we're on the subject of B-movies at the moment, Deep Discount has Mill Creek's Martial Arts 50 Movie Pack on sale for US$13.17 (about US26 cents a movie):
http://www.deepdiscount.com/viewproduct ... Id=5785830

as part of a larger sale of similar Digital One Stop PD product.
http://www.deepdiscount.com/Digital-One ... iewcat.htm

Sure, the prints are dubbed, scratchy fullscreen crap, but there's still some gems to be had within. I've been idling on buying this one for a long time, but that price is the cheapest it's been yet, and cheaper than it would be during the 20% off sale.

[Bearserk]

Well we have to blame someone, and you're the one that got this thread started

But we can blame Mike a bit to since he was the one who listed it

Ordered some more as I got bored at school today, will post the list tomorrow, way to tired now, just want to get some sleep.

[Brian Thibodeau]

Ordered some more as I got bored at school today

Cool school!

[Bearserk]

There we go
A few titles I've ordered before which was cancelled on me as they were unable to find them, hopefully I'm luckier with this online retailer

A Day Without Policeman - (Simon Yam, Yu Li, Tommy Wong)

Buhddist - (Hugo Ng, Chan Wei-Ling)

China Girls - (Patrick Keung, Fan Oi-Git)

The Demon Wet Nurse - (Tan Lap-Man, Charlie Cho, Gam Ching-Ngo)

Hanky Panky Husband - (Alfred Ceung, Olivia Cheng)

Hong Kong Valentino - (Lee Chung-Ling (1), Lily Lee) Not 100% if it's the Right DB entry, others are more competent to judge that than me

Night Girls - (Jo Jo Ngan, Chan Pooi-Kei, Charlie Cho)

The Peeper's Story 2 - The Escape Partner - (Eric Wan, Lam Wai-Kin)

Rogues From the North - (Pauline Chan, Charlie Cho, Bowie Lam)

Seductive Love - (Sophie Ngan, Grace Lam, Danny Lee)

Take Care, Your Majesty - (Wong Yu (1), Fong Yi-Jan, Ku Feng)

Temptation - (Luk Siu-Fan, Lung Siu-Wa)

Snake Beauty - (Isabelle Chow, Charlie Cho, Tsui Man-Wah)

Way to Success - (Wong Wai-Tak, Chung Bik-Wing)

Whores From the North - (Pauline Chan, Lam Wai (1), Leung Pooi-Woo)

Your Call or Mine - (William Ho, Cheung Hung, Cheung Nga-Lai)

[Taijikid]

Okay, Bearserk, I can resist no longer.

How on earth do you decide what movies to pick up?

Your buy lists continually amaze me by the sheer number of films that I didn't even know existed. I am certainly no expert on HK movies, but your selection is truly awe-inspiring both in its obscurity and in its quirkiness.

You get my vote as HK movie fan of the week.

[Bearserk]

Okay, Bearserk, I can resist no longer.

How on earth do you decide what movies to pick up?

Your buy lists continually amaze me by the sheer number of films that I didn't even know existed. I am certainly no expert on HK movies, but your selection is truly awe-inspiring both in its obscurity and in its quirkiness.

You get my vote as HK movie fan of the week.

Thanks

It's just a matter of being stubborn going through page after page, looking for interesting titles or covers, or looking through certain actors/actresses movies to fill in holes in the collection

But as you see from a lot of the titles I bought lately, they're already in the DB, so I'm just playing catchup to whoever added them in the first place and adding whatever new I can find, and these pages are also a great place to start if one wants ideas and recommendations on what to buy

And I tend to go after the Cat.3 sleaze as others seem to focus more on the other stuff when it comes to getting images of the actors, a category which is littered with great and interesting titles and covers

[Brian Thibodeau]

...and these pages are also a great place to start if one wants ideas and recommendations on what to buy

Indeed! I noted at least one title on Bearserk's latest list—BUHDDIST with Hugo Ng—for which I gave a modest recommendation when I posted the credits for it in another thread.

And I tend to go after the Cat.3 sleaze as others seem to focus more on the other stuff when it comes to getting images of the actors, a category which is littered with great and interesting titles and covers

This isn't just true of Cat. III, although that's definitely where the most interesting covers are, in some cases surely to make up for the supercheap movies contained inside. And yet, there are OFTEN some wonderful surprises, and NOT just in the Cat. III realm, and this was sort of at the core of my side of a recent debate 'round here. While I do, like others, get a bit bored reading internet discussions about the same-old "popular" movies, re-released on DVD ad nauseum, it seems, I'm probably more frustrated that many of those same experts who can tell you how many seconds have been altered in a Jackie Chan film from 1986 haven't seen probably 80% of the titles Bearserk and I are finding in these little hunts (sure, that's a guestimate, but just try and find discussions about most of them anywhere on the web!). And a LOT of these are actual quality, filmed productions dating anywhere from the 80's to today, some of them arguable A-list productions. Bjorn's dedication to amassing B-Movie & Cat. III product blows my own out of the water—I just hope he has time someday to watch them and report back some recommendations!!!!

It's just a matter of being stubborn going through page after page

This is absolutely crucial in discovering just how much Hong Kong cinema has been overlooked in the past 20 years, diamonds and duds alike. If one has the time and/or the patience to scroll seemingly endless web pages of listings or, as in my case, aisles of musty VCDs, the rewards are invariably worth the effort. Not that folks shouldn't try to stay current, of course!

[Brian Thibodeau]

Popped into the local Chinese movie music warehouse tonight (and actually realized the place has always been called Movie & Music Cash & Carry Wholesale! Some memory I've got!) and picked up 8 more $2.50 bargain titles on VCD:

HELLO? WHO IS IT? (1994; Winson; Lau Ching Wan, Anita Lee
UNTOLD STORY: SUDDEN VANISHED (2002; Modern; Wayne Lai, Fennie Yuen. Now I've got to get the sequel THE LOST WORLD)
A STEP TO HEAVEN (1995; Ocean Shores; Hugo Ng, Lily Chung, always a realiable pairing, even in pseudo artsy stuff like this)
FOR YOUR HEART ONLY (1985; Megastar; Leslie Cheung, Loletta Lee)
IMMORTAL STORY (1986; Fortune Star; Sylvia Chang)
THE GHOST INFORMER (1984; Ocean Shores; Joyce Ngai, Tony Leung Ka-fai)
HAPPY PARTNER (1993; Mei Ah; Chin Siu-ho; Loletta Lee
DRIVING MISS PERFECT (2004; Panorama; Lau Ching-wan, Gigi Leung)

Interesting, this store has moved all their catalogue DVDs and VCDs to one aisle (two sides, three shelving units high) at the back of the store, where they used to be spread out over three aisles (six sides). Mind you, their aisles are probably a good 40 feet long! Tightening them up like this has actually made things a little easier for skimming DVDs, as the spines all face up in the bins now; a little trickier for VCDs, and the Chinese spines face up in most cases, plus to see them on one side of the aisle, you now have to crouch down out of view of the staff, which probably makes them wonder if you're stealing stuff. Of course, maybe they're hoping to get rid of some of it that way! At this rate, I'm thinking of making weekly visits to this place, as I suspect there may be a further price reduction one of these days. All their catalogue DVDs are $10 CDN right now, which is high compared to online prices from DDDHouse, and they don't seem to sell very many of them anymore thanks to the bootleggers, so I'd imagine there will come a day when it'll be time to liquidate. And, like a vulture, there I'll be!

In the aisles where these movies used to be, they've drastically increased the space for Chinese opera DVDs (stage productions? music vids? Not sure), Korean soap operas, as well as TONNES of TVB drama sets (most with English subs), many of which look veeerrry tempting.

[Masterofoneinchpunch]

The other films are RED WOLF (which is hardly deserving of the 2-disc treatment it gets)

After finally watching this one I completely agree (of course I realize I could have spent the time watching other films ). Chung has her moments in the film (and some bad moments between silly comedy and pathos), but the movie is so derived from other better films that the only way to forgive the plot would have been better action.

What is with the Bey Logan commentary on this though there is no mention of him on the DVD (haven't listened to it yet except the very beginning to see who it was; though it is with Christy Chung so that might be interesting; if anyone has heard this give opinions on it ) and I was surprised to hear mention of HKL on a Tokyo Shock disk.

Now I hope Black Magic arrives this weekend. Considering buying Shadow Whip tomorrow (Best Buy).

[Brian Thibodeau]

After finally watching this one I completely agree (of course I realize I could have spent the time watching other films ). Chung has her moments in the film (and some bad moments between silly comedy and pathos), but the movie is so derived from other better films that the only way to forgive the plot would have been better action.

My biggest beef with this film is the fact that you can't really get a sense of place. It's so obvious that the ship they're shooting on is some kind of freighter, rather than the luxury liner you see on screen for, what, about two seconds at the beginning of the film? Hell, they could have at least tried to use more insert shots like that! And the sets don't exactly convince...

What is with the Bey Logan commentary on this though there is no mention of him on the DVD (haven't listened to it yet except the very beginning to see who it was; though it is with Christy Chung so that might be interesting; if anyone has heard this give opinions on it ) and I was surprised to hear mention of HKL on a Tokyo Shock disk.

The commentary's a holdover from the Hong Kong Legends release, as are any other extras on that disc.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00005UWT1/

I've yet to listen to it, as the movie was such a letdown that I didn't really care to know much about how it was made (most of which I could figure out from watching it!). Maybe someday, but I'd imagine the commentary will largely be made up of the same old generalizations that cleverly pass for scholarship on many such tracks.

[sharkeysbar]

I was out of action due to work for a couple of weeks, but I finally got back to Chinatown this week after an all too long absence and found quite a few films that I needed to pick up. I was pleasantly surprised to see some Shaw Brothers titles available (DVD and VCD) where usually only the latest releases are sold. Included in my haul are the following Hong Kong films,

The Call Girls 1977
The Condemned 1976
A Mad World of Fools 1974
The Imposter 1975
Ghost Eyes 1974
Temple of the Red Lotus 1965
The Teahouse 1974
The Big Holdup 1975
Journey of the Doomed 1985
The Angry Guest 1972
Duel of Fists 1971
Big Brother Cheng 1975
The Man called Tiger 1973
Kungfu Kid 1977
The Invincible Sword 1971
Resistless Mission 2004
Parking Service 1986
Black Dream 1995
Perfect Match 1989
Cop Image 1994

I also picked up a few Korean titles, but I'll post them later (when I get them sorted out

I find this very interesting reading everyone's postings, it gives me tonnes of great leads.

I wonder Cal, if you or anyone else has seen The Golden Buddha yet (posted above)? I loved it and have watched it quite a few times, any leads on more films in that vein.....

[cal42]

Hey! At last someone with a big list of films with some I've actually SEEN!

I'd be interested in your opinion on A MAD WORLD OF FOOLS, that's one I've always been interested in (but not been interested in enough to click the "Add to Cart" button as yet).

Yes, I did watch Golden Buddha last night as it happens. You know what? There's one thing I just can't get: he's in his hotel room fighting off the henchmen, the one uses tear gas or something in his face, he's just about to collapse and then...dissolve to exterior shot...then back to the hotel room and he's perfectly OK and the bad guys are nowhere to be seen. What was that all about? It did ruin my enjoyment a bit, I have to admit. I loved the bad guy though! I gotta get me a gold space suit and a cape like that!

[Mike Thomason]

Have not long ordered two slightly older South Korean films, but won't post them up until the retailer confirms my order...

...and the 2-disc edition of Nowhere To Hide has been nixed!

Let's see if the other one makes it through...

[Brian Thibodeau]

The Call Girls 1977
The Condemned 1976
A Mad World of Fools 1974
The Imposter 1975
Ghost Eyes 1974
Temple of the Red Lotus 1965
The Teahouse 1974
The Big Holdup 1975
Journey of the Doomed 1985
The Angry Guest 1972
Duel of Fists 1971
Big Brother Cheng 1975
The Man called Tiger 1973
Kungfu Kid 1977
The Invincible Sword 1971

Hey! At last someone with a big list of films with some I've actually SEEN!

Ditto! It's good to know I'm not the only one hunting down the contemporary-set Shaw stuff. Not that I have anything against the martial arts period pieces—I've got more of them ready to watch than I care to think about—but information and reviews for the contemporary dramas, comedies, horrors, love stories and action/adventure films seems awful scarce at many review sites I search. I can understand the desire to finally see the martial arts films in vastly improved versions, but it does seem sometimes like people aren't paying as much attention to the "modern" 60's and 70's stuff. Besides, I just love looking at Hong Kong from that period!

[Mike Thomason]

The next batch of South Korean catch-up films...

I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK (South Korea) (DVD)
Love Me Not (South Korea) (DVD)
Moodori (South Korea) (DVD)
Once In A Summer (South Korea) (DVD)
Seducing Mr Perfect (South Korea) (DVD)
Traces Of Love (South Korea) (DVD)

[Brian Thibodeau]

Got some VCD goodies from Poker's 40% off deal in my U.S. postbox this weekend on a visit home:

LEGEND ABOUT HUNTING GHOST 3
LEGEND ABOUT HUNTING GHOST 4
LEGEND ABOUT HUNTING GHOST 5
(part one should be arriving later this week, so my set will be complete!!)

MAINLAND PROSTITUTE (Mei-Ah, 2003; despite the title, a Cat. II film)
BEHIND THE PINK DOOR (Mei-Ah, 1992; Alex Fong, Pauline Chan)
(picked up these two thanks to the ever-reliable Bearserk's lists & cover scans!)

Also picked up the new Anchor Bay 5-movie Mario Bava box set at the mailbox this weekend, thanks to DeepDiscount's recent 50%-off Anchor Bay sale. Very nice! But since it's not really Asian related, I'll shut up now.

[Mike Thomason]

Also picked up the new Anchor Bay 5-movie Mario Bava box set...
Very nice! But since it's not really Asian related, I'll shut up now.

That's okay...I managed to grab one of the 4000 copies of the Laura Gemser Black Emanuelle boxsets; doubly nice!
Not Asian either, for that matter, but I'm sure some people would want to argue that fact since Gemser was Indonesian born Javanese...
(Believe it or not, I once had someone try to tell me that Lucio Fulci's Zombi 3 was an "Asian film" because it had been partially shot in the Philippines! )

[Mike Thomason]

I thought it was finally about time I bought...

Chungking Express (Hong Kong) (DVD)
Fallen Angels (Hong Kong) (DVD)

...in the spanky new remastered editions out of the ROK. So I did!

Also...

Shanghai Knights (USA) (DVD) (but only coz I found it for $9AUD)

[sharkeysbar]

I haven't seen A Mad World of Fools as yet Cal, but I'll certainly let post a review when I have but I have ventured back to Chinatown and picked up a few more titles, including these Shaw Brothers titles;

Sunset 1971
We Love Millionaires 1971
The Super Inframan 1975
Police Force 1973
Let's Make Laugh 1983
Let's Make Laugh II 1985
The Cave of Silken Web 1967
Oily Maniac 1976
The Bastard 1973
The Shadow Boxing 1979
Gambler's Delight 1981
The Proud Youth 1978

Then some non- Shaw Brothers titles;
Hong Kong
The Man from Hong Kong 1975
Picture of a Nymph 1988
The Blue Jean Monster 1991

Japan
Blind Beast 1969
The Beast to Die 1980
The Proof of the Man 1977
Yomigaeri Resurrection 2002

Thailand
Lover in the Closet

Taiwan
Millenium Mambo 2001

Korea
Windstruck 2004

That's my haul for today, now to get through them and I agree with several previous comments, while I do enjoy the martial arts films, there was so much more to Shaw Brothers and some of their other films are brilliant, the contemporary films are excellent, whether comedy, drama, horror, musicals, all are fascinating. I gotta say I was very happy to find a copy of The Super Inframan, I really hope Danny Lee saves the world.

[cal42]

Oily Maniac! I gotta get that film! Just for the title alone! I keep forgetting though, and I think it was OOS when I last looked.

The contemporary films I also enjoy, I love the look of bell-bottoms and big collars from ANY territory as I find that sort of thing really fun anyway. Thing is, HK were (and still are to some extent) more focussed on the period pieces and there just seems to be so few contemporary pieces around.