Thursday, August 25, 2011

The Return Of Ms. Mail Lady- The Postlady Strikes Back!!!!!

I haven't posted my Ms. Mail Lady exploits for a while so I'm gonna play catchup.  I've been keeping Ms. Mail Lady a bit busy over the last 2 months.  The first 8 laserdiscs posted (7 films) were a rather cheap lot of discs I won on Ebay.  Above is the artsy (yes, artsy) Billy Tang Hin-sing (Yes, THAT Billy Tang) film, WILD.  Also, Sam Hui sheds a tear for the cover art of the kicking knockabout, DRAGON FROM RUSSIA.  Clarence Fok Yiu-leung made a goodie!  Billy Tang Hin-sing...not so much.  Check out the rest of the LD haul....

LOVE AND THE CITY

WONDER SEVEN and WITCH FROM NEPAL

Along with Corey Yuen Kwai's all-star  FONG SAI YUK is Ridley Tsui Bo-wah's entertaining B-flick, THE WILD COUPLE.  The ever watchable Roy Cheung Yiu-yeung stars alongside former CAT III piece of meat, Lily Chung Suk-wai.  The fellas from your favorite podcast, THIS WEEK IN SLEAZE (including Sifu Stoo!), just finished an audio commentary for the notorious Billy Tang Hin-sing directed, Lily Chung Suk-wai film, RED TO KILL.  Look for it in the coming months.  The PODCAST ON FIRE NETWORK has been recording like mad and will be releasing podcasts bi-weekly for the foreseeable future.  This audio commentary slots in around October.  You're gonna wanna get your RED TO KILL dvd at the ready so you can  listen along with our filthy shtick.  I'll keep you posted.

A few more LD's to add to my growing hoarders paradise.  The rare classic ghost nasty, SEEDING OF A GHOST and another rare ghost comedy, Jaime Luk Kim-ming's GHOST IN THE HOUSE.

This was an interesting find for me.  I love CYF.  Who doesn't?  I would have his baby if it were possible.  GOODBYE MY FRIEND was released in 1988 amidst CYF's ascension to the throne of HK cinema King.  Then how come you've never heard of the film?  Beats me, but I'm busting to watch it.  

WKW's AS TEARS GO BY and FALLEN ANGELS on dvd.  I have these films in other formats but at 3 bucks a pop, shipping included, what's the harm in buying them again?  No harm at all.

Here are a few rare goodies courtesy of a virtual buddy who's aunt owns a video store.  Auntie is shedding stock and looking to liquidate.  My hand was raised first for the CAT III's.  Two shot on video, unsubtitled turds.  STARLETS FOR SALE stars my bff, Charlie Cho Cha-lee and Elvis Tsui Kam-kong.  FLOWER SNAKE LADY is a sex film that's really none of anyone's concern.  And both films are dubbed in Thai!  I think????
And today came my piece de la resistance.  My double disc of SEX AND ZEN 3D: EXTREME ECSTASY.  The package contains both the 3D and 2D versions, plus a few production bonuses.  Also included were a cool 'motion' lobby card.  One of those cheesy pictures that 'move' when you look at them from different angles.  This one doesn't really move.  It's the same pic just at an ever so slightly different angle.  It's a silly as heck misfire but I love it.

SEX AND ZEN 3D: EXTREME ECSTASY

'Motion' lobby card

The 3D is analglyphic and doesn't really work well on my big screen tele.  The colors are a bit washed out, the subtitles, though written well, are difficult to read, and the 3D is hard to discern.  The film worked a touch better on my laptop as the 3D was easier to make out, though the color wash and the subs were still a problem.  The 2D version looks fine, though, and still loads of fun.  I'm watching now as I blog this.  I would also like to have Vonnie Lui's baby.  In SEX AND ZEN 3D world that just might be possible!?

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Sex and Zen 3D: Extreme Ecstasy aka Sex and Zen and a Severed Horses Head

So, a week or so ago the fine folks who run the NYAFF sent out a mass email to subscribers of their newsletter inviting us lucky ones to a free Thursday night screening of SEX AND ZEN 3D: EXTREME ECSTASY.  My pants immediately dropped upon reading the email and without a thought I was planning my trek into the city.  It was my night off so it was an easy decision.  Wei had school that night and I thought she would enjoy a 'date night' in the city.  Granted, the date involved a ton of naked Asian ladies in 3D, but it was a date nonetheless.  Our first in a long while since the run up to our wedding has been a stressful mess.  At first she was undecided about the show but I sweetened the deal when I mentioned Boca Chica.  Boca Chica was a Latin American restaurant that we had gone to about 3 years ago, while on a trip into the city for my birthday to see Takashi Miike's SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO.  We fell in love with the joint and had always planned to go back, never finding the time.  Wei emphatically said, "YES!"  And the date night was a go....
This past Thursday, after a day of house hunting and meeting with mortgage lenders telling us we couldn't even afford a refrigerator box to live in, we put the stress aside and ventured into the East Village.  Our first stop was din din at Boca Chica.  We both starved ourselves that day in anticipation.  And it was the same damn deliciousness that we remembered.   The complimentary plantain chips and re-fried bean dip were on point and we could have just eaten that all evening.  Wei ordered the Aroz Con Pollo with black beans and side salad.  Aroz Con Pollo being the only thing she knew on the menu.  It was phenomenal!  I tucked into the Cuban Sandwich.  The roast pork, ham, swiss, and toasted bread were soft and, as cliche as it sounds, melted in your mouth.  The side of fried yucca topped with garlic was unbelievable.  The garlic would last clear into the next day, brushing and mouthwash be damned. 


Food Porn

Towards the end of dinner, the skies darkened and then opened up.  A humid and typical early evening shower saw a few folks scatter on the street as umbrellas opened up and newspapers covered heads.  Finishing dinner and over stuffed, we trekked up on and over to the Village East Cinema.  This was the same theater I saw DREAM HOME at last year when it was showing at The Tribeca Film Festival.  On our quick 12 block walk the rain came and went.  Thunder stormed and purple lightning streaked the dark gray sky.  We made it to the theater very early.  A friend of mine from the blogospher/podcast-o-sphere (?) was able to score Wei and I 'special seating'.  We made contact with the event coordinator who hooked us up.  With some time left before the screening Wei and I toured the East Village for a bit.  Stepping in between rain drops and the heavily hipstered young village denizens and being wowed by the crackling thunder and flashes of lightning. 
By the time we made it back to the theater the line that formed for the movie was wrapped around the building.  It was nice to see the free love showing for SEX AND ZEN 3D.  It didn't matter if they were Asian cinema fans, curious onlookers, or perverted deviants ready to drop trow and DNA in the theater.  I was happy to see a big turnout for CAT III.  We met up with another blogger; he writes for the VCinema blog,  and since we were both 'special' we got to bypass the line and get in first.

We milled around the lobby for a bit, took a few pics in front of the sole advertisement for SEX AND ZEN, and then made our way into the balcony.  Where the 'special' people section was located.  The seats where great.  Eye level with the huge screen.  A few of the NYAFF folks were seated in our section and I also noticed La Frances Hui and Jeff Yang.  La Frances Hui, the Assistant Director of Cultural Programs as well as Film Curator at the Asia Society, I knew from seeing John Woo's RED CLIFF, at the Asia Society.  She did the post screening Q&A.  Jeff Yang is an Asian American Culturalist writer who has also written a book on Hong Kong cinema, Once Upon a Time in China.


Introducing the film, for whatever reason, was a drag queen from the NYC landmark establishment, Lucky Cheng's, a drag queen cabaret, located in the East Village. You know you are in for quite a show when a drag queen gets thrown into the mix.  The screen flashed to life and the 3D glasses were put on.  I was ready for boobies!
Upon all of the hype leading up to the film, I really wasn't expecting much.  I am a film goer who wants to have fun.  So, at the very least, I want to enjoy myself.  I always go into a film wanting to love it.  Why else would I spend my time on something?  To hate it?  And with SEX AND ZEN 3D, I wound up really having a ball!  Not a fan of 3D whatsoever, I enjoyed the filmmakers exploiting exploitation through the use of the 3D medium. 

I'll forgo a review of the film as others are much better at recounting and retelling.  I will say that SEX AND ZEN 3D surprised the shit out of me.  I came away really enjoying the excess.  Now, the film is in no way great or better than the original.  The story is a bit shit, the film lasts a solid 20 minutes too long, and the narrative takes a deviant turn into needless violence in the last 1/4.  Up until then the film rolled along with silly bits of comedy and wall to wall naked flesh.  Sadism and blood stained skin was the final reels flavor and it marred the story.  Just a bit, though, as I kind of dug the filmmakers exploiting the use of 3D through violence.  And, as a follower of  HK's CAT III history, the violence seemed like a fine punctuation on top of the lightness of the first 3/4 of the film.  Recalling HK's heyday cinema that splashed on screen equal parts of dopey comedy, dirty carnal pleasure, and sexist sadism.  Everything but the kitchen sink film making.  The total package.  SEX AND ZEN 3D delivered.

After applauding the film we dumped our 3D glasses and left the theater for home.  Wei and I tossed our best and worst film moments back and forth.  Wei gave the film an over enthusiastic thumbs way down.  She dug the original SEX AND ZEN but thought this one was appalling, citing too much nekkidnes and violence.  How can I marry this girl???!!! hahaha  I, on the other hand, well.....I think you know what I though.  An appendage WAY, WAY UP!  While not as good as the original, and I'm not really sure it was supposed to be, the film does an unbelievable job with using and abusing it's players and it's 3D technology.  Garbage story, fair film making, fun 3D, a TON of body parts for the fans, Vonnie Lui as an hermaphrodite, a nod to Kent Cheng, a horse weiner that looks nothing like a horse weiner (Take my word for it.  I've seen a few movies.), a penis slap to the face, an angry as shit Tony Ho Wah Chiu, (One of my favorite actors), and even some messy subtitles makes SEX AND ZEN 3D: EXTREME ECSTASY well worth watching.  My DVD has since been ordered and I will most definitely watch it again.  Even in 2D.   While I don't think it will signal a new wave of film making in HK cinema or even 'save' the cinema for that matter, I would most definitely welcome a sequel, prequel, or another incarnation of sex and 3D.  And, much to my delight, recently mentioned was the 3D updating of director Cash Chin Man-kei's 1999 coming of age sex film, THE FRUIT IS RIPE.  The new film being titled, THE FRUIT IS RIPE 33D.   Boobies and 3D.  A match made in my blue heaven.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

The Sniping- 奇兵 (1990)

THE SNIPING aka SNIPER (1990) 
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Another 'Coolest movie you have never seen,' Wilson Tong Wai-shing's quick moving gangster-actioner from 1990, THE SNIPING.  I'm very cognizant that my picture taking skills suck ass, (though I believe that is part of the rag tag charm of this crap blog) but at any rate, this is another cool looking poster.  The film is somewhat a rarity in it's availability though I have seen the laserdisc for sale on Ebay for an exorbitant fee.  The Ebay laserdisc, as well as other copies I've seen floating around on the Internet, lack English subs.  A virtual buddy of mine was able to make me a copy with English subs and I'm so very glad he did because this film is a little mentioned goodie.  A real shame.

Chen Kuan-tai and Norman Chu Siu-keung

Alex Man Chi-leung

Eric Tsang Chi-wai

Dig this tight little action sequence from THE SNIPING.   It's quick take action like this that I sorely miss when watching today's HK cinema.  Energetic and dirty violence.  How I do love thee.
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A quick aside here folks.  I'm sure you are all very aware about the unfortunate and senseless rioting that has occurred in England.  I would like to extend my most heartfelt well wishes to everyone who as been affected by this shameful nonsense.  That being said, a few friends from our Asian Cinema community, TERRACOTTA DISTRIBUTION and THIRD WINDOW FILMS, both based in and around a strike zone of violence in Enfield, have lost major stock due to their warehouse being burned to the ground.  Luckily, no one was hurt.   If you could all take a moment and peruse the movies they have to offer and quite possibly shell out a few sheckles for one...or two...or three DVD's, it would be greatly appreciated.  These independent labels already struggle to bring us the films we so love and now they need an even bigger helping hand.  Also, head on over to the PODCAST ON FIRE NETWORK and give a listen to a mini-podcast about this crap situation.   Thanks everyone.  Enjoy!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

HK Laserdiscs. I swear this is the last bulk post.....maybe...???


 THE OTHER SIDE OF DOLLS is fun sleaze that has Charlie Cho laying the sweet lowdown to a starlet while dressed as Batman.  Yes.  Batman.


 Charlie Cho also resides in JOURNALIST STORY, alongside a gorgeous favorite of mine, Tsui Man-wah.


 Here's my poster for THE FATAL GAME.

 Loletta Lee Lai-chun gets down to skins in CRAZY LOVE, her first foray ( I think?) into the lovely CAT III genre.

Aces 1990 actioner starring Alex man Ci-leung, Alex Fong Chung-sun, Francis Ng Chun-yu, Sibelle Hu Hui-zhong, Carrie Ng Kar-li, Michiko Nishiwaki, Eddy Ko Hung, and Shum Wai.

Anthony Wong Chau-sang arthouse directed by Allen Fong Yuk-ping.


If the actual title was as printed, this would most likely be a CAT IV film.  But it isn't.  The film is actually a 1990 fantasy pic titled, ANGEL OR WHORE.


Director Yonfan, working from a co-written Fruit Chan script, creates an artsy companion piece to such high trash as HERO DREAM and ANOTHER PIECE OF ROMANCE.  If you get my drift.  *nudge nudge wink wink*
Shot on video T.V. movie starring Francis Ng Chun-yu.



THE FIRE BOAT is listed here as CAT II and on the HKMDB as CAT I.  But upon watching the film it is most definitely CAT III, providing a scene or two that might make you have to register with your local authorities.  Think Stephen Chow's KING OF COMEDY!  My lovely, Cindy Yip Sin-yi, provides her usual skin in this unsubed bore of a drama.

An HK/French co-production that looks to be a companion to 7 DAYS IN PARIS and FACE D'ANGE.


Simon Yam Tat-wah and his usual gigolo hustle, Veronica Yip Yuk-hing, get down on it in this fun little CAT III.


Last but not least, midnight movie madness classic, STORY OF RICKY.