Mail Call!!! Kingwho? Spends Money He Shouldn't Have!

 HONG KONG ADAMS FAMILY, THE TRANSMIGRATION ROMANCE

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I've been a baaaaaad boy.  I'm hoping Wei doesn't see this post as I'm supposed to be saving money for our wedding and a place to live.  But that whore/goddess Ebay flashed me her goodies once again and I just couldn't resist.  I'm a horndog for those sweet, luscious, and beautiful HK/Taiwanese movies.  Above is the HK oddity, HONG KONG ADAM'S FAMILY, starring an all-star dream cast; Chan wai-man, Sek Kin, Shing Fui-on, Jimmy Lung Fong, Shum Wai, Lee Shu-kei, Wu Fung, William Ho Ka-kui, Maria Cordero, and Karel Wong Chi-yeung.  THE TRANSMIGRATION ROMANCE is a VHS that I once had but lost while moving house many moons ago.  I hadn't seen it way back when and am so stoked to have it back!   Cynthia Khan and Carter Wong Ka-tat star.  I recently got this one in as a DVD-r as well.  

 THE DEADLY WARRANT, GAMBLING BARON

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THE DEADLY WARRANT is a Taiwanese shooter aka A KILLING ORDER.  I found the VCD in C-town a few years ago under the latter title.  If I recall correctly, It's a simple, run of the mill, gangster yarn (aren't they all?) starring David Lam Wai, and Dick Wei.  The film was also written and directed by Mr. Dick!  GAMBLING BARON, directed by veteran Richard Yueng Kuen, is an action/crime film that I assume also displays HK cinema's ever present gambling shenanigans.  Max Mok Siu-cheung and Roy Cheung Yiu-yeung are the heavy hitters in this one while Jimmy Lung Fong, Ng Suet-man, Lee Suet-man, Hugo Ng Doi-yeung, Billy Chow Bei-lei, and Karel Wong Chi-yeung play supporting fiddle.

 WIN THEM ALL, NO GUILTY

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More Taiwanese madness as Wu Ma and Mark Cheng Ho-nam in a Taiwanese gambling pic WIN THEM ALL.  I can't find any info on the film under this title but it appears to be the early 90's production aka, GAMBLING GHOSTS ARE READY, also starring Siu Yam-yam, Yukari Oshima, Alexander Lo Rei and Ku Feng.  I also recently got this in on a DVD-r under the 'aka' title.  NO GUILTY is an HK/ Taiwanese co-production starring one of my fave CAT III starlets, the pixie cute, Chan Wing-chi.  It's listed as CAT II but I believe may have been a bit more hard core than that?  Also starring David Lam-wai, Ku Feng, and Alexander Lo Rei. 

 HARD TOUCHING, DESPERATE DUO

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HARD TOUCHING is a mid 90's CAT III shot-on-vid pic that up until this VHS have only been able to find unsubbed.  I have the DVD, VCD, and LD, ALL unsubbed.  I hope this one is worth having 4 copies of?  Sleazy K has told me it isn't.  The film is an Alex Fong Chung-sun vehicle as well as the other VHS posted in the pic, DESPERATE DUO.  No info on DESPERATE DUO but it looks like an early 90's Taiwanese gangland odyssey with Ku Feng and Dick Wei joining the fray.

 CITY ON FIRE

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And my BIG SCORE of Ms. Mail Lady's delivery, CITY ON FIRE.  Nooooo.  Not THAT CITY ON FIRE.  But a 1993 Taiwanese action romp starring Mark Cheng Ho-nam, Michiko Nishiwaki, and, of course, Wu Ma.  I have been looking for this film for about a dozen years or so and have never come across it in any format.  When I saw this for sale I moistened my leopard print boxer briefs.  John Charles reviewed the film in his book, HONG KONG FILMOGRAPHY, and gave this celluloid classic a 1 out of 10.  In Kingwho? speak that translates to a must see. 

 TAIWAN BLACK MOVIES

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Ahhhh.  The ever-elusive documentary, TAIWAN BLACK MOVIES.  Like chasing after the wind, getting a hold of this film has proven fruitless.  There was once a copy posted to Youtube but it lacked subtitles.  But finally, thanks to a fine friend, a subtitled copy is now in my possession!  Bwwahahahahaha!  And now the edumacation of Kingwho? and Taiwanese cinema can now commence!  Taiwan Black Movies were a collective of films born out of the late 70's, booming into the 80's, spinning tales of socio-political crime and violence.  This doc immediately goes to the front of my queue.  For an excellent review of this film, read John Chalres write-up HERE!!!!

 ONCE A HERO: THE VANISHING HONG KONG CINEMA

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HK film critic and essayist, Perry Lam's, book ONCE A HERO: THE VANASHING HONG KONG CINEMA is a collection of his essays on more recent films from the late 20-oughts.  Perry and I would appear to get along well as we both jockey aboard the same wavelength and sing the same mantra; "They don't make 'em like they used to anymore."  In the book, Perry, for the most part nicely explains the differences between  heyday HK cinema and the mostly weak and empty cinema of today's HK and it's filmmakers.  Citing examples to back his claims, Perry's book isn't all disdain, and though we share the same temperament, we don't always agree.  But it's a 90/10 split.  Among the films covered in this volume are NIGHT AND FOG, SHINJUKU INCIDENT, CRAZY RACER, A SIMPLE NOODLE STORY, INVISIBLE TARGET, VENGEANCE, LOVE IN A PUFF, AFTER THIS OUR EXILE, EXODUS, FIRE OF CONSCIENCE, and EYE IN THE SKY, to name just a few. This book comes enormously recommended and is well thought out and competently opinionated. Order it HERE!

EDGE OF DARKNESS

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Another film that has been quite the hard find for the past 15 or so years is the intense under cover cop flick, EDGE OF DARKNESS.  Old school actor Fung Hak-on directs this crime actioner with deft force.  EDGE OF DARKNESS was scripted by former Royal Hong Kong Policeman turned reliable actor, Philip Chan Yan-kin and is wonderfully acted by Alex Man, Chin Siu-ho, and John Shum Kin-fun.  Shum, whose better known as a comic presence in films, almost steals the show as a put upon friend of undercover 5-0, Chin Siu-ho.  The fodder present in this film is true grit and EDGE OF DARKNESS is an astounding HK crime film.

This Week In Sleaze Lite- Podcast On Fire #93

Quick note here.  I'm about a week late in posting this but better late than never.  Sleazy K and I put on our big boy pants for a bit and ditched the dirty cinema in favor of a few films less offensive.  I joined K on the main vein show over at the Podcast On Fire Network.....Podcast On Fire: Episode 93.

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K and I banter about the action silliness found in 1992's THE GOLDEN CORPS COME FROM CHINA aka DIRECT LINE, anachronistic oddness in CYF's and Jiang Wen's LET THE BULLETS FLY, and a nice bit on some Bruceploitation.  I also recap my experiences at this past summers NYAFF.  Less sleaze but all cheese.  Give it a go.  Enjoy!

9/11/11 35 Years Old and 10 Years Young

Hey, ya'll.  Been on a bit of a hiatus with this blog as well as HK cinema.  HK films make up about 95% of my cinematic diet but usually twice a year I step back and try to catch up with the non-HK movies I'd neglected throughout the year.  These past few weeks has been one of those times.  Even if it means forsaking HK cinema in favor of the Drew Barrymore directorial turkey, WHIP IT, and such bastard turds like THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE and the utterly vile and without purpose, A SERBIAN FILM.  With shite like these, why deviate from HK cinema?  I'll get back into the swing of things in a bit.  Anyways, yesterday was the 10 year celebration of our country's resilience against the awful terrorist attacks that occurred on September, 11, 2001.  It was also my birthday!  Another wonderful event!  When people hear that my b-day lands on 9/11 I'm usually greeted with an, "Ohhh!  That stinks.  Sorry."   Comments like this are only slightly less annoying than the, "You look like Vin Diesel," one's I usually get when I'm newly shorn domed and have sunglasses on.  But this is all just nonsense.  So as the media sets everyone up for Kleenex ceremonies, I wholeheartedly go the other route.  For me, 9/11, any way you look at it, is a cause for celebration.  I count myself so very lucky to have my birthday coincide with my the day we celebrate my country's strength, patriotism, and valor. 

That being said, I would never want to take away the remembrance of those we have lost on that fateful day.  But instead of mourning, I choose to walk a little taller.  A bit more proud.  My heart wholly goes out to the friends and families who lost loved ones that day, and continue to do so as the amazing people in our Armed Services eat dirt daily as they fight to secure our everyday freedoms.  We are all much better people because of their mettle.

Sooooo, let's get on with it.  Don't want to be a Debbie Downer here because this is a post about celebration!  Wei took me into Flushing for a little b-day HK movie shopping and dinner.  I took a few pics around town.  A few posters plastered on buildings squawked an upcoming concert by the TWINS in Connecticut this month and the films LOVE IN SPACE and MY KINGDOM, which recently opened in NYC theaters.  Flushing C-town's HK movie shopping has been on the decline.  And while it has never been entirely fruitful, I have found gems on occasion.  Flushing featured 3-4 movie shops, mostly pushing bootlegs, but the number has now dwindled down to 3.  2 shoving bootlegs and one shoving....'questionable' copies of films.  Sometimes its a boot, sometimes not. It's a crap shoot.

Bootlegs...

....and some more...

OVERHEARD 2 and WHAT WOMEN WANT booters

SEX AND ZEN 3D bootleg

Crappy CAT III booter section.  I see Shu Qi in IRON SISTER!

Non bootleg copy of MICRO SEX OFFICE.  Yoink!

After shopping we went for some noodles.  Above is the new look Chao Zhou.  The restaurant had a fire a few months back that forced it's closure.  The new revamped restaurant is a bit nicer, brighter, and serves the same delicious food.

Cambodian Noodle Soup.  Wei and I each had a huge bowl of this.  Our usual.  Phenomenal!

After we unstrapped our Chao Zhou feedbag we headed up the block to a sort-of dai pai dong, that offers extremely cheap sidewalk eats.  Above, Wei is ordering me some fish balls on a stick.  My favorites.  And below, I enjoy those fish balls.  Ain't nothing wrong with havin' some balls in your mouth!  Right!? hee hee heeee

After stuffing my fat face, Wei and I hopped the 7 train for a short hike over to Citi Field to catch my lowly New York Mets face the Chicago Cubs.  It was a special nationally televised game by ESPN that included a touching 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony before first pitch.

Wei.  Check out these great seats!  $60 seats for 17 bucks.  Thank gosh the Mets stink!

An ass holding a beer.

The stadium wasn't full last night for a few reasons.  One, the Mets are a huge bag of stink.  Two, it was a late game and the kiddies had to go to school the following morning.  Three, who wants to really go out on 9/11?  And finally, It was the opening day for the NFL and the majority of Ny'ers where home in their pj's, scratching their butts, while watching the New York Jets battle the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.  Poor, poor job by MLB having this game played at night.  All of that aside, the ceremony was quite great as the Mets had former player escort first responders from all of the major NYC departments out onto the field.  All the while bagpipers piped.  What was also quite touching was the inclusion of children who have benefited from a charity set up by a former NY Mets player, Rusty Staub; The New York Police and Fire Widows Fund.  Each child walked out onto the field while clutching a Mets players hand.  Very sweet. The bright lights of the stadium even dimmed for a moment of silence as the crowd illuminated electronic candles that were handed out at the stadium.  Very, very cool.

The celebration was quite somber and the crowd was most affected by it.  So much so, that the entire game was a sullen affair.  It could have just been that the crowd was tired out from the days events and that first pitched clocked in at almost 8:30...or that the Metsies just suck?  But this was the quietest crowd I have ever been a part of.  It was quite eerie.  It also didn't help that the Mets fell behind early and had to fight back.  But, quietness is only relative as Wei and I were blessed enough to sit right next to 4 young chirpy and fashionable (all wearing brightly colored Chuck Taylor All Stars) Taiwanese "fans" whom, while in between talking on their bedazzled cellphones in very loud Mandarin, overly cheered foul balls flying into the crowd and immersed themselves waaaaayyyyy too much in 'The Wave.'  One girl seemed to be enamored with her nostril as more than a few times I glanced over to see her knuckle deep, diggin' for China, as we here in these parts usually quip. Wei chuckled throughout the game at their antics, often translating their Mandarin play by play of the game for me.

9/11 Remembrance Ceremony @ Citi Field

The Metsies, HK movie shopping ( I brought home LEGIT copies of LOVER'S DISCOURSE, EX, KUNG FU HIP HOP 2, and MICRO SEX OFFICE), gorging myself with great food, and watching my favorite baseball team, all stuffed into a few short hours on what has become one of the greatest days our nation celebrates.  I love being able to say that I was born on 9/11.  Though being 35 leaves a lot to be desired.  Anyone else have bad knees, a constant stiff back, huge man boobs, a jiggly ass, and sperm that take water aerobics classes?  Or is it just me?

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For a wonderful read about 9/11, please check out my blog friend YTSL's current post at her blog, WEBS OF SIGNIFICANCE.  Great, great post.

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

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'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!?

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.