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Royal rumble!
Kaiju Mono flipped Kaiju parodies on their head and then slammed them with a DDT. In the opening scenes, reports of violent weather, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions were explained as Mother Nature not taking our BS anymore. Kaiju Mono came as a warning. Filled with sexual innuendo and a monster that hunted virgins of any sex, this film didn’t try to take itself seriously or make sense at any point. Somehow it also managed to be ridiculously funny even when it was completely inappropriate at times.Kaiju Mono was an underground dweller who came to the surface when she needed snacks or to take her anger out on humans. Deep in the woods, two lab assistants came across a strange egg where a bizarre incident connected to Mono had just occurred. When the monster decided to go on a rampage and head toward Tokyo, Dr. Jotoro, a Sailor Moon cosplayer and scientist, developed a serum that would make his skinny lab assistant a giant, muscled Titan. Dr. Jotoro had also developed expandable briefs so that Nita wouldn’t have to wrestle nude, much to the chagrin of the ladies watching the downtown battle. Nita managed to drive Mono away and instantly became a celebrity, especially since his muscles remained after returning to normal size. When Mono once again stomped into town looking for her egg, she thrashed Nita, causing Dr. J to have to work on a new formula for him.
Nita had three different iterations, each bigger and badder and played by three different actors. The wrestling scenes were funny and fairly acrobatic for the limited space they fought in. The movie made fun of the military, protestors, industrial espionage, the fickleness of fame, and the news media. No one was immune to their zingers and Mono’s chomping. The film did show the benefit of older people when another hero emerged. As the movie explained for the non-Japanese audience, the original Ultraman made a guest appearance. The biggest drawback for me, other than some draggy moments in the middle, were a few gay and cross-dressing jokes that have not aged well.
“Will this lead to a glorious future or man’s extinction?” Kaiju Mono didn’t answer that question or any others, but it didn’t need to. Director Kawasaki playfully poked fun at Godzilla movie tropes and created some solid laughs throughout the film. This film isn’t for everyone, it helps if you enjoy Kaiju films, pro wrestling, and irreverent humor. Silly and never taking itself seriously, Kaiju Mono managed to not lay an egg.
10/24/23
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If you are feeling nostalgic for something akin to the Power Rangers or going further back, Sigmund the Sea Monster, Super Legend God Hikoza might be what you are looking for. It would also help if you are twelve-years-old or younger, you might not notice how bad the writing and acting for this film were.Four scientists work for Dr. (Dr. what? They never mentioned his name, maybe it was Dr. Doctor) at the UISAS (Ultra Institute Space and Astronaut Science). Takao and Okubo are childhood friends who bicker nonstop largely because Takao berates him and hits him almost continuously. The other characters with the exception of Yoshiki find it charming. Yoshiki is in love with Takao and the new hire Yuria is in love with Yoshiki. It’s like a junior high school only less mature. When Takao knocks Okubo down at a temple, he falls on a 400 year old doll. While the two are fighting over it they are brought inside the doll just as an evil giant fish attacks. After beating the fish back, they go on to learn more about the god Hikoza whose remaining consciousness resides in the doll and his relationship to the friendly aliens called Godnes. Four centuries ago, the evil alien Shachihokon attacked and Hikoza managed to seal him until the present time when he was released and took over some poor guy with a bowl haircut. After defeating Catfish dude, the Bickersons become celebrities and go on the talk show circuit, make commercials and even guest star in a Kota/Power Rangers episode. But they are celebrating too early for Shachihokon has dirty tricks up his sleeve and the four scientists will have to grow up quickly to defeat him.
I thought maybe the date on the film was incorrect. This felt more like 1980’s television than a 2020 movie regardless of how tongue-in-cheek it might have been. The acting, sets, and writing were awful. Takao was particularly childish and a bully. The rest of the four were equally as childish, just not as physical. Shachihokon’s costume was pretty hilarious especially when he used his special tongue power. The catfish monster was reminiscent of Friend’s Hannukah Armadillo. Hikoza’s early costume looked like a trash can with arms and legs although the final Hikoza costume had a nice samurai effect.
This film was primitive looking and the big final battle felt more like an Afterschool Special on the value of communication and how to deal with your feelings. If you loved/love Power Rangers and are longing for something like it, this is definitely a film to try. If you are content to leave campy costumes and posing behind, best to avoid Super Legend God Hikoza.
10/21/23
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Korea's oldest surviving Kaiju movie
Space Monster Wangmagwi is the oldest surviving Korean Kaiju film. It also boasts one of the largest cast of extras for any film coming in around 160,000. The Koreans put their own stamp on a rampaging monster tearing up a capital city while the military watches powerlessly genre.Bride-to-be Ahn Hee and pilot Jeong Hwan are celebrating the eve of their long-awaited wedding when Jeong Hwan is called back to his base. What everyone is about to find out is that aliens are orbiting the Earth and have unleashed a monster in their quest to conquer the planet. Even with people running around screaming and abandoning her wedding day, Ahn Hee dresses for her event, even having her hair done until the stylist scurries away. When she realizes no one is coming, not even the groom, she and her mother decide to leave as the monster slowly approaches them. Each one took turns falling down over and over again, in order to give the ugliest Kaiju in Kaiju history time to catch up. Ahn Hee is grabbed by the monster a la Fay Wray in King Kong style. A young street boy named Squirrel, who has stolen food and a knife from a deserted house decides to run up the monster instead of running away. The boy takes matters into his own hands and does more good in thwarting the aliens’ objectives than the military and civilian forces combined.
Space Monster Wangmagwi was quintessentially Korean. Instead of focusing on a handful of characters directly involved with stopping a monster, SPW had a series of vignettes that had nothing to do with saving the world. Some of the things you would never see in a Japanese Kaiju film included—a long pooping scenario, several instances of theft, child birthing, and two idiots betting about different things during the catastrophe and wagering everything including one man’s wife. There were also copious amounts of tears.
The building miniatures were exquisite as was the rubble, looking far more believable than some of the cardboard towns Toho was using at this time. I thought at first they were using forced perspective or some other film magic and then the monster would lean against one of the buildings or start tearing it down. Very impressive work. Too bad they didn’t put the same care into the monster suit. I didn’t think anything could top the moth-eaten Kong suit in King Kong vs Godzilla (1962), then Wangmagwi said, “Hold my beer.” The costume looked like a flight suit covered in cow dung, I hate to be crude but that’s the first thought that came to my mind. Wangmagwi also seemed to forget that he was holding a human in one hand when he was beating on buildings. The Gamma aliens weren’t much better, they wore what appeared to be dented gold buckets on their heads. And when the spaceship was flying the wires showed as it wobbled. The science was bizarre. Due to different gravity from the home world, the monster grew 500 times his size when dumped on Earth. Setting aside the absurdity of that “science,” wouldn’t the aliens have become gigantic as well, making settling the planet awkward?
My favorite part of the movie would usually be my least favorite. There have been many Gamera movies where I hoped the giant turtle would snack on an annoying child. Squirrel may have been cocky but he was cleverly proactive. The precocious thief’s actions, and not the military, saved the day. His maneuvers also pointed out how slow-witted the aliens were. The aliens only fear of the military was that they would trash the neighborhood and leave the planet uninhabitable for the conquerors.
I enjoyed having the chance to watch this film that was largely unavailable for decades. I might not have relished the poop and wife betting comedy, but I was happy to see this piece of Korea’s Kaiju film history.
10/19/23
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"Keep the peace, have patience, forgive an offense" and watch out for those hopping vampires!
Carter Wong took on The 8 Masters, bronze men, as well as a room full of hopping vampires. What more could you ask for in a kung fu flick?When his father is killed by the 8 Masters, young Chu Shiao Chieh is rushed to a Shaolin temple by his father’s dying friend, Chou. The monks take Chu in and teach him the art of kung fu. When he matures, he is tested by deadly traps and the notorious bronze men. After passing the tests he is released into the world to pay his debt to Chou’s family for the sacrifice he made. The wise monk admonishes him to, “Keep the peace, have patience, forgive an offense.” When Chu returns home, he finds that his mother is blind and Chou’s daughter is living with his mother. Chu doesn’t even have time to unpack his suitcase before the 8 come calling, all wanting a duel to settle their debts with his father. How long can he hold out before granting their demands?
Carter Wong was never a great actor, but he was fun to watch and not too stiff in this role. The movie started out promising with kung fu training and the fights during his Shaolin trials. Once he left the temple the energy dropped precipitously. Watching him beaten and refusing to fight repeatedly until tragedy struck became tiresome. When he finally took on the 8 Masters one at a time during the last 30 minutes the movie picked up again. He battled Phillip Ko Fei, Lu Ping, hopping vampires, and Chia Ling to name a few. Chia’s character held a secret, key to the movie as did Doris Lung Erh’s. I gave the movie a .5 bump for the cast and the hopping vampires.
Director Joseph Kuo filmed much of the first half of the movie in night scenes making it hard to see what was happening. When Chu finally relented and took on the masters, viewers were given a scenic tour of the area-a mountaintop, the beach, a river, and forest. The version I watched was cropped and dubbed, none of which was the filmmaker’s fault. When movies have been cropped, dubbing is sometimes a necessary evil as the subtitles tend to run off the screen.
The fights used a variety of weapons even when Chu took on everyone without one. There were times with the camera zoomed in too close and the fights undercranked, the action was blurred and the moves obscured. I much preferred when the scenes played out where the different styles could be observed.
The 8 Masters would have been a much better film if Kuo could have kept the pacing up throughout the story instead of bringing it to a screeching halt in the middle. Despite the lull, it was nice to have a loving mother-son story, a rarity in kung fu flicks. And if nothing else, there were bronze men and hopping vampires to shake things up.
10/16/23
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Varan was a patchwork monster of a movie. Production was originally for a 3-part co-produced limited television series. When the American production company involved fell apart, Toho decided to make it into a feature movie. With a shoestring budget, filmed in black and white for television (no color sets yet!), and utilizing stock Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again! footage, Varan struggled to cut an identity of his own.Siberian butterflies are discovered in a remote Japanese mountain village which causes a research professor to send two of his scholars to investigate. What they find is something far bigger. When they don’t return, a new team is dispatched. The team berates the local villagers who worship the mountain god Baradagi, calling them superstitious. Before the village priest can say, “don’t get so cocky city boy,” the superstition comes to life and begins terrorizing the team and villagers. The monster dubbed Varan flies off, meaning Tokyo may once again be in the sights of a cranky Kaiju.
Varan had real potential. Like Triphibious, he could walk on land, live under the water, and fly in the air. The costume was cool and Nakajima Haruo who brought many a Kaiju to life, including Gojira, knew how to make a monster movie. His assistant, Tezuka Katsumi, was also given credit. The story let the big monster down, with Varan often treading water or sitting on the bottom of the bay which didn’t feel very threatening. More time was given to the ships, planes, and tanks than Varan. Many of those scenes were from Godzilla Raids Again, especially the tanks at the airport firefight. The editing wasn’t as seamless as you would expect from a Honda movie but given the circumstances, he did the best with what he had. Ifukube Akira wrote the music and it had the commanding monster marches he was known for. The writers did come up with a creative way to dispatch the One Movie Wonder though it’s said Nakajima suffered burns from it during the filming.
This is where I need to bring up the American version. It features Myron Healey and only uses 15 minutes of the original film with a different story about desalinization attached. You might find it billed as Varan the Unbelievable.
Varan felt too much like a re-tread of Gojira and this Kaiju needed his own unique story. Big G can do many things but he can’t fly, okay only that one time. For fans of guys in rubber suits Kaiju films, it is one to check out to see what Honda Ishiro could do when handed a mess of movie ingredients. As always, I grade these old niche movies on a curve.
10/13/23
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Pass the Tylenol...
The Emperor and His Brother starring Ti Lung had an over-stuffed story and cast making the plot almost impossible to follow. It's been a long time since a kung fu movie gave me a headache trying to make sense of a convoluted plot. Even a strong cast could not save this movie from sinking.I'm acquainted with how historical movies and dramas begin with a brief history recap. For those of us not as familiar with Chinese history, I actually appreciate them. This film took the summary to new extremes. For over three minutes characters raced through the film's backstory at a rapid-fire pace. I actually paused the film to see if this was a sequel to another movie. No, Chor Yuen and writer Ni Kuang just crammed as much as they could into a small amount of time. I didn't even try to keep up.
Wen Tai Lai was wanted by the Emperor because he knew the Emperor's secret. He was a Han and not a Ching! Ku Feng took Wen in but the fugitives were betrayed by a child offered a telescope by the Emperor's man Chang Chao Chung. Ti Lung appeared as the new clan chief and began working to devise a plan to help Wen escape. Eventually, Ti discovered that he was the Emperor's brother! With this bloated cast there were numerous breakout attempts leading up to a battle royale in the Imperial Garden.
The film had an unnecessarily convoluted plot that had me rolling my eyes when it wandered away from the main story. Side stories were started and then dropped, including ill-fated romances! For that matter, the movie ended without tying up the main story in a satisfactory manner. Guess they ran out of film.
What the film did do well was evidenced in the final fight. The baddies led by Lo Lieh's Chang used Tiger, Eagle's Claw, and Iron Fist styles to combat the good guys. For once, the good guys were a stronger match than their opponents. Usually by the end of these films, most of the good guys are dead with three or four survivors ganging up on the Big Bad to take him down. Ti Lung's Blossom Fist and Peacock maneuver were invincible. The final escape by the good guys was ludicrously bad though. Aside from Ti Lung and Lo Lieh, the film had numerous recognizable fighters and stunt men. Scorpion Venom Sun Chien was the strategist for the good guys. Kent Cheng had a small comic relief role as well. Ku Feng came through in the most emotional segment of the film as a father who had to make the ultimate sacrifice for honor and his clan.
The Emperor and His Brother with its bloated cast and story had too much going on to focus on the story. Every time it launched into another long complicated way to overstate the plot, I lost interest and started looking for the Tylenol. If they'd cut the cast and streamlined the story it might have been far more enjoyable. Strictly for hard core fans and Shaw Brother completionists.
8/25/23
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Not as entertaining as the original
Sanshiro Sugata Part II was a pale reflection of the original Sanshiro Sugata from 1943. While the original was fun and had a solid story arch, the sequel's story was thinner, more confusing, heavy on propaganda and not very entertaining.Sugata has been away for two years but hasn't learned much. He helps a young rickshaw driver when a drunk American sailor beats the boy. A Japanese fight promoter hears about the incident and invites him to compete against "Lister the Killer," an American boxer, but he declines. Unfamiliar with boxing, Sugata decides to watch a match and is disgusted by the showy sport, alluding to it looking like dogs or roosters fighting. He returns to the dojo where Higaki Gennosuke's brothers show up looking for a battle with him. Sensei Yano sends the rude brothers away. "The man who knows not himself knows nothing." Later, Higaki Gennosuke whom Sugata defeated in the previous film, who is quite ill but healed in spirit pleads with Sugata to stay away from the unbalanced brothers. Sugata has been suffering from self-doubt wondering whether he should give up judo because of the harm that comes to his opponents but he also wants to fight whenever he can which leads to him not sleeping. He's also concerned about the survival of Japanese martial arts. The three laws of the dojo state that no one is to drink in the dojo, no fighting for money, and no fights without the sensei's permission. Suffice to say he breaks all three, fighting both the American and the crazy karate brother.
This sequel's fights weren't as well done or exciting. The final battle on the snowy mountain was hard to see as the bodies were dark silhouettes on the white background. In the first film, the contests furthered Sugata's growth, in this film, they all seem to be about promoting Japanese martial arts as superior to other forms.
Where Sugata traveled a spiritual path of self-discovery in the first film, he seemed completely confused and erratic in this one. The propaganda was heavy-handed, though it was understandable in the waning days of WWII when the writing was on the wall. While I could easily recommend the first film, this second one may be more for Kurosawa completionists.
8/11/23
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"A lotus will only grow in the mud"
Kurosawa Akira made his directorial debut with Sanshiro Sugata in 1943. Set in the Meiji era, the story followed brash young fighter Sanshiro Sugata as he learned about judo and himself. Though the plot was quite simple, Sanshiro's journey from thoughtless bully to thoughtful fighter was appealing to watch. (The film lost seventeen minutes of footage after it was cut by the Japanese censors deemed some scenes not appropriate for wartime viewing.)Sanshiro comes to town in order to learn more about jiu-jitsu. He wanders into a dojo just in time to hear the members deciding to mete out punishment to a rival instructor who is teaching a new version of jiu-jitsu called judo. Sanshiro asks if it's an ambush. "Ambush? It's just a match without a referee." And one where the opponents greatly outnumber the unsuspecting teacher. Sanshiro watches in fascination as Sensei Yano throws the half-dozen men attacking him into the river. Sanshiro quickly changes his mind and decides to train in judo instead. Initially, the young fighter takes every opportunity in town to become involved in a fight to test his abilities. After Yano tells him he knows nothing about humanity and that teaching him would be like "putting a knife in a lunatic's hand", Sanshiro attempts to prove his loyalty and worth by spending the night in a mucky lotus pond. When a flower blooms from the mire, he gains a revelation about life and himself. Much of the rest of the film entails Sanshiro competing against other opponents on his path toward growth as a person and in judo. He develops feelings for an opponent's daughter which complicates matters when he has to face her father in a competition.
Whether or not they were realistic, the fights were engaging. Each match engendered personal progress in Sanshiro. The best fight was Yano's against the rival school's ambush. With a quiet confidence Yano defeated his foes in a humorous manner. The most emotional fight was Sanshiro's contest with Shimura Takashi's Murai, who had fallen away from his practice and was no match for the younger fighter. The older man was gracious and let Sanshiro know they were not enemies which stirred more self-improvement in the young man. The climactic clash against the film's villain, Higaki, reminded me of a samurai duel the way they circled and sized each other up. One man found enlightenment through a flower, the other used one as an ashtray. Without Yano's guidance Sanshiro might have ended up like the arrogant Higaki. The last confrontation was where it truly looked like a Kurosawa film with the wind bending the tall grasses and clouds racing across the sky.
This may not have been Kurosawa's most emotionally or narratively complex film but it had a compelling hero's journey as Sanshiro learned the spiritual aspects of his practice and in life. He grew as a man and as a fighter under the guidance of his wise sensei. Unlike so many of Kurosawa's later heroes who were forced into isolation during their emotional crucibles, Sanshiro remained devoted to his sensei and gained friends from former opponents. I found Sanshiro Sugata to be an entertaining film, even in its shortened version.
8/11/23
Edit: I read there is a DVD version available that was able to include the missing minutes.
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"Such foolish things don't happen" Wanna bet?
Return of Daimajin is the second in a series about the title character, only this time he lives on an island in the midst of a lake shared by two peaceful clans instead of on a mountain. Trouble begins brewing and bubbling when an evil warlord decides to use the two clans' festival for the god to overthrow their castles.Danjo of Mikoshiba enslaves his people and kills those who try to escape. Some refugees make it out through the mountains and find a haven with the kind Chigusa and Nagoshi clans who live on opposite sides of Lake Yagumo. During the festival to celebrate the lake god, Danjo and his men take advantage and overthrow both clans, killing the lords and taking one of the sons hostage. The blasphemous Danjo sends his men to destroy the god's statue on the island with explosives. The other lord's son, Juro, escapes and flees to the island where his love, Lady Sayuri is also hiding, having miraculously survived the explosion and destruction of the statue.
Later, the hostage Katsushige is freed when a local boy helps him. He heads to the island as Juro is escaping Danjo's forces and both are captured because neither one can row a boat fast enough even when they had a head start. The two heirs, people who helped them, and Sayuri are set to be executed. Will Sayuri's tears be enough to sway the lake god? If the god of stone has one soft spot, it's a beautiful woman's tears and he rapidly parted the waters, destroyed his island with the baddies on it and began tearing down the defensive walls in order to wreak havoc on Danjo and his band of evil doers. I particularly liked how Danjo died the same way he had planned for Sayuri.
This movie was entertaining as I've grown fond of the big green faced guy, but I didn't find the story and characters as compelling as the first one. The overlays weren't as seamless as the first and third movies, some scenes rather obviously spliced together. Daimajin was faced with a couple of new obstacles which didn't even slow him down, but it was fun watching the evil doers try. Daimajin looking over with a "Really?" expression on his face was humorous. Because much of the action took place on or near the water Daimajin had some fancy water tricks up his sleeve along with his usual storms, landslides, and earthquakes. Though numerous bad guys died, the body count seemed less than the other two films, at least no children were killed.
Once again, the scoffers and cruel overlord were brought to a rough justice. The people who were respectful and peaceful were rewarded after suffering and trying (and failing) to save themselves. I have enjoyed this series of films blending samurai and Kaiju. The sets, story and acting were better than average for this time period of monster movies. Return of Daimajin was entertaining and one worth trying if you like old kaiju films.
7/24/23
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Honey, this guy doesn't use doors!
Daimajin was the first in three movies about the mercurial mountain god which were filmed roughly around the same time. As someone who enjoys a good Kaiju movie I found this one to be entertaining. Unlike other Kaiju who either came into town to stir up trouble or fight other Kaiju, this stone warrior had his own code. An evil lord found out the hard way that you do not want to attract Daimajin's attention for wrong doing!The movie begins with the villagers ruled by the Hanabusa clan participating in their ritual to the local mountain god. The treacherous samurai Samanosuke uses the opportunity to stage a coup. Everyone in the ruling family is killed except for the young son, Tadafumi and his sister Kozasa, who are spirited away by the loyal retainer, Kogenta. Kogenta seeks help from the priestess, Shinobu who takes them to the forbidden mountain and hides them in the cave next to the Majin statue.
Ten years later finds the people pressed into forced labor building Samanosuke's great gate. Villagers are starving and dying under his cruel rule. Now eighteen, Tadafumi decides it's time to return and kill Samanosuke if it will help the people. Kogenta goes ahead to the camp in order to contact people loyal to the Hanabusa family in the hopes of gaining more support for a rebellion but is taken prisoner and tortured instead. Tadafumi attempts to rescue him and is captured, too. The son of one of Hanabusa's loyal subjects runs to the priestess to ask the Majin for help. He finds the princess but the two of them are captured by Samanosuke's men on the mountain. When the samurais attempt to destroy the Majin statue the mountain destroys them. Kogenta and Tadafumi are scheduled to be executed at dawn causing Kozasa to beg the mountain god for help even if he requires her life in exchange. Daimajin awakens and unleashes his terrible fury on the evil doers.
This film played out as more of a samurai movie for most of the running time. Daimajin waited until after the 60-minute mark to make his appearance. Fortunately, the acting was pretty good, especially for this genre and the story was compelling. Daimajin made for a fierce and frightening avenger, especially when it seemed he would rampage on the victims of Samanosuke's ruthlessness after he finished dispatching the bad guys. Because he wasn't over 300 feet tall, his presence could be seen in relation to the people in a more immediate way. In a bit of karmic irony, Samanosuke died in a manner similar to the crucifixion execution he was using on the heroes, and in the manner his vassals used to try and destroy the statue, which of course released Daimajin. Bad guy should have listened to the old priestess, she tried to warn him!
The mountain scenery was beautiful and blended well with the miniatures and special effects when the samurai transgressed on the sacred ground. A few of Samanosuke's buildings came across as flimsy, but the better for Daimajin to tear down as he stomped his way to vengeance. When Samanosuke closed the door to the building he hoped to hide in, it was humorous, because doors had no effect on the giant stone warrior, nor did fire, bullets, or giant chains. The only thing that had an effect on him were the tears of a pure-hearted woman.
As a long time Kaiju fan, I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of this series of movies. I accidentally watched the last one first, but as they are not tied together it didn't affect understanding the story. The acting, sets, and storytelling have been strong for the genre. Most 1960's Kaiju movies would not have stood up to waiting an hour for the monster to appear. The giant stone warrior in this film was just a bonus to the already entertaining story. By this time Toho was marketing Godzilla to a younger audience. With the deaths and torture scenes, Daimajin could appeal to adults as well. If you enjoy old Kaiju and samurai movies, this is one to give a try.
7/23/23
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"Everyone has a weakness. Even a hero."
During WWII and after Ozu's first military tour he filmed The Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family. Ozu ran afoul of censors concerned that he didn't mention the war in a wartime film, but his emphasis on filial piety and the need to take care of aged parents smoothed things over. His biggest concession was sending the youngest son to China to work in the land of opportunity. Pretty sure the Chinese did not think of the Japanese in their homeland the same way but I will try to look at the merits of the film aside from that disconcerting historical context.The Toda patriarch suddenly dies in his mansion after a big family birthday party. The adult children are shocked to discover that the wealthy businessman was nearly bankrupt. After everything but a worthless villa near the ocean is sold off to pay his debt, the mother and youngest daughter, Setsuko, are left homeless. The eldest son takes responsibility allowing the two women, plus the old family maid, to come live with his family. The youngest son, Shojiro, decides to seek his fortune and prove to his father that he is capable and scurries off to China to make his fortune. The eldest son's wife treats his mother and sister like unwelcome guests no matter how unobtrusive they try to be.
On they move to the eldest daughter's house. She immediately bristles because her son loves his grandmother so much that she feels she will lose authority in the house. When Setsuko wants to find a job as she and her mother are penniless, the family puts their foot down. They would be embarrassed for her to be a clerk. More embarrassed than their father bankrupting himself? Mother, daughter, and devoted servant end up finding shelter in the deteriorating villa.
For the one-year anniversary of the patriarch's death, Shojiro makes his way home. At a formal remembrance dinner, he calls the family out on the carpet for treating their mother so shabbily, leaving no one unscathed. "Children should be kind and warm to their mother…You talk without doing anything." The chastised family members abandon the expensive dinner with only the small trio and son left in the room to enjoy the meal in peace. Shojiro believes the truth-filled disruption may bring more harmony and better siblings in the future. Though the women seem to be happy living by the sea, Shojiro insists they come to live in China with him. Given the times, they had little choice but to pack their bags again, at least Shojiro wanted them to be near him.
Ozu had asked for more money to film this movie. The studio responded by giving him less time to film and wanting to see the finished project before increasing his salary. The Toda Family went on to be quite successful partly because of Ozu's skill but also because of the famous stars Saburi Shin as the youngest son Shojiro and Takamine Mieko as the youngest daughter Setsuko. Ozu had largely solidified his style for this film---the low angle shots, meticulously composed frames, lingering shots over geometric rooms and objects (often the father's plants and bird), and more of face straight on to camera shots. Ozu was more concerned with story than acting, and felt that excessive drama was not needed for an audience to be emotionally touched, a method he sought to convey here.
As he would with other films, the disintegration of the family and traditional values were beginning to show. And as in Tokyo Story, a parent was treated as an inconvenience. After recently watching Kurosawa's Ran (based on King Lear), I was reminded of Hidetora finding no welcome mat rolled out by two of his sons when he was homeless. Shojiro, like Saburo, became the prodigal son who lovingly welcomed the parent, albeit with a happier ending.
The film reflected Ozu's life in some ways. After his father's death he took both his mother and a younger brother in. At the end of the film, a bashful Shojiro literally ran away to hide at the beach before a matchmaking date. "Everyone has a weakness. Even a hero." Ozu was a lifelong bachelor who lived with his mother until she died. A parent's aloneness after a death or a child marrying often played into his stories.
Ozu also tackled class distinctions. When Setsuko and her friend Tokiko met for lunch, Setsuko discussed wanting to find a job. Tokiko informed her that taking orders is much different from giving orders and would be difficult for someone who had never been exposed to that way of life. Shojiro told Setsuko that in China no one would look down upon her for working or doing whatever she wanted. The privileged upper class was seen in lower regard, especially in the disregard they had for the elderly and servants and traditional values.
After watching a number of Ozu's silent films which portrayed a looser filming style it was interesting to see that famous Ozu formula begin to firmly coalesce in the The Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family. Despite being over 80 years old the film remains timely. Children still argue over who is going to take care of an aging parent. People still focus on their own lives forgetting there are others in need of love, acceptance, and something as basic as shelter. Thankfully, there also people who will open their hearts and homes to those in need, especially for a beloved parent. The lack of color did not take away from the beauty of Ozu's meditative and architectural shots, he always knew how to use light and shadow to his advantage. A timely story, well-acted, and skillfully filmed made for an entertaining film.
7/20/23
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Back to The Lizard. Yueh Hua played the titular role AKA Cheng Long/Brother Dumb. Cheng Long was a stuttering and bumbling police officer by day and a skilled martial artist and jewel thief who robbed wealthy foreigners by night always leaving behind a lizard calling card. Connie's Xiao Ju was close friends with the bumbler and an admirer of the masked hero. Lo Lieh played the corrupt Chief Chen who used his position to fleece the locals at his rigged casino and make connections with the wealthy foreigners. The Lizard runs afoul of Chen and the game is on, with the odds against the Robin Hood of the people.
A few years prior, Connie might well have played the Lizard, but Hong Kong martial arts movies were headed in a decidedly more machismo and bloodier direction by 1972, mostly leaving behind the glorious heroines of the 1960's. Connie, Josephine Siao and Cheng Pei Pei could probably have compared notes. Yueh Hua wasn't as stone-faced as he appeared in many of his martial arts roles, but still wasn't particularly convincing as the burglar who could climb walls like a lizard. Jewel thieves, historically, are played by charismatic actors, something Yueh was missing. Lo Lieh who had often portrayed good guys before Lizard was to play one of his early villain roles, something he would be typecast as for much of the rest of his career. Dapper and sinister in his white suit, maybe he and Yueh should have swapped roles, he would have made for an entertaining jewel thief. Chen's army of casino thugs boasted many familiar stunt men who were fun to pick out, including Yuen Woo Ping.
Yuen Woo Ping was the martial arts director along with Yuen Cheung Yan. Woo Ping would go on to work as a director, action director, and/or martial arts director for movies far more famous than this one, i.e., Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Kung Fu Hustle. The action scenes for the most part were well choreographed, especially for actors with limited martial arts abilities. The stunt men worked overtime flying high and falling hard to sell the action. The sets were opulent, showing off the wealth of the corrupt officials and foreign occupants. But fear not, there were still tear away sets for the characters who would rather crash through a door than open it and windows that gave way when the bodies started flying.
The movie tried to sell comedy along with the action, missing more than they hit. They needed organic comedy rather than Lydia Shum crossing her eyes in several scenes for laughs. Not only was there comedy but there was also pathos as a couple of loveable supporting characters did not live to see the closing credits. Fair warning, there was gratuitous nudity in the opening scene, a sex scene that seemed to go on forever featuring an overly made-up blonde woman.
I suppose I wrote more about the cast and crew than the story because the film should have been better and more exciting. The Lizard could have been a stylish and taut thriller if so many opportunities hadn't been missed. Too often, the momentum stalled and the story lumbered along. Connie may not have been the most skilled fighter, but she added enthusiasm to every scene she was in which were far too few. The Lizard wasn't a bad 1972 kung fu movie, and certainly was one of the most beautiful SB films in terms of aesthetics, somehow, I just didn't find it enthralling even though I desperately wanted to. Having said that, for old kung fu movie enthusiasts, I could easily recommend giving this one a try, especially if for some of us, it's the only chance to watch The Movie Fan Princess (1966) in action.
7/19/23
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"From now on you live by violence"
Bandits, Prostitutes, and Silver was a dark kung fu film from Taiwan. No secret lists, no secret books, no Ming rebels, only bandits, prostitutes, and silver, just like the title reads. You could throw in death and dismemberment as well to be more accurate.Shang Li is a carriage driver who is trying to earn enough money to buy freedom for Xiao Chui, the prostitute he has fallen in love with. Earning money the honest way is going to take at least nine more years and there are other interested buyers. He agrees to help the Sparrow, a notorious thief, steal a chest full of silver being transported by another carriage. When Sparrow tells him they have to kill the driver and the official inside, Shang Li balks, refusing to murder innocent people. He and Sparrow end up fighting with Sparrow being killed with his own daggers. The road to Xiao Chui is not easy though because The Red Scar Gang boasting Angela Mao and Phillip Ko Fei are hiding in the bushes waiting to ambush the silver. They are working with Wang Hsieh's Wu and Big Bad Lo Lieh as the corrupt official Pao. When these bad guys start turning on each other the fighting gets interesting. Shang Li tragically learns that crime doesn't pay, nor does it lead to true love.
The fight choreography was above average for the time. Don Wong moved pretty well and the stunt men made sure there were bodies flying everywhere. Wire-fu and reverse photography were used sparingly. The body count was high though the blood was kept to a minimum. There were goofy weapons as these films often have. Angela's character had spinning saw blades on her shoes. Lo Lieh used chains with cuffs on them that could decapitate a person. Wen Chiang Long's Sparrow shot darts out of his wrist bands. Phillip Ko didn't need weapons, he always made a kung fu battle fun even when he was being beaten. Wang Hsieh usually relied on gimmicky weapons or skills, this time he only had stress balls to futilely throw in battle. The charismatic villains improved the quality of the fights and movie greatly. For around the last 40 minutes of the film, the fighting began in earnest as baddie after baddie betrayed each other leading to death. Is there no honor among thieves?
Kao Pao Shu, a rare female director and writer for this genre worked with prolific writer Ni Kuang on the script, giving Bandits, Prostitutes, and Silver more character depth than these films usually have. In many ways this was a morality tale. Shang Li started out as a good guy, although looking for true love in a brothel might not have been the wisest course of action. When desperation drove him to crime, Sparrow was right, "From now on you live by violence." It didn't matter that he tried to minimize the theft and murders, Karma was not going to allow him the desires of his heart, only pain and death awaited him for his transgression. This kung fu film didn't back down from the tragic trajectory it set for the characters as each one paid for their betrayals with retribution coming as quickly as silver coins can fall out of a pocket. As always, I rate these old niche films on a curve, and like most old Taiwanese kung fu films, only fans of the genre may appreciate it.
7/17/23
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Always check the weather report before an assassination
When you put the word "legendary" in your title, there is a lot to live up to. Legendary? This film won't even be memorable. Jacky Wu starred in and directed Legendary Assassin and managed to tick off the boxes for a triad martial arts movie without adding anything new or interesting to the genre. While that could be excused if the fights were…wait for it…legendary, sadly they weren't. Most of the fights were average or below average at best.Bo (Wu) takes a ferry to an island where he assassinates a drug lord and decapitates him. A possible typhoon strands him on the island and he has to lay low. If only there were news programs that had weathermen who could forecast such events. Bo's not worried, especially after he has a meet cute with the local policewoman, Hiu Wor (Celina Jade in her first movie role and it showed), and later saves her when Ken Lo and his two thieving buddies resist arrest. Ronald Cheng briefly offers some comic relief as Uncle G, the noodle shop owner. Bo goes to the police station with Hiu Wor to make a statement and enjoys a meal and camaraderie with the local force, with the exception of Tarzan-Sammy Leung-who hugely overacts. Bo and Hiu Wor have a little kung fu flirting before she's called to work. Meanwhile, Lam Suet and a bunch of baddies who landed the last boat on the island are searching for their boss' head and the person who took it. The movie follows a predictable path from there with Bo eventually having to fight 100 men to save Hiu Wor.
The problem I had with the film was that the writing, characters and acting were so bland that I didn't care about any of the characters. What should have been a tension filled and claustrophobic cat and mouse chase with the bad guys searching for the assassin was anything but. Even when the baddies crashed the police station demanding their boss' body, the fights and acting were so bad that the characters' dilemma failed to concern me. If they didn't care enough to even attempt first aid on an injured officer, why should I care?
By 2008 there were numerous martial arts movies using creative and exciting fight choreography. By reputation, Wu was an accomplished martial artist, but even the most skilled fighter still needs exhilarating choreography to keep up with the genre. Bo went up against 100 men but Wu used the same kick on at least 50 of them with the action either too slow, too sped up, or shot too close. The only fight that was entertaining was early on in the movie at the noodle shop. By the time the dead drug lord's wife started swinging a sword around near the end of the movie my eyes had nearly rolled back in their sockets at the cringe worthy acting and action.
I rate 1970's cheap martial arts movies on a curve, but even though this film was made during the time of the Nokia brick it gets no such consideration from me. I don't mind a by the numbers story if the fights are spectacular, but Legendary Assassin failed to deliver in that department, leaving this viewer with a pile of uninspired characters, uninspired acting, and uninspired fights. I found this movie to be legendarily mediocre at best.
7/14/23
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"Everyone yearns for love"
Before Director Ozu focused on upper-middle class families and father-daughter relationships, he evaluated the working class in this film. In Passing Fancy, the focal relationship was between a flawed father and son who could wind each other up but could also show incredible affection for each other.Kihachi is a widowed father who works in a brewery with his younger buddy, Jiro. After attending a book reading with a shamisen accompanying (Naniwabushi), the two men stumble across a young woman with no family and no job. Jiro votes to leave her behind, but Kihachi asks the local café owner, Otome, to take her in. Kihachi becomes quickly smitten with Harue, however, she sees him only as a kindly uncle. Jiro tends to be a jerk when he's around her and begins to avoid the café. Tomio doesn't approve of his dad's attention for Harue either. When Tomio is taunted about his dad's illiteracy and penchant for drinking after work, Kihachi tosses him 50 sen and tells him to buy whatever he wants, hoping the boy can feel rich for a day. Tomio uses the money to buy sweets and fruit and becomes deathly ill. In order to pay the doctor bill Jiro asks the local barber for a loan. To pay back such a large sum the young man plans to go to Hokkaido where laborers are being hired. He and Harue confess their feelings for each other and say their good-byes. When Kihachi discovers his plan he knocks Jiro out, leaves Tomio in his neighbors' care and heads to the boat. Kihachi must decide whether his pride or his love for his son will win out.
The story was sparse, but feelings ran deep. Kihachi realized his shortcomings as a father but desperately loved his son. Even though Tomio was at times embarrassed by his dad, he was devoted to him. Although Kihachi was infatuated with Harue he was willing to play matchmaker for her and Jiro. Jiro loved Harue, but cared for his friend and for most of the film stayed away from the young woman out of respect for Kihachi. Harue felt indebted to Kihachi but loved Jiro. Otome might have had feelings for Kihachi, but even though they were about the same age, typically, he only had eyes for someone half his age. At times the relationships felt more like a love circle or a spirograph than any other geometrical description. In later Ozu films, the nuclear family was the beginning and end of problems and problem solving, but in this film, the family is a made family. The friends and neighbors genuinely believed it was their responsibility to help each other. Rather than a nuclear family, the community was the emotional core of Passing Fancy. That's not to say there wasn't humor, it ran the gamut from an antic about a wallet at the reading, to Tomio waking his father and Jiro with a thick stick and Tomio striking childish movie poses. But even when the story turned slightly darker with Tomio berating his father and being cuffed on the head, the emotional catharsis that followed granted father and son exactly what they needed.
Before his rigid shots and perfectly formed compositions, Ozu used a more fluid style. Though he utilized lower camera angles, the characters were shown more full body than the later static shoulders and above style. The rooms were messier and more lived in. Sakamoto Takeshi (Kihachi) and Tomio Aoki (Tomio) would work together the next year on Ozu's Floating Weeds. As he did in Weeds, Sakamoto constantly wiped himself off and often sat his handkerchief on his head. Both he and Tomio scratched in most scenes, much in the way men do when women aren't present. Unlike the impeccably dressed characters of his later films, these men wore scruffier clothes and Tomio was usually dirty. Fathers in his later films were more respectable, giving more forethought to their actions. Kihachi had never seen a reason to try and save money until Tomio fell deathly ill and did little planning. Poor Tomio, children in old Japanese and Chinese films often ended up at death's door over a piece of cake or sweets of some sort.
Neither father nor son were perfect which is what made this film so enjoyable. They fought, they made up, they dealt with crises, and found a way back to each other. Neighbors took care of one another and love found a way. Passing Fancy may have been short on story but was no passing flame, it had great heart and staying power.
7/12/23
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