Huang Chao-liang is one of Taiwan’s most successful directors in recent years. His films, “Hanky Panky” and “The Wonderful Wedding” were both huge domestic box office hits. He is known for his artistic portrayal of everyday life in films that are both genuine and emotionally charged.

George Hu is an American-born actor and singer based in Taiwan. He made his film debut in 2014 with Where the Wind Settles” but he has been acting on TV since 2006.

On the occasion of their film, “Han Dan” screening at New York Asian Film Festival, we talked with the director and the protagonist to talk about the Han Dan ritual, the firecrackers in the movie, male friendship and many other topics.

Why did you decide to shoot a movie about the particular ritual and can you give us some more details about its practice in nowadays Taiwan?

I was born in Taitung, so this is very much a ritual of my city. When I was a very young kid, I always wondered, when I was looking up and watching these men having explosives thrown at them, what was in their minds, in their brains, what were they thinking. Therefore, when I started making films for television, I was very interested to see whether I could make this into a film, because it is visually so arresting to see that ritual, the visual images are very very striking and then I also thought that there must be some amazing stories behind these people who are going up there. Therefore, we started six years ago and to begin with, we actually made a documentary about the Han Dan ritual. From there, we collected information, we collected stories, and that is how we came up with the film. As you can imagine, Taitung and Han Dan have become synonyms, it is actually one of the three most important rituals of the Lantern Festival which is the first full moon, the fifteenth day of the first month of the Lunar Year. Now, it has also become a tourist attraction.   

Can you give us some details regarding the way you cooperated with cinematographers Yan Rymsha and Chao Chung-wang, particularly on the firecracker scenes?

Digital cameras cannot capture these moments of the explosives, particularly multiple moments, so we had to resort to computer graphics to create those images. There are four scenes of the actual Han Dan ritual in which we had to have very detailed, moment by moment analysis layout. We went about it as if it was a comic strip, getting it all together, using computer graphics. When we were shooting the firecrackers, we had to have serious choreography, of planning which angle of explosives comes from where and explodes and we also had to do some extra lighting to make sure that it balances out. We also did a lot of work in actual coloring.

I felt that the main focus of the movie is male friendship. What is your opinion on this concept?

Correct. This is a story about the love and hate relationship of these two men. It starts with middle school and the bullying, that is the beginning of everything that follows. In middle school, the bullying was just verbal, but the thing is you have the butterfly effect, and that eventually amplifies to something that is huge. Because, you can imagine what the ramifications are, I just want young people, when they see this film, and after they see this film, to think that a word a phrase or an action can actually have ramifications. Because sometimes you have to remember, that if you are bullying or hurting someone, in many ways you are hurting yourself.

The film also deals with organized crime. What is the situation with organized crime nowadays in Taiwan?

The triads are actually very harmonious, they are all making business. Maybe in the western world is different, but in Taiwan the idea of triads is that they have their own protection society, so this is a whole group of people getting together because they want to protect themselves. However, they do not deal with drugs or weapons. They are not really the mafia.

How was your cooperation with George Hu and Jen-Shuo-cheng?

It has been a very good working experience, and one thing is, I have worked with George for a number of years and I noticed that there is something about him that has not changed, it is how his eyes look. In the film, he is clearly the person who committed a very big mistake in Han Dan. However, the thing is he has to hide it and in acting, a lot of it has to go through his eyes. Jen Shuo-cheng encapsulates the persona of the heroic, strong spirit of a Taitung young man. Jen is very able to release, able to let it all go, because he has to be a daring character. They were both my first choices and I chose them right.  

Mr Hu, how would you describe your character to someone who does not know him?

I read the script first and there was something about Lin Jen-kuen’s character that really drew me, it came out and grabbed me by the throat. Because it was really something that I have not tried before and plus, it gave me an opportunity to change my appearance and my behaviour as well. Because I have done a lot of dramas before but nothing like that. This character is a whole new thing, something really fresh to me.

The storyline was very well written as well, and we worked with Hung Chao-liang before and I knew what he wanted. The last time we worked together was a whole different thing, because he is very open to new ideas now and in that way, it was easier for me to portray this character.

Why do you think he decides to help A-yi? Is it just guilt or something else?

Definitely a huge amount of guilt. There is a huge amount of guilt he had to bury for a long time, because he committed an act of murder and this was a cross he had to carry for a long time. He had to hide it from his family, his friends and his adversary, his bully. And what happens in the story, is that he actually becomes friends with his bully, he makes a pact with him and they become blood brothers. However, he always comes to the point where he thinks back that “it is because of you I am me now, it is because of you I got into this position, if it wasn’t for you I would have had a bright future”. And this always brings him back to this huge amount of hate about this character.

However, their relationship is also about male friendship. What do you think about this concept?

This kind of brotherly friendship is very interesting, because there is love and hate at the same time. But it was more hate than love, because before all that love and friendship, it was about A-yi bullying Jen-kuen. On the other hand, It was because he got befriended by A-yi that he realized he is a down to earth person. Because if you are friends with him, he would stop at nothing to protect you. But still, the past would cause a lot of tension.

How difficult was the shooting of the ritual? Did you feel you were in danger at any point?

(laughter) Of course I was worried with the firecrackers coming towards your body, but it wasn’t that bad, because we had precautions, like first aid and an ambulance on set. The firecrackers would jump all over the place, you would not know when they will hit you. At one moment, a firecracker hit my arm, if I remember correctly, it made me jump, but in a good way, because it allowed me to feel the pain more and helped me to get more into the character, how to be brave and courageous.

 What is the situation for actors in the Taiwanese industry at the moment?

There is a lot of talent and a lot of roles out there, both for films and TV, so there is much variety. And it is getting better now, it is not just lovey dovey stuff, there are more films that deal with society nowadays.  

Would you say that the fact you are also singer helped your career as an actor?

Definitely it gave me an advantage because I had music experience back in the day, I played violin, piano, guitar and it made me want to perform on stage, to get that feel.

After starring in a film like “Han Dan”, do you feel that you will search for more roles like that?

After this film, I proved to myself that I can perform these kind of roles, darker ones, because I always wanted to try such parts. Because before this part, I had some roles that touched the darker area, but they weren’t as dark as this one. I want to explore such roles more and it gave me the courage to do so

Live-action adaptations of manga are a booming business in Japan. While this trend is not applauded by everyone – a proliferation structuring the business, one cannot deny that the potential these narratives have often led to enjoyable end products – e.g. “Moteki” (2011), “Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno” (2014), and “Tokyo Ghoul” (2017). Is Kan Eguchi, an unknown director with a limited oeuvre but with excellent credentials, able to adapt Katsuhisa Minami’s manga “The Fable” in something worthy of our time? Let’s find out in our review.        

“The Scoundrels” is screening at New York Asian Film Festival

One day, Fable (Junichi Okada), a famous contract-killer, is ordered to stay low for a year in Osaka. While he receives Akira Sato as his alter-ego, his partner (Fumino Kimura) is given the identity of Yoko Sato, Akira’s younger sister.

When contract killer Fudo (Sota Fukushi) and his partner inspect Fable’s last work of art, one of them correctly suspects it’s the work of the urban myth Fable. Full of excitement, he states his plan to kill him and replace him as the new urban myth.

While the yakuza branch-office, led by Ebihara (Ken Yasuda) and the big boss in Osaka has no other choice than to accept Fable and his partner, this obligation comes at a bad time, as the imminent release of Kojima (Yuya Yagira) raises the tensions in the underworld of Osaka.  

The narrative of “The Fable” concerns how Fable, the fabled contract killer, is forced to hide behind the image of being a plain citizen within society – a plain citizen with a plain job. But, as quickly becomes clear, the fact that his going underground is linked with the Yakuza will eventually become the obstacle for his mission to lay low and his prohibition to kill. It is thus only due to this link with the Yakuza – a link threatening to suck him into the world of conflict and violence he was ordered to avoid, that it becomes increasingly difficult to avoid returning to his shadowy life. While the impossibility of avoiding his truth originates from the fact that Ebihara knows his legendary reputation, one should also not fail to note that, as is pleasingly revealed in one sequence in the narrative, the possibility of upholding this plain image for others in society is also a function of his skills as assassin.

The central event of the narrative – the event that inaugurates the condition for Fable’s failure of using his skills as an assassin, is not so much Kojima’s release and the tensive conflicts his path of masturbatory infliction of violence and provocation ignites, but the act of him threatening Misaki (Mizuki Yamamoto; “The Kirishima Thing” (2012)), the girl Fable has taken a liking to, into prostitution. What makes this narrative turning point so powerful is the strong aversion Kojima’s vile extortion and threats is able to arouse in the spectator and the tension these acts infuse into the narrative – a tension absorbing the spectator even more strongly.

While the central flashback to Fable’s childhood in the structure of the narrative highlights, with a touch of emotionality, Fable’s special relation with his boss (Koichi Sato) and his training, this flashback is also successful in providing, albeit in a subtle way, an explanation for Fable’s many lighthearted quirks – those quirks at the level of eating that do not fail to reveal Fable’s problems to integrate himself. The likeability of Fable as a character, for that matter, is not so much function of the emotionality evoked via this flashback but function of those little quirks – his love for comedian Jackal Tomioka (Daisuke Miyagawa) included – that become apparent in the process of integrating himself into the mundane and every-day fabric of society. 

Those that feel that the style of “The Fable” lacks consistency, fail to see how, by way of a well-structured and a well-paced narrative, Kan Eguchi succeeded in crafting an extremely pleasing and balanced cocktail of blunt bloody violence, nail-biting tension, cool action, and pleasing lightheartedness born from interactions. The pleasing structure of the narrative is also revealed by the fact that Yusuke Watanabe managed to erase the manga-like chapter structure and create a natural unfolding narrative.  

As “The Fable” is also an action-narrative, it should not surprise us that the cinematographical composition is full of movement. One can easily discern three tendencies in the application of fluid movement, be it following or spatial. The first tendency is the tendency to introduce the setting – the narrative spaces – and characters or narrative elements that are essential to the unfolding of the narrative. After framing a narrative space in such introductory way, the subsequent framing of (speech-)interaction between characters is often framed with fixity or semi-fixity. The second tendency, as is expected, is the very tendency of supporting action scenes with cinematographical movement. And, finally, the third tendency concerns the use of following movement to highlight the movements of characters – mainly Akira Sato’s movement.

The dimension of light-heartedness in “The Fable” is directly sensible by its visual aspects. These aspects do not only refer to the comedic effect of over-acting or the fluid integration of cinematographical techniques (slow-motion, pov-shots) to enhance the framing flow, but to the special visualization of Fable’s action-moments as such, i.e. overlaying most of his moments of violent action with textual information.

Note that the framing of violence in the narrative thread of those hunting Fable down and the violence within the narrative thread of psycho Kojima is ever devoid of lightheartedness. These narrative strands are, instead, marked by a sensibly tension, a tension related to the anticipation of violence, and most apt to resound the dull and cruel impact of violence within the narrative space.

Besides these visual ornaments, there are also sound ornaments present in the cinematographical composition of “The Fable”. While the sounds supporting the somewhat unconventional shot transitions are such ornaments, these sounds only play a minor role in giving the narrative its lightheartedness. The truly effective sound-ornament, effective in infusing a subtle light atmosphere, are those subtle musical manipulations that support/guide the flow of speech-interactions. Note that within the cinematographical whole, these sound-ornaments are only used in a limited manner, with the latter form of ornaments quickly disappearing from the compositional tools.

Despite these ornaments of lightheartedness, the spectator is still enabled to feel the impact of the violence and moments of action. This is not so much attained by cinematographical composition or by visually framing the impact (e.g. with blood) of violence, but by the way the sound design (e.g. the dull sounds of gunshots) comes to support the framing of the action as such – a support empowering the sensibility of the impact of violence.

What’s truly great about the cinematographical composition of “The Fable” is that the narrative succeeds, aided by powerful musical pieces, in framing Fable’s action in an exciting and cool way – a coolness directly speaking to and enticing the fantasy of the spectator. The culmination of this enticing coolness is to be found in the visually spectacular and downright crazy final action-sequence – exciting personal showdowns, old-school shootdowns, and impressive action-moves are all mixed into an extremely enjoyable package that does not fail to provide the thrills an action-movie should have.　But despite the enjoyment one can extract from this action-sequence, one musical tonal shift disturbs, due to its ill-fitting nature, the otherwise splendid exciting visual ride that transforms into a satisfying narrative conclusion.  

The narrative’s unfolding – and the grasping of the spectator’s interest – is also function of various great performances. Junichi Okada reveals with his amazing performance the composure he has as an actor. It is only due to this composure – this self-control, that the surprising moments of over-acting, as contrasted with Fable’s otherwise cold and composed manner, can become truly funny. While Fumino Kimura is not tested in such way, she nevertheless succeeds in giving her character’s mood-swings in interactions an adorable and pleasing lightheartedness. Yuya Yagira (“Destruction Babies” (2016), “His Lost Name” (2018) is, like expected, captivating as Kojima, bringing the very auto-erotic pleasure his blood-splattering causes in a ravishing way to the fore. Last but not least, Mizuki Yamamoto infuses her lady-in-distress with the necessary emotionalism for the spectator to root for her saviour.

To answer the question we posed in our introduction, “The Fable” is one of those live-action adaptations that is worthy of your time. By mixing quirky lightheartedness, cool action, and brute violence, Kan Eguchi succeeds in composing an action-narrative that, by hitting all the necessary beats, ensures the spectator’s enjoyment. “The Fable” might not be testing the limits of the genre, but it’s great in what it does: provides a highly entertaining visual ride.

“When people finish their day and hurry home, my day starts”

Each 20-minute episode of the popular Netflix series “Midnight Diner” begins with an overview of the crowded streets of central Tokyo at night, the teeming walkways and the iconic lights of the skyscrapers; the Master’s warm voice over, recites those words, introducing the show.

As Netflix announces a second season to hit the channel next winter, it’s worth knowing that the love affair of the public with “Midnight Diner” has been going on for quite a while, well before Netflix Original placed its label on it.

Adapted from the manga Shinya Shokudō by Yarō Abe, “Midnight Diner” made the leap from paper to TV in 2009, with a first 10-episode season, aired late at night. A second and a third season followed in 2011 and 2014 with increasing success throughout Asia. Then came the movie “Midnight Diner” which marked the visual leap from television grain to film quality, and finally in 2016, to the rest of the world’s delight, Netflix invested in a fourth series of superior technical quality and placed it in 190 countries.

The series is directed – like the film – by Joji Matsuoka, and is set in a small diner; one of those where you eat at the counter, in a narrow alley that is very reminiscent of the Tokyo area called Golden Gai. Small and intimate, the diner opens from midnight to seven in the morning and the menu offers only miso soup with pork, beer, sake and Shōchū, but the patron / cook is available to cook on request, provided he has the necessary ingredients.

The unusual opening time is bound to attract the night crowd; regular hostesses or strippers from neighboring clubs, a couple of transvestites who probably work in some bar in the area, few gamblers, DJs of night-radio programs, some mysterious member of the yakuza, but sometimes even just a salaryman who has lingered at work, or anyone who doesn’t feel like going home and is looking for some company.

The recurrent characters provide that comic choir that is necessary to create a familiar feeling at every return, but each episode tells a story of one of the occasional punters in this small gastronomic confessional. The Diner’s chef, known as Master (Kaoru Kobayashi, who has been playing Master since the very beginning) is fulcrum and glue of all the stories of the patrons; gifted with an inscrutable charm, he is a man of few, measured words, but able to listen, empathize and create a reassuring connection with his customers. Very little – if nothing – is known about him and a visible scar on his face increases his mysterious aura.

Each episode is named after a dish that features in the story, but food is not the real star here as “Midnight Diner” – thankfully! – is not what you can call a food program. In fact, the real protagonists are the men and women populating the Diner, their stories and their intersecting destinies; food is a vector of emotions and memories, a way to connect souls, a binding thread. In times where we are bombarded with cooking programs and “food porn”, it is nice and refreshing to have a program where food is back to a human and real dimension.

In one episode called “Ham Cutlets”, a retiring lawyer asks Master to cook the dish he used to eat with his estranged half-brother and he’s delighted to see that Master makes the cutlets with the same low-quality ham that his family used to buy and not with the “gourmet” type. In “Corn Dog”, a customer who craves pancakes runs to a convenient shop to buy a packet of pancake mix and gives it to the chef, and again, in the bittersweet “Egg Tofu”, a child and a prostitute share a passion for a cheap, ordinary supermarket dessert, that Master just pours over a bowl of plain rice.

Comfort food is a language that reaches everyone’s hearts without exception and is the great idea of this program. The stories of the episodes are often touching but also peppered with very funny moments, like the ghost of the greengrocer’s mother, worried about having left behind something embarrassing, or the yakuza terrified by a blackout. The 2016 season also was the first to travel abroad, in South Korea, in the episode “Omelette Rice”, featuring a high-profile guest, the actress Go Ah-sung (“The Host”, “Snowpiercer”).

Along with the cosy location, all the techs cooperate in creating an intimate atmosphere; from the toned down photography, to the slow-paced-editing and the guitar & voice score. The result is soothing and weirdly addictive.

Hitoshi Endo (producer of “Midnight Diner” since the start) revealed that the savage piracy endured by the show all over Asia led him to reflect on the great transnational and cross-cultural power of it and encouraged him to approach Netflix.

On the other side, Kaata Sakamoto (content manager of Netflix Japan) explained that for Netflix the strong asset of this series is the variety of stories and contents everyone can relate to. “We are human beings and we love listening to the stories of our fellows”.

Indeed, Abe’s manga formula is very versatile and easily adaptable to serialization. It also lends itself well to traveling; its popularity across Asia has already spawned a South Korean version that has been going on for a while, a Chinese version with Huang Lei as Master and now even a Hong Kong feature film with none other than Tony Leung Ka-fai in the Master’s apron.

A little heartwarming gem, “Midnight Diner” is as consoling and reassuring as the food that portrays and its upcoming season is something to look forward to.

*The interventions of Mr Hitoshi Endo and Mr Kaata Sakamoto come from a Panel Discussion, part of London East Asian Film Festival (LEEAF) 2016.

*This article, in different form, can be found in Italian on Linkinmovies.it here

Summer Explorers 2019: Mini season of film based on Manga!

The annual Summer Explorers season is back – this time taking place at the British Library!

From “Inuyashiki” (いぬやしき), to “Seto and Utsumi” (セトウツミ), “TEIICHI: Battle of Supreme High” (帝一の國), and :Psychic Kusuo” (斉木楠雄のΨ難), Summer Explorers 2019 : Manga Comes To Life showcases the range of plotlines that manga has provided film creatives over the years.Come and see the versatility of the influence that manga has had on Japanese cinema!

Presented and Curated by the Japan Foundation, in collaboration with the British Library.

Date: Saturday, 27 July and Sunday, 28 July 2019
Venue: British Library, Knowledge Centre Theatre, 96 Euston Road, St Pancras, London NW1

Saturday, 27 July

“Inuyashiki” (2018) by Shinsuke Sato

“Seto and Utsumi” (2016) by Tatsushi Ohmori

“TEIICHI: Battle of Supreme High” (2017) by Akira Nagai

Sunday, 28 July

“TEIICHI: Battle of Supreme High” (2017) by Akira Nagai

“The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (a.k.a. Psychic Kusuo)” (2017) by Yûichi Fukuda

“Inuyashiki” (2018) by Shinsuke Sato

For more info and to book your ticket go to the British Library Website.

Moët Hayami was born in Shiga Prefecture. She studied at Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto in the visual department and became a freelance video professional. Hayami and cinematographer Ryo Muramatsu present their work on their homepage titled Atelier Kushina. “Kushina, what will you be” is her feature debut after years of work experience on various departments of film production from the art department to costumes to the position of assistant director. Over the years she has worked for films by Takuro Nakamura (“West North West”, 2015) and Ryutaro Nakagawa (“Summer Blooms”, 2018). “Kushina, what will you be” premiered on the Osaka Asian Film Festival 2018 and received the JAPAN CUTS award.

On the occasion of “Kushina, what will you be“ screening at Japan Cuts 2018, we speak with her about the shooting process of the movie, the role of sound for the film and her influences as a filmmaker. 

First of all, congratulations on receiving the Japan Cuts award for “Kushina, what will you be.”

Thank you.

“Kushina” is an incredibly beautiful film and you mentioned in another interview your cinematographer, Ryo Muramatsu spend time with you while you were working on the script. What was your approach in terms of visuals and sound?

I wanted to create a different world, thus I tried to build a strong image before I wrote the script. First I designed locations, characters and their emotions, and then let the characters act as they want in my imaginary world. To do so, I spent a lot of time sharing images and talking about characters with Ryo. One day, he and I went to the exhibition of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and saw a painting called ‘Study: At a Reading Desk’ by Frederic Leighton. We both liked it and the painting became a symbol of our film. I wanted to tell the story from all the single shots like that painting.

Regarding sound, I ordered the sound woman to record not only the dialogue, but also the sounds of throats, clothes, the location, etc. because I wanted to record the atmosphere. I knew that I could not spend money on post production, so I wanted to record as much sound as possible during production. However, after the shooting ended, I noticed that there was a mistake. At that time the sound was horrible. There was no core sound. We had to recreate the sound, so we did After Recording and Foley. Thanks to that challenge, I had time to think about sound design. I prioritized telling stories through this kind of sound rather than realistic sounds.

Can you give us some more details about the locations the film was shot?

It took a while to find locations. We visited several mountainous ones and eventually found a small village not on the map. Since I want to keep the village safe, please excuse me for not giving a specific address. We shot outside scenes in the village, but the indoor scenes were shot at the studio in the suburbs. There were restrictions regarding the size of the lens and the camera position because several locations were mixed and the modern items are not supposed to appear too much on the screen.

Were there any memorable episodes during the shooting? Good or bad.

To adhere to the schedule, we shot the last scene on the second day.
To be honest, I was really afraid to make this film. There is no correct answer or common sense in Kushina’s world, so I had to “lead” this world. There was not enough time for preparation, and the shooting began with many uncertainties. However, that anxiety disappeared on the second day. The crew and actresses worked wonderfully, and I saw the moment the actresses emerged in Kushina’s world. That was the most powerful moment during the shooting.

What was the casting process for the film like?

I decided to ask Yayoi Inamoto to play the role of Soko Kazano from the beginning. We had worked together before, and I fell in love with her beauty and innocence.

Actually, this film is based on the story of my life, and Kushina is my incarnation. I did not explain clearly the relationship between Kushina and Soko, but I did casting in hopes that actresses instinctively loved each other.

Then I looked for Onikuma, who is the strongest woman. When I found a picture of Miyuki Ono on the internet, I thought she was the one. She belongs to this famous agency, so that was challenging. Fortunately, she accepted the offer after she had read the script. She is the main axis of Kushina’s world. I saw her and she was the answer. She lived in both reality and Kushina’s world at the same time.

It was not easy to find Kushina and Kagu. Our make-up artist introduced me to Ikumi Satake. Ikumi was brilliant. As I mentioned, Kushina was my incarnation. She had everything that I wanted. And I was sure that Soko and Ikumi could get along fine.

One week before shooting, I thought that this production was over because I could not find Kagu. I met Tomona Hirota five days before the shooting. Her looked very unique and she looked like a strong woman; however, I could see her weakness and kindness deep in her eyes. That layer is linked with Kagu. I believed in her eyes.

I can see somehow from people’s faces how they live and how they think. I believed in my feeling.

One of the themes of the film has to be the creation of harmony between the self and nature. How important is that in your opinion, especially since your film is very well aware of the influences of the outside world?

I’m sorry if I misunderstood the intention of the question.

Kushina’s world looks like a beautiful sanctuary, but people there cannot escape easily. Nature is like a big birdcage. Kushina is under protection. To escape protection, she needs influences from the outside world. Soko Kazano is the symbol for curiosity. Curiosity comes suddenly, and it takes children away from their parents. Curiosity is always in children’s heart. Soko is a strange person because she came in Kushina’s house without permission. Some people think Soko has to be more intelligent since she is an anthropologist from the outside world. But I don’t think Soko has to be real. Soko is a fantasy for Kushina. Soko herself is this curiosity of Kushina.

Human power is helpless towards the power of nature. We cannot control nature. It is better not to resist nature while shooting. Then you can see incredibly beautiful scenery sometimes in harmony with what we have prepared. What we can do is prepare, and wait. I would like to listen to nature’s voice rather than schedule, if I can. Haha

In the film, there is this image of Ikumi Satake lying on the ground in the woods listening to music from a walkman. This is such a poetic image hinting at the link between nature and modernity. In what ways did art or poetry inspire these images and the film as a whole?

When I was young, my mother read some poems or picture books to me. And I memorized the full text of those. Unfortunately, I have forgotten almost everything now. In order to associate these sentences with images and to remember the full text of books, I became fond of sentences that are shorter and stronger than longer sentences. I think language is one of the most important elements of identity. The image of Kushina is the shape of my word. I prioritized words and images in my brain over cinematic cuts. That is the reason why Kushina looks poetic.

I love nature and modernity. Si-Fi movies such as Nausicaa and Star Wars have influenced me. Even though it was an image created by others, it is a utopia for me as well. Nature and modernity cannot coexist easily. Kushina is also a child with such aspects. She is now in a special world because she is ignorant. But, if she gets to know more, its equilibrium will collapse.

When I worked on production, I imagined that “Kushina” is one huge picture like “The Last Judgment” by Michelangelo. Small but delicate elements are chained together to form a large painting. The gaze of the people drawn in the painting is directed towards someone in the paintings. People in “Kushina” are also looking at someone. I wanted to design this film, expecting that Kushina and her story would become a myth (legend).

“Kushina” also seems to have been inspired by the Greek myth of Sappho and her community of women on the island of Lesbos. Is that a valid assessment?

I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t know the Greek myth of Sappho. I read some articles about Sappho. That is an interesting opinion. As I mentioned, I was inspired by paintings of Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Those paintings are similar to the paintings of Sappho. I am attracted to these kind of paintings, and myths. Kushina is named after Princess Kushinada, who is a deity in Japanese myth. I believe that some chosen people connect unconsciously with another world, even in different eras. Thank you for telling me about Sappho.

What are your biggest influences as a filmmaker?

It is hard to answer. Do you want to know the filmmakers whom I was influenced by? I like Alejandro Jodorowsky, M. Night Shyamalan, Ang Lee, Steven Spielberg, and David Fincher. The reason why I became a filmmaker is that I wanted to be an actress. But now why I want to keep making films is I am looking for the place my soul belongs. This is the biggest influence. I have a fragmentary imagination, and I collect the elements of this world and would like to create my soul’s world in film.

With movements such as #MeToo, there is a lot of talk about the treatment of women within the film industry. How do you experience being a female in a mostly male-oriented industry?

I was shocked at the first experience on production. That was almost five years ago. An old assistant director said to me “How can you work with such big boobs?” Everyday he said these kind of things. Actually I have a blacklist of people whom I don’t want to work with. But now I’m okay. I found a good production company. Unfortunately, I don’t feel like working with a new production company really. Meeting new filmmakers is kind of stressful.

In Japan these days, many female directors have come out. But I feel that women are still being exploited by men. When a new female director comes out, articles say “Up-and-coming beautiful (cute) young female director.” I feel that a female director is kind of an idol in Japan. However, from a different point of view, a woman is lucky. A woman is more likely to be famous than a man and a woman is easy to get male fans. Actually, some women use female privilege.

Since the idea of happiness is so strong in “Kushina”, what is your idea of happiness?

I didn’t think about happiness during the production, I always thought about love. I wanted to present that the direction and the shape of love changed. Love of admitting, love of letting go, and love of protecting others. Kushina is the only person who might not see the world in a bird’s-eye view and does not know mother’s love and does not think about happiness deeply, but she has pure curiosity. If you feel the idea of happiness in “Kushina”, that means their choices are okay.

It is true that people are struggling for happiness. We can find happiness in our lives. Eat good food, see nice scenery, love and be loved… but we are never satisfied with happiness. We want more and more happiness until we die. We are always besieged by fear, desire and pressure. In my opinion, happiness is to release your soul from the burden attached to the body. It does not mean death. For me, imagination helps me to be happy.

Are there any other projects you are working on at the moment?

I have some ideas and I offerd one project to the competition. I hope it goes well. I’m really interested in co-production. I like to mix cultures and in doing so would like to create a different world. This is one of my dreams. Usually, I work as an assistant production manager and now I’m working on an Internet drama.

For the most part, Taiwanese film industry is well known for its romantic films, dramas or comedies. Maybe only a handful films, if that, from the country would come to mind when thinking about entertaining action films that could stand toe-to-toe with its other continental cousins. Director Hung Tzu-hsuan, with his debut feature film “The Scoundrels”, aims to rejuvenate the Taiwanese action genre.

“The Scoundrels” is screening at New York Asian Film Festival

Hot-headed Liao Wen-jui used to be a popular basketball player considered to be the next big thing in the sport. After a massive brawl at a game that effectively ended his career and resulted in a fan being hospitalised and Liao being stuck with the massive hospital bills as compensation, he has a phenomenal fall from grace, which forces him to take on any jobs to make ends meet. He soon finds himself working for a carjacking gang led by Hsiao-hei, sticking GPS trackers on targeted cars for them. 

His luck goes from bad to worse when one night he unwittingly goes to tag the car that is being used as a getaway vehicle by the notorious Raincoat Robber, the man responsible for the recent spate of bank van robberies across Kaohsiung that are carried out in the pouring rain by a man wearing a raincoat and helmet. Biao, as the Raincoat Robber says is his name, thrusts Liao Wen-jui into his car at gunpoint, while a bleeding woman is in the backseat, which leads to a series of events that could ultimately cost Liao his freedom and possibly his life, as the cops begin to close in on the two.

Hung Tzu-hsuan brings his short film experience, which almost exclusively included action films, to the feature film format and, for the major part, succeeds in creating a sleek and stylish movie that might remind audiences of its Korean or Hong Kong counterparts. The script, by Huang Chien-ming, is fast-paced and moves along at a pace that is just enough for the audience to keep up with. Hung doesn’t intend to be deep with the film or give a lesson on how crime is bad, but he succeeds in doing what he sets out to do: serve a stylish neo-noir that impresses as much with its visuals, courtesy of cinematographers Chen Ko-chin and Chen Chih-hsuan, as it does with its well-executed action scenes, which have been choreographed by Scott Hung.

Tonally, the movie is a bit inconsistent. The first half has a blend of humour with the action, mostly with dark undertones, which is refreshing but seems to disappear suddenly as the film leads into the second half, making its absence felt. Another problem with the narrative is its music, by Cliff Lin and Yang Wan-chien. The loud, thumping electric guitars and drums combination doesn’t always work and in fact often acts as a distraction in the action sequences. For genre fans, the few twists that are in the tale will also be fairly predictable, but there are not too many of them to be a major issue.

Acting across the board is wonderful, with JC Lin being excellent as the way-in-over-his-head Liao Wen-jui, bringing a vulnerability and likability to the character. But it is Wu Kang-ren, or Chris Wu as he is popularly known, who steals the limelight with his suave turn as Biao, making him scary and charming in equal measure. The audience never can quite figures out what is going on behind that smiling facade of his face. The two play off each other extremely well, which makes for a chief reason for the film working as well as it does. In support, singer/actress Nana Lee is adorable as Shin-jie, Liao’s doctor girlfriend, Malaysian actor Frederick Lee brings the laughs as boss Hsiao-hei, whereas legendary actor Jack Kao makes his presence felt as Chen Mu, one of the two police officers hot on our leads’ heels.

Ultimately, “The Scoundrels” ends up being a far more than serviceable action film. Hung Tzu-hsuan has, on an evidently small budget, managed to make a film that impresses with its strong visuals, fast-paced action and above-average acting. The director is undoubtedly ready to move on to bigger endeavours.

For the past decade, Kan Eguchi has earned acclaim for his advertising and TV drama direction; in 2018, he made his feature debut with Riding Uphill, about professional bicycle racers. Eguchi won top awards for three years running at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, was named a “Director to Watch 2009” by Boards magazine (Canada), and served as a judge of America’s Clio Awards from 2010-2013. In 2013, he directed Japan’s successful PR film pitch for the Tokyo Olympics, as well as his first TV drama, Mentai Piriri, which swept Japan’s broadcast awards. He went on to direct more TV dramas, one of which, The Song of the Dragonlike Soul, proved a surprise hit on DVD release. Even more surprising: the hilariously deadpan brilliance of Eguchi’s second feature, the comedy actioner The Fable.

On the occasion of The Fable screening at New York Asian Film Festival, we talked with the director about comedy and its appeal, the last action sequence, Jackal Tomioka, Yuya Yagira and other topics.

The film begins as a comedy but becomes more serious as the story progresses. Why did you choose this approach?

So, I think it came from an awareness of Japanese audiences, although maybe it is true for American audiences as well, but I feel like comedy has a lower threshold, and it is easier to motivate audiences to go to the theatre for a comedy. Additionally, it is easier for the audiences to enter the world of the film as well as empathize with the characters. Also, this was one of the missions of the production company, to avoid an R rating for the film, in order to appeal to a wider audience. However, it is a story about an assassin, so as the story moves on, it does become more serious.   

The initial scene looks like a parody of the US “Ghost in the Shell” movie. Is that what you were trying to do? In general, would you say that The Fable is also a kind of parody?

I love the original Ghost in the Shell anime, but I have not seen the American live action film. However, I do think there are a lot of elements of parody on “The Fable”

The action sequence at the end of the film is the most impressive part of the movie. Can you give us some details about how you shot it? In general, how was your cooperation with the action choreographer?

The last actions sequence lasts for 20 minutes and it was important for me to have a good volume there at the end, as an action movie. Having seen past action movies, 20 minutes is long, so even if people are working really hard to do the action, as a viewer, you can get bored. We were really aware of that, so even if there is a big volume to it, we wanted to make sure that it was thrilling at every moment, that there is tension throughout. The sequence is divided in a four-part structure. The first part is when the drawbridge falls down and the intention of that scene was similar to “Mission Impossible”, when Tom Cruise is falling with a wire. I wanted to have a big visual for that moment and get the most memorable moment in terms of action in the film. The next part is when the masses attack Akira, and that part is actually influenced by Korean movies. I approached that as to put much pressure on Akira, whose purpose is not to kill anyone.

In that way, I thought about the function of each of the four parts of the sequence, so I worked with Allen Figlarz, a French choreographer who has worked with Luc Besson in the past (in “Lucy”). He is someone who has been in combat, so he is really good in doing military-like, very realistic action choreography, and he had all the actors, including Junichi Okada, master the basic movements. Therefore, he created this reality through the action choreography. And the last part, the fight between Akira and Fudo, Okada came up with it. The actor who plays Fudo, Sota Fukushi, and Okada have this master-student relationship when it comes to action, so they came up with it instead of us. That is why there was more love and passion about it, it was better than what we had. So, Okada led and we tried to figure out how to shoot what he was doing in the best way. As a result, by having all those different scenes and styles of action, it made our fight sequences unique.

I found that the Jackal Tomioka concept is one of the funniest in the film. Can you give me some details about this part?

I was actually curious how this element would play out for American audience. The Jackal Tomioka aspect is a very important element that was transferred from the original manga, it is the only part that allows Akira to laugh for real, from his heart. Akira is the only one who thinks Jackal Tomioka is funny, everyone else thing he is not. In Japanese, it is called the art of “bombing a joke”, it is when there is no laughter, a silence, or some awkward laughter, and that is what kind of humor this concept was about.  

How was your cooperation with the actors and particularly Junichi Okada, Sota Fukushi  and Yuya Yagira?

As I said before, the first two are very close, Okada is kind of a mentor for Fukushi, so the love between them was actually transferred to the action scene at the end. Yuya Yagira was really motivated and passionate about this role. He is someone that everyone has an eye out right now, so I think for everyone there was this sense of competitiveness, to not let him steal the scene from them.  

Adapted from a popular sci-fi romantic novel by writer Jiang Nan, “Shanghai Fortress” stars Hong Kong actor Shu Qi (The Assassin, 2015) and Chinese Singer-cum-actor Lu Han (The Great Wall, 2016).
Filmmaker Teng Huatao, popular for Sky of Love, Romantic comedy Up in the Wind, would be directing the film. The futuristic visuals of the film is accomplished with the help of Hollywood VFX team.

Synopsis

Set in the future, the city of Shanghai China battles to defend itself against an ongoing attack by an alien force that has attacked that has laid siege to numerous cities around the globe in its quest to harvest hidden energy only found on earth.

Shanghai Fortress releases domestically on August 9, 2019. 

WellGo USA Entertainment has acquired the North American rights to acclaimed cult director Takashi Miike’s First Love following the world premiere in Director’s Fortnight at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. The deal was negotiated by Doris Pfardrescher on behalf of WellGo USA and HanWay Films with ICM Partners on behalf of the filmmakers. It will be released in select theaters later this year, with the digital and home entertainment release scheduled for first quarter 2020.

HanWay Films has also closed deals with Haut et Court (France), Eurovideo (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), Nonstop (Scandinavia), Odeon (Greece), Mars (Turkey), Discovery (Former-Yugoslavia), Paradise (CIS, Baltics) and Frontrow (Middle East).

First Love marks the fourth collaboration between Academy Award® winning producer Jeremy Thomas (The Last Emperor) and Takashi Miike (Blade Of The Immortal, Hara-Kiri, 13 Assassins). The film is the prolific auteur at his most fun and anarchic, a noir-tinged yakuza film blending genres in the story of a young boxer and a call girl, who fall passionately in love while getting innocently caught up in a drug-smuggling scheme over the course of one night in Tokyo. First Love stars Masataka Kubota (13 Assassins, Gintama 2: Rules Are Made to Be Broken, Tokyo Ghoul), Nao Omori (Ichi The Killer), Shota Sometani (Samurai Marathon) and newcomer Sakurako Konishi.

“Takashi Miike is one of the most exciting filmmakers working in international cinema today,” said Doris Pfardrescher, President & CEO of Well Go USA. “His new film, First Love, continues his extraordinary track record for interesting and provocative films and audiences will be blown away.”

First Love was directed by Takashi Miike and written by Masaru Nakamura (Sukiyaki Western Django, The Bird People In China). The film is a Japanese/UK collaboration and is produced by Muneyuki Kii, Jeremy Thomas and Misako Saka and executive produced by Shigeji Maeda, Hidehiro Itoh and Takara Kosugi.

HanWay Films is handling worldwide sales and distribution, alongside TOEI Films who handle Asia & Australasia.

Japanese director Keisuke Yoshida was born in 1975 in Saitama in the Saitama Prefecture. While he was still studying at Tokyo Visual Arts he started making his own independent films. Ever since his debut feature “Raw Summer” (2005) he has directed a total of nine films, with his new film “I Love Irene” being released this fall. He has also written the screenplays for the majority of his movies.

On the occasion of his last film “Thicker Than Water“ screening at  Japan Cuts 2018, we speak with him about his film and other things

First of all, thanks for agreeing to have this interview about a very interesting film, “Thicker Than Water”, which combines comedy and drama. It touches upon the subject of sibling rivalry and sibling competition. What was your inspiration for the project?

I have an older sister myself, but my experience might have been similar to an only child, though. This story is not necessarily a personal story of mine but I did want to create a dramatic piece that includes the ideas of jealousy and envy and to explore those ideas, and then by incorporating these ideas of sibling rivalry and blood relationship, I thought I could create a deeper piece through it.

Your film has this interesting balance between the comedic and the dramatic parts. However, this is not apparent to the characters that what they are doing is actually very comedic. How do you create this balance as a director and also as a writer?

“Thicker than Water” is actually my eighth feature film and all of them have this balance between comedy and drama, they the have the same sensibilities. And when I am writing, I am not necessarily trying to make people laugh. Of course, there are funny bits. What I am really interested in is portraying characters that can be funny when seen from an outside perspective and that is the sort of laughter I am interested in. And by being interested in that, my comedy doesn’t necessarily fail because I am not trying to make anyone laugh. And if someone does not find anything funny, I can always say “Well, I am not trying to make you laugh.”

It seems like what you were doing was similar to what Billy Wilder did for the characters in his films. From an outsider’s perspective it looks funny, but when you look at it more deeply, it is quite tragic and dramatic. Speaking of which, in his films the actors and actresses contributed a lot to them. What did your actors and actresses contribute to this balance we were talking about?

Regarding the male actors [Masataka Kubota and Hirofumi Arai], they are both very popular, incredibly busy and intelligent actors, and basically two of the best actors working today. So basically I let them do whatever they needed to do.

The two women [Keiko Enoue and Miwako Kakei], however, were very inexperienced in acting, especially Keiko since it was her first time acting in a film. So I didn’t necessarily talk to them about film theory or acting, but we talked about regular things. I told them personal anecdotes, I told funny stories and got to see how they reacted. And by doing that, I was able to find clues on how to direct them and shorten the distance between us.

It seems you were relying or allowed a lot of improvisations. Do you rehearse scenes, do your stick to the script or improvisation? How does the actual filming take place?

Generally speaking, we stuck to the script, I barely changed the dialogue. Regarding the women and what I said earlier, I had them rehearse more. The men, as I said, are experienced actors and they knew what they were doing. In order to make the women more comfortable, I said: “You know what? Don’ worry about it. Just do what you can and the others will also help you out if necessary.”

How did you assemble this impressive cast? Especially Keiko Enoue is very impressive playing the character of Yuria.

Regarding this film, especially Keiko Enoue, it is quite hard to find actresses in Japan who have her physical appearance. So instead of actresses I started looking for comedians, with whom I often work in general, and Enoue is highly skilled as a comedian. She does a lot of improvisations and skit work, so while she does not work in film, she does, however, incorporate a lot of acting in her comedic work to begin with. I know that if I flipped the switch on how she was working, I knew I would be working with her pretty well. Also, her voice and looks are very specific. So if she hadn’t been able to play this role, I would have been in a lot of trouble. In fact, while writing the script for this film, I already had her in mind.

We talked about sibling rivalry and sibling competition at the very beginning. However, the films seems to be also about other forms of rivalry, for example between companies or individuals in general. Since you are a director working in a very competitive, how much competition would you say is healthy?

The film is modeled after a real person. There was a scriptwriter I often worked with, but he always wanted to be a director, but never actually became one. But he had a big mouth, and though he never actually wrote or directed anything, he would call himself a genius and I would be quite irritated by that. I have always been creating work to make him feel less special as he called himself, to put him in his place.

But this man actually died two years ago and I at this point where why I shoot my film and who to show it to, because I always wanted to do it for this particular reason. So I am at a loss for a goal to some extent, but I feel that the ideas of jealousy, anger or rivalry are necessary for the creative process to some degree.

Your film also seems to be about gender stereotypes. One character tells the other “men have to take chances in life” in order to succeed or the character of Yuria suffering from not being considered a woman the same way her sister is. What do you think of this reading?

As I explained earlier, the emotions I wanted to show in this film are feelings like jealousy and envy and I wanted to prevent these readings. However, I think men and women show emotions in different ways in society, and especially in the Japanese society men and women have these specific ideas of how to express their emotions.

What is your next project? What have you planned for the future?

I have actually already finished one film, which is coming out this year. It is based on my favorite manga which is “Itoshi no Ellie” [Ellie My Love] and it focuses on an international marriage between a Japanese man and a Filipino woman, but the man wants to buy the marriage. But it is also complicated by the fact that the mother of the wife is a harsh woman and very judgmental. The film was shot in both Japan and the Philippines and it has a lot of international appeal.

“Thicker Than Water” is a film about happiness and what gets in the way of being happy. For you as a director, what is your idea of happiness?

To me, happiness is not a continuous presence, and it is more of a feeling when I look back at something, or look back in time. I don’t necessarily judge happiness in the moment, but I think this idea presents itself in “Thicker Than Water”. This is something I keep thinking about, and sometimes when I am in the moment, in the present, I think there is something better out there. This is something I find upon reflecting on the past, and it has to do a lot with my work.

The Yellow Fever Independent Film Festival invites you to join it for a very special event this year in celebrating its 10^th birthday as part of the Open House Festival.

Having moved the festival from Belfast to Bangor in 2018, the festival hopes to introduce itself to that new audience who will enjoy what it has to offer, from a wide range of independent films from around the world, Q&A sessions with the film makers, informative workshops, special guests from the film industry, and of course, the wonderful Gala Dinner Award Ceremony.

Brought to you by Bangor based award winning indie feature director, George Clarke and his team at Yellow Fever Productions, the YFIFF is known worldwide for its welcoming hospitality, independent charm and selection of alternative cinema promoting the very best of the indie film world.

This year, they have two amazing special guests: industry professionals Jesse V. Johnson and Mike Leeder

Our first guest, and his first time at the YFIFF is director Jesse V. Johnson. Undoubtedly one of the hottest names in action cinema, Jesse has made a name in the film world as a stuntman, actor and most notably, as a director. Born in England, Jesse made the move to the US to follow in the footsteps of his famed uncle – stunt legend Vic Armstrong – and found work on blockbusters such as “Total Recall”, “Starship Troopers”, “Avatar”, “The Amazing Spiderman” films, “Thor”, “Terminator 3” and many more.

In the late 90’s before Jesse began directing, and in the last 20 years he has delivered some amazing action movies with martial arts superstars such as Scott Adkins and Tony Jaa, many of which are available on UK Netflix such as “The Debt Collector”, “Accident Man”, and “Savage Dog”.

With his latest offerings, the fantastic “Avengement” and “Triple Threat“, Jesse has taken things to the next level gaining critical praise for his work and showing that independent action cinema can give even the biggest Hollywood blockbusters a run for their money.

Mike Leeder was the very first guest when the YFIFF launched in 2009. He returned once again for the 4^th festival with prolific director Albert Pyun (“Cyborg”, “Sword and the Sorcerer”, “Nemesis”) and we welcome his return for the 10^th, along with the addition of our newly named award in his honour – the Mike Leeder Award for Best Performance.

As an actor, Mike has appeared in films such as “Big Brother“, “Ultimate Justice”, “Chasing the Dragon“, “Fearless”, “Pound of Flesh” and “Bodyguard: A New Beginning”.

Both guests are available over the course of the weekend delivering a workshop on their life in film, as well as giving an exclusive screening and Q&A on the fantastic “Triple Threat” on Saturday night.

OVID.tv is a curated streaming destination for documentaries and art-house films, founded upon the unprecedented collaborative effort of eight of the most noteworthy independent film distributors in the United States, each respected for the depth of their industry experience and the vitality of their collections.

Together, they are supporting the launch of OVID as it draws upon selections from their catalogs of quality arthouse, documentary, and social issue films, and allowing OVID to provide its subscribers with access to watch hundreds of notable films and series not available on any other platform.

The fabulous eights include dGenerate Films, distributor of contemporary independent film from mainland China to audiences worldwide (“Bitter Money” and many Wang Bing’s movies, “Winter Vacation“, “Oxide II”, “The Widowed Witch”), KimStim (“Creepy“, “Happy Hour”, “Tatsumi“), First Run Features (“The Professor”), Women Make Movies, Grasshopper Films, Icarus Films, Distrib US and Bullfrog Films.

From now until July 31st, Asian Movie Pulse readers can save 50% off the regular monthly subscription price.

Just head over to www.ovid.tv, sign-up with the coupon code “AMPFILMS” at checkout; and you will get OVID.tv for just $3.50 per month, for three months.

Sammo Hung, for all his immense contributions to action cinema has never been considered one of the visual stylists of his generation. Yet in 1993 he made two classic swordplay movies that could be considered to challenge this notion. The first and sadly largely forgotten “Blade of Fury”. The second recently re-released on Blu ray “Moon Warriors”.

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The 13th Prince (Kenny Bee) along with a few loyal retainers narrowly escapes an assassination attempt by his brother, and finds himself in the company of Fei (Andy Lau) a fisherman with exceptional martial arts abilities. Dispatching Fei along with Mo-Sin (Maggie Cheung) to bring Princess Yuet Nga (Anita Mui) leads to a complicated situation with Mo-Sin, who is secretly in love with the 13th Prince and a growing attraction between Fei an Yuet Nga begins. As the brother closes in and secrets are revealed, the fates of all converge in an epic final confrontation.

The line “The legends are true, even the sad ones” nicely sums up “Moon Warriors”. Most swordplay movies carry an air of fatalism and doomed romance. So we kind of know what to expect and it doesn’t disappoint. Performances are uniformly good, despite thin characterization, with Maggie Cheung’s tragic Mo-Sin given the most pathos. The Canto-pop songs actually complement a really excellent score by James Wong that adds rather than detracts from the action. And a special mention too must go to the trainers of the Killer Whale that makes timely interventions during the film.

When considering director credit it must be remembered that the term in Hong Kong cinema has been known to be a loose one, with action choreographers often shooting the scenes too. So the question here is who can claim the greater credit for what is a surprisingly rich mise en scene. The duels in the abandoned temple are exquisite. The artful use of doubles for Maggie Cheung and Anita Mui show the wirework at its finest. With Ching Siu-Ting renowned for his expertise in wire based action, you do wonder whether it was a typically Hong Kong collaborative effort as opposed to one principle creator. Either way, we have a very polished production. My only criticism is the overuse of undercranking which is at times too evident.

Released at the tail end of the Hong Kong New wave explosio,n “Moon Warriors” is a movie steeped in the traditions of it’s genre. Wirework is to be expected and here we have two of the greatest choreographers ever combining their talents. Whilst the story adds nothing knew to classical conventions, the craftsmanship is New Wave at its finest. For myself this was one of my first introductions the world of oriental action cinema and cannot recommend it high enough.

One of the most prolific figures in the history of Hong Kong action cinema, Sammo Hung (Hung Kam-bo, or more affectionately, “Da Goh Da” [Big, Big Brother]) has worked as a stuntman, actor, choreographer, producer and director in a career spanning almost 60 years (his first film appearance was in 1961). Presented here are three highlights from his incredible career, showcasing his incredible skill and artistry both in front of, and behind the camera.

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The Iron-Fisted Monk [1977]– Sammo Hung’s directorial debut, The Iron-Fisted Monk introduced many of the choreographic and editing techniques that would become commonplace in modern action cinema. A significantly darker and more violent film than audiences were used to, the film was originally cut when released on UK home video, but is presented here fully uncut for its worldwide Blu-ray debut from a brand new 2K restoration. 

The Magnificent Butcher [1979] – Directed by the legendary Yuen Woo-ping as a spiritual successor to his earlier smash hit, Drunken Master, The Magnificent Butcher stars Sammo as “Butcher” Lam Sai-wing, a pupil of Wong Fei-hung (the role Jackie Chan portrayed in Drunken Master, but here played by Kwan Tak-hing who played the legendary folk hero in over 70 films). When Lam is framed for murder by a rival clan, he must track down the real murderer and fight to clear his name. To be strong enough to have a chance of winning, he must train under the original Drunken Master, Beggar So! Presented from a brand new 2K restoration. 

Eastern Condors [1987] – Quite possibly Sammo’s best film, this high-kicking tribute to The Dirty Dozen sees ten convicts offered amnesty if they undertake a deadly mission behind enemy lines in Vietnam to destroy a top-secret munitions dump. Featuring numerous references to Western war movies, such as The Deer Hunter and Rambo: First Blood Part II, Eastern Condors is an action masterpiece like no other, filled with incredibly dangerous stunt sequences and full-contact fight scenes that left its cast bloody and bruised. Presented here fully uncut for the first time ever in the UK, and from a brand new 2K restoration, this film is an absolute must-see!

Eureka Classics is proud to present Three Films with Sammo Hung in a special 3-disc Blu-ray edition.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

Stunning 1080p presentation of all three films on Blu-ray, from brand new 2K restorations and in their original widescreen aspect ratios.

Original Cantonese mono tracks for all three films

English audio options, all three films include the option of “classic” English dubs from the films’ original international releases, and the newer English dubs produced for later home video releases

The Iron-Fisted Monk –– Fully Restored Cantonese mono track, with original sound effects reinserted after being absent from previous releases

The Magnificent Butcher – Alternate Cantonese mono track featuring a unique mix and different music cues

Eastern Condors: The Export Version [94 mins]– Presented in 2K, a shorter edit of the film released to international markets

Newly translated English subtitles (optional) for all three films

Brand new audio commentaries on Eastern Condors and The Magnificent Butcher by martial-arts cinema authority Mike Leeder and filmmaker Arne Venema

Brand new audio commentary on The Iron-Fisted Monk and Eastern Condors by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) 

Multiple interviews with Sammo Hung, talking about his work on each film

Interview with actor and stuntman Yuen Wah, talking about his work on Eastern Condors

Interview with Yuen Woo-ping, talking about his work on The Magnificent Butcher

Eastern Condors Live! – a live performance from the 1987 “Miss Hong Kong Pageant”

Trailers for all three films

O-Card Slipcase

Limited Edition Collector’s booklet [First Print Run of 2000 units ONLY] featuring new writing on all three films by James Oliver 

Commissioned by Singapore’s Health Promotion Board, this telemovie had the purpose of raising awareness regarding dementia, but Eric Khoo still managed to include a couple of themes of his own. Let us see what it is about.

The story begins with Qiu Yun, a chef specializing in French cuisine, who despite the frequent rebukes she receives from her boss, is actually quite good in her job, to the point that some investors have made an official proposal to her, to run a French restaurant of her own. However, as she is about to begin her new life, her mother, Madam Ching, who has been running a hawker stall selling scissor cut curry rice for decades, is diagnosed with dementia. Madam Ching cannot handle her ailment, and soon lashes out to her employees, to the point they decide to leave her, despite the years they have been working with her. Despite her husband’s protests, Qiu Yun brings her mother to stay with the two of them and their daughter, and gradually she is reacquainted with the traditional local cuisine.

Dementia and its consequences are the main theme of “Recipe”, with Khoo presenting both with a subtle realism, avoiding any kind of melodramatic moments, in a tactic that I feel benefitted the message the film aimed to communicate. Apart from this concept though, Khoo also deals with the theme of tradition-localization versus progress-globalization (revolving around food ) and the connection between parents and children, particularly regarding the always sensitive subject of if the latter will follow the professional footsteps of the former. These two concepts receive a rather definite answer here, with Khoo’s solution being a conciliatory one, that the tradition and the parents’ footsteps should be followed, but with the addition of new elements introduced by the next generations.

These three concepts and their presentation carry the film for the whole of its 46 minutes, and result in a spectacle that is meaningful as much as entertaining, as it also exemplifies the love Khoo seems to foster for the culinary. Adrian Tan’s cinematography implements this love and the realism that permeates the narrative quite nicely.

The acting is also on a high level, with Zoe Tay highlighting her inner struggle for the dilemmas she has to face convincingly, and Li Ying Zhu functioning as the personification of dementia with accuracy and artistry as Madam Ching. The one who steals the show though is Moses Lim as the flirty “companion” of Madam Ching, who is the main source of humor in the film.

Not much more to say, “Recipe” is a small but well-done and entertaining film, which I feel communicated its message about dementia in the best way possible.  

Korean Inchul Lee has been based in Japan since he was 19 years old, and in his debut short, seems to have adopted the aesthetics of the latter to the fullest, although some Korean elements are not missing. 

In the year 4015, humanity has transformed itself into androids, in an effort to erase desire, the concept believed to have led to its almost complete destruction. However, eventually desires appeared again, in the form of obsession, curiosity, and freedom and finally, desire itself. As the animated introductory scene explaining all these fades out, the movie transforms into live action, as we watch Kai, a shoemaker and the owner of an atelier welcoming a client, Yellow, who is impressed by her shoes. Kai offers to manufacture a pair that will suit her perfectly and Yellow gladly agrees. However, the fact that her feet are not evenly matched seems to present some issues for Kai, who eventually manages to produce the pair, although the rehearsal goes very bad, with Yellow almost falling as she tries walking on them. Kai gradually becomes obsessed with making the perfect pair for Yellow, almost ignoring the wishes of the rest of the “colorful” customers entering her atelier.

Inchul Lee directs a true eye-candy, a film where style seems to be everything, as it is even used to portray some social and philosophical comments. In that fashion, Chanel has designed the clothes, while Haider Ankerman and Mihara Yasuhiro are involved in the impressive costumes and shoes featuring in the film, all of which create a magnificent and truly colorful setting for the story. The fact that the peripheral characters all wear monochrome tones while Kai a baroque-styled costume, highlights the fact that she is the protagonist, in a way that fits the general aesthetics of the film perfectly. Takuro Ishizaka’s cinematography is another very important factor in the visual prowess of the short, as his camera worships the shoes, the costumes and the baroque-styled set. Hyoyng Woo-roh’s music is the main factor of the eerie atmosphere that permeates the film, which, additionally, implies that something bad is going to happen eventually. Toshiaki Hanzaki’s initial animation is a true work of art, in the style of a toned down and contemporary looking “Belladona of Sadness”.

The main point of the film revolves around the concept of desire and its three extensions, obsession, curiosity and freedom. All of the women in the film desire something. The clients desire the shoes Kai makes, to the point that one of them even asks if she could just try a pair. Kai desires to make the perfect pair for Yellow, and her desire eventually becomes an obsession, which Lee portrays as a sentiment leading to extreme situations. Of course, what leads the clients in the atelier in the first place is their curiosity, while Kai desires the freedom to do anything she wants in order to achieve her goal. However, my take is that Lee portrays all these concepts as having, eventually, bad consequences, although he seems to suggest that beauty maybe worth it.

Rinko Kikuchi in the protagonist role is impressive as a woman obsessed with perfection, to the point that she is willing to go to extremes to achieve her goal. Both hers and the performances of the rest of the cast (all of which have gorgeous legs) are laconic, although all of them manage to portray their frustration and adoration quite eloquently.

“Highheels” is a triumph of style, a visually impressive debut that leaves a lot to be expected by Inchul Lee’s future works.

In this horror film by director Ryon Lee (“Haunted Road 2) a young woman called Sam (Michelle Wai) has to endure many hardships. Having been bullied most of her life she has become quite shy and does not talk to anyone except her mother (Anna Ng) who has her own problems dealing with Sam’s mostly drunk and violent father (Richard Ng). While her mother blames their poor finances, Sam believes she and her family are the victims of a curse, one which has manifested itself to a doll she always has to carry with her. Lately, the visions of a long-haired girl have been getting worse and have even infested her workplace.

However, as the bullying of her co-workers and her boss increases, she pleads the doll and the ghost to help her in her desperation. When she meets York (Yu Wu Qi), a young man she has been to school with, she thinks things might change for her, but when one of their co-workers disappears, Sam senses this might only be the beginning and she has to stop the curse.

“Walk With Me” is screening at New York Asian Film Festival

In general, director Ryon Lee has constructed a film whose ambiguity between reality and folklore or superstition makes for an interesting mixture. The best way to describe this kind of approach would be a comparison to Hideo Nakata much under-appreciated “Dark Water”, a film which also blends the reality of a single parent and financial stress with various supernatural elements. Whereas you might find these elements in “Walk With Me” superfluous, the narrative offers much to support a more grounded interpretation, and of course the same approach works vice versa.

Nevertheless, the image of the reality, the visualization of issues like bullying, domestic violence and the fear of poverty is where Lee’s film truly succeeds. Far from being a social drama, the portrayal of the setting, the apartment building where Sam and her parents live, offers both, an insight into their emotional landscape as well as a perfect, if a bit obvious breeding ground for the supernatural. The omnipresent rust, filth, the flickering lights as well as the overall feeling of confinement reflect the kind of helplessness these characters feel when faced with the outside world. The fact that the ghost haunts and torments those who are already weak and under enormous pressure is what adds a certain level of cruelty to the scenes of terror in the film.

Besides the often strong visuals of the film, the central performances of Anna Ng and Michelle Wai carry the narrative even through some of its more exhausting parts. Giving what must have been an emotionally and physically demanding performance, Wai plays a woman on the verge of serious depression as the supernatural attacks serve as an addition to the kind of bullying she has to endure at work. The growing feeling of disconnect with reality caused by the many visions of the ghost gives her character a sense of desperation which is countered with the encounter with York.

“Walk With Me” is a solid horror film with dramatic elements. Lee certainly knows the tricks of the genre and how to establish a distinct mood for a narrative such as this while also relying on the performances of his cast. Even though some of the aspects, for example, the development of some of the characters or the ending, will not necessarily find much praise, this makes “Walk Wth Me” a decent enough entry within the genre.

Even though Hollywood stubbornly remains the primary source of the majority of cinematic and media content for the global scene and marketplace, one cannot help but acknowledge the importance of other, international cinematography. Asian cinematography, for example, is not commonly associated as the main source of mass entertainment, even though it amasses millions of dollars and contributes greatly to the cultural diversity of the global movie industry. Nevertheless, people, as well as those highly associated with the industry, did not fail to recognize the exquisite, unique and completely different take Asian cinematography has when it comes to creating movies for all times. Therefore, we are now going to take a look into the most critically acclaimed movies coming from China, South Korea, and Japan.

In the Mood for Love (2000)

Probably the best Chinese movie  ever created, In the Mood for Love is also Wong Kar Wai’s best work. This Hong-Kong romantic drama tackles the most mundane aspects of people’s lives, like adultery and love in this case, and turns them into thought-provoking, eye-opening experience that changes our life perception for good. If you need an essay or other assignment writtenby EssayShark on the topic of outstanding movies, this is the movie you need to use as an example. Ever since its release, this movie has been nominated for and received dozens of awards; from the awards for best actors, art director, costume and make-up design, to best cinematography and screenplay, all over the world at the most renown film festivals. With its captivating aesthetics and exceptional acting, it is no wonder that this movie has won the worldwide audience and managed to put Chinese cinematography at the very top of the global movie industry.

Chunking Express (1994)

Another Wong Kar Wai movie has made it to the list, and for a reason. Chunking Express has become the staple of not only the Chinese cinematography but also the global movie industry. A movie so stunning, memorable and striking has left the global audience in awe, as two wonderful and heartbreaking stories are unfolding before the spectators’ eyes for almost 25 years now. The plot of this movie is quite impressionable and profoundly, aesthetically pleasing, as all Kar Wai movies are. For the same, and aforementioned, reasons, this movie has received global attention and awards on numerous film and movie award festival across the world. Just like the previous movie on the list, Chunking Express is a movie worthy of every second of your time, so make sure to watch and enjoy this masterpiece.

The Man from Nowhere (2010)

If there is one movie in this world that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout, that it is the masterpiece of Korean cinematography, The Man from Nowhere. This movie has not only received a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, but also global recognition through awards at film festivals in Europe, North America, and Asia respectively. It follows a heart-wrenching story accompanied by an insight into the criminal undergrounds of South Korea, serving an unnerving plot that will stay with you days after you’ve watched it. The Man from Nowhere serves scenes of outstanding action, breathtaking fighting, emotional connection and dramatic turnovers that will leave everyone watching this nerve-racking movie fully immersed and on the edge of their seat.

A Bittersweet Life (2005)

Another Korean movie, defining of the Asian cinematography, is the ruthlessly violent, yet stunningly aesthetical, A Bittersweet Life. The movie revolves around the morality and ethical codes of the Korean underground criminal groups when they end up being broken. The critical acclaim for A Bittersweet Life came from around the world, as it was highly praised for its plot, visual presentation and acting abilities of the main cast. Claimed to be one of the best movies of 2005 , and one of the best gangster movies in Asian cinematography, it is definitely worthy of every second you spend watching it. The movie is utterly thrilling, intense and riveting; all wrapped in breathtaking shots and accompanied by hauntingly beautiful music. It has received a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, so make sure to check it out.

Battle Royale (2000)

If you think that the Hunger Games is a great movie, think again. The plot to this staple of Japanese cinematography is basically what inspired the Hunger Games. Battle Royale is a Japanese masterpiece, created by the talented Kinji Fukasaku in 2000. The movie was an instant hit in Japan and Asia but only received recognition with the release of the Hunger Games, due to a similar plot. Nevertheless, the movie was instantly characterized as a cinematic wonder, with its gripping, unusual plot, gruesome, sometimes over-the-top violence and emotional depth that carries the plot above the expected. However, it is also described as a cultural critique, a satire that is violent, yet odd and wonderful in aesthetic visualization of what it means to fight to the death. Battle Royale is a cinematic achievement that has turned itself into a cult amongst critically acclaimed Asian movies.

In the world of arts, movies have unparalleled ability in portraying cultures, customs and traditions outside one’s own so convincingly that one enjoys the experience of having been informed and entertained at the same time. The TV industry in Taiwan and how it has influenced the life of a generation are explored in this case.

“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Show” is screening at New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) 2019

Crazy TV station’s owner Mr Lo conspires with a gangster who is trying to buy the station at a bargain. In order to reduce the ratings of the channel, he promotes a young employee Zhe (played by O.D) as the program managing director and fires all senior staff. He expects young Zhe to fail and thus bring down the ratings which in turn will reduce the value of the station. Meanwhile, a wannabe actress diva played by Lim Min Chen, comes to the TV station for a paid training program in acting. Zhe struggles to create new TV programs and in the meantime, love blossoms between Zhe and Diva. Along with their associate Abi played by Liu Kuan Ting, the three work on creating unique programs for crazy TV. Rest of the movie is about whether Zhe is able to save the TV station and express his love for Diva while doing so.

This movie easily and lifelessly falls into the Romcom category. A lot of humour is intended throughout, but in places fails to engage and thus the end product brings grins but not laughs. O.D and Lim Min Chen have decent chemistry and have their moments, but the romance is superficial at best. I thought the tepid beginning was intentional and waited for the exciting turn of events, though the script had other plans. There is a hostage situation in the climax, which again tries to be comical, but fails in intensity to be neither a comedy nor one with funny errors.

The writer’s knowledge of TV shows from the past are used extensively. There are no surprises in the script. although the nostalgic past of the characters are warm bits. With props, elaborate sets and animated acting, writer/director Hsieh Nien Tsu has made this movie as close to a TV program as possible and there may be a specific set of audience who would appreciate this better.

Lack of creativity and sincerity is causing viewers to move away from TV stations. As an important part of people’s lives, TV is expected to take the responsibility seriously. It is a shout out to the TV industry to look at what is going wrong and make themselves relevant for the next generation. The video streaming industry which poses a threat to the TV stations also have some lessons in here.

Pang Ho-cheung’s latest film “Missbehaviour” is a light and bubbly comedy of friends, held together by a downpour of gags, ranging from slapstick, to sarcastic, to toilet humour vulgarity. The Hong Kong director is a bona fide master of grown-up comedy, being responsible of many excellent additions to the genre, from the popular thirty-something romance trilogy (“Love Off the Cuff”, “Love in a Puff” & “Love in the Buff”) to the more extreme “Vulgaria”, “SDU: Sex Duties Unit” (as writer) and “VA”.

“Missbehavior” is screening at New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) 2019

Not a proper Lunar New Year’s movie, “Missbehaviour” (Gōngxǐ bā pó, Congratulation Bitches) is in fact a reminder of the importance of getting together and not neglecting friendship. It is indeed what New Year’s holiday is all about – friends and family – and therefore it fits quite well in the festive spirit. The film focuses on a group of 8 close friends, members of a WhatsApp chat called “Ba Po” (“Bitches”, as they jokingly call each other) that for a series of different reasons haven’t been meeting in person for a while.

May (Gigi Leung) is a policewoman and is still angry at Isabel (Isabel Chan) as she thinks she stole her boyfriend (Pango Ho-cheung in a cameo); also, sexy but untalented writer Rosalin (Dada Chan) and ukulele player Minibus (internet sensation Yanki Din) used to be band-mates but are now on no-speaking terms; kindergarten teacher Eva (Jo Koo), June (June Lam Siu-ha) and gay couple Boris and Frank (Tan Han-jin and Chui Tien-you) complete the group. It’s all-normal routine for the group of old friends, but something is going to shake that idle moment and bring the group together again.  

It all starts when June makes a “boo boo” at her workplace. She uses her bossy-and-stressed-out boss’ (Isabella Leong) breast milk from the office fridge, to make a – highly appreciated – “flat white” for an important client. Now she is in trouble; she has time until the end of the working day (5pm) to replace the breast milk before the boss realises it has vanished. And who, better than the “Ba Po friends”, can help June?

The mission proves more difficult than it may sounds and, first of all, they need to overcome the past grudges. Isabel is on the case and is one who alerts the others. May takes a long time to agree to listen to her alleged love rival but one by one, the group comes together, ready for action. Finding breast milk is an odd task and the search will take the pals to all sorts of places around Hong Kong, bookshops, kindergarten, private houses, and – for the action finale – in a shopping mall.

If the plot sounds silly to you, you are right, it is. But it is also funny, light, and has a charming intent. The adventure will remind the group of pals the importance of overcoming grudges and futile bickering, and not letting petty misunderstandings taint true friendship.

Pang Ho-cheung has filmed “MIssbehaviour” in only 14 days with a group of his own friends and regular collaborators as cast and cameos, and apparently with a great deal of improvisation on set. It looks like they had lots of fun making it and it really shows. Unashamedly full of toilet humour and raunchy jokes, the film is also stuffed full of in-jokes and very local topics that will not be caught by the “non-hogkonger” audiences, like the blue people one, the fire-fighter mascot (I had to search for it) and many other local web memes. However, the film is totally watchable even with a hit-and-miss contextualisation, if only for the energy that oozes from the Bitches Group! Not last, it’s very refreshing seeing a gay couple portrayed in the most natural and cool way, especially in a Hong Kong comedy.

“Missbehaviour” is punctuated with catchy songs and the end title one is to be watched and enjoyed. Photography and editing are bright and fast, just like the story. Acting is good and it is fun to spot so many familiar faces of thirty something Hong Kong actors and cameos from veterans like “Love In…” trilogy protagonist Miriam Yeung, and ubiquitous Lam Suet playing the rude waiter (another Hong Kong peculiarity), Susan Show Yin Yin as a nanny, Roy Szeto as a pervert supplier and many more.

Definitely not one of Pang Ho-cheung’s major films, but harmless, contemporary and adult fun. Fluffy and entertaining, especially if you are – like me – a sucker for Hong Kong trademark silliness.