Reviews on Parade (to Hiatusville) and the GGTMC

While it was announced solely in the Facebook group -- yet another reason why you should absolutely request to join! -- the blog is currently on hiatus so I can recharge. Life has increasingly gotten in the way, as it often does, and things other than underground fights to the death and punching watermelons require my attention. Hard to believe, I know! That doesn’t mean this space will disappear any time soon, nor does it mean I’ll stop watching these kinds of movies. However, it may mean that ongoing coverage takes on different and less frequent forms than rambling 1200-word critical essays and cartoonish screen-caps of mulleted dudes mean-mugging.

Case in point, here’s what is hopefully the first of several “highlight reel” videos from what I’ve unofficially dubbed the “Burnt Ends” series. This installment is for the 1991 Gary Daniels masterpiece, American Streetfighter, or as it’s known overseas, Samurai Sword Fight in a Funeral Parlor. Please feel free to leave comments on this (positive or negative, as always) here or on YouTube.



PLUS! On the most recent episode of the Gentlemen’s Guide to Midnite Cinema podcast, I joined Large William and the Samurai to discuss the flaming skeletons and flying chickens of 1984’s Furious, and the proper tuck game and overt racism of 1992’s College Kickboxers. Click here to hear us discuss disproportionate stuntman screams, the futile nature of sex in hot tubs, and 1980s copyright law, among other topics.

To conclude, I just wanted to let the reader-only crowd know what was up. Reviews may be quiet for a little while as I get life sorted out, but they’re not gone. Please consider joining the Facebook group for more regular (and lively) activity and discussion. Be kind to animals and the elderly. Eat more bananas.

Soul Brothers of Kung Fu on the Gentlemen's Blog

There's no point in sugarcoating it: this is going to be one of those blog posts where I briefly describe a movie review that I've posted somewhere else. This time, we've got 1977's Soul Brothers of Kung Fu, aka Last Strike, aka Kung Fu Avengers on tap over on the Gentlemen's Blog to Midnite Cinema. The idea was to dive into the filmography of American great Carl Scott, but instead we found ourselves knee-deep in a surprisingly enjoyable entry in the Bruceploitation genre where Scott was more of a support player. Usually, I'd be all, "WTF Yi-Jung Hua?" but I was satisfied with the silliness, gore, and unexpected appearances from Lo Meng and Yuen Biao. Still worth a watch (of the uncut version)! Look out for additional Carl Scott coverage over there during the next couple of months: all told, it's like a three-month subscription to a sausage-of-the-month club where someone has replaced the sausage with online reviews of Carl Scott movies, which science proves are way healthier. I'm not going to play nutrition police with my faithful readers, but I want to see you healthy and active into your golden years.

Enter the Podcast: Double Impact on The Midnite Ride

As some of you may have figured out, January has been a personally busy but creatively lethargic month for yours truly. Also, REALLY fucking cold. A review of a film starring a certain French-speaking kickboxer is most certainly in the pipeline, but until then, be sure to check out Episode #24 of the Midnite Ride podcast! As luck would have it, Matt-suzaka (Chuck Norris Ate My Baby) and I reviewed Double Impact, which stars an entirely different French-speaking kickboxer. Come for the Van Damme Doublemint performance, stay for the black silk underwear, teal polo shirts, and even Evan Lurie as a bouncer.

Thanks for hanging in there, gang! More good stuff to come in February!

Enter the Podcast: Blood Hands, Elves and the GGTMC

If you follow my exploits through social media, you may already be aware that I recently guested on two podcast episodes under the white leather banner of The Gentlemen’s Guide to Midnite Cinema. For my final post of 2013, I wanted to describe each in a bit more detail for discriminating post-holiday shoppers with limited time budgets.

Are you a fan of foreign films featuring creatively staged fights with edge weapons, sweaty villains, ruined birthday celebrations, dogs named after iconic action stars of the 1980s, and characters being tied to train tracks? You are? That’s pretty random, but you’ll want to check out Episode 267, where I join Matt-suzaka of the Chuck Norris Ate My Baby blog, along with hosts Large William and The Samurai to discuss the 1985 Shaw Brothers action classic Hong Kong Godfather, and 1990’s Filipino fight film, Blood Hands. You may remember that we reviewed the latter film in this space back in 2011. This episode is a great refresher if you can’t remember what I (or you) thought about the film. I assure you that the conversation we have about it on the podcast contains far more giggles and Razor Ramon references than anything I could have produced with the written word.

Episode 267 of the Gentlemen’s Guide to Midnite Cinema (right-click, Save Link As)

Does the thought of a movie with bad creature effects, bathtub electrocution, pervy mall Santas, and Grizzly Adams make your tree water boil with anticipation? If so, be sure to check out Episode 22 of the GGtMC’s short-form companion program, the Midnite Ride. Matt-suzaka and I join forces once again to break down 1989’s Elves, a thoughtful last-minute gift to the world of cinema if there ever was one. A big thanks to Matt for sticking it out through some technical goofs to get this puppy recorded! Be sure to pay him a visit at his blog and compliment him on his black silk underwear.

Episode 22 of the Midnite Ride (right click, Save Link As)

A massive thanks to my friends Will and Sammy at the GGtMC for allowing me to participate in the holiday shenanigans this year! Be sure to visit them on the web or subscribe to their fine program on iTunes.

Enter the Podcast: Loren Avedon and the GGtMC

So, I realize it’s been a while. I haven’t left any voicemails about Bolo Yeung throwing his jacket on the floor. I’ve failed to “Like” your awesome Facebook pictures of Don "The Dragon" Wilson in different silk shirts. I haven’t put on a pair of Zubaz pants in what seems like months. I’m not even sure they fit anymore.

But I’m here now, and I’ve got apologetic flowers in one hand and a three-hour podcast in the other. Approximately 33% is dedicated to The King of the Kickboxers, and 66% is comprised of a truly fantastic interview with screen legend Loren Avedon. It’s my way of saying thanks for hanging in there.

I was lucky enough to hook up with Will and Sam from The Gentlemen’s Guide to Midnite Cinema for Episode 233 and it’s a beast. We do a sprawling review of the aforementioned 1990 Lucas Lowe film, and have a great discussion with its star. If words spelled in all-caps for emphasis still mean something to you, DO NOT MISS this episode.

On the Fist of B-List front, we’ve got all sorts of things in store for the summer. PM Entertainment will be well-represented, the floating virtual reality head of Jalal Merhi is booked for an appearance, and we’ll take another hard look at martial arts actors going Hollywood.

More to come...

See Also: Enter the Interview: Loren Avedon

Hollywood Cop on the Gentlemen's Blog

In between grilling dead animals and shotgunning cheap beers during this last unofficial weekend of the summer, take a few minutes to check out a review of the 1987 cult action film Hollywood Cop over on The Gentlemen's Blog to Midnite Cinema. If you like movies where the villains are killed in ascending order of their importance to the story, you'll probably dig it.

And where would any 80s action movie be without ninjas? Up shit’s creek without a shuriken, that’s where. And yet, this is precisely where Hollywood Cop finds itself. While the baddies count a half-dozen martial artists among their ranks, ninja costumes just weren’t in the budget so they had to settle for street clothes. This is only one of several missteps in Iranian director Amir Shervan's American debut. Be sure to check out the film.


2-MINUTE (OR SO) HOLLYWOOD COP! from Everything Is Terrible! on Vimeo.

Pray for Death Review on the Gentlemen's Blog

It's not often that I actively self-promote here, but I'd like to take a moment to veer from the norm. It's with great pleasure that I shamelessly plug my recent review of Sho Kosugi's 1985 film Pray for Death over at the Gentlemen's Blog to Midnite Cinema. It's a film that any fan of 1980s action cinema should give a shot and one that will definitely appeal to the readership of FoBL. Yes, all three of you!

If you're unfamiliar with the gang, Big Willie and The Samurai host a truly fantastic weekly podcast dedicated to the finest in genre film. These guys are knowledgeable about what they love, always insightful about the films they cover, and good for roughly five to ten dick jokes per episode. If you're not yet on the bandwagon, be sure to add the 'cast to your iTunes rotation.

The Gentlemen's Blog is a natural extension of that show and its active and creative community. Last fall, I was invited to do posts by Aaron, who more or less handles the day-to-day on the Gentlemen's Blog, and also runs Death Rattle Thirteen. The roster of writers on the GBtMC is a mix of folks from all over who share a passion for everything that's strange, horrific, or unintentionally hilarious about film, and I couldn't be more thrilled with my association with this collection of talent.

So head over to the GBtMC. Leave praise, "Like" the shit out of it, or tell me I have no fucking clue what I'm talking about. More important, make sure to watch Sho Kosugi in Pray for Death! It's a fantastic 1980s ninja movie with an amazingly high body count and some of the coolest ninja attire in the history of cinema.



And here at home on the FoBL range, there will be more to come this week.