Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Blockbuster EMBRACES Red Sun DVDs!
Blockbuster EMBRACES Red Sun DVDs!
Another HK and Cult Film News exclusive. Click the link above for all the details .
Another HK and Cult Film News exclusive. Click the link above for all the details .
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Robinson Crusoe on Mars DVD Features
Robinson Crusoe on Mars (soon from Criterion)
Thanks to CapnDunsel
The link above has the text of an email from Criterion about their forthcoming DVD release of Robinson Crusoe on Mars.
Thanks to CapnDunsel
The link above has the text of an email from Criterion about their forthcoming DVD release of Robinson Crusoe on Mars.
Friday, June 8, 2007
GODFREY HO SPEAKS!
Did Godfrey Ho know he was a bad film maker?
Well, check out this interview with one of the most infamous directors of all time.
Thanks to theportlykicker
Well, check out this interview with one of the most infamous directors of all time.
Thanks to theportlykicker
HKCinemagic has an interview with the man (and the myth) himself.
Check it out: www.hkcinemagic.com/en/page.asp?aid=230
Midnite Movies starting to be announced
Midnite Movies starting to be announced
Thanks to Jameson281
Thanks to Jameson281
Join the discussion at Classic Horror Film Board.
On DVD Drive-In George Reis has posted the first two new Midnite Movies to be announced: THE CONQUEROR WORM (WITCHFINDER GENERAL) and FOOD OF THE GODS. (These are two separate releases, not a double feature.) Price is $14.98; release date is September 11. The double features will follow--hopefully soon.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
KING KONG 1933 Playing Tonight in the Philadelphia AREA!!
KING KONG 1933 Playing Tonight in the Philadelphia AREA!!
Link to CHFB to discuss or use our talk-back feature.
HOLLYWOOD SUMMER NIGHTS
KING KONG
(1933) 1 hr, 44 min
Free for Students
SHOW TIME
Wednesday, June 6 at 7:00
www.brynmawrfilm.org/
Located in the Bryn Mawr, PA right near Philadelphia. Easy access by SEPTA Regional Rails (the station is a block away)
I can give directions if anyone needs them.
Jess and I are going, can I count on any other readers to be there?
Link to CHFB to discuss or use our talk-back feature.
HOLLYWOOD SUMMER NIGHTS
KING KONG
(1933) 1 hr, 44 min
Free for Students
SHOW TIME
Wednesday, June 6 at 7:00
www.brynmawrfilm.org/
Located in the Bryn Mawr, PA right near Philadelphia. Easy access by SEPTA Regional Rails (the station is a block away)
I can give directions if anyone needs them.
Jess and I are going, can I count on any other readers to be there?
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Be like John Woo and win some cash!
Jess pointed out this link to a contest that is being done in conjunction with the release of the Stranglehold video game coming out soon. Contestants must submit a John Woo-esque short film (2-2 1/2 min). The winner will receive 25,000 dollars in cash prizes. Enter today and do HK and Cult Film DVD News proud!
Full details at:
http://www.myspace.com/strangleholdgame
Full details at:
http://www.myspace.com/strangleholdgame
Holy Crap! A Commando Special Edition Directors Cut is on the Way!!!
AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From DVD Active
http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/commando.html
From DVD Active
http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/commando.html
Further Details:
Fox has announced a director's cut of Commando which stars Arnold Schwarzenegger. The disc will be available to own from the 18th September, and should retail at around $19.98. As well as the original theatrical cut (90 minutes), the set will include an all-new seamlessly branched unrated version (95 minutes) as envisioned by director Mark L. Lester. Each version of the film will be presented in 1.85:1 anamoprhic widescreen, along with an English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track. Extras will include an audio commentary on the theatrical cut by director Mark Lester, deleted scenes, a Pure Action featurette, a Let Off Some Steam featurette, and 4 photo galleries with over 150 images (Creating Commando, Domestic Bliss with John and Jenny, Kill Arnold, Kill!, and Trashing the Galleria).
Why I loved the 80s (Action Movie Youtube Edition)!
Till I discovered Hong Kong action movies, these flicks were the kings (granted I didn't see most of them till the 1990s as I was born in 1983)! Hell, they still rock.
The Octagon Directed byEric Karson (1980)
Lone Wolf McQuade Directed by Steve Carver (1983)
Commando Directed by Mark Lester (1985)
Invasion USA Directed by Joesph Zito (1985)
Rambo: First Blood Part II Directed by George P. Cosmatos (1985)
Delta Force Directed by ....I'm not taking the time to look up his entire name, more importantly it stars Chuck Norris (1986)
Predator Directed by John McTiernan (1987)
Die Hard Directed by John McTiernan (1988)
Bloodsport Directed by Newt Arnold (1988)
The Punisher Directed by Mark Goldblatt (1989) (Sorry, sound is out of sync)
The Octagon Directed byEric Karson (1980)
Lone Wolf McQuade Directed by Steve Carver (1983)
Commando Directed by Mark Lester (1985)
Invasion USA Directed by Joesph Zito (1985)
Rambo: First Blood Part II Directed by George P. Cosmatos (1985)
Delta Force Directed by ....I'm not taking the time to look up his entire name, more importantly it stars Chuck Norris (1986)
Predator Directed by John McTiernan (1987)
Die Hard Directed by John McTiernan (1988)
Bloodsport Directed by Newt Arnold (1988)
The Punisher Directed by Mark Goldblatt (1989) (Sorry, sound is out of sync)
Monday, June 4, 2007
D-WAR Finally Gets US Release
D-WAR Finally Gets US Release
Dear lord, I never thought this would happen. Heck, I never thought this was getting made or even more than a DTV release.
Thanks to Sci-Fi Japan
Dear lord, I never thought this would happen. Heck, I never thought this was getting made or even more than a DTV release.
Thanks to Sci-Fi Japan
Last Hurrah For Chivalry - Dragon Dynasty Special Features
Last Hurrah For Chivalry - Dragon Dynasty Special Features
Thanks to Shaolin Patriot
Slated for a 7/24 release date. Special features to include:
* Audio commentary with Bey Logan
* Pray For Death: interview with Fung Hak-On
* Deliver Us From Evil: interview with Lee Hoi-San
* Legendary Weapons of China featurette (not to be confused with the Shaw Brothers title)
* Original theatrical trailer
* U.S. promotional trailer
Thanks to Shaolin Patriot
Slated for a 7/24 release date. Special features to include:
* Audio commentary with Bey Logan
* Pray For Death: interview with Fung Hak-On
* Deliver Us From Evil: interview with Lee Hoi-San
* Legendary Weapons of China featurette (not to be confused with the Shaw Brothers title)
* Original theatrical trailer
* U.S. promotional trailer
Hard Boiled - Dragon Dynasty Special Features
Hard Boiled - Dragon Dynasty Special Features
Thanks to Shaolin Patriot
* Audio commentary with Bey Logan
* A Baptism of Fire featurette
* John Woo: Partner In Crime featurette
* Terence Chang: Art Imitates Life featurette
* Mad Dog Bites Again featurette
* Location guide
* Hong Kong theatrical trailer
* U.S. promotional trailer
Thanks to Shaolin Patriot
* Audio commentary with Bey Logan
* A Baptism of Fire featurette
* John Woo: Partner In Crime featurette
* Terence Chang: Art Imitates Life featurette
* Mad Dog Bites Again featurette
* Location guide
* Hong Kong theatrical trailer
* U.S. promotional trailer
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Ghidorah The Three Headed Monster DVD Review
Video: Since there are two different versions of the film on this DVD, it would follow that we should review the merits of each version on its own. Starting first with the Japanese version, the Japanese version is pretty good, but not perfect as there is still some moderate to light print damage on various parts of the film. This is understandable considering that this film while stored and kept in good condition has never been fully digitally restored. It is not horrible by any means (it seems present during the credits mostly). The colors are strong and vibrant. The scenes in the mountains are excellent examples of how rich and colorful director Ishiro Honda made this picture.
The American version is an interesting beast in terms of video. It seems that Classic Media took a page from the release of Shogun Assassin where the US version was re-created from the ground up using the US version as a guide and the Japanese master as the materials to re-build the US version. It should be noted that the original US credits are here and proper widescreen, which is something I have never seen before in my life (so I am obviously happy about it), even if it is a little rough in terms of print quality. It should be mentioned that the Continental logo does not appear or "THE END" which does appear on certain VHS release (it's a shame since the US version of Invasion of Astro-Monster, has everything present). It does seem that this version correctly follows the US version and is NOT the early work-print that appeared on Canada's CBC earlier in the year. However, we're having someone check just to make sure, but at the moment it seems to follow the US version correctly and that the audio has been re-dubbed correctly. The video quality is the same as the Japanese version and does not seem to suffer from any heavy compression, although the picture is a little soft at times (that could be a choice of the director, but I think it may be due so many features being on one dual layer disc). Still its not a horrible problem and should not dissuade anyone from getting the film. Both versions are also in the correct aspect ratio for the entire film and are properly anamorphically enhanced for widescreen TVs.
Audio: Both films come with Japanese and English mono tracks and both sound clear and free of hiss or damage (with the exception of some small section of the US version, but thankfully it does not last for too long; it is the sequence during the hypnosis). The US version really sounds clean and maybe has had some restoration work done to it. Either way I can say I'm very happy with the presentation of the audio options. The US version is a lot cleaner that any version of it I have ever heard before and a lot of dialogue that I could never hear clearly (such as the hecklers asking if the Princess is a boy or a girl), can now be understand clearly.
Extra: The DVD is pretty nice in regard to the extras. First you get the US version, but I really don't consider it to be any extra as much as the important bookend to the Japanese version, but hey thats just me. First off, for the US version you get an amazing commentary from David Kalat author of A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series among many other books coupled also with his work for ALL DAY ENTERTAINMENT (which has put out some great trailer compilations and other DVDs). This is a commentary which is fact-filled (talking about the overlapping of productions at the time and an important look at screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa) and filled with a deep analytical look at the genre. This track is a great listen helped by the fact that David Kalat really loves this movie and is blessed with an amazing enthusiasm that only a handful of commentators have. While you may not like his opinions on dubbing (I do, so I guess I'm lucky) you'll be hardpressed to name a commentary filled with as much love or enthusiasm as this one. David never stops once he starts and you'll be happy for that after listening to this commentary track (which is accessible and synced to the US version). A nice surprise was that Guy Tucker, who recently passed away, is mentioned and quoted from on this and also the Astro-Monster commentary. It is a nice touch and tribute to one of the most unsung heroes of Godzilla and giant Japanese monster research, and who without the knowledge about the genre, we would still be lacking. It is only hoped that more people will discover his work Age of the Gods from this track.
While not an extra it should be mentioned that the full motion menus are amazing and worthy of praise, with excellent use of posters to help create a vibrant and wonderful menu setup.
There is also a nice audio biography (accompanied by pictures) of Eiji Tsuburaya which was written, produced, and narrated by Ed Godziszewski and as can be expected by anyone who has read the works of Ed, it is in-depth (and loaded with rare and unseen photos). This makes one even more excited for the upcoming official English langauge biography of Eiji Tsburaya that August Ragone has coming out from Chronicle Books in November. The extra lasts roughly seven minutes.
There is also a brief poster slideshow which is also nicely annotated explaining each of the posters. This is also the case with the image gallery which is filled with information on the films and accompanies each pictures.
There is also the subbed original Japanese trailer (which can be found under the Japanese versions extra menu). Hopefully in the future, Classic Media can add some of the US trailers for these films. One for this film is actually available on the All Monsters Attack DVD, which is actually from ALL DAY ENTERTAINMENT.
Final Thought: Although the picture could have been cleaned up a little more (a minor complaint), this DVD edition from Classic Media is the best edition out there and pretty much a must buy for anyone who has even the slightest interest in these films.
The American version is an interesting beast in terms of video. It seems that Classic Media took a page from the release of Shogun Assassin where the US version was re-created from the ground up using the US version as a guide and the Japanese master as the materials to re-build the US version. It should be noted that the original US credits are here and proper widescreen, which is something I have never seen before in my life (so I am obviously happy about it), even if it is a little rough in terms of print quality. It should be mentioned that the Continental logo does not appear or "THE END" which does appear on certain VHS release (it's a shame since the US version of Invasion of Astro-Monster, has everything present). It does seem that this version correctly follows the US version and is NOT the early work-print that appeared on Canada's CBC earlier in the year. However, we're having someone check just to make sure, but at the moment it seems to follow the US version correctly and that the audio has been re-dubbed correctly. The video quality is the same as the Japanese version and does not seem to suffer from any heavy compression, although the picture is a little soft at times (that could be a choice of the director, but I think it may be due so many features being on one dual layer disc). Still its not a horrible problem and should not dissuade anyone from getting the film. Both versions are also in the correct aspect ratio for the entire film and are properly anamorphically enhanced for widescreen TVs.
Audio: Both films come with Japanese and English mono tracks and both sound clear and free of hiss or damage (with the exception of some small section of the US version, but thankfully it does not last for too long; it is the sequence during the hypnosis). The US version really sounds clean and maybe has had some restoration work done to it. Either way I can say I'm very happy with the presentation of the audio options. The US version is a lot cleaner that any version of it I have ever heard before and a lot of dialogue that I could never hear clearly (such as the hecklers asking if the Princess is a boy or a girl), can now be understand clearly.
Extra: The DVD is pretty nice in regard to the extras. First you get the US version, but I really don't consider it to be any extra as much as the important bookend to the Japanese version, but hey thats just me. First off, for the US version you get an amazing commentary from David Kalat author of A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series among many other books coupled also with his work for ALL DAY ENTERTAINMENT (which has put out some great trailer compilations and other DVDs). This is a commentary which is fact-filled (talking about the overlapping of productions at the time and an important look at screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa) and filled with a deep analytical look at the genre. This track is a great listen helped by the fact that David Kalat really loves this movie and is blessed with an amazing enthusiasm that only a handful of commentators have. While you may not like his opinions on dubbing (I do, so I guess I'm lucky) you'll be hardpressed to name a commentary filled with as much love or enthusiasm as this one. David never stops once he starts and you'll be happy for that after listening to this commentary track (which is accessible and synced to the US version). A nice surprise was that Guy Tucker, who recently passed away, is mentioned and quoted from on this and also the Astro-Monster commentary. It is a nice touch and tribute to one of the most unsung heroes of Godzilla and giant Japanese monster research, and who without the knowledge about the genre, we would still be lacking. It is only hoped that more people will discover his work Age of the Gods from this track.
While not an extra it should be mentioned that the full motion menus are amazing and worthy of praise, with excellent use of posters to help create a vibrant and wonderful menu setup.
There is also a nice audio biography (accompanied by pictures) of Eiji Tsuburaya which was written, produced, and narrated by Ed Godziszewski and as can be expected by anyone who has read the works of Ed, it is in-depth (and loaded with rare and unseen photos). This makes one even more excited for the upcoming official English langauge biography of Eiji Tsburaya that August Ragone has coming out from Chronicle Books in November. The extra lasts roughly seven minutes.
There is also a brief poster slideshow which is also nicely annotated explaining each of the posters. This is also the case with the image gallery which is filled with information on the films and accompanies each pictures.
There is also the subbed original Japanese trailer (which can be found under the Japanese versions extra menu). Hopefully in the future, Classic Media can add some of the US trailers for these films. One for this film is actually available on the All Monsters Attack DVD, which is actually from ALL DAY ENTERTAINMENT.
Final Thought: Although the picture could have been cleaned up a little more (a minor complaint), this DVD edition from Classic Media is the best edition out there and pretty much a must buy for anyone who has even the slightest interest in these films.
Friday, June 1, 2007
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE GODZILLA..... REVIEWS ARE COMING!
K1 Dynamite! MMA Card Breakdown
After much drama and a revolving door of replacement fighters the first K1 Dynamite USA card has been finalized. I have taken a closer look at each fighter and offered my picks. Please feel to email your picks or flame me for the ones you don’t agree with (mike.squier@gmail.com).
Undercard Bouts
JZ Calvan (11 – 1 – 1) vs. Nam Phan (12 – 3 – 0)
On paper this is a fairly even match up but as most of us know records don’t count for much in MMA. JZ has faced the harder competition and recently won the K1 Hero’s Welterweight Tournament in 2006. The American Top Team fighter took out Rani Yahya and veteran Caol Uno on his way to the tournament win. Calvan is currently on a ten fight unbeaten streak with his last loss coming to PrideFC 160lb contender and Shooto champion Joachim Hansen.
Nam Phan has mainly fought in the smaller organizations across the United States. The K1 Dynamite card will indubitably be the largest stage Phan has fought on at this point in his career. Nam is coming off of a decision loss to Josh Thomson at the December Strike Force event and seems to come up short when he faces upper level opponents. Pham has also picked up losses against “Razor” Rob McCullough and Nick Ertl, with wins coming against nondescript competition.
JZ Calvan by Submission RD 2
Hideo Tokoro (17 – 11 – 1) vs. Brad “One Punch” Pickett (10 – 3 – 0)
Hideo Tokoro is a veteran of Rings, Shooto, ZST and K1, just to name a few. The 31 year old Tokoro is one of those Japanese fighters who has a less then stellar record but is very competitive and always puts on a great show. Hideo is a true test to any fighter with wins over Royler Gracie, Pequeno Nogueira and a draw against Royce Gracie. Tokoro has been defeated by the likes of Ivan Menjivar and Caol Uno among others. Hideo is very tricky on the ground and has a fairly decent stand up game that has given opponents trouble in the past.
Brad Pickett can be described in one word, “explosive”. He can win by KO or by submission and he can do it at any time, although most of his victories have come against lower level opposition. The UK native is a fan favorite in the Cage Rage organization and is looking to come off a disappointing decision loss to Alex Owen at Cage Rage 21. Pickett will be in tough against the Japanese MMA veteran and will have to use a quick pace and bring the fight to Tokoro if he hopes to get back on the winning track.
Tokoro by Unanimous Decision
Jake Shields (17 – 4 – 1) vs. Ido Parientes (4 – 2 – 0)
Jake Shields is ranked 9th in the world out of all 170lb fighters and has victories over Carlos Condit, Yushin Okami and the current number one lightweight in the world Hayato Sakurai. Shields has been very impressive since his last loss in 2004 at the hands of world class fighter Akira Kikuchi. Jake has gone 6 – 0 since that loss and he has not looked back. The only knock on Shields is that he is not a fighter that looks for a chance to finish the fight, most of his wins have come by decision with only two wins coming by the way of the knockout.
Ido Parientes is a Rumble on the Rock veteran with a limited experience when compared to his opponent. If Parientes can survive to take this fight the distance it will be an accomplishment unto itself.
Shields by Submission RD 1
Tim Persey (8 – 1 – 0 – 1 NC) vs. Jonathan Wiezorek (10 – 1 – 0)
Tim “Big Perm” Persey has been quietly building a promising career as a heavyweight in smaller MMA organizations and is coming off of two huge KO wins. Perm has been very active over the past year and will use this to his advantage as he tries to extent his KO win streak, which has reached five in a row. Persey has a ton of power but he could afford to come into his fights in better shape. If this fight goes past the first round look for Tim to gas out and leave himself open for a submission.
Jonathan Wiezorek has an impressive record and holds a win over MMA legend Dan Severn and has fought in the UFC where he viciously stopped Wade Shipp via strikes at UFC 47.His only loss came to IFL heavyweight king Ben Rothwell via TKO in 2004. Since then Jonathan is on a four fight win streak but has not fought in almost a year. I don’t think Persey will give Wiezorek time to shake off the ring rust when they lock horn on June 2nd.
Big Perm by KO RD 1
Johnnie Morton (0 – 0 – 0) vs. Bernard Ackah (1 – 0 – 0)
Johnnie Morton is better known as a star receiver for the Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers of the NFL. Since the end of his football career Morton has periodically trained in boxing and jiu jitsu. For the last ten months Morton has been training full time in anticipation of making his MMA debut and judging from his comments leading up to the fight he feels fit and ready. Being that this is Johnnie’s MMA debut it is hard to say how he will look in this fight and if he is cut out to be a fighter at all. The one intangible when it comes to Morton is his athletic ability. He has competed at a high level of athletics all his life and may be a natural when he steps in the ring.
Bernard Ackah is making his second appearance in the K1 ring on the June 2nd card. Ackah’s debut came on the March 2007 K1 Hero’s show against Shin Hyun Pyo in which he stopped his opponent in the first round via TKO. Ackah is extremely fit and will not likely give Morton much respect or space in their fight. If he has continued his training since his last fight I can see Bernard being successful against the debuting Morton
Ackah by TKO RD 2
Mighty Mo Siliga (1- 0 - 0) vs. Rubin “Warpath” Villareal (11 - 12 - 3)
Mighty Mo Siliga has one of the most powerful right hands in all of K1 and he has showcases this time and time again. Mo’s dynamite over hand right has knocked out Scott Lighty, François Botha and Hong Man-Choi just to name a few, but in his only MMA bout he showed some ground skills a picked up a win via armbar in the first round. Mo has a definite advantage in power which will only be enhanced with the use of 4oz MMA gloves.
Do you need a replacement fighter? Do you need someone to fight on ultra short notice? If sounds like you then you need to call Ruben “Warpath” Villareal. This perennial replacement will once again take up the call as he fills in for Korean Olympic medalist Choi Mu-Bae. Villareal is a tough fighter who has fought the best of the best, mostly on very short notice. Some of his opponents include Bas Rutten, Ricco Rodriguez and Antonio Silva. I really don’t see Warpath being prepared enough to even put up a serious challenge to Mighty Mo in this fight and will, more then likely, be stopped very early into the fight.
Mighty Mo by KO RD 1
Melvin Manhoef (16 – 3 – 1) vs. Dong Sik Yoon (0 – 4 – 0)
Melvin Manhoef is one of those guys you really want to see fight top competition but unfortunately he never does. He has racked up wins against Ian Freeman, Crosley Gracie and Cyborg Santos to name some of the more noteworthy. A veteran of Cage Rage and K1 Hero’s, Manhoef will look to make a big impact with the American fans by adding to his 15 KO stoppages. Melvin will have a decided advantage in the striking department and should look to keep this fight off the mat as much as possible.
Dong Sik Yoon is a world class judokas and is a veteran of well over fifty international judo competitions. Unfortunately Yoon has not been very successful in his new found career as an MMA fighter. Since taking up the sport he has had four fights and he has had four losses. Granted all of his losses have come against the likes of Sakuraba, Rampage Jackson and Murilo Bustamante which shows he has only stepped into the ring with the best in the game. Yoon will look to stay out of Manhoef’s line of fire and take this fight to the ground where he can search for a submission.
Manhoef by KO RD 2
Brock Lesnar (0 – 0 – 0) vs. Min Soo Kim (2 – 5 – 0)
What can we say about Brock Lesnar that has not already been said? The man is a former WWE Champion and a NCAA Division One Heavyweight Wrestling Champion. This will be Lesnar’s first appearance in the MMA ring and he is hoping to make it a successful one. Brock began his MMA journey with Pat Miletich, but since then has been training out of Sean Sherk’s gym in Minnesota. Trainer Greg Nelson will have Brock in top shape when he enters the ring and, with this change of opponent, he has to be a favored to emerge with his first MMA victory.
Moo Soo Kim is a veteran on the K1 Hero’s organization have fought all seven of his fights under the FEG banner. Kim has fought some very big names in his short career and, as his record shows, he has lost a majority of those fights. The only strength that Kim brings into this fight is that he has a win over Sean O’Haire who is also a former WWE star. Kim will look to become the “pro wrestler hunter” but will probably emerge with the sixth loss of his career.
Lesnar by Submission RD 1
Kazushi Sakuraba (21 – 9 – 1 – 2 NC) vs. Royce Gracie (13 – 3 – 3)
After a great deal of speculation the Sakuraba vs. Royce Gracie bout is on! Earlier in the week Sakuraba received two abnormal EKG tests and was called back for extensive testing this past Wednesday. After receiving a battery of tests the California State Athletic Commission cleared him to fight and gave North American MMA fans a chance to see this Japanese MMA legend fight on US soil.
Sakuraba and Gracie will look to repeat the legendary battle they had in the opening round of the PrideFC 2000 Grand Prix. In that fight this duo did battle for 90 minutes leaving Royce broken, beaten and forced to throw in the towel giving the victory to Sakuraba. Gracie left the sport for three years and Sakuraba went on to face some of the sports best, taking many one-sided beatings and further elevating himself to the status of national hero. Royce returned to the ring in 2003 and has gone 1 – 1 – 2 with his most recent fight being a very embarrassing beating at the hands of former 170lb king Matt Hughes.
These two legends are far past their prime but I have a feeling we will see a little bit of MMA magic in the ring on Saturday night. Both fighters have nothing to prove to the fan and everything to prove to themselves. Sakuraba has to prove that he still has enough left in him to beat the best known of all the Gracie family and Royce has to prove that Gracie Jiu Jitsu is still relevant in the next generation of MMA.
Royce is definitely the fresher of the two men but he has a style that is very one dimensional which made him very vulnerable to strikes in his fight with Matt Hughes. Sakuraba is not know for his striking ability but he could use this strategy to break down the 41 year old Gracie and make him quit once again or catch the BJJ master in a submission of his own. Royce on the other hand has one magic bullet to end this fight and that is by submission. All of Royce’s 13 wins have come by the way of tap out and I am sure we won’t see a spectacular KO win coming from the hands of this submission expert. When all is said and done this shadow of the original Kazushi Sakuraba has far too many tools for the one dimensional Royce Gracie to deal with. Sakuraba will come out of this fight with his 22nd victory and then, I hope and pray, will announce his retirement from MMA. These two proud warriors and true legends and North American fans should feel lucky to see these two men do battle for one final time.
Sakuraba by Split Decision
Undercard Bouts
JZ Calvan (11 – 1 – 1) vs. Nam Phan (12 – 3 – 0)
On paper this is a fairly even match up but as most of us know records don’t count for much in MMA. JZ has faced the harder competition and recently won the K1 Hero’s Welterweight Tournament in 2006. The American Top Team fighter took out Rani Yahya and veteran Caol Uno on his way to the tournament win. Calvan is currently on a ten fight unbeaten streak with his last loss coming to PrideFC 160lb contender and Shooto champion Joachim Hansen.
Nam Phan has mainly fought in the smaller organizations across the United States. The K1 Dynamite card will indubitably be the largest stage Phan has fought on at this point in his career. Nam is coming off of a decision loss to Josh Thomson at the December Strike Force event and seems to come up short when he faces upper level opponents. Pham has also picked up losses against “Razor” Rob McCullough and Nick Ertl, with wins coming against nondescript competition.
JZ Calvan by Submission RD 2
Hideo Tokoro (17 – 11 – 1) vs. Brad “One Punch” Pickett (10 – 3 – 0)
Hideo Tokoro is a veteran of Rings, Shooto, ZST and K1, just to name a few. The 31 year old Tokoro is one of those Japanese fighters who has a less then stellar record but is very competitive and always puts on a great show. Hideo is a true test to any fighter with wins over Royler Gracie, Pequeno Nogueira and a draw against Royce Gracie. Tokoro has been defeated by the likes of Ivan Menjivar and Caol Uno among others. Hideo is very tricky on the ground and has a fairly decent stand up game that has given opponents trouble in the past.
Brad Pickett can be described in one word, “explosive”. He can win by KO or by submission and he can do it at any time, although most of his victories have come against lower level opposition. The UK native is a fan favorite in the Cage Rage organization and is looking to come off a disappointing decision loss to Alex Owen at Cage Rage 21. Pickett will be in tough against the Japanese MMA veteran and will have to use a quick pace and bring the fight to Tokoro if he hopes to get back on the winning track.
Tokoro by Unanimous Decision
Jake Shields (17 – 4 – 1) vs. Ido Parientes (4 – 2 – 0)
Jake Shields is ranked 9th in the world out of all 170lb fighters and has victories over Carlos Condit, Yushin Okami and the current number one lightweight in the world Hayato Sakurai. Shields has been very impressive since his last loss in 2004 at the hands of world class fighter Akira Kikuchi. Jake has gone 6 – 0 since that loss and he has not looked back. The only knock on Shields is that he is not a fighter that looks for a chance to finish the fight, most of his wins have come by decision with only two wins coming by the way of the knockout.
Ido Parientes is a Rumble on the Rock veteran with a limited experience when compared to his opponent. If Parientes can survive to take this fight the distance it will be an accomplishment unto itself.
Shields by Submission RD 1
Tim Persey (8 – 1 – 0 – 1 NC) vs. Jonathan Wiezorek (10 – 1 – 0)
Tim “Big Perm” Persey has been quietly building a promising career as a heavyweight in smaller MMA organizations and is coming off of two huge KO wins. Perm has been very active over the past year and will use this to his advantage as he tries to extent his KO win streak, which has reached five in a row. Persey has a ton of power but he could afford to come into his fights in better shape. If this fight goes past the first round look for Tim to gas out and leave himself open for a submission.
Jonathan Wiezorek has an impressive record and holds a win over MMA legend Dan Severn and has fought in the UFC where he viciously stopped Wade Shipp via strikes at UFC 47.His only loss came to IFL heavyweight king Ben Rothwell via TKO in 2004. Since then Jonathan is on a four fight win streak but has not fought in almost a year. I don’t think Persey will give Wiezorek time to shake off the ring rust when they lock horn on June 2nd.
Big Perm by KO RD 1
Johnnie Morton (0 – 0 – 0) vs. Bernard Ackah (1 – 0 – 0)
Johnnie Morton is better known as a star receiver for the Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers of the NFL. Since the end of his football career Morton has periodically trained in boxing and jiu jitsu. For the last ten months Morton has been training full time in anticipation of making his MMA debut and judging from his comments leading up to the fight he feels fit and ready. Being that this is Johnnie’s MMA debut it is hard to say how he will look in this fight and if he is cut out to be a fighter at all. The one intangible when it comes to Morton is his athletic ability. He has competed at a high level of athletics all his life and may be a natural when he steps in the ring.
Bernard Ackah is making his second appearance in the K1 ring on the June 2nd card. Ackah’s debut came on the March 2007 K1 Hero’s show against Shin Hyun Pyo in which he stopped his opponent in the first round via TKO. Ackah is extremely fit and will not likely give Morton much respect or space in their fight. If he has continued his training since his last fight I can see Bernard being successful against the debuting Morton
Ackah by TKO RD 2
Mighty Mo Siliga (1- 0 - 0) vs. Rubin “Warpath” Villareal (11 - 12 - 3)
Mighty Mo Siliga has one of the most powerful right hands in all of K1 and he has showcases this time and time again. Mo’s dynamite over hand right has knocked out Scott Lighty, François Botha and Hong Man-Choi just to name a few, but in his only MMA bout he showed some ground skills a picked up a win via armbar in the first round. Mo has a definite advantage in power which will only be enhanced with the use of 4oz MMA gloves.
Do you need a replacement fighter? Do you need someone to fight on ultra short notice? If sounds like you then you need to call Ruben “Warpath” Villareal. This perennial replacement will once again take up the call as he fills in for Korean Olympic medalist Choi Mu-Bae. Villareal is a tough fighter who has fought the best of the best, mostly on very short notice. Some of his opponents include Bas Rutten, Ricco Rodriguez and Antonio Silva. I really don’t see Warpath being prepared enough to even put up a serious challenge to Mighty Mo in this fight and will, more then likely, be stopped very early into the fight.
Mighty Mo by KO RD 1
Melvin Manhoef (16 – 3 – 1) vs. Dong Sik Yoon (0 – 4 – 0)
Melvin Manhoef is one of those guys you really want to see fight top competition but unfortunately he never does. He has racked up wins against Ian Freeman, Crosley Gracie and Cyborg Santos to name some of the more noteworthy. A veteran of Cage Rage and K1 Hero’s, Manhoef will look to make a big impact with the American fans by adding to his 15 KO stoppages. Melvin will have a decided advantage in the striking department and should look to keep this fight off the mat as much as possible.
Dong Sik Yoon is a world class judokas and is a veteran of well over fifty international judo competitions. Unfortunately Yoon has not been very successful in his new found career as an MMA fighter. Since taking up the sport he has had four fights and he has had four losses. Granted all of his losses have come against the likes of Sakuraba, Rampage Jackson and Murilo Bustamante which shows he has only stepped into the ring with the best in the game. Yoon will look to stay out of Manhoef’s line of fire and take this fight to the ground where he can search for a submission.
Manhoef by KO RD 2
Brock Lesnar (0 – 0 – 0) vs. Min Soo Kim (2 – 5 – 0)
What can we say about Brock Lesnar that has not already been said? The man is a former WWE Champion and a NCAA Division One Heavyweight Wrestling Champion. This will be Lesnar’s first appearance in the MMA ring and he is hoping to make it a successful one. Brock began his MMA journey with Pat Miletich, but since then has been training out of Sean Sherk’s gym in Minnesota. Trainer Greg Nelson will have Brock in top shape when he enters the ring and, with this change of opponent, he has to be a favored to emerge with his first MMA victory.
Moo Soo Kim is a veteran on the K1 Hero’s organization have fought all seven of his fights under the FEG banner. Kim has fought some very big names in his short career and, as his record shows, he has lost a majority of those fights. The only strength that Kim brings into this fight is that he has a win over Sean O’Haire who is also a former WWE star. Kim will look to become the “pro wrestler hunter” but will probably emerge with the sixth loss of his career.
Lesnar by Submission RD 1
Kazushi Sakuraba (21 – 9 – 1 – 2 NC) vs. Royce Gracie (13 – 3 – 3)
After a great deal of speculation the Sakuraba vs. Royce Gracie bout is on! Earlier in the week Sakuraba received two abnormal EKG tests and was called back for extensive testing this past Wednesday. After receiving a battery of tests the California State Athletic Commission cleared him to fight and gave North American MMA fans a chance to see this Japanese MMA legend fight on US soil.
Sakuraba and Gracie will look to repeat the legendary battle they had in the opening round of the PrideFC 2000 Grand Prix. In that fight this duo did battle for 90 minutes leaving Royce broken, beaten and forced to throw in the towel giving the victory to Sakuraba. Gracie left the sport for three years and Sakuraba went on to face some of the sports best, taking many one-sided beatings and further elevating himself to the status of national hero. Royce returned to the ring in 2003 and has gone 1 – 1 – 2 with his most recent fight being a very embarrassing beating at the hands of former 170lb king Matt Hughes.
These two legends are far past their prime but I have a feeling we will see a little bit of MMA magic in the ring on Saturday night. Both fighters have nothing to prove to the fan and everything to prove to themselves. Sakuraba has to prove that he still has enough left in him to beat the best known of all the Gracie family and Royce has to prove that Gracie Jiu Jitsu is still relevant in the next generation of MMA.
Royce is definitely the fresher of the two men but he has a style that is very one dimensional which made him very vulnerable to strikes in his fight with Matt Hughes. Sakuraba is not know for his striking ability but he could use this strategy to break down the 41 year old Gracie and make him quit once again or catch the BJJ master in a submission of his own. Royce on the other hand has one magic bullet to end this fight and that is by submission. All of Royce’s 13 wins have come by the way of tap out and I am sure we won’t see a spectacular KO win coming from the hands of this submission expert. When all is said and done this shadow of the original Kazushi Sakuraba has far too many tools for the one dimensional Royce Gracie to deal with. Sakuraba will come out of this fight with his 22nd victory and then, I hope and pray, will announce his retirement from MMA. These two proud warriors and true legends and North American fans should feel lucky to see these two men do battle for one final time.
Sakuraba by Split Decision
Dragon Dynasty Above the Law DVD Review
Note: The A/V portion of this review is similar to the review of Above the Law as I feel the quality is pretty much the same (except for the aspect ratio) of Shaghai Express (which is a good thing).
Video: Brian White and the team at Dragon Dynasty have delivered an excellent transfer of this Fortune Star re-mastered print. The colours are extremely strong and vibrant, and yet at the same time do not suffer from any form of over-saturation (ie no heavy pink tones, although they pop up during the interview clip montages, maybe from an earlier transfer, but not in the main picture). The detail and clarity of the print are excellent (just take a look at the detail you can see on some ones face or the uniform of a police officer) and allow for a great ease in picking up a lot of the cameos in this film. The transfer is 1:85:1 and of course enhanced for 16X9 televisions.
Audio: The primary track we listened to was the Cantonese mono track (which I can confirm is just that mono, thankfully Dragon Dynasty has never suffered the problem of receiving fake mono mixes). It sounds a tiny bit harsh, but that has more to do with the recording techniques in Hong Kong at the time, more so than anything else.The classic sound effects are present and make the film all the more enjoyable. The are also English and Cantonese 5.1 mixes available and both sound fine nothing having any dropout or sound problems. There is also a audio commentary track with Bey Logan.
Extras: Once again Dragon Dynasty delivers and produces a nearly perfect disc for Above the Law. First, off is a lengthy (16:26 ) interview with star Yuen Biao, which at one point he even pays great tribute to Cynthia Rothrock calling her "irreplaceable" and discussing among other things the parachute scenes in the film. Next is an interview with Cynthia Rothrock lasting 12:39, which is also excellent and talks about working with the Hong Kong crews and also earning their respect. We also have a very nice interview with Peter Cunningham which lasts 18:42 and talks about his kickboxing career and humorously how it nearly cost him the ability to be in the film. Peter is clearly a fan of Hong Kong action cinema as he freely admits and has a fan his interview has a fun quality to it that makes it very enjoyable to listen too. Finally, we have the entire alternate ending which last roughly 23 minutes and contains the original English credit sequence from the international versions (an extra bonus in itself)! It's not as re-mastered as the main feature, but nowhere near the quality of the Shanghai Express deleted scenes. Now, as Above the Law was shot in two versions (as Bey Logan points out many of the differences in another excellent audio commentary), the only extra footage is the alternate ending, it's a shame that Dragon Dynasty could not put either both versions on it or a feature similar to the Police Story 1 extra feature section. Oh well, its a shame, but thankfully only a small complaint. The original HK trailer is present only with a US promotional one.
Final Thought: While not perfect (it comes pretty darn close), Dragon Dynasty delivers another excellent release with Above the Law. I can say fans cannot wait to see what the Shaw Brothers DVDs are going to be like.
Video: Brian White and the team at Dragon Dynasty have delivered an excellent transfer of this Fortune Star re-mastered print. The colours are extremely strong and vibrant, and yet at the same time do not suffer from any form of over-saturation (ie no heavy pink tones, although they pop up during the interview clip montages, maybe from an earlier transfer, but not in the main picture). The detail and clarity of the print are excellent (just take a look at the detail you can see on some ones face or the uniform of a police officer) and allow for a great ease in picking up a lot of the cameos in this film. The transfer is 1:85:1 and of course enhanced for 16X9 televisions.
Audio: The primary track we listened to was the Cantonese mono track (which I can confirm is just that mono, thankfully Dragon Dynasty has never suffered the problem of receiving fake mono mixes). It sounds a tiny bit harsh, but that has more to do with the recording techniques in Hong Kong at the time, more so than anything else.The classic sound effects are present and make the film all the more enjoyable. The are also English and Cantonese 5.1 mixes available and both sound fine nothing having any dropout or sound problems. There is also a audio commentary track with Bey Logan.
Extras: Once again Dragon Dynasty delivers and produces a nearly perfect disc for Above the Law. First, off is a lengthy (16:26 ) interview with star Yuen Biao, which at one point he even pays great tribute to Cynthia Rothrock calling her "irreplaceable" and discussing among other things the parachute scenes in the film. Next is an interview with Cynthia Rothrock lasting 12:39, which is also excellent and talks about working with the Hong Kong crews and also earning their respect. We also have a very nice interview with Peter Cunningham which lasts 18:42 and talks about his kickboxing career and humorously how it nearly cost him the ability to be in the film. Peter is clearly a fan of Hong Kong action cinema as he freely admits and has a fan his interview has a fun quality to it that makes it very enjoyable to listen too. Finally, we have the entire alternate ending which last roughly 23 minutes and contains the original English credit sequence from the international versions (an extra bonus in itself)! It's not as re-mastered as the main feature, but nowhere near the quality of the Shanghai Express deleted scenes. Now, as Above the Law was shot in two versions (as Bey Logan points out many of the differences in another excellent audio commentary), the only extra footage is the alternate ending, it's a shame that Dragon Dynasty could not put either both versions on it or a feature similar to the Police Story 1 extra feature section. Oh well, its a shame, but thankfully only a small complaint. The original HK trailer is present only with a US promotional one.
Final Thought: While not perfect (it comes pretty darn close), Dragon Dynasty delivers another excellent release with Above the Law. I can say fans cannot wait to see what the Shaw Brothers DVDs are going to be like.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Dragon Dynasty Shanghai Express DVD Review
Video: Brian White and the team at Dragon Dynasty have delivered an excellent transfer of this Fortune Star re-mastered print. The colours are extremely strong and vibrant, and yet at the same time do not suffer from any form of over-saturation (ie no heavy pink tones, although they pop up during the interview clip montages, maybe from an earlier transfer, but not in the main picture). The detail and clarity of the print are excellent (if you want a comparison to how the film used to look check out the un-restored deleted scenes) and allow for a great ease in picking up a lot of the cameos in this film. The transfer is 2:35:1 and of course enhanced for 16X9 televisions. The picture quality makes Shanghai Express and its spaghetti-western influences a real beauty to behold.
Audio: The primary track we listened to was the Cantonese mono track (which I can confirm is just that mono, thankfully Dragon Dynasty has never suffered the problem of receiving fake mono mixes). It sounds a tiny bit harsh, but that has more to do with the recording techniques in Hong Kong at the time, more so than anything else.The classic sound effects are present and make the film all the more enjoyable. The are also English and Cantonese 5.1 mixes available and both sound fine nothing having any dropout or sound problems. There is also a audio commentary track with Bey Logan.
Extras: Brian White, Bey Logan, and the team at Dragon Dynasty have given us a bevy of extras to enjoy for their special edition of Shanghai Express. First, we have the standard (and by standard, I mean excellent) Bey Logan commentary which does an excellent job at pointing at the various cameos in the film, the different versions, and even the role of Yusaki Kurata in cherographing some of the fights. All in all a great track for a great film. There is in informative 14:46 long video interview with Sammo Hung which discusses the production of the filming. Then we get a 24 minute interview with Cynthia Rothrock talking about her introduction to the martial arts and her career, specifically Shanghai Express and also tells you why working in the United States is a lot easier than being in Hong Kong. We also get a great 20 minute interview with Yuen Biao talking about the film and the dangers of shooting some of the stunts. We then get a special treat for US fans as Dragon Dynasty gives fans an exclusive that was not even on the UK or HK discs of Shanghai Express: deleted scenes. There are four scenes of varying running time in un-remastered condition. Paragons of Virtue runs nearly 6:47 minutes long, Roof Rage runs 19 seconds, Close, but No Cigar runs 47 seconds and RestroomRretreat runs 31 seconds.
Final Thought: With a great transfer and sound setup completed with unique extras that won't appear anywhere else in the world makes Dragon Dynasty's Shanghai Express a EASY buy.
Audio: The primary track we listened to was the Cantonese mono track (which I can confirm is just that mono, thankfully Dragon Dynasty has never suffered the problem of receiving fake mono mixes). It sounds a tiny bit harsh, but that has more to do with the recording techniques in Hong Kong at the time, more so than anything else.The classic sound effects are present and make the film all the more enjoyable. The are also English and Cantonese 5.1 mixes available and both sound fine nothing having any dropout or sound problems. There is also a audio commentary track with Bey Logan.
Extras: Brian White, Bey Logan, and the team at Dragon Dynasty have given us a bevy of extras to enjoy for their special edition of Shanghai Express. First, we have the standard (and by standard, I mean excellent) Bey Logan commentary which does an excellent job at pointing at the various cameos in the film, the different versions, and even the role of Yusaki Kurata in cherographing some of the fights. All in all a great track for a great film. There is in informative 14:46 long video interview with Sammo Hung which discusses the production of the filming. Then we get a 24 minute interview with Cynthia Rothrock talking about her introduction to the martial arts and her career, specifically Shanghai Express and also tells you why working in the United States is a lot easier than being in Hong Kong. We also get a great 20 minute interview with Yuen Biao talking about the film and the dangers of shooting some of the stunts. We then get a special treat for US fans as Dragon Dynasty gives fans an exclusive that was not even on the UK or HK discs of Shanghai Express: deleted scenes. There are four scenes of varying running time in un-remastered condition. Paragons of Virtue runs nearly 6:47 minutes long, Roof Rage runs 19 seconds, Close, but No Cigar runs 47 seconds and RestroomRretreat runs 31 seconds.
Final Thought: With a great transfer and sound setup completed with unique extras that won't appear anywhere else in the world makes Dragon Dynasty's Shanghai Express a EASY buy.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Shaw Brother's release schedule for the second half of 2007 is up!
Shaw Bros release schedule second half of 2007 is up!
Not much else to say, thanks to Donnie 1974 for finding this. Just click on the link and you'll find a link to the list or just read it here :)
BBC Dracula coming to R1
BBC Dracula finally hitting US stores!
Thanks to thebrainfollower, check the link above for the discussion about it at CHFB
On September 25 Warner/BBC Video are going to release the 1977 miniseries Count Dracula on DVD for $14.98
Thanks to thebrainfollower, check the link above for the discussion about it at CHFB
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