"TAXI DRIVER" To Have 40th Anniversary Celebration at 15th Annual Tribeca Film Festival

TAXI DRIVER TO HAVE 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AT
THE 15th ANNUAL TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL

Director Martin Scorsese to join stars Robert De Niro,  Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, and writer Paul Schrader for post-screening conversation

New York, NY – March 18, 2016 – The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by AT&T, announced today that Martin Scorsese’s powerful psychological thriller Taxi Driver will celebrate its 40th Anniversary on April 21 at the 15th edition of the Festival.

Starring Robert DeNiro, Jodie Foster, Albert Brooks, Leonard Harris, Peter Boyle, and Cybill Shepherd, Directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Paul Schrader and produced by Michael Phillips and Julia Phillips, the 1976 film was nominated for four Academy Awards®, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Robert De Niro; and two Golden Globes.

One of TIME Magazines “all-TIME 100 Movies,” Taxi Driver was called “a brilliant nightmare,” by the Chicago Sun-Times and praised by the Village Voice as “a phenomenon from another day and age.”

Following the anniversary screening at the Beacon Theatre, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, and Paul Schrader will take part in a special conversation moderated by Kent Jones. Tickets will be available beginning March 24 at 10am EST by visiting beacontheatre.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 866-858-0008. The evening is sponsored by Infor. The Tribeca Film Festival will take place April 13-24.

“Taxi Driver is one of the most brilliantly disturbing movies ever made, and why I chose to go into film. It's had an indelible impact on pop culture, and its performances rank among the most memorable in cinema,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder, Tribeca Film Festival, and Executive Chair, Tribeca Enterprises. “It's a great honor to have the original cast at the Festival and to present this masterpiece to a new generation.”

"It’s odd to think that four decades have passed since we shot Taxi Driver on the streets of a very different New York City. It was made in a surge of energy, starting with Paul’s one-of-a-kind script, and I was working with an extraordinary group of artistic collaborators as anyone could ever hope for—Jodie, who was 13 years old at the time, and Bob gave the picture something precious, dangerous, and altogether remarkable. I’m honored to take part in the celebration of the film’s 40th anniversary at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival,” said Martin Scorsese.

“It’s a great honor for TFF to revisit Taxi Driver. I’m very proud to have worked on this film with Marty, Jodie, Harvey, Cybill, Paul, Michael and Julia as well as the extraordinary cast and crew. I remain equally proud today," said Robert De Niro, Festival co-founder. 

An alienated and quiet loner, taxi driver Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) works the night shift in Manhattan.  After failing to land a date with Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), a beautiful campaign aide for presidential candidate Palentine (Leonard Harris), an encounter with a 12- year old prostitute, Iris (Jodie Foster), and her pimp, Sport (Harvey Keitel), convinces Travis that the world is a rotten place.  And as his frustration mounts, he assembles a cache of guns and then learns how to use them…with deadly accuracy.

Sony Pictures digitally restored and re-mastered Taxi Driver to 4K from the original negative, which was shown in a limited theatrical release.  Taxi Driver is currently available on Blu-ray and digital from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Visit www.tribecafilm.com/festival for more information about TFF’s 2016 programs and the full line-up of films.

About the Tribeca Film Festival

The Tribeca Film Festival, now in its 15th year, brings together visionaries across industries and diverse audiences to celebrate the power of storytelling. A platform for independent filmmaking, creative expression and immersive entertainment, Tribeca supports emerging and established voices, discovers award-winning filmmakers, curates innovative and interactive experiences, and introduces new technology and ideas through panels, premieres, exhibitions, and live performance.

Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001, following the attacks on the World Trade Center, Tribeca has evolved from an annual event to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan to a gathering place for filmmakers, artists, innovators, and the global creative community. Through programs that embrace storytelling in all of its expansive forms – from film and music to video games and online work, TFF reimagines the cinematic experience and explores how art can unite communities.

About the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival Sponsors

As Presenting Sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival, AT&T is committed to supporting the Festival and the art of filmmaking through access and innovation – aiming to make this the most interactive film and storytelling festival in the country, where visitors experience the Festival in ways they never imagined. As one of the largest communications and entertainment companies, AT&T helps millions connect with entertainment, mobile, high speed Internet and voice services – virtually everywhere.

The Tribeca Film Festival is pleased to announce its Signature Sponsors: #ActuallySheCan by Allergan, Accenture, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Bai Beverages, Bira 91, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), CHANEL, DEAN & DELUCA, EFFEN® Vodka, ESPN, Hendrick’s Gin, IBM, Infor, IWC Schaffhausen, The Lincoln Motor Company, NBC 4 New York, National CineMedia, New York Magazine, Nexxus New York Salon, Samsung, Spring Studios New York, Thompson Hotels, and United Airlines.

©A.M.P.A.S.  All rights reserved.
Photos--Travis Bickle, Robert De Niro © 1976, renewed 2004 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"TAXI DRIVER" To Have 40th Anniversary Celebration at 15th Annual Tribeca Film Festival

6th Old School Kung Fu Fest--NYC Press Screenings

                    SUBWAY CINEMA and METROGRAPH
                                          proudly unleash

                    THE 6TH OLD SCHOOL KUNG FU FEST

April 8 - 10, 2016
at Metrograph
7 Ludlow Street (between Hester St. and Canal St.)
www.metrograph.com

Presented with Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office New York
in association with Warner Archive

New York, NY, March, 2016 – The Old School Kung Fu Fest, a three-day barrage of the rarest, wildest, and most incredible classic martial arts and action movies is back for its 6th annual edition. This year, we’re focusing on Golden Harvest, the studio that became Hong Kong’s leading purveyor of truly insane action cinema in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.

Established in 1970 by Raymond Chow and Leonard Ho, Golden Harvest fast became a rival to Shaw Brothers with a string of blockbusters in the 1970s, and went on to became a dominant force in the Hong Kong film industry throughout the 80’s and 90’s, producing, financing, and distributing over 600 films across many genres. The studio has nurtured the talents of Bruce Lee, John Woo, Michael Hui, Stanley Kwan, Jimmy Wang Yu, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Angela Mao, and many others.

Golden Harvest was also active in the international market. After successfully collaborating with Warner Bros. on Enter the Dragon, the studio went on to set up its own film division in the U.S. and invested in around 20 Hollywood films, including Battle Creek Brawl (1980), which was Jackie Chan’s first attempt to crack the U.S. market, The Cannonball Run (1981), High Road to China (1983), Cannonball Run II (1984), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990).

To celebrate Golden Harvest’s legacy, we have put together a program of some of the studio’s greatest martial arts and action films: we’ve got Bruce Lee’s funkadelic masterpiece Enter The Dragon (1973); the original One-Armed Swordsman (Jimmy Wang Yu) and the one-off James Bond (George Lazenby) going mano-a-mano in the car crashtastic The Man From Hong Kong (1975); Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao in martial arts action paradise with The Prodigal Son (1981); Sammo Hung directing and starring in Pedicab Driver (1989), the greatest achievement of his early career; Jackie Chan fighting a big yellow hovercraft in Rumble in the Bronx (1995); Tsui Hark’s feral swordplay movie The Blade (1996); and the the last truly great Hong Kong cop film of the 90s, Big Bullet (1996).All the titles (except Prodigal Son) will be super-rare 35mm screenings!*

In other exciting news for fans of Hong Kong cinema, Warner Archive has begun to make Golden Harvest titles available as part of their manufacture on demand service. 16x9 widescreen DVDs in their original language with English captions can be ordered for the discerning film fan’s collection. Titles include A Terra-Cotta Warrior (1989), He's a Woman, She's a Man (1994), The Blade (1995), Pedicab Driver (1989), Blade of Fury (1993), Big Bullet (1996) and Downtown Torpedoes (1997) - and these few are just the beginning! For information on how to order visit www.warnerarchive.com

The 6th Old School Kung Fu Fest is presented with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office New York, in association with Warner Archive.

We’re deeply grateful for the support of the Kenneth A. Cowin Foundation.

*The Prodigal Son will be screened on DCP.


THE FILMS!


BIG BULLET 衝鋒隊─怒火街頭

(1996, Hong Kong, 92 minutes, 35mm, in Cantonese with English and Chinese subtitles)

Directed by Benny Chan

Starring: Sean Lau Ching-Wan, Jordan Chan, Cheung Tat-Ming, Theresa Lee

1996 was the end of one era of Hong Kong movies, and the beginning of another. The box office was in freefall, and people were trying new things because no one knew what worked. Benny Chan, previously known for his light comedies, wanted to try action and Big Bullet was his shot. Starring Lau Ching-wan (Full Alert) as a hard-nosed cop demoted to riding in a patrol van with a gang of misfits (including Jordan Chan, who’d score big playing a gangster in that year’s Young & Dangerous movies), his gang of losers runs afoul of a pair of baroque criminals played by Anthony Wong (The Untold Story) and Yu Rong-Guang (A Terra-Cotta Warrior) out to knock over Interpol Headquarters. Ridiculous? Sure, but it was a chance for Chan and action director Ma Yuk-Sing (The East is Red) to showcase their new brand of action that mixed high octane Hollywood boom-boom with Hong Kong’s complex action set pieces to deliver what feels like an 80s Hollywood action classic like Lethal Weapon with the “Mayhem” dial turned up to 11.

Showtimes: Friday, April 8 at 5:40pm; Sunday, April 10 at 10:00pm.


THE BLADE 刀

(1995, Hong Kong, 104 minutes, 35mm, in Cantonese with English subtitles)

Directed by Tsui Hark

Starring: Zhao Wen-zhou, Moses Chan, Xiong Xin-xin, Austin Wai, Song Nei, Ngai Sing.

Missing out on seeing The Blade on the big screen would be like going to the carnival and not going on the gnarliest, biggest and wildest ride. A masterpiece by anyone’s standards, The Blade is Tsui Hark’s tribute to the martial arts films he grew up with. It’s a reimagining of director Chang Cheh’s landmark wuxia (swordplay) classic, The One-Armed Swordsman (1967), as a psychotronic phantasmagoria full of scars and tattoos, mutilation, amputation, sexual frustration, and sharp, heavy chunks of steel splitting muscle and breaking bones. Rapid cutting, berserker camera movement, frenetic choreography and compositions packed to bursting with rhythm, texture and detail, Tsui Hark's revved-up ancient China roars away from the viewer like an out-of-control freight train, never saying what can be shown, never showing what can be said. Brains and eyeballs are battered and bruised and the audience has to run to keep up, but the experience of seeing one of the world's best directors at the top of his game is indescribably ecstatic.

Showtimes: Friday, April 8 at 10:15pm; Sunday, April 10 at 1:00pm.


ENTER THE DRAGON 龍爭虎鬥

(1973, USA/Hong Kong, 98 minutes, 35mm)

Directed by Robert Clouse

Starring: Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Angela Mao, Shih Kien, Sammo Hung, Bolo Yeung.

The legendary martial arts film that cemented Bruce Lee as an international cinema icon, Robert Clouse’s Enter the Dragon is a punchdrunk ride through exploitation heaven that shaped the pattern for the thousands of martial arts movies that followed in its wake. Bruce plays a martial arts champ who goes undercover for British intelligence on the island of Mr. Han (longtime Hong Kong star Shih Kien) where he’ll fight in an underground tournament where the world’s best martial artists try to kill each other to earn a job with Mr. Han. Competing against him are American exploitation star John Saxon and blaxploitation hero Jim Kelly. Lee is especially hacked off that his sister (Hong Kong martial arts heroine Angela Mao) was recently beaten to death in the streets by Mr. Han’s bodyguard. Bruce Lee is a beautiful animal in this flick, burning like a supernova as he dishes out beatdowns and neck breakings like candy at a Shriner’s parade. This was his one shot to show the world why everyone should know his name, and he seizes it with both hands and takes a big, bloody bite out of it.

Showtimes: Saturday, April 9 at 3:15pm.


THE MAN FROM HONG KONG (aka THE DRAGON FLIES) 直搗黃龍

(1975, Hong Kong/Australia, 103 minutes, 35mm)

Directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, Jimmy Wang Yu

Starring: Jimmy Wang Yu, George Lazenby, Ros Spiers, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Rebecca Gilling, Sammo Hung, Frank Thring, Bill Hunter.

In the first Hong Kong-Australian co-production, Inspector Fang of the Hong Kong Special Branch (Jimmy Wang Yu, The One-Armed Swordsman, 1967), goes to Australia after dope smuggler Kim Po Hung (Sammo Hung), with the intent of taking down Sydney mob boss Wilton (George Lazenby, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 1969). Long before Jackie Chan would apply a similar format to his international crossover action films, such as Rumble in the Bronx, Golden Harvest and Australian action maestro, Brian Trenchard-Smith, showed him how to do it. Featuring a car chase that would give the one in Bullitt (1968) a run for its money, stunts by Sammo Hung and his team, an explosive finale, and laced with an earworm theme song (“Sky High” by Jigsaw that you have definitely heard before) this is how you do it when you want to make a swank, international action movie that feels as macho as drinking a can of lager while hang gliding through an exploding fireball.

Showtimes: Saturday, April 9 at 5:40pm; Sunday, April 10 at 3:15pm.


PEDICAB DRIVER 群龍戲鳳

(1989, Hong Kong, 93 minutes, 35mm, in Mandarin with English and Chinese subtitles)

Directed by Sammo Hung

Starring: Sammo Hung, Nina Li, Yuet Suen, Max Mok, Fennie Yuen, Lau Kar-Leung, Corey Yuen Kwai, and Billy Chow.

Long unseen and unavailable on home video, until Warner Archive finally brought it to DVD this year, Sammo Hung's action masterpiece is here and it wants to kick you through a wall. Set in 1950's Macau, this action-comedy-drama-romance burns up the screen with old school intensity, and is sprinkled with appearances by a galaxy of big-name Hong Kong stunt actors and filmmakers. Yuen Biao and Corey Yuen get into a “light saber” duel with fluorescent light tubes! Eric Tsang hides! Sammo takes on Lau Kar-leung, and you won’t want to miss two of the world’s greatest action directors duking it out. As Lau Kar-leung tells Sammo: “Fatty, you’re crafty!” Then watch Sammo unleash infinite pain on super-kicker Billy Chow (the Japanese baddie in Fist of Legend (1994). Audience-pleasing, heart-pumping, nitro-burning moviemaking in what is arguably one of the best martial arts movies of the 1980’s.

Showtimes: Friday, April 8 at 7:50pm - followed by a panel discussion on the history and importance of Golden Harvest Studio (TBC); Saturday, April 9 at 11:00pm.


THE PRODIGAL SON (aka PULL NO PUNCHES) 敗家仔

(1981, Hong Kong, 100 minutes, DCP, in Mandarin with English subtitles)

Directed by Sammo Hung

Starring: Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Lam Ching-ying, Frankie Chan

This posh Wing Chun epic is a masterpiece of Sammo Hung's early career, and the last period kung fu film that he directed at Golden Harvest. Spoiled brat, Yuen Biao, comes up against a true martial arts master, Lam Ching-ying, and begs to become his student. Lam's not having it, and a series of savage throat locks ensue. Yuen Biao does backflips off the sprocket holes and Sammo Hung punches holes in the screen, but it's Lam Ching-ying, as an asthmatic Chinese Opera diva, whose blistering fu scorches the emulsion and burns up the film. Unequaled in cinema history, this movie serves it up hot and fast. Lam Ching-ying died sixteen years later at the age of 44 and this movie is a ferocious tribute to the man who was Bruce Lee’s stunt double, and an iconic martial arts star in his own right.

Showtimes: Sunday, April 10 at 7:45pm.

RUMBLE IN THE BRONX 紅番區

(1995, USA, 103 minutes, 35mm, in Cantonese with English and Chinese subtitles)

Directed by Stanley Tong

Starring: Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Francoise Yip, Bill Tung, Marc Akerstream.

It’s the candy-colored, DayGlo movie that finally broke Jackie Chan big in America, Rumble in the Bronx is like the 90’s Saturday morning cartoon of your dreams. The second time Chan teamed up with director-stunt coordinator, Stanley Tong (the first was Police Story III: Supercop), it’s really “Rumble in Vancouver” with the freshly-scrubbed Canadian wonderland standing in for the “dangerous” Bronx, and that sets the tone for this lighthearted riff on the Jackie Chan formula. Here he plays a cop coming to Bron-Couver for his uncle’s wedding, but he randomly runs up against diamond thieves, and winds up having to protect a local supermarket. It’s as goofy as it sounds, full of rampaging hovercraft, goodnatured gang members, kids in wheelchairs wishing their legs were “normal,” and some of the goofiest dialogue to ever come out of Hong Kong. On the other hand, it features Hong Kong’s great diva, Anita Mui, as the supermarket owner, some gravity-defying fight scenes from Jackie, and it’s peppered with Stanley Tong’s jumps and stunts — including a leap onto a hovercraft that broke Jackie’s ankle (he finished the movie with his foot in a cast painted to look like his shoe). The gooniest, most 90’s movie that Chan ever made.

Showtimes: Saturday, April 9 at 1:00pm; Sunday, April 10 at 5:30pm.


A TERRA-COTTA WARRIOR 秦俑

(1990, Hong Kong, 97 minutes, 35mm, in Mandarin with English and Chinese subtitles)

Directed by Ching Siu-Tung

Starring: Zhang Yimou, Gong Li, Yu Rong-Guang, Suk Bung Luk.

Drawing inspiration from Kurosawa to Spielberg, A Terra-Cotta Warrior is a feast for the senses, and one of the most exquisite period fantasy films to come out of Hong Kong in the 90s, with its unique blend of romance, swashbuckling action, and comedy, thanks in equal parts to the screenplay by Lillian Lee (Green Snake, 1993, Rouge, 1988), action direction by Ching Siu-Tung, and breathtaking cinematography by Peter Pau (The Bride with White Hair, 1993). A collaboration between producer Tsui Hark (The Blade) and director Ching Siu-Tung that was two-and-a-half years in the making, A Terra-Cotta Warrior follows one of the First Emperor of China’s soldiers (Zhang Yimou) as he is accidentally awakened in the 1930s by Zhu Lili (Gong Li) after being encased alive in clay in the Emperor's tomb as a punishment. At the time it was made, director-actor Zhang Yimou and his leading lady, Gong Li, were China’s power couple, and they shine in this one-of-a-kind rarely screened movie.

Showtimes: Saturday, April 9 at 8:45pm.


THE SCHEDULE!


Friday, April 8

5:40pm - BIG BULLET (92min)

7:50pm - PEDICAB DRIVER (93min)

10:15pm - THE BLADE (104min)


Saturday, April 9

1:00pm - RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (103min)

3:15pm - ENTER THE DRAGON (110 min)

5:40pm - THE MAN FROM HONG KONG (103min)

8:45pm - A TERRA-COTTA WARRIOR (97min)

11:00pm - PEDICAB DRIVER (93min)


Sunday, April 10

1:00pm - THE BLADE (104min)

3:15pm - THE MAN FROM HONG KONG (103min)

5:30pm - RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (103min)

7:45pm - THE PRODIGAL SON (100min)

10:00pm - BIG BULLET (92min)


PRESS SCREENINGS AT METROGRAPH

(7 LUDLOW STREET, BETWEEN CANAL AND HESTER STREETS)

RSVP COMPULSARY TO: EMMA@EG-PR.COM


Thursday, March 31

10:00am – THE MAN FROM HONG KONG (103min)

12:00pm – PEDICAB DRIVER (93min)


VENUE AND ADMISSION!

Screenings will be held at Metrograph, located at 7 Ludlow Street, between Canal and Hester streets, in the Lower East Side.

www.metrograph.com

NOTE: Metrograph is an assigned-seating movie house. To choose your preferred seats, we recommend that you buy tickets in advance online.

Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the box office.

General admission: $15; Senior & Child: $12 (Senior and child tickets must be bought in person at the box-office). Matinees: $12 (The first show of the day is priced at a reduced matinee rate, available both online and in person). Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.



ABOUT THE OLD SCHOOL KUNG FU FEST

Old School Kung Fu Fest (OSKFF) is an annual celebration of the rarest, wildest, and most incredible martial arts and action cinema from the ‘60s through the ‘90s, presented on rare 35mm film prints whenever possible. Rising from the ashes of Subway Cinema’s original Old School Kung Fu Fest underground screenings of the early 2000’s, the new incarnation was relaunched in 2013 as a 3-day spring festival, infused with the grindhouse spirit of New York’s 42nd Street and Chinatown theaters, and designed for the maximum audience enjoyment. Twitter: @subwaycinema (#oldschool16).


ABOUT SUBWAY CINEMA

Based in New York City, Subway Cinema is America’s leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the exhibition and appreciation of Asian popular film culture in all forms, building bridges between Asia and the West. With year-round festivals and programs, the organization aims to bring wide audience and critical attention to contemporary and classic Asian cinema in the U.S. In 2002, Subway Cinema launched its flagship event, the annual New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF), which is North America’s leading festival of popular Asian cinema. Since 2010, NYAFF has been produced in collaboration with the Film Society of Lincoln Center. The 15 NYAFF will take place June 22 - July 9, 2016. Subway cinema’s other major events include the Old School Kung Fu Fest (OSKFF) and the New York Korean Film Festival (NYKFF).

Subway Cinema receives generous year-round support from Kenneth A. Cowin Foundation.

For more information, visit subwaycinema.com, facebook.com/NYAFF and follow @subwaycinema on twitter.


ABOUT METROGRAPH

Showcasing first-run and repertory films, Metrograph is a two screen movie house built with archive-quality 35mm film projection, state-of-the-art digital projection, a restaurant, cinema-dedicated rare bookshop, café, and lounge. The definitive place for people to celebrate cinema.

For more information, visit metrograph.com, facebook.com/metrographNYC/

and follow @MetrographNYC on twitter.


Directions:

Metrograph – 7 Ludlow Street (between Hester St. and Canal St.)

F Train to East Broadway

D/B Train to Grand Street

J/M/Z/F Train to Essex Street

ABOUT HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICE, NEW YORK

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York is one of the three representative offices of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in the U.S. The HKETONY has been promoting business and cultural ties between Hong Kong and the 31 eastern states. It works closely with state and city governments, business chambers, think tanks, academia and the media to enhance understanding and cooperation between the U.S. and Hong Kong. It also organizes and sponsors various cultural and sporting events such as dragon boat festivals, film festivals and arts fellowship programs. Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/hkmeetsamerica/

or check out our website: www.hketony.gov.hk/ny/index.htm

6th Old School Kung Fu Fest--NYC Press Screenings

THE DUEL OF THE CENTURY -- Movie Review by Porfle

Director Chu Yuan's THE DUEL OF THE CENTURY (1981) is much less fanciful than a cartoony romp like THE BATTLE WIZARD--no sorcery, no animated death rays shooting out of anybody's fingers, no diabolical creatures.

While the impossible feats of skill performed by the characters still place it well into the fantasy realm, this is basically a mystery story with elements of "The Three Musketeers" and those old Westerns in which evenly-matched gunfighters faced each other in a final showdown.

The mystery begins when the two greatest martial arts champions in all of ancient China, Ye Gucheng and Shimen Chueishiue, challenge each other to a duel on the rooftops of the Forbidden City. Since the two fighters aren't enemies, a puzzled Lu Xiaofeng (Tony Liu) turns detective and tries to get to the bottom of things.

Drawn into an ever-widening web of deception and intrigue which includes ninjas, monks, lamas, and flamboyantly gay eunuchs, Lu finally uncovers a dastardly plot that leads all the way to the throne. (This, along with the swashbuckling swordplay, is what reminded me of Dumas.)

The story is so dense and talky that I eventually gave up trying to follow it after awhile and just enjoyed the fight scenes which crop up every five minutes or so. Lu is one of those warriors who is so infallible that he can afford to be relaxed and funny (some find him extremely annoying but I like him) while fighting off hordes of foes.

One running gag I enjoyed is the way everyone recognizes him when he uses his famous finger technique, which consists of grabbing whatever blade is jabbed at him in a vise grip between his thumb and forefinger. "You're Lu Xiaofeng!" they shout as he feigns modesty.

Lu encounters a variety of hostile opponents with different techniques during several lively but somewhat repetitive sequences, cracking jokes like Spiderman while defeating them all. There are a few bursts of hand-to-hand combat here and there but mostly the fighting is done with clanging swords and various other blades.

The fight in an elegant three-level restaurant is an early highlight, which begins with an army of geishas filling the air with rose petals and ends with Ye Gucheng applying his deadly "flying goddess" move to an unlucky opponent.

Great sets and lots of atmosphere augment the action, along with an effective score composed of some recognizable library tracks.

Lu uncovers the real reason behind the duel but, lucky for us, is unable to keep it from taking place. While it would be hard for any fight to live up to all the build-up this one gets, it still delivers a fair amount of action and unbelievable displays of superhuman skill (although I didn't quite get why they were leaping through big circles of paper).

Again, this is just the kind of stuff that inspired both BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA and "The Powerpuff Girls", with warriors soaring through the air at each other as though flying or jumping straight up and fighting in midair for several seconds before coming back down.

After watching all the tedious plot threads of THE DUEL OF THE CENTURY entwine around each other for an hour and a half, it's fun when these guys finally cut loose and get down to business.

Read our review of the SHAW BROTHERS COLLECTION VOL.1

THE DUEL OF THE CENTURY -- Movie Review by Porfle

THE BATTLE WIZARD -- Movie Review by Porfle

If you ever wondered what Hong Kong action flicks look like to crazy people, THE BATTLE WIZARD (1977) should give you a good idea.

This is one seriously nutty flick that left me doubting my own sanity even more than usual.

As the film opens, the Emperor's brother Tuan Zhengchun is caught messing around with Hongmian, the wife of Yellow Robe Man, and when her husband attacks, Zhengchun defends himself by using "Yi Yang Finger", which he performs by making pretend shooting motions with his index fingers and firing destructor beams that sever Yellow Robe Man's legs.

Yellow Robe Man swears revenge, and twenty years later we see him in his chintzy-looking cave lair with a new pair of telescoping robot bird legs, ordering his cackling monster henchman Canglong to kidnap Zhengchun's son, prince Tuan Yu.

This is just the set up. We then find that Tuan Yu has left the palace because he's a pacifist scholar who doesn't want to learn martial arts ("One could get hurt, and very sweaty," he fears) and wants to see if he can survive in the outside world without them.

Needless to say, everyone within fifty miles starts attacking him and he is aided by an enchanted snake-handling girl named Ling-erh, who throws glowing green snakes at the leader of the Poisonous Moths Clan which burrow under his skin.

Tuan Yu escapes and seeks help from the dreaded witch-woman Xiang Yaocha, who has sworn that if any man sees her veiled face she will either marry him or kill him. Tuan Yu sees her face, of course, and after they're betrothed he discovers that she is his half-sister, Wanqing, by his father and Hongmian.

All of this brings us to the film's free-for-all finale in which Yellow Robe Man conspires with another warlord to capture Tuan Yu and Wanqing so that Tuan Zhengchun and his wife will be lured to their doom. The young protagonists are hurled into a pit where they are attacked by a "giant gorilla", which is a man hopping around in one of the worst gorilla suits in film history.

Tuan Yu, who now has super powers after drinking the blood of the Red Python and eating a glowing green frog (don't ask), takes on the various bad guys and their minions amidst a flurry of hyperkinetic editing, colorful animated special effects, and visuals that seem to have been conceived by a committee of schizophrenics.

My favorite part of the whole thing is the sight of a wildly-emoting Yellow Robe Man stalking around on his metallic bird-leg stilts.

Hsueh Li Pao's direction and editing are all over the place in some scenes but that only contributes to the disorienting strangeness of this wacky cartoonish adventure.

There are several fun setpieces including the fight with the Poisonous Moths Clan, Wanquing's frenetic battle with a group of bandits (in which she displays her great skill with the "bone-cutting sword" technique), and Tuan Yu and Wanquing's flight from a Tasmanian Devil-like Canglong.

I don't know if John Carpenter ever saw this, but it's certainly the kind of movie that served as the inspiration for his BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA.

With its comically exaggerated acting and characters, hilariously melodramatic action, and "anything goes" special effects, THE BATTLE WIZARD is pure Shaw Brothers fun. It isn't often you'll see a movie that is this deliriously bizarre. I just had to sit there for a few minutes wondering what the heck I'd just watched.

Read our review of the SHAW BROTHERS COLLECTION

THE BATTLE WIZARD -- Movie Review by Porfle

"KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS" Official Trailer

Kubo and the Two Strings is an epic action-adventure set in a fantastical Japan from acclaimed animation studio LAIKA. 

 

Clever, kindhearted Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson of "Game of Thrones") ekes out a humble living, telling stories to the people of his seaside town including Hosato (George Takei), Akihiro (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), and Kameyo (Academy Award nominee Brenda Vaccaro). 

 

But his relatively quiet existence is shattered when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey (Academy Award winner Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey), and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. 

 

With the help of his shamisen - a magical musical instrument - Kubo must battle gods and monsters, including the vengeful Moon King (Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes) and the evil twin Sisters (Academy Award nominee Rooney Mara), to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family, and fulfill his heroic destiny.

Director:

Travis Knight
 

Writers:

 Marc Haimes and Chris Butler ("ParaNorman")
 

Voice Cast:

Art Parkinson, Matthew McConaughey, Charlize Theron, Rooney Mara, Ralph Fiennes, George Takei, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Brenda Vaccaro

 

 

 

 

"KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS" Official Trailer

Holly Holm and Miesha Tate Star in MMA Thriller "FIGHT VALLEY"

BREAKING GLASS PICTURES
FIGHT VALLEY OFFICIAL TRAILER RELEASE

Miesha Tate and Holly Holm Star in MMA THRILLER FIGHT VALLEY

Breaking Glass Pictures has just released the official trailer for the upcoming MMA action thriller FIGHT VALLEY. FIGHT VALLEY stars the world’s best female fighters including the new UFC Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm and her UFC 196 opponent Miesha Tate. FIGHT VALLEY will open in theaters nationwide and On Demand July 2016.

The film also stars Susie Celek, Erin O'Brien, Chelsea Durkalec, Cris Cyborg, a Brazilian mixed martial artist and the former Strikeforce Women's Featherweight Champion, Belgian standout Cindy "Battlecat" Dandois, Amanda Serrano, the current World Boxing Organization's Lightweight Champion, and Serena DeJesus, an inspiring autistic MMA fighter dubbed “The Southpaw Outlaw.”

Watch the trailer

Official Synopsis: When Tory Coro (Durkalec) is found dead in the streets of Fight Valley her sister Windsor (Celek) moves to the town to begin her own investigation. There she meets Jabs (Tate), the most feared and respected ex-fighter around. Windsor realizes to survive in the town she will have to fight. Under the training of Jabs, Windsor is determined to come face-to-face with Tory's killer and fight for justice.

Director Rob Hawk will be donating a percentage of the film's proceeds to the Fight Like a Girl Foundation in honor of his mother who passed away from breast cancer.

Holly Holm and Miesha Tate Star in MMA Thriller "FIGHT VALLEY"

"DOWNSHIFT" New From Indican Pictures

F

DOWNSHIFT

Race Across America New From Indican Pictures

Available now on VOD, Retail and Rental Outlets Nationally

Winner take all in the best of three series of races across America as two drivers navigate it all in Downshift, the latest release from Indican Pictures.

Two brothers, at odds, fight their way from upstate New York, through the ports of Baltimore, down to the marshlands of Louisiana, across the Texas open roads and ending 3000 miles away in the heart of Los Angeles.

Tessa Harnetiaux (Young & Hungry), Geri-Nikole Love (Livin’ the Dream), Jeremy C. Russell (Bloody Mary), Justin Eagle (The Search of Agent Z) and Phillip Andry (Meme) round out the cast in this homage to the late 60s and early 70s car flicks.

Hit the road in this cross­ country race that fans of Fast & Furious and epic race movies like LeMans can watch to satisfy their cravings until the next race movie comes along, but for now throw into gear with Downshift.

Website: www.indicanpictures.com

"DOWNSHIFT" New From Indican Pictures

"THE CORPSE OF ANNA FRITZ" Now Available Exclusively on FlixFling.com

FlixFling Presents

THE CORPSE OF ANNA FRITZ
(El cadáver de Anna Fritz)
A Film by Hector Hernandez Vicens

THE CORPSE OF ANNA FRITZ Is Now Available Exclusively on FlixFling.com

"An exercise in tension that will grip the audience from start to finish."
-Ken Hanley, Fangoria 

"There is nothing that can prepare you for The Corpse of Anna Fritz."
-James Shotwell, Under The Gun Review

"The claustrophobic horrors that haunt each scene delve relentlessly deep into the psyche of everyone involved."
-Matt Donato, We Got This Covered

View the trailer

Synopsis: 
Anna Fritz, a beautiful Spanish actress and one of the most desired women in the world, has suddenly died. Her body is transferred to a city morgue, where a withdrawn young orderly, Pau, becomes fascinated with her lifeless cadaver.

When Pau sends a picture of the dead celebrity to his two friends, they show up at the morgue for a glimpse of the beautiful starlet. As the whiskey bottles and coke packets empty, the three friends decide this is an opportunity they can’t pass up to get up close and personal with the corpse of Anna Fritz.

However, when they are alone with the body, they soon realize that things aren't exactly what they seem.

TRT: 76 min.
Country: Spain
Language: Spanish
Director: Hector Hernandez Vicens
Writers: Hector Hernandez Vicens and Isaac P. Creus
Starring: Alba Ribas, Cristian Valencia, Bernat Saumell, Albert Carbo

FlixFling.com

"THE CORPSE OF ANNA FRITZ" Now Available Exclusively on FlixFling.com

"CHiPs: The Complete Fourth Season" - Coming to DVD March 15

CALIFORNIA’S FAVORITE MOTORCYCLE HIGHWAY PATROLMEN ARE BACK AS

WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASES
CHiPs: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON

AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER
ON DVD MARCH 15, 2016

Includes all 21 one-hour episodes of Season 4!

BURBANK, CA (November 18, 2015) – Ponch and Jon are back in the fourth installment of the six season series of highway crime fighting, as CHiPs: The Complete Fourth Season is released for fans to enjoy! The star-studded cast includes Golden Globe nominated Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox as California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers Francis “Ponch” Poncherello and Jon Baker. The successful series has inspired the all-new upcoming theatrical release starring Dax Shepard as Jon Baker and Michael Peña as Frank Poncherello. The excitement and action-packed drama continues as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases CHiPs: The Complete Fourth Season on March 15, 2016 for $29.98.

In season four, the highway adventures continue with Ponch and Jon as they continue to keep the busy freeway of California safe from crime. Whether making routine stops for speeding or nabbing criminals on the run, California Highway Patrol is on the case. Nothing can stop these fearless partners, as they hit the streets of Southern California, in the pursuit of justice and highway safety. CHiPs: The Complete Fourth Season provides endless entertainment and action throughout all 21 episodes and will leave you longing for the release of season five!

“We are excited to release CHiPs: The Complete Fourth Season for the first time ever on DVD,” said Rosemary Markson, WBHEG Senior Vice President, Television Marketing.  “We are thrilled to share the exciting fourth season of this hit show with fans of all ages.”

DVD Standard Features

·         5 DVD-9s
·         Language: English
·         Feature Subtitles: ESDH

21 One-Hour Episodes

1.       Go-Cart Terror
2.       Sick Leave
3.       To Your Health
4.       The Poachers
5.       The Great 5K Star Race and Boulder Wrap Party: Part 1
6.       The Great 5K Star Race and Boulder Wrap Party: Part 2
7.       Satan’s Angels
8.       Wheels of Justice
9.       Crash Course
10.   Forty Tons of Trouble
11.   11-99: Officer Needs Help
12.   Home Fires Burning
13.   Sharks
14.   Ponch’s Angels: Part 1
15.   Ponch’s Angels: Part 2
16.   Karate
17.   New Guy in Town
18.   The Hawk and the Hunter
19.   Vigilante
20.   Dead Man’s Riddle
21.   A Simple Operation

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video, digital distribution, interactive entertainment, technical operations and anti-piracy businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com.

"CHiPs: The Complete Fourth Season" - Coming to DVD March 15

"MODEL HUNGER" -- Scream Queen Debbie Rochon Debuts A New Trailer and Art for Directorial Debut

Debbie Rochon Serves Up Deadly Delicacies
In New Art and Trailer for Model Hunger
WildEye Releasing Plans Domestic Release for Summer
   
New York, NY - WildEye Releasing is honored to team up with legendary Scream Queen Debbie Rochon to feed audiences her directorial debut, Model Hunger.  After nearly 300 films, Rochon (Return to Nuke 'Em High, Phobia, The Theater Bizarre) steps behind the camera to skewer audiences with her blood-curling take on an actress' response to forced retirement.

B-movie legends Lynn Lowry (Shivers, The Crazies, Cat People) and Tiffany Shepis (Tales of Halloween, The Violent Kind, Sharknado 2) headline as two women on a deadly collision course.  Supported by Brian Fortune ("Game of Thrones"), Suzi Lorraine (Wrath of the Crows) and Carmine Capobianco (Galactic Gigolo), the feeding frenzy begins Summer 2016.

Former pinup model Ginny (Lowry) had been cast aside by the heartless and exploitative modeling industry.  Ginny didn't take rejection well and grew into a revenge-seeking, bloodthirsty, broken woman. When her new neighbors Debbie (Shepis) and Sal (Capobianco) move in, Debbie begins to notice strange things going on. Sal believes she is mentally unstable, but Debbie becomes determined to figure out what secret life Ginny is leading.

Her new nosy neighbor throws a damper on Ginny's private life: her cannibalistic addictions and ever-growing body count. Both women become determined to put an end to the other's obsession.



Model Hunger (Official Trailer)

Model Hunger will satisfy horror fans on DVD and Digital HD this summer.

 

"MODEL HUNGER" -- Scream Queen Debbie Rochon Debuts A New Trailer and Art for Directorial Debut

THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE -- Movie Review by Porfle

Bob Hope winds up his craven yet imminently self-satisfied persona once again for the sumptuous period comedy THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE (1944), a Technicolor splash of frolicsome fun that's as raucous and irreverent as a live-action cartoon.

After being introduced to the most lethal, ruthless pirate of them all--Victor McLaglen (THE QUIET MAN) as a Bluto-like Captain Hook--we find Bob as Sylvester the Great, a luckless stage performer on a ship from England to America. 

A fellow passenger is the lovely Princess Margaret (Virginia Mayo), traveling incognito to escape from the rigid routine of a royal for awhile.  Unfortunately, Hook and his bloodthirsty crew attack the ship, kill all the men, enslave all the women, and hold the princess for ransom.

Here, the film maintains the gallows humor of Hope's earlier YOU GOT ME COVERED (also directed by David Butler) but to an even greater degree, while also allowing co-star Walter Brennan to revel in one of his most grotesque characters ever (played, needless to say, "without 'em").  As Hook's nuttiest crewmember, a toothless, google-eyed old coot known as "Featherhead", Brennan is an absolute hoot and makes Popeye look like Gary Cooper.

Hope's character, of course, must rely on his dubious wits and even more dubious talents, disguising himself as an old gypsy woman to escape execution.  When Featherhead gives him Hook's secret treasure map and helps him and the princess escape in a dinghy if he promises to split the treasure with him, they make their way to a rough waterfront town where Sylvester gets a job performing in a tavern.

Not surprisingly, the princess is the main draw as his "supporting" act and we get to watch Virginia Mayo lip-synch "Kiss Me In The Moonlight".  Bob's own act is delightfully inept, incurring the wrath of the tavern's motley patrons.

Things are further complicated when the town's governor, La Roche (Walter Slezak), develops an interest in the princess and abducts her to his fortress-like mansion.  Bob summons his courage--what little there is--and attempts a rescue, encountering not only La Roche but his cohort in crime, Captain Hook, along with his men.  Hope's usual comedy antics ensue amidst a frenetic battle between sword-slinging factions when La Roche and Hook have a falling out that results in comic chaos.

McLaglen, as you might guess, is ideally cast as the monstrous pirate whose greed is exceeded only by his bloodlust.  Walter Slezak also excells as a more sophisticated monster, the corrupt governor La Roche, while the unspeakably gorgeous Virginia Mayo turns every scene she appears in into a visual feast.

The cast also includes (in some cases, fleetingly) Marc Lawrence, Tom Tyler, Francis Ford, Tom Kennedy, Mike Mazurki, Ray Teal, Mickey Shaughnessy, and a very familiar face who shall remain nameless here.  Blink and you'll miss none other than Rondo Hatton as the pirate in the window.

As usual, Hope is sharp as a tack at doing what he does best, playing the quick-witted, self-centered coward with an endless supply of comic panache.  THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE may not be on the top shelf of the comedy store, but for Bob Hope fans it's a real bargain. 

Read our review of the SAMUEL GOLDWYN COLLECTION VOL.2

THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE -- Movie Review by Porfle

Terrence Malick's New "KNIGHT OF CUPS" -- Making-Of Featurette "The Malick Process"

TERRENCE MALICK'S "KNIGHT OF CUPS"

Exclusive Engagements Begin March 4th

 

 

 

Terrence Malick's New "KNIGHT OF CUPS" -- Making-Of Featurette "The Malick Process"

THEY GOT ME COVERED -- Movie Review by Porfle

Bob Hope's cowardly, vain, wisecracking persona is given quite a workout in the snappy 1943 wartime comedy THEY GOT ME COVERED, which finds him as a not-too-successful newspaper reporter on the trail of Axis spies in the very heart of Washington, D.C.

Bob plays Robert Kittredge, who has been right on top of several big breaking stories and missed every one of them.  Given one last chance by his extremely exasperated boss Mr. Mason (Donald MacBride doing one of his great "nerve-wracked" routines) to come across with a big story, Bob stumbles right across one when a key informant named Vanescu (John Abbott) sells him information on a saboteur ring in the city right before they're attacked by enemy hitmen on Vanescu's trail.

Following the slimmest of clues, Bob and his beautiful gal-pal Christina (Dorothy Lamour), a reporter for the same paper, find their way into the secret haunts of the bad guys while dodging knives, bullets, and other dangers at every turn.

This sets us up for endless scenes of Bob either trying to fast-talk his way out of sticky situations or engaging in slapstick bits of business that border on the cartoonish.

Lenore Aubert plays another femme fatale not unlike her character in the later film ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN, and Hope's scenes with her are a nice contrast to his more lighthearted banter with lovely Lamour. 

The Axis powers are further represented by Otto Preminger as German spymaster Fauscheim, Edward Ciannelli as Baldanacco, and Phillip Ahn ("Kung Fu") as Nichimuro.

Other familiar faces that pop up here and there include Donald Meek, Arnold Stang, Gil Perkins, George Chandler, Anne O'Neal, Frank Sully, and Mary Treen.  (Hope crony Bing Crosby's voice can be heard coming out of a music box in one scene, prompting an appropriately withering crack from Bob.)

Being that this is wartime and all, there are a couple of surprisingly grim murders of characters that we've come to like, including the intrepid Vanescu and a cute blonde exotic dancer (Marion Martin) whom the bad guys set Kittredge up with in order to discredit him.  (Although after she belts out the awful Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer tune "Palsy Walsy", you might want to kill her yourself.) 

The combination of light comedy with darker, more noirish qualities is both disquieting and oddly compelling.

Otherwise the film is pure fluff, not all that dazzling but not at all hard to take, either.  The chemistry is nice between old pals Hope and Lamour, and Aubert as a sexy seductress is always welcome. 

Director David Butler (CALAMITY JANE, YOU'LL FIND OUT, BRIGHT EYES) stages a slapstick finale inside a swanky beauty salon that brings it all to a frenetic finish.

If you're a fan of Bob Hope, of course, chances are you'll love THEY GOT ME COVERED.  I'm always reminded that Hope is one of Woody Allen's main inspirations, and it's fun imagining Woody's classic dweeb character from such films as BANANAS or SLEEPER performing this role.  Still, Bob was one of a kind, and this is a fun vehicle for his distinctive comedy style.

Read our review of the SAMUEL GOLDWYN COLLECTION VOL.2

THEY GOT ME COVERED -- Movie Review by Porfle

"VETERAN," South Korean Crime Thriller Available on DVD and Blu-ray April 5

“Non-stop adrenaline.” -- Variety

KOREAN BOX OFFICE HIT
‘‘VETERAN”
DEBUTS ON DVD AND BLU-RAY APRIL 5, 2016

Featuring International Star Hwang Jung-min (“Ode to My Father”)

Los Angeles, CA – March 4, 2016 –South Korean box office sensation Veteran releases on DVD and Blu-ray on April 5, 2016. The film is a hard-hitting crime thriller with a comedic touch from award-winning director Ryoo Seung-wan (“The Unjust”). Veteran is the 6th highest grossing film of all time in Korea tallying $85M at the domestic box office. It made its North American debut as an official selection at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival last fall, and made over $1M in the U.S. box office.

Veteran follows Do-cheol – played by Hwang Jung-min (Ode to My Father) – as an irascible detective with a good heart as he seeks revenge and tries to take down the twisted but untouchable scion of a mega-corporation, Jo Tae-oh played by Ah In Yoo (Tough as Iron). In South Korea, Veteran has hugely resonated as a cathartic ride-along with a true-blue cop, personally delivering justice in a system where the rich and powerful always seem to have the upper hand.

Veteran is presented and distributed by CJ Entertainment, Asia’s leading studio and signature film division of major media and content company CJ E&M, and produced by Filmmakers R&K.

PRODUCT BASICS
Announce Date: 3/XX/16
Street Date: 4/5/16
Run Time: Feature: Approx. 123 minutes
Rating: NR
Genre: Action
DVD Price: $19.98 SRP
Blu-ray Price: $24.98 SRP
Language: Korean (5.1), English Dub
Subtitles: English
Presented in 16x9 widescreen format
DVD UPC: 851339004494
Blu-ray UPC: 851339004500

ABOUT CJ ENTERTAINMENT
Launched in 2005, CJ Entertainment America (CJ Ent.Am) is the U.S. arm of Asia’s premier entertainment company and Korea’s #1 filmmaker and distributor, CJ Entertainment & Media (CJ E&M). Since 1995, CJ E&M has provided original, award-winning content – across an array of genres, including drama, comedy, action, sci-fi/horror and special interest – for theatrical, television, DVD, digital download, interactive game publishing/portals and music. The cornerstone of the Korean entertainment industry – boasting the country’s largest and most significant library, with hundreds of films – CJ E&M is also a singular presence throughout Asia, Europe and in the United States and a key force in popularizing contemporary Korean and Pan-Asian cinema around the world. Top films include Snowpiercer, The Man From Nowhere; The Good, the Bad, the Weird; A Bittersweet Life; Joint Security Area; and the Vengeance trilogy, to name a few. Visit us online at: www.cj-entertainment.com.

"VETERAN," South Korean Crime Thriller Available on DVD and Blu-ray April 5

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY -- Movie Review by Porfle

With an incessantly nagging mother and a thanklessly boring job as proofreader for a company that publishes lurid pulp magazines (an occupation some might consider heavenly), it's no wonder that a constant series of outlandish fantasies make up THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (1947).

Danny Kaye's Mitty is an absent-minded milquetoast who tunes out his jabbering mom (Fay Bainter) and bad-tempered boss Mr. Pierce (Thurston Hall doing what he does best) by imagining himself as a courageous ship's captain, a heroic WWII flying ace, a brilliant surgeon, and even a leading fashion designer specializing in improbable hats for women.

Anything to distance himself from not only these two daily irritants but also from his mousey bride-to-be Gertrude Griswold (Ann Rutherford, GONE WITH THE WIND), her bovine mother (Florence Bates), and obnoxious "friend" Tubby Wadsworth (Gordon Jones, ISLAND IN THE SKY, MCLINTOCK!) who still fancies Gertrude for himself.  Any scene in which Walter must suffer these pushy boors with little or no protest is a study in slow-burn frustration that is relieved only when he finally tells them all to "SHUT UP!" (a major moment).

Before this breakthrough, however, Walter is going about his boring life when he inadvertently gets sucked into a situation brimming with intrigue and danger, thanks to a beautiful blonde named Rosalind van Hoorn (the ever-gorgeous Virginia Mayo) who's trying to keep a valuable notebook away from homicidal Nazi spies.

The idea of an everyman suddenly thrust unwillingly into the life of an "international man of action" and trying his best just to stay alive against a gang of ruthless, seasoned bad guys makes this seem almost like a comic variation of Hitchcock's later classic NORTH BY NORTHWEST (even the lovely Technicolor photography looks similar).  The presence of a mysterious blonde whose true intentions are unclear makes it even more so.

Here, however, we get the added benefit of enjoying Walter's vivid daydreams along with him, which give Kaye a chance to show off his remarkable versatility as a comic vocalist and performer.  He gets to sing two intricately zany songs in that trademark rapid-fire, tongue-twisting style which made his children's records so much fun to listen to when I was a wee lad.

The various alpha male characters he imagines himself as during these sequences are wonderfully arch and deadpan, a fun counterpoint to Walter's actual fumbling, jittery, bland demeanor.

The fun increases when real life becomes more exciting and scary than his wildest fantasies and he finds himself hanging out of windows high over city streets, dodging a knife-wielding killer (Henry Corden, THE BAND WAGON, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS), and dealing with none other than Boris Karloff as one of the evil spies.  In the meantime, Virginia Mayo is on hand to gorgeous things up every step of the way, making things even more watchable.

Director Norman Z. McLeod helmed two of the Marx Brothers' best Paramount comedies (MONKEY BUSINESS, HORSE FEATHERS) and is in fine form in this frothy adaptation of the James Thurber short story.  The cast is brimming with interesting supporting and bit players including Frank Reicher (KING KONG), Fritz Feld, "Three Stooges" regulars Vernon Dent, Christine McIntyre, Bess Flowers, and Dorothy Granger ("Punch Drunks"), and several more.

Danny Kaye looks so relatively normal and mild-mannered that it's always interesting to see him go off into one of his wacky musical numbers or well-practiced pratfalls.  The endearingly funny THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY is a fine showcase for his talents, which are just as bright and fresh today as they were when it was made.

Read our review of the SAMUEL GOLDWYN COLLECTION VOL.2

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY -- Movie Review by Porfle

"STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS" Blu-ray/DVD April Release -- New Trailer

"STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS" Blu-ray/DVD

Arriving early on Digital HD April 1, 2016
Bring it home on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD on April 5, 2016

Including new in-depth bonus offering fans the chance to experience more

BURBANK, Calif. (March 3, 2016)—Star Wars: The Force Awakens shattered box office records upon its debut to become the cinematic event of a generation with over $926 million domestic and $2 billion worldwide.

As announced this morning by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert A. Iger at The Walt Disney Company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders, the epic movie will be available to own early on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on April 1, and coming home on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD on April 5.

Discover the complete story behind the making of Star Wars: The Force Awakens with in-depth documentary and bonus material that will take fans on an exciting journey behind the scenes.  Secrets will be revealed through extensive footage, never-before-seen deleted scenes, and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers.

Bonus features include*:

⦁    Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey – For the first time, discover the complete story behind the making of The Force Awakens, revealed through in-depth footage and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers in this feature documentary.
⦁    The Story Awakens: The Table Read – Cast members familiar and new reflect on the memorable day they all first came together to read the movie’s script.
⦁    Building BB-8 – See how the filmmakers brought the newest droid to the screen, creating an instant fan favorite in the Star Wars universe.
⦁    Crafting Creatures – Watch movie magic as the filmmakers bring a cast of new creatures to life.
⦁    Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow Fight – Go deeper into the epic, climactic lightsaber battle between Rey and Kylo Ren.
⦁    John Williams: The Seventh Symphony – The legendary composer shares personal insights of his work on Star Wars and The Force Awakens.
⦁    ILM: The Visual Magic of The Force – An insider’s look into the remarkable digital artistry of the movie’s visual effects.
⦁    Force For Change – Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. See how the Star Wars: Force for Change initiative has united Star Wars fans all over the globe to help others.
⦁    Plus Deleted Scenes

* Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer

Star Wars: The Force Awakens saw the eagerly anticipated reteaming of original Star Wars stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill, along with Anthony Daniels, the only actor to have been in all seven Star Wars films, and Peter Mayhew. The returning cast was joined by newcomer Daisy Ridley, who beat out fierce competition to take the principal role of Rey; BAFTA Rising Star Award winner John Boyega (Attack the Block, Imperial Dreams) as reluctant stormtrooper Finn; Emmy® nominee Adam Driver (Lincoln, Girls) as the villainous Kylo Ren, and Golden Globe® winner Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis, The Bourne Legacy) as Resistance pilot Poe Dameron.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens was directed by J.J. Abrams and written by Lawrence Kasdan & J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt. Lucasfilm president and eight-time Academy Award® nominee Kathleen Kennedy and J.J. Abrams, along with his longtime producing partner Bryan Burk, are the film’s producers.
   
Having established a musical legacy with his iconic scores for the previous six films in the Star Wars Saga, acclaimed composer John Williams returned to score Star Wars: The Force Awakens, ultimately garnering his 50th Oscar® nomination for it.
   
DISC SPECIFICATIONS:
FEATURE RUN TIME:        Approximately 136 min.
RATING:                    PG-13 in U.S.; PG in CE; G in CF
ASPECT RATIO:            Blu-ray Feature Film =    2.40:1
                        DVD Feature Film = 2.40:1                   
AUDIO:                      Blu-ray = English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks
DVD = English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio Language Tracks
LANGUAGES:            English, French & Spanish
SUBTITLES:        English SDH, French & Spanish

SOCIAL MEDIA:       
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/StarWarsMovies
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWars
Website:  http://www.starwars.com/the-force-awakens/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/StarWarsMovies

ABOUT STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS:
Lucasfilm and visionary director J.J. Abrams join forces to take you back again to a galaxy far, far away as Star Wars returns to the big screen with Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The film stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max Von Sydow. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk are producing with Tommy Harper and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The screenplay is written by Lawrence Kasdan & J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt.

ABOUT LUCASFILM LTD.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.
Lucasfilm, the Lucasfilm logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM 2015 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

ABOUT DISNEY MOVIES ANYWHERE (DMA):
Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) is an engaging and family-friendly cloud-based digital movie service that makes it simple to buy your favorite Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars movies once and watch them anywhere.  With DMA you can explore Disney’s library of over 450 eligible digital movies, discover hours of new and exclusive short-form content, and watch your digital movies from the comfort of the living room or across multiple mobile devices.  Using the free DMA apps and website, you can connect your DMA account with participating providers including iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, Microsoft Movies and TV and Google Play and unlock access to your eligible movie collections across platforms and devices –  iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV/Airplay, Amazon’s Fire tablets, Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Microsoft Movies and TV service on Windows and Microsoft Xbox devices, Android mobile and tablet devices and Android TV, Chromecast and the Roku® platform.  In addition, you can redeem Digital Copy codes found in Disney, Pixar and Marvel Blu-rays and DVDs, as well as earn Disney Movie Rewards points with every digital purchase.  

ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS:
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"STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS" Blu-ray/DVD April Release -- New Trailer

"MAD MAX: FURY ROAD" -- Mark Mangini Wins Oscar #8 for Formosa Group

FORMOSA GROUP’S MARK MANGINI
BRINGS HOME ACADEMY AWARD FOR
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

HOLLYWOOD, CA – Formosa Group, one of the most respected post-production sound companies in the entertainment industry and home to sound artists with 7 Academy Awards, proudly adds statuette number 8 with Sound Artist Mark Mangini’s Oscar® win for Best Sound Editing for Mad Max: Fury Road. Formosa’s Mangini, along with David White, took home the honors at the annual star-studded ceremony held at the world famous Dolby Theater in Hollywood. Competition in the category included nominees The Revenant (also featuring Formosa Sound Artist Lon Bender), The Martian, Sicario, and Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

“On behalf of the entire Formosa Group family, we congratulate Mark on winning the Best Sound Editing Academy Award. He and the team did amazing work on Mad Max: Fury Road,” extolled Robert C. Rosenthal, CEO. “We are thrilled to have such talented individuals on the Formosa team.”

“In an industry accused of rampant ageism, George Miller assembled a team of seasoned masters who collected most of last night’s awards in the crafts, proving experience has no equal,” commented Mangini. “I am honored to be a part of this epic masterpiece, Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Mad Max: Fury Road was also honored on Saturday evening at the MPSE Golden Reel Awards in a tie with The Revenant for Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects & Foley in a Feature Film.  Formosa Group’s Mark Mangini and Scott Hecker (Mad Max) as well as Lon Bender (The Revenant) and their teams were winners along with The Revenant’s Randy Thom and Martin Hernandez.  Overall, Formosa Group took home five wins at the MPSE.

About Formosa Group
Formosa Group (www.formosagroup.com) is a full service post-production sound company comprised of award-winning industry talent.  With its Features, Broadcast, Music, Interactive and Villa (Commercials) divisions, Formosa Group offers sound supervision, design, editing, re-recording mixing and music editorial for filmmakers and content providers in film, broadcast and other platforms.  It is home to some of the most creative and well-respected sound artists in the entertainment industry today.

"MAD MAX: FURY ROAD" -- Mark Mangini Wins Oscar #8 for Formosa Group