update: new JUNGLE VIRGIN FORCE dvd

In reg. to my post here.

My friend Tommy in Japan informs me that the dvd carries the English dub, has Japanese subtitles... and that the picture quality sucks!

update: WONDER WOMEN dvd

I've just updated the info about EXTRAS in yesterday's post about WONDER WOMEN (scroll down). Fred Olen Ray posted info that was more detailed on his Facebook page. One of the new bits of info is that the dvd is going to contain footage from a never finished sequel from 1983 that was going to be called WARRIOR WOMEN. On the FB page someone also asked about the possible Code Red dvd to which Olen Ray replied, "I'm not really able to discuss that at this time. All I can say in, good conscience, is I warned them." I guess lawyers are at play now.

Battle of the Wonder Women

I bought Something Weird video's dvdr release of the Filipino/US film WONDER WOMEN (1973) and wrote about it in February 2011. Bruce Holecheck commented that Code Red were going to give the film a proper release on dvd and blu-ray.

I quite like the film and have been waiting impatiently for Bill Olsen to get his finger out his arse and release this cool Filipino film (along with the wild Filipino/US production RAW FORCE which Code Red also announced many, many moons ago!). Then about a month ago, Bill Olsen posted on his blog that Code Red were going to chuck everything else aside because they (i.e. he) were going to concentrate only on the WONDER WOMEN release! And the reason? Apparently another video label in the US, Fred Olen Ray's Retromedia, were also planning to release the film!

I've been trying to follow this confusing mess on Facebook and where ever else in Cyberspace there's been news about it, and it appears that both labels somehow have gained copyrights for the film! So as of right now, it seems we can expect a dvd release of WONDER WOMEN from both Retromedia and Code Red! The cover posted here is for the Retromedia release. I haven't seen a cover for the Code Red dvd yet. I must admit Retromedia's cover looks pretty fucken awesome! The extras sound great too:


"Commentary Track with director Robert V. O'Neil
On set Super 8mm Home Movies
Radio Spots, TV Spots, Theatrical Trailers
Missing Scenes from European Version
Video Interview with 2nd Unit Director Erik Cord
Scenes from the uncompleted sequel, WARRIOR WOMEN (1983)
Still Gallery from the original color Slides and BW negatives
Media Gallery and maybe a few more surprises"

The only Code Red extras that I'm aware of is the commentary track that was mentioned on their blog and which features director O'Neil with Nathaniel Thompson (it's a different track than the one for the Retromedia dvd).


Here are some screen grabs from the SWV dvdr:

WONDER WOMEN over at Lost Video Archive

Recently I wrote about the Filipino movie WONDER WOMEN (aka The Deadly and the Beautiful) and I'd just like to draw your attention to a recent review of the film by The Goodkind over on his blog Lost Video Archive. Check it out!

JUNGLE VIRGIN FORCE on dvd

A friend of mine in Japan has just bought this brand new dvd release of the wild Indonesian film JUNGLE VIRGIN FORCE (1983) aka Perawan Rimba (on vhs in Denmark as "Jungleritualer"). I don't know anything about the format, picture quality or dubbing but this is a great piece of news! I'll post more info as I get it.

EDIT: My friend Tommy in Japan informs me that the dvd carries the English dub, has Japanese subtitles... and that the picture quality sucks!

WHEELS OF FIRE - trailer

 

Dir: Cirio H. Santiago (Philippines, 1984).

NB: The Scandinavian VHS from Juno Media is heavily censored!!! The Japanese and Dutch video tapes are uncut.  EDIT: There is now a reg. 1 blu-ray.

AMERICAN NINJA - trailer

I see you're scratching your head! ^_^

You're confused now, aren't you? Hahaha.

Yes, AMERICAN NINJA on this our website which is dedicated to obscure Asian films!! How? Why? I mean... how??? The answer is quite simple really, altho the film is an American production, and has an American in the lead role, it was actually filmed in the Philippines and a lot of the actors that we know so well from Filipino films are in AMERICAN NINJA; Bert Spoor, Nick Nicholson, Jim Gaines, Henry Strzalkowski, Richard Norton, Eric Hahn, and more. So, yes, it fits the bill.

EBONY, IVORY AND JADE (full film + trailer)

dir: Cirio H. Santiago (Philippines)

Trailer:



NB: Not to be confused with another Filipino film called SAVAGE SISTERS (directed by EDDIE ROMERO) which IMDb also has listed under this title as a re-release title. Obviously, the IMDb have a hard time distinguishing between these strange "foreign" films!


Full film:

FIGHTING MAD - trailer

aka DEATH FORCE / DØDENS SVÆRD
directed by: Cirio H. Santiago (Philippines)

FILIPINO A BETTER TOMORROW (1992) - dir: Willy Milan, Philippines (full film)

UNFORTUNATELY THE FILM HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN FROM YOUTUBE DUE TO A CLAIM BY WHAT APPEARS TO BE A ONE-MAN "COMPANY" IN ITALY (!!!). FUCK 'EM!!! HOPEFULLY SOMEONE ELSE IS GONNA UPLOAD IT SOMEWHERE. 

WHY DOES THIS ONE-MAN LABEL EVEN ASK TO HAVE IT TAKEN DOWN. I BET THEY **DON'T** OWN THE COPYRIGHTS AND THEY ***DON'T*** INTEND TO RELEASE THE FILM!!! CUNTS! 

aka Dalawa Man Ang Buhay Mo, Pagsasabayin Ko (original title)

Today, Jesus Manuel mention to me that a Filipino remake of John Woo's awesome breakthru film, A BETTER TOMORROW, had been made back in 1992 and had been posted on YouTube. Needless to say, A BETTER TOMORROW is the film that kicked off a thousand movies in that genre a lot of us came to love as the "heroic bloodshed" genre.

I've just finished watching the movie and, wauw, just... wauw!!! It's not just a remake of the first film, it remakes BOTH #1 and 2 all in one! The film runs for 109 minutes and it's just as explosive and shoot-em-out'ish as the Hong Kong original versions! And altho the film is spoken in Tagalog there's enough English dialogue to follow the plot (which we know already anyway).

A lot of the well known scenes from the original films are copies frame by frame but there's also minor differences; Chow Yun Fat's character isn't the brother of the younger policeman but his dad, and there's quite a few scenes with the young policeman's mum and his girlfriend. And of course half way thru, Chow Yun Fat's character's brother arrives from the States (and does an over the top rendition of a Filipino having been brought up in the USA. OVER THE TOP I tell you!!! LMAO). The one thing that probably stands out as being different it's the fact that the Filipino version isn't as stylish as John Woo's masterpiece; it's a more crude film.

The well known music score from the original film is used all throughout this remake as well. Actually, the few times they used some different music I wish they hadn't as it's just bland rock music.

The version posted on YouTube is from a video tape but it looks great most of the way thru. There's some unfortunate drop-outs half way thru and towards the end but nothing serious, and this may very well be the only way to watch this film anyway. I downloaded the film with the Firefox downloader which gives you the option to DL in different formats and qualities. I downloaded it in the best possible quality and made a dvd-r of it (as I much dislike watching films on a computer, I'm old-skool I wanna watch my films on a TV set!!). The quality of the dvd-r is actually better than most HK VCD's so I can recommend downloading it (who knows when YouTube will remove these films again). Highly recommended!


Recognise this scene? Yes, the "Chow Yun Fat walks into restaurant and shoots everyone" scene. Just in this film the gunman is slightly older.

The full film:




PS: I should point out "Filipino A Better Tomorrow" is our own fan-title, not the film's real title. Duh!

EXTRAS: big Greek subs

Recently, I mentioned the upcoming dvd of THUNDER OF GIGANTIC SERPENT (aka Terror Serpent) from ATTACKAFANT ENTERTAINMENT and also mentioned that I was going to order a bootleg off eBay since the official dvd might still take a while to get released. I've finally received the dvd and as I expected the disc is a bootleg off a vhs and... yes, it's off a Greek video tape. LMAO. The picture quality looks like a second generation vhs dupe. I wish I could have got a dvd from that guy from Global in South Africa (as his dvd is probably off a real film print) but, oh well, at least I get to watch the film. I'm still looking forward to the official dvd, of course. It's bound to look better than this.

VINEGAR SYNDROME to issue director's cut of mysterious CIRIO H. SANTIAGO film!

The info I have on this is more insufficient than insufficient but... it's just been posted on AVManiacs film forum that the new video label VINEGAR SYNDROME will be releasing *a* CIRIO H. SANTIAGO film and the version they have is a long director's cut version.

No hint at which film it is. Could this be the unrated version of NAKED VENGEANCE???


This is the exact text from AVManiacs:

VINEGAR SYNDROME's Drive-In Collection!

Was wondering when Jack J would make the scene ;-)

Feast your eyes on this...

"We have a few [Cirio films], including an ultra, ultra long version of one of his less seen epics [. . .] we'll be issuing it in its original director's cut and under its original title!"

fighting femmes, fiends, and fanatics: SAVAGE (Philippines, 1973)

Video documentary by Steve Mayhem (2010) 11 minutes




Here's the second episode of Steve Mayhem's fun video documentary series FIGHTING FEMMES, FIENDS, AND FANATICS that covers a film from the Asian backyard; Cirio H. Santiago's Filipino film SAVAGE from 1973.

It was one of the films that SHOUT! FACTORY had announced they were going to release on dvd but eventually decided not to put out. Fortunately, it's out on a fullscreen vhs but a new dvd release presenting the film in its correct letterbox format direct from a 35mm print or the original negatives would have been awesome. Oh well, maybe some other time. Until that happens I urge you to check out Mr. Mayhem's cool video doc (and find one of the vhs releases of the film!).

PS: and thanks to Steve Mayhem for advertising my other blog at the end of his video, When the Vietnam War Raged... in the Philippines. Much appreciated!