Female Yakuza Tale - Inquisition and Torture (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Directed by seasoned veteran of Japanese exploitation cinema Teruo ISHII, FEMALE YAKUZA TALE - INQUISITION AND TORTURE is the unrelated sequel to SEX AND FURY (also available on amazon), again starring beautiful and very sexy Reiko IKE as tough as nails female gambler Ocho. Set in Kobe ca. 1920, the story with various fractions of yakuza, revenge and double - crossing is a bit too overconvoluted for its own good. To cut a long story short, let`s just say you can expects LOTS of nudity, sex, violence and sleaze. Some examples of what you can expect here: there are some nasty yakuza who force women to smuggle drugs in their private parts (!) As incentive the poor drug addicted gals get their fix injected in their naked breasts (!) In one particularly sleazy scene our heroine is engaged in a card game with mean yakuza mobster Big Tiger, who foolishly accuses her of cheating and insists that Ocho strips naked (!) to prove she did not hide cards. On the condition that he cuts off some of his fingers in time honoured yakuza-tradition, should he be proven wrong, she drops her clothes (in the process clandestinely disposing of an incriminating card). Now it's time of the unfortunate yakuza to cut off his fingers, but his girl comes to his rescue and asks Ocho for a favour "from woman to woman": Making an obscene gesture with her hand, she begs Ocho to spare Big Tiger's middle finger. It's up to the viewer's dirty imagination, why she asks his finger be spared...
The showdown, involving sword- and gunplay, explosions, blood geysirs and about two dozen naked girls (!) is particularly over the top. As if this was not enough there is some downright silly slapstick and funny dialogue ("trashy boss" being my favorite) thrown in for good measure.
When all is said and done, FEMALE YAKUZA TALE - INQUISITION AND TORTURE is surely a pleasureable and entertaining way to spend an evening. The film is well-shot with stunning cinematography. Reiko IKE is great. However, I found the film still a bit disappointing. The story is convoluted and over blown. Personally, I found SEX AND FURY a far better film. Sure, there is more sex and violence in INQUISITION (though there is not a shortage of it in SEX AND FURY either), but SEX AND FURY has a better story and is overall a far more rewarding viewing experience.
Technically the DVD is great. The film is presented in its original widescreen aspect ratio, colours are nice and the print is pristine. There are also several interesting extra features. First of all the excellent trailer. Then there are picture galleries of promotional art and stills from the film. There are also excellently written production notes and bio- and filmographies of director Terou ISHII and star Reiko IKE.


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Female Yakuza Tale - Inquisition And Torture is an anarchistic apex in the career of Japanese cult director, Teruo Ishii, whose fifty year resume includes Horror of Malformed Men and Blind Beast Vs. Killer Dwarf. Notoriously lacking restraint, sexy 'pinky violence' star, Reiko Ike, returns in this gonzo sequel to Sex & Fury following the further exploits of Ocho, a thief and gambler running afoul of evil yakuza in Meiji Era Tokyo. Aided by a lone wolf adventurer (Ryohei Uchida), Ocho investigates a ruthless gang of cutthroats who are using indentured prostitutes as drug mules to smuggle heroin from China. Director Ishii throws everything but the kitchen sink into this mind-altering sexploitation action saga, all culminating in a bloody mobster massacre replete with sultry swordswomen. Full of intoxicating mayhem and uproarious kabuki-striptease antics, Female Yakuza Tale - Inquisition & Torture is freak-out filmmaking at its finest! Panik House is proud to present Female Yakuza Tale uncut, uncensored and totally restored from the original vault elements. Available for the first time anywhere on DVD! FEMALE YAKUZA TALE DVD Features- Audio Commentary with Chris D., American Cinematheque film programmer and author of the book Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film.- Director & Star Bios for Teruo Ishii and Reiko Ike, written by Chris D.- Original Theatrical Trailer.- Poster and Still Galleries- Production Notes- Special Insert Sticker - Optional English Subtitles - Brand New 16x9 transfer with completely re-mastered video and audio - Special Packaging – stunning transparent amaray and the first 10,000 units debut in a clear O-Sleeve

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The Jewel in the Crown (1984) Review

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(More customer reviews)This DVD set is a real heartbreaker!
The Jewel in the Crown is absolutely one of historic the highlights of "quality" television. An absolutely arresting story. Wonderful script, wonderful acting, etc. I can't add anything on that count to the reviews already here.
That makes the TERRIBLE quality of the DVD transfer all the more disappointing. This set has literally the WORST video quality I have ever seen on a DVD! Murky, muddy picture with visible scratches and dirt on the film. The soundtrack is a little better. On my home theater setup it sounds like its coming over a half-decent clock radio. Seriously, the picture looks like they took an old VHS tape of the show and just ran it through a disc burner.
No, I don't expect blockbuster quality from an 30-year old BBC film, but I would have expected something more like the recent DVD set of Elizabeth R, which is quite watchable.
Sadly, this is almost surely the only DVD we'll ever see of this marvelous series. I'm going to rent the old tapes of this. They might easily be better. If not, I guess this is what we're all stuck with.

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Studio: A&e Home VideoRelease Date: 03/27/2001Run time: 750 minutesRating: Nr

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Galaxy Quest - DTS (1999) Review

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(More customer reviews)In December of 1999, director Dean Parisot unleashed what is arguably the funniest sci-fi/comedy film of all time, "Galaxy Quest", which focuses upon the dissatisfied lives of five actors who had starred in a long-cancelled sci-fi television series of the same name. Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen) played ship's captain Commander Peter Quincey Taggart. Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver, who is no stranger to sci-fi with her roles in the "Alien" films) played Lt. Madison. Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman, also known for his roles as Hans Gruber in the 1988 film "Die Hard" and Professor Snape in the two "Harry Potter" films) played Dr. Lazarus. Fred Kwan (Tony Shalhoub) played ship's engineer Tech Sgt. Chen and Tommy Webber (Daryl Mitchell) played ship's pilot Laredo. Following the cancellation of the TV series, none of the actors had found descent acting jobs. Instead, they were relegated to appearing occasionally as their former "Galaxy Quest" characters at fan conventions and infrequent commercials. Especially frustrated is Alexander Dane, a trained Shakespearean actor who cannot escape the stigma of having said those immortal words, "By Grabthar's hammer, by the suns of Warvan, you shall be avenged!"
The film begins at a "Galaxy Quest" convention where the quintet is preparing to appear. Unbeknownst to them, not all of the conventioneers dressed as aliens are pretending. A group of uniformed "aliens" approach Jason (dressed as Commander Taggart) saying that they are in dire need of his assistance. Jason quickly agrees and assumes that the group is planning to pay him to appear as Commander Taggart at a fan-function. Following a night of drinking at his home, the "aliens" arrive in a limousine (per Jason's request) to escort him to their function. The "aliens", calling themselves Thermians, are Mathesar (Enrico Colantoni), Teb (Jed Rees) and Laliari (Missi Pyle). While en route to their function, Teb recites the lengthy history of Thermia to Jason, but Jason (who has a hangover) falls asleep. (Jason doesn't take the Thermians seriously; instead believing that they are simply "Galaxy Quest" fans.) Jason awakens to what he believes is a very elaborate set mimicking the NSEA Protector from the "Galaxy Quest" show. Mathesar (who always refers to Jason as Commander Taggart) tells him that the Thermians want him to negotiate a peace treaty with General Sarris (Robin Sachs). Instead, "Commander Taggart" orders the Thermians to fire upon Sarris' ship. Assuming that he has completed his performance, Jason tells Mathesar that he is ready to return home. Mathesar escorts him to an empty room and leaves. Jason, not understanding what is happening, is suddenly enveloped within a strange substance and raised to the ship's exterior where he sees millions of stars in deep space. He is suddenly shot from the ship, then finds himself standing next to his swimming pool at home. Jason finally realizes that the Thermians are real extraterrestrials, and that they mistakenly regard the "Galaxy Quest" show (which they received in deep space) as being historical fact.
The other four "Galaxy Quest" actors are busy filming a commercial for the opening of an electronics store and are disgusted because Jason isn't there. Jason arrives late and tells them about his experience with the Thermians, but they think he has lost his mind. Jason tells them that the Thermians want him to return and that he wants them to come also. They initially reject it, but change their minds when they mistakenly believe that it's a paying job. Gwen, Alexander, Fred and Tommy are whisked away to the Thermian's NSEA Protector, along with another actor named Guy Fleegman (Sam Rockwell), who had played a bit part on the original "Galaxy Quest" show. With that, the most important role for each of the washed up "Galaxy Quest" actors begins!
Dean Parisot, along with writers David Howard and Robert Gordon, created a brilliant and engaging spoof of the show "Star Trek", its conventions and trekkies with "Galaxy Quest". Tim Allen equated with William Shatner (Kirk), Alan Rickman with Leonard Nimoy (Spock), Sigourney Weaver with Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), Tony Shalhoub with James Doohan (Scotty) and Daryl Mitchell with George Takei (Sulu). Other sci-fi comedy spoof that predate "Galaxy Quest" (such as "Ice Pirates", "Pluto Nash" and "Spaceballs") are no where near as good, engaging or funny.
All of the actors in "Galaxy Quest" performed their roles exceptionally well. Two actor who played significant minor roles were Patrick Breen, who played the Thermian named Quelleck, and Jeremy Howard, who played the young and very helpful "Galaxy Quest" fan named Kyle.
I highly recommend purchasing "Galaxy Quest" on DVD, which has superior picture and sound quality, and includes several deleted scenes, trailers, biographies, the feature "On Location in Space" and production notes. "Galaxy Quest" is a film that can be watched many times while never becoming tiresome. Sit back and remember those immortal words, "Never give up! Never surrender!" as you are whisked away into the fantastic world of "Galaxy Quest"!

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Dark Star (1974) Review

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(More customer reviews)A lot of people i know who are not aware that this film was originally released in 1975 fault it for being derivative, when, actually, if anything, the shoe is on the other foot.
Dan O'Bannon's special effects sequences are incredible, especially since the entire budget for the whole film wouldn't buy coffee for an effects house working on teevee commercials today; i am especially taken with the utterly convincing planet-buster bombs made from an HO-scale piggyback trailer turned upside down with engine parts from a 1/25th scale model car attached (if you look closely on a good copy you can still read the logo of the car manufacturer on the valve cover used as part of the bomb's drive mechanism).
So many great lines and sequences in this film -- Pinback and the beachball and the elevator may exceed the Maximum Allowable Funny Quotient for a minor film, and Doolittle's conversation with the bomb (capable of destroying an entire planet) that plans to detonate right alongside the ship, as he leads it into beginning philosophy and convinces it that maybe it *didn't* really hear the "go" code...
The theme song, "Benson Arizona", one of the more warped contry songs one will ever hear, is a hoot; the original is by Carpenter and a lyricist whose name i have lost, and SF fans have been adding verses to it for years.
Watch for the "THX-1138" gag -- for many years (if not still) the only time the *whole* title has been used in a film reference.
O'Bannon worked on special effects on the first "Star Wars" film, and basically borrowed his own "computer search of the blueprints" sequence from "Dark Star" for that film.
The basic design of the "Dark Star" itself is by Ron Cobb, background astronomical paintings by Jim Danforth, and the design of the crew's spacesuits is determined by the fact that they used a commercially-available toy spaceman for effects shots.
As an example of the sort of audience this film appeals to -- it was briefly released theatrrically in the latter Seventies; a frind here in Atlanta went to see a matinee, and realised that the only other people in the dark with him were Joey Ramone and his girlfriend.

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DARK STAR was originally intended to be a 68 minute film. JackHarris, the Hollywood producer, convinced the filmmakers to shoot 15minutes of extra footage and he released the expanded version theatricallyin 1975 through Bryanston Pictures. In 1983, DARK STAR was re- issued tohome video as a "Special Edition," created under the supervision andauthorization of the filmmakers. This special version, featuring a newtechnically superior video transfer, had been edited by the filmmakersthough, virtually removing all the extra footage. Now, once again for allDARK STAR purest, here is the full length theatrical release version,painstakingly restored, and sporting a new Dolby Digital Hi-Fi stereo soundtrack. Enjoy! In the mid twenty-first century, mankind has reached a pointin its technological advances to enable colonization of the far reaches ofthe universe. DARK STAR is a futuristic scout ship traveling far in advanceof colony ships. Armed with Exponential Thermosteller Bombs, it prowls theunstable planets. But there is one obstacle that its crew members did notcount on -- one of the ship's thinking and talking bombs is lodged in thebay, threatening to destroy the entire ship and crew! Bonus Features: Contains 2 Versions: Longer Theatrical & Original Shorter Version|Trailer| Scene Selection| Actor Bios| Remixed 5.1 Track. Specs: DVD5; Dolby Digital 5.1; 83 minutes; Color; 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - G;Year - 1974; SRP - $9.99.

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