Curse of the Aztec Mummy

                                                              1957
                                                Director: Rafael Portillo
 Starring: Ramon Gay, Rosa Arenas, Crox Alvarado (aka El Angel), Luis Acevis Castenada

                                                              * * 1/2


Aside from El Santo, there is probably no more iconic a character in Mexican pop cinema than the Aztec Mummy (named 'Popoca'). Though drawing part of it's influence from the Universal Mummy movies of the '40s, the Spanish variation offers more genuine atmosphere and a less romanticized version of the legend. Unlike Kharis from the U.S. version, Popaca was not given eternal life in the hopes of reanimating an Egytian Princess. Rather he is charged with protecting a breastplate that holds the secret to uncovering a long lost treasure. The more striking difference however lies in the Aztec Mummy's appearance. Unlike Universal's interpretation which usually portrays Kharis bandaged from head to toe, gimpy arm and feet dragging, Popoca is more mobile (though still a bit on the slow side) and dressed in ceremonial gear, making him appear more as an ancient zombified warrior. The face and head offer the mosr eyebrow raising difference. Rather than the expected wrinkled, subdued face with one bad eye and hair matted (glued) down, our Aztec avenger has wild hair and a skull-like visage. This was likely patterened after the actual Mummies of Guanaguato exibit (and later used in a lucha film series of the same name). The resulting appearance is imminantly more satisfying (to me, anyway).

Curse of the Aztec Mummy was the middle film in a trilogy, all released in 1957 (and likely shot back to back to back, by the looks of them). The crux of the story in all three entries was a running battle between opposing scientists, the good Dr. Almada who wishes to prove his theory of reincarnation (or something along that line) and the evil Dr. Krupp who is out to steal the treasure. In this respect, Popoca ultimately becomes the hero of the series as he is the only one who proves able to stop Krupp. Sadly, our too cool looking mummy appears for only roughly fifteen minutes during each of the three pics hour long running time. Each time, he basically shows up at the very end to foil Krupp's plans. It's a shame the filmmakers weren't creative enough to incorporate him into the episodic stories a little better. For this second film, we are "treated" to faux Lucha Libre, El Angel. Similar to Neutron (star of several entertaining faux Lucha films), El Angel is not a true wrestler, but merely an actor posing as one for this film. And it must be said that this is easily the worst and most worthless masked superhero (cough!) in the history of cinema. Despite his initial heroic entrance and apparent strength, time after time we see El Angel get thoroughly trounced by Krupp's cronies (they of the '40's American gangster variety). The sight of a masked hero continually getting beaten to a pulp by a few thugs is really disconcerting. But that's not the worst part, oh no! After being tied and lowered into a snake pit. our 'hero' (cough!!) radios for help from... Dr. Almada's young nephew! Yes, El Angel risks a young boy's well being so that he may be rescued. I kid you not. And then they're BOTH captured! Nice work, Angel... Then follows the most unthinkable indignity of all; once tied, our 'hero' (cough!!!) is unmasked! Of course, the gimmick is that he is revealed to be a family friend who was considered a coward and donned the mask to redeem himself. Me thinks it didn't work out so well. All that's left now is for Popoca to awaken and lay an Aztecian smackdown on Krupp and his stereotypical gangsters (causing one of his men to get a facefull of acid in the process).

Curse of the Aztec Mummy (like the other two in the series) will definately not appeal to everyone. It's low budget and ultimate lack of mummy action may prove offputting to some. But for couch potatoes looking for something different and amusing to watch (preferably sometime after midnight), it should do the trick.

Incidentally, the third film in the trilogy was Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy. This one featured Krupp creating a freaky 'bot (with a reanimated dead human inside!) to battle our semi-heroic  Popoka. That film was riffed by Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Crush

                                                             1972
                                                Director: Tu Kuang Chi
                     Starring: Jason Pai Piao, Ingrid Hu Yin-Yin, Chen Hung Lieh

                                                           * * * 1/2


Jason Pai Piao has had one of the longest and most ubiquitous careers of any in Hong Kong cinema. Originally signing with the Shaw Brothers in the late 60s, he quickly struck out on his own and starred in many independent martial arts films. By the mid 70s, his name and reputation grew large enough that he was able to return to the Shaws and be given larger, meatier roles that lasted well into the 80s and beyond. Of his early independent leading man vehicles, Crush is one of his best (and one of the toughest to track down, at least in it's original version and with an English translation).

In the film Pai plays Wong, a mysterious Chinese stranger wandering Korea during the Japanese occupation. Coming upon a Tae Kwan Do school that is being harassed (and then some) by a clan of decidely loathsome samurai (who have no qualm about unseathing their swords to kill the unarmed Koreans), he decides for no apparent reason other than being virtuous to defend the school. As a master of Tang Style Boxing, Wong proves to be up to the task.

If the plot sounds run of the mill, it's because it is. What makes this particular pic so successful and absorbing lies in the deft direction applied by Tu Kuang Chi. A veteran director of dramas and love stories whos credits date back to 1950, Crush would be Tu's last and his lone attempt at lensing a Basher. What Tu did here was devise a lean and mean 82 minute distilation of the traditional evil Japanese theme by amping up their badness to the tenth degree (honestly, samurai who almost casually cut down unarmed oponenets?!) and adds a feeling of exotica by having the entire pic take place in the snowy mountain area of Korea. This exotic locale (for back then) along with a pacing that just zips right along reveals an assured hand behind the camera. It's really a shame that Tu didn't direct more martial arts films as this one proves he was as sharp and perceptive in this genre as any of his peers.

Jason Pai Piao may at first not look like the traditional hero type, but he does have a commanding screen presence to go along with his strong screen fighting. Watching him in this and his other early bashers, I got the sense he was the real deal and could probably do most anything that was required of him. Ingrid Hu would again star with Pai in Blind Boxer (previous reviewed somewhere in this blog of mine). She has a way of portraying "quiet despair" that along with her beauty, made her one of the more mysterious Hong Kong starlets of the day. Chen Hung Lieh was one of the more reliable screen villians of this period. Beginning his career with the King Hu classic, Come Drink With Me, Chen has always proven to be a thoroughly hissable antagonist and more than fulfils that role here.

Crush is simply one of the best early Bashers that I have encountered so far. It's plot may be slight, but the memorable characters combined with Tu Kuang Chi's veteran direction and it's plentiful (and quite gory) action setpieces make this one a big time winner and highly recommended.

BTW, this film was also redubbed by the French who gave it a "What's Up Tiger Lily?" sendup and retitled it "Can Dialectics Break Bricks?". This version treats the proceedings as an itellectual comedy. It's worth seeking out under either moniker.

The Ninja Mission

                                                               1984
                                                   Director: Mats Helge
                        Starring: Krzysztof Kolberger, Hanna Pola, Bo F. Munthe

                                                              * * 1/2

Swedish Ninja; yep, it just rolls right off the tongue doesn't it? What's that, it doesn't? Yeah, guess not. For most in fact, the words Sweden and Ninja make about as much sense together as Swedish meatballs with chocolate syrup. Yet sure enough, that's exactly what we're dealing with here (Swedish Ninja that is, not the meatball thing). As much of an anomaly as it seems to be, it kind of makes sense considering that it was made in 1984 which represented the peak of Ninja mania, both here in the U.S. and apparently just about everywhere else too.

This tale of espionage centers on a brilliant Russian nuclear physicist who while attempting to defect to the West, finds himself kidnapped by the KGB along with his beautiful daughter (don't all brilliant scientists seems to have a beautiful young daughter in these types of films?). While in their captive, the Ruskies force him (by torturing her, of course) to finish his work on a top secret weapon that could ultimately swing things in favor of the hammer and sickles. In response to this a C.I.A. operative dispatches his ninja squad in the hopes of resuing the two captives... and retrieve the all important secret formula.

The Ninja Mission has built up something of a cult reputation since it's brief vhs release here during the mid eighties and it's easy to see why. Though it's political shenanigans felt tired and dated even back then, it is buoyed by it's unusual and plentiful action scenes (most of wich are relegated to it's first and last thirds, allowing the story to take over in the middle). In addition to using the expected ninja style and weapons (stealth, stars, etc.) these assassins were also inclined to use machine guns! This unusual (and welcomed) trait gives things a decidiedly estoteric feel. The martial artistry displayed here is O.K. but nothing special (this could be said for most non Asian martial arts movies back then), but the action scenes do have an ace in the hole and that is extreme gore. This is easily one of the goriest films of this type that I have seen. The limb seperations, decapitations (inluding a head severed at the jaw line!) and blood squibs are all of the ooey gooey variety which are more common in Italian horror films. Much of this gore is also shot in Peckinpah wannabe slo-mo, in case you needed more time to take it all in.

Overall, The Ninja Mission makes for fun, exploitive entertainment. It's production values are decent and the too familiar story does not bog the action down too badly. It's no masterpiece, but it will satisfy the ninja lover craving something a little different. And if nothing else, it's better than the majority of the ninja pics being made here in the States at the time.

The Master Strikes

                                                              1980
                                                Director: Kao Pao Shu
               Starring: Meng Yuen Man, Ching Siu Tung, Casanova Wong, Yen Shi Kwan

                                                              * * *


One of the better examples of the kung fu comedy genre, both in a good and bad way (mostly good).

An escort (Casanova Wong) loses his mind after losing a valuable jade horse. The owner (Yen Shi Kwan) is actually a master criminal posing as wealthy entrepreneur and through his maneuverings, caused the escort to relinquish all his belongings as payment. A pair of conmen (Meng Yeun Man and Ching Siu Tung) happen upon the crazed, gibbering ex-escort and decide that it may be within their best interests to help solve the mystery of the disappearing jade statue.

First the bad; the so called "comedy" in The Master Strikes is some of the most forced and most painfully unfunny I have ever had the displeasure of sitting through. It's bad enough when a joke or situation elicits eye rolling and/or blank stares (well, from me anyway), but it's even worse when it is accompanied by forced guffaws from the other characters. This happens a few times and it is pretty intolerable. Another minus for me is Casanova Wong's antics as the crazed escort. His mugging   needed to be severely toned down. Granted, he does it well, but, jeez!

Now the good; the story (something of a whodunit/murder mystery) is a strong one and the actors involved are all terrifics fighters AND thesps. The two leads (Meng Yuen Man and future Chinese Ghost Story director Ching Siu Tung who also doubled here as action/fight chreographer) are a likeable pair and play off each other well despite the badly wriiten comedy antics. The scene where they basically con an old hermit into teaching them his famed Heaven and Earth style of kung fu is great and shows that the film's humor can be clever when it wants to be. Casanova Wong (real name Ca Sa Fa) is one of the great Korean kickers and this film perhaps better than any other shows off his amazing fighting skill. His kicks here are amazingly fast, powerful and efficient. And despite my complaining in the previous paragraph about his way over the top mugging, at least he was brave enough to go the distance with the part. Yuen Shi Kwan solidifies his reputation (as he previously had in Fearless Hyenna) as one of the baddest assed bad guys in kung fu cinema. He doesn't necessarily look the part but when he fights, he has few peers. His villianous turn is given a tremendous amount of respect here as he proves in the finale to be too much not only for Meng and Ching's characters, but (gasp!) even Casanova can't lay a mit on him! His ultimate defeat at their combined hands (and feet) therefor is made all the more rewarding. This climatic battle incidentally is one of the best you will ever see from this period. In fact, all of the fights in the film are really eye popping By this point (1980), the styles (or Shapes) have been mostly done away with. In their place in this instance are some of the fastest and most frentic screen fighting this side of a Sammo Hung film.

The Master Strikes is all in all, a nice little action movie. If you can tolerate the (cough!) humor, you will find yourself rewarded with a fun plot, engaging characters and some truly breathtaking battles. Recommended.

Shaolin Tamo Buddhist Monk (aka Kung Fu Exorcist) (aka Killer Priest)

                                                                1976
                                                  Director: Lam Fook Dai
                                     Starring: Chen Sing, Chia Ling, Kao Fei

                                                                 * * *


The unofficial title for this movie is Shaolin Tamo Buddhist Monk. It has been labeled as alternately Monk, Shaolin Monk, Tamo Monk and Buddhist Monk. It is unknown which is the original or correct title, thus the conglomerate (and long winded) moniker it has since recieved. Killer Priest (also, Killah Priest) is it's U.S. video retitling. As for the Kung Fu Exorcist title, that was what it was called upon it's U.S. theatrical release. I personally hadn't known that until fairly recently and was searching for what I had thought was this "elusive kung fu/ horror combo" for many, many years, never realizing that I had already seen it long ago. With that discovery came a tremendous feeling of disappointment (I had built up Kung Fu Exorcist in my mind as a so-bad-it's-good cult flick). Certaintly there was nothing in Shaolin Tamo Buddhist Monk that justifies it's exploitive U.S. retitling. However the discovery did have one positive effect, it made me dig up my old vhs copy of this silly flick (which I had dismissed some fifteen years ago as mediocre) and caused me to revive my opinion of it.

The film centers on Bodhi Dharma, the fabled Indian (though some say Persian) monk who traveled to China, preaching the ways of Buddhism and being the one who introduced martial arts to Shaolin. What could have been a serious telling of the legend is instead reduced to the level of often ridiculous comic book-like shenanigans. While much of Bodhi Dharma's travels have taken on the status of legend since few of his exploits have actually been properly documented, this film goes the extra mile (and then some) with some supremely silly vignettes. There's an evil wizard who through intensive training, can burn opponenets to death with his blackened hand, the wizard's zombified desciples who are color coordinated (both in their outfits and painted skin tones), a particularly over the top use of accupunture and strangest of all, our hero's ability to communicate through his floating shoe! (though I did find out through research that this was somewhat based on an actual event as after Bodhi Dharma's death, a man had a vision of the monk "returning home" whilst holding his shoe for some cryptic reason).

No two ways about it, Shaolin Tamo Buddhist Monk is a really stupid, bad film. Yet I'm giving it three stars because it is also a really fun, stupid, bad film. For such disjointed ridiculousness, the cast certaintly gives it their all. Chen Sing puts forward the most majestic performance of his career as the mystical Bodhi Dharma. It is a perfectly underplayed performance and one that probably deserved a more serious film to go along with it, but nevermind. His lengthy knockdown, dragout supernatural final bout with the evil wizard is very cool stuff. It helps that the wizard is played by the ever present Kao Fei and watching these two fu vets duel was bigtime fun. The film however is stolen by Chia Ling (aka Judy Lee) who's fighting femme opposes Bodhi Dharma after her main squeeze walks out on her in order to follow the mystic monk on the road to enlightenment. She REALLY does not take well to it and her over the top tantrums are a joy to behold. Chia has certaintly evolved from the early, dead serious days of Queen Boxer.

Shaolin Tamo Buddhist Monk is certaintly something of a cult oddity. It may represent a missed oportunity to tell the classic Bodhi Darma tale in a serious manner but for the tradeoff, we have one of the more unusual headscratchers of 70s martial arts cinema. Still disappointed by the whole Kung Fu Exorcist thing though, but I'll get over it... eventually.

High and Low

                                                                1963
                                                Director: Akira Kurosawa
                      Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Kyoko Kagawa

                                                              * * * 1/2


I usually try to steer clear of "the classics" since for the most part, they have been covered ad nauseam elsewhere in cyberspace, but I've always been fascinated with Kurosawa's High and Low since it was such a departure for the legendary director. Following on the heals of his twin samurai classics Yojimbo and Sanjuro, Kurosawa seemed to want to try something completely different. Here he does a no frills film noir/detective thriller. No morality play to be found anywhere. The characters are as black and white as the film grain they are shot on. This lack of complexity at first can make the film appear relatively minor in the master director's cannon, but what it really shows is that Kurosawa was just as capable of doing a straight ahead thriller as anyone else in the business.

Toshiro Mifune portrays Kingo Gondo, a man who built his hugely successful shoe business from the ground up and is now attempting to rest it away from the greedy and incompetant stock brokers who are attempting to oust him. His plans of buying the major share of his company are thwarted when his housekeeper's young son is kidnapped for ransom (they meant to kidnap Gondo's boy, but goofed it). The police led by Chief detective Tokura (played by Tatsuya Nakadai) are brought in as Gondo werstles with the decision whether or not to pay the kidnappers, knowing that the money it would take would put him in ruin.

The japanese title for this film also translates as "Heaven and Hell" and this may be a more apt description for what is portrayed here. The first third of this film takes place in Gondo's luxurious house that sits above the city (Heaven). Most of the rest of the film (once the chase is on) takes place in the crowded, sweaty streets of tokyo (Hell). That Kurosawa devotes nearly an hour's worth of footage at the beginning to staying securely inside Gondo's house is amazing and again reveals what an assured director he was (especially at this stage in his career). When the story suddenly shifts location, it causes a jolt because the viewer had been lulled into feeling comfortable with the familiar house set (no matter the urgency and angst felt during the tense negotiation scenes). In an oh so subtle way, we are given a true feeling of both Heaven and Hell on Earth.

Both Mifune and Nakadai give terrifically subtle perfs, causing one to realize just how broadly they played their characters in previous Kurosawa films. Mifune is pensive and rarely raises his voice except when the tension becomes unbearable. We feel his conflict in not wanting to pay the kidnappers and sacrificing all he has, yet at the same time realizing he must pay (it would be unthinkably heartless for him not to). Nakadai's Takura is one of the great undersated portrayals I've ever seen. As the film progresses, it is made clear that along with getting the child back safely, it is very important to him that he retrieves as much of Gondo's money as possible simply because of Gondo's great and selfless sacrifice. Takura is determined to do right by him and the audience is made to feel comfortable by the detective's (and really, his entire force's) actions. In the dark and brooding world of Film Noir, to have that rare picture that dares to show an almost casual air of goodness in it's protagonists without losing any of it's tension or seediness (or believability, for that matter) is very refreshing.

It's debatable whether High and Low is one of Kurosawa's masterpieces, but it is certaintly as enjoyable a viewing as any he has done and that has to count for something.

Intikamci (The Avenger) (aka Turkish Road Warrior)

                                                                1986
                                                    Director: Cetin Inanc
                                Starring: Serdar, Eva Tachas, Hussein Existent

                                                                * * *


By 1986, actor Cuneyt Arkin went into semi retirement leaving director Cetin Inanc without his megastar ringer. For the first half of the decade, this pair were responsible for some of the most breathtakingly nutzoid no budget action pics ever to be seen by human orbs. So began Inanc's search for a new star. He quickly found one in muscle bound body builder, Sedar. Sedar had no prior acting ability (as was quite obvious), but he looked the part and in these films, that was all that was required. With his new "star" in place, Inanc forged ahead with another series of action packed nonsense, often remaking Hollywood productions. Their first collaboration was a remake of Rocky with a Rambo retread soon to follow. The one I chose to review Intikamci, is somewhat atypical as it serves as something of a melodramatic potboiler as much as it is an ction/revenge picture.

Serdar plays a drifter who returns to the town of his birth to find the murderer of his father. He discovers the killer to be a rich and powerful gangster who is running the town with an iron fist. Complications arise when Serdar falls for the gangster's defiant daughter (she runs with a biker gang). As word spreads of Serdar's intentions, all manner of assassins are dispatched to finish him.

At first I thought this was going to be an uncharacteristically dull picture as the early scenes tended to drag. But once things got rolling, I found myself fairly absorbed in the story and this served to heighten the sense of tension during the action scenes The action while over the top as always, has a slightly grittier feel that seems to harken back to the 70s style of Turkish filmmaking.

As the lead, Serdar is competant. He is a good screen fighter and does have a kind of stone faced charisma. Unfortunately (and perhaps unfairly) he will be compared to Cuneyt Arkin and  really there is no comparison. Arkin was a professional actor who's talents were actually well above this material. He breathed a near psychotic rage into each and every one of his performances. Serdar on the other hand... he's just sort of there. As cardboard cutout action heroes go, he'll do.

Overall, Intikamci adds up as another no budget Turkish delight and a good bet for fans of this extremely peculiar subgenre (of which I am certaintly one).

Incidentally, I have no idea where the Turkish Road Warrior monicle plays into this except maybe Sedar's vaugely Mad Max like outfit and his slightly souped up car possibly resembling Max's Interceptor (though that could be a stretch).