The Game of Death

                                                              1974
                                                 Director: Jun Gallardo
                      Starring: Ramon Zamora, Evangeline Pascual, Eddie Garcia
   
                                                     
Ramon Zamora (birth name San Jauz Rizal) started his career in the 1950s as a stage actor and stuntman, before eventually finding a niche as a  sketch comedian on T.V. in the 1969 comedy show, Super Laff-In (The Pillipino version of Laugh-In, like I needed to state that). When the show's network, ABS-CBN was closed in 1972 due to the declaration of martial law, he found a another life as a film actor. His breakthrough part was as the popular local comicbook character, Pedro Penduko in the 1973 fantasy film, Celso Ad Castillo. The success of this film made Zamora an instant movie star. After this, he went on to his greatest commercial success, that of the "Phillipino Bruce Lee". Hong Kong Kung Fu movies hit like gangbusters there and local audiences craved a homegrown counterpart. Zamora proved more than up to the challenge by starring in a long lasting series of Lee-alike films throughout the decade, often going as far as stealing the original titles. I personally have seen two of his Brucesploitation epics, 1977s Return of the Dragon (aka Revenge of the Dragon) and this one, 1974s The Game of Death which of the two, proved to be by far the more blatantly Lee inspired pic.

Though titled after Bruce's unfinished final film, The Game of Death is actually a scaled down Enter the Dragon clone. Zamora plays Charlie, an undercover agent for The Phillipino government. The opening scene features Charlie initially losing a match in order to increase the odds in his favor (ala John Saxon's character in Enter...). Afterwards, he and his decidedly goofy manager are invited to an Island tournament hosted by the mysterious Col. Von Stauffer (not completely sure about the name as the audio was slightly muffled). It seems Stauffer (who looks uncannily like Ed Parker on a bad hair day) has been kidnapping women and Charlie's mission is to infiltrate the tournament and get to the bottom of things. The film mostly follows Enter"s basic plot, except it focuses exclusively Zamora's Charlie (as opposed to sharing time with Saxon and Jim Kelly). The film shifts gears late however and becomes a carbon copy of "The Most Dangerous Game" (the Game of Death of the title). as Stauffer using a crossbow, hunts down Charlie, the women and several defecting tournament fighters whom Charlie has convinced to help in his cause.

The film is rather sluggishly paced and uninvolving in it's first act, but does eventually get in gear and the second half is pretty lively. Zamora proves to be a good martial artist with strong screen presence. His Lee imitation is quite good and trumps several of his Hong Kong counterparts. He is paired with the tall and beautiful former Miss Phillipines/Miss World. Evangeline Pascual who makes her feature film debut here. She shows some acting ability to go along with her real life Karate moves and is definitely a treat to watch in action.

Ultimately, The Game of Death is a decent Brucesploitation pic and a sure bet for Zamora fans.

                                                             ** / ****
                                        

Rocco, Ang Batang Bato (The Boy God) (aka Stone Boy)

1982

Director: J. Erastheo Navoa

Starring: Niño Muhlach, Jimi Melendez, Cecille Castillo

Here's a truly bizarre children's fantasy from the Phillipines that somehow manages to be equal measures charming and creepy (O.K. mostly creepy) while containing enough freaky imagery to send many an unsuspecting Western viewer's head spinning in disbelief.

The convoluted, yet linear story begins as baby Rocco (played by local child star, Nino Muhlach) is born the same night that his parents are viciously gunned down (exactly by whom is never made clear... to me, anyway). Fast forward eleven years and Rocco is being raised by his grandmother. She warns him not to display his newly found powers (which includes superhuman strength and the ability to crouch down like a ball and roll violently into things) and weakness (he loses his powers when exposed to water). Turns out easier said than done however because the evil scientist, Dr. Meagele has been conducting experiments on the locals, transforming them into either vampires or werewolves. After defending his home against one said lycanthrope, word spreads about Rocco, the Stone Boy. He is lured by a trio of witches who after weakening him by dousing him with water, tie him to a spit and prepare to dine on him like a Roast Pig (this is by far the most disturbing image in the movie). As the witches turn into wolfies, the heat from the fire that our hapless hero is basting on restores his strength. Fighting them off (as well as huge vampire bat that attempts to carry him off) Rocco seeks refuge in a cave. There he bumps into Vulcan, an elderly immortal who tells Rocco of his legacy; that he is himself, half immortal (on his father's side) and must travel to the land of the little people to free his parents souls which are in limbo. Allying himself with said little ones and receiving help from a suspiciously Darna-like woman warrior, Rocco is off to the rescue, battling a Cyclops and various other nasties in his quest to free his parents' souls.

The film takes a little while to really get rolling (much like our Boy-God himself) but once it does... ooh mama! It is hard to believe that this film was aimed at the kiddies, what with the gore and carnage on display, but it indeed was and that makes the proceedings all the more... let's say exotic for a lack of a harsher adjective. It lacks the extreme violence that is found in more adult Filipino fare like The Killing of Satan (which I previously reviewed), but there is plenty of eyebrow raising stuff going on for a family oriented fantasy.

Overall, Rocco, Ang Batang Bato with it's decidedly cool low budget effects and genuinely creepy visuals, shapes up as recommended viewing for fantasy fans with a penchant for the decidedly different. Just make sure you know what you're getting into before diving in.

                                                                 *** / ****

The Killing of Satan

                                                                1983
                                                   Director: Efrin Pinon
                          Starring: Ramon Revilla, Cecille Castillo, Charlie Davao

                                                        

Are you a horror fan? (sure, who isn't?) Feeling a little jaded? Feeling a little adventurous? Enjoy your horror with an extra large side dish of cheese? Want to see something completely different? Well then, this film (released in 1983) is just for you...

Welcome to the Phillipines and this heavily "Christian" flavored horror/fantasy/action film, The Killing of Satan. Here is a film that I can truly say is like no other. A bizarre concoction of action, horror gore, sleaze and above all else, a depiction of Satan and Hell that is only rivaled by Mexico's Santa Claus vs The Devil for sheer goofy spectacle.

The (surprisingly convoluted) story starts with Lando (yes, that's his name) returning home from prison to his wife and daughter on an island village only to find his uncle Miguel struck down by The Prince of Magic. Lando discovers that he has inherited his family's magical powers and is enlisted by Miguel to stop The P.O.M. Lando is at first hesitant, but when The P.O.M. sends his minions to lay waste to the village, injure his wife and kidnap his daughter in order to present her to Satan (yes, THE Satan), Lando springs into action and a series of pitched battles ensue.

I was a little put off at first with both the film's tone and pacing. For such an over the top adventure the film presents a gloomy, deadly serious first half that just sort of sits there. There's lots of suffering and crying early on and first time viewers may think it to be some screwy, over baked soap opera. But stay with it, because it's the second half (as Lando finally challenges first The Prince of Magic and then Satan) where things really pick up. Watching the low budget (O.K. no budget) duels between Lando and the evil ones (they can move things with thought and shoot lasers out of there hands) is a sight I won't soon forget. The wildly inappropriate English dubbing serves as icing on the cake.

I am not familiar with director Efrin Pinon, but he seems to have been quite a prolific director in his home country having worked from the late 70s up until the late 90s. If his other films are as much fun as this one, then I'll have to add him to my list of directors I need to check out.

Overall, The Killing of Satan (which amazingly, enjoyed a U.S. vhs release back in the 80s where it likely confounded unsuspecting rental customers) is a truly wobbly inducing experience and is recommended to those who are willing to just go for it.


                                                         *** / ****