I'm sure you're all familiar with this documentary film but I'm gonna post it here in its entirety anyway because 1) there might still be some schmuck (in Norway) who hasn't seen it, and 2) there's a new one on its way!
CONVERSATIONS WITH T.F. MOU is a documentary film made by Dvdmaniacs member Jules L. Carrozza.
Carozza is an avid fan of Asian films and it's a bit of a scoop that he got to make this docu; I mean MEN BEHIND THE SUN is such a notorious movie and has always been shrouded in mystery and also T.F. Mou's LOST SOULS caused controversy and was banned in Hong Kong. And even when it was finally re-released by Celestial (on VCD only) it disappeared again very quickly (thanks to the Linn Haynes (RIP) I got hold of what I believe was the last copy in the world! LOL. Later, of course, it's been released on DVD).
Anyway, here's the documentary film; It comes in three parts and it was uploaded to YouTube by Carrozza himself so it's not a dodgy bootleg. However, altho the docu is interesting Carrozza wasn't too happy with the finished result (I believe sound problems are the main issue) so he's actually in the process of making a NEW documentary on T.F. Mou! Check out the trailer after the three docu parts.
CONVERSATIONS WITH T.F. MOU
Directed by J.L. Carrozza
USA, 2008
NB: If your Internet connection is fast enough for HQ quality you'll have to click the HQ buttom yourself as I can't embed it in that quality for some reason.
If you'd like to read about director J.L. Carrozza go to his homepage here and if you wanna check out the Dvdmaniacs thread where he talks about the new documentary go here. There's also a long thread about the old movie but I don't have a link to it and I can't be arsed to find it now as it's late and I haven't had my dinner yet and all. Make a search on Dvdmaniacs if you wanna find it. :/
Unfortunately, I couldn't find a trailer for MEN BEHIND THE SUN but here's one for LOST SOULS, albeit it's a new trailer, not the original one.
I caught a small part of this several months ago. Very good line of questioning from Mr. Carrozza.
ReplyDeleteI would have liked to know how MEN BEHIND THE SUN was financed.
Shame about the audio.
If you are ever interviewing in LA, JL, please call me and I'll help you out with the shooting and sound.
Still, it's great that you subbed the audio, so nothing was lost.
TF is a fascinating guy.
In the new interview, he seems to be taking TF to task for his methods. Is that the focus of these second interviews?
It's worth touching on, but I'm personally uncomfortable seeing TF kind of attacked. Is that just me?
Thanks for posting the links, Jack, and thanks, Mr. Carrozza.
TF is a legend to me.
Thanks! Despite the bad sound I thought it deserved to be posted here! About the new documentary; I don't know anything about it that wasn't mentioned in the trailer or in the Dvdmaniacs thread. I'm not in touch with Carrozza. And also, if you'd like to offer him your help you might want to do it in the Maniacs thread because I don't think he reads my blog (yes shocking!). Also, you might wanna let him know that it's M.S. hiding behind the Phantom mask as he might not that, haha.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, MEN and LOST are the two only TF films I've seen but they're enough to make him a legend in MY book too.
Thanks for the link.
ReplyDeleteThis new version will be feature length and all that.
Mark, I'm not so much taking him to task for his methods as much as showing somewhat of the other side of the story, which is what I think a documentary needs to do (show both sides). The focus is political relevance here. I more asked him what his opinion on the dissenters was than anything else.
One of the main themes of my new documentary is to show how, like Jacopetti and Prosperi (the closest Western equivalent to him, I think), the deep and rich political subtext is overlooked by people who go to his films to see extreme gore and cheap thrills. And though his themes, of human madness and war's dehumanization, are very deep and culturally relevant, the graphic brutality is too much for most "average people". I sort of stressed the "duality" of his work because it fascinates me and to give this documentary a wider appeal.
Fair enough, JL.
ReplyDeleteYou make very good points.
I was only reacted to what was cut together, of course, and that's premature.
Can't wait to see the rest.
Jacopetti and Prosperi are a very interesting parallel.