Lewd Lizard (HK, 1979)

Here's another entry to the genre that I've labelled the "Dark and nasty Hong Kong horror movies of the 80s". They're not all actually from the 1980s but they all have that vipe, that tone of dark HK horror movies. Hell, they're not all even from Hong Kong! I definitely think THE DEVIL and WITCH WITH FLYING HEAD belong in that category and they're actually from Taiwan.

The film in this post, LEWD LIZARD, is a very rare nasty Hong Kong horror movie from 1979, and let me warn you right away; if you couldn't stomach KILLER SNAKES because of the cruelty to animals then... there's a good chance you're not gonna like this one one bit either! I watched LEWD LIZARD a long time ago via a VHS dupe I got from a tape-trader and I didn't wanna re-watch that old crummy tape cos it looks like it's a fourth or fifth generation dupe. So when I began preparing for this new blog I looked around for a better copy and found... practically nothing!! LEWD LIZARD has proven to be thee most difficult HK horror film to track down. There's NOTHING out there. No old video tapes, no old video-cd's, no laserdiscs, not anything! Anywhere! All I found was two bootleggers who were selling bootlegs of it and from their description it seems it's a copy off the same old crappy VHS that they've got (same description of tape roll at the beginning of the film).

Anyway, I ordered a copy and, uh, I'm afraid this DVD-R bootleg looks about the same as my old video dupe did! But at least it has (crummy!) cover art. LMAO. Anyhooo, I'll post a handful of screen grabs here and then write up a review when I've re-watched it properly again. Screw the bad picture quality, I wanna watch this! xD xD xD

NOTE: Needless to say, if ANY of you out there has an original VHS and could/would do me a DVD-R copy I'd be VERY happy!!!

Sunday's most mega ultra unreleased rarescope

Following my long Sunday tradition of posting clips from rare unreleased rarescope sword fighting films here's a clip from WRATH OF THE SWORD. Check it out it's pretty cool.

L'eroe di Babilonia (Italy/France, 1963)

aka The Beast of Babylon Against the Son of Hercules (USA) / Heroes of Babylon (UK) / Die Sklavinnen von Damaskus (Germany)


[German title lit. trans.: Slave Women of Damascus]

Directed by: Siro Marcellini
Cast:
Gordon Scott: Nippur
Geneviève Grad: Tamira
Andrea Scotti: Namar
Célia Cély: Agar
Moira Orfei: Ura
Mario Petri: Kyros
Piero Lulli: Balthazar
Andrea Aureli: Anarsi
Giuseppe Addobbati: Licardio
Paola Petrini
Harold Bradley: Mursuk


I know nothing about the Italian peplum film genre ... and I know quite a bit about it!! Huh???

Well, I've never really watched that many of the films (I think this is the third one I've watched in total!) but my old friend Henrik Larsen used to tell me lots about them and in the old days I would read all his reviews and articles about the genre in his magazine Obskuriøst. So I'm not gonna bother with a review of a film that belongs within a context I'm not familiar with. Instead I'll post a bucketful of screen grabs and let you decide if you think it's something you'd like to explore any further.

It's a bumpy road padded with big sweaty, half naked men and often grabbing each other. Apparently these films are favourite viewing in gay circles and you can certainly see why. However, you can't complain about the lack of gorgeous women in L'EROE DI BABILONIA as there were aplenty! But don't expect any nudity, this is from 1963 after all, but, hey, "less is more"! I don't know how well L'EROE DI BABILONIA holds up against the rest of the genre but I was well entertained.

As far as I remember Henrik once told me there are about 200 films within the peplum genre and it lasted from the mid-1950s thru to the early 60s. After that the audiences got bored with the whole thing and the Italian film makers discovered the westerns and invented the spaghetti western genre instead!


"Silence! I kill you!"















NB: The cast credits list is from German Wiki. Blame them if it's not correct!

Sort Sol - "Langebro"

Originally recorded by Gasolin' in 1971.

Jeg må indrømme, at jeg synes sgu fanderme det er fedt det her! Nummeret har en voldelighed, som Gasserne aldrig formåede at give det (nåja, de prøvede selvfølgelig heller ikke).

Category III: Sex, Blood and Politics in Hong Kong

"Category III : Sexe, sang et politique à Hong Kong"

- by Julien Seveon (2009)
335 pp, Published by Bazaar & Co

Man, I wish I'd followed my mum's advise when she said maybe I should take up French (this was 30 yrs ago when I was spending most of my awaken hours reading translated French graphic novels)!! If I'd paid more attention to her suggestion I would have been able to read what seems to be an awesome book on HK's Category III films but as it is I'm left with staring at a cover into a closed world (and a bump on my head from having kicked myself repeatedly!). It's available from Amazon France. Go here.

I found a page on a French HK film site, HKmania blog, which describes the contents in detail so I'll re-post it here translated into English but MIND YOU this is a Google translation and the text in the book is obviously not written in feeble babelfish French, hahaha. If you read French you can skip the Google text and read the original text at the bottom. The original page is here.


From HKmania blog:

After long years of waiting for the Holy Grail has finally arrived in our bookstores preferred. Category III - Sex, blood and politics in Hong Kong Julien Sévéon, most journalists mad, dissects the phenomenon in depth with impressive thoroughness and relevance rare. For the uneducated, class III is the classification from 1988 prohibiting certain films to minors under 18 years. If the original classification allowed to set limits in terms of political correctness, violence and sex on the screen during the 90s, turned into category III genre in itself.

The book of 336 pages (A4) proposed by the excellent editor bazaar & Co is simply beautiful and beautifully illustrated posters and photographs of the films concerned. In summary therefore, you will find:

Intro: What is the category III
Chapter 1: Censorship in Hong Kong
Chapter 2: China Syndrome
The fear of the return
These girls are from China
No Future: Billy Tang Hin-Sing
Chapter 3: Man Behind The Sun
Mou Tun-fei, the eternal rebel
Chapter 4: The world of ruthless exploitation
The exploitation cinema before the Class III
Operation, Category III style
The king of exploitation, Wong Jing
The madman, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang
The Chevalier, Louis Fan Siu-Wong
Otto Chan, touches everything
Clarence Fok Yiu-Leung, Mister B
Ivan Lai-Ming Ngai, no limit
Lam Nai-Choi, genius
Ben Ng Ngai-Cheung, the killer Athletic
Elvis Tsui Kam-Kong, the largest
Chapter 5: Fear over the city
Madmen are dropped
"Drawn from real events"
Triads
Andrew Lau Wai-Keung, diving in murky waters
Black magic
Herman Yau Lai-To the fly in the round
Simon Yam Tat-Wah, Playboy and the psychopath
Chapter 6: Chinese Kama Sutra
Erotic film
Sex suits
Hsu Chi, the star
Pauline Chan Bo-Lin
Charlie Cho Cha-Lei, perverse grandpa
Cammy Choi Mei Lan, inflated to block
Jessica Chung Chun, the Lolita
Ho Fan, the aesthetic
Vivian Hsu Yeuk-Suen, the naked song
Grace Lam Nga-Si, video star
Lily Lee Lee-Lee's short but good
Loletta Lee Lai-Chun, the actress who wanted too
Rena Murakami, the sex star who came from elsewhere
Sophie Ngan Chin-Man, the last of the last
Rena Otomo, the shooting star
Diana Pang Dan, mystical chest
Amy Yip Yuk-Hing, pretty woman
Yvonne Yung Hung, innocent and tortured
Chapter 7: Women and fatal victims
Confucius, women and exploitation cinema
Rape Revenge
Pornography, where Julie Lee
Lily Chung Suk-Wai, the martyr
Carrie Ng Kar Lai, the bad girl
Chingmy Yau Suk-Ching, the beautiful
Chapter 8: Engaged!
Homosexuality
Homosexuality, cinema and censorship, Yon Fan
Movies Social olicy
A life in a cage, Jacob Cheung Chi Leung
Youth at risk, Lawrence Ah Mon
Author, art and essays
Chapter 9: Post Mortem (?)
Chapter 10: Supplementary Filmography
Index
Bibliography

Is life not grand?


THE ORIGINAL TEXT IN FRENCH:


Après de longues années d’attente le Saint Graal débarque enfin dans nos librairies préférées. Catégorie III – Sexe, sang et politique à Hong Kong de Julien Sévéon, le plus mad des journalistes, décortique en profondeur le phénomène avec une minutie impressionnante et une pertinence rare. Pour les incultes, la catégorie III est la classification datant de 1988 interdisant certains films aux moins de 18 ans. Si à l’origine, la classification permettait de fixer des limites en termes de politiquement correct, violence et de sexe à l’écran, au cours des années 90 la catégorie III s’est transformée en genre à part entière.

L’ouvrage de 336 pages (format A4) proposé par l’excellent éditeur bazaar & Co est tout bonnement magnifique et joliment illustré d’affiches et de photographies des films concernés. Au sommaire vous retrouverez donc :

Intro : Qu’est-ce que la Catégory III
Chapitre 1 : La censure à Hong Kong
Chapitre 2 : Syndrome chinois
La peur du retour
Ces filles qui venaient de Chine
No Futur : Billy Tang Hin-Sing
Chapitre 3 : Man Behind the sun
Mou Tun-Fei, l’éternel rebel
Chapitre 4 : Le monde impitoyable de l’exploitation
Le cinéma d’exploitation avant la Catégorie III
Exploitation, Categorie III style
Le roi de l’exploitation, Wong Jing
Le fou, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang
Le chevalier, Louis Fan Siu-Wong
Otto Chan, le touche à tout
Clarence Fok Yiu-Leung, Mister B
Ivan Lai Ngai-Ming, no limit
Lam Nai-Choi, le genie
Ben Ng Ngai-Cheung, le tueur athlétique
Elvis Tsui Kam-Kong, le plus grand
Chapitre 5 : Peur sur la ville
Les fous sont lachés
« Tirés de faits réels »
Triades
Andrew Lau Wai-Keung, plongée en eaux troubles
Magie noire
Herman Yau Lai-To, l’empêcheur de tourner en rond
Simon Yam Tat-Wah, le play-boy et le psychopathe
Chapitre 6 : Kama Sutra chinois
Le cinéma érotique
Sexe en costumes
Hsu Chi, la star
Pauline Chan Bo-Lin
Charlie Cho Cha-Lei, pervers pépère
Cammy Choi Mei-Lan, gonflée à bloc
Jessica Chung Chun, la lolita
Ho Fan, l’esthète
Vivian Hsu Yeuk-Suen, du nu à la chanson
Grace Lam Nga-Si, vidéo star
Lily Lee Lee-Lee, court mais bon
Loletta Lee Lai-Chun, l’actrice qui en voulait trop
Rena Murakami, la sex star qui venait d’ailleurs
Sophie Ngan Chin-Man, la der des der
Rena Otomo, l’étoile filante
Diana Pang Dan, poitrine mystique
Amy Yip Yuk-Hing, pretty woman
Yvonne Yung Hung, innocente et torturée
Chapitre 7 : Femmes fatales et victimes
Confucius, les femmes et le cinéma d’exploitation
Rape Revenge
Pornographie, le cas Julie Lee
Lily Chung Suk-Wai, la martyre
Carrie Ng Kar-Lai, la bad girl
Chingmy Yau Suk-Ching, la belle
Chapitre 8 : Engagé !
Homosexualité
Homosexualité, cinéma et censure, Yon Fan
Films sociaux-olitiques
Une vie en cage, Jacob Cheung Chi-Leung
Jeunesse en danger, Lawrence Ah Mon
Auteur, art et essais
Chapitre 9 : Post Mortem ( ?)
Chapitre 10 : Filmographie complémentaire
Index
Bibliographie

Elle est pas belle la vie ?

What true metal was all about in the early days!

As the day has gone and the heat has come
Headbanger's war tonight
Screaming metal unleashed for the battle
Makes them feel alright
Sweat and beer, devilish cheer
Glaring flashlights
Chains and leather will live forever
The band begins its fight

We are right praying metal tonight
The message from hell and its spell
Even Satan wears leather, our souls to it forever
So let us pray our rules tonight
Chains and Leather
Chains and Leather
Chains and Leather and rivets
Chains and Leather
Chains and Leather
Chains and Leather forever

All hell breaks loose and you have to choose
If you stay or go
Heaps are banging, chains are glanging
From the first to the last row
Praying their rules, having their booze
Thunder and aggression
Stunning the crowd, devilish loud
Our possession

We are right praying metal tonight
The message from hell and its spell
Even Satan wears leather, our souls to it forever
So let us pray our rules tonight
Chains and Leather
Chains and Leather
Chains and Leather and rivets
Chains and Leather
Chains and Leather
Chains and Leather forever

Witch With Flying Head (Taiwan, 1982)

[Tai Seng VHS, USA]

[click scan for bigger size]

This must undoubtedly be one of the most rare Asian films and video tapes!

WITCH WITH FLYING HEAD isn't available ANYWHERE!!! There are no DVDs, no video-cd's, no laserdiscs, nothing but the faint memory of some very few long lost video releases. This is actually the only release that I'm aware of but a few years back I got some third hand hearsay info that there might have been a Vietnamese video release at some point. In any case, none of them had English subtitles I don't think and I'm not aware of any fan subbed versions.

And before you ask: No, I don't own this tape. I would sure love to! The scan comes courtesy of Jean-Claude Michel from Cinehound forum. And he doesn't own it either but was lucky to get a friend who owned it to make him a scan just before he himself sold it off again. Who knows where in the world this copy is now!? A while back I asked Pete Tombs of Mondo Macabro if this where a film they would consider for release and he said they'd love to but they couldn't find neither a print nor the copyright owners!!! O_O

So for now I'm certainly holding on to my dvd-r bootleg that looks like it was sourced from a 3'rd or 4'th generation video tape.

The film's entry on Hong Kong Movie Data Base.

HKFLIX is gone!

Unfortunately, it seems the cool video eStore HKFlix.com (located in Hawaii) has closed down! What a bummer!! This was one of the good places where you could find rare Asian films (not least because quite a few of their DVDs were from bootleg companies). Too bad, not to mention very odd! I logged in the other day and not a word of warning in regards to the closure.

They will certainly be missed. :(


EDIT: I've deleted "it seems" from the headline as it's now confirmed HKFlix has closed down.

Dark & nasty HK: Black Magic With Buddha

aka BLACK MAGIC WITH BUTCHERY
directed by Lo Lieh.

Two adventurers find a mummy in a grave in Thailand. They open the mummy's head and take out the brain. One of them, Ben, brings it with him back to Hong Kong in a little wooden box. Once back home in HK Ben wants to use the brain to gain wealth. The brain has some kinda power and by using black magic Ben can get it to help him reach his goal. But as in so many other 'black magic' films from HK the main character is truly a bad egg, and Westerners often find it hard to deal with a film that doesn't have a good looking hero who at the end would score some equally good looking chick!

Well, as I said Ben uses the brain to become rich but as so often when you sell your soul to evil forces there is a price to pay: When Ben has got his wealth he must return the brain to where he took it. And as it is also often the case, our 'hero' doesn't wanna fulfil his part of the deal. And so heaps of weirdo stuff take place due to the brain being pissed off with Ben: Ben's family find dead dogs and monkeys 'round the house. While Ben is driving his car blood suddenly gushes down the front window. The evil brain changes to a bigger size and hides in the fridge!

There is also some amazing wild and gory scenes containing quite a bit of the old gooey red stuff: Ben chucks up pieces of brain, the pieces collect themselves into a full brain and then tries to escape a good magician who tries to zap the brain with, like, a zapping spell! Ben is also attacked by the brain that then opens his head so that his own brain is spurting out everywhere and down his face like gooey porridge! And heaps of other wild stuff happen!




The flick is directed by Lo Lieh, who also acted in the BLACK MAGIC films, and also in HUMAN SKIN LANTERNS. The style of BLACK MAGIC WITH BUDDHA is smiilar to that of BLACK MAGIC 2 (and probably also BM 1 and HUMAM... but I haven't watched those, unfortunately!) and THE RAPE AFTER.

These are movies with black magic and gross-out stuff that you don't find in any Western films; there is an almost nasty feeling that follows you thru the whole movie! All these films are highly recommendable! They also steer away from the hopping vampire/ghost movies in that they are played straight. There is none of the otherwise well-known HK slapstick humour. The only funny scene in BMWH is entirely due to the version I watched wasn't shown in its letterboxed original format but had been changed to the tv format, which meant that in one scene you see a knee sitting at a table talking to a hand on the other side!

The subtitles were, well, lets just say they were a bit hard to read, with words missing at the beginning and at the end of lines, odd grammar and ehh unusual spelling. But on the other hand, this here is a Danish fanzine and who be am I to slag other pepples off for doingg inkorrect inglish! But anyway, when a film is as good as this who gives a fuck!

Version reviewed: Hong Kong release in Cantonese with Chinese and Englisjh subs.

First printed in #1 of my zine BANNED IN BRITAIN in 1994.





Brian at Cool Ass Cinema blog also just reviewed the film and the poster scan in this post is borrowed from his review (and he got it from Hong Kong Movie Data Base, LOL). The VHS cover scan is from Lars Jacobsson.

Peasants! Listen! To show your appreciation of my greatness you may start bring me virgins and buy me expensive gifts (don't try to kiss my hand tho!)

The other day I mentioned a blog in Italy that heralds me as a true Cyberspace hero (and rightfully so I might add) and it seems more people are beginning to see what a gift I am to the human race compare to most of you rakkerpak. Check out this new video from Australia! Awesome!!!






PS: alright, you can kiss my hand if you must!