Audition 1999

Widower Shigeharu (Ryo Ishibashi) is encouraged by his son to find love again. Along with a friend they hold a audition, to which the females think is for a movie, he picks out Asami but is she hiding a secret.

Three words can describe this film Holy F@#£ing Sh@t

This is the first time I have seen this movie and has literally put me off acupuncture. The film does start like a slow build up to finding the perfect partner in a sweet person then realise your dating Annie Wilkes.

Is this a girl that's been abused and sets out on a revenge type basis against men as she wasn't protected by her uncle or a full blown psycho that enjoys torturing and killing those around her.

There was some bits that seem to mess about with your thinking ie is it in Shigeharu's head that its happening and part of the grieving part of his late wife or is it real. This is worth a look. 10 out of 10

Midnight Ride (1990)

A Cannon production starring Michael Dudikoff and Mark Hamill in an action thriller road movie with slasher elements - yeah, I think you know what to expect here. This is long forgotten, going out of print on VHS way before the advent of DVD, never receiving a release on this format, let alone getting the Blu-ray treatment.

This is a shame because it’s actually pretty good fun, despite questionable cheesy moments (it is Cannon after all) and some iffy dialogue. HAMill is clearly having a blast as the film’s villain - a deranged hitchhiking serial killer, and proving there’s more to this terrific veteran character actor than Luke Skywalker and the best voiced animated Joker. Dudikoff, as a cop with an injured leg and marital problems, chasing after his wife who Hamill has kidnapped, shows he has more range than just American Ninja. He might have become a bigger mainstream star if he had been given the chance, instead of being just remembered as the likable B movie cult action hero with the traditional Hollywood star look. I like how the film looks due to the night setting and lighting techniques, it's never boring with a pace that zips along, it has some extremely well-executed action set-pieces, the slasher influence offers some nasty imagery, and there’s good humour here. All this makes for an entertaining time for a midnight movie watch. Even the legendary Robert Mitchum phones in a cameo for a paycheck as Hamill's doctor.

If you want to see it, there’s a good quality pan and scan VHS rip on YouTube, and it's also available on torrent sites on the Matroska format. Don’t feel bad about it, as it's very rare; it can’t be officially bought anywhere, and it will probably be very hard to find a second-hand videotape. If it weren't for file sharing, ultra-rare films like this would be lost.

*** out of *****

The war on everyone

Alexander Skarsgård & Michael Peña play a pair of corrupt cops who make money shaking down crooks. They end up crossing paths with an English lord who has set himself up as a local kingpin involved in pornography and drugs. Lord james Mangan, played by Theo James is a ruthless psychopath who refuses to back down and what follows is a series of increasingly escalated encounters.
As a complete film war on everyone doesn't quite work. It ends up feeling quite episodic and surprisingly flat for a film from John Michael McDonagh who did some great work with the guard and calvary. That said it's still worth a watch. Especially if you have Netflix as its on there. The two main characters genuinely don't seem to give a f***, which makes some of the situations they find themselves in quite funny. Theo James makes a memorable villain as does his henchman played by Caleb Landry Jones. Go in with expectations lowered and remembering your already paying for netflix regardless and you might have a good time.

10th victim

Adapted from Robert Sheckley's short story the 7th victim. 10th victim stars Ursula Andress as Caroline Meredith and Marcello Mastroianni as Marcello Polletti. Its the near future and war has been abolished. Instead people can legally murder each other, so long as its done through a reality game show where one person is assigned as Hunter, the other hunted and are then set loose. Marcello is ending his run as Hunter and being switched to victim, Caroline is switching from hunted to hunter and is given Marcello as her target. Marcello is in a bit of a bind as his ex-wife has taken all his money leaving him unable to finance his defence. He's convinced he's going to die but then he and Caroline begin to fall for each other.
Directed by Elio Petri, 10th victim is a genuinely memorable, funny and visually stunning science fiction picture. It's surprisingly manages to predict the obsession with pop culture ephemera such as comic books as well as the insidious creep of reality television as a natural progression of the growing popularity of television. Set partly in Rome, the Colosseum is a potent reminder of the popularity of blood sports with the masses. The whole film is drenched in pop art imagery up to and including the costumes and bloodless gun fights. Highly recommended

Investigation of a citizen above suspicion.

Gian Maria Volonte plays a tough, successful cop who has just secured promotion to the 'political division'. The film opens with him killing his lover, played by Florinda Bolkan. He calmly gets up, showers, tidies up and leaves after calling it in. He continues with his job while the investigation continues and even up to the point where he begins to crack and starts sending clues to the homicide division, no one believes he's responsible. Or, do they even care?
The film is a blistering attack on the corruption of power. The police claim to be acting as a police force in a democratic country yet they actively spy and mistrust their citizens. The political division has row after row of files on people of interest. They have people actively listening in on people because their politics are in question. Volonte himself as the nameless chief gives a speech about how the public need to be protected from themselves, Volonte appears to be channelling Mussolini. The Chief is so much a part of the system it becomes a prison for him. The killing is gradually explained over the course of the film in flashbacks and it appears he was triggered when his mistress, with whom he was in a dominant / submissive relationship cracks and attacks his manhood and the system he works for. Ultimately the murder seems to fracture him. Part of him is still the almost robotic, perpetually aggressive fascist, the other human side is agonised with guilt and wants to be caught. This is a marvellous, gripping film. A police procedural thriller that becomes a kafka-esque nightmare. Volonte is a marvellous actor and is at the top of his game. Another Elio Petrie film i'm happy to recommend.

Not to be confused with Ercoli's Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion (1970) . :lol:

Nice reviews K.

I have a few giallo stacked up to watch (including perfume), think i just lost interest a while ago too, same with the stack of slashers i have.

Currently watching The Secret In Their Eyes (remake), good if slow procedural.

The Warren Case (1934)

A slightly, okay extremely, disturbed war scarred crime reporter attempts to grab sensational headlines by framing his boss' daughter's fiance in the murder of an actress (prostitute - it is 1934 after all)

Based on a play by Arnold Ridley (Dad's Army, The Ghost Train) this is a lively but talky affair. Richard Bird gives an interesting performance as the screwed up reporter as he's clearly drunk all the time (bloody Merlot) but his overacting is fun to watch.

The film is a typical quickie or second feature from the time and zips along, it's 59 minute run time ensuring you don't have time to draw breath before the end credits roll.

Because I used this meme earlier to promote tonight’s gig, I thought I’d watch Shaun of the Dead for the first time this year, still as good now as when I saw it at the cinema in Poole back in 2004 when I was working down there 10/10

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Watched the 2016 Blair Witch last night. Oh dear that is 89 minutes i won't get back. Had to watch it as the original was the film that taught me to never believe the hype. Remember going to the cinema on opening weekend and waiting in line to see it, when everyone came out from the previous screening they were all looking so serious and staring at the ground and i thought 'holy shit, this could actually be the film to make me crap my pants, lol. After watching it and feeling disappointed at how bad it was (just my opinion, my brother loved it) when we all came out of the screening we were the same, looking all serious and looking at the ground while a line of excited punters were waiting to go in after us. Anyway, i digress, was not impressed with this sequel.

It's fan fiction which is a shame as Adam Wingard is a great director

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