5 comments about Ichi the Killer (R-Rated Edition).

1. You get the point - violence, real gore & a lot of blood. It's a masterpiece about the total opposite of "normality"



2. Wild. Wild. WILD!!!!
   
   Takashi Miike influenced Tarantino and Rodriguez. See why.



3. Rate this triple GGG--G for gore.
   
   Of course, GGG is not a rating; just as XXX is not a rating.) With a XXX film you know what you are getting. You know what you will be fast-forwarding through and fast-forwarding to. Will that happen with this GGG film? Will you fast forward through this warring gang film with its blond, split-cheek, half-tongue pyschopath antagonist and its traumatized, weeping, killing-machine pyschopath protagonist just to get to the gore?
   
   And what hardcore gore: what face-off, split-down-the-middle, big-a** fishhook-boiling-oil torture gore.
   
   I grow (not prudish) but squeamish.



4. I don't understand the hype about this move with all these positive reviews. This is one senseless Japanese stuff which is not enjoyable in any way. The DVD transfer is poor or may be this is the best they could get. Not even worth a rental. I regret wasting my money on it.



5. "Ichi The Killer" is a movie that involves gang member Kakihara and his target Ichi, who is, yes, a killer, but also enjoys weekend sitting under a blanket in his bedroom playing his PlayStation. Go figure!
   Now, I will say that "Ichi The Killer" is one of the GORIEST movies that has come across my TV screen. I won't give away any of the details, but if you want them, personalize a request in the comment section below and I'll give you the what's-what, and believe me, there's a lotta WHAT in this movie! HOWEVER...
   "Ichi The Killer" is NOT a "horror" movie. It's a very ironic movie with odd humor, unexpected laughs, and even some dark drama as only the Japanese can do. A personal favorite comedic moment is when Kakihara's squad is walking down the street, but Kakihara stuck a board of wood to one dude's shoe, so it sticks out like a sore thumb! Ironic, indeed!
   So this movie is a cross between a gang-exploitation, drama, comedy and nonstop bloody, gory, violent action!
   I love that the movie doesn't have to take itself seriously to be a great movie. "Ichi The Killer" as bloody and violent as it is, can be a very fun movie and an interesting twist on your Friday night featurette.
   Basically, imagine the deranged, messed-up humor of the opening, train station scene in "Suicide Circle", set it to a gang members movie and there you go! Japanese gangsploitation done right! Enjoy, and don't be surprised if you find yourself laughing at least once! Thanks for the time, and peace.

5 comments about This is Kung Fu.

1. Like another DVD "Dragons of the Orient" this documentary subtitled in English was made in China. Besides styles like Monkey, Drunken, Mantiss, tiger, and Shaolen which are common in most Martial arts Documentaries, This DVD also shows Taichi(pushhands and sword), Pa-Kua(Eight Trigram Boxing), Hsing-Yi(Shape-mind Boxing). Also, Tibeten styles such as white crane are also shown. Next to the books of Robert W.Smith, this DVD is the best I've seen showcasing real chinese boxing



2. This is the Kung Fu documentary you've been searching for. It has it all. Watch it over and over again. It's mind boggling that this documentary was even allowed to be made, let alone seen by western eyes. It exposes the heart, soul, and spirit of
   traditional Chinese martial arts, seemingly covering the entire range of Kung Fu styles. Enough praise cannot be given. This documentary set the standard by which I will judge others from now on.



3. well, as much as i appreciate the effort shown on Jet's part to do a wholesome kung fu documentary, i really must protest the total lack of dinosaurs. What the heck? you really can't expect a decent, God-fearing American to sit through hours of this mindless drivel when there are no dnosaurs present... honestly... Good kung fu, totally worthless special effects, the one lizard that i happened to notice looked like it was an iguana just chilling on the set, i mean, did they even want it to look like a dinosaur? Sometimes i think they didn't... that's how bad it was.
   Trust me, if you are looking for kung fu action without the dinosaurs, you're wasting your time. If you're not retarded and want some Rex Kwon Do, you know that you should be looking for some real action.
   
   yes this review was a joke. I'm bored. I haven't actually seen the documentary, but i'd like to.



4. There are some interesting and unusual demonstrations of some of the more exotic Chinese styles. Monkey style, snake style, drunken style, eagle style. Some tai chi push hands. Lots of unusual weapons. Swords, whips, knives and some more exotic implements.
   
   But, these are mostly "modern" wushu performance art. There is very little traditional fighting styles presentations. We get to see lots of athletic demos by very young performers. Some of the forms seem to be more like Olympic gymnastics than martial arts. Traditional forms don't include things like backwards summersaults into full splits. We get to see a lot of those here. There are a few brief demonstrations by 80+ year old people.
   
   The subtitles are strange. Not well translated. Unusual spellings. For example Pakraq for Bagua circle walking forms.
   
   Yes, we do see Jet Li winning a medal at age 8. We also see him as a teenager looking like he was actually learning real martial arts.
   
   This can be an interesting movie as long as you set your expectations correctly.



5. The title says it all. 'This is Kung Fu' showcases many different martial arts routines from China. It's not a drama, there's no story as such, just a heck of a lot of kung fu. Which is great, because I'm a fan (and my teacher's in there doing a form, which is always fun).
   
   There's a lot of talk these days about what makes up traditional martial arts and whether or not a modern style qualifies as being real, authentic kung fu. But all styles change with time, and there are so many different styles demonstrated in this film, if you're a fan of kung fu and you don't see something you like, I'll eat my hat. There are the younger Wushu stars of the 1980s featured, and also old masters, so it's a pretty wide variety of martial arts and practitioners.
   
   Don't expect anything instructional, it's all for exhibition. But apart from the martial arts themselves, it also makes for a revealing and stimulating peek into the culture of wushu only a few decades ago.

2 comments about Mike Swain's Judo.

1. I have purchased this DVD and found it 25% useful. Why 25%? Well the rest of the DVD seem to have no sound (i.e. both the replaced and original order). I have notified Black Belt as well as Amazon of this problem and hopefully they will address this issue ASAP as it is frustrating and disappointing to say the least. However, from what I have previewed so far (with sound) is quite good and very useful for the budding judoka. I am crossing my fingers to preview a working version of this DVD (2nd replacement) and provide some positive feedback.
   Loven
   Australia



2. I enjoyed this video by an excellent technician and competitor -- Mike Swain. The filming and editing really makes it enjoyable to watch, and the explanations and demonstrations are clear and accurate. Anyone can learn new things from watching the techniques performed in this video.

5 comments about Shaolin Traitorous.

1. Shaolin Traitorous is a well made film with a very good cast. The main characters in the film are played by Carter Wong, Polly Shang Kwan, Chang Yi, and Sammo Hung. Their fight scenes are very well done, and their acting in this film is also very good. This is one of the better films that Polly Shang Kwan has starred in, and she stands out as one of the better actors and martial artists in the film. The film's cinematography is excellent, especially in the outdoor scenes, and this high quality widescreen version lets the viewer enjoy it.

   The plot consists of a young boy (Carter Wong) who sees his family killed by government officials (Chang Yi & Sammo Hung). The boy enters the Shaolin Temple to learn kungfu in order to get revenge, and when he is grown up, he sets out to do so. Polly Shang Kwan plays the adopted daughter of Chang Yi's character.

   The fight scenes were well choreographed, especially Carter Wong's and Polly Shang Kwan's, and well executed also. These two actors were very good in this film. Sammo Hung is very young in this film, and one of the highlights of the film is a weapons fight in the mountains in the middle of the film, between him and Carter Wong. The fight scenes, like the rest of the film, were filmed very well, using a mix of hand held camera and tripod shots, and also a mix of close ups and long shots, and nothing ever went out of the frame. The sets as well as the outdoor settings were very good, giving the film an excellent backdrop. The only things I didn not like about the film were the corny fighting formations of the villain's hechmen, and the overly dramatic deaths. I would say this is a generally well made film, and this is a high quality VHS version.




2. I though this flick really high-lighted the brilliant performance by the great Carter Wong,,,I though this flick was truly entertaining and a pleasure to watch. A fantastic addition for the collection.....the choreography and cinematography well placed, and nicely put together!!
   
   Oh yeah, I forgot to mention,,I noticed Sammo Hung's name as part of the cast (Staring0,,I did not see him anywhere in this movie, perhaps an over-sight on my part,,but I'm confident if he existed in the flick,I would have noticed him,,as he's one of my favourite old school performer. Needless to say, Sammo Hung not bein g the most transparent, did not take anything away from this old school kicker,,you will be entertained!!



3. Chang Yi and Sammo Hung star as 2 high ranking government officials who are killing everyone who tries to resist the new government. Because of this Chang Yi is given a higher ranking. Carter Wong's family is killed at the start of the movie by Chang Yi and he goes to learn at Shaolin Temple. When he is grown up he leaves to take revenge. He finds out that Chang Yi has a daughter who is also looking for revenge because she was adopted by him after he killed her family. Polly Shang Kuan plays the daughter and at age 15 her parents were killed. She decided to learn kung fu from the enemy so that she could kill him one day.
   
   My favorite part of the movie is when Polly Kuan explains why she is so mad at Carter for wanting to kill her adopted father. She feels she is the only one that should be able to kill him. This movie is very well directed, but unfortunately the kung fu is only average. It is not too bad for 1976, but the choreography just wasn't good enough for me. The graphic violence is the best part about the fights. Polly Kuan looks the best out of everyone and luckily the final fight doesn't disappoint. Chang Yi is one of the best villains in kung fu cinema history and is really good in his 5 minutes of action. The guy is pure evil.
   
   3/5
   
   The DVD from Xenon is surprisingly not bad. Picture quality is decent and the badly translated subtitles are easy to read. Best of all it is pefectly widescreened.



4. i have a xenon release of this, that is not in english(like the product details state), instead, it is hardsubbed, meaning that the subtitles are in the actual video. it has both chinese and horribly translated english at the same time. the worst part is that the subtitles are completely white, no outlining at all, so if the screen is white or even sort of light, you can't read them. 2 thumbs down!!!



5. This is one of those movies that gives off the vibe that it has just as many positives as negatives, but gets you to watch it again anyway and you cannot figure out why right away.
   
   As someone else mentions in their review, not only are their subtitles, but they are white and fade during certain scenes in the movie. Once more, they are poorly translated.
   
   However, the storyline of the movie just seems to be put together well and the carrying out of the storyline all the same.
   
   One particular aspect of the movie that jumped out to me was the theme music. Some of the characters have flashbacks during the movie and the music that plays during them just has such a presence about it. The same music plays during the death of the vast majority of characters.
   
   When they combine that music, with the flashback effect that is seen throughout the movie, and the focus on the bracelet of one particular character as she is falling to the ground and to her death(Don't want to spoil it for you) is just purely cinematic. I cannot find any other way to describe it.
   
   This is a movie that I recommend purchasing. In my case, the subtitles were so poorly done, I just figured enough to determine what was going on and now I watch it without paying any mind to the subtitles.

No comments about California.

5 comments about American Kickboxer 1.

1. I saw this movie twice, and the first time around it seemed like a good pick. Once I saw it a second time I was needless to say bored. What I'm saying is that it's not a movie for the martial artist. It has horrible acting, and could not be more 80's. I suggest that you skip this movie, and go onto seeing either fist of legend "jet li" or, kickoxer 2 "sasha ?" I hope that I was of some help. Thanks...



2. American Kickboxer is a great movie for sports enthusiasts particularly those into martial arts and boxing. While the soundtrack mostly sucks, the fight scenes jump off the screen. Villian, Brad Morris uses this movie as his vehicle to kick ass.



3. Brad Morris is triumphant in "American Kickboxer 1" as ring heavy
   Jacques Denard, a relentlessly self-promoting middleweight kickboxing champion. Described by a sports announcer in the movie as "the man the crowds love to hate," the colorful champ
   blocks the "boos" of scornful fans by plugging in his Walkman
   and dancing indifferently around the ring. He taunts his competitors by erupting into a rock-star kickboxer, who wears
   loud arena gear and distracts them with mercurial punches before
   overcoming them with direct hits. Denard doesn't break the rules
   to win his matches. He reinvents them.
   
   The role of Denard in this fight saga presents an actor with lots of opportunities to chew the scenery. But, Brad Morris shrewdly avoids any over-acting traps and brings Denard to life at a perfect pitch that never reduces the wily champ to a martial arts stereotype. The talented Morris, who developed his skills as a celebrated stage actor from Johannesburg, certainly portrays Denard's flamboyance, but he also allows the audience to see the volatility and insecurities that both handicap and fuel his ambitions. Morris' performance elevates "Boxer" far above Hollywood's usual arena angst dramas.
   
   Morris also contributed to the film as its assistant fight choreographer, but it is his range and intensity as an actor that make multiple viewings of the movie compelling and assure
   its frequent showings on television over a decade after its
   original theatrical release. Brad Morris is a must-watch actor, and "American Kickboxer 1" is a must-see movie for martial arts fans.



4. This is the first part of the movie of To The Death which got me baffled coz they didnt use the title name American Kickboxer 2. However, there is an American Kickboxer 2 but stars Dale 'apollo' Cook and has nothing to do with American Kickboxer 1 and the sequel To The Death. Anyway, I enjoyed this movie because it had Keith Vitali in it and he shows good skill although he doesnt have many fight scenes and loses a couple of times in this film. Rick Quinn the reigning champion has just won against Chad Hunter (Keith Vitali) but at his promoters after party he ends up in a drunken argument with Denard (Brad Morris) and both began having a bit of a push and shove contest with Denard but Rick reacts, killing a man who was trying to help break up the fight between the contenders and is sentenced to jail and suspended from fighting in any sort of martial arts competition. Rick starts training Chad for his upcoming bout with Denard but loses again and is put in hospital. Quinn fanatically trains to peak fitness and has no choice but to fight Denard after Denard publicly challenges him to this ultimate martial arts showdown. An action packed kickboxing film that takes a riveting look behind the scenes of the proffessional game.



5. Yes its true, American Kickboxer 1 is a pure American made kickboxing movie that actually has a better story than the action. Not that the story is anything that will win any awards, but it has some depth and development between character relationships.
   
   John Barret (To The Death, Shootfighter) plays B.J. Quinn, the middleweight kickboxing champion of the world who's unpredictable rage and temper put him in jail for 10 months for accidently killing a man at an after fight party, where his nemesis Jaques Denard, pushed B.J. to the limit. After his release, Quinn trains hard with another kickboxer, Chad Taylor played by Keith Vitali (Superfights, No Retreat No Surrender 3), hoping Taylor will defeat Denard. Denard beats Taylor, becoming the new middleweight kickboxing champion. Because Quinn can not compete professionlly due to his sentence, a $100,000 fight is set up for Quinn and Denard. But in the meantime, Quinn deals with strong emotions within himself and those around him.
   
   Despite the story to American Kickboxer, better acting could have made it more enjoyable. I have to say the actors are about ok in this film - many movies of this calibur have worse acting and some have better. The biggest dissapointment is the fighting. There are plenty of ring fights, mainly between the main characters, but they look fake and tiresome. You can even clearly see the camera jump a bit due to bad editing during the fight scenes. The last fight in the movie between Quinn and Denard lasts a good 9 minutes. The best part is when Denard throws Quinn over the ropes and out of the ring. As for the bad guy Denard, I have to give some credit that he does a pretty convincing job with his character.
   
   American Kickboxer is the opposite of what I expected in every way. The fighting is much worse than I assumed, yet the story is actually better. I'd say give this one a try if you are looking for a bad American kickboxing movie with a little more story to it. Its not the worst movie of its kind made though, thats for sure.

No comments about HDNet Fights: Reckless Abandon 2 DVD set.

1 comments about Self Defense For Women.

1. This video was recorded in PAL, not NTSC and is NOT compatible with US playback equipment. Buy ONLY if you have PAL playback capability (European).
   -dtm-

1 comments about The Way To Fight.

1. A teenage street-fighter, Kazuyoshi Tamai builds a reputation as the toughest guy in town. He crosses paths with a fellow street-fighter named Takeshi. They challenge each other, but because of a series of unforeseen circumstances, Tamai must withdraw from the bout. Years later they have each achieved a certain level of success -- Tamai as a boxer and Takeshi as a professional wrestler. The two finally get around to settling their old dispute.
   I am biased when it comes to Director, Takashi Miike. He has done like 80+ films in 15yrs! He has a raw and gritty style all his own, and will just direct film one after the other, no matter what it is. This film is awesome! I think everyone should become a fan of Miike, and view THIS FILM in particular.

4 comments about Chinese Hercules.

1. The fight scenes in this movie are totally amazing. The dubbing in the movie is horrible so if you are into movies like that such as godzilla, then this movie is for you.



2. Bolo Yeung, the only skilled fighter in this movie, is not the star of the film as the box would have you believe. The main character is an actor who shows no skill in martial arts. His character flips out in the beginning after killing someone and then runs away. The rest of the plot thereafter is nearly indecipherable. Bolo is the 'Darth Vader' of the movie. The big villain uses him to beat good guys to death. Bolo's Shotokan is excellent in the movie, but that is the works only redeaming value.



3. Well,This movie is about a young man who thinks that he killed his girlfriends brother. In doing so runs off and smashes his hand and swears to never again use his fists. He gets a job at
   a pier working for some bad men. The boss of the bad men sells
   out to the syndicate and in turn has to get rid of the workers
   at the pier any way he can. When his friends start ending up dead the young man must once again raise his fists.The star of the movie is Chan Wai Man who kung fu movie collectors know very well as a common movie villian - but, here he is the good guy. The movie is old and originally had a different title.When they repackaged and changed the title - they capitalized on the fame of Bolo Yeung who plays one of the villians in the movie. The Fighting is solid - I have seen far better and far worse. Their are some minor volume problems in the movie as well. I have given this movie three stars for the simple fact that I have seen hundreds of kung fu movies and martial arts movies and this rates slightly above average to me.



4. If you like kung fu movies, you'll probably get some mild enjoyment (keyword: mild) out of "Chinese Hercules." It's about a guy who kills his fiance's brother. Feeling awful about it, he runs off to start a new life and a new identity, vowing never to kill again. But, this being a kung fu movie, you can be damn sure there's gonna be some serious a$$ whuppin' by the time it's done. Bolo "Enter the Dragon" Yeung is heavily hyped on the box (and the movie's title, "Chinese Hercules," is actually one of his nicknames), but he actually only plays a small role as a henchman.
   The DVD I got is from Front Row Entertainment. The image is pan and scan, heavily cropped from the film's probable 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The image is extremely bad - very, very faded and scratchy. The sound is dubbed. While purists might complain, I sometimes get a kick out goofy dubbed dialogue. Unsurprisingly, there are no extras.