Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (Jiu Long cheng zhai · Wei cheng) (2024)

Runtime: 125 minutes

Directed by: Soi Cheang

Starring: Raymond Lam, Louis Koo, Sammo Hung, Richie Jen, Chun-Him Lau

From: An absurd number of different companies

Featuring an adorable little girl… called FISHBALL

A movie set in Kowloon Walled City proved to be a fascinating experience. If it wasn’t for my last-minute journey to Kansas in August, I would have checked out Walled In theatrically. It’s been available to me on Prime since the start of the month but-shock of shocks-messageboard praise gave me the push to press “play.” If seen on Amazon Prime, the default language is unfortunately English BUT there is the option to switch to the original Cantonese.

As Kowloon Walled City has been extinct for a few decades, an explanation is needed. For a long span in the 20th century, it was an enclave in Hong Kong that was among the most densely-packed areas on Earth, containing over 30,000 residents (many refugees) in a mass of different buildings never in harmony w/ each other, presenting the appearance of a different world once you enter. It was a lawless area full of illegal activities, from drugs and dog meat to unlicensed doctors and as shown in the film, bootleg porn! Needless to say, the Triads were in control of KWC.

In the 80’s it was announced that the City would be razed as Hong Kong was ceded by the British to China in 1997; demolition would start in ’93. That last detail is a plot point in the film, set during the 80’s. The protagonist is Lok, a refugee who because of circumstances ends up in KWC, where he befriends a variety of people. After a first 20 minutes of action, time is spent w/ the drama… but it was compelling to me. The action itself featured more than a few preposterous moments and one unbelievable character in general; again, that was OK as it gave the audience several incredible badass moments.

From hearsay, I understand the film built a reasonable facsimile of the Kowloon Walled City; the distinctive area provided plenty of favor, what with its cornucopia of different services. Speaking of cornucopia, that was the amount of production company logos that are seen before the film; it was about as many as seen before Late Night with the Devil! Regardless, those that like Hong Kong action of the 80’s and 90’s stand a good chance of enjoying this picture, not just because of the inclusion of such veterans as Sammo Hung.

 

White Christmas

White Christmas (1954)

Runtime: 120 minutes

Directed by: Michael Curtiz

Starring: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen, Dean Jagger

From: Paramount

A film my late Mom was a fan of. I now have over 4,000 (!) followers (on Letterboxd), many deciding to follow in recent months; henceforth, I’ll reiterate for the first time in awhile that she fell sick January of 2020 and passed away late July that year, NOT due to COVID. That event occurring over 4 years ago still doesn’t seem right. She liked White Christmas well enough that she had it on VHS way back when; eventually, an upgrade to Blu was made. While not in my wheelhouse, I still saw the movie ages ago. As many on Letterboxd have reviewed it-and highly-and more musicals should be tackled by me anyhow…

The memories of this were faint; even then, the lack of Christmas iconography (for the most part) was recalled. This is true, although it’s the themes of the film which are fitting for the holiday season. Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye meet in the Army during World War II and after the war they become a boffo singing duo who presented stage shows. Via circumstances, they both find love w/ a sister singing duo and venture to Vermont, where they assist their former General, who is in need. It was more than just giving work to those in the stage show who otherwise wouldn’t receive a paycheck during a hiatus.

It's simply a charming motion picture, which looks resplendent in VistaVision and Technicolor. What a quartet that Crosby, Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen made as the leads. Whether it was acting, singing, dancing, or just being entertaining, the film became engrossing rather than piffle full of schmaltz. Michael Curtiz as the director, lovely sets and Irving Berlin showtunes that even I can like were additional assets. Dean Jagger as the General was swell due to his character arc. There is humor throughout but Mary Wickes as the nosy Emma was the character that amused me the most. Yes, part of one song mentions the good old days of MINSTREL SHOWS which gave me great concernment; on the other hand, unlike Holiday Inn (or so I’ve heard) there’s no blackface. In any event, the song-and-dance numbers were also impressive due to the dance aspects.

I was even able to accept one heck of a plot contrivance. White Christmas (more than just an all-timer song) is a nice movie where you’ll probably have a smile on your face as you see people in need receive assistance far above & beyond because it was the right thing to do and they had respect for an old superior they hadn’t interacted w/ in years. That is a nice theme for the holidays, especially for those who are disadvantaged, at least at the time. Whether or not you think there’s homoeroticism between the two leading men-they seem awfully hung up about the other finding a woman to marry-I will think that Mom would have approved of what I experienced last night.

 

Double Team

Double Team (1997)

Runtime: 93 minutes

Directed by: Tsui Hark

Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dennis Rodman, Mickey Rourke, Paul Freeman, Natacha Lindinger

From: Columbia

It felt like the time to have a silly Friday night, and this certainly was silly. It’s also been awhile since experiencing any Van Damme. As this will be leaving Prime at the end of the year, no better time to see the first Tsui Hark film in English. As others have noted before, JCVD deserves credit for working w/ the likes of Hark, Woo, and Ringo Lam, not to mention some interesting American directors. I don’t know if anyone deserves credit for casting Dennis Rodman in a movie but at least he wasn’t terrible.

The film… what a gigantic mess. The original script was called The Colony; by the time filming completed, Double Team was quite different. To be frank, the Colony elements that were shown in the film were my least-favorite aspect, or at least the least-entertaining. Van Damme plays a “counter-terror agent” who goes after terrorist Mickey Rourke. It goes awry, Jean-Claude ends up in the Colony (long story that’s honestly not worth elaborating on; those that have seen the 60’s show The Prisoner will find it awfully familiar) before escaping and looking for revenge, w/ the aid of arms dealer Rodman.

The plot borders on incoherent at times; in general, it’s the wacky, inexplicable moments that kept me invested. Rodman’s scenes revolve around references to basketball, even though his character Yaz has nothing to do w/ the sport. The scenes set at the Belgian amusement park at least were different. Some moments were hysterical rather than the “inspiring” the filmmakers presumed said moments to be. It was noticeable that Coca-Cola engaged in product placement.

If there’s any Rodman fans reading this, don’t expect to see much of him until the back half of the picture. All I’ll say about him as a person is that he’s rather, well, “complicated”. His hair and outfit game at least were on-point. Both changed frequently. The action setpieces tended to be fun, at times as wacky as you’d want from a Hong Kong director. They were also credible, featuring the contributions of both Sammo Hung & Remy Julienne. The scene “heavily inspired” by Hard Boiled, on the other hand… talk about writing a check your body can’t cash.

As stated several times in 2024, the practical effects are appreciated in this modern time; they looked stellar compared to the dreadful late 90’s CG. That doesn’t excuse how absurd the finale here was, admittedly… to its credit, they filmed in several European locations, which offered some local flavor. The interesting musical score added a flavor of its own. As flawed as this movie is, at least Double Team and its many idiosyncratic moments I haven’t spoiled is preferable to too many modern Hollywood genre examples. Plus, the movie broke even more glass than Another 48 Hrs., which is quite the triumph.

In the future I’ll review Knock Off, another Van Damme-Hark collaboration said to be even more off-the-wall.

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

Yep, the 1977 Jim Henson classic I hadn't tackled until last night... what a mistake on my part.

It’s a shame that I had never viewed this until last night. Truthfully, it wasn’t until becoming an adult that I even had any knowledge of this Jim Henson work. It debuting on Canada’s CBC before playing on HBO in the late 70’s probably played a part of that. Regardless, it’s a melancholy yet charming tale where the titular Emmet lives with his ma and while they’re quite poor (pa passed away in the past), they still have good friends and have their happy moments. Emmet and his buddies decide to participate in the town’s Christmas Eve talent contest for the $50 cash prize.

It may be the holiday spirit or perhaps it’s just that good, but Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas was quite heartwarming. It’s just a nice story-based on a book-where it’s easy to root for the titular character, his mother and his buddies, while the lawbreaker Riverbottom Gang are easy to hiss at. And it ends in great fashion. The puppetry was still impressive over 45 years later; no clue how they pulled off some moments, although it’s probably best to be unaware & instead find those moments magical. The sets-whether rural or the small hamlet of Frogtown Hollow-were quite impressive as well.

For a musical where several songs by different acts in different genres were performed at the talent show, thank heavens then that the music came from Paul Williams. All augmented the plot and were just nice catchy tunes to hear. While there’s regret I never experienced this until last night, at least this was a joyous Jim Henson experience.

Speaking of Henson, it is disappointing (although not surprising) that eventually Muppet*Vision 3D will be gone from Walt Disney World. As intriguing as a Muppet coaster will be, a late project from Henson going away is disappointing… although not as disappointing as the former Muppet History Twitter account. It’s an account I never followed-or even looked at-and the content’s been criticized but still a rotten scenario that the guy behind it is a sex pest and displeasing person who harasses women despite being a married man.

A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy

A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982)

Runtime: 88 minutes

Directed by: Woody Allen

Starring: Allen, Mia Farrow, Tony Roberts, Julie Hagerty, Mel Ferrer, Mary Steenburgen

From: Orion

It was not only time to clear a movie from the DVR, but to view a film that was mentioned in a discussion between me and a mutual in the comments of my review for Bergman's Smiles of a Summer Night, a rare comedy from the legendary director. This film is Allen's “tribute” to Smiles; as many likely know, he is a gigantic fan of Bergman. Like I always feel obliged to when talking about Ol' Woody, I am separating the art from the artist and my reviews of his work is NOT an endorsement of him as a human being.

As in Summer, a variety of different characters spend time in a country house. This time, Allen's a nebbish inventor, Mary Steenbergen is his frustrated wife, Tony Roberts is a horny doctor, Julie Hagerty is the doctor's love, Mel Ferrer is a prideful philosopher and Mia Farrow is the philosopher's much-younger paramour. It's a nice ensemble cast where Woody stepping away from a lead role resulting in everyone having a chance to shine—while Bergman's version of the general idea is better, this was still a humorous (rather than uproarious) picture with characters wanting to engage in affairs w/ each other.

The early 20th century setting was mostly irrelevant, aside from creating an excuse for a scenic rustic rural New York State location for most of the movie. It also allowed for a score mostly devoted to composer Felix Mendelssohn, who wrote a piece called A Midsummer Night's Dream and also was the backbone to the score from the 30's version of Shakespeare's play.

This isn't my favorite Allen either; be that as it may, I was amused by this ensemble piece which featured drama, romance, chuckles, a few dark moments and even some magic. Woody using a flying bicycle wasn't even the wackiest moment. As the movie was shot by Gordon Willis, it at least looked swell.

The Treasure of Abbot Thomas

The Treasure of Abbot Thomas (1974)

Runtime: 37 minutes

Directed by: Lawrence Gordon Clark

Starring: Paul Lavers, Michael Bryant, Sheila Dunn, Frank Mills, Virginia Balfour

From: BBC

It was time for a ghost story. Specifically, Shudder has recently added several episodes from A Ghost Story for Christmas, a series of short films broadcast on the BBC around this time of year during most of the 70’s as way back when, spooky stories were told as part of oral tradition. In the past I’ve reviewed plenty of Christmas movies/specials. Thus, only a few will be seen this December.

The Treasure of Abbot Thomas was (loosely, so I hear) based on a story from English author M.R. James. In this adaptation, the focus of this 19th century tale is on a Reverend Somerton, who serves as a mentor to a Peter, Lord Dattering. Aside from an early séance, the spooky elements are reserved for the final few minutes. I don’t use the phrase “slow burn” yet it is apt in this case; much of this picture is two colorful characters-of contrasting personalities-attempting to locate purported good buried by the titular Thomas in the 15th century.

Throughout this, the spooky vibes start building via the cinematography, the performances, the eerie music. It crescendos in events that question the rationality of the rational Somerton. For those that want a “ghost story” filled w/ jump scares or specters flying all over the place, this isn’t for you. However, those wanting a moody, patient tale where the payoff is worth the journey… at least it can be found on Shudder for those that use the platform.

Target for Killing

Target for Killing (Das Geheimminis Der Gelben Monche) (1966)

Runtime: 98 minutes

Directed by: Manfred R. Kohler

Starring: Stewart Granger, Karin Dor, Curd Jurgens, Rupert Davies, Adolfo Celi, Klaus Kinski

From: A few different European companies

It’s been awhile but this was now the time to see another Eurospy film. Thankfully some can be found online, even if the quality tends to be rather rough. Thankfully, the copy I found was more than acceptable, even if the audio often switched between English and German (not the first time this has happened) and a fullscreen picture. This was a West German/Austrian/Italian production which-rare for movies this obscure to North America-has more than one mutual review.

Stewart Granger is not secret agent James Bond, but rather secret agent James Vine. Curt Jurgens is The Giant, the villain who has heiress Karin Dor as his target for killing. He even planned a plane crash just to eliminate her. Karin’s uncle is Adolfo Celi, Rupert Davies plays a Kommissar (Der Kommissar?) and a henchman was played by… real-life villain Klaus Kinski. 

Of course all the pictures “inspired” by 60’s Bond aren’t quite as polished yet the ones I’ve seen are almost always fun, filled w/ exotic locations, groovy music, wild moments, a protagonist who’s a cad, a fetching leading lady-which Dor certainly was-and satisfying action. This fit the bill; the villain’s lair tickled me pink. While not my favorite of its time, it still had a wacky gadget or two, at least one elaborate death, a location unique to me (the seaside resort town now known as Portoroz, Slovenia), and admittedly at times too convoluted for its own, Target for Killing still was a fun time.

Without Warning

Without Warning (1980)

Runtime: 89 minutes

Directed by: Greydon Clark

Starring: Various veteran actors plus less famous actors like Tarah Nutter & Christopher S. Nelson

From: Heritage Enterprises/World Amusement Company

No chance… no help… no escape

On a whim I decided to see this sci-fi/horror picture I’ve known of for years due to comparisons made to Predator; of course, that is only surface-level in that the villain is an ugly mother****** tall bipedal alien played by Kevin Peter Hall that hunts humans for sport. Instead of Special Opps badasses in Central America, the quarry is some young adults in rural Southern California and veteran actors like Jack Palance & Martin Landau. As I briefly met & chatted w/ Greydon Clark at a con years ago (I wish I’d have seen this then; a question or two would have been asked) about time to discuss one of his B-movies.

It's not fair to compare this w/ Predator as suffice it to say, Without Warning suffers in comparison is under-exaggerating the difference in quality. This is low-budget nonsense which is still enjoyable for those that enjoy such schlock. After all, the alien’s weapon is… best described as flying pancake discs (or omelets, as one mutual proclaimed), only they are creatures w/ teeth that shoot out tentacles once attached to your body. Don’t expect to see the alien hunter in the first or even second act.

The young adult actors are most charitably described as “not always polished”-although one of them was David Caruso, wearing a tiny pair of blue Adidas shorts!-so the presence of many veteran actors (even in glorified cameos, like Cameron Mitchell and Darby Hinton) was an asset. So was the rural setting and the traditional/electronic score from Dan Wyman and especially the cinematography from none other than the legendary Dean Cundey. Without Warning looked nice whether in daylight or during all the nighttime, sometimes foggy scenes.

But of course getting to see Landau as a paranoid military veteran and Palance as an expert hunter were highlights with their more substantial roles than the ones that the likes of Larry Storch (! As a Cub Scout leader) Sue Ann Langdon, Neville Brand and Ralph Meeker (in his final film role!) had. In any event, despite its faults, Without Warning has charm for those that dig the genre.

 

Lawrence of Arabia is Still a Masterpiece

As I discovered yesterday via a viewing on Blu. I hadn't seen it in 12 years; whether at home or theatrically (as I first saw it in 2012), it's a must-see.

Airplane II: The Sequel

Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

Runtime: 85 minutes

Directed by: Ken Finkleman

Starring: Several returning faces, plus the likes of William Shatner, John Vernon, and Chuck Connors

From: Paramount 

It suffers without the presence of ZAZ (and Leslie Nielsen) but for a first-time watch inspired by my recent reference of Airplane, might as well finally tackle the sequel. There are many references to the first film and practically all aren’t as good. That doesn’t mean I didn’t laugh enough where “fine” is my rating for the film. Still, the concept of a sequel closely copying the original is not a phenomenon invented about a decade ago, in other words.

Ted Striker and Elaine return in “the future”, where a HAL 9000 ripoff known as ROK goes haywire on a commercial space shuttle flight; thankfully the duo are both on board. The plot is practically a copy of the first, for better or for worse, along with the expected sci-fi spoofing. Some other faces from the original return—along w/ many famous faces in small roles; even more so than in the first, Stephen Stucker’s presence as the oddball quipping, non-sequitor Jacobs was welcome here.

There were moments that fell flat; that said, there was plenty of clever wordplay I enjoyed and as uncouth as it is to admit, some of the off-color humor made me laugh. Those that liked the crassest moments in the first might be giddy that the sequel has humor involving a donkey, the worst stereotypes of the clergy, a shuttle crashing played for chuckles, etc. 

For a movie I had low expectations for, I was glad that it was at least watchable, even if it’s not a surprise that this did not leave the impact on pop culture that Airplane did. Be that as it may, William Shatner’s role in the final act did provide a boost & was a reason why there was no regrets in finally giving The Sequel a shot.