Well I originally had a different film in mind for my next viewing, but considering the news broke today that Patrick Swayze had finally succumb to cancer* I thought it would be best to select one of the few films of his I hadn’t seen during my formative years. That film being the post-apocalyptic epic Steel Dawn. Why I haven’t watched a film with swords, martial arts and futuristic desert wastelands is beyond me, but hear me now, this oversight shall now be rectified!
*Don’t cry! Hold it back. Let it turn to something else. Just let it turn to something else, okay? Listen to me. Don’t cry. Don’t you ever cry again as long as you live. Never do it. Do you hear me? Let it turn to something else Mattie. Let it turn. Let it turn.**
Word is the agreements are finally set and Landmark Theatres is going to be having exclusive one night screenings of the film Ichi, the latest incarnation of the martial arts classic series, Zatoichi. As far as I can tell these screenings will mark he US Theatrical debut of this film, which is an extra added bonus. And in case you are wondering, yes this will be a 35mm presentation. Below is a list of the specific Landmark theatres that will be hosting the event along with the date of their screening. Please feel free to contact them directly for more information.
Our first milestone has been reached here at Where the Long Tail Ends, we have completed 5 episodes. When I initially decided I wanted to do a podcast earlier this yer, my goal was to complete four episodes by the end of the year and now James and I have shot by the lofty goal with over four months left in the year. I doubt we will keep this pace up, nor do I want too, but if we can finish three more by the end of the year I’ll be very satisfied. Hopefully you will as well.
In this episode our theme is Dynamic Duos, and we focus on two very different films. The first is the martial arts action film Showdown in Little Tokyo, with the starring duo of Brandon Lee and Dolph Lundgren squaring off in the celluloid circle. The second is the lesser known Spanish produced horror film Horror Express, which stars the famous Hammer horror film duo Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing as dueling anthropologists on a Trans-Siberian train that harbors a nasty secret. Will we like either? Will we agree to disagree? Will James invite his own brother to share his bed with him? Find out on our latest episode of High and Low (Brow).
As always, if you have any feedback, suggestions for themes or films for us to watch feel free to email us. If you like the show please feel free to subscribe to us on iTunes or simply follow our RSS feed here for updates. Also you can follow me on Twitter by simply clicking the logo up in the righthand corner. One of these days I’ll finally convince James to join Twitter, and then the real fun will begin. Until then I hope you enjoy the show and thanks for listening.
Show Notes 0:00 – The Donger
2:30 – John Hughes Memorial
8:25 – Showdown in Little Tokyo
29:25 – Horror Express
33:40 – SPOILER ALERT!
54:25 – James reviews Cantankerous
1:03:25 – James and the Giant Bed
1:09:45 – The Selection Show
1:30:20 – Final Thoughts
Pretty easy to choose a film to watch this weekend, as the mainstream releases are awful and the Indie releases aren’t much better. Only decent movie coming out is the documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which really is fantastic. Following the story of how a group of women peacefully protested to end civil war in Liberia, it is a fascinating account on the power of peaceful protest. These women changed the course of the country, and they deserve every bit of praise they receive for this remarkable accomplishment.
DVD releases are just as dry, with hardly anything worth even a rental, let alone a purchase. But at least leading the charge is Ashes of Time Redux, Wong Kar Wai’s martial arts epic. Originally released in 1994, Wai has re-edited and re-mastered the film for its re-release. Not a re-make. Not a re-imagining. It is a re-awakening. Re-ally.
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