Strange Aeons Radio

129 DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU!

July 22, 2021 Strange Aeons Radio Season 3 Episode 129
Strange Aeons Radio
129 DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU!
Show Notes Transcript

129 DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU!

This is our last episode in the original KSAR studio, and we toast it with a lovely gift from Bawb! Also discussed: Evil, The Good Place, and The Bad Batch. 


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Oh, sorry, did I break your concentration? Somewhere between science and superstition? To show you Strange Aeons. Welcome to Strange Aeons radio. That's Eric over there. Hey, that's Vanessa over there. Hello. Hey guys. Last time we're recording at the house free see everything gone but the table basically you guys helped me move that over to new place after the show. So yeah, this is this is it. Goodbye roof, man good bicycle roof. Well, this would probably still have a feeling goodbye crazy homeless people down the street. I will not miss you. He goes, Yeah, racist restaurant underneath our feets. This could be a story. rookies. Yes, yeah. What a lie. I'll tell, as you might have guessed, not a lot of time for me to be watching stuff right now. But I managed to get in a couple of things that I don't think either of you are watching about. Oh, and I will start with Season Two of evil. Oh, hey, cool. I saw season one. Yes. And you can only see Season Two if you've got Paramount Plus, it's now an Paramount plus original Star Trek. Well, funnily enough, I had Paramount plus because I had CBS all access. And then one day I was like, why do I have Paramount plus, what is this? I guess they're the same for all that Star Trek stuff is only the only reason I have it. Well, you should watch season two, Episode Four now and they're releasing a weekly and all that. The reason I got into this show, of course, because it has Mike Colter Who's that a very attractive bald black man from Luke Cage. Yeah. So hot. I was wondering where I knew him from. He's just ridiculously attractive. And playing a wannabe priest. I'm not sure that this all tracks in the way I think the world works and how attractive you are kind of depends on what you do for a living. I think they're having been having gone to Catholic school for eight years. I cannot think of any attractive priests. I think you're right, we should do it. I have one exception. When I stayed at the Seattle University dorms for a couple years. They had priests on every because it's a Catholic or Christian university or theology school and we had Indiana Jones was our priests. Oh, man. He caught it dressed like him. What? He was pretty damn cool. Unfortunately, you know? Nothing to do with them longer. Wow. Oh my gosh. He couldn't have been a priest. If he wasn't drunk or molesting children then it's not I can't answer properly on a but I don't know anything about edit all this. Losing listeners can take the true evil very good. Also stars Michael Emerson, who is one of my other favorite actors and because it's on Paramount Plus, it seems like it's a little gorier and a little like the language is a little stronger. Yeah, I felt like the first season there were some genuinely creepy moments. But there was like a lot of like, mild buffs to it. Yeah. Not Not this season. I'm really loving this. Yeah. You mentioned at some place as like, completely forgot about that. So I jumped back. And I think I was on like, Episode Four. Which I missed the segment or something. But there they are. They're wearing during an exorcism. They're all wearing sunglasses. Oh, yeah, I think I remember which is makes for a fairly humorous episode. It's fun. It's pretty cool. They're also really good does like this is weird. jump back into but yeah, it's still great. So far is about when that series starts taking off. Yeah. So it felt very different than the first ones. Well, I watched a, I've been watching a show that's kind of got the opposite issue. The Good Place. Oh, so I'm on season three. I'm almost I think I'm almost done with season three. And this was a show that I tried to watch before and thought was not very good. And I usually hate sitcoms, but by season three at the start. I was like really into it. I'm really excited. It took a while of ramping up because the sitcom tropes were frustrating to me, but once they got past that, like every single day is the same thing. I was really stoked about it the only downside being of course that they do they do a lot of talk about how not a lot of showing hell like constantly going on about like inserting bees into people's veins and poking out eyeballs so they'll say it but then you see nothing because obviously they don't well also that would really ruin the tone so yeah, but it's it is funny because there was a while there was like, are they gonna, like show any of this? No. Okay, not really. I don't think they ever really do. I mean, they go to hell a little bit. Yeah, but it's more like boardroom stuff, which is pretty funny. Yeah, it is. It's clearly they're using a lot of stats like all the time every episode I'm like, Oh, this is the set you end up in Okay, cool. You went to a bar it looks awfully similar the other bar you went to but with new stuff on the walls but yeah, that's been it's um, I am happy that it has constantly shaken up its own formula and that's been extremely interesting to me. That's really good. dancin who is band pass? Thank you. I remember having a crush on him when I was a kid because he was in tears here Sam yeah yeah. Oh, gosh. No doc about filmmakers. When they have gone I pretty much guess I've learned most what I can't about this guy. Bow Luton. Oh my god, the man in the shadows. I'm watching this gun. Okay, yeah, I've heard about this. What did you watch this on? It's a it's the extra on the cap people criteria. Okay, that's cool. But it was it was a produced film in like 2008. So I don't know what it was pretty for me or something. But I mean, it's good. It covers him. Well, it's nice because it you know, visual. I did not realize and maybe he said this on the podcast, but I did not realize there are no, there's no like home movies of him. There's no recorded audio of his voice. He was so kind of underground and not interested in being the center of attention that he really wasn't. man. Dude was so good stuff he came up with was so good. And he got so mad podcasts or you're okay, he got so screwed over for being validated and nobody recognizing it. And I think one of my favorite little tidbits about him is Boris Karloff wanting to work with him and him having no interest in wanting to work with Boris right, because he hated the universal movies so much. And then when they get together, they find out they have very similar sensibilities. And they went on to make some really, really good films, like Bedlam, which is one of my favorites. They did the dude, if you haven't seen any validated, make go see it. If you haven't seen purse of the cat people. I definitely recommend that one is standard stuff is really good. But that one is so weird. Yeah. And so out of left field. And the biggest part, one of the biggest problems I think he had was he kept getting saddled with titles. And you'd have to make the movie based on the title, which he really necessarily didn't for maybe cat people. Leopard man was sort of that way I walked with a zombie I guess technically somebody walked the zombie. But, boy, that movie is so much better. It was fun to watch and like, Okay, cool. I guess I learned most of what I need to. I do have one question for you though. Have you ever heard of the podcast? You must remember this? Yeah, I've never listened to it, but I've heard of it. Okay, yeah. They actually have some really interesting deep dives, historical deep dives of different early Hollywood people and they definitely did a Boris Karloff series and talked about Val loon as well. So maybe there's still some nugget in there for you out there. Probably not after the secret, like 15 to 20 plus hours of just about valid okay. And he does it as almost like radio dramas. He's incredibly good. Voice and incredibly good writer. Yeah. And his stuff is just deeply fascinating. Wow, I have not searched that one out. The narrator podcasters Adam Roach Yeah. And just everything he's done on Hitchcock, and Gable, Clark Gable, guy and arsenicum old lady, Northwest and Cary Grant J. Grant. Thank you. I think he's in the middle of that one. I don't know if he's done with that. It's hard to tell sometimes. Yeah. Yeah, cuz he'll just drop an episode and it'll be like two and a half hours long. Yeah, afters up last time. Who has time to do that? I listened to those values and I could not wait for Every one to show and there were episodes where I was praying. Oh, absolutely. Oh my god. They're brilliant. They're some of the best stuff I've ever listened to her podcast like they're just damn guy. Amazing. Well, you're on our show now. You're probably never going to cry. You might cry, because the next thing Oh, it's pretty fucking amazing. The bad batch on Disney Plus, I have not seen it seen the first four episodes, I think it gets better, doesn't it? I was ready to jettison this show, which is a continuation of the Clone Wars cartoon, right. And there's something that's a little more aimed towards kids than adults in this. But it's finally kind of like all of those animated shows like rebels and the Clone Wars and all that they start out one way. And then as they start building their mythology, it gets more and more interesting. And I think that adults require that to watch something. And I think that they start out easy for the kids for obviously watching it. And then they can build that and the kids don't have to just jump into something that might be a little too complicated at the beginning. If you started with the Star Wars prequels as your first Star Wars, you might need a little spoon feeding storyline before it gets too deep. Sure, yeah. So I would say that this is getting pretty interesting. What's really interesting is it's a group of the clone troopers who are something went wrong with their chips. So order 66 didn't stick with them. But because it's a group of these five or six clones, they're all voiced by the same voice actor and he's got to just kind of change his voice a little bit for each one was like, Oh my God, for a while there was saying something like he was they were listing off the names of the clone troopers and then his name after it now it just says in the credits. The bad batch this guy. So yeah, I'm starting to enjoy it. That's awesome. Well, I finally am late to the party, but I finally got around to watching nobody on something I paid some money for. I'm sure Amazon, I think. And yeah, that was a really fun, uplifting, emotionally satisfying movie. I think. Nobody I talked about this is the new nobody knew nobody. Like oh, no. Movie name. Nobody paid attention what you taught. This is the one that's john wick starring Saul from Better Call Saul. I just was watching a bunch of people bad mouth this movie on something and they're all people I knew because it was on a social thing. And I was like, You know what? You guys would be zero fun to sit next to at a party. Problem, people. It's so easy to crap on the VSOs like, I can't even imagine trying to sit through this way. Okay, fuck off, then you have not watched any Disney clubhouse? What would be like a rule for people who make comments on films when they say this movie sucks? Yeah, at the very least. I want to reason why. Yeah, and if you can't provide me a reason why you need to list what you think are great fucking movies. So I know your taste is worth anything. Because there is some guy there's a list on letterbox which is this unbelievably comprehensive list of damn near every horror film? period? It's like that was like 13,000 films or something. And this dipshit posts on it well, such and such movie isn't horror. Like Okay, let's do it. This Apple likes to pop onto his letterbox and all of his he has I could not find a single horror movie in his entire ratings of films he's watched. Okay your opinion mean? Absolutely jack shit. You are not worth listening to everybody should kind of take a step back and realize your opinion means jack shit. And you know, I mean our opinions mean jack shit. Except for mine. So just shit. I love what you're saying though. We should have like The Scarlet Letter like we should either be tattooed or forced to wear like pins of like our top like, five films, and then people will automatically be able to know whether or not we have trustworthy opinions. So I like this idea. So we're gonna initiate this at all the Strange Aeons radio gatherings. Oh, nice. Well, I just find it so frustrating. I know we've talked about it before. This is so easy to be like, Oh, you know what, I'm smart. And this movie sucks. Because I'm you can tell I'm cool and interesting, because I'm going to shit on this thing. And yet, that's how you know I'm good. It's like you know, what is It's hard to find good things about every film, but it's so much more interesting to look for them. You are a better human being if you spend time going, Hey, what is it I like about this was working about this and Okay, well, why isn't it working rather than just being like, you know what if I say the soundtrack is pedestrian, I'm gonna be so fucking cool. Vanessa, I couldn't tell you what I didn't like about the movie. I didn't see it. That well, then I just refused to talk to those banks because they don't deserve breath. Especially with nobody because that is not what it's advertised as. You just watched the trailer for that movie. You have no idea what? Oh, my God. Yeah. Glad you liked it. Yeah, it was super fun. I had a great time. I was like john wick with a sense of humor. Yes, yes, definitely. It was it was a fun year, john wick. And I did just the opening scene. When he gets to the point where he's pulling all these things out of his coat, and he pulls out a kitten, and he sets it down. He pulls out a can of tuna and opens it eats the tuna. So good. You're like, what is that? Now? It's a very good setup. The opening scene was the pitch that the writer gave Bob Odenkirk when he said, You know, I want to get into something like this. And so he he basically walked him through that whole scene, and then said, you know, who are you? Who am I? I'm and then the credit splashes on there. Bob Odenkirk goes, I want to make this movie. massacre mafia style. Boy. She's just gonna throw that at us. Directed by Duke Mitchell. Do you commensal what a name director of maybe a little bit more known film of his called gone with the Pope. No, no, that one either. JOHN scamp was talking about this one a few years ago and it is gone with the pope he was and that one is a guy in the movie. they kidnap the Pope and say they'll release and when every Catholic in the world sends them $1 Oh my god. The money massacre mafia style isn't quite that deep in its plotline. Duke Mitchell's a 70s Italian guy who was really annoyed with the way 70s Italian movies were being made and the way Italians were being portrayed. So he went ahead and made these battalion raffia bullies. mascot mafia style starts off with what was actually the trailer. It's like three minutes of these guys busting into various rooms and killing everybody in the rooms. And then walking through the halls of what looks like a weird hotel and killing everybody they run into. So the movie is this ridiculous. It's one of those films where you hear somebody complain about this movie doesn't realistically portray the reality. But I'm going to do this cartoonishly way over the top ridiculous version of pretend like this is the way the mafia really acts. And it is so but it's funny. And it's heartfelt and it's on Arrow I know I'm making sense now. There you go. It is he's got these long scenes sitting at a table talking about the importance of his mom and all this stuff. We then later like kill to his actions she gets killed because it's something he does. Like you don't really follow your birds do well do you? It is just one of those another one of those cool films made by somebody with all balls very little talent, but just went for it and made a very watchable I would go you know, if you really want to dive in deep into Duke Mitchell. He's got these two films and that's all he made. So I would just go with the one I've gone with the pope which is much better. Because it's it's so ridiculous. But yeah, certainly mafia movies done in a very unique way. So this was made in the 70s. Oh, yeah. Okay, pretty much. Damn it. I'm gonna have to get this arrow service. I keep saying that. But I keep forgetting. Well, you know, you're busy. Right? I have things on my mind you guys. Should we take a little break? Sure. Yeah. And then we'll come back. We're talking martial arts. Remember Daniel son. Discover the Secrets of Karate Kid by action figures. By chop, twist. sold separately and for more, I should look for Karate Kid competition center from remko we have returned and Eric we are talking about your topic choice. That's right. Well, I did the self indulgent thing we do sometimes like that, but I want to watch this movie. It's been in the back of my head is one that I've never watched that, at least for a while was talked about a lot. I don't know if it still is as much but as it's known now, the last Dragon maresa was released originally berry Gordy's the last dragon martial arts champion in search of the glow. Master I mean, I am no longer a rock and roll star on the rise. I know what it's like to lose precious things. a madman saga of how a maniac even to put my video on your show. The answer is no. And the glamour, the power and the sound of Motown. I don't want you to kill any by you or your mind. Leroy green I'm looking for no pop. thinks he's a master. No Master. Master to me. This is berry Gordy's the last dragon. It's about the power of the glow. timelock vanity. Very Gordy's the last dragon directed by Michael Schultz of Motown productions picture from TriStar. Oh, that's a mouthful, man. I can't wait to hear what you think of this because I unapologetically love this movie. Prop. This is one that's available for many sources actually picked up the blu ray for 10 bucks during on Amazon. Nice. I'll take that the rotten tomatoes, critics 58. Crowd 86 we'd go budget of 10 million. The box office is either 25 or 33 million depending on where you look. So we did well, we very well. It was not received very well but directed by Michael Schultz, who has 113 directing credits. He's still working today on all American and recently Black Lightning blackish arrow car a did started earlier in his career with carwash and Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band play and crush groove. Which you know right in line sort of tonally with the last dragon written by Louis vanos venosta, who wrote bird on a wire and kisses in the dark producer. I list the producer in this one, which we don't normally do, because somehow some way and I really couldn't fully figure out any other reason other than he put up the money. And coordinated music mainly was Barry Gordy who has a very impressive resume though. He's involved in the Wiz Lady Sings the blue hitsville the making of Motown 360 soundtrack critics many as songwriter Wow. So he's deeply involved in that creative Motown sound. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, get the movie made obviously find it very easily. Stars tie back, because guess how the guys says his name TNF D it is your Mac. Okay. His first film, but he's been in Book of swords, Beverly Hills 902. And oh, fight the panda syndicate. The whole syndicate album and princes one of princes protegees vanity is the lead in this one as well. She's action Jackson Jackson. She was in vanity six with prints put together. Friday 13th TV series, silk stockings couple episodes of Highlander TV show. She passed away quite a few years ago. Christopher murni who was in slapshot, maximum overdrive, Barton Fink and Red Dead Redemption. Yeah, great. Julius Carey playing the role of shown up. He's he's well known from the fish that save Pittsburgh. Lots of TV Tales from the Crypt and 27 episodes of adventures of Buckaroo Adventures of brisco County Jr. Yes. I've got a lot I've listened a lot of people here because Mike, it just kind of floored me. Because Mike Starr who you may not recognize the name by guarantee you recognize him 240 credits. He's got four movies in pre production and four movies in post production right now. You might best know him from Dumb and Dumber. He's the guy who takes the too many pots, peppers and dies in the restaurant while they're traveling across the country. Uncle Buck Miller's Crossing, William H. Macy, and Chazz Palminteri both have a scene or two in this movie. Good lord. I stopped after that. Hey, it's the good old TriStar picture logo. I remember that one. So the movie begins because it is the 80s with a training montage and introducing the concept of the glow and the power you will find when you reach something and the teacher gives him a little glow thing from apparently from Bruce Lee. Some aspects that is but we do not age well. The outfit he leaves place in is the a book straight out of the Shaw Brothers movie maybe or something like that where it's traditional kung fu Yeah. But they do include footage from one of the greatest martial arts movies ever made. Enter the Dragon complete with breakdancing in the aisles showing you the movie. And here is the introduction of the character that really brings the whole movie together Shona I I've got past movies seems all right. And then they introduced showed up. And it starts off with people's I don't remember the exact line but they're saying like who's the greatest fighter the area show? It's just like five edits. So perfect amount, okay. I mean, it's fun. So he comes in and being again an 80s martial arts movies where they're pulling from the 70s movies. He's got to be the best fighter there. And he's heard the legend of Bruce Lee Roy who is supposed to be the best fighter who's very unaware of what's going on in the world just sitting there watching the movie eating as popcorn. The first fight though, is not a great fight. The fight choreography in this movie is not the greatest. seemed like it was far enough along in this world or might have been a little better but it's still fun to doesn't matter. This movie is best viewed as a long form video instead of a kung fu movie. Yes, it is a music video. And not only is it a music video it's the barge to the moon in Java. We did they pay to have him come and perform at vanities club for real? Oh, they just show the music video as being part of the screens in the video. Wow. And they show a good chunk of the movie there's a lot of that video in the fashion is movies 80s fashion, which wasn't really how most people actually dress but how people overdressed oh man purse first performance by vanity who she should have stayed with prints man. It is so bad. And it was nominated for a Razzie worse song. It is terrible. So unfortunate. It's a little weird to in that movie setup. She's performing kind of in a club sort of setting but the club looks like the crowd that would be at a Captain Kangaroo show screening or something they're very young looking out in the crowd is gonna just be that you are an old man and everybody. Like under teens, tweens and stuff. You have a young brother who got a crush on vanity. Back brought back crowd ages a large portion of the crowd is like alright, that basic plotline is some gangster guy wants her to play his protegees music video at the club. And she refuses to and that's really the catalyst of the entire storyline. Yes. Back when music videos were King. That's right. And she refused to and then they tried to kidnap her. And of course, Bruce Leroy is there to rescue her. But he loses his token. Oh, it's so sad. Anyways, but the movie goes on. He seems to be wearing a variety of Bruce Lee costumes was the first one sort of reminiscent to some of the personally probably worn a movie. The all yellow with the black stripe is definitely something more Let's see. And then it continues on with my martial arts classes better than your martial arts class. Of course he refuses to fight. Yes, it's not please life isn't in danger is nothing serious going on so he will not fight. And he refuses the call for a long time in this movie, a lot of shit goes bad like a whole bunch of students get their ass kicked in this scene. He doesn't do anything. There's bad aspects of this movie that are great. And one of them is his attempt to try to see the master by bringing in a pizza. And all sprouts pizza. Good episode for the pizza. Yeah. Because his parents own a pizza stamp. Which of course shown up shows up to subsequently trashes the hell out of with a really really nice clean break of a table. Still doesn't still doesn't fight back. He just gets angry and goes out a punching bag for a while. The bad lady song who the villain guy has sort of sounds like somebody was annoyed with Cyndi Lauper. We're gonna make her as kind of sound like Cyndi Lauper. But it's, it's a better song than the first one band if he's at home. And then we get more More recently, which is always nice. I forgot which movie it is. But you'll see more Worsley fighting so they're fighting escalates, there is little brothers kind of annoying at times. But you know what you're gonna do, though Lee Leroy is painfully naive through a large portion of this. Absolutely. His ability to flirt and then not know how to react to her flirting back to him. And at times, it becomes hard to tell if they're doing parody or straightforward. But that's the biggest problem with the movie, unfortunately, is shown enough kind of disappears for a large chunk of it. He seems to be they sort of have two villains. Sure enough, is a great fun villain. The other guy whose name I can't remember is kind of an annoying mobster villain. Yeah. And they move to his story. For the latter part of the second act and Michael. He makes his movie so much better. So they all show up for a big battle. Very Mortal Kombat looking a whole bunch of the people look back to the people who made Mortal Kombat, watch this movie and go, let's make a guy looks like Yum, yum. Very possible. And they do a really well they do a martial arts fight, I guess you could say, which is fun, actually was seen as a lot of fun. That one guy who can't fight suddenly can fight very well. And of course, the little kid does horrible violence to the level of no kid could ever possibly be against the grown man. But it's funny. And it's not the same little kid. It's not as little brother. It's like a kid that was in the class. I think that little kid is the kid who grew up to be one of the Ninja Turtles if I'm remembering right, his name is Ernie Chan. sounds right. Yeah, we went under quite a career. Yeah, and a lot. Probably the most successful actor at least to come out of the film. Yeah. And a legit kung fu legend. Yeah. I would kind of say the movie needs another pass and editing. shoring it up a little bit things show enough back but it's got a fun ending group at the dance dance club stills not very good dancers. The freeze frame and credits are just epic. So yes, I enjoyed this movie. I'm glad I watched it I am fine that I now own it it's see some notes on it. Damn it he was only cast in it because her relationship with Prince fell apart she's supposed to be the lead in Purple Rain. But they were not getting along anymore. So she was removed from that she did she did die very young about 57 having become evangelical and denounced your younger years music and lifestyle oh baby Mike wasn't making sex. Probably. She had some drug issues and stuff in the 80s but she seemed to get better and have a nicer life hopefully there at the end. Some people consider for their older I'm always a little antsy I'm considered for cuz that could be you know, you and me sitting down. Hey, you know we would be good in this movie. Right? But Billy blanks? Oh my god. Yes. Wesley Snipes, Mario van Peebles, Denzel Washington. And apparently, Laurence Fishburne tried very hard. The cast has shown up, oh my god, which probably would have been just fine. He would have been good at that. He He'd be so young though. Well, he was what 17 or something Apocalypse Now? So probably even his 20s by that, I guess so. Okay be pretty Yeah. This is the the lead actor was 19 year old black belt, who. So they hired him as a martial artist and then taught him acting on the set, which not the greatest choice just pretty obvious. Yeah, he has. He has fine moments, and he's got terrible moments, but he's got a good screen presence. I think with more training, he could have been pretty good. But what you're gonna do? Well, sure enough was the opposite. He was an actor who learned martial arts. I missed that. Boy is that obvious to camp kick? One of the key things again being mid 80s you're looking at the hit songs. What can we get hit songs from the movie? musical is supervised by Gordy had the diehard debark song rhythm of the night written by Diane Warner hit number three on Billboard number one on the r&b charts. Richard Perry produced title theme was nominated for Worst original song of the raspberries and vanity song seventh heaven was also nominated for worse. So it went Ward winning film The last Dre press release goes out. It did also get nominated for Golden Globes, or rhythm of the night. Nice. I was considered an original song for the movie. It's not really part of the song. Anyways, so yeah, last dragon and seventh heaven weren't 1986 worst original song nominees. And oh, there's a beginning where Leroy green. karate chops and arrow as it moves through the air. That was real. He actually did that. It took two hours for them to get it on camera, but he did marshaller crack that arrow into Whoa, like the you call it martial art crack. Martial Art cracked it. Darren ready to karate chop it. I have a Barry Gordy story if you don't mind me telling him now please, Eric, you are actually part of this story. But you weren't there. You and I had gone to some Seattle film, like meeting with all these people there. I just remember that. Schneider from one day at a time was like the big name there. Although no, that's not true. Because Harvey Harvey Korman was also there. And so we're just kind of milling about and I wasn't, I was feeling very uncomfortable and very young. I was like, 24, or something all over. And one of the guys that we've been working with in some film stuff, he brings this gentleman over. And he's like, Kelly, I want you to meet Barry Gordy. And I'm just like, falling all over myself. And our buddy says, We're going outside to smoke cigars. You want to join us? And I was just like, I have no idea how to smoke a cigar. I don't want to get sick in front of Barry Gordy. And so I politely turn them down. No. Then I spend the next year of my life learning everything about cigars. smoke them do everything because I never want this kind of situation. Or then I run into our buddy again. And I was like, Hey, you want to go have a scar? He's like, Yeah, and I didn't know he likes cigars. I love cigars. And here's why every time you ever since you introduced me to Barry Gordy and I had to turn you down. I learned everything about him. And he said, Oh, funny story. We got out there and started smoking. And he goes, You keep introducing me as Barry Gordy. My name is Barry Gordon. So, yeah, I became a cigar aficionado because of Barry Gordon. You know, the difference? slight difference. Wow. That's, that's a good story. Okay, well, I guess I'll jump in with my picture, which by the way, last dragon, I saw at siff cinema and uptown did like a special screening and they gave you like a fortune cookie and some chopsticks and everything or I'd never seen it before. And I remember being quite magical. So I've got to hunt this back down again. However, the movie I chose for this fine topic. There's something else entirely and that is the 2000 film versus I believe you both have seen less? Yes. Okay. So um, Rotten Tomatoes score of 75% critics 77% audience so relatively high budget of about $10,000 Yeah. Box Office of God knows, unavailable information. A lot of a cast and crew for this. It's I mean it's all Japanese. So a lot of these people and it's an independent Japanese movie so figuring out kind of who's who is not great. However, the director, right whew, kitten, kitten, Maru. Kita Moo ra sorry. He's done 26 things. He his first picture was heat after dark in 1996. He also after this film came out did Godzilla final wars in 2004 and midnight meat train in 2008. He also did a segment for nightmare cinema in 2018. However, some people will know him from in 2003. He directed the in game cutscenes for Metal Gear Solid Twin Snakes, a remake for the iconic Metal Gear Solid Nintendo GameCube series. kit tomorrow's direction of the cutscenes was viewed as controversial criticism leveled at its matrix like action tone and unrealistic stunts performed by the characters. Regardless it went on to receive positive reviews from game review sites. So good jobs are and you guys probably both know midnight me train was based on Clive Barker short story The same name started some pretty big names like Bradley Cooper, Vinnie Jones, Brooke Shields, distributed by Lionsgate so I have not seen that movie. Is it? Good? I think it's really, really solid. Awesome. Very cool. The writer for this it's it's a mix of kinam Maru and also a guy named Hugh de Yamaguchi. Lots of Japanese TV also worked on a segment for ABCs of death and a few movies. That just sounded interesting. I was just picking out of the ether because I don't know what's what ever here so Yak is a weapon and a meat ball machine sound. I've seen meatball machine is a good I don't know if it's good, but it falls into that super gory Japanese over the top stuff. It does its genre style. Well, yes. Yes. And I feel like this. This film is part of a part of a world part of the moment in Japanese filmmaking. It stars tak second gottschee as prisoner KSC 2303 he's been in 48 things. None of them in a sense to me. The other two people that are kind of the main stars Hideo sakaki plays the man and Chico misaka plays the girl. The titles of these people are fucking amazing for the cast. It's all things like Yak is a with sunglasses. Like it's a completely it's funny because it matched up with the notes I was making was like green Sure. Sunglasses sweater vest. I was like, Okay, cool. The same. We're on the same page here. Wonderful. Was this a first feeling for you first? Okay. Yes. Never, never seen it before kind of was a recommendation and I just thought lipan why not. So the plot of this foam. There are so this is just kind of the the line that's on IMDB. There are 666 portals that connect this world to the other side. These are concealed from all human beings. Somewhere in Japan exists the 444 portal, the forest of resurrection. So we start off in ancient Japan and we see a guy who's clearly the good guy arriving in the forest to Fight and confront some other guy who kind of represents the Ultimate Evil. They have a fights, and the good guy loses badly and is basically cut in half vertically or horizontally, horizontally, horizontally. It's a nice little slip, like, Oh, no, I'm dead up, there goes my body moment was always enjoyable. So then we cut to present day where we have a two prisoners running through the woods. One has a hand, handcuffed, still strapped to his his hand with a severed hand sticking out of it. As they're running, it kind of pulls it out and throws it on the ground. So it was like, he needs to be tied to somebody not sure what happened there. So they're making their way through the woods. They arrive at a road where they meet a group of Yakuza who are waiting to help them escape. The Yakuza have with them, a girl who's wearing this kind of white sweater looks a little angelic in the car. And immediately the girl seems to make this strange connection with one of the two prisoners, although neither really says why or necessarily recognizes what this connection is. so desperate to leave, the prisoners try to beg the Yak is to take off but the Yak is a group. basically say we're waiting for our our dude. And we're not going to leave until he's here the head of this particular little group of Yakuza dudes. So they're like, no, we're not going and of course, a fight breaks out and one of the Yakisoba of the group dies. However, he instantly pops back up. Death is not death, it seems. In fact, not only this, he can pop back up, many many bodies pop back up because this is a forest where the Yak is have been burying bodies for years. And not only do they all pop up in this kind of outrageous fight scene that never really ends, they pop up with like their weapons, fully loaded and ready to go. So you end up with these sort of scenes of the characters running through the woods, or like a doodle just pop up with like an Uzi and start shooting like what is happening so kind of a different take on the the zombie. I'm not sure they're as into eating people. I didn't see a lot of eating happening much more just brutal slaughter. As this all starts to unravel. The prisoner not really sure why he has a connection to this girl grabs her hand and runs off into the woods, trying to escape these guys who now want to kill them. And of course, this group of Yakuza follow suits, eventually even more Yak is a follow suit, as well as some bounty hunters and the Yak is a boss who maybe is more than he appears hunting of the prisoner and The Woman in White is all anyone cares about. And they do so in a very exciting style of lots of crazy fighting crazy gun crazy blood Gore, whatever all over everybody through the whole thing. This movie is bonkers. It's fucking bonkers. I wish I could say like I don't even think there's more I can properly explain other than there is more to this tale than meets the eye. Perhaps destiny has a role um It's so fucking crazy. It's like so I don't know if anyone out there has ever played the the Yak is a games that they're now on like eight number eight or nine. But they're like these over the top melodramatic games where you have these gangsters who are like big hair bad suits like screaming at each other about nonsense and like crazy shit happens like you can get this like chicken who becomes the supernatural chicken and one of the games to like, come and do special power moves and join your crew. Like it's a fucking bonkers game. This movie reminds me of it is like a one to one but adding like super 90s crack crazy music crazy a camera moves and zombies and some Japanese folklore. This movie also was a huge nod to Sam Raimi. There's a lot of stuff stolen from Evil Dead but also quick in the dead. That shot and quick and the dead where he shoots through somebody and the camera pulls back through them. That is like five times in this movie. We definitely see through the interior body cavity of many, many people is really fun. It's really tongue in cheek. There is one actor who did not seem to have any Real credits. Who is the Yak isn't the lime green shirt? He is having the time of his goddamn life. He's playing a villain and he just goes all in. He's just like laughing and jumping and singing and all kinds of stuff. So anyways, trivia for this I because really I can't get any more into this room. Originally vs was intended to be a sequel to directors amateur short film down to hell with the intention of also shooting shooting versus on video with a low budget as he did with down with help but instead instead decided to shoot the film on a budget of $10,000 for theatrical release, according to to my kitten Maru, he raised the money to independently produce versus by borrowing money from friends and family after producers refused to produce an action film with him. Because to them, it was impossible to achieve due to lack of time and money. Haha, did not stop him. Filming was originally planned to last three weeks, it was extended to seven months due to weather and financial issues. casting the lead tech second, Pucci was hired the lead after Director kitteh Maru saw a gag video that featured second Gucci kids tomorrow's main reason for hiring him was because he had a beautiful smile. However, sekiguchi claims he bet hits Maru during a street fight. That soccer gotcha was involved in to tomorrow offered him the role in the film after asking him if he'd rather fight in the streets or fight in his films tomorrow later vouched as well that he did meet us Secretary cheat during history right? This is all of the stories behind this are fucking just nuts. Like I said the character credits in this are great it's like the girl the man crazy aka with an ambulance, Yakuza with glasses etc, which I think is just shows a lot of the care and love that was put into the character design. film did not receive the title versus until after the end of shooting during production. The film was referred to as the return down to hell, but the number two, despite the fact that the film was not going to be released under that title, in fact, a friend of numerous who would end up working with a director as a second unit director for Godzilla final wars as suggested the title versus to reference the struggles khitomer suffers through while trying to launch his career. At around 12 minutes in one of the thugs was shot dead the beginning of the movie because Director cumaru dislike the actor who portrayed him. At around 33 minutes in and the scene where saggy Gucci's character holds a pistol in his mouth. The director originally called for him to rat to rack the slide with his teeth. He tried this and broke it to one of the zombies was played by a dentist who fixed it for him. That's this whole fucking video game Producer Director Hideo kijima. of Metal Gear flam was an extra in the film kit tomorrow as a friend was later handpicked to direct the remake of Metal Gear Solid Twin Snakes versus is attributed to heavily influencing the sword fighting scenes in the game. Yeah, so it's just, it's just fun. It's just insane. Some friends got together and made this absolutely bonkers movie for pretty much no money. And, you know, I don't know. It's, it's great to, it's great to watch. But I cannot possibly tell you why it is what it is or what the plot is or why it ends the way ends because it's a weird ending. However, I can't tell you, it's available on blu ray by arrow. So there you go. They have a special edition out. So I don't even really like this film too much. But I love this directors so much that he you should search out an episode of MC heiresses post morto where he interviews this director, oh man, and that guy just starts telling stories of how I think that is there a school somehow involved in this. Okay, I think there was a school next to the woods they were shooting in. Yeah, it was abandoned. And that's where he was setting up his place for you know, getting ready for the filming and everything, which meant that, you know, his actors were basically staying there. They were sleeping out of the stairs, like stuff like this. And it's like, oh my god, this kid just believed in himself so much and all those people who turned up and got like, yeah, I mean, he, you know, I don't know how they managed to do these stunts and these fights without anyone getting murdered. Yeah, well the fact you're saying said to rack the gun and then broke a tooth on them, that means they weren't using a fake gun. You know, this guy was just flying by weight of his fans. Absolutely, absolutely. And like obviously really inspired by a lot of really neat camera work in other films because you just, it's constant. There's the cameras flying all over the fucking place. It's never boring, even though pretty much the same thing happens all the way through. I think in that interview, he says something about like Evil Dead to just changed his world. So that's all he wanted to do. He's like Sam Raimi? That's pretty fun one. That's what I like you're talking about? Well, he wanted to do a low budget he decided he's going to get a budget $10,000 where where do you live that anybody would say if I can get a$10,000 budget, I can get it in theaters. Exactly. And eventually will become a precious precious collection and the arrow video distribution. I like it. Good choice. Yeah. One thing I've noticed that we all did, this episode is they're all first feelings. Oh cool, because I chose from 1982 silent rage fighters. Master fighter of our time. Might even he could imagine the power of the indestructible man. He is about to face creation of science was only thought is to survive. stoppable. Terror. Silent rage. Chuck Norris must destroy him in a final battle to the end and the island range or air budget of about four and a half million dollars box office have about 10 and a half million dollars. No Rotten Tomatoes critics which I find very odd. This was the Attica Lee released it has reacted. But it just wasn't. I don't know what the audience has it at 39% directed by Michael Miller, who in this year also directed the film class reunion. Remember that one kind of a horror comedy. There's a slasher film at a class reunion and basically 30 other TV credits, mostly TV movies, a couple of series here and there. Written by Joseph Fraley, who was also credited as writing the story for good guys were black and that is it. entire career is a couple of Chuck Norris things. And I say that because this is starring Chuck Norris. Oh my gosh. He was in the octagon lone wolf McQuade Walker Texas Ranger ton of other shit. And now a romantic movie with Bruce Lee. Oh. Also sorry, Ron silver from the entity Silkwood Blue Steel time cup. Tony calem, who was in several episodes of The Sopranos, but was a big crush of mine from one of my favorite movies, the wanderers. And then Stephen first 97 episodes of St. Elsewhere. 110 episodes Babylon five, but we'll always be flounder and Animal House. So, Eric, you said you have seen this? Yeah. Okay. When I was probably first in video stores, so it's been a little while. I'm getting guests, Vanessa. This one is not on. Okay. I have not seen that. I have not seen a lot of Chuck Norris. Let me regale you with the beauty. All right. I'm running. So this starts it. We're in a small Texas man. And this guy john is in a house that he's sharing with another family. You can tell he's not of the family. It's like a boarding house maybe. And he is on the phone. You can tell that he's kind of losing it. He's on the phone with his doctor, and he hangs up on the phone. He's clearly troubled. He goes outside to the woodshed, he grabs an axe, he kills everybody in the house. Good lord. All right, introduce Sheriff Dan Stevens. Also not the best name for your protagonists. I do like the actor Dan Stevens. Sure. Absolutely. But a bad name and his deputy Charlie respond. And that's Chuck Norris and Steven First they go in and Chuck has a little bit of a fight with a guy throws them out the window, kicks the shit out of them that and then cuffs him drags him to the car. All these other police officers have shown up. So he puts the guy in the car, arrest him and everything. But this guy somehow not only breaks out of the handcuffs, but he kicks open the door, he doesn't kick open the door to the car, he kicks off the door of all my lease car down and he overpowers one of the officers grabs his shotgun. And then all of the officers just they just blow them up film with lead. severely injured and near death. JOHN is then transported to an institute where a psychiatrist that had been on phone with Ron silver works along with two doctors who are also geneticists. And to save john, one of those doctors proposes treating him with this formula that the three of them had created that is supposed to enhance cellular strength and regeneration. Silver objects to this because john is crazy. And he's like, you know, let's let this guy die in peace his whole life. He's been dealing with this stuff. Death is a release for this guy. And the doctor pretends to agree and as soon as Ron silver leaves the room, he had Jackson with this stuff. Of course he does. Meanwhile, in the hospital, Chuck Norris runs into this woman that he had a little fling with many years back and she's clearly very angry about it. And then we find out she is also the younger sister of Ron Silver's character. But Chuck panda romances her and gets her to drive him back home. And then they have this little this little conversation in the car where she's like, you know, no, I am never going to be with you again. Blah, blah, blah, got to post-coital scene together. And it is a very strange scene in that they are kind of well, he is kind of kissing in nuzzling her and she turns to him and says, Hey, don't get any ideas. And I mean, if I was checking really well, we did just fuck right? What ideas do you think I'm getting? We have a past relationship. Just a couple minutes. Meanwhile, the two doctors now have taken Ron silverback into the room. They show them what they have done. And he's furious, of course, because how dare you. But then they show him this interesting effect that the cellular stuff they were working on. And they like take a scalpel and they cut the guys now he's basically a vegetable, right? They cut the guy's chest open and it just magically heals up and they're like, Look, it's everything we thought it could be. And he's very angry. The guy who was dead has been revived and now he has all of these hours to heal almost instantaneously. Good thing he's just a vegetable, right? It's just a credit. Yeah, we're done. This could be problematic going forward in science was never the same again. All right. Here opens his eyes later, he breaks out of the hospital and decides that it is time to go and start killing people. impulse come out of a coma. He tracks Ron silver down because in his coma he was hearing Ron silver saying this is the guy that we need to let die and everything. So he's like, fuck this guy. So he goes to his house and kills Ron silver pretty quickly. And Ron Silver's wife, despite the fact that silver has pulled a gun on him, and shot him a couple of times. And then those killing shots also knocked him down a flight of stairs where his neck was broken. But he revives and kills him. So Meanwhile, Dan is invited Ron sister named Alison on a trip. Let's just leave right now. I know I'm the sheriff, but I can leave right now. And she says, okay, so she goes back to the house. You know, she's staying with her brother to pick up her gear for the trip and discovers her brother and sister in law's corpses in a very Halloween kind of way. They're hanging on a door and they flop out when I was doing this stuff. And I'm like, okay, there's some real horror tropes going on this film. It's really odd, though, because the majority of the majority of all the horror scenes take place in the day. So it gives it a very strange kind of non horror feeling weird. JOHN flees because Dan and Charlie have arrived on the scene, because they've found out about Ron silver and all this stuff. So They take Ellison to the Institute, but they are unaware that john when he fled also returned to the Institute. And he's there to get the other two doctors to to treat his wounds, I guess. But he's healing so I don't know exactly. When they express a couple of concerns with him. He kills them, sir. So from there, it becomes kind of like a terminator slash Halloween movie. Yeah. And it's basically Chuck fighting the guy offers with a gun ban with Kung Fu. And all that stuff. And this movie would have been I think so much better if he had acted like a terminator or a Michael Myers or Jason Vorhees. But instead, he he gets up and runs and moves very quickly and everything but if it was just like this big, lumbering, unstoppable force, I think that that would have amped the horror up a little bit. But I also don't know that that's what they wanted to do. was and is the guy like, does he have his personality? Or is he just like, just like a killing machine? He's muted basically, from the time he is revived again. So he never says a word. Oh, and he's got like this kind of dead look in his eyes. But he you know, when he gets knocked down, he jumps back up and runs and stuff like that. So it doesn't quite work. So yeah, from there, you know, there's a there's a big battle to the death, or is he dead? Is there a sequel to this movie? Unfortunately, no. There is a remake of this movie from just a couple years ago, and I just watched the trailer. It is clearly like a fan film or something. Oh, it looks so cheap. Now it's just like, Oh, my white Why would you call this a remake? It's not called the same thing, but it is called like, unstoppable or something like that. Quiet anger. I got a little bit of trivia for you guys. The taglines there are a number of them. The King of martial arts versus a bionic killing machine by 1982. He's an indestructible man fused with powers beyond comprehension and unstoppable terror who in one final showdown will push Norris to his limits and beyond. No Norris has no beyond limits. martial arts master versus superhuman killing machine. And then my favorite science created him now Chuck Norris must destroy. That's an extremely good tagline. So this was the first film Produced by topkick Productions, which was Chuck Norris his production company. This is the first time he had complete control over one of his films and this company would then also go on to produce lone wolf McQuade as well as that entire Walker, Texas Ranger run. So they did pretty well. Pretty good one. Yeah, yeah. It was one of 219 82 movies directed by Michael Miller first released in that year. The other picture was National Lampoon's class reunion. Both films feature actor Steven first had an immediate murdered character, and also had about a dozen crew who worked on both films. Oh my God, what a year. You feel like you're in a time loop. There is an amazing fight scene in this in a bar that a biker bar that Chuck Norris has to basically take on, I don't know must be 30 bikers. And he just destroys them all. But in this biker bar is also this biker chick. And one of the pieces of trivia only rule for the let Zoe railly, who played the biker chick who flashes her boobs to the deputy before the bar fight. Reportedly, one of the producers met her at a bar one night in Dallas during pre production and asked her if she wanted to be in the movie. She immediately said yes, he told us she would have to flash her breasts on screen and asked her if that would be a problem. She just smiled pulled up her shirt to expose it breast and said not at all. Wow, what an audition. Director Michael Miller said in an interview that well action star Chuck Norris had no problem with the fight scenes. He had a lot of difficulty improvising his love scene with actress Tony kailyn because he wasn't used to doing them. Miller told them to just talk and have fun and the scenes where they're kind of dazzling and kissing that does look like he is struggling mightily. But it looks like they are just talking and laughing You know in a couple of the scenes and I'm like these are you know this is perfectly fine check. You should not have such a thing. One weirdo thing in the silent rage Soundtrack The song it's the time for love was saying by Katie Segal. Big, big Bundy from very much Then and and what was she on that size? So yeah, she's yeah she's a great actress needs to do I got biography or somebody out there maybe. me So just a couple last piece of trivia that I didn't know but you guys might have no Did you know that Chuck Norris has tears cure cancer? But it's too bad that he has never cried you know? Since 1943 or Chuck Norris was born roundhouse kick related deaths have increased 13,000% Did you guys know that Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird? And finally, the flu? gets a chuck norris shot every year. Oh, I'm so glad you found a way to put those in. That's the beauty of Chuck Norris. Right there. He is. He is a gift that the world does not deserve. Agreed. I you know, it's weird. So do they does anyone ever acknowledge that it's influenced by or tried to somehow cash in on the Halloween franchise because it sounds like so much of that is I don't just say, acknowledge that in like moments by it, but it's, you know, it's 82. So it's right in the time when you know, when was Halloween two? Is that 8279? Or was that late? So? Oh, wait, no Halloween two? Oh, I don't know. Yeah. So I don't they don't say anything about it. But this is this is one of those weird things where it is labeled as its genre is horror martial arts. We I guess mine was tears. I can't feel like that strange combo, but I had just never even heard of it. And when it popped up, I was like, Oh, really? It's a hoarder martial arts movie. Maybe this will fit so because I was looking for a hero versus the terror, which is a truly bad film. Wow, what a crazy pick. I will keep an eye out for it. And if it happens to show up on like TBS Oh, watch it. It's on to be right now on TV. on modern day TV. So good choice. They're much better than your shitty snow. choice. Oh, is your problem not mine. I enjoyed my snow pick. Just no one else did. I have seen that movie pop up on three lists. Oh my God, please release this movie on blu ray. Ah, seriously, they should? Because I would love for that. I mean, it is perfect vinegar syndrome. calm. For sure. Vanessa, I think it's your choice. Okay, well, um, might take us in a slightly different direction, guys. I don't think we've ever really dived into documentaries. So I was thinking that we should explore the horror documentary. And by that I mean, documentaries about horror movies, like something you may get might get on a behind the scenes or on a disk, or about horror directors, or movie topics in general. I love this idea. I think that I mean, I am of the mind that any documentary is probably worth watching people be like, well, I don't want to watch this documentary because I don't like that subject. And I'm like, you know, you might like the documentary about that subject. Yeah, for sure. I've seen some really good documentaries about baseball. And let me tell you, I am not a baseball person now or racing, right. Jesus King Kong? Of course. Why am I bought an American movie? No, I have not. My God. I love this idea. Yeah. You know what else? I love guys. Everybody who likes and shares our posts. Yeah. Speeding in the value for value model. And speaking of that, for I have a kind of a really cool thing. We're gonna end the show with the end of the era. Oh, see if I can open it. So this is a bottle of Eric Can you tell us what this is? westward American single malt. stout cask. Beautiful bottle. Yeah, that is a really cool bottle. And that comes from Bob who sent us this bottle because he wanted to. He wanted us to have something that we could toast for our last show, and then toast for our new show. So we'll be doing this again next week. I'm sure yeah, if there's any left, our larger variety of glasses probably in the new place. Like a flask in a bottle. I thought that we could. Oh, perfect. Thank you. We could do this and, and do a little cheers here. All right. All righty. Duke do that is delicious. Damn. Strong shit Vanessa that's gonna put some hair on your chest. Finally, Yes, I know. Sorry guys. You're not a guy at all. The most girly among us. Well, I like the bottle says true Northwest on it. Yeah, yeah. Bob, you are goddamn treasure and we can't thank you enough for this right thank you so much. Thank you for giving us something to cheers the end of this portion, this euro chapter of our show. Yeah, we will be packing up the mics and everything and moving the table over as soon as we are done with this episode, which is right now. So we will see everybody next week and we're talking genre documentaries. Our show is recorded somewhere high above Naval Station Everett at the nexus of all realities, and is engineered and produced by Eric Margaret. Our theme music is Strange Aeons part one by the band name shade is used with permission. Fine, Strange Aeons radio on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, wherever find podcasts dancing to the moon and we can leave it on the hand