Horoscope Mystery

 

 (imdb)

WHEN WERE YOU BORN?-1938-Interesting but forgotten Warner Brothers mystery feature with Anna May Wong as astrologer Mei Lei Ming and her pet monkey. She predicts the death of a merchant named Corey (James Stephenson) who's partner (fake Chinese) Mr. Gow (Leonard Mudie) wants some letters Corey had in his safe. Through the use of the horoscope Mei helps fat police Sgt. Kelly (Frank Jacuet) and Inspector Gregg (Charles Wilson) solve the case. Who's the culprit? Doris Kane (top billed Margaret Lindsey), Corey's fiancée? Her brother Harry (Anthony Averell), who had an argument with Corey? How about Shields (Eric Stanley), Corey's butler? Olin Howland is a lawyer in one scene. 

Bela Lugosi's pal, Manly P. Hall (who's credited with the original story) explains that astrology is a science in an introduction to the film. Also Jack (Clayton) Moore and Maurice Cass. Director William C. McGann (SH! THE OCTOPUS (1937)) made over 50 movies and also did SFX on many others (THE HORN BLOWS AT MIDNIGHT (1945), THE BEAST WITH 5 FINGERS (1946)).

It's a shame this wasn't considered for a whole or at least a sequel but perhaps Hollywood's prejudice toward Asian actors (American born or otherwise) at the time had something to do with it. A white American actress has top billing over the Asian American real star after all!

Thanks for reading! 

It's War!

 

 (imdb)

BLACK ENFORCERS aka THE BLACK GESTAPO-1975-The People's Army, a black military like group formed by “white money” for “blacks to help blacks” wear red berets and arm bands. Their leader The General (Rod Perry) is sincere but his second in command, the Colonel (Charles Robinson) wants war, especially after some thugs hassle nurse Marsha (Angela Brent) and beat up one of the army's members. Later, after dirt bags Vito (Phil Hoover) and Ernie (Wes Bishop, one of the writers) beat up and rape Marsha, the Colonel and his small faction castrate Vito while he's taking a bath. His group eventually drive the wig wearing crime boss (the movie's director Lee Frost) and his gang out of town. 

The Colonel and his troops occupy a mansion and train for battle. They switch to all black uniforms and Swahili names and take over the numbers, protection and prostitution rackets. This all goes on right under the General's nose as he's too busy trying to save the neighborhood and having sex with Marsha. Eventually, the General brings them all down. Uschi Digard makes a brief appearance. 

Terrible Blaxploitation movie with a bad script and ridiculous acting. Director Lee Frost started his career in the early '60's and seemed to make every kind of exploitation film: HOUSE ON BARE MOUNTAIN (1962), MONDO BIZARRO (1966), CHROME AND HOT LEATHER (1971), THE THING WITH TWO HEADS (1972) among them.

Thanks for reading!

Opium Kung Fu

 

 (themoviedatbase)

OPIUM AND THE KUNG FU MASTER-aka LIGHTENING FISTS OF SHAOLIN-1984-Tieh (Lung Ti; THE SENTIMENTAL SWORDSMAN (1977)) is the leader of a Chinese militia and martial arts teacher. A master turns his place into an opium den. Many of the men become addicts, abandoning their wives, losing their jobs and generally slacking off. Ti is defeated by his nemesis Yung Feng (Kuan Ti Chen) because of his own addiction to opium. After his son is killed, a blind priest helps Ti break his habit. He goes through the usual back breaking retraining. In a rematch, Tieh not only has to fight Yung but his two henchmen who have huge shields. 

The movie features some great fights but the strangest part is that a kind of comedic character becomes an addict, leading to the deaths of his wife and children and his suicide. One of three movies actor Tang Chia (SHOALIN INTRUDERS (1983)) directed for the Shaw Brothers.

Thanks for reading!

New Fox

 (themoviedatabaae)

NEW TALES OF THE FLYING FOX-1984-Two “heroes” have a sword fight. Hu Feng (Alex Wong) is a knife (scimitar) master and Miao (Alex Man) is a sword master. They fight but are evenly matched, however Miao's brother and his wife put poison on Miao's sword and when Feng gets a little scratch he dies. His wife commits suicide after his death entrusting the care of her son to Miao but before he can pick up his new charge, a servant takes the baby and runs. The baby Wu-Fei grows up to be an excellent Kung-Fu guy who wants revenge against Miao who he believes killed his father. Later there's a lot of talk about poisoning. After several awesome fights, Miao and Wu Feng must fight a group from Tibet and then the evil brother who has two powerful weapons. 

This Shaw Brothers production directed by Sze-Yu Lau, is based on book by Louis Cha. 

Thanks for reading!

Deadly

 (themoviedatabase)

THE DEADLY KNIVES-(aka FISTS OF VENGEANCE)-1972-A young man named YenTzu-Fei (Yun Ling) returns to his village with Kuan Yue-Hua (Li Ching), his new love. His adopted sister Cha-Cha (Lily Li) is jealous. “Evil” Japanese want a forest for timber but Yen's father, who has a deed to the land, stands in their way. Ogawa (Miao Ching), a pervert, declares this love for Cha-Cha quite violently after fantasizing about her taking off her clothes. An all-out battle ensues at the end of course. 

This Shaw Brothers production was directed by Il-Ho Jang (THUNDERBOLT FIST (1972).

Thanks for reading!

Fistful

 

A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE-aka DUCK, YOU SUCKER!-1971-An ignorant violent Mexican bandit (Rod Steiger) and an IRA explosive expert (James Colburn) on the run from the British team up with a doctor (Romolo Valli) and his revolutionaries in Mexico to rob a bank. Unfortunately for them, there's no money. The bank was being used to house 150 political prisoners. They are liberated and the bandit becomes a reluctant political hero. 

This overlooked “spaghetti western” was the last western directed the legendary Sergio Leone (also a co-writer). He hadn't planned on directing but one story says Steiger insisted on it. 

Of course there's also a great score by Ennio Morricone. New Zealand actor David Warbeck who years later was in 2 films by Lucio Fulci appears in a flashback.

Thanks for reading!

Purple Haze

 

JIMI HENDRIX-1973-Great documentary about Hendrix (made 3 years after his passing), better than any recent bio. Lots of good performances from the Marque Club, Woodstock, Monterey, the Fillmore East and even his last performance at the Isle of Wight. There are interviews with his father, Mick Jagger, Pete Townsend, Eric Clapton, Billy Cox, Eddie Kramer, Mitch Mitchell, Lou Reed, Little Richard and lots of drug talk. Experience bass playing Noel Redding wouldn't give a new interview as he was suing the Hendrix estate over royalites at the time. 3 directors are credited.

Thanks for Reading!