FESTIVE FILM BITS: Kung Fu Classics In The Big Apple, Lee Si-Young To Show NO MERCY At Brussels, And More!
Currently playing at The Metrograph in NYC is King Hu’s 1973 wuxia classic, The Fate Of Lee Khan which will run through Thursday, April 11, hosted in 2D restoration courtesy of Film Movement who will then roll out a Blu-Ray release in July. (h/tCity On Fire)
One of the ultimate achievements of King Hu, the foremost genius of the high- flying, sword-swinging wuxia—or “martial heroes”—film. Following the model of his Dragon Inn, Hu again centers the action at a roadside respite, this one a veritable hot pot of simmering conflict, where girl-gang undercover resistance fighters are pitted against oppressive Mongols, as the Chinese underground tries to stop a traitor from passing vital information to warlord Lee Khan. The ensuing struggle is highlighted by wry comic moments, masterful mise-en-scene, and breakout fight scenes from choreographer Sammo Hung, who has a bevy of deadly female stars leading the charge, including Hong Kong cinema stalwart Li Li-hua and martial arts ingénue Angela Mao.
The feat should otherwise be a noteworthy setup for New York City residents and local kung fu fanatics going into next month ahead of the 8th Old School Kung Fu Film Fest at the Anthology Film Archives. Tickets are on sale for the two-day event which kicks off on Friday night with a 35mm English-dubbed screening of Etsuko Shihomi classic, Dragon Princess, followed by a full day of six back-to-back titles categorized in two screening blocks.
Head over to Brown Paper Tickets for all the info!
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If you’re in Brussels and have an itch for some film enjoyment, the 37th Brussels International Fantasy, Fantastic, Thriller, and Science Fiction Film Festival is the place to be to catch a raft of great titles – notably Japanese hit zombie romp One Cut Of The Dead, Yuichi Fukuda’s Gintama 2, Timo Vuorensola’s Iron Sky 2, and much, MUCH more. The festival kicks off on April 9, wherein should you attend, you’ll likely be one of the first outside South Korea to catch Lim Kyoung-tack’s recent actioner, No Mercy (a.k.a. Older Sister), starring Lee Si-young.
Eunhye, Inae’s younger sister and only family… has disappeared.
No, she’s kidnapped. Inae, an ex-bodyguard goes after the kidnapper at the risk of her life. Little did they know, those who wronged her chose the worst target! No mercy, no negotiation, all payback!
Last but not least – just 21 days away, those keen on the anime line up for Germany’s 26th Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film can feel free to book a spot for multi-tasked debut director Sakamoto Saku’s debut, Aragne: Sign Of Vermillion which just screened at last month’s seventh Phillip K. Dick Film Festival in New York City and Los Angeles.
A young woman in a decaying apartment complex finds herself seeing worms and moths everywhere, bursting out of beetles, animals, and people, and sets out to find how this is related to a rash of murders across the city.
Stuttgart is just one in a list of cities the new fantasy horror anime has made appearances in since last summer, including in Montreal, Buenos Aires and Tbilisi. Feel free to follow the film on social media to keep track on its movements.
Native New Yorker. Lover of all things pizza, chocolate, pets, and good friends. Karaoke hero. Left of center. Survivor. Fond supporter of cult, obscure and independent cinema - especially fond of Asian movies and global action cinema. Author of the bi-weekly Hit List. Founder and editor of Film Combat Syndicate. Still, very much, only human.
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