john liu

NEW YORK NINJA Review: Vinegar Syndrome’s Finishing Touch Renews Retro Ninja Cinema Glory With A Newborn Classic

One only wonders how many film gems have been lost over the years. It’s an interesting topic, and it’s not without the efforts of people like the good folks at Vinegar Syndrome that we get to have these kinds of conversations – the kind that lead us to one of film history’s most obscure productions to date: New York Ninja. Shepherded by director/writer/producer Kurtis M. Spieler for its restoration and completion, Taiwanese actor, martial artist and filmmaker John Liu’s one-and-only American production invites you to a lookback at Old New York, a perfect setting for any director with a fondness for the city’s gritty, kinetic and revivifying backdrop to tell a story on. Liu’s story begins almost immediately as he leads the film in the role of John, a news channel sound tech who learns his girlfriend has fallen victim to the wave of rising crime against women in the […]

NEW YORK NINJA Review: Ninja Stars, Roller Skates & Plutonium, Oh My!

Robb Antequera

Oh boy, how do I even start this? Well, I’ll give it a try. NEW YORK NINJA was a martial arts movie filmed guerilla style in New York 1984 by star/writer/director/taiwanese martial artist John Liu that was subsequently abandoned before any thorough post production could be completed. Seemingly, the film would be lost forever. That is, until boutique distribution label Vinegar Syndrome discovered the forgotten remains and painstakingly restructured & completed the film without audio or script to go by. A herculean task if you ask me. So, now that everything has been put together, how is the actual movie? Well, let’s find out! A sound technician for a news station (John Liu) becomes a vigilante ninja in New York City after his pregnant wife is murdered. “Oh my god. What even is this movie??” This is the sentiment that I found myself repeating throughout my viewing of this motion picture. […]

NEW YORK NINJA: A Kick Blast From The 80s Past Roars With A Stunning Revisal Soon From Vinegar Syndrome

Robb Antequera

Nothing gets my circulation going quite like a martial arts movie. I live for them. Breathe for them. Even the bad ones. Miami Connection. Game of Death II. Death Promise. Love them dearly despite their dubious reputations. So when boutique distribution label Vinegar Syndrome announces that not only are they starting up their own production company Vinegar Syndrome Pictures, and that their very first release is a long lost martial arts film starring John Liu, one of martial arts cinema’s best kickers, in what looks like a completely bonkers trip, you best believe I’m waiting in the wings to devour this one as soon as it touches down! Take a look at the press release from VS: VSP’s initial release slate will kick off with NEW YORK NINJA, a wild action comedy originally directed by and starring John Liu, and produced by legendary New York exploitation producer Arthur Schweitzer. While […]