Grady Hendrix writes about missing the point in martial arts and action movies, especially Ashes of Time: “Character, dialogue and subtext are important parts of the moviegoing experience, but there’s another more primal language that’s harder to parse and that’s the language of action.”
Scroll down for some rap based on Welcome Home, Brother Charles, a film about a Black man castrated by a white cop who gets revenge when his penis grows back.
“I’ve been on the road so long. I want a home.” My favorite trailer for Johnnie To’s stealth Western, Exiled.
How about a little more of Kim Ji-Woon’s The Good, The Bad and the Weird, my favorite Western, weird or not, in a while. Look at Jung Woo-Sung ride! (And watch out for some horse-tripping).
Muay Thai and now mixed martial arts machine Tony Jaa is still found and still working on Ong-Bak 2. He also has a sword and a Khmer palace and an interview up at his official site. (via Kaiju Shakedown).
Kyoto University of Art and Design’s newest teacher is none other than JJ Sonny Chiba. Prof. Chiba will be teaching film acting and swordfighting. And I bet ninjitsu, but secretly. (via Kaiju Shakedown)
Find t-shirts, mugs, totes and more at our new Guttermart location at Teepublic!
The Cultural Gutter 