Misc. Action, Adventure and War

	The Big Heat: (1988) Tsui Hark's ultra-violent cop flick that makes up for it's lack of plot originality with a more than generous helping of very gory action sequences. Limbs, heads and fingers are blown off with alarming regularity, and in one scene a guy is ripped in half by elevator cables and another is shot repeatedly, hit by three cars, thrown off an over-pass and run over by a truck (jeeezus)! Features a great cast including Waise Lee. Way fuckin' brutal. Widescreen in Chinese with English subs. [B, 18+]
	Black Gold Dossier: (1978) A.k.a. The Oil War. French/Italian spy/adventure flick starring Richard Harrison, Gordon Mitchell, Florence Cayrol (who gets to beat up Arabs while topless) and directed by Luigi Batzella. When a meeting between big Arab and European heads of state goes kaput, top agent Benson (Harrison) is sent out with a group of experts (including hot blond Cayrol who has a couple of soft-core sex scenes) to go deep into the middle-East and sabotage a refinery. Widescreen in English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	The Black Mask: (1996) Very cool Jet Li actioner with a killer cast including Lau Ching-Wan, Francious Yip and Anthony Wong! Li plays one of a group of "experimental" soldiers, who escaped captivity with his fellow killing machines and leads a life fighting crime, while they are killing drug lords to take total control of Asia's drug market. Li is forced to go toe to toe with his old comrades when his hard-boiled cop-buddy (Ching-Wan) is caught in the crossfire. Great action sequences, cool special effects, lots of bloody shoot-outs and great fight scenes that avoid using an annoying amount of wire work (oh, and Yip is still a babe). Damn good stuff. Uncut and widescreen in Chinese with English subtitles. [B]
	The Blacksheep Affair: (1998) Rather cheesy, but totally entertaining HK action movie that doesn't skimp on the action! When a HK special forces officer is transferred to Lithuania for disobeying an order but doing the "right thing". Once there, he happens to capture Mishima, the leader of the Red Sun terrorist cult (who were responsible for the Tokyo subway gas attacks). While in the service of the Chinese ambassador, Mishima's followers try to free him and the Lithuanian secretary of defense plots against the Chinese ambassador and his men. Yeah, the plot is really paper thin, but the action sequences are top notch! Bloody shoot-outs, awesome martial arts (courtesy of none other than Ching Siu Tung!) and stylish camera work make this a refreshing change from total, unmitigated excrement like Mission Impossible 2. Widescreen in Chinese and English with English subs. Includes a trailer. [B]
	The Black 6: (1974) A.k.a. The Black Six. Matt Cimber's low-rent blaxploitationer starring six pro football players (so you know the acting's gonna be great), including the legendary Mean Joe Green. When a football hopeful is chain-whipped to death by a gang of hog-ridin' honkys for seeing a white honey on the sly it's up to his bro who rides with five other ex-vets to right wrongs. Incredibly campy '70s kitsch dialogue and funky soul grooves are the draw here with enough cheap action to keep it movin'. In English with Dutch subtitles. [B]
	Bodyguard from Beijing: (1993) Awesome Jet Li action shoot 'em up set in modern day (Li actually sports some hair! Ok, so it's a flat top, but it's hair, dammit!). Li plays a maverick, professional bodyguard who must defend a star female witness. The relationship starts out testy but gradually through the blood, they come to love each other. Lots of incredible bloody shot-outs, tightly choreographed fight scenes and stylish camera work. One my favorite Li outings, highly recommended. Widescreen in Chinese with English subtitles. [B]
	Classified Operation: (198?) Cheesy Filipino action that has nothing to do with a classified operation! Rey Malonzo directs and stars as a bad-ass soldier / kickboxer for the Army who is called away from his violent, but completely unexplained maneuvers to visit his dying mother in the hospital (who, of course, dies after laying out a guilt trip). While on vacation in his home village he finds that a large group of guerillas and mobsters are holding the town hostage and draining them of every dime. Time for one ex-soldier to kick ass and chew bubblegum! Features lots of fight scenes to show off Malonzo's lightning-fast skills. In English with Greek subs. [B]
	The Commander: (1987) An all star cast heads up Antonio Margheriti’s jungle mercenary war flick, produced by Erwin C. Detrich. Antiheroes and bad-guys are the order of the day here as an ex-alcoholic merc (Lewis Collins) is hired by an underworld kingpin (Brett Halsey) and an “arranger” (Lee Van Cleef) to put the boots to a Cambodian usurper of a drug cartel’s throne. On this same mission is a rival working for the US to retrieve a “floppy disc” (that is in fact a CD) from the same drug lord. Lots of action and check out the cast: Donald Pleasance, Manfred Leighmann, Bobby Rhodes, Romano Puppo and John Steiner as a French con-man! [B]
	Commando Leopard: (1985) Widescreen print of this fun Antonio Margheriti Guerilla war flick about a group of hired mercs who are trying to crush the dictator of a small South American country. Klaus Kinski plays the cigar-puffing General of the dictator's soldiers who may have his own little agenda going. Margheriti regular John Steiner plays an Irish merc who is ambivalent about the whole mess and never fails to amuse with his over-the-top accent. In English with Dutch subtitles. [B]
	Cop Target: (1990) Great cheese-ball cop flick from Umberto Lenzi and Fabrizio de Angelis, starring Robert Ginty and Charles Napier! Miami cop Ginty is assigned to protect the widow of an agent who conducted a successful anti-drug campaign in Brazil who is on her way to a celebration on his behalf. Unfortunately for all involved, the now deceased agent actually swindled cash from the cartels and now they want it back from his widow. In English with Dutch subtitles. [B]
	Cross of Iron: (1976) Widescreen import version of Sam Peckinpah’s gritty WWII classic starring James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason, David Warner, etc. Told from the German perspective, Peckinpah gets to really work his themes of the horrors of violence and impending death with the Germans facing the end of the war and the onslaught of the Russians. Skip that trendy Spielberg crap starring an ex-cross-dressing TV comedian, and watch a real movie about dubya dubya eye eye. [B]
	Crying Freeman - Special Edition: (1996) Great letterboxed import print, in it's proper aspect ration with no foreign subs, of Brian Yuzna and Christophe Gans’ ultra-stylish Asian-action outing that has still been unreleased in the US. Based on the Japanese graphic novels and animes, the story concerns a mild-mannered sculptor (Mark Dacascos), who is turned into the Freeman, the ultimate killing machine of whom legends are written about. During a hit in the States, the Freeman gets caught between the Yakuza and the US police both of whom want him dead. Lots of cool John Woo-style action sequences, incredible cinematography and stylish camerawork. Supplements include two trailers, a "making of" featurette that includes interviews with Christophe Gans, Mark Dacascos and others, a whole slew of behind the scenes videos of the actual on set shooting of the movie and finally an interview with the editor who breaks down scenes and shows how they were put together! [B]
	Deadly China Dolls: (1990) Uncut print of this notorious category III HK sleaze n’ squibs outing. A female CIA agent is trying to bust a notorious triad counterfeiter and runs afoul of not one, but two female assassins both looking to make a hit and trying to save their skins in the process. Lots of full-frontal nudity and soft-core sex accompanies the requisite blood-splattered, slo-mo shoot-outs, in this one. Widescreen in Chinese with English subtitles. [B, 18+]
	Death Machine: (1994) Gorgeous uncut, letterboxed print of Stephen (Blade) Norrington's action-packed sci-fi / horror film. This version runs approximately 30 minutes longer than the butchered US release, including lots more Brad Dorif scenery chewing, extra dialogue, extended scenes, more gore and is a far better transfer to boot! Brad Dorif turns in a fantastic performance as a twisted, psychopathic, high-tech genius who creates a lethal blend of man and machine, the ultimate soldier for a high-tech corporation. When that doesn't work out so well, he comes up with the War Beast, a metal monster that has one simple task: targeting humans and tearing them to bloody shreds. Oozing with style, this flick looks superb and sports top-notch Dolby surround sound tracks (unlike the US release), plus a theatrical trailer and a featurette with an appearance by Norrington at a Japanese film-fest and a selection of storyboards with comparisons to the finished film. If you liked this flick before you are going to love this! In English with Japanese subtitles. [B]
	Dobermann: (1997) If Alex de Iglacias teamed up with Jeunet and Caro to make a John Woo inspired crime/action flick, this drug-induced, high-tech, over-the-top, in-your-face, gloriously overwhelming ode to violence would be it. From the day he was christened, it was foretold that Dobermnn would be a mean sum' bitch leading a life of ultra-violent crime with his mute honey. Unfortunately for him the cops are on to him, in particular a psycho-obsessed flatfoot who finds watching women get beaten in the streets a pleasant thing. After a bank caper and a hot game of canine and mouse, the film culminates with a spectacular blazing finale in a nightclub. This flick is loaded to the gills with so much style it should be a crime, amazing digital and split screen FX, wild camera work and enough bullets to bury the NRA. Widescreen in French with English subtitles. [B]
	Dog Tags: (1990) Gritty, bloody Vietnam survival outing from Romano Scavolini (the sick twist behind Nightmares in a Damaged Brain). When a group of POWs are rescued by a couple of roughnecks, they find that even though they are out of Charlie’s bamboo cages, they ain’t out of the fire yet. Before the chopper will be sent out to pick them up, a conniving captain back at the base wants our boys to bring back some “classified document” containers. After almost everyone is killed they discover it’s not documents that they are dying for, but a cashe of gold – the profits of black market dealings in Vietnam. [B]
	Drive - Director's Cut: (1997) Awesome letterboxed print of Steve Wang's action packed kung-fu shoot 'em up sporting 16 minutes of additional footage and the original score! Mark Dacascos stars as a bio-engineered assassin who has a something like a Pentium overdrive processor in his chest that makes him kick some serious ass. Unfortunately the Japanese mega-corp that put it in him wants it back and sends in butt-loads of expendable troops for Dacascos to lay waste to. This version contains the original back-story for Dacascos' character, extended fight scenes and lots of little bits here and there that flesh out the whole movie, plus the vastly superior original soundtrack. As if that wasn't enough we've also included a trailer and an hour long documentary on the making of Drive that features interviews with the cast and crew, behind the scenes stuff and even outtakes! If you've seen the movie, this new director's cut is a must, if you haven't, get ready for the best HK style action and martial arts to ever be featured in a western film. [B]
	Enemy Shadow: (1995) Good, stylish action/crime-drama starring Jade Leung as a police woman who after letting the bank-robber who killed her boyfriend get away, decides she ain't gonna do that again and becomes tough as nails (but still looks like a honey). After a cluster-fucked drug-sting she quits the force and gets hooked up with a guy who she later learns is a big time Triad and a viscous killer who takes her on some of his jobs. Stylishly told story with some good action scenes and bloody shootouts to punctuate the character stuff. Widescreen in Chinese with English subtitles.
	Enter the Eagles: (1999) Slick, high-tech action caper movie from Hong Kong starring Bruce Lee's last remaining offspring Shannon Lee. Michael Wong and Lee head up a group of thieves who are out to cop one of the world's largest diamonds and sell it to a greasy, viscous fence (Benny "the Jet" Urquidez). Things get complicated when a pickpocket (Jordan Chan) and his girlfriend try and swipe the diamond first. Loaded with double-crosses, cool fight scenes (this does star Bruce Lee's daughter, remember), very bloody shoot-outs and great European locations. Good stuff! Widescreen in English and Cantonese with English subs. [B]
	Final Justice: (1994) Danny Lee and Steven Chow star in this old-school style HK cop flick, not to be confused with the Greydon Clark film of the same name starring Joe Don Baker. A renegade cop (Lee) catches a car thief (Chow) but manages to lose the car. Later that night the car ends up at the scene of a brutal, bloody robbery. Now, Lee is after the ring of robbers (headed up by Shing Fui-On) and Chow has no choice but to help. Bloody shoot-outs and some cool chase scenes are the highlight here. Widescreen in Chinese with English subtitles. [B]
	Five for Hell: (1968) Entertaining Italian knock-off of The Dirty Dozen starring Gianni Garko (who looks odd in a WWII helmet instead of a cowboy hat) and Klaus Kinski! A crafty American soldier (Garko) is charged with going behind enemy lines and obtaining the super secret Plan K that the Nazi’s have hidden away. How to do it? Disguise everyone as the enemy and bluff your way through it! Lots of WWII action and Kinski as a cruel Nazi general (of course). In English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	Future Hero: (1997) Violent HK low-renter about a cop, who while in hot in pursuit of a villain, rips off the guy's arm and gets his head smashed into a curb for his efforts. After being comatose for eight years the cop is revived with an experimental drug used to repair and regenerate damaged tissue. In those eight years our one-armed bad-guy has been manufacturing an army of cyborgs who kick-ass but have an explosive in their heads so they can be destroyed at a moments notice in spectacular fashion. Lots of action and some very cool, if cheesy, FX (love those exploding heads!). Widescreen, in Chinese with English subs. [B]
	Golden Needles: (1974) A.k.a. Chase for the Golden Needles. Damn-rare Robert Clouse kung-fu version of The Maltese Falcon made right after his successful little film that you may have heard of called Enter the Dragon. Set and shot almost entirely in Hong Kong, legend has it that a golden statue pierced with needles show the perfect way to rejuvenate a man, sort of like the classic fountain of eternal life. Joe Don Baker is a tough neer-do-well who is hired to steal the statue from a Chinese mobster (Ti Lung) and deliver it to an insane rich man in LA (Burgess Meredith who chews the scenery with complete abandon). Tons of action and maintains the classic mantra of b-movies: Fight scenes are great, but they are even better if you can throw someone through a window! People bust out some of that ol' chop socky on Baker and he has none of that shit! Haymakers, gut punches and glass windows get the job done just fine. Speaking of chop-socky, would you believe Jim Kelly as an antiques expert? Oh, yeah. Like the statue, this cheese-ball is a priceless artifact. Never released on video in the US and damn near impossible to find elsewhere. [B]
	Hard Target: (1993) Full-length, letterboxed, work print / director's cut of John Woo's first US film with all of the bloody gun battles and additional scenes intact! A grand total of 22 minutes of extra scenes, dialogue, blood and a slightly different ending are included making this a far better film. The sound track has different (and slightly better) music. This is the definitive version of the film, a huge improvement! [B, 18+]
	Hard Target: (1993) Extended finished version of John Woo's maiden voyage in the US. This version retains much of the bloodshed cut from other released versions, but is still missing lots of extra scenes and dialogue from the director's cut (above). Those who want the extra violence presented in a cleaned-up, dolby audio and don't care about the hefty amount of extra scenes and completists in general will want this version. Widescreen in English with Japanese subtitles. [B]
	Heaven and Earth, Tian Di: (1995) First rate Andy Lau period gangster/actioner kinda feels like a cross between The Untouchables and Indiana Jones, except it's far more atmospheric and beautifully photographed with lots of style and great action scenes that just get better and better as the film progresses. Lau plays a narcotics officer sent to Shanghai in the '30s to help the police stop the booming opium trade, when he gets there he finds that the drugs are run by the cops and that everyone is out to kill him or set him up. Extremely well made and exciting. Currently one of my top 10 faves. Widescreen in Chinese with English subtitles.
	Highlander II: (1991) Full-length original 100 minute director's cut with over 10 minutes of extra footage with all scenes in their correct order, the original opening scene and ending, as well as tons of extra stuff that make the film far more coherent and entertaining than the totally fucked up theatrical release (this is not the version that was recently re-edited and released as the "Renegade" version, this is the original overseas release). In English with Chinese subtitles.
	Hit Man: (1972) Bernie Casey plays it cool and bad to the bone in this very cool, and damn rare blaxploitation remake of Get Carter. When Oakland-mob bruiser Tyrone Tackett (Casey) learns of his brothers "accidental" death he heads down to Los Angeles to crack some skulls and get to the truth. What he finds is a seedy underworld of mob-crime, porno films and the brutal rape of a young girl. Gritty, violent, loaded with nudity and funky street talk, this one takes a classic and makes it a cool ass flick in it's own right. Also stars Pam Grier (as a porno starlet), Sam Laws, Roger E. Mosley and many other great black action regulars. [B]
	Hunting List: (1994) Excessively violent, sadistic Category III HK Triad film about a young punk who flees to Taiwan after brutally stabbing another mobster. A couple decades later he returns to join up with his old gang and then all hell lets loose. Made with Woo's style firmly in mind, this is one has the most over-the-top, bloody gunfights ever filmed (I know I've said it before, but this one's currently the reigning champ), a twisted plot and cool camera work, to boot. Widescreen in Chinese with English subtitles. [B, 18+]
	In the Line of Duty 5 - Middle Man: (1991?) Fifth entry in the great (if confusingly titled) Cynthia Kahn action series. Kahn once again plays a tough as nails cop, with a sensitive side (naturally) who is trying to save a friend who has been mistaken for a lethal spy. Great fight scenes and check out the assassin in the beige coat, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Jonathan Ross. Widescreen in Chinese with English subtitles.
	The Intruder: (1986) I don't know where to begin describing this hilariously cheesy Indonesian Rambo rip-off! Peter O' Brian stars as Rambu, a bitter Vietnam vet who can whup your ass with a tennisball! After being hired to steal some papers from notorious bad-guy Mr. White, he's double-crossed and his woman is raped and murdered! If you thought Rambu was a pissy asshole before, now he's really mad! Non-stop hilarity with tons of action, including a rip-off of the scene in The Gauntlet where Eastwood is trapped in a house with a million bullets flying through it. Here Mr. White craftily makes his escape from Rambu by shutting a door in his face. While bullets fly through the walls, Rambu discovers a china cabinet in the living room with a hand-held missile launcher in it! Another amazing scene features a massive battle between Mr. White's evil thugs on motorcross bikes and Rambu's buddies who are mounted on three-wheeled, covered vespas! And, oh, that deadly tennisball. A must for lovers of fine Southeast Asian cheese. Widescreen in English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	Jail on Burning Island: (1997) Better than average HK prison/action outing that is seems to be a remake of Island of Fire. Several characters (a former cop, an ex-kickboxer, a drunken idiot) come together for various violent reasons in a maximum security prison run by Anthony Wong, in a subdued, but excellent performance. Power-plays, brutal treatment and violent attacks between the inmates and the guards serve as a lead-in to a kick-ass prison riot/shoot-out lifted straight out of Natural Born Killers. Some parts are a bit annoying (damn "cute" kids!), but otherwise a damn fine, blood-soaked prison outing. Widescreen in Chinese with English subtitles.
	Jungle Heat: (1984) Not to be confused with the Joe D’Amato adult film, this is a trashy bit of Southeast Asian war cinema set in the Vietnam war. Near the end of the Vietnam war the Americans are ordered to wipe out a tough Viet Cong encampment. Since they want to go home in one piece they decide to hire some locals to do the job for them, so they can appear to be following orders. The squad is trained and sent to their doom. One is pulled out of his skin, others set on fire, one sliced open with a two man tree saw, etc. When not engaged in war, the group ends up in a bar with broken glass arm-wrestling and a motorcycle race where the riders have to drive across the highway, under semis to win. Cheesy, bloody and fun. In English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	Laser Mission: (1989) A.k.a. aser Mission. After many years of wondering why the hell anyone would cut Brandon Lee's second film and release it with a Mature Audiences rating, we're still in the dark. But hey, now we get to see what was cut from the US release! This uncut version features the little bits of bloodletting that was clipped from all US releases of the film. In case you haven't seen it, the plot concerns an international mercenary (Lee) who is hired by the US government to find a kidnapped German scientist (Ernest Borgnine) in South America. The ever maniacal Werner Pochath camps it up as the lead villain and incredibly bad dialogue and acting follow. For bad movie buffs and Brandon Lee fans only. In English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	The Last Hunter: (1980) Very entertaining and violent Antonio Margheritti Vietnam war pic with spectacularly bloody shootings, general mayhem and great dialogue. David Warbeck and Tisa Farrow star (who'd ya expect? Redford and Streep?) as grudging companions who are caught up in the Vietnam war and eventually get to diggin’ each other. Shit, I just made it sound like a love story... Trust me it ain’t, it’s a bloody good time. Widescreen and uncut! [B]
	The Last Match: (1990) Fabrizio de Angelis, never satisfied with the status quo, brings us his crossbreeding of the guerilla war and American football genres! The teenage daughter of a famous quarterback is thrown in a South American prison after having heroin planted on her. When her father comes out and is beaten-up by the cops/militia (headed up by Henry Silva), it's time for the whole team, coached by Ernest Borgnine, to fly down loaded to the gills with military hardware and bust her out of the slam - in full football uniform no less! Classic cheese that also stars Charles Napier, Martin Balsam and real football players Jim Kelly and Jim Kiick! In English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	The Last Mercenary: (198?) Low-rent, cheesy action/revenge flick that occasionally slips into surrealism. An ex-merc wants nothing more than to give up his violent past and settle down with the woman he loves (and is constantly fighting with), but his past will not leave him alone. In addition to the local chief of police who is after his woman, an old co-worker pops up wanting him to pilot a planeload of smack. When our hero refuses (because his prostitute mother was killed by the big H), a gang of his old merc buddies gang-rape and kill his woman. Now it’s time for revenge – or in this case to get your ass kicked a lot first. Quite violent and bizarre. At one point our hero is unconscious on the ground after getting the snot kicked out of him and the camera focuses for what seems like days on black worms crawling on his open hand. In English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	Lethal Hunt: (198?) Great, bloody, cheesy Philippino action flick that's full of camp value and very bloody shoot-outs! When a Manila cop accidentally rams a car running a red light while he was chasing robbery suspects, a little girl is killed. The mother, who gives new definition to the term "queen bitch", is a rich industrialist and decides to get the cop thrown in the slam for murder. After his release she puts a bounty on his head and the hunt is on! In English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	Lethal Panther 2: (1992) A.k.a. Deadly China Dolls 2. This ultra-low rent HK shoot-em-up set and shot in the Philippines has some of the worst acting, kung-fu wire FX and subtitle translations I've ever seen. On the other hand, the copious quantities of blood, bullets, exploding vehicles, and perforated bodies makes Hard-Boiled look like Barefoot in the Park. Cool by me. Widescreen in Chinese with English subtitles.
	Libera Me: (2000) Slick, stylish and yet occasionally quite brutal serial killer / firefighter film from Korea! An arsonist, fresh out of prison, kills with a surgical precision using his knowledge of explosives and fire. Hot on his tail are the firefighters who are determined to save the victims and find the arsonist. Packed with incredible pyrotechnics and action sequences, this has all of the ingredients of a Hollywood mega-buck production, except for one thing - it's really cool! Includes trailer. In Korean with English subtitles. [B]
	Lifeline: (1997): Fun HK version of Backdraft with Lau Ching-Wan turning in another fine performance as a firefighter that has to cope with the hazards of the trade and a rough social life. The fire FX are pretty well done (particularly the spectacular ending sequence) and the situations are occasionally entertaining for the wrong reasons (what's with the creepy little white girl?). Widescreen in Chinese with English subtitles.
	The Longest Nite: (1998) Absolutely superb, intense HK triad thriller starring Lau Ching-Wan as a bad dude who's as cool as they come. A complex web of Triad politics has left a mob boss with a $5 million price on his head that could break a tenetive peace. No one seems to know who placed the hit and that is only one piece to the puzzle. A sadistic HK cop (a great slimy performance by Tony Leung Chiu-Wai) sets out to bust the hands of every hitman in a town for his mob boss while Lau Ching-Wan sets about his own agenda in an amoral city of human scum in a perpetual night. There's a lot more to the plot with twists and surprises at every turn, and nary a single decent, honest person in the lot. Combined with stunning cinematography, stylish direction and great acting, this is an instant classic that owes a small debt to Scorsese and a large debt to the gritty noir classics of the 30s and 40s. The best thing I've seen outta HK in years. Widescreen in Cantonese with nice, easy to read English subs (not those incredibly tiny crap subs that others offer). [B]
	Mad Mission: (1982) A.k.a. Aces Go Places, Diamondfinger. First of many fun action / comedies mixing spoofery of James Bond movies with some seriously cool stunts. This first film is a remake of the British comedy Ooh... You are Awful! (aka Get Charlie Tulley) in which Sam Hui plays a super-thief that swipes a sack full of diamonds from the Mafia. The cops get wind of this and decide that they want to confiscate the gems before the mob does. Lots of great chase, stunt and action sequences make up for Sam Hui's hammy acting. Widescreen in Chinese with English subs. [B]
	Mercenary: (1983) A.k.a. Mercenary Cannibals. Incredibly gory Filipino Vietnam war flick that's a total rip-off of Apocalypse Now, shot entirely on location with an Asian cast and crew. Plot concerns an ex-special forces officer who is conned (his daughter needs an operation. Sniff, sniff...) into leading a group of mercs into the jungle to hunt down a deranged war criminal and his cannibalistic followers. Blows the top off of the cheese and camp scale as well as the blood n' gore meter. [18+]
	Northville Cemetery Massacre: (1976) Arguably one of the best biker movies ever and definitely the bloodiest! Don't let the tongue in cheek opening fool you this sucker has a mean streak a mile wide. When a group of bikers rolls through a quiet little town, the law don't take too kindly to it. One of the deputies rapes the daughter of a local bigwig and points the finger at the bikers. After this the blood flows in torrents as the war between the bikers and the cops escalates to the final showdown in the local cemetery. Featuring amazingly bloody slo-mo shoot-outs, this is definitely one of John Woo's inspirations. Starring the actual Detroit Scorpions Motorcycle Club with music by Michael Nesmith. [B]
	Nowhere to Hide: (1999) Original, uncut version of this absolutely stunning exercise in cinematic style from Korea! A violent young homicide detective has the unenviable job of tracking down a mobster who is wanted for murder. Our classic anti-hero and his gang of ruthless cops, beat the hell out of suspects with aluminum bats, invade homes without warrants and generally break every law that gets in the way of them and the killer who manages to slip through their fingers every time they get close. Words cannot begin to describe the stunning visual and aural quality of this film. From the opening film-noir-esque, sepia toned sequence in which our already beaten and bloodied cop takes on a warehouse full of mobsters armed only with a gun and a folding chair to the incredible slo-motion, rain-drenched showdown in a rail-yard this film overflows with atmosphere, brilliant cinematography, stylish editing, amazing camerawork and a whole host of cinematic styles. Influences range from silent Russian cinema and '30s pulp noir, to John Woo and MTV and everything in between. The music has an incredible variety as well from Morricone-esque harmonicas to piano jazz and then to riff-happy heavy metal. A damn near overload to the senses, this one is the clear winner in the uber-stylized crime genre, easily toppling the reigning champ Dobermann. Includes trailer and making of. Letterboxed in Korean with English subtitles. [B]
	Play Dirty: (1968) Great, highly underrated and somewhat obscure WWII outing from Andre de Toth starring Michael Caine, Nigel Davenport and Nigel Green. An unorthodox Colonel (Green) with a small outpost in North Africa staffed by ex-cons, is continually unsuccessful in his missions to help halt Rommel’s sweep. As a last chance for the Colonel to save his bacon, the General decides to have him send a squad of his men lead by a disposable Captain (Caine) on a mission to blow up one of the Desert Fox’s fuel depots, some 400 miles behind enemy lines. Unbeknownst to the them, they will be cannon fodder for the real troops who will be following behind. Caine is perfect as a soft-spoken Captain who is ousted from a cushy job and gradually learns the hard, bitter taste of war. Well cast with lots of tension, plenty of action and nicely pessimistic and anti-establishment (this is the late ‘60s after all). [B]
	The Punisher: (1990) Uncut import version of this cool Dolph Lungren film adaptation of the comic-book character, with all of the graphic violence, that was cut by the MPAA, intact! This was the trend-setter that started all of the dark, violent film adaptations of graphic novels, and it's still one of the best (smokes Bat-ham any day). Great looking print, in English with Japanese subtitles. [B]
	Queen's High: (1990) The remarkable Cynthia Kahn stars as a mob-boss' daughter out for revenge against a rival mob that killed her father in this gangster gundown that is often referred to as an entry in the Duty series, but is not. Simon Yam also stars in another self-righteous, prettyboy role, who meets a messy demise at Kahn's wedding (cool!). Lots of mass bloody shootings and some decent martial arts scenes with Kahn. In Chinese with English subtitles.
	Roaring Fire: (1982) Great karate / action flick with some cool stars including Sonny Chiba and Abdullah the Butcher (as a bodyguard named Sparticus)! Henry Sanada stars as a guy who was kidnapped at birth and returns to Japan to join his true family. When he gets there he finds that he is in deep poop as his twin brother was murdered by the Yakuza over the family gemstone. Now he must kill and kill again, just to stay alive! Fun, funky stuff that sports great karate fights and bloody shoot-outs! In English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	Robo Vampire: (1993) 100% real cheese, 100% real entertainment! Thomas Tang's completely inept, budget starved concoction tries to rip-off RoboCop and Mr. Vampire at the same time. After a cop is killed while trying to bust some drug smugglers (who use hopping vampires that shoot missiles out of their sleeves for protection), the police have a secret experiment on tap and this cop fits the bill! Say hello to Robo Warrior (or a guy in a laughable silver lamé outfit), a crime and vampire fighting machine who is so loud and unstealthy the criminals can hear him coming a mile off! Apparently the entire budget went to guns, explosives and pyrotechnics, which ain't really a bad thing. Notable points are many, but we liked the white chick who plays a ghost and shows her boobs when not being doubled by an Asian in a similar (but not remotely identical) outfit for the fight scenes. Words cannot do this howler justice! [B]
	Run: (1994) Forget the bland, uninspired title, this is a violent, bloody HK remake of El Mariachi. Shot on location in Mexico, this action-packed remake has a guitar-carrying HK tourist mistaken for a notorious Chinese killer (also carrying a guitar case), who has escaped from jail to hunt down a crime-lord that done him wrong. Loaded with ultra-bloody shoot-outs, cool locations and did I mention those juicy bullet hits? Very well done and a helluva lot of fun, even if it is a blatant rip-off. Widescreen in Chinese with English subtitles. [B]
	Run and Kill: (1993) Grim, ultra-violent HK action-thriller about a guy who, while drunk, accidentally hires a hit man to kill his cheating wife and brother. The next day the mob comes after him and all hell breaks loose. Stars Danny Lee as a sincere cop (again...) And Simon Yam as a brutal, viscous killer that makes Henry Lee Lucas look like the Easter Bunny. Way twisted and taboo-bustin' stuff. Widescreen in Chinese with English subtitles. [B, 18+]
	Sahara Cross: (1977) Widescreen print of this entertaining and original, if wildly improbable, action-thriller Starring Franco Nero as guy who along with his three friends works in the Middle Eastern deserts for oil companies. These companies are constantly being attacked by anti-Anglo terrorists who want control of the fields. After a trio of terrorists kill one of Nero's amigo's it's revenge time, and in the process they have a plan to make a cool $3 million. Well made, with a cool cheesy Euro-disco score, good action scenes and a plot that will always have ya guessing. In English with Dutch subtitles. [B]
	Salt in the Wound: (1969) A.k.a. The Dirty Two, The Liberators. Good little Italian WWII flick starring George Hilton, Klaus Kinski and Ray Saunders. Right before a straight-laced Lieutenant (Hilton) starts the execution of a couple of American GI’s (Kinski and Saunders) in Europe, a squad of Nazi’s attack, killing everyone but the Lieutenant and the condemned. The three manage to escape the massacre and end up in a small Italian villa that seems to think that they have been liberated by the Americans. Lots of ‘60s cynicism with Kinski ranting about all soldiers being killers and why should he believe in God when even the Nazi’s have “God is with us” emblazoned on their belts. Directed by Tonino Ricci, with music by Riz Ortolani. In English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	Search for Vengeance: (1984) Rey Malonzo strikes again with this semi-remake of Classified Operation! A tough, honest cop (Malonzo) is targeted by a Filipino mob boss for execution with extreme prejudice after he blows away the man's son in a disco. The police force suspends him before his wife is killed by a bomb disguised as a Christmas present. Now there's no badge to keep his from taking the law into his own hands! Wall to wall action with shoot-outs, hilarious dialogue and ol' Rey's lightning fast kickboxing skills! In English with Greek subs. [B]
	Shark Hunter: (1984) More E.G. Castellari shark action! This time it’s Franco Nero who plays a drunken, washed up, long-haired shark hunter in Mexico (aren’t they all?) who gets wind of some loot under the sea. Not only is the water infested by sharks, but the mob is after the stuff, too! Fun stuff with some cool underwater footage. In English with Dutch subtitles. [B]
	The Slams: (1973) Super rare and super cool blaxploitation action/prison flick starring Jim Brown as a hard-hittin' thief who with the help of two other, now dead crims, ripped off the mafia for $1.5 million and a suitcase of smack. After literally running into the fuzz while bleeding to death, our main man ends up in the slams and everybody knows that the syndicate is after his ass and the cash. Great stuff with a killer, funky score by Luther Henderson. Still unreleased on video in the US. [B]
	Sparrow Unit – The Extermination Squad: (1982) Super violent and bloody Filipino actioner with great cheesy moments, a Vic Diaz cameo and did I mention bloody? Sheesh! Nobody dies a clean death here! Certain provinces have taken a strong dislike to the military and are pushing to break away from the government. To do this, they decide to send squads of guerillas called “sparrow units” into Malta to kill every cop and military guy they can get in their gunsights! After the papers start taking note of the massacres, the military decides that it’s kill or be killed and the body count starts piling up. Brainless, violent cheese at it’s finest. In English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	Taxi: (1998) Fast, fun Luc Besson produced action-comedy about the fastest pizza delivery guy turned the fastest cab driver who suddenly finds himself helping out an inept cop catch a group of German bank robbers. Since the German's drive souped-up Mercedes' this means, it takes a gearhead to catch one and plenty of high-speed chases ensue. Running at a lightning fast pace, the comedy is dry and funny and the action is adrenaline pumping! An instant cult classic! Letterboxed in French with English subtitles. [B]
	Taxi 2: (1999) The white Peugeot taxi returns, as does Luc Besson for this more high-tech sequel! The Japanese prime minister is in Marseilles to sign an important agreement with the French, but the Yakuza are there to see that this agreement doesn't go down. Once more our ex-pizza guy is caught in the middle of it and roped in by the police to help rescue the minister from ninjas and gunmen driving fast cars, of course. Martial arts, car chases and crashes up the action quotient, though the comedy is a bit more silly. Letterboxed in French with English subtitles. [B]
	Taxi 3: (2002) The white Peugeot taxi returns, as does Luc Besson for this really, incredibly awful sequel! A German crime gang has been ripping off French banks and the cops are helpless, so who you gonna appel? Yup, our klutzy cop and hen-pecked driver are on the case, but instead of loads of automotive mayhem, we get soppy Father of the Bride comic antics because the boys' girlfriends are both pregnant and due at the same time. Almost no action whatsoever, and what little there is ain't good. Letterboxed in French with English subtitles. [B]
	They Call Her… Cleopatra Wong: (1978) Widescreen print of this fun Phillipino actioner that just reeks of the '70s (not exactly a bad thing). Marrie Lee plays Cleopatra Wong, a hot female James Bond who is called out of a late-night horizontal mambo to track-down an international counterfeit cash ring. As luck would have it she finds they are using an old monastery and impersonating monks and nuns while shipping out their phony bills in jars of strawberry jam. Funky, kung-fu action stuff that is a classic of it's kind. [B]
	Tiger Joe: (1982) Cool Antonio Margheriti semi-sequel to his previous 'Nam classic The Last Hunter. David Warbeck returns as a post-war pilot, who along with his crew (Alan Collins and Tony King), runs guns to the rebels. During a run he screws the pooch and finds himself in enemy territory and it's up to his chums to try and rescue him. What they don't know is he is pretty much kicking ass on his own. Fun stuff with lots of massive explosions, gun battles, jungle warfare and amusing dialogue. In English with Dutch subtitles. [B]
	A Time for Dying: (197?) If Sam Peckinpah directed an epic war drama in the Philippines, it might run something like this. A small Philippine island is rather peacefully invaded by the Japanese during WWII. A guerilla resistance led by a white bastard forms and spends most of the time raping, killing and raping and killing some more! To make matters worse a hard-assed Japanese commander takes over and starts executing the townspeople. Lots of dramatic moments, but the battle scenes are bloody as hell and since it was directed by Cirio H. Santiago, there has to be at least a shooting, rape, beating or blood-drenched slow-motion massacre every 10 minutes to keep the audience on their toes. In English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	Top Line: (1988) Off-beat Italian potboiler about a drunken, washed-up journalist (aren't they all?) turned Indiana Jones played by Franco Nero, who stumbles on to the story of the century: the truth about UFOs. Naturally the US and Russian governments have been covering this up for years and want him dead. To make matters worse the aliens also want him dead and send killer cyborgs after him. George Kennedy has a small part as a German pre-Columbian art collector, who has it in for Indiana Franco as well. Lots of fun and a definite must for fans of cheesy Italian sci-fi and Franco Nero. Gotta love the twist ending too! A slightly less than perfect PAL transfer in English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	W: (198?) Obscure-as-hell, low-rent Mad Max knock-off from Philippines, about a cop who kills a powerful cult leader's brother. In retaliation the gang of krishna-lookin' leatherboys leader removes "man's best friend" from the cop (I ain't talkin' about a dog here, guys). Now he can't screw his newly-wed babe and is seriously pissed-off about it. Suitable material for MST3K, with more bald people than Blue Sunshine.
	Wild Team: (1985) Widescreen print of this Umberto Lenzi paramilitary flick with a top cast of regulars including Antonio Sabato, Ivan Rassamov and Werner Pochath. A South American government is being ruled by a ruthless dictator and now a group of industrialists decide to get the original president back into power. Only one problem: El Presidente's son has been kidnapped by the dictator's forces and it's up to a band of mercenaries to get him back. Pretty much standard jungle warfare action, but at least worth the view for the cast. In English with Greek subtitles. [B]
	Wartime: (1987) Umberto Lenzi WWII outing starring Peter Wooten and the always psychotic Werner Pochath, plus music by Fulci alum Fabio Frizzi! An American soldier (Wooten) is sent on a mission behind enemy lines to rescue a scientist working for the Nazi’s, but the catch is, he may not want to be rescued! The master is a bit rougher than the usual Greek stuff, in case you are the anal type. In English with Greek subtitles. [B]