Tag: action

Cinema Smorgasbord – Wild in the Streets – Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man (1976)

On this episode of WILD IN THE STREETS we’re going long with the late Ruggero Deodato’s one and only eurocrime film, the absolutely bizarre buddy-cop action classic LIVE LIKE A COP, DIE LIKE A MAN. Featuring plenty of homoeroticism, quarry target practice, straight up murder and EXPLOSIONS, it takes the template set by earlier European action films and goes completely overboard, with two lead characters who flaunt conventions (and legality) while mowing down anyone who gets in their way – sometimes before they even commit a crime. CHECK IT OUT!

Cinema Smorgasbord – We Do Our Own Stunts – Dragon Fist (1979)

After a lengthy, contentious working relationship, Jackie Chan’s time with Lo Wei finally comes to an end (sort of!) with 1979’s DRAGON FIST, a film that had been sitting on the shelf since well before Jackie’s SNAKE IN THE EAGLE’S SHADOW kung-fu breakthrough. The film features a very stoic Jackie attempting to get revenge for his master’s death, which all sounds awfully standard, but the plot gets a lot more twisty as it goes, including Jackie reluctantly working for a group of bad guys before going BER-ZERK in the final ten minutes. We also chat about some of Jackie’s complications with trying to get out of his contract, and his upcoming excursion to America. CHECK IT OUT!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Whatever Happened to Vic Diaz? – Spyder (1988)

On this episode of WHATEVER HAPPENED TO VIC DIAZ? we’re discussing the obscure – and unreleased in the USA – action film SPYDER from 1988 starring kickboxing champion Blake Bahner as BRAD SPYDER, a cop on the edge who travels to Hawaii to find out what happened to his beloved (and very dead) partner. If that sounds at all familiar, it’s because Roger Corman bought the rights to the film and had it re-edited and released as BLACKBELT II! It’s an action-packed (and very short) COBRA rip-off. LET’S TALK ABOUT IT.

Cinema Smorgasbord – Cinema Fantastica – Bad Black (2016) & Cold Hell (2017)

On this episode of Cinema Fantastica we’re traveling to the 2017 Beyond Film Festival in Los Angeles, California and pitting the 2016 Ugandan action film BAD BLACK against the 2017 German-Austrian slasher COLD HELL. From the creators of the worldwide cult sensation WHO KILLED CAPTAIN ALEX?, BAD BLACK has a similar mix of microbudget action, comedy and drama, accompanied by the ever-present commentary from a video joker, while COLD HELL pits a Turkish immigrant (an incredible Violetta Schurawlow) working as a taxi driver against a religious fanatic targeting women in Austria. Which film will reign supreme? Listen and find out!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Whatever Happened to Vic Diaz? – Too Hot to Handle (1977)

On this episode of WHATEVER HAPPENED TO VIC DIAZ? we’re checking out the 1977 sleazy action film TOO HOT TO HANDLE which features softcore queen Cheri Caffaro as hitwoman Samatha Fox who travels to – surprise! – the Phillipines to take out four criminals while simultaneously falling for the cop (Aharon Ipalé) who is hot on her trail. We’re also talking about EROTICA, 90s softcore porn and – of course – all things VIC DIAZ! Check it out!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Wild in the Streets – Street Law (1974)

We’re getting Wild in the Streets with Franco Nero in Enzo G. Castellari’s 1975 Eurocrime revenge thriller STREET LAW! Starring Nero as an engineer who finds his safety (and masculinity) threatened by a post office robbery and decides to take the (street) law into his own hands. Badly! More nuanced than one might expect, and featuring a rocking soundtrack, there’s still plenty of action and – of course – explicit violence. Check it out!