"maybe one of her parts came from your street"

The Rip to end all R.I.P.s

Dennis Hopper.

No link is necessary. For the last two years, I was deliberating on writing an essay entry here about how I feel about hippies and Hollywood and the drug culture and a myriad of things I obsess over that would have all tied into the wonder that I hold when I think of Dennis Hopper. Also, I was going to mention how The Kinks are the greatest fucking band to ever hit your ears and they never pandered to any of that psychedelic paisley shit that the Beatles/Stones did, thank Heavens. Maybe Ray wore a Nehru shirt and maybe songs like Fancy employed a sitar-ish slant to them but it was never like the overt comedy that the other two should be embarrassed by. But, I digress...

There goes a fascinating and deeply creative individual who worked across so many eras and genres and with so many incredible people that I could argue he had the greatest mind-full of memories on this whole fucking planet. It's astounding to consider this one man's experiences in life and ridiculously humbling, especially to someone like me. The world is noticeably a great deal lousier with this loss even though we knew it was coming. I will miss his irreverence and his laugh and smile and knowing he was doing what Dennis Hopper does. In my eyes, truly an immeasurable giant in every possible way.

John Huston is scared of things

From a 1979 Variety

Moody selection

Titus Moede



1969




1974




1962




1970




1976




1967

GALLANTS trailer rocks the old school style

Glorious tribute to old school kung fu comedies. It took HK long enough to do this! I missed this in HK and can't wait to catch up with it.

R.I.P.

Alan Sillitoe


To be fair, I only read the first two (and most popular) novels but I do love them and the films they spawned are both well above outstanding with this one, in particular, an all-time favourite.

DREAM HOME in NYC

(Double-dipping from my other blog, Kung Fu Fridays, but this has good sleaze crossover value)

If you missed the world premiere at the Undine Far East Film Festival and are in the NYC area, be sure to check out Pang Ho-Cheung's Dream Home, easily the bloodiest film in the line-up at the Tribeca Film Festival.

It's a gruesome throwback to the Category 3 films of the early 90s that had social commentary on local HK issues buried amongst the sleaze and the violence. Starring Josie Ho (Exiled) the film has stand-out brutal set pieces choreographed by one of my favourite, if not one of the most underrated HK stunt people, Chin Kar-lok. I got to see a very rough version of this last summer and was impressed, but am curious to know how the new cut is following a legal battle regarding editing between the director and his actress/producer Josie Ho. It plays tonight and has more screenings throughout the week.

I have embedded the trailer (via Twitch) below.

Sun, Apr 25, 10:00PM - SVA Theater 2
Mon, Apr 26, 9:30PM - Village East Cinema 6
Tue, Apr 27, 9:30PM - Village East Cinema 6
Fri, Apr 30, 11:45PM - Village East Cinema 2

Terse and perverse

in the land of Chuck

Reporting from the field! Currently in Asheville, NC to serve on the jury of the first edition of Action Fest. A little groggy from a long day of travel that included a 30 minute dentition in Toronto at the airport by US Homeland Security that made me miss my initial flight, but ready for action! Going to explore the town then check some films, but the highlight of the weekend is the presentation of a lifetime achievement award to Chuck Norris! And somehow, I have been given the privilege of moderating a panel discussion with Chuck and his stuntmen on Sunday! However did that manage to happen. More to follow.

Air Canada Redefines Cinema

On my recent flight to HK, I was surprised to see what was offered on Air Canada's inflight entertainment system in the "Avant Garde" section.

Anything?

Easter feast

The biz

when in Hong Kong

Off to Hong Kong on Thursday, so busy getting ready for the trip. Have few posts that I want to pop up here, but very pre-occupied at the moment...

tower of teeth

Always loved this poster. It's kinda awesome...

Can it be spring, please?

Simple, beautiful perfection in poster form.

just up the street

My office is just down the street from the corner of Spadina and Dundas where there sits a giant building that hundreds of people pass by every day with no idea of what it used to be. On the main floor on the corner is a Royal Bank of Canada. On the side is an exotic juice and bubble tea store. In the basement is a dollar store. But what of the 2nd and 3rd floors? I used to know it as The Pearl, a Chinatown cinema where I caught midnight shows of Jackie Chan and Chow Yun-fat action extravaganzas. However, before that, it was The Victory Burlesk, where strippers pranced on the stage and nudie flicks unspooled. Pulled these two ads from a paper ad that I got via our pal Eric V over at 32ElvisMovies.

Do your part! (PSA)

Best radio station ever!
Freeform!
Listen to the archives!
So many possibilities!
Support them in their pledge drive!

For Aaron

In reference to this.

Two rockin' docs, man!

house of the rising straw

Just got a copy of this flick and will settle down and watch it soon...

Be Mine

Happy Valentine's Day, lovers!

in a newspaper far, far away

Undercover Double Agent

Hey! I was pointed to this fantastic online article on the whereabouts of a very famous lady who, in actual fact, I've always wondered what exactly happened to. Isn't that what the glorious Internet is all about?!

jump right on in: DEEP END

A Scala a Day

From the nostalgia files of Sticky Floors pal Mark Valen and Landmark Theaters Midnight programmer (click on Landmark Theaters at THIS LINK to see an interview with Mark), come some partial shots of schedules from the cooler that cool Scala Cinema in merry old London, back when he used to book the joint. Fingers crossed we can get bigger shots of them in the future!