April 2006

Loved and hated in equal measure by movie fans the world over, Hawaiian director Albert Pyun is nonetheless recognised as the master of schlock. Andrew Skeates looks back at the highs and lows of his prolific career.

Not since the demise of one Ed Wood has a director met with such critical and public hostility as Albert Pyun, while still managing to make film after film. Hated and loved in almost equal measure, this elusive auteur is one of the true connoisseurs of low budget cinema. Falling somewhere between Uwe Boll and Michael Bay (two other, often, critically loathed directors, who are both still making films), Pyun is the equivalent of a human conveyor belt. Having directed almost forty films in his career since his debut, The Sword And The Sorcerer in 1982, he sometimes churns out up to four films a year. With recent legal wranglings over his last film, Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon, not slowing him down and at least four other films currently in production, there seems to be no stopping this prolific filmmaker.

[To read this article in full you must buy the April 2006 edition of Impact]

Impact rounds up the latest in Eastern animation. This month we have an exclusive review of part one of the utterly stunning Karas: The Prophecy... and from Studio Ghibli, the equally impressive Howl’s Moving Castle, Laputa and Princess Mononoke all hit the shelves this month.

Karas: The Prophecy is a two-part OAV (a release made specifically for video or, more accurately these days, DVD), courtesy of Manga Entertainment who have produced the English dub (more on which, later…). Karas is set in an alternate version of Tokyo where the world of humans and that of the Youkai, or demons, live together in overlapping dimensions. For years our separate dimensions have co-existed, with humankind protected by a mystical entity called Karas (crow) who serves Yurine – a Youkai princess who represents the will of Tokyo’s human population.

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All the latest from the world of extreme cinema, including an interview with Mick Garris discussing Takeshi Miike’s un-screenable contribution to the Masters Of Horror collection, plus the nastiest recipe for Dumplings ever!

ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH..: Yes that is MY scream that you're currently imagining. "Whack... whack... WHACK"... And THIS is the sound Calum's head as it smashes itself off his writing desk at a furious pace. Right. All better now. A few slgiht bruises, maybe a little drop of blood, but all is well with the world. The next four pages are indeed going to be good...

So, without further ado, welcome to the latest slice of Asia Extreme - but first an explanation...

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With the Oscars just announced hot on the tail of Britain’s own BAFTAs Impact looks back at the winners and losers. Meanwhile, Mike Leeder announces the nominees for the Hong Kong Film Awards and finds a considerably greater slant towards the action genre.

The twenty-fifth Hong Kong Him Awards takes place on April 8th, 2006. Impacts Eastern editor Mike Leeder takes a look at the nominations and makes his estimations about who will be the winners and who won't...

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Last month we kicked editor John Mosby out of West Yorkshire and sent him down the M62 to Manchester and the first Northern Collectormania. Sadly, he came back again but he had a lot of fun and interviewed a lot of actors - here’s his report.

Once upon a time the word conventions was largely applied to business gatherings where accountants or product salesmen gathered for their annual reports and a few drinks in the bar. Ah, how things have changed (well, okay, maybe not the bar bit). Nowadays a convention is just as likely to mean a gathering of fans of TV shows, films, comics and the like. Hotels and big venues have woken up to the fact that they are big business and are more than happy to tolerate a few people dressed as Harry Potter stand-ins or jedi-chiefs stalking their halls if it means a successful weekend for all concerned.

[To read this article in full you must buy the April 2006 edition of Impact]

This month Dempsey & Makepeace comes under the critical microscope while Andrew Staton speaks to John Saxon about his experiences working with Quentin Tarantino on CSI.

This month's Cult TV checks out the DVD release of `80s classic Dempsey & Makepeace while Andrew Staton chats to John Saxon about his involvement in Quentin Tarantino's CSI Special...

A group of men are working at night on the docks; the night is cold and mist shrouds the scene. A couple of men are taking notice of a particular shipment and keeping in touch through furtive glances. Both are waiting for the signal to go into action. They are undercover police officers about to bust a drugs ring. They move into action with guns at the ready, Lt James Dempsey getting into position waiting for his partner's backup only to find his partner is one of those trying to kill him.

[To read this article in full you must buy the April 2006 edition of Impact]

In part one of Mike Leeder’s exclusive interview with his Fearless co-star Anthony DeLongis looks back on his long and illustrious career as swordmaster to the stars...

With a lengthy career both in front and behind the camera as an actor/fight director and weapons specialist, Anthony DeLongis has worked with some of the biggest names in the entertainment business on the big screen, the small screen and the stage, including Tom Cruise, Jet Li, Tim Burton, Michelle Pfeiffer, Patrick Swayze, Yuen Woo-ping, David Carradine and so many more. He has delivered memorable performances onscreen in such projects as The Silent Flute/Circle Of Iron, Jaguar Lives, Highlander. The Series and more recently Fearless which saw him clashing swords against Jet Li. His credits behind the camera include training performers including Michelle Pfeiffer to use the bullwhip so effectively on Batman Returns, the swordplay for Secondhand Lions and so much more. Impact's Eastern Editor Mike Leeder delivers the first part of an indepth interview with a true renaissance man of action cinema...

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Hong Kong has finally got around to honouring its most famous son and the BBLA’s Patrick Webb was on hand to attend the unveiling ceremony.

Bruce Lee would have been 65 on the 27th November, and finally Hong Kong was going to honour its most famous son. The Bruce Lee Festival was announced, and the desire to be there proved too much, so from planning to celebrate the day with the BBLA, my wife and I set off for Hong Kong.

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Action all the way with the latest DVD releases rounded up and rated by our crack reviewing team... well, mostly by Damian Howden actually...

Covered this month:
DVDs: Seoul Raiders, Divergence, Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects, Stealth, Attack Force Z and Gojoe.

[To read this article in full you must buy the April 2006 edition of Impact]

One of cinema’s greatest ‘everyman’ actors is back in action - this time around saving his screen family from the menace of hi-tech bank-robbers. John Bierly looks back, fondly, at Harrison Ford’s career, and appraises his latest offering: Firewall.

As far as I'm concerned, Harrison Ford is the greatest actor of all time. Not just a movie star, as some of today's top draws are, but a true actor who has proven himself not only as the face of some of filmdom's greatest icons but also as an everyman to whom we can all still relate. His latest film, Firewall, falls into that latter category and gives us an opportunity to look back on the career of a man who has sold billions of dollars' worth of movie tickets to generations of fans. As a carpenter, Ford built his own house in Wyoming. As a helicopter pilot, he has rescued lost hikers and Boy Scouts lost in some of America's greatest wildernesses. Just who is this guy?

[To read this article in full you must buy the April 2006 edition of Impact]

Impact’s game review pages finally go Hi-Def as Daryl Crowther bring us the low-down on Microsoft’s latest console and a bunch of its release titles.

Titles reviewed this month are: Dead Or Alive 4, Project Gotham Racing 3, Perfect Dark Zero and Condemned.

[To read this article in full you must buy the April 2006 edition of Impact]

Just before he won his Oscar for Syriana, George Clooney met with Tony Earnshaw to talk about his nominations and what it’s like being Hollywood’s political conscience.

George Clooney's latest films are both up for Oscars. He hasn't hung up the action-man credentials just yet. Impact looks at how the actor / director has quite literally become a heavyweight to be reckoned with and Tony Earnshaw meets the man himself...

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Mike Leeder looks back at what can possibly claim to be the UK’s first ‘homegrown’ martial arts actioner, Ashes To Ashes.

Gentle readers, a question: What was the first feature length British martial arts movie? Simon Wyndham and Steve Lawson’s Insiders? Modern Life’s left for dead? While both of those films have blazed a trail for the UK’s indie action moviemakers, the title of the first UK martial arts movie should probably go to Ashes To Ashes, a film written and directed by Wayne Gerard Trotman in the mid ‘90s. Impact takes a look at the film, which while having been screened on satellite TV and released on DVD, hasn’t really had much exposure.

[To read this article in full you must buy the April 2006 edition of Impact]

Los Angeles may forever be associated with one of its most famous cinematic regions, Hollywood, and the huge amount of filming that goes on there, but many of the films and shows that you see aren’t actually shot there at all. Canada has been luring productions north of the border for years and the

Blame it all on Stephen J Cannell - or, perhaps, the multiplication of terrestrial, cable and satellite channels that vie for the same viewership - for the preponderance of hour-long episodic dramas not being filmed in Los Angeles, but in Vancouver, a beautiful city far to the North, located in the still stunning province of British Columbia, Canada.

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As Tsui Hark’s epic Wuxia based film gets a UK cinema release Impact chats to the director and brings you the low down on the movie...

Currently enjoying a limited theatrical release in the UK, Tsui Hark's The Seven Swords continues its travels around the globe since opening the Venice Film Festival last year. First reviewed in Impact issue 166, its UK release brings another to visit the mystical Mount Tian...

This time around Tony Rayns chats to renowned director Tsui Hark while Damian Howden gives us a thorough analysis as he looks beyond the hype.

Impact: How did you go about designing the swords for the film? Could they be used in real combat?

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Following our Thai action movie special last year, Impact returns to The Land Of Smiles to check out ten Thai movies you have to see. Plus, we bring you the first UK review of SARS Wars - a Zombie comedy like no other!

Much like Korean cinema before it, Thai filmmaking has improved immeasurably over the last five years. However, many Thai films have yet to enjoy the widespread attention and praise lauded on their Korean counterparts, with the majority of people's knowledge of Thai cinema beginning and ending with Tony Jaa and Ong Bak which is a great shame as there are so many quality films from the Land of Smiles that deserve our attention. In order to rectify this, Impacts lee Mason presents, in no particular order, ten Thai films that deserve to be seen...

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Who could say? John Bierly examines the DVD release of Marvel’s first animated movie and finds himself none the wiser...

Avengers Assemble! But... which Avengers? If you're not certain when you pick up Marvel's new Ultimate Avengers animated movie, you'll still be confused a scant seventy-one minutes later when the credits stop rolling.

[To read this article in full you must buy the April 2006 edition of Impact]

Action movies are often described as formulaic and shallow. Deeply political films are seen as being boring or merely aimed at the arthouse. But this month, V for Vendetta hits cinemas combining the genres in an unprecedented and provocative way. Impact editor John Mosby talks to its star Hugo Weavi

Action movies are often described as formulaic and shallow. Deeply political films are seen as being boring or merely aimed at the arthouse. But this month, V for Vendetta hits cinemas combining the genres in an unprecedented and provocative way. Impact editor John Mosby talks to its star Hugo Weaving and reviews the year's most controversial film...

[To read this article in full you must buy the April 2006 edition of Impact]