Movie Review: Sansho the Bailiff (1954) directed by Kenji Mizoguchi (Japanese title: Sanshou Dayuu) The setting is the late Heian Period (around the Eleventh Century) in Japan. The popular governor of a northern province, Taira Masauji (Masao Shimizu), has incurred the wrath of a powerful military general because he would not raise taxes on the already… Continue reading Movie Review: Sansho the Bailiff
Tag: political corruption
Manga Review: Cat-Eyed Boy The Perfect Edition 1
Manga Review: Cat-Eyed Boy The Perfect Edition 1 by Kazuo Umezz The “Cat-Eyed Boy” is the son of a nekomata cat monster who for reasons unknown but probably involving infidelity, was born far more humanoid in appearance than his parents. His mother died in childbirth and his putative father abandoned him some months later at… Continue reading Manga Review: Cat-Eyed Boy The Perfect Edition 1
Comic Strip Review: Jet Scott Volume 2
Comic Strip Review: Jet Scott Volume 2 Script by Sheldon Stark, Art by Jerry Robinson Quick recap: For a few years in the early 1950s (1953-1955) comics legends Sheldon Stark and Jerry Robinson tried their hands at a science fiction newspaper comic strip. The United States Government had a Department of Scientifact that investigated unusual… Continue reading Comic Strip Review: Jet Scott Volume 2
Comic Book Review: Uptown Girl: The Lazarus Heart
Comic Book Review: Uptown Girl: The Lazarus Heart by Bob Lipski Thirty years before “now”, three men were exploring a South American jungle, Alvarez Tuesday, Billy, and Mack. They found the hiding place of the legendary Lazarus Heart, but the cave collapsed and only Alvarez escaped. Ten years later, Billy caught up with Alvarez in… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Uptown Girl: The Lazarus Heart
Movie Review: Goke, Bodysnatcher from Hell
Movie Review: Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell (1968) directed by Hajime Sato The Japan Air Lines flight from Tokyo to Osaka was already ill-omened before the bomb threat was received, what with the blood-red sky and birds splattering themselves against the windows. Once the crew are alerted to the possibility of a bomb, they perform a… Continue reading Movie Review: Goke, Bodysnatcher from Hell
Magazine Review: The Spider #85: The Council of Evil
Magazine Review: The Spider #85: The Council of Evil by Norvell Page While Richard Wentworth, the Spider, is well known for having a policy of “shoot first, take no prisoners” towards criminals, he doesn’t always kill. If a crook is knocked out or otherwise incapacitated, the Spider will merely brand their forehead with a spider… Continue reading Magazine Review: The Spider #85: The Council of Evil
Movie Review: Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance
Movie Review: Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance (1974) directed by Toshiya Fujita So, it turns out Yuki (Meiko Kaiji) survived the ending of the previous film, much to her own surprise. Problem is, people remember she did all that murder beforehand as Lady Snowblood. We pick up several years later after the end of… Continue reading Movie Review: Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance
Movie Review: Militant Eagle
Movie Review: Militant Eagle (1978) directed by Chia Chih Li At the end of a three-year war, a general bids a fond farewell to one of his best officers, who wants to return to civilian life. We jump to ten years later, after another war has just ended. By imperial (I think it’s the Tang Dynasty)… Continue reading Movie Review: Militant Eagle
Movie Review: The Green Hornet Strikes Again
Movie Review: The Green Hornet Strikes Again! (1940) directed by Ford Beebe A little background first. The Green Hornet was created for radio in 1936 by Fran Striker, who had also created the Lone Ranger. In the backstory, Dan Reid, nephew of the Lone Ranger, eventually grew up to become a newspaper publisher in an unnamed… Continue reading Movie Review: The Green Hornet Strikes Again
Movie Review: The Black Book (1949)
Movie Review: The Black Book (1949) directed by Anthony Mann The French Revolution is eating its own. The corrupt monarchy was overthrown, yes, and many of the cruel aristocrats executed or exiled. But the temptations of power have turned the Citizens’ Committee against each other, and control of the mob requires ever-increasing sacrifices of the “enemies… Continue reading Movie Review: The Black Book (1949)