1 2 3 >
KOBAYASHI FOUR box set coming in November

Facets has just announced that in November they'll be releasing a box set of the four films by Masahiro Kobayashi (Bootleg Film, The Rebirth, Man Walking On Snow and Bashing) under the name Kobayashi Four. We particularly enjoyed Bootleg Film here at 24FPS and definitely recommend checking out the director's work. I think it's safe to say we're all very much looking forward to his Haru To No Tabi with Tatsuya Nakadai later this year.

Anyway, the box is due out Nov. 23rd in the US with a price tag of $56 if you order it through Facets or Amazon.

Synopsis: Bashing tells the story of Yuko, a Japanese aid worker held hostage in Iraq. Her return home is anything but happy as coworkers, friends, and family harass her for her career choice. Shot in black-and white, Bootleg Film is a darkly comic road movie about two men, who are best friends despite being on opposite sides of the law. One is a retiring Yakuza, the other a cop, and the two embark on the road trip from hell to attend the funeral of their mutual beloved. Man Walking on Snow follows lonely widower Nobuo who struggles to communicate with his sons. Kobayashi directs himself in The Rebirth, a stark drama about a widower grieving for his daughter, who was stabbed to death by a classmate. Haunted by loss, the man moves to northern Japan , where he spots the mother of his daughter's killer working as a cook at a local inn.

Second trailer for Chinese Western WIND BLAST

Hailed as the first action crime thriller for the Chinese mainland, a second trailer is out for director Gao Qunshu's contemporary western film Wind Blast. The film stars a pretty stellar cast including; Duan Yihong, Xia Yu, Wu Jing, Yu Nan and Charlie Young with a plot centring on four detectives - each with a unique skill - chasing down a criminal into the wild desert, while at the same time fighting two bounty hunters.

Gao has apparently cited the films of John Ford as major influences in the movies look and it definitely shows, there’s sweeping desert vistas and lush cinematography to be seen in spades. Add to that fight moves and stunt skills from Wu Jing, and we'll be in action movie heaven. Wind Blast opens in China on October 28th, so provided it arrives in Hong Kong soon after, we'd expect to see it hit English subbed DVD around December/January time.

 

 

Wind Blast trailer

Via CRI

UK trailer for THE SWORD WITH NO NAME

One for historical epic fans….Kim Yong-gyun’s - director of the hit Korean horror movie ‘The Red Shoes’ - sweeping action flick The Sword With No Name is heading to the UK DVD via Cine Asia, next month. One word to the wise, whilst the UK trailer manages to convey the battles, swordplay and political intrigue well, it sidesteps (purely by accident I’m sure) the fact that there’s also a fairly hefty romantic sub plot running right through the movie. So provided you don’t mind some sweet nothings with your swordplay, give it a try. The Sword With No Name goes on sale September 20th.

 Synopsis: A young woman of noble birth embarks on a dangerous cross-country journey, where she encounters an infamous bounty-hunter. Honour-bound, he becomes her protector and against all the odds they fall in love. A few years later, to fulfill a sacred promise, she must enter the royal court and ascend to the throne as Empress, leaving her love behind. However, when aggressive Japanese forces gather against her nation, the bounty hunter will once again stand by her side as a devoted bodyguard. As the conflict escalates to all-out war, her irrepressible leadership will sustain her people and give them the hope of victory. Tragically, as her reputation spreads, she will become a target for assassination, but one man's courage will make all the difference...

Revenge can be murder in X-GAME

We’re a little late to the party with news on Yohei Fukuda’s (‘Chanbara Beauty’) latest offering - the revenge horror X-game - but the trailer looked entertaining and bloody enough to still give it a mention. Based on a novel by Yamada Yusuke X-game stars the members of Japanese pop groups (doesn’t every Japanese horror these days?) D-boys and AKB48, in a tale of an ex pupils extreme idea of revenge, for past school room bullying. Kids today! X-game is released in Japan next month.

 

 

 

X-game official site

Poster and trailer for THE LAST SEVEN

Pandemic, alien invasion or Zombie Apocalypse? The latest trailer (and poster) for Imran Naqvi’s horror thriller The Last Seven still isn’t giving much away as to what disaster befalls London - and why 7 strangers have survived in a city that once home to over 8 million - but has us intrigued enough to want to see more. They are going for one of those dual style releases on this one, the film hit UK theatres yesterday, and arrives on DVD a few days after.

Synopsis: A watch stops. A man awakes. He remembers nothing. And London is completely deserted. Starring Tamer Hassan, Danny Dyer and Simon Phillips – London’s last survivors must fight to stay alive as events become increasingly more dangerous and disturbing, whilst trying to piece together their memories of a cataclysmic event on an epic scale. Struggling to make sense of an impossible situation and stay alive against all the odds, this is the mission of THE LAST SEVEN.

 

The Last Seven trailer

Dario Argento’s INFERNO Blu-ray review

Director: Dario Argento. Review: Adam Wing.

It’s always nice to see classic horror movies get the treatment they deserve on blu-ray, and the upcoming release of Inferno is another fine example courtesy of Arrow Video. Inferno is Dario Argento’s follow up to Suspiria, and while it's not a true sequel in every sense of the word, it does deal with themes introduced in what is arguably Argento’s best-loved film. A belated third chapter called Mother of Tears: The Third Mother completed the trilogy in 2007, but it’s the first two instalments that helped cement Dario’s name in horror legend.

The scene is set at an apartment building in New York, where would be heroin Rose (Irene Miracle) purchases a book called The Three Mothers. The book tells the tale of three mothers, Mater Suspiriorum (the mother of sighs), Mater Lachrymarum (the mother of tears), and Mater Tenebrarum (the mother of darkness). An alchemist by the name of Varelli has built each of the ‘ladies’ a home - one in Germany, one in Rome and one in the heart of New York City. From these homes the three mothers rule the world "with tears, sighs, and darkness" – there’s no need for further explanation, it’s easier if you go with it...Continue reading review. 

Inferno trailer

24frames picks up Mexican sci-fi thriller SERES: GENESIS

24frames (No we’ve not branched out into distribution) has announced that it has just acquired all North-American rights to the Mexican science fiction movie Seres: Genesis. The alien invasion thriller will open nationwide in Mexico on September 17, followed shortly after by a run in US theaters.

Directed and written by Angel Mario Huerta stars Alejandra Barros (“Sultanes Del Sur,” “Amar,” “Matando Cabos”), Liz Gallardo (“Máncora,” “Sangre de familia,” “La última y nos vamos”), Humberto Busto (“Depositarios,” “Niñas Mal,” “Amores Perros”), Manuel Balbi (“Deseo Prohibido,” “La viuda de Blanco”), Arturo Delgado (“Entre Canibales,” “María José”) and veteran actor Gonzalo Vega (“A través del Silencio,” “Tengo Todo”). GÉNESIS is the first part of a planned trilogy, to be followed by SERES: EVOLUTION predicting the future of mankind, and finally SERES: EXTINCTION will reveal the secrets of our destiny.

Synopsis: When a young girl is found amid the wreckage of an accident caused by an alien craft, Mariel, head of a secretive task force investigating the paranormal, must solve the riddle of a frightening message the girl delivers which suggests humanity is on the verge of extermination by a hostile alien force.

Seres:Genesis English subbed trailer

Seres:Genesis English official site

Red band trailer for Indy survival horror DEVIL’S BRIDGE

Another day, more hard core indy British horror news. This time it’s the first, gritty and at times damn violent trailer for writer/director Chris Crow’s, Devils Bridge. DB stars Joshua Richards, Joesph Millson and David Schofield and the film follows three friends as their weekend trip to the rural wilds of Wales rapidly descends into a night of savage survival. We’ve tagged this as a red band trail, because this definitely isn’t work safe. Catch it at the link.

Synopsis: Sean’s livelihood is on the rocks, and he sets out meet an underworld specialist who can facilitate an off-the-books solution to his failing business. Heading into the rural isolation of Wales with his friends Adam and Danny, Sean finds himself in uncharted, unknown and deeply alien territory. In this unfamiliar setting the trio cross William Parry, a hardened farmer, consumed by paranoia, and a lifetime of bitter resentment, a powder keg ready to blow. Their encounter spirals rapidly out of control, moving into a brutal spree of pointless violence and revenge as William hunts the boys through a stark and unforgiving terrain.

Devil’s Bridge official site

THE CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH: UK DVD review

Director: Chuan Lu. Review: Adam Wing.

 I found myself in an unusual position as I sat down to watch City of Life and Death. On any other day I would probably avoid watching award winning films, especially award winning films that drown themselves in murder, rape and misery. Award winning films that not only drown themselves in murder, rape and misery - but also come with the tagline ‘based on true events’. That’s usually enough to send me running for the hills. City of Life and Death has already won Best Cinematography Awards aplenty, not to mention a Best Director achievement at the Asian Film Awards for director Chuan Lu. Not my usual cup of tea then, but just occasionally you have to dunk your biscuit in unfamiliar flavours and City of Life and Death can’t be considered anything less.

The third film from director Chuan Lu, City of Life and Death is a devastating account of the massacre that occurred when Japanese troops took control of the city of Nanjing in December 1937, a tragedy forever remembered as the Rape of Nanking. Shot in black and white, this uncompromising war epic captures the shocking violence and brutality of the Nanjing massacre, providing an unsettling portrait of both the victims and the perpetrators. It’s a tough watch from start to finish, touching on all aspects of life affected by war. No stone is left unturned, from the Chinese soldiers who gave their lives, to the foreign missionaries who offered support, through to the Japanese soldiers guilty of so many crimes against humanity...Continue reading here.

City of Life and Death trailer

 

Brit Sci-fi horror takes a trip down the ‘A70’

Film “Based on a true story.” Lets face it when those you read those words they’ll either make you want to run for the hills, or be your own guilty secret. Either way, every once in a while one of them appears that may do something to redeem this often over used marketing ploy. Enter stage left, Steven Forrester’s upcoming sci-fi horror ‘A70.’

Synopsis: A70, a powerful and extraordinary journey that involved two Scottish men named Garry Wood and Colin Wright in Edinburgh Scotland, 1992. One evening whilst both men where driving to a friends house on a route they have taken many times before, this particular night they where confronted by an extraordinary encounter. As both men are faced with fear and panic, Gary accelerates the car hard, to get away. As they finally reach their destination they learn they are missing two hours of time. Soon after, horrifying nightmares, ill health, unusual scars and strange visions slowly reveal that something far more sinister occurred that night. As the men search for answers their world is ultimately torn apart by what they discover.

His second feature as director, Forrester started out in the film business as an editor and FX whiz (on the likes of ‘Troy, ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘X-Men’), so he should know his way around a production. That coupled with the fact that Brit horror often means plenty of gritty scares, means we will pull this one over, and park it in the “definitely maybe” spot.

A70 official site

Im-Sang Soo’s THE HOUSEMAID on English subbed DVD

Sang-soo lim’s (‘President Last Bang’) remake of Kim Ki-young's 60s Korean thriller The Housemaid - A dark tale of adultery, twisted ambition and murder - is up for pre-order on English subtitled DVD! The original was considered to be one of the best South Korean movies ever made, and the general consensus amongst critics has been that Lim did himself proud with the reboot, so pencil this date into your calendars...The Housemaid goes on sale September 18th.

Synopsis: Divorcee Eun Yi signs on to work as a nanny and housemaid for a wealthy, upper-crust family. In her naive eyes, the rich and handsome Hoon, his pregnant wife Hae Ra, and adorable daughter Hae Ra (make the picture-perfect family. But that myth is soon shattered when the domineering Hoon finds his way to her bed. Their torrid affair upsets the balance of the household, unleashing a cruel power struggle as Hae Ra, her mother, and the head housekeeper all answer with their own calculated attack.

 

 

The Housemaid trailer

Pre-order your copy here

New trailer for THE MALAY CHRONICLES: BLOODLINES

Malaysian big budget epic ‘The Chronicles of Merong’ has had a name change to the more international friendly The Malay Chronicles: Bloodlines, and on the back of the re-badge, a new trailer has tagged along for the ride. A few of the FX sequences still look a little (the movie is still in post, so there’s time yet for some fine tuning on the CGI) rough around the edges, but one thing Chronicles will definitely boast is some superb fight action choreographed by martial arts experts from the Jackie Chan team in Hong Kong. Slightly dodgy effects we can be forgive, if there’s plenty of top class, ass kicking…bone crunching… fight action to be seen. Check out the trailer on the now live official site.

Synopsis: The year is 120 AD… a time when the Roman Empire is at the height of its power, during the reign of Hadrian….one of the Five Good Emperors. In China, the Han Dynasty is firmly cemented as the ruling family and is expanding into Central Asia. As the Roman fleet did their repairs and traded in Goa, they asked Merong Mahawangsa to escort a Roman prince to Southeast Asia, to wed a beautiful Chinese princess from the Han Dynasty. The Chinese princess and the Roman prince are supposed to meet halfway and be married on neutral ground. However, the pirate nation of Geruda had other plans. They decided to kidnap the princess and use her as ransom. En route to the Straits of Melaka, Merong Mahawangsa's fleet was attacked by Geruda's forces while stopping at a small island to replenish supplies. Will Merong Mahawangsa be able to rescue the Princess and re-unite her with her betrothed?

Malay Chronicles official site

Christopher Smith’s BLACK DEATH on R2 DVD

Christopher Smith’s (‘Severance,’ ‘Triangle’) entertaining, spooky, and at times very grim gothic horror thriller Black Death is set for release on UK DVD and Blu-ray on October 18th, and we’ve just had the artwork land at our door to take a look at. For Smith fans in America the news isn’t so great. There’s still no word on a US - theatrical or DVD - release date, which is odd considering the relative success in the States, of his earlier work? On that mystery, we’ll keep you posted.

Synopsis: Medieval England has fallen under the shadow of The Black Death. In this apocalyptic world, filled with fear and superstition, a young monk called Osmund is charged with leading a fearsome knight, Ulric (Sean Bean) and his group of mercenaries to a remote marsh. Their quest is to hunt down a necromancer - someone able to bring the dead back to life. Torn between his love of God and the love of a young woman, Osmund discovers the necromancer, a mysterious beauty called Langiva. After Langiva reveals her Satanic identity and offers Osmund his heart's desire, the horror of his real journey begins....

 

Black Death official site

Our review of Black Death

Plot/pics for oddball Korean serial killer thriller BLOODPROOF

Korea goes a little ‘Kick-Ass,’ with a hint of the surreal? Gas mask wearing serial killers, costume wearing vigilante superhero wannabes, and girls with beards are just some of the oddities to be seen in Kim Gok and Kim Sun’s Korean, action serial killer thriller Bloodproof. Without a trailer it’s still hard to say how much (if any) of this is spoof, suffice to say it all sounds slightly whacked out and odd, and therefore we must see it immediately. Bloodproof is still in production, but there’s stills aplenty from the movie to be seen at the links.

Synopsis: Four people are after a serial killer who wears a gasmask. Each has their own reason. Mi-Joo, who wants to be killed by the serial killer, to free herself from the trauma of her disfigurement. Sang-Kun Joo, a political candidate who has been threatened that ‘if he wins the election, he will be killed.’ Bo-Sik, a traffic warden, who wants to catch the serial killer because he thinks he is a superhero. And finally Patrick, who thinks the killer murdered his girl friend. But the ‘gasmask killer’ is not just one person. The identity behind the mask is mysterious. In the end, four of them wear gasmasks and wander around the city of death. What is the nature of the gasmask?

Bloodproof stills 1

Bloodproof stills 2

 

Teaser art for UK horror the BERBERIAN SOUND STUDIO

Brit director Peter Strickland is set to follow up his award nabbing first feature length movie ‘Katalin Varga,’ with a horror film about a sound recordists terrifying trip to an Italian movie house, and we have some first teaser art from the The Berberian Sound Studio,  to share. Not much to go on so far we’ll grant you, but the flicks premise has us intrigued. Berberian Sound Studio starts filming in Italy, this year, in fall.

Synopsis: Every horror film in Italy has its sound twisted and sharpened at Berberian Sound Studio. Only the cheapest, nastiest and most abhorred films pass through these studio doors. Entering this twilight world of cinema is Gilderoy, the unassuming sound engineer from Dorking, England. Having previously recorded sound only for local documentaries, Gilderoy is hardly prepared to enter a studio of horror populated by sleazy directors, desperate actresses, freaks, troubadours and troublemakers.

UK trailer for THE LEGEND OF FONG SAI-YUK

UK label Cine Asia is continuing their release of the Dragon Dynasty back catalogue at a pace, and the latest to hit the shelves is Director Corey Yuen’s The Legend of Fong Sai-yuk. multi award winning for its Action Choreography and Martial Arts Festival Legend Of Fong Sai-yuk is generally considered one of Jet Li’s best martial arts action movies of the 90s.

Set in China's Ching Dynasty, The Legend of Fong Sai-yuk tells the story of a ruthless emperor who enslaves his people, and persecutes a courageous revolutionary group that is mobilizing to destroy his powerful regime. When young folk hero Fong Sai-yuk (Jet Li) discovers that his own father is a freedom fighter who has been targeted for retribution, he embarks on a heroic quest for justice that will unite his people and create a legend that will never be forgotten.

The Legend Of Fong Sai-yuk will be released on DVD on 6th September 2010. Special Features include: audio commentary by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan; Hit Hard And Fly High – an exclusive interview with director and legendary Hollywood fight choreographer Corey Yuen-kwai; The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword – an exclusive interview with writer Jeff Lau.  

Full theatrical trailer for Korean slasher BEDEVILLED

Its theatrical poster and trailer time for first timer Jang Cheol-soo’s well crafted, and bloody, Korean slash/revenge horror Bedevilled. Unlike the previous rough cut promo reel, this new version lacks English subs, but does have the bonus of professional editing and score, showing it off to its bloody best. Bedevilled opens in Korean next month.

 

 

 

Bedevilled Trailer

Bedevilled promo

South Africa goes for a HORRORFEST

Never let it be said that we here at 24fps don’t bring you news on horror and cult events from exotic and far flung places, and should any of our readers hail from South Africa (ya never know) they might well be interested to learn that this years SA Horrorfest Film Festival is on the way. Since its inception in 2005 the Fest has been the Halloween event on the continent, showcasing horror, the macabre and the strange from around the world. The full line-up is due any day now, so keep your eyes peeled on the official site for updates.

Cuba has Zombies and JUAN OF THE DEAD trailers prove it!

Has the Zomedy sub genre run its course? Cuba thinks not, and they are well on the way to producing a post apocalyptic undead infested comedy horror of their very own, Juan of the Dead (Juan de los muertos ) and there’s not one but two teaser trailers appeared online to prove it. A Spanish-Cuban co production Juan was written and directed by Alejandro Brugués, and stars Alexis Díaz de Villegas, Jorge Molina, Jazz Vilá and Andros Perugorría. Groan inducing pun of a title aside - the trailers do look good fun - here’s hoping it heads our way soon, when its released in the new year.

Synopsis: Juan is a typical slacker, forty years old. One day Havana begins to fill with zombies. Juan decides that the best way to cope with it is to prosper. "Juan of the dead, kills your loved ones" is his slogan, and its mission is to help people get rid of those infected around them ... for a price. But the situation gets worse, and while everyone is out to sea to get away, John is left with no choice but to become a hero, staying to defend their country and protect their home from turning into a real bloodbath.

 

Juan teaser 1

Juan teaser 2

Juan official site

7 DAYS: DVD review

Director: Daniel Grou. Review: Adam Wing.

90 minutes can feel like a long time, especially if you’re in the company of Dr Bruno Hamel. Daniel Grou takes us on a dark and depressing journey into the heart of retribution with French thriller 7 Days. Dr Hamel (Claude Legault) lives a peaceful existence with his wife (Fanny Mallette) and daughter, but their happy home is turned upside down when the girl is left to walk to school on her own. Choosing instead to spend some ‘quality time’ with his wife, he somewhat typically falls asleep, missing the call from school asking about her whereabouts. It’s only when a classmate shows up at their door with his daughter’s homework that the alarm bells start ringing. Happiness is shattered when her body is discovered, raped and murdered in a nearby field. Bruno struggles to come to terms with the loss, and the rapid capture of her killer (Martin Dubreuil) does little to ease his pain. Deep in despair, Bruno takes the law into his own hands and kidnaps the killer, promising to torture the murderer for seven days before killing him on his daughter’s birthday. The week that follows makes for grim viewing, and Daniel Grou shows little restraint when it comes to depicting graphic violence, there is a message at the films core but you’ll need a very strong stomach to reach it...Continue reading review here.

7 Days trailer

Recent Entries