The Krampus is the anti-Santa Claus, a wicked beast from the folklore of the Alpine countries of Europe who loves to swat children who have misbehaved at Christmas with his bundle of birch sticks and rusty chains before dragging them in baskets to the underworld. Krampus is celebrated on Krampusnacht, which takes place on the eve of St. Nicholas’ Day. In parts of Europe, party-goers masquerade as devils, wild-men, and witches to participate in Krampuslauf (Krampus Run). Intoxicated and bearing torches, costumed devils caper and carouse through the streets terrifying children and adults alike. Krampusnacht is increasingly being celebrated in other parts of Europe as well as in many American cities, and next weekend the Krampus will be coming to St. Louis!
The Krampus Research Association of St. Louis will be throwing an event this Saturday, July 26th called Krampus in July – an Evening of Naughty Fun for Bad Little Boys and Girls! The party will be held at Melt Lounge located at 2712 Cherokee St, St. Louis 63118. The festivities begin at 9pm.
There will be no torches but there will be plenty of entertainment. Check out this line-up: the magic of Zi Teng Wang, the musical stylings of Ellen the Felon, the Neil Diamond tribute by Schmiel Diamond, the sideshow spectacle of Tammy Paxton, and the sexy burlesque moves of Little Bo Peepshow.
There will be a suggested donation of $10 at the door. Your support will help The Krampus Research Association bring a traditional, European-style Krampus festival to St. Louis, to be held on December 6, 2014.
The facebook invite for this event can be found HERE
With less than a week to go until thousands descend on San Diego for Comic Con 2014, Marvel gave critics a first look at director James Gunn’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY this past Friday and Saturday.
Here are a few of the twitter reactions from the screenings from over the weekend.
In love w/ #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy. Will be talking about it a lot. So wonderfully entertaining and just beautiful. ALL awards to the VFX team — Kara Warner (@karawarner) July 19, 2014
I can’t wait for audience to see GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY! It’s got me over the moon! Amazing job by @JamesGunn and the cast! #GOTG — Melissa Howland (@WrathOfHearts) July 19, 2014
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY is everything I hoped it would be and more. Fun, funny, epic scale, just fantastic. Well done @JamesGunn — John Campea (@johncampea) July 19, 2014
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY opens up the Marvel universe in a great way. Movie is awesome & extremely funny. Congrats @JamesGunn. You did it. — Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) July 19, 2014
Even Gunn was humbled by the response.
Sorry about all the retweets, guys. I didn’t expect all the responses. Thanks so much. Can’t wait for the rest of you to see it. — James Gunn (@JamesGunn) July 19, 2014
The film opens on August 1, but in the meantime watch the latest clips and featurette.
Don’t miss the online livestream of the Hollywood premiere red carpet, this Monday, 7/21 at 9:30PM ET. More info here: http://marvel.com/guardianspremiere
Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper will appear on a special GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” the same evening as the film’s worldwide premiere. The stars will talk about the project and debut exclusive content.
For all of you who love the Superhero/Fantasy Universe, get out you calendars.
Albeit a tad mysterious with the titles, Marvel has unveiled the release dates of their upcoming movies.
July 28 and November 3, 2017; July 6 and November 2, 2018; and May 3, 2019. Expect to hear more about the five films at Comic Con next weekend.
Added to the superhero dance mix is DC Comics/Entertainment. According to Variety, Warner Bros Pictures is still planning to release BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE on May 6, 2016 as well.
DOCTOR STRANGE (Scott Derrickson directing) is coming to the Marvel cinematic universe on July 8, 2016.
Empire Online recently asked Marvel’s Kevin Fiege about Strange.
Does the choice of Scott Derrickson, who’s best known for horror, as director for Doctor Strange indicate where the film is going?
I would say you can certainly look at the past work of the filmmakers we hire as a bit of an indication for the tone of the movie, but not necessary everything. The Russos, who are well known for their sitcoms, there is nothing sitcom about The Winter Soldier! No, I wouldn’t say just because he has only done horror movies means that Doctor Strange is going to be a horror movie. It means he is a talented filmmaker who we think could add something unique and very fresh to the particular franchise. But there could be scary moments. There are scary moments in all our movies! There are some scary people that Strange has to deal with, I will say.
Lest we forget, STAR WARS: EPISODE VII will hit theaters December 18, 2015.
From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team—the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe.
To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits—Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand—with the galaxy’s fate in the balance.
Hollywood Records and Marvel are set to release three albums from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy on July 29, 2014. Check out how you can order all 3 here.
On Saturday evening, singer Beyoncé teased the trailer for FIFTY SHADES OF GREY on her Instagram page. Here’s a look at the quick preview.
Scheduled for a February 13, 2015 release, FIFTY SHADES OF GREY is the film adaptation of the bestselling book that has become a global phenomenon.
Since its release, the “Fifty Shades” trilogy has been translated in 52 languages worldwide and sold more than 90 million copies in e-book and print—making it one of the biggest and fastest-selling book series ever.
Stepping into the roles of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, who have become iconic to millions of readers, are Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson. Joining them in the cast are Jennifer Ehle, Luke Grimes, Max Martini, Eloise Mumford, Dylan Neal, Rita Ora, Victor Rasuk, Callum Keith Rennie and Marcia Gay Harden.
FIFTY SHADES OF GREY is being directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and produced by Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti alongside E L James, the creator of the series. The screenplay is by Kelly Marcel, with revisions by Patrick Marber and Mark Bomback.
For more on the movie, visit the film’s official website –
This Friday sees the opening of director A MOST WANTED MAN starring the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in his final role.
Directed by Dutch filmmaker Anton Corbijn (Control, The American), the film is based on on the best-selling 2008 novel of the same name by John le Carré.
The author wrote a story on the Oscar winning actor for the NY Times which you can read HERE.
“He seemed to kiss his lines rather than speak them. Then gradually he did what only the greatest actors can do. He made his voice the only authentic one, the lonely one, the odd one out, the one you depended on amid all the others. And every time it left the stage, like the great man himself, you waited for its return with impatience and mounting unease.”
“We shall wait a long time for another Philip.”
During the film’s production, Le Carré himself visited the set several times, lending his backing and encouragement to the process. As a seasoned observer of the journey from page to screen, le Carré holds the belief that his novels need to evolve to make that transformation successfully. For that to happen, he is always happy to take a step back.
Says producer Stephen Cornwell, “What’s interesting about the adaptation is that it is quite distinct from the novel. There is a whole aspect to the novel that isn’t in the movie. It finds its own language and its own way of telling the story. But at the same time it is incredibly true to the intent of the story. It’s exactly what a really good adaptation should be. It takes a novel, respects its intent but it becomes something of its own.”
The movie was Corbijn’s and Hoffman’s introduction to le Carré’s novels.
“This is a human and humane story about governments and spy organisations which is usually told in a flashier, romantic style,” Hoffman observed. “There’s nothing romantic about this. The book is in there for which I’m glad, as the book is amazing.”
When a half-Chechen, half-Russian, brutally tortured immigrant turns up in Hamburg’s Islamic community, laying claim to his father’s ill-gotten fortune, both German and US security agencies take a close interest: as the clock ticks down and the stakes rise, the race is on to establish this most wanted man’s true identity – oppressed victim or destruction-bent extremist?
Based on John le Carré’s novel, A MOST WANTED MAN is a contemporary, cerebral tale of intrigue, love, rivalry, and politics that prickles with tension right through to its last heart-stopping scene.
Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe and Robin Wright, Roadside Attractions will release A MOST WANTED MAN on July 25.
Oscar-nominated actor James Garner has passed away at the age of 86.
From AP:
Garner, whose whimsical style in the 1950s TV Western “Maverick” led to a stellar career in TV and films such as “The Rockford Files” and his Oscar-nominated “Murphy’s Romance,” was found dead of natural causes at his home in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles Saturday evening, Los Angeles police officer Alonzo Iniquez said early Sunday.
Police responded to a call around 8 p.m. PDT and confirmed Garner’s identity from family members, Iniquez told The Associated Press.
There was no immediate word on a more specific cause of death. Garner had suffered a stroke in May 2008, just weeks after his 80th birthday.
Although he was adept at drama and action, Garner was best known for his low-key, wisecracking style, especially with his hit TV series, “Maverick” and “The Rockford Files.”
His quick-witted avoidance of conflict provided a refreshingly new take on the American hero, contrasting with the steely heroics of John Wayne and the fast trigger of Clint Eastwood.
Well into his 70s, the handsome Oklahoman remained active in both TV and film. In 2002, he was Sandra Bullock’s father in the film “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.” The following year, he joined the cast of “8 Simple Rules … For Dating My Teenage Daughter,” playing the grandfather on the sitcom after star John Ritter, who played the father, died during the show’s second season.
When he received the Screen Actors Guild’s lifetime achievement award in 2005, he quipped, “I’m not at all sure how I got here.”
But in his 2011 memoir, “The Garner Files,” he provided some amusing and enlightening clues, including his penchant for bluntly expressed opinions and a practice for decking people who said something nasty to his face — including an obnoxious fan and an abusive stepmother. They all deserved it, Garner declared in his book.
It was in 1957 when the ABC network, desperate to compete on ratings-rich Sunday night, scheduled “Maverick” against CBS’s powerhouse “The Ed Sullivan Show” and NBC’s “The Steve Allen Show.” ”Maverick” soon outpolled them both.
At a time when the networks were crowded with hard-eyed, traditional Western heroes, Bret Maverick provided a fresh breath of air. With his sardonic tone and his eagerness to talk his way out of a squabble rather than pull out his six-shooter, the con-artist Westerner seemed to scoff at the genre’s values.
After a couple of years, Garner felt the series was losing its creative edge, and he found a legal loophole to escape his contract in 1960.
His first film after “Maverick” established him as a movie actor. It was “The Children’s Hour,” William Wyler’s remake of Lillian Hellman’s lesbian drama that co-starred Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine.
He followed in a successful comedy with Kim Novak, “Boys Night Out,” and then fully established his box-office appeal with the 1963 blockbuster war drama “The Great Escape” and two smash comedies with Doris Day — “The Thrill of It All” and “Move Over Darling.”
Throughout his long film career, Garner demonstrated his versatility in comedies (“The Art of Love,” ”A Man Could Get Killed,” ”Skin Game”), suspense (“36 Hours,” ”They Only Kill Their Masters,” ”Marlowe”), Westerns (“Duel at Diablo,” ”Hour of the Gun,” ”Support Your Local Gunfighter”).
In the 1980s and 1990s, when most stars his age were considered over the hill, Garner’s career remained strong.
He played a supporting role as a marshal in the 1994 “Maverick,” a big-screen return to the TV series with Mel Gibson in Garner’s old title role. His only Oscar nomination came for the 1985 “Murphy’s Romance,” a comedy about a small-town love relationship in which he co-starred with Sally Field.
He also appeared in “Victor Victoria” as well as “Space Cowboys.” One of his final roles was in 2004’s “The Notebook.”
His favorite film, though, was the cynical 1964 war drama “The Americanization of Emily,” which co-starred Julie Andrews.
Unlike most film stars, Garner made repeated returns to television. “Nichols” (1971-72) and “Bret Maverick” (1981-82) were short-lived, but “The Rockford Files” (1974-80) proved a solid hit, bringing him an Emmy.
Among his notable TV movies: “Barbarians at the Gate” (as tycoon F. Ross Johnson), “Breathing Lessons,” ”The Promise,” ”My Name Is Bill W.,” ”The Streets of Laredo” and “One Special Night.”
He said he learned about acting while playing a non-speaking role as a Navy juror in the 1954 Broadway hit play “The Caine Mutiny Court Martial,” starring Henry Fonda and Lloyd Nolan.
“I had no lines, and I had trouble staying awake,” Garner recalled.
After “Caine Mutiny,” Garner found work in Hollywood as a bit player in the “Cheyenne” TV series. Warner Bros. gave him a screen test and signed him to a seven-year contract starting at $200 a week.
The studio cast him in supporting roles in three minor films, followed by the important break as Marlon Brando’s sidekick in “Sayonara.” When Charlton Heston declined a war movie, “Darby’s Rangers,” because of a money dispute, Garner assumed the role.
“Maverick,” which co-starred Jack Kelly as brother Bart Maverick, made its debut on Sept. 22, 1957.
Garner was born James Scott Bumgarner (some references say Baumgarner) in Norman, Okla. His mother died when he was 5, and friends and relatives cared for him and his two brothers for a time while his father was to California.
In 1957, Garner married TV actress Lois Clarke, and the union prevailed despite some stormy patches. She had a daughter Kimberly from a previous marriage, and the Garners had another daughter, Gretta Scott. In the late 1990s, the Garners built a 12,000-square-foot house on a 400-acre ranch north of Santa Barbara.
“My wife and I felt … we’d just watch the sunset from the front porch,” Garner said in 2000. “But then the phone started ringing with all these wonderful offers, and we decided, ‘Heck, let’s stay in the business for a while.'”
Wow, talk about your quick sequel turn-around. This weekend sees two follow-ups to surprise box office hits from 2013. For thriller fans there’s THE PURGE: ANARCHY (check out Mike Haffner’s review!) and for the kiddies it’s the return of that low flyer, Dusty Crophopper in PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE. And once again, the ads tell us it’s set in the world of CARS (as with last year’s flick, this is not from the Pixar gang, it’s officially from DisneyToon Studios with much of the work produced by Prana Studios of India). It’s clear from this new film that the makers will not need to piggyback on the earlier Pixar hit again. With this one, Dusty and his pals can stake a claim on their own series, because like the new Apes film still in theatres, this is a much improved, superior sequel.
The opening credits provide us with a look back at the first film’s events plus a recap of Dusty’s (Dane Cook) racing victories over the last year. He’s become quite the celebrity and is the home-grown hero of Propwash Junction. And he’s to be the main attraction at the upcoming Corn Festival. Skipper (Stacy Keach) still coaches Dusty on his practice runs. One day Dusty barely avoids a crash when his engine cuts out during a climb. Dotti (Teri Hatcher) delivers a sobering diagnosis: his gear box is nearly shot, so no more rapid accelerations till they locate a replacement (it’s not being manufactured any longer). But Dusty has a stubborn streak, and that night, in secret, he makes a solo test run. And once more the engine conks out, causing him to damage the control tower and fuel tank. The antiquated fire truck Mayday (Hal Holbrook) fails to contain the resulting fire, which destroys most of the airport. The safety inspectors shut down the runway and threaten to cancel the Corn Fest until Mayday can be upgraded and paired with another certified rescue vehicle. Dusty is determined to make things right and decides to get certified as a fire and rescue plane. In order to get the training and testing he flies out to Piston Peak. There he meets the team: flirty transport plane Dipper (Julie Bowen), somber Windlifter (Wes Studi), the all-terrain Smokejumpers, and his stern teacher, the veteran chopper Blade Ranger (Ed Harris). Dusty tries to hide his gear box trouble from Blade as a raging forest fire threatens the Peak Lodge and forces the untested crop duster to dive into blazing danger.
Sounds pretty exciting, eh? In a smart move, the producers have left the “big race” setting of the previous flick for a more dramatic arena. Saving lives sure beats winning medals and trophies. With the higher stakes, the smallest viewers may be frightened by the threatening inferno that the crew must face (just like BAMBI and his pals). Kudos to director Roberts Gannaway and the animation team for providing terrific work on those flames along with a very dangerous set of rapids that lead to some equally scary falls. Actually there’s excellent work done with the design of all the vehicles (we even get a gorgeous old-timey train) and the opulent Lodge/hotel. Oh, and the 3D looks good, but it’s not essential in the enjoyment of this flick. Plus there’s a lot more wit in this script, especially when the Peak’s crew reveal Blade’s acting past to an awestruck Dusty (I’m still smiling over the dummy VHS box). The voice work is top-notch as usual. Cook is still pleasantly earnest and enthusiastic as the boyish hero. The standouts in the new cast are the delightful Holbrook as the grandfatherly old fire engine. And Harris uses a bit of his mission control gravitas as the taciturn, often gruff , no-nonsense chopper. Plus there are two wonderful comedy teams in great supporting turns. Christopher Guest film regulars John Michael Higgins and Fred Willard have a lot of fun as the smarmy Cad and the Interior Secretary. But best of all may be Ben’s parents, Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller, as longtime married vehicles Winnie and Harvey who might have picked the wrong spot to celebrate their anniversary. This time out, there’s really a little something for the whole family. So, if you’ve got kids that have been bitten by the aviation bug head to the boarding gate over at the multiplex and take off with PLANES : FIRE & RESCUE.
The first-time governors are Kate Amend, Documentary Branch; Daniel R. Fellman, Executives Branch; Albert Berger, Producers Branch; Bob Rogers, Short Films and Feature Animation Branch; and Mark Mangini, Sound Branch.
The reelected governors are Annette Bening, Actors Branch; Lora Kennedy, Casting Directors Branch; Jeffrey Kurland, Costume Designers Branch; Rick Carter, Designers Branch; Michael Tronick, Film Editors Branch; Kathryn Blondell, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch; Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Public Relations Branch; and Phil Robinson, Writers Branch.
Returning to the Board after a hiatus are governors Caleb Deschanel, Cinematographers Branch; Edward Zwick, Directors Branch; Charles Bernstein, Music Branch; and Bill Taylor, Visual Effects Branch.
The Academy’s 17 branches are each represented by three governors, who may serve up to three consecutive three-year terms.
Governors who were not up for reelection and who continue on the Board are Ed Begley, Jr. and Tom Hanks, Actors Branch; David Rubin and Bernard Telsey, Casting Directors Branch; John Bailey and Dante Spinotti, Cinematographers Branch; Deborah Nadoolman Landis and Judianna Makovsky, Costume Designers Branch; Jim Bissell and Jan Pascale, Designers Branch; Kathryn Bigelow and Michael Mann, Directors Branch; Rob Epstein and Alex Gibney, Documentary Branch; Dick Cook and Amy Pascal, Executives Branch; Mark Goldblatt and Lynzee Klingman, Film Editors Branch; Bill Corso and Leonard Engelman, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch; Charles Fox and Arthur Hamilton, Music Branch; Mark Johnson and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers Branch; Rob Friedman and Nancy Utley, Public Relations Branch; Jon Bloom and Bill Kroyer, Short Films and Feature Animation Branch; Curt Behlmer and Scott Millan, Sound Branch; Richard Edlund and John Knoll, Visual Effects Branch; and Bill Condon and Robin Swicord, Writers Branch.
Additionally, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced category submission deadlines for 87th Academy Awards consideration.
The dates are as follows:
Documentary Short Subject
Tuesday, September 2
Documentary Feature
Monday, September 22
Animated Short Film
Wednesday, October 1
Live Action Short Film
Wednesday, October 1
Foreign Language Film
Wednesday, October 1
Animated Feature Film
Friday, October 31
Original Score
Wednesday, December 3
Original Song
Wednesday, December 3
Official Screen Credits Form
Wednesday, December 3
All submissions are due by 5 p.m. PT. For the entire list of key dates and all rules, please visit www.oscars.org/rules.
The Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
From La Femme Nikita and The Professional to The Fifth Element, writer/director Luc Besson has created some of the toughest, most memorable female action heroes in cinematic history.
Now, Besson directs Scarlett Johansson in LUCY, an action-thriller that tracks a woman accidentally caught in a dark deal who turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic.
WAMG invites you to enter a Prize Pack from LUCY!
One (1) winner receives:
Unlock your full potential with a $25 Visa gift card
Plus a LUCY T-Shirt & Hat
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
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Heading to San Diego next weekend? You can be part of THE BOXTROLLS experience at this year’s Comic Con.
With larger than life personalities THE BOXTROLLS’ Fish, Shoe, and their co-squares are being introduced with their own character posters.
Focus Features, LAIKA and The Boxtrolls at headed to Comic-Con for a highly anticipated Hall H Panel, “Eat Like THE BOXTROLLS” food truck experience and more.
FRIDAY, JULY 25 #EatLikeTheBoxtrolls
Bug Chef David George Gordon will dare you to EAT LIKE THE BOXTROLLS as he cooks up some of his famous bug and insect edible creations
2:00PM- 4:00PM
Location: Petco Park
2:00PM-3:00PM Univision Radio will be hosting the experience. Stop by for a limited edition signed Fish poster by Isaac Hempstead Wright.
3:00PM-4:00PM Nerdist will be hosting the experience. Stop by for a limited edition signed Shoe poster by Isaac Hempstead Wright.
SATURDAY, JULY 26 THE BOXTROLLS COMIC-CON PANEL
1:30PM-2:30PM
Location: HALL H / Convention Center
Participants: Sir Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Elle Fanning, Directors Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable, and Producer and Lead Animator, and LAIKA president and CEO, Travis Knight
Moderated by Fandango’s Dave Karger
#EatLikeTheBoxtrolls
Location: Petco Park
2:00PM-3:00PM: Cinema Blend will be hosting the experience. Stop by for a limited edition signed Oil Can poster by Isaac Hempstead Wright.
3:00PM-4:00PM: Coming Soon will be hosting the experience. Stop by for a limited edition signed Shoe poster by Isaac Hempstead Wright.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR LIFE-SIZED BOXTROLLS ROAMING COMIC CON. SNAP YOUR PIC AND TWEET USING #THEBOXTROLLS
Opening nationwide Friday, September 26th, THE BOXTROLLS is a family event movie from LAIKA, the creators of Coraline and ParaNorman, that introduces audiences to a new breed of family – The Boxtrolls, a community of quirky, mischievous creatures who have lovingly raised an orphaned human boy named Eggs (voiced by Isaac Hempstead Wright of Game of Thrones) in the amazing cavernous home they’ve built beneath the streets of Cheesebridge.
When the town’s villain, Archibald Snatcher (Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley), comes up with a plot to get rid of the Boxtrolls, Eggs decides to venture above ground, “into the light,” where he meets and teams up with fabulously feisty Winnie (Elle Fanning of Maleficent). Together, they devise a daring plan to save Eggs’ family.
Based upon the book Here Be Monsters, by Alan Snow, THE BOXTROLLS is directed by Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable and is MPAA-rated PG.
What’s more fun than playing Pong with a blind man? Watching DRAGONWOLF, one the most bizarre, surreal, and silliest martial arts films I’ve seen. The latest Blu-ray release from Well-Go USA, takes place in a fictional Thailand city dubbed ‘The Devil’s Cauldron’ and focuses on two hit men who are led astray by the beauty of a mysterious, but shag-happy, young woman. The two young men possess the intellect and ferocity to flourish, carve a name for themselves as the most efficient and unstoppable hit men. Side by side, these two brothers are the deadliest killers, feared by even the most evil criminals. But when a woman of rare beauty mysteriously enters the brother’s lives she blinds them with her sweet promises and turns them against each other, resulting in an epic battle that threatens to bring the Devil’s Cauldron to the brink of destruction.
The details aren’t important, since the plot doesn’t matter. All it really does is serve as an excuse to get the characters into locations where they can beat the hell out of each other. DRAGONWOLF was made for an obviously low budget and the endless shoot-outs and martial arts mayhem seem to take place in the same abandoned, derelict buildings. The kung fu mayhem is decently choreographed (by star Kazu Tang) but director Raimund Huber’s film goes on for an excruciating 122 minutes, wearing out its welcome quickly. DRAGONWOLF has the most stomach-churning, ear bleeding, life-questioning dubbing jobs I’ve seen (or heard, to be more precise). I always watch Asian DVDs with the English dub when possible (yet I never do that with European films). This time I was tempted to switch to subs and Thai sound but wasn’t given the option! On the plus side, DRAGONWOLF features plentiful nudity and sex with Russian (?) actress Macha Polivka particularly easy on the eyes. DRAGONWOLF is brainless and painless entertainment.
Well-Go USA’s DRAGONWOLF Blu-ray hits the streets July 29th with a somewhat consistent 1080p/VC-1 encoded image with a 1:1.85 aspect ratio. The film offers something of a stylized look that doesn’t stand out as too odd or distracting, but it also doesn’t lend itself very well to top-flight high definition eye candy, either. DRAGONWOLF is a very dark movie which lends a unique, but very cinematic, look and feel to the film. Primary colors, in which the film is bathed, are stable but sometimes veer towards being a bit too bright. The dark nights on the Bangkok (standing in for ‘The Devil’s Cauldron’) streets are punctuated nicely by spots of neon color that offer the best bit of vibrancy throughout the image. Poor dubbing aside, the soundtrack creates a nice subtle atmosphere in many scenes, bringing various places and events to life. Extras are nonexistent.
DRAGONWOLF is a lot of fun but recommended mostly to undemanding fans of martials arts, blood, and boobs.
