Movies I Watched Instead of Writing: Turkish Edition

Wasn't feeling well last night, so Beej had some people over & I ended up watching "Killing in Istanbul" (a.k.a. Kilink in Istanbul) with them. Not really sure how to describe it. The print was terrible, but that somehow made it even more fun, especially when the tape started pixilating since it had obviously been dubbed from a DVD. If it wasn't for the rather graphic violence & odd attention to sexuality, it could have been a kids movie. Actually, the whole film seems to walk this very weird fine line between super sleazy and super wholesome. And I was never sure who to root for: skeleton suited super villain Kilink or the incredibly dull Shazam (called "Superhero" for copyright purposes) who looked more like a cross between 40's era Batman and Superman? I also enjoyed the fact that having any kind of superhero or villain in the general vicinity of Turkey was a big deal, even though his reasons for being there were flimsy at best. Not even so bad its good, but oddly compelling viewing none the less.

Wanky Art Post

Turns out my neighborhood, on top of being hipster central, is also a hotbed of very cool graf-art. In particular, the alley just kitty-corner to my house is littered with great stencil work that I admire on my way home from the grocery store. So, after admiring it for a while now, I finally decided to start chronicalling it & I'll post my favourites here from time to time.

This is probably the most recent one, although I haven't really been keeping track.

An old favourite. For obvious reasons.



I think the placement really makes this one.



There were other really good ones, but they've been covered up or have faded too much to bother photogrpahing. I'll keep adding to the collection as I find stuff though...

Wherein I Scream Like an Idiot & Dance in a Circle

Been wanting to post about this for a while, but I didn't want to jinx anything. However, most of the pieces are in place so I'm going to go ahead & bust this thing wide open:

The D.o.S. is going public!

That's right, now even you, John Q Public, can attend a Den of Sin night (if you live in the Vancouver area). Our first "event" will be the 3rd Annual Xmassacre, our annual Christmas party, to the hosted at the Blim Arts Society (17th & Main) on Dec 16th (Friday)!!! Mark your calendars in gaudy red ink!!! Admission will be by donation ($5 suggested) to cover operating costs & doors will be at 7pm (show @ 8pm). On top of our feature presentation, we hope to bring you Glogg, trailers & we will be doing a "Crappy Santa Gift Exchange", so bring a wrapped present of little or no value to put into the pot.


Our feature presentation (baring any customs snafus) will be "Santa Claus", a Mexican children's movie from the early 60's that features (among other things), Santa Claus fighting Satan. Fantastical sets, bizarre Catholic overtones & a fixation on voyeurism highlight this highly entertaining piece of cinema obscura.

Needless to say, I'm excited as hell, but also very scared & stressed. If this is successful, it will be the beginning of a regular monthly event at Blim, tentatively titled: D.o.S. Presents: Cinema Detritus. Future programs to be determined, but I will be accepting shorts submissions of a bizarre and/or exploitive nature (tell your filmmaking friends). Also, if you have mad skills as a graphic designer, web designer and/or host we could probably use your help.

Well, I guess that's all for now. I have to go finish my happy dance.

Movies I Watched Instead of Writing: Pinky Edition

Being that I was still recovering from yet another night of karaoke debauchery, we decided to take it easy & have Brendan & Nick over for a little movie action. Started off with a couple episodes of our newly acquired Pee-Wee's Playhouse set which continues to surprise me with how good it is. And how well they were able to disguise the gay innuendo, of which we've been able to count at least one instance per episode so far. What a great public service Paul Reubans did for the world with that show. It almost makes me want to have kids so that I can show it to them.

Once we'd had enough we had some choices. More Samurai Champloo? Jay & Silent Bob Do Degrassi (I'm a nerd, okay?!) ? But then I heard those two magical words: Sex & Fury. It was made for Toei in 1973. Directed by Norifumi Suzuki (School of the Holy Beast, Beautiful Girl Hunter). It features a naked sword-fighting, tattooed Reiko Ike (Sukeban Gorilla & Graveyard of Honor). And, Christina Freakin' Lindberg is in it! Christina!!!

Turns out we made the right choice, as this could very well be the best movie ever. Naked sword fighting in the snow. An Orientalized Christina getting it on with a Japanese serving girl (I don't know how, but they managed to make Christina even hotter). Nuns with switchblades. Christina (in a buckskin outfit no less) taking a whip to a naked rope bound Reiko in front of a giant stained glass Jesus. An awesome psych-music soundtrack. And I know what my next tattoo is going to be. If you think you are a fan of Japanese sex-ploitation, or exploitation in general, see this movie. Trust me.

Also, is it just me, or does Amber Tamblyn look just like Christina Lindberg?

The Good News & The Not So Good News

I just finished writing the final script of my first Anime series! 13 of 13 episodes, baby!

Also, my ex-boss just reminded me I'd agreed to help him out at a bike show the first weekend in December, so I won't be going to Whistler after all.



On the other hand, the bike show pays money, whereas Whistler does not.

(And in case you were wondering, no, I don't actually ride.)

Two Things...

First up, another Cinemuerte update: The audience award winners have been announced. A little surprised that "Trouble" won, but I think it's 'cause barely anyone saw "Calvaire". Too bad.

Also, got my press accreds confirmed for the 2005 Whistler Film Festival (Dec 1 - 4). Great Yokai War, here I come!

D.o.S. #33: Cinemuerte

Film Threat just posted my festival 2005 recap. It's basically the same as my blog post, with some minor adjustments & fewer photos.

In other Cinemuerte news, Eugenio Mira's first video diary entry is now available online. It might take a while to load, but it's really cool, so bear with it.

filmgurl Gets Ranty on Your Rice-King Ass

Found this article about the marketing tie-ins for "Memoirs of a Geisha", including an Asian themed fashion line from Banana Republic, green tea in tins w/ Zhang Ziyi's face all over them and something known as "rice face wash" (I also enjoy the fact that the actual name of the beauty line is "Fresh: Memoirs of a Geisha").

Now, I've resisted posting about the whole "Memoirs of a Geisha" thing for a while, mostly because I don't want to come off like some sort of "Yellow Power" extremist, but I don't even know where to begin with this, other than to say that it confirms my opinion that the film and the book are really just about trying to sell some sort of Oriental fantasy. It isn't a love story. It's not about "women's feelings". It's about perpetuating an image.

I mean, people complain about "Harold & Kumar Go To Whitecastle" being racist, but they're okay with this? Zhang Ziyi is Chinese. Michelle Yeoh is Chinese (born in Malaysia). Gong Li is Chinese. Sure Ken Watanabe is Japanese, but he was in "The Last Samurai" and I personally think that should be enough to have his nationality revoked. Saying that Asian women are interchangeable like that is generalization based on fetishism. I won't argue that they aren't all great actresses, I am a great fan of all three women, I just have a hard time believing they couldn't find even one Japanese girl to put in the lead. Actually, no, wait, I can, because no Japanese woman worth her salt would have touched this thing with a ten foot pole.

While things are certainly getting better for the way that Asians are depicted in Western media than they were say in the days of "Long Duk Dong", I still think there's a long way to go with the way that Asian women are depicted. Granted, I have exploited my status as a "hot Asian girl" on occasion, imitating school girl giggling & wearing a Kimono on Halloween (once, and it was a mistake), but I can at least argue that I'm doing so "ironically". Or at least that's what I'm going to keep telling myself.

Enough for now. I'm going to go brew myself some "spring cherry green tea" to calm down.

Terminal City Terminus

Without a doubt, one of the highlights of my brief tenure at Terminal City was the Friday night dinners. And so, last night we had the last of those dinners. Although there were no outright tears, there were certainly a lot of misty eyes and even Chris had to keep from getting choked up as he thanked everyone for their efforts. I got to catch up on my local politics, watch beer pitchers arrive in pairs every 15 mins for 4 hours, learn about how Matthew Good is Chris' nemisis, get to know "the Svelt Elk", hear intimate details of a murder trial involving a guy I went to highschool with & generally continue my two and a half week bender.

Thanks for the good times, everyone.















Now back to reformating my computer...

Ugh.

Seattle, Rock'n, Pleaseeasaur & Neil Hamburger

And the fun just keeps on coming. After a particularly debaucherous night of karaoke on Wednesday, got into a truck w/ Owen at the ungodly hour of 8:30AM & drove down to Seattle so that he could pick-up some stuff & I could see Miyuki & Christian for the first time since I witnessed their wedding. Took longer than expected, mostly because of construction and a crapload of traffic. Couldn't have helped that we were both operating on about 4 hours sleep. Thank you, Penguin Mints (god I'm a nerd). Got to hang out for about 2 hours & eat some rather good Thai food before we had to get back onto the road so that I could get to the Pleaseeasaur/Neil Hamburger show @ the Railway.

Although we were told doors were at 8:30PM, I knew from experience that nothing would be happening 'till at least 11PM. Wandered down with Brendan around 9:15PM & immediately realized what a bad venue The Railway Club was for the show. Although a great bar, the stage area is very small & I was forced to sit for most of the show, but that wasn't really even that bad since I was right up front & center for Pleaseeasaur & Neil. Did manage to stand through the opening act's set: the amazing Rock'n. Even had to spot their guitarist "Rick Rock'n" as he climbed onto a tiny bar table for his triumphant solo. Graeme described them as "kind of like Wesley Willis meets Andrew W. K." Highlights include Joey, the lead singer's fanny-pack & a particularly kick-ass cover of Neil Young's "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World". Was a little disappointed to find out they weren't actually from Cincinnati, but not really that surprised. Graeme seemed surprised to find out that I am a Neil Young fan.

Next up was Pleaseeasaur, which was awesome because only Mike & I had seen him before & I spent much of the night scanning the bar for everyone else's reactions. A lot of mouthed "Oh. My. Gods." He didn't do "Meat Flavored Island" (Parts I or II), which was disappointing, but all in all it was classic Pleaseeasaur.

By the time Neil Hamburger actually hit the stage, Brendan & I had to make a pact that one of us would make sure the other one got home. I'm enjoying my renewed alcohol tolerance. Another reason it was good we were sitting down, although it did make me think I was back in kindergarten. Neil the man was in fine form, calling out the drunk girl who threw stuff at him & refusing to do "Zipper Lips" because of the lame quality of the heckling. After the show, Neil even mingled with the crowd:



Kinda wish I could remember more details, but an awesome show none the less.