The New York Asian Film Festival turns ten years old in 2011, and while this year’s offerings are light on horror, we’d be remiss if we didn’t recognize the fest’s decade-long contribution to Asian cinema buffs. Read on for what will be available to genre fans from July 1st-14th, 2011.
The New York Asian Film Festival is presented in association with the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Japan Society’s Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema. Below are the horror highlights only – for the full lineup and list of special guests, be sure to visit Subway Cinema News.
From Japan:
BATTLE ROYALE (Japan, 2000, 114 minutes) – A celebratory screening of Kinji Fukasaku’s masterpiece now that it finally – after 10 years!!!! – has a new distributor who wants people to actually see it. Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema.
HORNY HOUSE OF HORROR (Japan, 2010, North American Premiere, 75 minutes) – Japan does the violent porno horror thing better than anyone else, and this oddity features butt-walls, wiener-eating and demon hookers. This is the directorial debut from the writer of MUTANT GIRLS SQUAD, and it’s firmly in the vein of that film and ROBO GEISHA. Only, you know, set in a horny house that’s full of horror.
VERSUS (Japan, 2000, 120 minutes) – a tenth-anniversary celebration of the Japanese zombie action film that launched a thousand horror/splatter/action flicks.
***Star and action choreographer Tak Sakaguchi and writer Yudai Yamaguchi will be at the screening.
From the Philippines:
MACHETE MAIDENS UNLEASHED (review here) (Australia, 2010, New York Premiere, 84 minutes) – From the people who made Not Quite Hollywood comes this definitive documentary about the Filipino exploitation film bonanza that erupted in the 70’s and 80’s.
RAW FORCE (Philippines/USA, 1982, 86 minutes) – One of the strangest Filipino/US co-productions from the 80’s, this rarely-screened exploitation fever dream is better known by its other title, Kung Fu Cannibals. With zombies, ninjas, samurai, kung fu, and evil monks, this is the entire 1980’s exploitation industry fired into your eyes via firehose.
Because we know a lot of Dread Central readers are big fans of the revenge sub-genre, here’s the full listing of one of the fest’s “special focus” segments, SEA OF REVENGE: NEW KOREAN THRILLERS:
In 2008, when the Korean film industry was at its lowest point, Na Hong-Jin released the word-of-mouth hit, THE CHASER, launching a wave of twisty thrillers focused on intense action and ace performances. In this special focus, presented in association with the Korean Cultural Service New York, the NYAFF shows you the best of what THE CHASER has wrought.
THE YELLOW SEA (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 156 minutes) – Na Hong-Jin reunites with his stars from THE CHASER to make this big, relentless follow-up. Watch it fresh from its Cannes screening as part of Un Certain Regard. ***The movie’s director, Na Hong-Jin, will be at the screening.
THE UNJUST (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 119 minutes) – Longtime festival favorite, action director Ryoo Seung-Wan, turns in this epic, sprawling corruption saga that recalls Sidney Lumet back in his PRINCE OF THE CITY days. ***The movie’s director, Ryoo Seung-Wan, will be at the screening.
BEDEVILLED (review here) (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 115 minutes) – This time, the ladies are doing it. An all-female version of DELIVERANCE, where a city slicker goes to an insular rural community where she’s not wanted. Possibly the greatest women vs. men movie ever made; lead actress Seo Young-Hee took home six “Best Actress” awards for her performance here.
THE CHASER (Korea, 2008, 125 minutes) – The thriller that saved the Korean film industry, this mega-hit is what you’d get if you cross-bred Alfred Hitchcock with a pit bull.
***The movie’s director, Na Hong-Jin, will be at the screening.
HAUNTERS (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 114 minutes) – 50% superhero movie, 50% horror movie and 100% Korean thriller, this big-time commercial hit is about a troubled kid who can control minds and the simple guy, immune to his ability, who’s out to stop him.
THE MAN FROM NOWHERE (Korea, 2010, 119 minutes) – One part Batman, one part Bourne, Korean mega-star Won Bin revamped his image as a hard man of action with this movie about a spy coming out of retirement to take on a ring of organ harvesters. The number one movie at the Korean box office in 2010 (beating INCEPTION and IRON MAN 2), it took home SIXTEEN film awards!
TROUBLESHOOTER (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 99 minutes) – Produced by Ryoo Seung-Wan, this is a classic “wrong man” movie, only this time the wrong man is a hardcore ex-cop (Sol Kyung-Gu from the highly successful PUBLIC ENEMY series), and it’s got the black, bleak sense of absurdist humor most thrillers lack.
***The movie’s producer, Ryoo Seung-Wan, and director, Kwok Hyeok-Jae, will be at the screening.
The New York Asian Film Festival is presented in association with the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Japan Society’s Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema. Below are the horror highlights only – for the full lineup and list of special guests, be sure to visit Subway Cinema News.
