blast off girls (1967)

"I always wanted to make a big promoter."
Boojie Baker (Dan Conway) is a dodgy band manager exploiting local bands. And is no different with his latest finds whom he renames The Big Blast.
Cue second rate garage band tunes and barely there acting. Though you do get an appearance of Col. Saunders of KFC fame for free!

the viking (1928)

"He has the temper of a black devil."
Viking maiden Helga (Pauline Starke) has many admirers but is taken by the slave Alwin (LeRoy Mason) whom she buys. From then on he causes nothing but trouble as Leif Ericsson (Donald Crisp) takes the crew West of Greenland to find some unpillaged and uncharted land.
Plenty of action pushes this early technicolour production along.

arabian nights (1974)

AKA The Flower of 1001 Nights. Il fiore delle mille e una notte.
"Oh My!"
Set in ancient Arabia, the main story follows Nur Ed Din (Franco Merli) as he tries to find the beautiful slave girl Zumurrud (Ines Pellegrini).
Filmed on location and featuring many local actors this is an episodic and sexually explicit retelling of a handful of Oriental tales.

times square (1980)

"I'm playing shite huh!"
Two girls with mental issues become runaways. One is Nicky (Robin Johnson) a streetwise New York hard case, the other shy middle class Pamela (Trini Alvarado), but with only each other in the big bad city they bond and form a punk band. Enter hip radio DJ (Tim Curry) who sees the chance of a good story.
A patchy but often fascinating affair, that shows a precise moment in time for the city and it is packing a great soundtrack.

the 47 ronin (1941)

AKA Genroku chûshingura
"Samurai should be judged by the samurai code."
After their lord assaults the official Lord Kira, he is forced to commit seppuku and his clan is disbanded. Subsequently Forty-seven of his samurai vow to avenge his death by killing Kira who they blame for the feud.
This is a long and slow re-telling of a famous Japanese tale, with very little action and one that omits to talk about the cause of the feud, concentrating instead on period detail and extoling the samurai code of honour.

sanjuro (1962)

AKA Tsubaki Sanjûrô
""
An itinerant ronin (Toshirô Mifune) can't help himself when he begrudgingly comes to the aid of a gang of young samouri who are trying to help a relative who is being framed and imprisoned by a corrupt government official.
Sanjuro returns from his turn in yojimbo, in an indirect sequel which is a touch more light hearted, but still as masterful.

yojimbo (1961)

AKA Yôjinbô
"I'll get paid for killing, and this town is full of people who deserve to die."
A town divided by two criminal gangs is happened upon by an itinerant ronin Sanjuro (Toshirô Mifune) and he decides to play them off against each other. Though things don't necessarily go to plan...
Another masterful piece of cinema by Kurosawa, with it being another of his works adapted by western cinema, in this case Leoni's Fistful of Dollars.

the hidden fortress (1958)

AKA Kakushi-toride no san-akunin
Two peasants are trying to escape back to their homeland after their time in a feudal Shogan's army comes to an end. Their plan is picked up by the defeated army's general (Toshirô Mifune) as a way for them to unwittingly escort the princess and a sizable amount of gold across enemy lines.
The two escapees are often likened to the later robot characters in the Star Wars series of films, providing a large amount of comic relief to the already ingenius story.

seven samurai (1954)

aka Shichinin no samurai
"By protecting others, you save yourselves."
Farmers in fuedal Japan decide enough is enough after a raid by bandits takes all their crops. So they decide to hire a veteran samurai (Takashi Shimura) for protection. Taking pity on them he gathers six other samurai to join him, (including Toshirô Mifune).
A film with a classic reputation, bolstered by many homages made following it from The Magnificent Seven through to Battle Beyond The Stars.

rashomon (1950)

"It's human nature to lie."
A bridal party is traveling through fuedal and waylaid. The bride is raped and the husband murdered. Subsiquently captured the trial hears three different versions of that day's events as recalled by an outlaw, the bride, the samurai's ghost and a woodcutter.
subjective truth is on trial as much as the bandit in this masterful piece of cinema.

the men who tread on the tiger's tails (1945)

Aka Tora no o o fumu otoko-tachi
"It was an unforgivable inpiety..."
In the 12th Century Lord Yoshitsune Minamoto returns to Kyoto after winning a decisive sea battle. Unfortunately his jealous brother orders his arrest and, Yoshitsune and six of his loyal samurai retainers are forced to escape. To reach safety they need to travel incognito as Monks, with the Lord disguised as alowly porter, and attempt to pass through an enemy check point at the border.
Made in 1945 this painful allegory on Japan's condition at the end of World War Two was held back until 1952 before being released. Although short this is none the less a fascinating look at the laws and mores of feudal Japan.

the painted bird (2019)

AKA Nabarvené ptáce
"You're not from here are you?"
A young boy Joska (Petr Kotlár) suffers many trauma's as he travels across an indeterminate Slavic country during its occupation by Germany.
Based on the novel by Václav Marhoul this is an extremely dark tale making it a compelling but difficult watch.

st. martin's lane (1938)

AKA Sidewalks of London
"who does this lovely world belong to, eh?"
Charles (Charles Laughton) is the head of a troop of buskers who spots pickpocket Libby Vivien Leigh and takes her under his wing. He trains her up and falls for her, but recognises that she is well out of his league. Then along comes theatrical composer Harley (Rex Harrison) who spots her charms along her talent.
Laughton and Leigh excell in this forgotten gem.

Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island(1956)

AKA Miyamoto Musashi kanketsu-hen: Kettô Ganryû-jima.
"How long must he remain a ronin?"
Musashi Miyamoto (Toshirō Mifune) returns to the farming life and finds contentment, but continues to be plagued by women problems as Otsu (Kaoru Yachigusa) and Akemi (Mariko Okada) vie for his attention. All whilst he must also contend with his nemesis, Kojiro Sasaki (Kōji Tsuruta).
The third and final film continues the journey of the famous Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi leading to a set piece finale.

samurai II: duel at ichijoji temple (1955)

AKA Zoku Miyamoto Musashi: Ichijô-ji no kettô
"My heart has chosen the way of the sword."
Musashi (Toshirô Mifune) is spending his time fighting duels as the lives of his old friends whirl around him and he waits to fight the samarai master Sasaki (Kōji Tsuruta).
Continuing the lifestory of the famous Japanese swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi and now the characters are all established the story can now ramp up the action whilst the master swordsman tries to find inner peace.

samurai I: musashi miyamoto

AKA Miyamoto Musashi
"We left home thinking we could become samurai so easily. What a dream."
Takezo (Toshirô Mifune) is convinced by his friend Matahachi (Rentarō Mikuni) to run away to become samurai, dreaming of the glamourous life it promises. Matahachi leaves his betrothed Otsu (Kaoru Yachigusa) with not even a backward glance and eventually runs off with a bandits wife. Meanwhile Takezo returns to the village but is by now a wanted man. Eventually he is convinced by a Buddhist priest to give himself up and the priest sets in motion his plan...
The first in a trilogy of films loosely based on the life of the famous Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, and tells a tale of love and loss.

uprising (2024)

"I cannot go on this way any longer." AKA Jeon, Ran
Set during the Joseon Dynasty, a nobleman's son is given a slave to take his punishments for him, as no noble can be marked. They somehow develop a bond, especially when Jong-ryeo (Park Jeong-min) is discovered to have an aptitude for martial arts and it is decided he tutor Cheon-young (Gang Dong-won) and even takes the entrance exams for military school for his now friend. But only if he is made a freeman. Unfortunately he is betrayed and thus develops a vicious feud that fans a slave revolt.
An engaging tale of betrayal and class divides.

black '47 (2018)

"I don't understand that aboriginal nonsense. Speak English, man!"
Martin Feeney (James Frecheville) arrives back in Ireland after serving abroad in the British army to find his home suffering during the height of the Great Hunger, His mother dead of starvation and his brother killed after resisting the familys eviction. Subsequent injustices lead Feeney to be arrested and he begins his journey of revenge...
A well made and sometimes visually striking revenge thriller distinguished by its famine setting.

rat fink (1965)

AKA My Soul Runs Naked, The Wild And The Willing.
"He certainly has that animal magnetism you are always talking about."
'Rat Fink' Lonnie Price (Schuyler Hayden) is a mentally disturbed young musician who is determined to be a success no matter what it takes to get there.
A disturbing film, due to the casual sadism displayed by the psychotic folk-rocker, that was long thought lost.

the dog and the diamonds (1953)

"This is no time for playing!"
A gang of children are banned from owning pets by the council, but secretly do. And one hits on the idea of hiding them in a disused manor house, and set about making it into their private zoo. Unfortunately a gang of jewel thieves are using the house as their hideout and. The children and their animals do their best to defeat the villains and bring them to justice.
A wellmade adventure with some ingenious kids v crooks.