Yılmayan Şeytan (1972)

Baytekin is a mild-mannered young man who's suddenly entrusted with a powerful responsibility after his father is murdered. Having been told just before his death that he was the [famed] hero Copperhead, Baytekin must take on the mantle himself, and stop the evil Doctor Satan from stealing a kindly professor's invention and taking over the world...

Yılmayan Şeytan is everything you expect from Turkish pulp cinema and more. Brave heroes, diabolical supervillains, scarred henchmen, hot women, short skirts, etc. There's everything you'd want here, even a budget!

The plot is dime a dozen for this kind of film, but I was impressed by the freshness and depth it brings to it. Even the typical kidnapping of the professor/girl's father has more to it than the common back-and-forth games in the old movies, and the bad girl does more than just stand around near the villain and look pretty, but has an actual presence, leading to a neat twist.

The plot becomes more traditional and less in-depth after the halfway point though, and it does give in to a seemingly endless series of kidnappings. There's still plenty of stuff to enjoy, and it never becomes tedious, but I was getting a little tetchy when Sevgi had been bound and gagged for the 4th time. Even funnier is that it literally only takes 5 seconds for her to be rescued that time!

Yılmayan Şeytan is a [loose] remake of the movie serial The Mysterious Dr. Satan, with touches of Fu Manchu thrown in for good measure. The Turks sure do love them some Fu Manchu! Who doesn't, I tell you? In some ways I suppose the original serial is better, and given it was such an inspiration to them I'm sure the filmmakers would say so too, but this does have its own [upsides]. After all, did a man get a playing card graphically lodged in his forehead in the 1930s serial? I think not/Score 1 to Turkey!

There's never a dull moment here, between all the action, weapons, and deathtraps. It could run the risk of being exhausting to some, but despite the relatively thin plot, this was never quite that bad for me. Some scenes are so crazy too that you'll always be either surprised, or laughing, from bomb-strapped henchmen, to the giant robot that comes out of nowhere!

As with most Yeşilçam pulp flicks, understanding Turkish helps, but isn't required. The dialogue in such movies is often secondary to the action, and anything that knowing the language could tell you is already obvious from the action/content.

There are some things about the film I thought were quite =. For example, I found it an interesting touch that the Doctor keeps all of his henchmen unwillingly controlled by bombs strapped to their chests. Only a few are actually willing servants! This leads to a scene reminiscent of Danger! Death Ray, concerning the defection of a previously thought to be evil goon. Never really goes anywhere after that, but I appreciate it anyway.

There's some romance here to enjoy too. This includes what I found to be a hilariously unsexy love scene, although at least it knows the value of kissing! The hero is quite a lothario here though, because he's shacking up with the bad girl! What must he have said to his girlfriend? 'It's ok honey, I only banged her to get valuable intel, I didn't actually mean it...Hey, where are you going?'. She's tied up in a rack while all this is happening too!

The characters here are basic archetypes, but decently written. =, but never flat. The lead Baytekin is your average Turkish guy. Always up for a fight in the name of truth, justice, and the Turkish way! As the heroic Copperhead (or Bakırbaş in Turkish), he's a fine enough hero. Fights the bad guys off well, doesn't get any innocents killed, and may consistently fail to capture Dr. Satan, but you know he'll get there in the end.

His costume is a bit lacklustre though. I give it credit for being colourful and distinctive, although glitter balaclava and red scarf wasn't the best combo in my opinion. It's very well-made at least! Since this is a Turkish superhero film, the costume is seen as optional, and after the first couple of scenes, it disappears for damn near 50 minutes! Thankfully he wears it more often/consistently in the final third.

Love interest Sevgi is sweet enough, and has nice fashion! A bit strange in places, but creative nonetheless. She gets enough to do, and despite getting kidnapped an inordinate amount, she always feels like she's contributing to the story. The same can pretty much be said for the comic relief Bitik, even down to the kidnapping. For some strange reason he spends most of the movie dressed as Sherlock Holmes!

Dr. Satan is a super entertaining villain, always cackling madly, ad unveiling one plan of another. He's a tough guy too, and he never feels like he's a useless pushover. While his palns here and there might be foiled, he himself is only stopped at the end, and you believe that he's a strong opponent. He has great fashion too! Often dressed in neat Oriental togs, he's by far the best looking character in any scene he's in, especially those with Copperhead!

Overall, I like that the film allows you to get to know these characters, so certain developments actually come as surprises, because these aren't just animate blank slates.

I quite liked the direction here. Shots are well framed, action scenes are dynamic, and every tense moment feels adequately suspenseful. One thing I really appreciated is that a scene directed on a moving train is actually shot on a moving train! In old Hollywood or British productions, it was always rear projection, which just bugs me. Why do that when it'd be so easy to film on a train? Well nuts to that, say the Turkish, and they take my advice!

The fight choreography is well-done, with the fights being played out well, with mostly convincing hits and strikes (mostly convincing), and especially neat was the way the environments are used. There's one scene in particular that feels right out of a Jackie Chan movie. Obviously not in the same league, but not a failure in any way. The worst and funniest moment is when the hero punches a baddie so hard they're both suddenly teleported outside!

The effects here are pretty good! The evil lairs and elaborate deathtraps (like crushing walls) are well crafted, and the costumes all convince, even if some do look sillier than others. The biggest draw for the effects is definitely the robot! When compared with the giant robot on display in Uçan Daireler Istanbul'da, or Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, this is miles better. It's still cheesy and unconvincing, but more effort went into it than supergluing a few cardboard boxes together.

The score here is great stuff!...Namely because it's lifted music from Dragnet, James Bond, Violent City, and The Pink Panther, and many other places. Since I don't recognise their source, let's just be generous and pretend the production hired an actual composer for them.

The acting here is pretty decent. The biggest surprise is Kunt Tulgar. Who's he, you ask? Not an actor! Or at least, not known for being one. He was a director, best known for films such as Supermen Donuyor. As far as directors go, he does a pretty good job here, striking a handsome/good-looking figure as the hero. Erol Taş meanwhile is a great villain, both looking and sounding the part perfectly. Erol Günaydin is mixed as the comic relief, but handles comedy well, and is never annoying. Mine Mutlu and Tijen Doray do well as the good and bad girls, respectively, and everyone else do fine.

Yılmayan Şeytan is a real gem of Yeşilçam cinema! Don't get me wrong, as a regular movie it's hardly an A-level production, and isn't gonna win any awards, but if you're in the mood for a good time, with a box of popcorn handy, this will deliver, and if you're keen on/a fan of Turkey's z-grade action fluff, this is by far one of the better examples!...

Magic of the Universe (1986)

Japan has always held a high place in the world in terms of weirdness. While some of these stories are exaggerations, others are most certainly not, and their media still ranks as some of the strangest stuff out there. That's the general consensus with westerners, but you're probably wondering what the rest of Asia thinks of Japan. Do they think they're perfectly normal, or do they think they're as crazy as we do? The answer is, yeah, they're as baffled as the next person. However, despite being among those thinking this, the Filipinos have just as much capacity for mind-altering lunacy as anything the Japanese could put out! Case in point, today's Magic of the Universe...

Stage magician Jamir is performing a usual trick of making his daughter disappear when something goes wrong, and she doesn't come back. Cutting the show short, he goes to visit a wise man who warns him of imminent danger. Jamir and his remaining family set out on a quest to rescue his daughter from the clutches of an evil sorceress named Mikula, but can this simple magician have any hope of fighting very real monsters and witches?...

Magic of the Universe is a kooky fantasy film that gets off to a bang. No establishing or anything, just a magician on-stage saying he'll make his daughter disappear, and Bam, she's gone. Oh no, where is she?! It all happens so quickly! A bit too quickly I feel, as we get zero time to know Jamir or his family and friends. At least the film is fast paced, and we're never bored.

The story from this point on is pretty good. It's a little vague at times in certain areas (for example, where is all this taking place?), and it is simple, but effective. There were times when I wished there was more to it though, as it really boils down to 'Evil witch kidnaps Jamir's family, he's gotta find and destroy her'. Since a plot like that can't be wrapped up in 5 minutes or else we'll be out of a movie, everyone ambles about a bit to keep the film going. Thankfully it never feels too obvious about this, and it's never tedious.

The mood and atmosphere is great here. There's just the right amount of magical whimsy, terror, and comedy. The fantastical scenes are good, the creepy scenes are many, with quite a few ooky dark rituals, and the comedy is surprisingly crazy! Who would have expected the evil monsters to have a disco dance off?! I feel it's good the movie knows to not take itself too seriously all the time. Having a sense of humour is great, and it helps the tense and eerie moments balance well.

There are some movies where the heroes are always consistently too late to save anyone. Despite Jamir's lack of skills that's thankfully not the case here, although I would've preferred if he'd made it in time to help good witch Clariga  I know she was already at peace with dying, but don't let Mikula eat her brain, dude!

The characters here are a distinct and varied bunch. Jamir is a pretty decent lead. Totally milquetoast, but he's likeable, and relateable. It's just a shame he disappears for such long intervals. His more mild-mannered attitude contrasts well with the more lively Mikula, who's a delightfully evil presence. Just because she's evil, she doesn't let that get in the way of enjoying life, and there's rarely a moment where she's not laughing. It does get a little annoying sometimes, but for the most part she's a great villain. Threatening enough, as well as proactive, always trying her best to make life difficult for the hero.

Jamir's family meanwhile is pretty forgettable. His daughter doesn't utter so much as a single word throughout the entire film, and doesn't even walk herself! She's always carried. Maybe the actress was really an advanced marionette! She's a pretty superfluous character, as is the wife, Lovina. One of them would have to exist in order to spur the plot onwards, although if they'd only done more we'd feel more of a connection.

Bojok is a nice assistant, although doesn't get a whole lot to do after getting kidnapped. His arena fight with a monster is great fun though! The rest of the cast is alright, with many players getting small but important scenes. Not all are resolved, but I appreciated their presence, as it makes the world feel lived in.

The acting here is pretty good. Some visual performances are better than others, and some are downright crazy! None seemed that bad. Michael de Mesa is a good lead, if not the strongest, while Tom Tom is fun as the sidekick, never coming across as useless or annoying. Armida Siguion-Reyna chews all the scenery she can find as the villain. Everyone else do decent jobs. And most importantly, there's Globo, as himself. He ranges from cute to a little annoying, and I mostly found him fine. He barely appears though, despite his special credit!

I watched the English version, and it's cheesy in the way that all dubbed movies are, as well as fun. I have to say though, it's synchronised pretty well! I honestly forgot after awhile that this was dubbed! The dub actors all do such good jobs of inhabiting their characters, especially Mikula!

The effects are a real high point for Magic of the Universe. It really lives up to its title's promise. We get to see so much, from varied creature designs, to creepy and garish locations, magical battles, and stellar make-up, especially from the creepy Mikula, before and after her transformation. Some of it looks cheap, and a lot of it is cheesy, but lots of it is just plain great, and I was left really impressed by what I saw! This is a triumph for low budget cinema.

The location work and set design here is very good. We get grand palaces, dingy dungeons, ethereal forests, and many more neat places.

The music is another = for the movie. It's really good! We've got adventurous tracks, spooky and atmospheric ones, slower paced emotional ones, etc, and all sound great. The composer, =, sure outdid themselves for this production.

Magic of the Universe might not be for everyone, but if you're into fantasy, and can stomach large amounts of weirdness, I see no reason why you shouldn't give this a try. Any flaws it has aren't anywhere near bad enough to make it a waste, and there's plenty to enjoy...

Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

Smart-mouthed and uncouth trucker Jack Burton is in for the delivery/ride of his life when he joins his friend Wang = to met his fiancee Miao Yin at the airport. The girl is kidnapped by a gang, and Wang rushes to try and get her back, getting the two embroiled in a magical street fight in the process. Still having no idea what's going on, Jack is = drafted into the fight against ancient and evil sorcerer Lo Pan, who will stop at nothing to break the curse that limits his powers, and =...

Big Trouble in Little China comes from the mind of John Carpenter, truly showing off the man's creativity, as well as unwillingness to be constrained by any single genre. The movie is both a love letter and a parody of all the old Hollywood films focusing on the Orient. This is a great example of parody done right, because it comes from a place of love. It doesn't look down on  Just because it's taking the mickey out of old tropes and cliches, doesn't mean it's [shitting all over] their very existence.

The story is a thoroughly entertaining one, with plenty of depth and = to it, both in and out of universe. It really taps into the kung fu craze at the time, when Americans went gaga for all things Chinese, and for this reason I'm glad the film was updated from the original script's Wild West setting to the modern day, which the = would find most relateable. What person wouldn't wanna believe there's a world of wonder and mysticism right outside the door?

The characters are an interesting and fun bunch. Jack Burton is ostensibly the lead, but that's the main joke of the film-He's useless! The poor schmuck is in way over his head, but bless him he keeps trying ,despite often failing, knocking himself out, or =, while the sidekick Wang is much more capable, as well as connected with the events happening. This is a great subversion of regular films, and very funny. Despite his incompetence though, he's never genuinely terrible ,and he's always great to watch.

Lo Pan is an awesome villain, interesting both in appearance and personality. The guy's a real creep, and you buy that he's an ancient evil. The three Storms are an imposing presence, despite their lack of dialogue. Gracie Law is a nice female lead, always getting plenty to do, and getting a well-crafted relationship with Jack. While her friend Margo is a little superfluous, she's a nice presence anyway. Same goes for Wang's friend Eddie.

The movie is very diverse, too. Besides Kurt Russell, Kim Catrall, and supporting player Kate Burton, the cast is 100% Asian, and it's neat! It gives everyone so  much to do too, from acting, to martial arts, to =, it's great. The cast members were reportedly really happy to be working on a film with an atmosphere like this, believing it gave them far more opportunities than regular Hollywood fare.

Big Trouble in Little China also delves into certain facets of Chinese-American culture, including the place of one's traditional beliefs when you're raised in a different country. A real problem for many people is that they feel they have to throw away their culture to fit in [and be like everyone else]. And some get so carried away that they discard genuine and important = for fear of looking stereotypical or obviously 'different', just so they're not judged as = by other Americans. This film challenges that, showing Asian-Americans who try to = being faced with the [truth] and embracing their =, on both sides of the map.

Moving onto other themes, this is a film of dualities. On one hand you've got Jack, the ignorant white dude who knows nothing about Chinese culture, and then you've got Gracie, who's more   Then there are characters who sincerely] quote Oriental proverbs, as well as ones who jokingly invert them. And there's its treatment of Jack, who's simultaneously a joke, always failing to get anything done, but respected for trying nonetheless. Even though he may be a hapless dope who's really only along for the ride, the other characters not only tolerate him, but appreciate him, [and you can see why]

The acting here is all neat! Kurt Russell does great as the lead, both as a genuine action hero ,and a parody of one. James Hong is a great villain, devious and creepy. Dennis Dun is likeable as the 'sidekick', while Victor Wong is always an enjoyable presence. Kim Catrall is a fun and spunky female lead, often proactive and never useless.

The fight choreography in = is superb. Nothing is ever too fast or slow, nothing is unconvincing, and the characters spar like =. The more fantastical elements don't get in the way of the down-to-earth action  to much, and are even enhanced by it. The flying swordfight for instance is expertly handled!h

The effects in   While they might get a bit much for some people, I felt there's mostly a good balance between the effects and the story. I never felt it focused too much on being flashy at the expense of the characters. There's many extremely well made moments here, from the bolts of lightning characters throw, the freaky = Lo Pan has, the flying, and the various monsters we see. The film has quite a bit of restraint only using these monsters so sparingly ,but I feel they =. You don't wanna clutter things up too much. There's so much more to mention, and you've gotta see the movie to experience it all.

The set design is exemplary too! You really buy there's a = world underground. From all the little statue and curtains, the delicately painted murals and walls, and he = at the end with its giant skulls and =, the crew of this film really went all out, and deserve all the praise they can get.

The soundtrack here is great. Full of Oriental tunes that often mix both old and new instruments. We get classical tracks, spiffy modern ones, and the best of both worlds. The best = of the film is by far the ending song by Carpenter's own band the Coup de Villes, singing the title song. It's a great track, really getting you in the mood for meeting Chinese sorcerers/casting Chinese magic and fighting evil!

Now, Big Trouble in Little China may be a great movie, but is it without flaws? For me, no. I have a few issues. The first is that for all its base simplicity, the story is incredibly muddled. It's not hard to tell what's going on per se, and the story itself is always fairly straightforward, but it's crammed with so much stuff, that it can sometimes get a bit overwhelming, like we're accidentally being shown the fourth movie in a series.

Another issue is certain characters feel a little shafted. Mainly Miao Yin, who barely appears, and is often just sleeping or standing around when she does. She barely even gets a line of dialogue! I'm disappointed, because I wanted to get to know her better, and understand why Wang loves her so much, [and is willing to go through all of this to save].

And lastly there are the deaths of certain characters. Lo Pan's is great in everything but its speed. It's too quick! I get that's probably the point, but it happens so quickly that you're just left with a feeling of "We're all set for the final bat...Wait, is that it?". I wouldn't mind such a =, but I wish they had've made it at least a little longer. Then there's Thunder's death. One of the film's most famous moments by far, it also comes with little explanation. I was also all set to criticise Lightning's death too, but it turned out I misremembered things. I remembered him showing off with lightning bolts, which causes a cave-in and kills him instantly before he can even fight the heroes, but actually no, that doesn't happen! Phew. Again, I'd get the joke of killing off a big bad in such an anticlimactic way, though it would annoy me, and I'm glad his demise is at least a little more interesting.

Whew, well that about does it for me. To finish, Big Trouble in Little China remains a real gem. Whether you're just looking for a fun action/comedy flick, or if you even have a passing interest in Chinese culture and entertainment, this is the perfect film for you...

Appreciation for Raiders of the Magic Ivory (1988)

Many years ago, all the way back in 2012...eight years ago, when I was but the tender age of *coughcough*, I reviewed the film Raiders of the Magic Ivory. My original review is hardly missing anything, as I said pretty much everything that needs saying, but this is a film that even to this day still needs more love and attention, and I could easily expand on what I saw. So without further ado...

Mercenary buddies Mark and Sugar have just escaped a sticky situation in South America when they're hired by a mysterious Chinese businessman, who has a mission for them-Retrieve a special ivory tablet hidden deep in the Vietnamese jungle, and he will give them $250,000 dollars. The duo don't trust the man as far as they can throw him, but they go along with it anyway, to see where it goes. The mission reveals itself to be an arduous one, as they fight their way through Vietnamese soldiers, and other hazards, before entering 'the hell from which there is no return/no-one returns'. What horrors await Mark and Sugar in this eerie patch of forgotten land, and more importantly, can they shoot their way out of it?...

Raiders of the Magic Ivory gets off to a fun start, and it never lets up. The plot is very basic, but is paced well, and you never mind that it's not the most complex of tales. What's important is that you're always entertained and never bored.

Simplicity in terms of plot aside, this is a very inventive film. We've got hostile soldiers, evil cannibal monks, zombies, witchdoctors, and sorcerers! The film manages to nail having three genres in one. We've got action, horror, and comedy, and all mix well, never feeling like a forced hodgepodge. What I admire about this movie is that it knows what it wants to be, and it sets out to do that well. It never tries reaching to high and coming across as less than impressive, but instead does the best job it can in its own wheelhouse, and it works so well!

The movie is cheesy as hell, in all the best ways, like how the leads/heroes never run out of ammunition, despite their repeated assertions to the contrary. "We're almost out of ammo!", one of 'em will say before continuing to mow down hordes of zombies and soldiers for another 20 minutes. Funnily enough, they finally do run out right before the big boss battle, and conveniently so do the villains! How accommodating.

The two leads carry the film very well. They share great chemistry, and you really buy that despite their cracks and snarking, the two are firm friends. Often these kinds of characters can just come across as annoying, making you wonder why these people even hang out if they hate each-other so much, but these two always feel genuine.

They also have a great attitude, taking everything in stride. Namely, they don't believe in magic. At all. This could come across as annoying, having to deal with hardened skeptics even in the face of obvious magic, but what sells it here is their lackadaisical attitude. They may not believe it, but this never stops them from seeing things through, and even helps them out of some fixes/jams, like when their path is blocked by a group of demonic faces and a wall/barrier of flame, and Sugar just says "It's just some kind of bullshit, man, let's go", and they casually walk through it like it's nothing!

The villains are a neat bunch, though underutilised. The monks and all their superiors and subordinates are interesting and creepy, though pretty empty. They have zero dialogue and no real character to them. I wouldn't expect the sun and the moon from them of course, but at least a little would have been nice.

Then there's Chang and Tau. Apologies for spoiling the twist so clear even the protagonists notice it. Still, the thrill is in the journey, not the destination, which is why the guys even go along with the plan/mission. Chang doesn't appear as much as I would've liked, really only bookending the film, but I understand the need for preserving the reveal   Tau meanwhile is on the duo's side for much of the film, providing good help and useful info, but there's always something off about him. You're never sure if you can trust him, or what he'll do next.

Lastly, there's the character of My Lai. Eight years ago, I didn't like her, and that was all down to the actress. She's just so un-emotive and calm. It really bugged me. Do I feel any differently now? Yeah, a bit. I don't mind her as much, and I even appreciate her calmness in a way. She's not shrieking or crying for help, or being really cliched, but is instead the coolest cucumber/customer in the entire movie, never fazed/unfazed by everything, even her own imminent sacrifice. Maybe the actress just wasn't as talented as the others, or maybe it was intentional on the part of the film. As for her character, she's pretty good. The right sense of powerful and knowledgeable/wise, but lacking in the = strength needed to see the task done.

The ending to Raiders of the Magic Ivory is really something special, namely in that is even has one! So many z-grade action films of the era would just stop after the hero killed the bad guy, but not only does this keep going, but we get a proper denouement!

The content of the ending is also just so much fun to me. These two funloving American mercenaries have become the new keepers of the celestial peace. Absolutely the last people you'd expect for the position, but you can't deny the earned it! It's endearing in a way that such = guys managed to nab such a prestigious magical position. They weathered all the challenges they faced in the film well, and came out on the other side and stopped the evil magic of the tablet. One can imagine the looks they'd get if there was ever a convention for Asian mystics! And one can also imagine the adventures Mark and Sugar would get into now. I don't know what, but I'm sure they'd be fun!

The dialogue here is a ton of fun, with the leads often sharing snappy banter.
"Were you just born an asshole or do you work at it?"
Tau: "That is the beginning of The Hell from Which No-one Returns"-Mark: "I've always dreamed of taking a vacation in a place like that."-Sugar: "If you're trying for irony I just don't get it."-Mark: "Hell, I'm the one who's the college graduate here."-Sugar-"Yeah, that says it all."
And the line that perfectly sums up both the movie and the characters is: "Do you believe this kind of crap?" "No, but it is kinda fun!"

The acting here isn't the greatest in the world, but it all works. A few cheesy performances, and Clarissa Mendez as My Lai isn't the most emotive in the wold, but she's not bad. Robert Mitchum and Chris Ahrens are great leads, and Roberto Dominguez is convincing as the villain, deserving more time.

The locations in Raiders of the Magic Ivory are great. Chang's garden home is very serene, with its rolling pools, lush trees, and green grass. The jungle where the majority of the film takes place is great too. It's got a great sense of pure untouched nature, feeling both pleasant and =, and forbidding, like you're trespassing where you shouldn't [be]. The cave system is just plain creepy too, looking like exactly the [kind of] place an evil sect would hang around in.

The music is very effective here. The action tunes are fun, the softer pieces help = the character moments, and the spooky tracks really build/create an aura of eeriness. I appreciate a score like this for treating the tone with respect. Just because the movie makes you laugh doesn't mean the composer got lazy and just scored everything like a Buster Keaton flick. The only downsides for me were the lacklustre introduction sequence, and the reuse of a certain track during the final battle. It's a great track, but it's a slower more melodic piece. Great for a spooky scene of wonder and mystery, not so good for a =. You'd expect a more actiony tune.

Overall, Raiders of the Magic Ivory holds up as a film, all these years later. It's criminally underrated, and surely needs more love! I can't be the only one who adores this movie, right? Even if I am, I can only hope I spread the word to as many people as possible, and gain this at least one new fan...