New York Asian Film Festival

Today, the New York Asian Film Festival has a focus on films from Taiwan, including the exploitation genre known as “black movies,” which isn’t what either of us are thinking about. They were “violent and gritty social realist pictures,” as IMDb describes them. Sometimes a culture’s revenge movies can tell as much about an era and its concerns as much as the more serious cinema can, so this looks to be educational as well as entertaining. And then the late movie is Hong Kong’s HARDCORE COMEDY, which looks like a ton of fun. A lot of good stuff here. Check it out!

The NYAFF is being presented by Subway Cinema (visit them here), and all of today’s screenings are taking place at the Film Society Of Lincoln Center (find a more complete rundown here).

Here are today’s screenings, with pictures & summaries courtesy of the festival:

Taiwan Black Movies

TAIWAN BLACK MOVIES

HOU CHI-JAN, 2005
TAIWAN | 60 MINUTES

Director Hou Chi-Jan in person for Q&A!

A long lost era of filmmaking was preserved and rediscovered by this documentary, the result of a longtime labor of love that began when the director found a stack of discarded VHS tapes in the Taiwan Film Archive.

Woman Revenger

WOMAN REVENGER

TSAI YANG-MING, 1981
TAIWAN | 80 MINUTES

Director Tsai Yang-Ming in person for Q&A!

Another of Taiwan’s mondo revenge movies from the early 80’s, this brutal exploitation shocker features a gentle woman who turns into a bloodthirsty killer, bent on revenge against those who wronged her. A forgotten grindhouse classic, this dirty, pulpy brawler will have you ready to clean off the grime by the time the credits roll.

When A Wolf Falls In Love With A Sheep

WHEN A WOLF FALLS IN LOVE WITH A SHEEP

HOU CHI-JAN, 2012
TAIWAN | 85 MINUTES

New York Premiere! Director Hou Chi-jan in person for Q&A on July 6!

Kai Ko, the star of one of last year’s audience favorites, YOU ARE THE APPLE OF MY EYE, tries to find the girl who dumped him in the wild world of Taiwan’s cram school district. Full of animated inserts, bizarre stylistic flourishes, and a hyperactive camera.

Never Too Late To Repent

NEVER TOO LATE TO REPENT

TSAI YANG-MING, 1979
TAIWAN | 99 MINUTES

Director Tsai Yang-Ming in person for Q&A!

When Tsai Yang-ming released this crime thriller in 1979 it became a surprise hit at the Taiwanese box office, which was at the time dominated by period martial arts flicks and sentimental romances. It launched Taiwan’s “Black Movies” trend, which saw 117 hard-hitting exploitation movies hit screens between 1979 and 1983, and this stark, true crime film is the proud parent to them all.

Hardcore Comedy

HARDCORE COMEDY

HENRI WONG, CHONG SIU WING, ANDY LO, 2013
HONG KONG | 92 MINUTES

World Premiere! Star Dada Chen in person for Q&A!

There’s something for everyone in this raunchy, over-the-top post-Vulgaria three-part omnibus. It’s the ultimate genre mash-up, a heady and hilarious brew of action-packed superhero exploits, obscene erotica, psychedelic narcotics, heart warming romance, crossdressing, mobster vendettas, plus insane car stunts! Turtles! Iced tea! A dance extravaganza! Coming soon!—you get the idea.

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Jon Abrams

Editor-In-Chief at Daily Grindhouse

Jon Abrams is a New York-based writer, cartoonist, and committed cinemaniac whose complete work and credits can be found at his site, Demon’s Resume. You can contact him on Twitter as @JonZilla___.

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