Australia’s Madman Entertainment brings the Korean hits HAEUNDAE and CHAW to DVD. Photos courtesy of Madman Entertainment.
HAEUNDAE © 2009 JK Film / CJ Entertainment. CHAW © 2009 Big House/ Vantage Holdings and Lotte Entertainment

Natural Disasters and Mutant Animals Terrify and Entertain
Source: Madman Entertainment

Two of the biggest box office hits in Korea last year were the mega-tsunami thriller HAEUNDAE and the killer wild boar horror/comedy CHAW. The Australian distributor Madman Entertainment has picked up both films and is releasing them on Region 4 PAL DVD. HAEUNDAE went on sale last month, and CHAW is scheduled for April.

Neither movie has been released on home video in North America.
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Source: Monster Attack Team
Special Thanks to Michael G Keller and Edward Holland

Cover for Monster Attack Team Issue 8. Photo courtesy of
MAT. © 2010 Monster Attack Team

After far too long an absence, the popular fanzine Monster Attack Team returns!

Edward Holland and the late Joe Riley began Monster Attack Team (the name taken from the anti-monster team in RETURN OF ULTRAMAN) began in the early 1990s as a fan club for aficionados of Japanese science fiction and fantasy. It soon evolved into a Dallas, Texas cable access television show and a small newsletter that grew to become a fan favorite mag. The print version of Monster Attack Team ran for seven issues, edited by Ed Holland with the assistance of David May and Michael G Keller, and featured articles and contributions by authors such as Ed Godziszewski, Kip Doto, Bob Johnson, Kevin Grays, August Ragone, Daisuke Ishizuka, Norman England, and Damon Foster.

Nearly 15 years after the last issue, Ed Holland and Michael Keller have brought back Monster Attack Team with Issue 8. The editors have rounded up an “all star” group of tokusatsu writers and historians and produced a massive, 132 page edition that matches the quality of those truly great English language genre publications The Japanese Fantasy Film Journal, Markalite, and Japanese Giants.
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A Look at the International Model and Toy Show Held in Tokyo on January 10, 2010
Author: Ed Godziszewski
Official Site: Super Festival

Prototypes for the new Marmit Destoroyah and Burning Godzilla figures. Photo
by Ed Godziszewski.

In years past, it used to be a big deal to attend toy shows such as Super Festival— each show yielded not only its share of exclusive items, but they were a expeditious way to accomplish a good deal of shopping all in one place. Rather than spending time and train fare scurrying about Tokyo, Super Festival offered one-stop shopping where you could find not only most every current item, but also a nice selection of vintage (and sometimes otherwise unheard of) items.

Due to a change in my business trip schedule, it had been almost 6 years since the last time I attended Super Festival, so attending this most recent incarnation this past January 10 impressed upon me just how much times have changed.
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Details on New Region 1 Anime and Live-Action Titles Coming from January to March
Source: Section23 Films press releases
Special Thanks to Chris Oarr

THE SKULL MAN COMPLETE COLLECTION comes out the
first week of February. Photo courtesy of Section23 Films.

Houston TX-based Section23 Films, America’s fastest-growing anime distributor, has provided details for its January-March 2010 slate of new DVD releases. Section23 client Sentai Filmworks is coming out with thirteen new home video releases, including the first DVD sets of the anime series HIDAMARI SKETCH, GLASS MASK, and NEO ANGELIQUE ABYSS; complete sets of THE SKULL MAN, MARIA HOLIC, YOZAKURA QUARTET, and TAYUTAMA: KISS ON MY DEITY; and the second and final volumes of YOU’RE UNDER ARREST: FAST & FURIOUS, SPECIAL A, and TEARS TO TIARA. Also coming from Sentai Filmworks is the first collection of YOU’RE UNDER ARREST: FULL THROTTLE and the second collection of TO LOVE RU.

Switchblade Pictures, another Section23 client, has seven live-action DVD releases straight from Japan, including KIRENJI GIRLS’ COMBAT SCHOOL, AKIBALLION: BATTLEMAIDS OF AKIHABARA, RYUJI THE YAKUZA, BAYSENKI BATTLE CHRONICLE, and the double features FEMALE COMBATANTS BATTLE SCHOOL/ DEMONIC HEROINE IN PERIL, CAT GIRL/ SUPER DIMENSION ODYSSEY TRITIA, and BIRTHDAY MAIL/ KOKURRI-SAN.

Finally, from AEsir Holdings, Section23 presents a new edition of the classic anime series, PETITE PRINCESS YUCIE COMPLETE COLLECTION.
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Bigger than big! A full scale statue of the classic manga/anime robot Tetsujin 28 (aka Gigantor) has been built in Kobe, Japan.
Photo by Daisuke Ishizuka. © 2009 Kobe Tetsujin Project.

“Life Size” Statue of Giant Robot in Creator’s Hometown
Author: Daisuke Ishizuka
Official Site: Kobe Tetsujin Project (Japan)

TETSUJIN 28-GO (Tetsujin Nijyu-Hachi-Go) is a popular robot comic (launched 1956) and animation TV series (1963) created by Mr. Mitsuteru Yokoyama. The animated series was aired in America as the English dubbed GIGANTOR (1966).

Mr. Yokoyama was born in Kobe in 1934, and died at the of age of 69 in 1995. His works include Giant Robo (adapted as the live action series JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT), Babel II, Princess Comet (Comet-san) and Kamen no Ninjya Akakage (adapted several times, including the 2001 movie RED SHADOW). Tetsujin is considered to be his masterpiece. The character has become a beloved figure in Japan, starring in several animated series as well as a 2005 live action film. Imagi Studios, the animation house behind the CG films TMNT and ASTRO BOY, has produced test footage for a potential computer animated TETSUJIN 28 movie.

The Kobe area was hit by the Great Hanshin earthquake on January 17th, 1995. Nearly 6,500 people were killed and 300,000 lost their homes. As the 15th anniversary of the tragedy draws near, a full scale, 18 meter (59 foot) tall statue of Tetsujin has been built in Kobe as a symbol of the city’s revival and as a guardian from future disasters.
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Space Station Gamma III is menaced by THE GREEN SLIME. The Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention is hosting a 40th anniversary
screening with stars Robert Horton and Luciana Paluzzi. © 1969 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.

Stars Robert Horton and Luciana Paluzzi to Attend Screening at the Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention
Official Site: Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention

US poster art for THE GREEN SLIME. © 1969 Metro-
Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Japanese/US/Italian co-production THE GREEN SLIME (Gamma Sango Uchu Daisakusen, 1968) with a special screening and appearance by two stars of the sci-fi cult classic at the Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention. The convention will show a rare film print of THE GREEN SLIME at 12:00pm on Sunday, November 8th. Actors Robert Horton and Luciana Paluzzi will attend from 11:00am-4:00pm to sign autographs and take part in post-screening interview about the making of the movie.

This weekend’s screening will be included as part of the general admission for the Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention. Robert Horton and Luciana Paluzzi are charging for autographs, but each signatures includes a choice of photo.
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College student Kenta Sato (Kenta Kiritani, right) has some questions about the new girl (Haruka Ayase) living with his friend Jiro Kitamura (Keisuke Koide)
in CYBORG SHE, a science fiction romance from the director of MY SASSY GIRL. © 2008 Cyborg She Film Partners.

Author: Ed Godziszewski
Official Movie Site: cyborg.gaga.ne.jp (Japan)

Japanese poster art for CYBORG SHE. © 2008 Cyborg She Film
Partners.

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details and images from a new movie.

Every now and then, a movie comes along and takes you by surprise. Sometimes it flies under the radar and you never hear of it, sometimes it looks unremarkable and you pay it no mind, or perhaps you just think ‘you gotta be kidding, I’m not going to bother.’ In the case of CYBORG SHE (Boku no Kanojo wa Saibogu), the 2008 romantic sci-fi comedy film from Korean director Kwak Jae-Young (MY SASSY GIRL), it was a little bit of all of these.

Towards the end of a long flight back from Japan, I turned to the in-flight entertainment system to pass the time. I saw a listing for this film, in Japanese with English subtitles. I’d never heard of it, the title sounded odd, the two sentence summary didn’t sound very promising. Japanese comedies are very much hit and miss for me, but boredom got the better of me and I decided to take a chance.
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Warner Bros. is releasing a selection of TERMINATOR SALVATION DVD and Blu-ray editions in November and December.
Photo courtesy of Warner Home Video. © 2009 T Asset Acquisition Company, LLC.

Source: Warner Home Video press materials
Special Thanks to My-lan Beauford

The long-running Terminator franchise returns to home video with new DVD and Blu-ray titles in November and December. First up is TERMINATOR SALVATION: THE MACHINIMA SERIES, a collection of the computer animated series focusing on the resistance fighter Blair Williams, on November 3rd. And on December 1st, the feature film TERMINATOR SALVATION will be released on DVD in both widescreen and full screen versions plus a Blu-ray Special Edition featuring both the theatrical and director’s cuts as well as numerous bonus features.
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Twenty-one Films, Six Cities
Source: Japan Foundation, Sydney
Official Site: japanesefilmfestival.net
Special Thanks to Evon Fung

The 13th annual Japanese Film Festival begins November 24
in Sydney, Australia. © 2009 The Japan Foundation, Sydney

This year, the 13th annual Japanese Film Festival will be delivering another fantastic line-up of Japanese cinema to fans in Australia. The event begins November 24th at Event Cinemas George Street, Sydney, and December 3rd at ACMI Cinemas, Melbourne, and will also include screenings in Brisbane, Hobart, and Canberra.

Among the many movies being shown are THE CHEF OF THE SOUTH POLE, OPPAI VOLLEYBALL, K-20: LEGEND OF THE MASK, PANDEMIC, SUMMER DAYS WITH COO, THE CHERRY TREE IN THE HILLS, GRAVITY’S CLOWNS, KAMOGAWA HORUMO- BATTLE LEAGUE IN TOKYO, PENGUINS IN THE SKY: ASAHIYAMA ZOO, THE HANDSOME SUIT, ALL AROUND US, DETROIT METAL CITY, and GOEMON.
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Civilians flee as the tsunami hits Busan’s Gwangan Grand Bridge. Photo courtesy of CJ Entertainment. © 2009 JK Film / CJ Entertainment

Korean Government and Movie Industry Deal with Film Piracy
Author: Kim Song-ho
Source: Various Korean news sites and official press releases
Official Movie Site: HAEUNDAE

HAEUNDAE, the first full-scale disaster movie of Korea, opened on July 22 at 546 screens across the country and became an instant blockbuster. Currently, the largest-grossing Korean movie of all time is Bong Joon-ho’s 2006 monster movie THE HOST (Gwoemul) which attracted 13.01 million admissions. HAEUNDAE swept away 5 million admissions after just 13 days of release and crossed the 10 million mark after one month. As of October 22, HAEUNDAE is still in release and has accumulated admissions of 11.39 million. That puts the movie at first place in the 2009 Korean box office and fourth place on the domestic all-time list.

On August 29, as the movie was swallowing up the Korean cinemas like a tsunami itself, Korean news sites reported that a high-quality, full-length HAEUNDAE movie file had been leaked online. It was a big shock to everyone involved with the movie. The production company JK Film and distributor/co-investor CJ Entertainment stated that both companies would seek out the persons or organization that initially circulated the file and demand the authorities pursue all necessary legal action.
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New York-Tokyo presents the North American premiere of Kazuaki Kiriya’s new movie GOEMON next month in NYC. © 2009 “Goemon” Film Partners.

Screening at the ImaginAsian Theater on November 4th
Source: New York-Tokyo press release
Official Movie Site: Goemon (Japan)

The media company New York-Tokyo continues their “Nippon Eiga Series” with the North American premiere of GOEMON at the ImaginAsian Theater in New York City on November 4th. GOEMON is about the “Japanese Robin Hood” who tangles himself in a brutal warfare amongst the warlords, honor and love. This highly stylized film is directed by visionary director, Kazuaki Kiriya (CASSHERN).
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Source: Asian Film Festival of Dallas
Special Thanks to Mike Keller

Celebrate Halloween early with the Asian Film Festival of
Dallas’ Asian Horror Double Header. Photo courtesy of AFFD.

In conjunction with Texas Frightmare Weekend, the Asian Film Festival of Dallas is holding a membership drive on October 24 at the Studio Movie Grill-Addison (5405 Beltline Rd. Dallas, TX, 75248). Scary movie fans are invited to celebrate Halloween early with a double feature of two excellent, spectacular, gory, fun Asian horror flicks, and participate in AFFD’s Costume Contest. Come dressed as your favorite Asian horror character. There will be a Prize for Best Costume plus lots of other door prizes.

9:30PM- MACABRE (Rumah Dara, 2009): A high-spirited road trip is interrupted when a group of friends pick up Dara (Shareefa Daanish), a girl who has just been robbed and offer to take her home to a mysterious house in the deep woods. No good deed goes unpunished, to the tune of severed limbs, decapitations, and several flavors of graphic mayhem.

11:30PM- VAMPIRE GIRL VS. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL (Kyuketsu Shojo tai Shojo Furanken, 2008): Two girls (Eri Otoguro and Yukie Kawamura), one boy (Takumi Saito), a mad scientist lab, and blood-laced sweet treats – high school love triangles go berzerk in this body-modified, gore-spouting, self-mutilating, seriously un-PC romp from Yoshihiro Nishimura, the director of TOKYO GORE POLICE.
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Source: 4Digital Media, The Associates press releases
Official Movie Site: cyborg.gaga.ne.jp (Japan)
Special Thanks to Farhana Shaikh

UK DVD cover art for CYBORG SHE. Photo courtesy of
The Associates. © 2008 Cyborg She Film Partners.

Have you ever imagined what THE TERMINATOR would have been like had it been a romantic comedy in the vein of SERENDIPITY? Well, now you don’t have to because that’s pretty much what writer-director Kwak Jae-young (director of the smash hit Korean comedy, MY SASSY GIRL) delivers with CYBORG SHE (Boku no Kanojo wa Saibogu, 2008), a touching and lighthearted sci-fi love story about a lonely young man and his female cyborg from the future.

Jiro Kitamura (Keisuke Koide) is a teenage student living in Tokyo who each year celebrates his birthday alone, buying himself a gift and dining on the same meal at the same restaurant. Shopping in a department store on the evening of his 20th birthday, Jiro witnesses an attractive young girl (Haruka Ayase) trying on a new outfit and leaving the store without paying. Later, as he sits down for dinner, the mysterious girl shows up at the restaurant and announces that it’s her birthday too. They spend the rest of the evening together, but at the end of what proves to be Jiro’s best birthday ever the girl disappears.

Exactly one year later, the girl reappears and joins Jiro for his annual birthday meal. When a crazed customer unleashes a torrent of gunfire on the restaurant, it is only the actions of his pretty companion that save Jiro from the hail of bullets. His savior then reveals the shocking truth about her existence— she is, in fact, a cyborg built by Jiro’s elderly future self and sent back to the present to prevent him from being crippled by the gunman.
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Live Action Movie Based on Hit Anime Streets October 20
Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Official Movie Site: Blood The Last Vampire

DVD cover art for BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE.
Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Ent. © 2009
East Wing Holdings Corp. and SAJ.

From a producer of HERO and CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON comes BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE, based on the cult hit anime. Demons have infested Earth, and only one warrior stands between the dark and the light: Saya, a half-human, half-vampire samurai who preys on those who feast on human blood. Joining forces with the shadowy society known as the Council, Saya is dispatched to an American military base, where an intense series of swordfights leads her to the deadliest vampire of all.

Now after 400 years, Saya’s greatest hunt is about to begin. She’s here… and there will be blood.

Following a US theatrical run this past summer from Samuel Goldwyn Films, director Chris Nahon’s (KISS OF THE DRAGON) martial arts horror thriller BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE will be released on DVD and Blu-ray this month by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
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Premieres October 14 from IFC Films
Source: IFC Entertainment, Mirovision Inc.
Official Movie Site: ifcfilms.com/deathbell (US)

The South Korean horror hit DEATH BELL (Gosa: Piui Junggangosa, 2008) will makes its US debut on October 14 via IFC Films’ On Demand service.

On a Saturday, 170 days before college entrance exams, a special class for 20 top students is held at school. But in the middle of class, “For Elise” rings from the speaker and the TV in classroom shows the top student Hye-young trapped in the water rising tank, screaming and struggling to breathe. And an unidentified voice asks the answer to a mid-term exam question that will cost Hye-young’s life. Nowhere to run, and only 20 students and 3 teachers are in school. The bloody exams start once again for them…
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