Archive for May, 2016

Now, I’m a big fan of the Kazahstani cinema, not ’cause I think directors are overly talented but for the sheer fact that they approach film-making like the kid collecting the stickers- they try really hard to collect them all.

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And then you have things like Olivier Gruner (Nemesis, Alien Interceptor), Mark Dacascos (Crying Freeman, Brotherhood of the Wolf, Agents of SHIELD), Martin Kove (Karate Kid, Rambo 2, Assault on Devil’s Island), Cary Tagawa (Mortal Kombat, The Man in the High Castle), Eric Roberts (Runaway Train, Best of the Best, Raptor), Billy Zane (Titanic, Phantom), Michael Jai White (Spawn, Black Dinamite), Bai Ling (Age of Hobbits,The Crow, Crank 2), Kevin Sorbo (Hercules), Kristina Loken (Terminator 3), Armand Assante (The Odyssey, Prophecy) and Danny Trejo (Machete) all working on the same freakin’ movie!

And it’s about manhunt + reality TV mix with a fare share MMA action to boot- who can say no to that?

 

Now that you’ve enjoyed the trailer, prepare for more Kazahstani goodness ’cause we are expecting another offering from them this year and that’s The Whole World at Our Feet with unlikely mix of Armand Assante, Peter O’Tool and Bolo Yeung!  Hope they never stop doing what they do.

Movie intro scene courtesy of Japanese BluRay

 

 

This movie is a heavy crap, there is no doubt about that. But, thanks to couple of redeeming values and elements, it is a watchable crap. Sure, it doesn’t qualifies as “so bad it’s good’ flick and most of the time it isn’t even enjoyable, but still… Plot is bizarre and unusual, and that’s one of the things which are making this movie fun to watch.

Elves

As introduction into story we see 3 girls performing some kind of blood sisters ceremony in the forest. They also mention their idol anti-Christmas virgin, whatever it may be. One of them gets cut on her hand and the ceremony is interrupted. Or so it may seem. Blood has been spilled and something started emerging from the smoking ground. But our girls have already left the scene so they didn’t see what king of mess they have made. One of them, Kirsten (played by Julie Austin) went straight home just to get slapped by her German grandfather (played by Borah Silver) in wheelchairs for taking his book and going into forest. He is worried, which means he knows something. But what?

It's aliveIt’s alive!

Kirsten’s entire family seems a bit of the edge, with her psychotic young mother (played by Deanna Lund) who drowns cats in toilet seat, and her kid brother who enjoys watching his sister taking a shower and then talking about her big tits (which are not that big at all). It is not much better situation at her workplace either. She tried to release a pressure while sitting in the knee of mall Santa but that old scum not only refused to give Kirsten a present but he demanded oral as well in front of everybody (I guess Santa has his own wishes just like everyone else). Of course, the only oral he has gotten is oral sacking from his boss. Feeling rejected, perverted Santa goes to the locker room in order to sniff some cocaine. With such behavior he crossed the line (hehe cocaine – line, get it?) and ended up butchered by someone. Or something!

Children, there won't be any Christmas this yearChildren, there won’t be any Christmas this year

While police, like a bunch of morons they are, are probably suspecting some unsatisfied kid to be the killer, a new face shows up. His name is Mike McGavin (played by Dan Haggerty) and he is washed up deadbeat ex-detective. He came to the mall in search for a job. Could he crack the case? Being not discouraged by fate of the previous Santa (or out of despair) he gladly accepts job offer for a place of the new mall Santa. All hail! Santa can’t die. Only people who play him can. Anyway, chain smoking Mike finds a strange symbol on the murder scene which awakes detective in him. Tho he seems conflicted about that while saying “I am not a detective. I am Santa”. But despite everything he decides to investigate it further. Later that night, Kirsten sneaked into the mall with
her slutty friends so they could try out lingerie in peace. Mike, who now lives in the murder scene after being evicted from camp trailer (man that’s one solid rock bottom) catches them red-handed. But that’s not all the trouble they faced. While they were negotiating (Mike sneaked in there as well) a couple of guys who look like time traveling agents of Gestapo assaulted them with no explanation. And to make things worse the Elf (which more looks like a ghoul apart of pointy ears) has decided to crash into this late night party. Complete chaos emerges where no one knows who is chasing who to kill. Result: slutty friends are mutilated, while Gestapo, Kirsten and Mike managed to escape.

Outfit fit for a bimboOutfit fit for a bimbo

After visiting Kirsten’s home and seeing the same strange symbol under the Christmas Tree, Mike decides to investigate deeper the meaning of that symbol. So he visits Dr. Fitzgerald, a mad scientist, who starts babbling about elves being a fallen angels who tempered with women and stated that Nazis are just a bunch of crackpots. He sends Mike to Professor O’Conner who can give him more information about the subjects. Then Mike storms into professors’ house right in the middle of family diner. There professor explains him that there are two schools of thought about elves. Both theories sound out of this world and both of them include Nazis. Bottom line of this is that an elf is going to mate with perfect human virgin on a Christmas Eve thus creating a master race that will rule the world. Anyway, I am not going to write down entire explanation since I am feeling last traces of my sanity are dripping away just when thinking about it. If you are interested in detailed theory check out video below:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4c7osu

Meanwhile, Kirsten and her mother are having an argue back at home. Kirsten wanted to know why her mother is resenting everyone, especially her. After throwing a death of her into her mother’s face Kirsten learns about that her grandfather is also her father! Now how about that for a twist? Kirsten storms out to the study where she confronts her (grand)father. He admits that he had done that in order to control inbreeding so they could make the perfect genetic line (the origin of her little brother remains unknown to us). One thing is still not clear to me: How the hell did they manage to preserve an unconventionally handsome girl to stay a virgin for almost 20 years? Sounds as much possible as an existence of elves.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4c7mrh

As for Kirsten’s mother, after taking the burden off her chests, she decides to have one nice relaxing bath. Just in the moment when she started forgetting about her problems (yeah, inbreed is a trivial matter) the elf shows up and fries her by throwing a radio into the bathtub. Now I am not sure that this is possible at all, and even if it were, then who the fuck would place a radio right above the bathtub where it can easily trip over and kill you? What about if the earthquake occurs? Had she been thinking about the earthquake?

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4c7q0i

Mike is back and he has brought some Nazis with him as well. Remember Gestapo fellows? Well they were monitoring and following him to the Kirsten’s home. He managed to create diversion and buy himself some enough time to confront grandfather. There he learns all about inbreed in their family. There was some gibberish about anti-Christ but I couldn’t understand a word because of grandfather’s strong German accent. Ashamed of what he did he showed them how to kill an elf using a dagger made of special crystal called Elfstone. So, special crystal of elves is used to kill elves. Makes sense like anything else so far. Just in that moment Gestapo people storm into the house and another chaos emerges. This time they end up dead, together with grandfather while Kirsten yet again has managed to escape. So has the elf. He catches her on the same spot she had summoned him at the beginning of the movie which marks the start of the mating season. He really took his time which shows us that even an elves like foreplay. But creating of the master race got interrupted by strike of the crystal knife after which poor monster lost his boner, exploded and dematerialized. Still, last scene shows us a fetus which, as usual, leaves a room for a sequel. Either that, or Nazis were successful in conducting their evil master plan. So we are doomed.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4c7npg

 

Conclusion: One of the notable things about “Elves” is a lack of any kind of explanation whatsoever. Characters come and go without explanation. Acting defies explanation. The elf kills without explanation. Despite the movie title there is only one elf in it. And boy he is laughable, cheesy and plastic. The dialogue seems forced and…what else? Needs an explanation. The plot itself is bizarre and based on accounting that elves do exist. The only problem with it is that elves fucking DO NOT exist! I guess the director Jeffrey Mandel planned Dan Haggerty to be the selling point. But you just can’t expect that one half-famous actor saves the movie in which Nazis are sending one plastic elf that scoots around and can’t close his mouth to impregnate virgin on Christmas Eve. There, I said it!

This movie is a stuff of legends, with it’s unlikely journey from a complete  obscurity to the incredible worldwide wide success- and it took just 25 years to do it! You see, the story starts with the young but ambitious Young Kun Kim (김영군), who emigrated from Korea to United States and managed to make a  life for himself becoming a well known and well respected  Taekwondo instructor. At some point during a radio show somebody suggested that a good way to promote his school would be to produce and star in an action movie (it was the 80’s so this logic kinda makes sense).

miamiconnection_poster-final__small

Kim happily accepted the challenge and decided to film in his local area of Florida using mostly a crew of his friends and colleagues (with no real experience in film business of course). Now, what they lacked in expertise they sure made up with their sheer enthusiasm and unique vision. How unique, well listen to this…

Biker by day, Ninjas by night!

Enter the ninjas, on motorbikes, stealing cocaine from the local gangsters! Just to sell it themselves. You sure won’t find this anywhere else.  Then we cut to the local club that presents “the new dimension in rock’n’roll” synth rock band Dragon Sound. But there is more to the  band than what meets the eye, they are Martial Art training orphan highschoolers (even thou some of them are obviously pushing 40). Unfortunately one of the tugs, evil biker ninjas spots his sister Jane singing with the band. He gets extremely jealous for some reason and starts a fight with her boyfriend John, a dumb, tall bass player. That doesn’t stop them from performing again that same night, including a prophetic song “Against the Ninja”.

That seems to be the last straw because bikers/ninjas follow them that night after the show and ambush them. Outnumbered Dragon Sound unleash and show the fact that they are Martial Art masters! Then we get to the fantastic subplot of Maurice Smith looking for his long lost father. After supporting their best friend Dragon Sound gets to other important business like partying on the beach and working out. They also take time to plot a world tour spanning all of their homelands (so from Korea to Ireland to Israel- what a tour).

Miami Connection.mp4_002184200This scene goes on for way too long!

The band helps out a local Korean restaurant owner- who had some problems with the tugs (don’t we all)  but then they get officially challenged by the Ninja Bikers. Jane tries to plead with her brother but to no avail- he’s just too evil (but I knew that already- just look at that beard).  I also get the feeling that the next scene, presenting the full biker gang was filmed entirely on the local Biker gathering, less than 2% of guys and gals look like they are acting.

Miami Connection.mp4_003207680

The showdown finally becomes imminent when the gang kidnaps the Dragon Sound mastermind/ guitar player Tom. That was the last drop and the peaceful Martial Artist/Musician/ Students finally transform into deadly killing machines. Under the cover of night they organize a raid on the gang (you can say they out-ninjad the ninjas).

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4bjb0w

 

Even thou they killed Jane’s brother everyone seems pretty happy now. But no one is happier than the Jim who finally found HIS FATHER!  After seeing Maurice Smith’s performance here I sure know why people used word gay for someone who’s really, really happy.

Unfortunately the luck doesn’t last and on their way to pick up Jim’s father they are ambushed by Ninjas on the motorbikes. Their leader wearing a White Ninja outfit proves especially cruel and difficult.

After barely surviving the wound Jim finally reunites with his father’s who’s strangely the same age as he is (but with his hair whited out) and all is finally well in Miami. We are left with this inspiring message from YK Kim to top it off- and it’s literally cherry on the cake of whole experience. Remember this kids…

Miami Connection.mp4_004839840Unfortunately the only way to eliminate the violence is with more violence!

Verdict: Unintentional comedy mixed with genuine and innocent emotions of the “actors”, crazy Martial Arts choreography and violence and Musical elements to top it off guaranties that there will never be another movie quite like this one.

I can understand why no distributor wanted to touch this movie back in the day but man, it would have been a shame if programmer at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema didn’t find the reels of Miami Connection on Ebay. World would have been a much duller place without Miami Connection in it. And now that the movie is bona fide hit isn’t it a time for that world tour they talked about so much. I mean the guys (and a girl) can still play, so what’s stopping them? It would make a great TV mini series, that’s for sure.

In the first episode of Vice’s new show “Outsider” the featured movie is non-other than cult-classic Martial Arts meets Rock Band meets Ninjas “Miami Connection” from 1987. In it you can see everything from painful memories of Y.K. Kim‘s near bankruptcy (when he spent around million dollars of his money just to see the film go nowhere) to his unlikely comeback as an even more accomplished Martial Art instructor  and a MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER too! My personal favorite is the interview with the actor Angelo Janotti (Tom), also the composer of Dragon Sound hits such as”Against the Ninja“, Friends (for Eternity) and “Tough Guy“.

Notice the mighty mullet + mustache combination

You can enjoy the full episode here and we hope VICE continues with this awesome show for a long, long time…

PS Don’t forget to enjoy this awesome synth rock theme, we dare you not to be inspired by this!