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Stars: Tori Griffith, Tomoki Kimura, Derek Mears, Damian Toofeek Raven, Joey Iwanaga, Matt Standley, Shelby Lee Parks, Stefanie Estes | Written and Directed by Kurando Mitsutake

Lion-Girl was written and directed by Kurando Mitsutake based on characters created by famed manga author and artist Go-Nagai who also created Devilman, Cutie Honey and Mazinger Z among others and produced by Toei Video. If that sounds like a recipe for a whole lot of weirdness, then you’re right.

The film opens in a Tokyo bathhouse with several nude people staring at a young woman named Botan. After, she refuses to be scared by their threats, they begin to transform. They sprout horns and fangs, their faces become brightly coloured kabuki masks as they snarl in anger. A glowing tattoo appears on her back as she turns to face them.

At which point Lion-Girl goes into exposition mode as the viewer learns how...

Stars: Hayate, Asami, Kirk Geiger, Mana Sakura, Noriaki Kamata, Katrina Leigh Waters, David Sakurai | Written and Directed by Kurando Mitsutake

Kurando Mitsutake is not a name that will spring to mind of many an action movie fan, yet he has helmed a number of films that not only push the envelope of action but of exploitation. His most famous movie, until now, was undoubtedly Gun Woman, a crazy tale of a woman turned into an assassin against her will- complete with gun parts sew Inside her body (to evade a pat down obviously). Now Mitsutake gives us his take on that most old-school of action movie themes… revenge!

When Karate master Kenji’s (Hayate) young sister (Mana Sakura) is kidnapped by a dangerous cult, and taken to the U.S. he will stop at nothing to find her. Partnered with a mysterious shot-gun toting partner, Kenji must use his mastery...

Brandon E. Brooks’ indie horror/thriller Sickness will be making its world premiere at the Reel East Film Festival, which takes place in Cherry Hill, NJ on Saturday, June 17th. Sickness stars former WWE/Tna Wrestling superstar Katarina Leigh Waters (Karate Kill,… Continue Reading →

The post Indie Horror Sickness to Have World Premiere This Weekend at Reel East Film Festival appeared first on Dread Central.

Tarantino meets Cannon Films in Karate Kill, from acclaimed filmmaker Kurando Mitsutake, on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD July 18. Featuring a “grimly relentless performance” (Japan Times) from Hayate, with solid support from Iron Fist’s David Sakurai and WWE icon Katarina Leigh Waters, Karate Kill will be available on Blu-ray and DVD – exclusive to Target, …

The post Tarantino meets Cannon Films in Karate Kill – Trailer and Details! first appeared on Hnn | Horrornews.net 2017 - Official Horror News Site...

I've got a crazy fun trailer for you to watch today for a B-movie martial arts action thriller called Karate Kill. Yes, the title is a riff on the classic film Karate Kid, and the poster even features the tagline, "He's No Mr. Miyagi." The "He" that the tagline is referring to is a Karate master named Kenji. He's the main character of the film and this is the synopsis:

When Karate master Kenji’s (Hayate) young sister (Mana Sakura) is kidnapped by a dangerous cult, and taken to the U.S. he will stop at nothing to find her. Partnered with a mysterious shot-gun toting partner, Kenji must use his mastery of Karate to dismantle the cult members one by one in spectacular and bloody fashion, until he finds his sister.

The movie was directed by acclaimed filmmaker Kurando Mitsutake (Gun Woman, Blind Wolf) and it's also described as being Tarantino meets Cannon Films.

Tarantino meets Cannon Films in Karate Kill, from acclaimed filmmaker Kurando Mitsutake, on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD July 18. Today, we have the hard-hitting first trailer for this action neo-masterpiece. We also have a cool throwback poster that showcases the tone of this 80s revival in schlock cinema.

Featuring a "grimly relentless performance" (Japan Times) from Hayate, with solid support from Iron Fist's David Sakurai and WWE icon Katarina Leigh Waters, Karate Kill will be available on Blu-ray and DVD, exclusive to Target, Walmart, Best Buy and Amazon, on July 18. VOD will be day and date on iTunes, Vhx, Google Play, Fandango, Vudu, Dish, Vubiquity, Comcast, Charter, Cox and Xbox.

A "must see" (Terror Weekend) action masterpiece from the director of Gun Woman and Blind Wolf comes to the U.S. When Karate master Kenji's (Hayate) young sister (Mana Sakura) is kidnapped by a dangerous cult, and taken to the U.

Kurando Mitsutake is originally from Tokyo, Japan. He graduated with an Mfa from California Institute of the Arts and is a member of the Directors Guild of Japan and Screen Actors Guild. Mitsutake made his feature film directorial debut with “Monsters Don’t Get to Cry” in 2004. In 2008, he produced, wrote, and directed his second feature film, “Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf”. The film screened at more than ten film festivals around the world and won multiple awards. “Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf” was distributed in over 15 countries including the United States. “Gun Woman” was Mitsutake’s third feature film and it was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the 24th Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival in Japan. It opened theatrically in Japan nationwide in July of 2014 and was distributed in the Us in 2015. His latest film is called “Karate Kill” and will will be available from 8 Films in May.

The second genre, which used to dominate Hollywwod during the 80s and the 90s is not completely dead nowadays, but definitely placed in the background. However, the low budget, exclusively focused on action aesthetics still have their fans, and Kurando Mitsutake delivers a great specimen, which becomes utterly cult when combined with Japanese splatter notions.

Kenji is a martial artist who works four part time jobs in Japan in order to finance his sister’s studying in La. However, when she stops giving signs of life, Kenji decides to go to the USA to search for Mayumi. As he investigates, he finds out that she has started working as a hostess, until a cult named Capital Messiah, headed by a psychopath named Vandenski, kidnapped her in order to shoot one of the snuff films they offer to their subscribers. As Kenji tries to find out where they are hiding, he stumbles upon Keiko,...

There is a new kid on the block in Philadelphia, an upstart film festival with a lineup of film oddities that will satisfy the appetite of most fantastic cinema fans. The Phliadelphia Unnamed Film Festival starts off its first year this October, an excellent time of year to get you in the mood for Halloween.    The new film We Go On from the makers of Yellow Brick Road will screen during the festival. Exploitation director Kurando Mitsutake's follow up to Gun Woman, Karate Kill is also part of the lineup. Wait for the 80s style love scene is all I am going to say about that one. Tim Reis' take on were-creature lore, Bad Blood The Movie, screens in colorful and sticky glory.   ...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

20th Century Fox has provided another look at Morgan. ‘It’ gets out on September 2nd. Also in this morning’s Horror Highlights: four, count ’em, four videos as well as new details for The Dark Tapes, a Deimosimine teaser trailer, the lineup at this year’s Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival, and Adam K on home video.

New Clip from 20th Century Fox’s Morgan: “A corporate troubleshooter (Kate Mara) is sent to a remote, top-secret location, where she is to investigate and evaluate a terrifying accident. She learns the event was triggered by a seemingly innocent “human,” who presents a mystery of both infinite promise and incalculable danger.”

20th Century Fox will release Morgan in theaters on September 2nd. Directed by Luke Scott, written by Seth Owen, and produced by Ridley Scott, the film stars Kate Mara, Anya Taylor-Joy, Toby Jones, Rose Leslie, Boyd Holbrook, Michelle Yeoh, Jennifer Jason Leigh,...