@heroicpurgatory.bsky.social
A film podcast where the focus is East Asian cinema.
The #HeroicPirgatroy podcast took a bit of a break over the summer because Jason @filmnohito.bsky.social was in Japan for Osaka Asian Film Festival's Expo edition / #OAFF2025.
Stay tuned for a podcast special with director interviews and views on upcoming and award-winning Asian films!
Stay tuned for a podcast special with director interviews and views on upcoming and award-winning Asian films!
September 23, 2025 at 7:33 PM
The #HeroicPirgatroy podcast took a bit of a break over the summer because Jason @filmnohito.bsky.social was in Japan for Osaka Asian Film Festival's Expo edition / #OAFF2025.
Stay tuned for a podcast special with director interviews and views on upcoming and award-winning Asian films!
Stay tuned for a podcast special with director interviews and views on upcoming and award-winning Asian films!
For his efforts, the film became a box-office sensation across East Asia and won Chan the award for Best Action Choreography 4th Annual Hong Kong Film Awards in 1985.
July 30, 2025 at 8:01 PM
For his efforts, the film became a box-office sensation across East Asia and won Chan the award for Best Action Choreography 4th Annual Hong Kong Film Awards in 1985.
The film is also full of legendary stunt sequences, such as the bike chase through the narrow streets of the township location and also Chan hanging off the clock tower face.
July 30, 2025 at 8:01 PM
The film is also full of legendary stunt sequences, such as the bike chase through the narrow streets of the township location and also Chan hanging off the clock tower face.
The film was Chan’s fourth as writer/director and his return to Hong Kong following a failed attempt to crack Hollywood with Battle Creek Brawl and Cannonball Run. It features his trademark knockabout comedy martial arts and playful choreography as Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao joined the action.
July 30, 2025 at 8:01 PM
The film was Chan’s fourth as writer/director and his return to Hong Kong following a failed attempt to crack Hollywood with Battle Creek Brawl and Cannonball Run. It features his trademark knockabout comedy martial arts and playful choreography as Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao joined the action.
It became the biggest Korean hit of 2011 with over 7 million tickets sold and won multiple awards, including Best Actor for Park Hae-il and Best New Actress for Moon Chae-won at various ceremonies.
What did John and Jason make of it as a whole? Listen to the episode to find out!
What did John and Jason make of it as a whole? Listen to the episode to find out!
July 16, 2025 at 1:34 AM
It became the biggest Korean hit of 2011 with over 7 million tickets sold and won multiple awards, including Best Actor for Park Hae-il and Best New Actress for Moon Chae-won at various ceremonies.
What did John and Jason make of it as a whole? Listen to the episode to find out!
What did John and Jason make of it as a whole? Listen to the episode to find out!
With exciting bow-based action scenes, richness in historical accuracy/costuming, and a solid tale of family ties against momentous events across northern Korea and southern China, the film works as a solid pursuit story and rockets by.
July 16, 2025 at 1:34 AM
With exciting bow-based action scenes, richness in historical accuracy/costuming, and a solid tale of family ties against momentous events across northern Korea and southern China, the film works as a solid pursuit story and rockets by.
Gosha's jidaigeki are examples of using period tales to explore the politics, social tensions, and anxieties of the age they were made in. Japan's defeat in WWII to its economic miracle and influence of the US are some of what John, Jason, and Jack discuss in the latest episode of #HeroicPurgatory.
July 1, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Gosha's jidaigeki are examples of using period tales to explore the politics, social tensions, and anxieties of the age they were made in. Japan's defeat in WWII to its economic miracle and influence of the US are some of what John, Jason, and Jack discuss in the latest episode of #HeroicPurgatory.
SWORD OF THE BEAST was the second film from TV veteran Hideo Gosha following 1964's THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI. They lay the foundation for a career of macho and bloody yakuza and samurai flicks before he transitioned to equally complex and action-packed female-led films, starting with Onimasa (1982).
July 1, 2025 at 8:01 PM
SWORD OF THE BEAST was the second film from TV veteran Hideo Gosha following 1964's THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI. They lay the foundation for a career of macho and bloody yakuza and samurai flicks before he transitioned to equally complex and action-packed female-led films, starting with Onimasa (1982).
Listen in on what they say about the fighting styles, deviations in plot, warrior women, and more as they both discuss Dragon Gate Inn and New Dragon Gate Inn!
June 1, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Listen in on what they say about the fighting styles, deviations in plot, warrior women, and more as they both discuss Dragon Gate Inn and New Dragon Gate Inn!
What are your thoughts on HERO or any of the other films mentioned? Let us know!
May 19, 2025 at 6:43 PM
What are your thoughts on HERO or any of the other films mentioned? Let us know!
This was the turning point in Zhang Yimou's career as he went from making social dramas with critiques of Chinese culture to more bigger budgeted action spectacles.
May 19, 2025 at 6:43 PM
This was the turning point in Zhang Yimou's career as he went from making social dramas with critiques of Chinese culture to more bigger budgeted action spectacles.
... and views of an intimate romance and intense martial arts (with wirework) involving the biggest Asian stars of the age. While Jet Li is central, Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung steal the show, aided by cinematography by Christopher Doyle and costumes by Emi Wada.
May 19, 2025 at 6:43 PM
... and views of an intimate romance and intense martial arts (with wirework) involving the biggest Asian stars of the age. While Jet Li is central, Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung steal the show, aided by cinematography by Christopher Doyle and costumes by Emi Wada.
The film is full of gorgeous scenes dictated by vibrant colours and varied landscapes of China. Deserts have a golden glow while teal and pink provide the shades of a river-based tome and body in repose.
With these backdrops, there are military scenes featuring hundreds...
With these backdrops, there are military scenes featuring hundreds...
May 19, 2025 at 6:43 PM
The film is full of gorgeous scenes dictated by vibrant colours and varied landscapes of China. Deserts have a golden glow while teal and pink provide the shades of a river-based tome and body in repose.
With these backdrops, there are military scenes featuring hundreds...
With these backdrops, there are military scenes featuring hundreds...
The film is a fictional take on the real-life assassination attempt on King Zheng of the Qin state, the man who would become the first emperor of China. While its politics may be controversial, Hero is a beautiful film and topped both the Chinese and international box office.
May 19, 2025 at 6:43 PM
The film is a fictional take on the real-life assassination attempt on King Zheng of the Qin state, the man who would become the first emperor of China. While its politics may be controversial, Hero is a beautiful film and topped both the Chinese and international box office.
Eiichi Kudo's 13 Assassins was the first part of his SAMURAI REVOLUTION TRILOGY. The trilogy also includes:
The Great Killing (1964)
Eleven Samurai (1967).
Miike's version came out a year before his adaptation of Masaaki Kobayashi's Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011).
The Great Killing (1964)
Eleven Samurai (1967).
Miike's version came out a year before his adaptation of Masaaki Kobayashi's Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011).
May 6, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Eiichi Kudo's 13 Assassins was the first part of his SAMURAI REVOLUTION TRILOGY. The trilogy also includes:
The Great Killing (1964)
Eleven Samurai (1967).
Miike's version came out a year before his adaptation of Masaaki Kobayashi's Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011).
The Great Killing (1964)
Eleven Samurai (1967).
Miike's version came out a year before his adaptation of Masaaki Kobayashi's Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011).
Four film versions of this story in total exist, including a 1990 TV movie starring Tatsuya Nakadai, which Jason briefly mentions as he and John get into a heated debate as to which version is superior, changes between the two, and cut scenes in the Japanese/international versions of the 2010 remake
May 6, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Four film versions of this story in total exist, including a 1990 TV movie starring Tatsuya Nakadai, which Jason briefly mentions as he and John get into a heated debate as to which version is superior, changes between the two, and cut scenes in the Japanese/international versions of the 2010 remake
The final battle sequence in the story features some of the best crowd fighting scenes in cinema history as the 13 assassins battle overwhelming odds and people scramble through traps and terror to try and survive the bloodshed.
May 6, 2025 at 7:26 PM
The final battle sequence in the story features some of the best crowd fighting scenes in cinema history as the 13 assassins battle overwhelming odds and people scramble through traps and terror to try and survive the bloodshed.
It was directed by Yoo Ha - Marriage Is a Crazy Thing (2002), A Dirty Carnival (2006), A Frozen Flower (2008), Howling (2012), and Gangnam Blues (2015) and became the third highest-grossing Korean film of the year and fifth overall.
April 15, 2025 at 5:39 PM
It was directed by Yoo Ha - Marriage Is a Crazy Thing (2002), A Dirty Carnival (2006), A Frozen Flower (2008), Howling (2012), and Gangnam Blues (2015) and became the third highest-grossing Korean film of the year and fifth overall.
Heavy with high-school romance tropes of the day, the film really comes alive as a political allegory for the brutal reign of the authoritarian government of the time as military instructors and student bullies torment kids desperate to express themselves and in love with foreign culture.
April 15, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Heavy with high-school romance tropes of the day, the film really comes alive as a political allegory for the brutal reign of the authoritarian government of the time as military instructors and student bullies torment kids desperate to express themselves and in love with foreign culture.
Part of the discussion is about the framing of the action and who was responsible, and it is thought that disagreements between Lee and Wei over public statements on this issue led to the rupture of their relationship.
Despite, this, the film endures and spawned sequels and remakes.
Despite, this, the film endures and spawned sequels and remakes.
April 2, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Part of the discussion is about the framing of the action and who was responsible, and it is thought that disagreements between Lee and Wei over public statements on this issue led to the rupture of their relationship.
Despite, this, the film endures and spawned sequels and remakes.
Despite, this, the film endures and spawned sequels and remakes.
The film is heavy on themes of nationalism and Chinese pride and features an international cast of American, Hong Kong, and Japanese actors.
After a long career, starting as a child actor, this film helped launch Bruce's career into the stratosphere after he paused attempts to crack Hollywood.
After a long career, starting as a child actor, this film helped launch Bruce's career into the stratosphere after he paused attempts to crack Hollywood.
April 2, 2025 at 7:25 PM
The film is heavy on themes of nationalism and Chinese pride and features an international cast of American, Hong Kong, and Japanese actors.
After a long career, starting as a child actor, this film helped launch Bruce's career into the stratosphere after he paused attempts to crack Hollywood.
After a long career, starting as a child actor, this film helped launch Bruce's career into the stratosphere after he paused attempts to crack Hollywood.
The episode goes into how much this film is a mystery, the depictions of father-son/parent-child and culture clashes drama at its heart and how Sayles, a New Yorker, depicted Texas, it's history and its cultural mix in a realistic and subtle manner in a way that gives the film a lot of substance.
December 16, 2024 at 8:08 PM
The episode goes into how much this film is a mystery, the depictions of father-son/parent-child and culture clashes drama at its heart and how Sayles, a New Yorker, depicted Texas, it's history and its cultural mix in a realistic and subtle manner in a way that gives the film a lot of substance.
Written and directed by John Sayles, the film stars Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Pena, Kris Kirstofferson and Matthew McConaughey among others.
December 16, 2024 at 8:08 PM
Written and directed by John Sayles, the film stars Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Pena, Kris Kirstofferson and Matthew McConaughey among others.
Corman's Poe cycle consists of eight films and all but one star Vincent Price
House of Usher (1960)
The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
Tales of Terror / The Premature Burial (both 1962)
The Raven / The Haunted Palace (both 1963)
The Masque of the Red Death / The Tomb of Ligeia (both 1964)
House of Usher (1960)
The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
Tales of Terror / The Premature Burial (both 1962)
The Raven / The Haunted Palace (both 1963)
The Masque of the Red Death / The Tomb of Ligeia (both 1964)
October 31, 2024 at 8:32 PM
Corman's Poe cycle consists of eight films and all but one star Vincent Price
House of Usher (1960)
The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
Tales of Terror / The Premature Burial (both 1962)
The Raven / The Haunted Palace (both 1963)
The Masque of the Red Death / The Tomb of Ligeia (both 1964)
House of Usher (1960)
The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
Tales of Terror / The Premature Burial (both 1962)
The Raven / The Haunted Palace (both 1963)
The Masque of the Red Death / The Tomb of Ligeia (both 1964)
The film had a budget of $11 million and it earned an estimated worldwide gross of between $104-203 million and spawned a long-lasting multi media franchise including sequels:
Aliens (James Cameron, 1986)
Alien 3 (David Fincher, 1992)
Alien Resurrection (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 1997)
Aliens (James Cameron, 1986)
Alien 3 (David Fincher, 1992)
Alien Resurrection (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 1997)
October 4, 2024 at 7:00 PM
The film had a budget of $11 million and it earned an estimated worldwide gross of between $104-203 million and spawned a long-lasting multi media franchise including sequels:
Aliens (James Cameron, 1986)
Alien 3 (David Fincher, 1992)
Alien Resurrection (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 1997)
Aliens (James Cameron, 1986)
Alien 3 (David Fincher, 1992)
Alien Resurrection (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 1997)