Tag: Crime

You May Look, But Will Want to Hide when “Door-to-Door Maniac” and “Right Hand of the Devil” Are Paired Together!

When The Film Masters is pairing up Door-to-Door Maniac and Right Hand of the Devil in this latest home video release, what’s offered is a great look at attempting to revitalise the neo-noir genre.

Door-to-Door Maniac & Right Hand of the Devil
Available to purchase on Amazon USA

The Film Masters next release is absolutely criminal! With Door-to-Door Maniac, (originally released in 1961 as “Five Minutes to Live.”), I was curious because of Johnny Cash, who plays Cabot, a hardened crook who thinks taking a hostage in her own home (Cay Forester) is easy. However, anyone who has seen Abigail knows that’s a bad idea!

No, there’s no scary twist ending. These tropes were not as established back then. Also, to see Ron Howard in the credits made me curious! This film was made back when he was better known as Opie from The Andy Griffiths Show.

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Look Out Chicago! Sorting Out All The Latest Gunsmith Cats and Riding Bean News

Fans of 90s anime will be thrilled to learn there’s rereleases of two of Kenichi Sonoda’s most recognised classics, Riding Bean and Gunsmith Cats! And we have the details on what’s offered on print and video!

Gunsmith Cats Omnibus Volume 1Dark Horse Comics & AnimEigo
Release Date: Feb, 2025

The Gunsmith Cats are coming back in an omnibus collection from Dark Horse Manga! For newcomers, what’s offered is sure to please. Past editions are long out of print, and as much as I’d love to see brand-new stories happen, it’s not looking likely. Everything depends on what creator Kenichi Sonoda wants to do, especially following his attempts to reboot Bean Bandit / Riding Bean.

But for his most beloved series starring two bounty hunters, this edition collects:

  • Gunsmith Cats Revised Edition vol. 1 (2007) [entire volume]
  • Gunsmith Cats Revised Edition vol. 2 (2007) [p. 1-134]

or the equivelent of:

  • Gunsmith Cats vol. 1: Bonnie & Clyde (1996)
  • Gunsmith Cats vol. 2: Misfire (1997)
  • Gunsmith Cats vol. 3: The Return of Gray (1998)

The release date for Gunsmith Cats Omnibus Volume 2 has not been announced, but it’s safe to assume that it will be next year or later in 2025.

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Celebrate 30 Years of Kabuki with this Hardcover Collection!

If you love Japanese ghost stories coupled with crime and classic lore all in one, then picking up Kabuki: 30th Anniversary Edition is a must!

Kabuki 30th Anniversary Edition Book CoverDark Horse Comics

Emmy & Eisner Award-nominated comics artist and writer David Mack (Daredevil, Echo, Cover, Neil Gaiman’s American Gods) celebrates the 30th Anniversary of his original series, Kabuki, the story of a government agent operating in Japan in the near future. To honor the occasion, Dark Horse Books has compiled the complete story into one must-have volume: The Complete Kabuki: 30th Anniversary Edition. The entire comic run is presented in 1,280 pages in an oversized hardcover (9″ x 12″) volume with a new, gorgeous painted cover by Mack.

“Kabuki is the foundation of my work in comics,” said Mack. “Both as a writer & as an artist. Kabuki is what got me the offer to write Daredevil at Marvel, & to create Echo. All of my work in comics began from this story & this art.  It was my Senior Thesis in Literature”

About Kabuki:

Japan: A woman, code-named “Kabuki,” works for a government agency known as “the Noh”.  When the agency she works for is compromised, Kabuki’s quest sends her down a difficult path, which brings her into direct conflict with the powers she formerly served. Delving into the Ainu (the indigenous people of Japan), Japanese Mythology, a crime story, an espionage story,  hauntingly told through the lens of the Japanese Ghost story.

Get the entire collection in one impressive volume when The Complete Kabuki: 30th Anniversary Edition arrives in bookstores on December 10, 2024, and comic shops on December 11, 2024. Pre-order now from your local bookstore, comic book shop, Amazon, or favourite outlet for $149.99.

Following The Great Salish Heist and Where to Find Them

Following its Victoria Film Festival premiere, dates have been solidified for where The Great Salish Heist will play next. The team is expected to plan a East Coast venture sometime late Spring! You better watch out!

The Great Salish Heist Movie PosterPlaying April 27 at the VIFF Centre (Vancouver, BC), and Star Cinema (Sidney, BC); May 4 (Comox Valley International Film Festival)

The Great Salish Heist is finally stretching its wings! Plans for a nationwide release have been methodical since its local premiere back in February, and it’s justified in order for it to succeed. This weekend will see it extend to other territories and from there, the sky’s the limit!

Here, viewers can witness what the plan is to protect some local treasures from sales overseas. But for Steve (Darrell Dennis), his idea is to calm the restlessness that not only he but also the spirits have. This story doesn’t get heavy with revealing how indigenous spirituality is important why this person is feeling haunted. Had there been more, I’d truly be hooked, as what’s presented is very light concerning hearing voices in their head and seeing things. Instead, this concept concerns protecting national treasures and presenting a more realistic picture.

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Starring Jerry as Himself Delivers One Part Documentary, Another Part True Crime Thriller!

Perhaps its best not to pursue the American Dream in Starring Jerry as Himself because not immigrants are taken advantage of.

Starring Jerry as Himself PosterPlaying May 11th at the Chicago Critics Film Festival at 5pm (CST, tickets) and Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival on the same date, 7pm (PST, tickets)

The movie Starring Jerry as Himself is a very cautionary tale which defies conventions since we’re not sure where fact and fiction are mixed. I suspect it was made following what happened to Jerry C. Hsu after getting conned out of a lot of money. He’s a Florida retiree, and as the surname implies, he’s a Taiwanese immigrant whose life gets turned upside down!

One day, someone calls from China and says they’re the law. This person accused him of laundering cash. He’s afraid and to avoid extradition, they offer him a proposal to expose the crime ring involved. But that means him transferring money, and that’s when this story gets dangerous. He’s dealing with forces mostly heard, than always seen. The lines of reality are blurred because the nightmare is frightfully real!

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Crane Wilbur’s “The Bat” and Clinging to the Classics

The written essay is a perfect companion because it focuses on The Bat as it’s changed throughout its various adaptations from story to play. 

The Bat
Available to order on Amazon USA

The Film Detective

During the Silent Film era, Crane Wilbur was well known for his wide variety of works, namely The Perils of Pauline. But for horror enthusiasts, he’ll always be remembered for House of Wax. Before this film was ever made, he worked with Vincent Prince on The Bat, a crime-thriller.

The mini-documentary included in this release is a love letter to the auteur, and his relationship with this actor. After viewing the featurette that explains his influence on scary cinema, I think I’ll have to start looking at those films rarely spoken of today. Ballyhoo Motion Pictures presented a very convincing argument in why we must respect this filmmaker’s other works.

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