History Archives | Otaku No Culture

When Houston Had The Blues, Nobody Can Bring Me Down!

The who’s who of everyone who was influenced by the Houton music scene can be found in this excellent documentary by Alan Swyer.

Coming to Digital on Sept 24

Every city that’s been considered the birthplace of the Blues has a distinct sound, and When Houston Had The Blues, what’s unique to this locale is the sax. As for why that is so, everything a student of this genre would want to know is excellently answered here. This documentary curated by Alan Swyer, who also serves as director, dives deep into looking at the legends who shaped the sound.

Not only does Lightning Sam (Hopkins) get the spotlight, but also we see why a lot of prominent female artists rose to fame here. Back in the early part of the 20th century, not everyone got treated fairly–the music was often restricted to juke joints, and it wasn’t until Elvis that helped introduce the music from African-Americans and later transform it to something known as rock and roll.

Continue reading “When Houston Had The Blues, Nobody Can Bring Me Down!”

Seeking Mavis Beacon, Because Her Face is Well-Known All Around The World

When not everyone can touch type, is Seeking Mavis Beacon important? What this documentary is effective at examining is in why a certain look was needed, and how that would later influence a generation of not only black women in the corporate world, but also shape the state of an AI industry, especially chatbots.

Seeking Mavis Beacon Movie Poster — **Test your typing speed with the online version here.**

To find if this documentary is playing at a theatre near you, please visit the official website.

When the people Seeking Mavis Beacon think of the software designed to teach typing as a videogame, I’m sure this telling documentary can ask Where in the World is Mavis Becon instead of Carmen Sandiego. At least, when comparing Broderbund/The Learning Company’s product to The Software Toolworks‘ deception, the lines of reality is not as blurry. Back when both games were released, everyone thought these characters were real!

However, for a generation who grew up learning how to touch type and improving their typing speed with this “person,” she’s an iconic role model many people will not dispute. Until the information was made public, not everyone knew she was a made up figure. A real person was involved in selling the product, but that was only for a day. Renee L’esperance was already a well established fashion model who was mostly better known in Haiti than other parts of the world. And when Les Crane, Walt Bilofsky, and Mike Duffy knew she was the one to become the face of their learning app, their plan can be scorned now instead of back then.

They only offered her $500 to pose for a simple photo shoot, and never offered her a contract for residuals. Had she known just how influential this program would become, she’d be as rich as Bill Gates! The last software release occurred in 2020, a detail this film journal did not take a deep dive into.

Continue reading “Seeking Mavis Beacon, Because Her Face is Well-Known All Around The World”

Exhuma. Lest We Forget, or Forgive. Can The Spirit of Korea Recover?

Before Korea was divided into two nations, there was a time when everyone fought for the same thing and what Exhuma examines is a mix of horror and history.

Well GO USA
Now playing at theatres new you

Exhuma (파묘) is one of those rare gems which mixes in folk horror with history, and what’s exhumed for audiences to worry about concerns a terror that must be put back in its place, lest more innocent souls get destroyed. In this film’s case, there’s also a sense of unearthing tensions its citizens had when concerning their relation with the Japanese.

Some ancient spirit hates the Ji-young family, and Park (Kim Jae-cheol) hopes to end the curse once and for all. He hires a locally renowned occultist Hwa-rim (Kim Go-eun) and Bong-gil (Lee Do-hyun) to basically do some ghostbusting. Unlike other works which are steeped in made up lore, this one is steeped in animism and folklore. It gives this film an air of credibility where even I felt at ease. Although the later act gets fanciful, the nuances still make me think twice when disturbing a grave a night!

Continue reading “Exhuma. Lest We Forget, or Forgive. Can The Spirit of Korea Recover?”

Just How Dazzling can Alienoid 2: Return to the Future (외계+인 2부) Get? It’s Not Just About Saving the World.

All anyone needs to know about Alienoid 2 is that whoever possesses the Divine Blade can control all the time and space.

Coming to theatres, Jan 26

The sequel to Alienoid is coming to North America, and I don’t think what’s presented will end here. In Alienoid 2: Return to the Future (외계+인 2부), what’s produced feels like an MCU film directed by Michael Bay. Thankfully, those moments are limited to the CGI heavy moments rather than the story at hand.

To expose the aliens masquerading around as humans is tough, no matter what the century, but to make sure they don’t get their hands on the Divine Blade makes for an amusing watch. In order to figure out who is working for whom, it’s best to pay attention.

Honestly, I had to revisit the first film (review can be read here) just to remind myself about what’s important. That way, I wouldn’t feel as lost. Ultimately, the story is really about how Lee Ahn (or Ean) (Kim Tae-ri) will save Korea from an alien threat which pretty much exist throughout much of this country’s history. Her quest to locate this weapon and keep it away from the wrong hands defines this work.

And along the way, she’s not sure if she can fully trust the friends she has made. When they include those who kept her safe when she was young, namely Guard and Thunder (voiced by Kim Woo-bin)–where one of these two robots need repair–life is not easy. And now there’s Heug-seol (Yum Jung-ah) and Cheong-woon (Jo Woo-jin), two magic users who spend their screen time offering up comedic relief. As a result, it’s easy to lose interest with maybe a character or two.

Continue reading “Just How Dazzling can Alienoid 2: Return to the Future (외계+인 2부) Get? It’s Not Just About Saving the World.”

It’s a Retro Kickass Wuxia A Go-Go with Shaw Brothers Classics Volumes 2 & 3 in Review.

Yes, another Shaw Brothers Classics set is coming, and in volume four, it’s sure to mirror what the prior release offers, and we look back at those!

Shaw Brothers Classics Vol 4 Box — **Volume 4 available to preorder on Amazon USA**

The Shaw Brothers Studios are well known for being able to pump out kung fu movies faster than I can say Hi-Yah! And early this year, Shout! Studios has been releasing the best of them to celebrate this company’s legacy! Although their founding and 100th anniversary is two years away, I’m glad fans worldwide are getting something to whet appetites sooner than later. There are three volumes of the Shaw Brothers Classics one can now buy, and with a fourth along the way, I definitely want to own them all!

I’m liking this release over Shawscope, an unwieldy set which I think is tough to store because it’s a book! What the cube offers can easily be filed side by side with regular blu-rays on the shelf. The main reason I’m excited for this set is because of the new material that’s included–audio commentaries and short documentaries–do a great job to explain why that selected film or performer matters! Also, for a few titles, an English and Cantonese dub is also offered.

As for the packaging, not only do we get reproductions of the original posters in the case, but also, I’m not as concerned whether the films are using past remasters or this American side distributor has done further work.

Continue reading “It’s a Retro Kickass Wuxia A Go-Go with Shaw Brothers Classics Volumes 2 & 3 in Review.”

Pages: 12

Three Chinese Films to be on the Lookout For! (And The Fantastic Umbrella Girl Too)

Quite often, Chinese New Year is when new films will be played to audiences worldwide, and what’s offered here are four selections we hope will begin production or play in 2024!

The Journey of Flower 2024 Movie Poster - Three Chinese Films to Look Out For in 2024 Although Chinese New Year is two months away, the question of what movies will get released is likely to at least include The Journey of Flower. The other three Chinese films include Chang’An, Kung Fu Hustle 2 and Umbrella Girl. While one is technically not even started production, I have hope that some news will be offered. As for the the former getting a wider distribution, it’d make sense to re-release this work during this holiday!

Chang’An was released in China over the Summer. As for why international distributors didn’t want to market it, the reason may well lie in the fact it’s not like a typical movie. Those who managed to see this work said it’s presented as vignettes with the characters reciting poetry. As for whether its like attending one of Shakespeare’s plays, I need to get my hands on a copy!

Even though Light Chaser Animation has been on a huge winning streak ever since White Snake, not every film gets the love it deserves. Tea Pets got tucked away on Tubi under a different title (Toys and Pets), and it’s a wonderful love story cum adventure. As for this studio’s latest, it apparently got a weekend screening at select cities during the month of October; I assume GKIDS holds the rights, and they will eventually deliver this movie to home video.