Wild Eye Releasing Archives | Otaku No Culture

Unboxing Two Wild Eye(s)- Kung Fu Rascals and Despiser on Home Video!

Wild Eye Releasing’s Visual Vengence is knocking it out of the park with blu-ray editions of fond classics from the 80s and 90s, and we got an unboxing video showing what to expect from their latest.

Kung Fu Rascals and Despiser Unboxing Video There’s been a lot of treats that Otaku no Culture has been looking at this month! Not only do we have a ton of terrific material to get caught up on from online (streaming or otherwise), but also there are books and home video releases we’re very excited to go through! One such offering is from Visual Vengeance, a subsidiary of Wild Eye Releasing, that we’re going to unbox, and will offer a more detailed write-up when the Halloween season is over (along with some reviews of series as a whole rather than separate episodes).

Kung Fu Rascals and Despiser (Amazon links) are works meant to be enjoyed as simple popcorn entertainment back when they first released. As Steve Wang pointed out (my interview with him can be read here), his film was his first foray into directing, and admitted there were problems. Despite some flaws, it’s a work to be appreciated because it helped show to Hollywood what he was capable of.

As for other works in this distributor’s catalog, one can find other movies were their final film school project, or perhaps something else. Some were attempts to test the waters of some genre, others designed for fun, and the rest–it’s like a roulette wheel: one can never be too sure if it’d be a wild success or not. Whatever the case, this label has a commitment to revive these works to show that it’s possible to love these lowbrow works for what they are.

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Steve Wang and an Amazing 40 Years in the Makeup Effects Industry. Reflections on the Film That Defined His Career: Kung Fu Rascals

Not everyone will be aware that Steve Wang’s career as a master creature effects artist is approaching 40 years!

Kung Fu Rascals Blu-ray — **Available to preorder on Amazon USA**

Steve Wang’s behind-the-scenes credits are vast, and to talk to him about the work that got him recognized as an award-winning creature creator and master FX artist was an absolute pleasure. He grew up watching shows like Ultraman, Super Sentai along with many Japanese monster movies which would later influence his creations.

One movie that helped him get recognized in Hollywood was Kung Fu Rascals, which was very DIY, funded out of his own pocket when studio support faded, and it’s now finally getting a Blu-ray treatment from Visual Vengeance, a subsidiary of Wild Eye Releasing.

This film emerged in the early 90s when the tokusatsu genre was truly getting a foothold in North America. Before then, martial arts films with stars like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan were all the rage. Fans wanted more, the style that transitioned out of one decade to another certainly influenced this filmmaker. He loved all those classics and they certainly had an influence on his style.

And to know more about where he came from, I had the opportunity to talk to him.

Continue reading “Steve Wang and an Amazing 40 Years in the Makeup Effects Industry. Reflections on the Film That Defined His Career: Kung Fu Rascals”

A Look Back at Discovery’s Shark Week and Wild Eye’s Space Sharks. Maybe It’s Better to Swim with the Selachii

There’ll soon be a lot of danger not only at sea but also on land when Shark Week Starts later this month with also a Space Sharks! We are sure this wasn’t planned, but fans will love it!

Discovery Channel Shark Week 2024 When Discovery Channel declared that Shark Week is coming, I sometimes pay attention. It all depends on who’s hosting, and this year, they have John Cena! While he can help me feel safe near the ocean, I still have to wait and give my thoughts after watching everything that’s available to scream at! My favourites are Expedition Unknown: Sharks vs Nazis, Alien Sharks: Ghosts of Japan and Makozilla. That’s because what’s presented gets mixed up with some local legends and urban myth. And as a bonus, Wild Eye Releasing has Space Sharks, and that was enough for me to tune in!

This sci-fi action thriller shows off enough cheesy action to even make me think about swimming in the oceans again instead of staying on land to cool off. That’s because these bio-engineered versions have taken to attacking the surface world rather than return to the dark depths whence they came. It’s a man versus nature movie that works, especially when these natural predators are given tech to allow them to kill a group of campers with impunity!

This budget film feels more like an extended music video, with the soundtrack playing more often than not. This synth track plays loudly to fill the non-talking set pieces, and even in the moments of dialogue, it overpowers what’s going on. Despite this problem, what’s presented is campier than 60s Batman, and is still a joy to view. That’s because certain talents, namely Eric Roberts, Mel Novak, Scott Schwartz, Vida Ghaffari, and Brinke Stevens valiantly give their all for this work. Continue reading “A Look Back at Discovery’s Shark Week and Wild Eye’s Space Sharks. Maybe It’s Better to Swim with the Selachii”

Monster Force Zero Invents New Heroes!

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Release Date:
October 13, 2020

Wild Eye Releasing
Video on Demand

Nathan Letteer‘s love letter to the comic book convention scene, Monster Force Zero, is more of a fan film than a SyFy movie of the week. It’s evident with the level of experience seen by the performances. This filmmaker got his start in Vancouver by working on the Stargate SG-1 set, and I can’t fault him for where he was earning his wings.

This film was finished because the talents involved saw their product as a labour of love. The Indiegogo campaign was launched so that the production can be finalized, and despite not hitting their goal, new investors must have come forth afterwards to insure this film get delivered.

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