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HEROIC CINEMA @ MERCURY CINEMA
Week Four (b): Fist of Legend plus Wandering Samurai (26 Oct 2002)
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You know, I've been living in Adelaide all my life, and I'd never realised
just how cool it was, until Saturday night. That's right, the grand finale
of the Heroic Cinema at the Mercury season. And I use the word
"grand" advisedly.
First up, I have to do some serious lauding of Mark Pogorelec, the agent
of all this magic. Yea, even singing of praises thereof. Mark, bless his
little cotton socks, pulled out all the stops for Saturday night, even the
ones marked Vox Dei, Vox Pop, and Vox Just Completely And Utterly Cool.
There were giveaways. There was a martial arts demonstration (yea, even with
weapons). There was a lion dance. The audience (nigh on a full house, if I
may be allowed to mention the fact) were in a froth of excitement. And all,
if I may be permitted to suggest, because of Mark P. and his extreme
cleverness. Tres fine job, Mark my man, I'm in awe.
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The first feature, an episode of Wandering Samurai, had just the
right mix of action and sudden laughs to prime the audience, and I'm once
again enticed to sell my soul to Madman for a supply of their marvellous
anime. The season was superbly put together, giving us a great variety
of anime styles and themes.
I blush to admit that I partook of the free drinks in the foyer between
the anime and the main feature, and had to chug the last half-glass, so I
was not at my best for my stint at introducing the main feature. And it is
also true, dear reader, that I wiffled on for far longer than I should have
done. But the audience, bless 'em, sat attentively while I got all excited
about the upcoming Fist of Legend, and even contributed now and
again.
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Wandering Samurai
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Then it was time for the film. Anyone who's seen Fist of Legend knows
that it's one of the finest martial arts films out there, and the audience
were rapt. Seeing Jet Li in all his glory, standing ten feet tall and
scowling, was enough to bring a tear to the eye. The fight scenes were
great, Jet Li was great, Chin Siu Ho and Yasuaki Kurata (sorry, I don't know
enough Japanese to know whether Japanese names have been swapped around for
the English audience or not) were great, Big Bad Billy Chow was great (and
bad), everything was great. And once again, seeing it on the big screen,
with an audience that cheers, claps, and goes "ow-ow-owwowwow" at
the right moments, adds immeasurably to the cinema experience.
So although this season is over, dear reader, be not discombobulated. For
yea and probably even verily, this season was such a fine success that there
will very likely be more in the months to come.
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Fist of Legend
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Alison Jobling reporting
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H E R O I C * C I N E M A
http://www.heroic-cinema.com
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