east village and lower east side street art + graffiti
May 26th, 2012 by chocko
Chocko took the photos above at Second Ave. and Houston St. in NYC. Beware of the gaping hellmouth the size of Illinois behind the fence.
This Eviar piece is near the old Mars Bar location on 1st St. and 2nd Ave.
Music Machine by Sonni is located at Artist Alley behind the original location of the legendary CBGB. Sonni got his start painting murals in Buenos Aires, Argentina but now NYC is home base for this talented artist. Check out Music Machine located at Extra Place and E 1 st.
Here are some shots of the Centre-Fuge public art project located on East 1st St. between First and Second Avenue. The trailer will be home to different murals for the next couple of months. Nice job on the Beastie Boys tribute mural by Danielle Mastrion. R.I.P. Adam “MCA” Yauch.
Tags: art, east village, graffiti, l.e.s., lower east side, new york city, nyc, street art
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The Planet Chocko Zine skeletons — October & November 1997
May 25th, 2012 by Mr. C
About once a week or maybe even more – depending on if we have to run the TPS reports at the Office Space or shrink wrap the pallets in the warehouse, we’re gonna drop a few Kaity Tong updates from our dusty & crusty planet chocko vaults. This week Chocko gave us the 411 on Chiller Theatre from October 1997 in Secaucus, NJ and also his 3 hour wait outside of Tower Records on 4th & Broadway on a cold, cold November 25th, 1997 night – waiting for THE RAMONES! Without further adieu – Hey Ho – Let’s Go!
Tags: chiller theatre 1997, planet chocko zine skeletons, the ramones, tower records
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KILLER SWAG: Posters from After Dark Action!
May 25th, 2012 by Mr. C
I just wanted to drop a big AFTER DARK ACTION elbow and HI-FIVE to the guys and gals at After Dark Films for sending us some killer promotional posters signed by the cast members of the recently released films including sigs from Cung Le from DRAGON EYES, the beautiful – Yvette Yates from EL GRINGO, Devon Sawa & Wes Chatham from the PHILLY KID, Elisabeth Röhm & Antonio Negret (Director) from TRANSIT, and a signature from STASH HOUSE that I couldn’t quite make out, but I KNOW it’s not Dolph Lundgren – darn! Now I’m on a mad hunt to get Jean Cleade Van Damme, Scott Adkins, Christian Slater, & Dolph Lundgren’s autograph to complete my collection!
After Dark Action (After Dark Films + Silver Pictures) released these 5 exclusive action packed movies on May 11th which played at select theatres. After Dark usually specializes in horror films but they took a swan dive into the action world! Please continue to make martial arts and action films – AFTER DARK FILMS! You can catch DRAGON EYES, EL GRINGO, PHILLY KID, TRANSIT, and STASH HOUSE on video on demand such as Amazon or iTunes as well as on DVD soon! I watched 3 out of the 5 so far (Dragon Eyes, Stash House, & El Gringo). Philly Kid & Transit – I see you!
Tags: after dark action, after dark films, posters
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REEWIND: The 43rd Chamber
May 25th, 2012 by Mr. C
Just came about some old flyers from one of our favorite kung fu video stores (VHS format) from the late 1980’s and 1990’s on 43rd street not too far from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in NYC – The one and only – THE 43rd CHAMBER. They had an awesome stock of classic kung fu movies – Shaw Brothers and modern HK action as well. The 43rd Chamber also stocked instructional martial art videos. I remembered buying the Benny “The Jet” Urquidez kickboxing set which I still have in the planet chocko vaults. The 43rd’s poster collection was very extensive to boot. The awesome thing that I remembered about this shop was that they allowed you to preview the film on VHS before buying. The guys behind the counter had a quick nack for fast forwarding right to the extraordinary fight scenes while all the customers started to chat and revel about the movie! “Damn – Lo Lieh’s footwork was amazing!” It definitely was the place to be for the kung fu movie fanboy!
I don’t remember exactly when they closed their doors but I think it was shortly after the triple XXX cleanup and the Disney invasion of Times Square. Of course, the prominence of DVD’s and the internet also led to their demise. There were plenty of other Hell’s Kitchen video stores that stocked kung fu movie gems A LA – ahem – cough, cough – the XXX video-peep show joints but the people frequenting those mutha’s weren’t quite the same as the raggamuffins at the 43rd! Hey – Pee Wee Herman – how the hell are you?
Tags: 43rd chamber, nyc, vhs, video stores
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The Great GoogaMooga 2012
May 24th, 2012 by chocko
The Great GoogaMooga (An Amusement Park of Food & Drink) weekend happened last week in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Shout out to Joey Teacups for hooking me up with a ticket for Saturday! Yeah, I know you’ve all heard about the “disaster” that was Googa…spotty cellphone service, waiting on a line for 45 minutes for a bite to eat or for Googamoola, the preferred form of payment at the Beer and Wine Pavillions. Oh no! Would you like some cheese with that whine? This is probably coming from the same folks that will wait on a line for the same amount of time for a Double Shack and fries. Yes, there were plenty of lines, but nobody starved at the FREE event and there were lots of great bands and activities to keep us entertained and distracted from the rumbly in the tumbly. My only beef was trying to get into the Extra Mooga section of the festival, but apparently that V.I.P. Wonderland was only inclusive to the people crazy enough to fork over $250 for the weekend. They all got their tickets refunded due to the lack of heaping plates of food they were promised. Those of us in the lower ranks of the Mooga caste system stayed in the freebie areas where the bands were playing. I caught most of the Holy Ghost! set. Synth melodies and dance music heavy on the hooks got most of the crowd shaking and baking.
A view from inside the Wine Tasting Pavilion. Lots of Sommeliers and Wineries represented. Gitoff…definitely not the scene for the raggedy looking Chocko who was outta there faster than you can say “Pinot Noir.”
This is more like it…and no need for quarters at these machines! I played free games of Ms. Pacman and Burger Time ’til I got dizzy! I also picked up a lot of free bubble gum from the Orbit girls walking around. Score!
There were a lotta hot chicitas in the park lounging out on blankets and noshing and munching. “Hey Boo-Boo what’s in the picnic basket”?
The Urbarn featured watermelon sculptures (nice melons!) and a Seed Bomb booth brought to you by Just Food, an organization that “connects communities and local farmers with the resources and support they need to make fresh, locally grown food accessible to all New Yorkers.” Hooray!
Chocko caught a couple songs by Unchained, a Van Halen (David Lee Roth era) cover band. They ruled! Next time they’re playing, I’m there. Pictured above is Bear Hands at the Hamageddon Stage where the crowd worked off the pounds in the hipster-punk mosh pit. People were walking around with plates of bacon. Chocko got inspired and went to the Porchetta booth for a $7 moist, and tasty, boneless pork roast sandwich. It was pretty small for the hefty price and I housed it in about 3 bites.
The crowning jewel of the carnivore friendly (sorry vegans!) Hamageddon area was the “This Lil Piggy” steel sculpture which featured a whole pig getting roasted and toasted. If that wasn’t enough…flames shot out of that sucker too. It was a sight to behold! Props to the sculptor Charlie Smith and Crew at Sparseland Studios from Atlanta, Georgia.
My adventure ended with some songs by an amazing hip hop band out of Philly, the Roots. Black Thought was cold crushin’ on the microphone, Questlove on the drums is always a sight to see and a pleasure to the eardrums. The rest of the band was super hyped, hopping and running all over the stage. They started out the gates with their version of a Slick Rick song, “La Di Da Di” and dedicated the song to the late, great Godfather of Go-Go, Chuck Brown. They performed some of Kool and The Gang’s “Jungle Boogie” (check out the video below!) and some of the hits including “You Got Me.” Adios and see you next year, GoogaMooga!
Tags: 2012, bear hands, brooklyn, googa, hamagegddon, mooga, prospect park, the great googamooga, the roots
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Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver
May 22nd, 2012 by Mr. C
While still on the pedestrian bridge tip after recently visiting the Walkway over the Hudson in New York State, we figured we might as well add some photos of a more death defying and cooler bridge that the Planet Chocko freaks have quivered across in February of 2009 while in Vancouver for a Broken Social Scene and Tegan & Sara concert at the Orpheum. Here she is – the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge originally built in 1889 which stretches 450 feet across the Capilano River! There were also some very neat smaller suspension bridges that we crossed over from tree-top to tree-top!
(All photos by Planet Chocko)
Tags: capilano suspension bridge, planet chocko, vancouver
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Walkway over the Hudson
May 21st, 2012 by Mr. C
The Walkway over the Hudson is a 1.28 mile pedestrian bridge that crosses over the Hudson River from Poughkeepsie to Highland, NY. This bridge was converted from an abandoned railroad crossing over to this pedestrian bikeway-walkway-Historic Park which opened in October of 2009. The smooth walk over the Hudson is not overly exciting nor challenging, however the breathtaking scenic views of the Hudson Valley from the bridge offers a nice slice of serenity with sights of power boats roaring up the river leaving some evidence of ripples in the water that lay beneath her. Along the shorelines of both sides of the river are railroad tracks running freight trains on the Highland side while Metro-North runs on the Poughkeepsie side. There is a Metro-North stop that is walking distance from the Walkway over the Hudson. The car ride over to Highland, NY from Northern NJ (about 60 miles away) was very scenic carving through mountains going past Woodbury, West Point, and Newburgh, NY.
Bicycles and dogs are welcomed on the Walkway as well but be sure to pickup after pooch!
Highland Entrance
87 Haviland Road
Highland, NY 12528
Poughkeepsie Entrance
61 Parker Avenue
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Tags: bridges, new york, planet chocko, walkway over the hudson
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CHILLER THEATRE April 2012
May 17th, 2012 by chocko
Going to Chiller Theatre is a tradition here at Planet Chocko. It is the place to be for horror and sci-fi enthusiasts, b-movie fans, and collectors of the macabre. Chiller happens twice a year in Parsippany, New Jersey. Mr. C and Chocko stopped by the Spring Extravaganza last April to see some of our favorite people of the television and movie screen. Some of the many highlights: Seeing Erika Eleniak (The Playboy mags with her in them hold a special place in my heart!), chatting with Al Leong (more on that here), running into people in costume (what’s up with that clown rapist?) and shopping for movies with Mr. C. I think we had a collective flashback of rummaging through the shelves of Kim’s on St. Mark’s and Tower Video. Chocko picked up 2 smutty gems: The Swinging Barmaids (1975) and Mama’s Dirty Girls (1974). Mr. C also picked up some exploitation treasures which I’m sure we’ll review somewhere down the road. I also ran into Matt of the NYC thrash punk band VERMEFÜG and the website Horror Boobs (bringing you the “best in breasts from all genre cinema”). I picked up the new gory, cult 80’s throwback MOLD!. It’s awesome and also available on VHS. I also picked up Matt’s brand new ‘zine titled Blood Video a very cool read, jam-packed with articles about VHS Culture, Cult Cinema and upcoming VHS-related events! I can’t wait for Issue Two. You can pick up a copy at Forbidden Planet in NYC. The next Chiller Theatre Expo will take place on October 26 – 28, 2012.
Zacherle “The Cool Ghoul”…The O.G. of Horror Hosts. Zach is Back.
Sgt. Slaughter applies the Cobra Clutch to a Philadelphia Flyers fan.
Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and to his right…The Enforcer!
another wrestling legend…Tito Santana. Arriba! There were so many wrestlers at Chiller, there should have been a battle royale in the lobby.
Kathy Coleman (Holly from Land of The Lost). I was expecting to see some pigtails! She signed my Land of The Lost lunchbox (a special shoutout to dbborroughs of Unseen Films who pointed out the lunchbox at the DVD store) and then we posed for a photo together by the Sleestak head…Chocko and Holly together at last, a dream come true!
Laurence R. Harvey of Human Centipede II. Ahhhh! Those eyes.
John Astin…best known for his role as Gomez Addams of the television series, The Addams Family (1964-66). He was also The Riddler in the 60’s Batman series after Frank Gorshin.
Believe It Or Not…Dean Cain is in this photo! Use your Superhuman vision.
Dwight Schultz (‘Howling Mad’ Murdoch) and Dirk Benedict (Templeton ‘Faceman’ Peck) of the 80’s tv series THE A-TEAM.
Linda Blair (The Exorcist). Check out those arms! Seriously, check out her website for WorldHeart Foundation, devoted to care and rescue of animals in the Los Angeles area. Damn, she got some baseball biceps.
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Tags: chiller theatre, cult cinema, horror movies, human centipede, linda blair, sgt. slaughter, zacherle, zacherley
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POLIÇA played Maxwell’s
May 15th, 2012 by chocko
The Minneapolis four piece Polica (pronounced with a ‘soft C’) played a SOLD OUT show last Sunday at Maxwell’s in Hoboken, New Jersey. The band consists of 2 drummers (Drew Christopherson and Ben Ivascu), a bass player (Chris Bierden) and the lead singer, Channy Leneagh who is beautiful and has an amazing and powerful voice. Her voice is perfect for the band’s electronic, trippy R&B music. The mesmerized Chocko and the rest of the super-psyched crowd couldn’t keep our eyes of her. She isn’t afraid of the spotlight, and danced all night while getting lost in the music which was written at a dark time when her recent marriage and relationship with her former band (Roma di Luna) were dissolving.
Polica played songs from their debut album Give You The Ghost, a Totally Gross National Product release. The album is a collection of melancholic tunes with Channy’s voice getting the auto-tune treatment in a hypnotizing whirl of synthesizers and bass. Thankfully, the voice effects were scaled back for the live performance at Maxwell’s. Some highlights of their set included “Leading To Death” which got the jersey crowd moving and “Lay Your Cards Out” (check out some videos below!) The band played a couple new songs not on the album, but hopefully they see the light of day on a future release. Polica is a band that hasn’t played together for a long time, but has generated a lot of hype recently, winning over crowds at SXSW and making their national television debut last month on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.” Polica most certainly backed up the hype and hopefully come back around the NYC area soon.
Tags: channy leneagh, hoboken, maxwells, new jersey, nj, polica, review, show
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Presby Memorial Iris Gardens in Montclair
May 13th, 2012 by Mr. C
The Presby Memorial Iris Gardens in Upper Montclair, NJ is a beautiful oasis open to the public usually from May to June when the Irises are in bloom. I’m definitely not a plant expert nor do I have any aspirations for acquiring a green thumb, however being familiar with the area – every year I usually pop my head in here at least once to appreciate the brilliant color combinations & various subspecies of these irises. These “rainbow” plants truly are stunning! The Presby is run by volunteers and depends on donations to fund their entire operation. Suggested donation is $5 per person, but any size donation is gratefully accepted. The Presby Memorial Iris Gardens was established in 1927 to honor Frank H. Presby of Montclair, a leading horticulturalist and a founder of The American Iris Society.
If you are anywhere near Montclair, this is most definitely a required stop from the months of May to June. The sights and smells of the Presby grounds are amazing! These photos do not give it any justice, trust me! See it in person!
Presby Memorial Iris Gardens
474 Upper Mountain Ave. Upper Montclair, NJ 07043
973-783-5974
(Photo credit: mr c)
Tags: presby memorial iris garden
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Korean American Film Festival New York (KAFFNY): June 5-10 at Anthology Film Archives
May 12th, 2012 by Mr. C
Source: The Korean American Film Festival New York
KOREAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL NEW YORK (KAFFNY): JUNE 5-10 at Anthology Film Archives
Now in its sixth year, the annual Korean American Film Festival New York (KAFFNY) is the first and only film festival in New York City showcasing the diversity of Korean American and Korean diasporic perspectives in film. Since its first annual festival in 2007, KAFFNY has continued to broaden its focus on emerging filmmakers to include international films by Korean and as well as non-Korean filmmakers.
This year, the program reflects the strong offerings in new Korean American filmmaking as well as cross-cultural Asian independent cinema. “We’re very proud to have so many premiere screenings of homegrown New York and American talent, and feel our filmmakers are now truly coming-of-age along with our festival,” says founder Dave Kim.
Hosted at Anthology Film Archives this year, KAFFNY presents New York audiences with a challenging and innovative mix of narrative features and documentaries with a strong focus on auteur-driven stories, and complex character studies, exploring such themes as loss and dislocation through journeys of discovery. KAFFNY also marks the 20th anniversary of the Los Angeles riots with a special free program of films, to also screen online for the duration of the festival.
Venue: Anthology Film Archives: 32 Second Avenue New York, NY 10003
Please visit www.kaffny.com for program updates and final schedule
PROGRAM:
KAFFNY’s opening night presentation is the International Premiere of SHOULD’VE KISSED, the debut feature of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts alumnus Jinoh Park who sets a new standard for independent auteurist Korean American filmmaking. Park directs and stars in this offbeat story of a lonely soul adrift in Manhattan’s dive-bar scene with another forlorn actor, having hallucinatory conversations with Robert De Niro on a movie poster of “Taxi Driver” by another NYU alumnus, Martin Scorsese.
Highlights include the world premiere of NYU alumns Jae-Ho Chang and Tara Autovino’s ULTIMATE CHRISTIAN WRESTLING in which skeptical New York filmmakers venture to rural Georgia to document the culture of a pro-wrestling Christian ministry, and return having learned some surprising and moving ways Americans use faith to guide them through dire personal and family circumstance.
The Japan Society co-presents MAGIC AND LOSS, an impressive international Asian co-production (Japan/Korea/Malaysia/Hong Kong/France/USA/China) starring breakthrough Zainichi Korean indie actress/rising producer Kiki Sugino (Hospitalité), Korean indie writer/director/actor Yang-Ik June (Breathless), award-winning Korean actress Kim Kkobbi (Breathless) and directed by Malaysian-Chinese filmmaker Lim Kah-Wai
The program includes a special interactive presentation of Jacob Krupnick’s GIRL WALK // ALL DAY, produced by Youngna Park, a cutting-edge, feature-length dance music video set to the iconic modern party album All Day by innovative mashup DJ Girl Talk, exploring the border between documentary and reality, pitting remix culture and creative spirit versus the modern digital copyright scheme and unflappable New Yorkers.
In remembrance of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, and building on last year’s “LA Riots: 19 Years Later” panel with veteran directors Dai Sil Kim-Gibson and Charles Burnett, KAFFNY presents a special program marking the 20th anniversary, to also screen online for free during the festival week. The riots or “429” (“Sa-I-gu”) a Korean nomenclature denominated for the date of the riots, is the single most devastating event for the Korean American community, and is widely considered a re-awakening of Korean American identity and leadership. KAFFNY will present films by new voices from the Korean American community, the second generation, including those whose parents’ businesses were burned in the riots. The program includes Alex Ko’s POKDONG, and Kathy Choi, Dae Hoon Kim and Hosik Kim’s LAR20.
FEATURE-LENGTH FILMS:
International Premiere/Opening Night: SHOULD’VE KISSED (2010): Auteur debut film from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts alumnus Jinoh Park with great performances and deft long takes. Two aspiring actors and lonely souls navigate New York City, one, played by Park himself, a dive-bar singer who converses with Robert De Niro on a movie poster of “Taxi Driver” by another NYU alumn, Martin Scorsese. Directed by Jinoh Park. (Tuesday, June 5 at 7:30pm & Saturday, June 9 at 10:00pm, Anthology Film Archives)
World Premiere: ULTIMATE CHRISTIAN WRESTLING (2011): Two filmmakers fly to rural Georgia to capture a traveling pro-wrestling Christian ministry with the intention of coming back to New York with a documentary about the ridiculousness of American religious expression. What they find instead are three men within the ministry using their faith as a way to guide them through the most dire of circumstances, a faith that clashes not only with the conservative religious views of the Bible Belt, but also with the people who have chosen to reject Christianity as a direct result of its overbearing presence in the South. Directed by Jae Ho Chang and Tara Autovino. (Saturday, June 9 at 5:00pm & Sunday, June 10 at 7:30pm, Anthology Film Archives)
US Premiere: MAGIC AND LOSS (2010): Co-presented by Japan Society. A Korean/Japanese/Malaysian/Chinese collaboration with Korean Japanese indie actress/producer Kiki Sugino (L’Hospitalite), Yang-Ik June and Kim KKhobi from Korean indie juggernaut Breathless. Malaysian director Lim Kah Wai’s distinctively captures the unfolding relationships between the 3 actors’ in this fresh new Asian mystery. Two young women, Kiki and Kkobbi, whose purpose and background are unknown, and nationalities are unclear, win a lottery ticket for a free vacation at an island resort called Mui Wo in Hong Kong. In a completely isolated and unknown place, they start to experience an extraordinary adventure. Directed by Lim Kah Wai. (Thursday, June 7 at 7:30pm & Saturday, June 9 at 2:30pm, Anthology Film Archives)
New York Festival Interactive Premiere: GIRL WALK // ALL DAY (2012): A cutting-edge, feature-length dance music video set to Girl Talk’s standard-setting All Day mashup album exploring the border between documentary and reality, re-pushing the envelope of remix culture and challenging Wim Wender’s Pina with true indie and youthful spirit. An urban exploration that follows three dancers across New York City, turning the sidewalks, parks and architecture into an evolving stage as they spread their joy of movement. Directed by Jacob Krupnick. (Wednesday, June 6 at 7:30pm, Venue To Be Announced).
PERHAPS, SOMEWHERE (2009): Auteur debut film from Arts Institute of Chicago alumn demonstrates impressive mise-en-scene sensibility. Two lonely souls navigate through their isolated past and present in uncharacteristic landscapes of the Midwest, searching for a sense of home. In meeting, they forge a brief and close bond, learning to understand themselves and one another, wondering where they will go next. Directed by Brian Oh. (Saturday, June 9 at 7:30pm, Anthology Film Archives)
LOS ANGELES RIOTS 20TH ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM:
POKDONG (2006): For over a decade, Korean filmmaker, ALEX KO has lived in a family silenced by the devastating loss of their store during the 1992 L.A. Riots. In POK DONG, the Ko family shares their dramatic story for the first time, confronting painful memories as a means of finally moving on. Directed by Alex Ko. (Screening date, time and venue to be announced)
LAR20 (2012): An examination of the racial state of mind of America, now 20 years after the LA riots of 1992, focusing primarily on young culture makers who were voiceless 20 years ago. Directed by Kathy Choi, Dae Hoon Kim and Hosik Kim.(Screening date, time and venue to be announced)
More films to be announced.
SHORTS 1 (COMPETITION):
(Thursday, June 7 at 10:00pm & Sunday, June 10 at 2:30pm, Anthology Film Archives)
* = New York-based filmmakers
DOL (FIRST BIRTHDAY) by Andrew Ahn
REUNION by Choi Jai Young
*HOME by Seimi Kim
THE RECORDER EXAM by Bora Kim
GHOST by Dachi Ma
CITY by Kim Ye-Young
*I AM JOHN WAYNE by Christina Choe
BLUE by Stephen Kang
SHORTS 2:
(Friday, June 8 at 10:00pm & Sunday, June 10 at 5:00pm, Anthology Film Archives)
* = New York-based filmmakers
* TOAST by Henry Jean
* SAEING IL (BIRTHDAY) by Jennifer Suhr
* THE PROBLEM OF GRAVITY by Trevor Zhou
MOUNTAIN OF JUNE by Do-Yeon Kim
* TREE by Pyeung Hun Baik
* THE KOOK by Greg Mitnick
* LIKE SUGAR ON THE TIP OF MY LIPS by Minji Kang
* FRACTURED by Terry Sasaki
* SILENCE YOUR WAITING by Jake Jeon
* NOW YOU SEE ME by Zooey Park
KOREAN SCHOOL REJECTS by Peter Yun
* PLAY THINGS by Mike Cook
Tags: korean american film festival 2012
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A chat with AL LEONG – martial artist & stuntman extraordinaire — Chiller Theatre
May 11th, 2012 by Mr. C
(Sifu Al Leong with an aerial attack using the Kwan Dao!)
Al Leong is probably a name you have never heard of but a face that you have most definitely seen in action movies & TV. Sporting a very familiar & killer fu-manchu ‘stache, the long hair, the diminuitive muscular build with the lightning fast kicks, Al is mostly identified with playing villain characters providing explosive high energy fight scenes in movies such as Big Trouble in Little China, Rapid Fire, Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Scorpion King, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and in TV series such as TJ Hooker, Fall Guy, Knight Rider, 24, & more! Born in St. Louis, Missouri but grew up on the streets of L.A. – Al’s martial art foundation is deeply steeped within the 5 Animal Style taught by the legendary teacher, the late Grandmaster Ark Yuey Wong in L.A.’s Chinatown. Master Ark Yuey Wong nicknamed Sifu Al – “Kwan Gung” – the Legendary General from China also known as the Chinese God of War. General Kwan Gung was very proficient with the Kwan Dao (a huge broad bladed sword on the end of a long staff) and hence the nickname for Sifu Al besides a slight resemblance of course.
Unfortunately, health issues have slowed down Sifu Al the past 8 years along with the wear & tear from his previous bout with brain cancer going back 20 years, but just as the God of War he is – he continues to fight, claw, & kick just like he was trained to do since childhood. It’s a true testament to his prior years of martial arts training.
We had the pleasure to meet and briefly chat with Sifu Al Leong at the Chiller Theatre Expo in NJ on April 28th. He was gracious enough to answer a few questions for us.
Al’s book: The Eight Lives of Al ‘Ka Bong Leong is a highly recommended fun read and chock full of wonderful personal & professional photos which really added great insight to his warrior mentality but gentle soul. The pictures itself is worth the price of the book! Thank you – Mr. Al Leong, you are an inspiration to us all especially to us Asian Americans! Thank you for sharing your story with us in The Eight Lives of Al Kabong.
You can buy The Eight Lives of Al ‘Ka Bong Leong on Amazon.com – signed, sealed, & delivered!
(Al Leong at the Chiller Theatre Expo on 4/28 – photo credit: Chocko)
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Al Leong is one of my favorite martial art screen presences even though he always seems to play the villain, he enters the screen with a high voltage fight scene but then he somehow manages to end up dying!
Thank you Sifu Al for spending a few minutes of your time to answer these questions:
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PC: It must of been a real privilege to be able to study with the late Grandmaster Ark Yuey Wong in the 5 animal style and be one of his top level students. Did Sifu Wong have a father/son type of relationship with his disciples? Was there a point in time when Grandmaster Wong wanted you to open up a school of your own to extend the 5 Animal Style olive branch?
AL: No, I never discussed teaching for him. Chinese instructors are very different. The old masters have trained a lot and know alot and I do believe they know when they have taken you to your limit. The old teachers trained in two or three styles which they then incorporated to create new things that is different and which works. This is why chinese styles can’t be separate or divided because you lose that blend that can inspire a new & effective style. This is why modern wu shu does not work with the traditional kung fu styles because you really can’t integrate them. The chinese do things that no other martial art styles do because the chinese operate independently. A good example is when you have a neighborhood of Japanese businesses, a japanese business owner would come out and sweep the whole length of the block. On any given chinese neighborhood, the chinese would only sweep the front of his shop because the Chinese are so independent.
PC: When we spoke at Chiller Theatre, you also mentioned that you have a background in the Praying Mantis style. Who was your sifu in that discipline? Also in your book, you mentioned that you studied in New York City, can you elaborate more on your time there.
AL: I was trained in NYC by a great person and was told never to mention him. He had passed away years ago. He was a great man of chinese medicine and had no interest in the light of entertainment with people. He saw the world in a completely different way so I’ll have to leave him there.
When my teacher from NYC knew that I was welding, doing brakes, and painting cars – He was against it all. He hated the Hollywood thing and when I became a grip in the movie business, it seemed like he knew that I would end up in front of camera. When I had brain cancer, I think my sifu was expecting that something would go wrong with my body from all the activities I was doing. He always said I did too much. The same thing my cancer doctor later said. My teacher thought that this was the end for me and maybe it should have been but it was not. A year later, I came back and fought Brandon Lee in Rapid Fire. The death of Brandon’s father – Bruce was always weird to me. Then what happened to Brandon was even stranger. When I had the stroke which finally took me out of the movie business. it made me think my teacher knew this was going to happen which in retrospect took me out of the busines for good reason. Probably the same reason that Bruce and Brandon shouldn’t have been in the movie business as well.
PC: The current trend of the fighting arts seems to have gravitated towards mixed martial arts. What are your thoughts about traditional martial arts vs MMA?
AL: I think all styles are good. People have unique personalities and the different styles also have their own personalities & strongsuits. Today, everyone is in a mad rush and to some, MMA is their answer. A lot of tradition has been lost and that is why I am glad the old chinese instructors held back a lot of things. Today this knowledge from the old teachers would be extremely wasted. If the traditional kung fu teachers thought that martial arts could truly be taught in six months – they would have taught it in six months.
PC: Does it get competitive between stuntmen and martial artists behind the scenes on movie sets? Any impromptu fights or challenges ever take place between the crew when the camera wasn’t rolling?
AL: There has never been any fighting or brouhahas that I can recall between stuntmen and martial artists on the set. The stunt coordinator hires the staff and if anything did happen between his people, the whole team would lose the chance of working the next big hollywood job.
PC: We loved watching you as one of the Wing Kong hatchet men in Big Trouble in Little China. Were there any particular favorite roles that you enjoyed the most in your movie and TV career?
AL: Big Trouble in Little China was extremely fun because the director – John Carpenter was great! Rapid Fire was a blast as well. Brandon Lee was such a wonderful guy & a pleasure to work with. Working with Jeff Imada – the Stunt Coordinator was incredible as well. The director of Rapid Fire – Dwight Little was such a nice person.
PC: There must of been lots of grindhouse movie theaters around when you grew up in L.A. . Any standout films that you remember watching in the old school cinemas of those times?
AL: When I was younger, I loved watching all the martial art films from the Shaw Brothers Studios!
PC: OK, we had to ask this since you said you worked in Jack in the Box when you were a teenager. Do you prefer Jack in the Box burgers or In N Out?
AL: I worked at Jack in the Box for three years if I can remember correctly with the greatest group of guys. After that, I worked at Mcdonalds. Back then all the meat came in fresh at Mcdonalds and frozen at Jack in the Box. 45 years ago, I preferred Mcdonalds because of the fresh meat. Today, I love In N Out, Carl’s Jr. (which is Hardies back east) because the meat is served fresh where now Mcdonalds has all precooked meat.
PC: What are some of your all time favorite movies, new or old?
AL: I like westerns and I love Clint Eastwood. I wasn’t too fond of the movie Gran Torino though, but I did think that Eastwood acted great in it. I didn’t care for some of the asian actors in the film. I wished Eastwood would have used more well known asian actors in the cast. I think that would have made for a much better film. I also love the last two Batmans and I probably will like the new Batman – The Dark Knight Rises which will be released in July because Christopher Nolan (Director/Writer) has a great sense of telling a good story. If you don’t have a good story you have no movie.
PC: What is your favorite city and why?
AL: I love Hawaii and back in the States, I love the east coast because the people there are more real. L.A. is “hollywood” and everybody thinks they are somebody and the fact that nobody talks to you has always been strange to me.
PC: And most importantly, any favorite foods and restaurants that you can share with us while in your favorite city?
AL: I don’t go out to eat in fancy food establishments. I have very simple requirements – No spicy foods!
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(Al Leong with double broadswords at Balboa Park’s “sideways tree” in Van Nuys, California – Photo source: THE EIGHT LIVES OF AL KABONG LEONG)
(The Rock -Dwayne Johnson,Michael Clark Duncan,Al Leong ,Tom Lupo on the set of SCORPION KING (Photo Source: THE EIGHT LIVES OF AL KABONG LEONG)
(Al Leong – the early years – (Photo source: THE EIGHT LIVES OF AL KABONG LEONG)
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THE EIGHT LIVES OF AL KABONG LEONG on Amazon.com .
Tags: al leong, chiller theatre 2012
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