Cherry Blossom Time

Stephen McVey recently sent me a comment regarding my review of Zatoichi and Meiko Kaji films, and we discovered we share the same love of '60s and '70s Japanese cinema. McVey loves it so much he started a blog called Cherry Blossom Eiga that he describes as "an amateur assessment of the World of Japanese Movies" whose purpose is "to provide an informative opinion regarding 60/70's Japanese Films." I'm here to tell you, it's pretty cool. Besides loving Zatoichi and Meiko Kaji (and what's not to love?), McVey digs tough guy actor Bunta Sagawara, Sonny Chiba, Rikiya Yasuoka (Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter) and all those Kinji Fukasaku '70s gangster films, especially his Battles Beyond Honor and Humanity series.

The blog has some great pix and the sidebars include a helpful listing of essential books about, distributors of, and DVD release dates of '60s/'70s Japanese films.

But here's Stephen himself to talk about it, in his first post:

Here's the ballpark version of what this blog is about and who’s the geek behind it.

When I was a small lad, I grew up watching Kaiju-Eiga (Japanese "Monster Movies") and Martial Arts flicks from Hong Kong. I've always had an interest in movies and even did a stint on a few Indy Films in NYC/NJ after college (being a low-life PA - if this is your path, you might as well grab a squeegee and start washing car windows on the corner like a smelly bum).

Any who...growing up I was still fixated with Asian films. Eventually, I graduated to the Heroic Bloodshed genre in HK (Mr. Woo go home...seriously. Your American films are garbage) and Yakuza Eiga (Japanese Gangster Films). Then I found more and more genres of films from Japan that tickled my eye. These were whacked out, psychedelic, goofy, gritty, raunchy and beautiful films, most being made in the 1960's and 1970's. Those genres include Chanbara/Ninkyo/Jidai-Geki, Pinku, Chiba (he deserves his own), Jitsuroku, Kaiju and of course Yakuza-Eiga. These genres are the sole basis for this blog.

So, as my DVD library of geekdom grew in size, I've decided to scribble about some of those delightful films that I've viewed (legit or booted) and give an honest opinion to those who also share the same tastes and interests in film. Each week, I will try to give a review of a DVD viewed, the specs of the DVD, where to buy (cheapest) etc. etc. I will also add some DVD Release Dates, Images, Websites and Forums that are must visit for vidiots like myself, where you can chat all about how big a dork you are (like I do).

For those who share my passion for Japanese Cinema, you can email me or contribute to my posts (whether you agree with them or not). Any one who wishes to add a DVD review of there own or add some news is more than welcome (due credit of course). I'll try to compile an archive of reviews for easy access. Bear with me for the next few days as I adjust to trying to figure this blog thing out. I’m a dork, but I don’t know this website shit.

Enjoy and no tomfoolery.

(I don't think he was specifically calling me out in that last line, so I'll let it go!)

Check It Out!:
Cherry Blossom Eiga