Mako Iwamatsu
A young reporter (Lucy Liu) wakes up and realises that she is not alive anymore. She goes on a personal vendetta for a group a cultists that are responsible for her death.
From silent film star Sessue Hayakawa to Harold and Kumar Go to Whitecastle, the Slanted Screen examines the portrayal Asian men in film and television, and how new filmmakers are now re-defining age-old stereotypes.
A mysterious and immortal Tibetan kung fu master, who has spent the last 60 years traveling around the world protecting the ancient Scroll of the Ultimate, mentors a selfish street kid in the ancient intricacies of kung fu.
The con is on when a gorgeous LA playboy tries to juggle four beautiful women and gets more than he bargained for. When a million bucks goes missing from the Yakuza, Japan's notorious mafia, the chase is on for the culprit. But in this tale of cross and double cross, no one is who they say they are and everyone's just in it for one thing -- get the money and get out.
Made by Genndy Tartakovsky, this animated series tells the story of a great warrior displaced to the distant future by the evil shape-shifting wizard Aku. The world has become a bleak place under the rule of Aku, segregated into fantastic tribes and ruled by Aku's evil robot warlords. Jack travels this foreign landscape in search of a time portal that can return him to his home time so he can "undo the future that is Aku!".
The lifelong friendship between Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker is put to the ultimate test when the two ace fighter pilots become entangled in a love triangle with beautiful Naval nurse Evelyn Johnson. But the rivalry between the friends-turned-foes is immediately put on hold when they find themselves at the center of Japan's devastating attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
A small boy is sent away from his village. He is to be trained as a samurai warrior and return to fight the evil shape-sifter, Aku, who has wreaked havoc throughout the village. His skills honed, the warrior attempts a return to his home, but winds up in a future time landscape. Here, the locals call the stranger, a sort of Dirty Harry kung fu loner, "Jack" and assist him in his path homeward. This is the original feature length presentation that kicked off the SAMURAI JACK phenomenon on the Cartoon Network.
Nearly all the cast and crew are on hand to give stories and memories about the making of the film. Plenty of detail on every aspect of the film from pre-production to opening night is covered.
The Rugrats are back! There's Tommy the brave one, Chuckie the timid one, Phil and Lil the odd couple, Dil, and spoiled brat Angelica. This time they're wreaking havoc in Paris, France, where Tommy's dad Stu is summoned after yet another one of his inventions took a dump.
This hard-boiled action starring Naoto Takenaka is directed by popular manga artist Kazuhiro Kimchi. 8 years previously, one man, Brazilian Mafioso Carlos had brought the Japanese Yakuza organization to its knees. He breaks out of prison while being transported back to Brazil. He then begins to seek to get even with the organization.
Wada (Masahiro Motoki), a salary man, is enlisted to venture off to China to investigate a potential Jade mine. After his arrival, Wada encounters a violent, yet sentimental, yakuza (Renji Ishibashi), who takes the liberty of joining his adventure through China. Led on their long and disastrous journey to the mine by Shen, the three men come across something even more magical and enticing...
Austrian mountaineer, Heinrich Harrer journeys to the Himalayas without his family to head an expedition in 1939. But when World War II breaks out, the arrogant Harrer falls into Allied forces' hands as a prisoner of war. He escapes with a fellow detainee and makes his way to Llaso, Tibet, where he meets the 14-year-old Dalai Lama, whose friendship ultimately transforms his outlook on life.
A martial arts expert who runs a dojo for under-privileged kids from a dilapidated warehouse is shaken down by gangsters demanding protection money. Then when one of his students is gunned down in the street by the gang, he swears revenge. Meanwhile the gang leader is setting up a death match between the best fighters and is forcing a former trainer to find a new champion by threatening his granddaughter.
After masked attackers kill her sister and young nephew, a female psychologist takes the law into her own hands by acting as a defense witness by day and a ruthless avenger by night.
Dexter's Laboratory is an American comic science fiction animated children's television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network. The series follows Dexter, a boy-genius with a secret laboratory filled with his collection of inventions. He constantly battles his sister Dee Dee, who always gains access despite his best efforts to keep her out, as well as his arch-rival and neighbor, Mandark. The series' first two seasons contain additional segments: Dial M for Monkey, which focuses on Dexter's pet lab monkey-turned-superhero, and The Justice Friends, about a trio of superheroes who share an apartment. Tartakovsky first pitched the series to Hanna-Barbera's animated shorts showcase World Premiere Toons, basing it on student films he produced while attending the California Institute of the Arts. Four shorts were created and broadcast on Cartoon Network in 1995 and 1996 before viewer approval ratings convinced the network to order a 13-episode first season, which premiered on April 28, 1996. By 1999, 52 episodes and a television movie had been produced, and Tartakovsky then left the series to begin work on his other projects, Samurai Jack and Star Wars: Clone Wars. In 2001, the network revived the series under a different production team at Cartoon Network Studios, and after 26 more episodes, the series ended on November 20, 2003.
A lethal assassin for a secret Chinese organisation, who sheds tears of regret each time he kills, is seen swiftly and mercilessly executing three Yakuza gangsters by a beautiful artist. She is captivated by the grace of his kill and later falls in love with him. An intense power struggle for the leadership of the Yakuza Clans ensues as they seek vengeance for the death of their leader.
When Ethan's older brother Greg is found dead, the police rule the case a suicide, but Ethan suspects foul play stemming from Greg's recent involvement with a martial arts team called the Scorpions. Ethan is also accomplished at martial arts, and he determines to join the Scorpions as a means of learning what really happened to Greg. - Written by Michelle Sturges
When the police start a crackdown on Yakuza activities, a killer (James Lew) starts killing the cops forcing a martial-arts officer (Lorenzo Lamas) to fight back. AKA Midnight Man
Starts off in the 15th century, with Connor McLeod (Christopher Lambert) training with another immortal swordsman, the Japanese sorcerer Nakano (Mako). When an evil immortal named Kane (Mario Van Peebles) kills the old wizard, the resulting battle leaves him buried in an underground cave. When Kane resurfaces in the 20th century to create havoc, it's up to McLeod to stop him.
Thomas Hoshino (Willson) is a tough Japanese detective, who lost his partner by a deadly Yakuza killer Jaho (Lew). He tracks down the killer and his master to Los Angeles, where he teams up with Det. Karen Ryder (Farrell). Soon they discover that Yakuza prepares a gang war and weapon smuggling. Hoshino must find a way to defeat the killer who posses mystical ninja powers.
The mega corporation Omni Consumer Products is still bent on creating their pet project, Delta City, to replace the rotting city of Detroit. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of the area have no intention of abandoning their homes simply for desires of the company. To this end, OCP have decided to force them to leave by employing a ruthless mercenary army to attack and harass them. An underground resistance begins and in this fight, Robocop must decide where his loyalties lie.
A medical researcher working with a blind, mute quadriplegic patient begins to experiment with hypnotherapy as a means to fix his seemingly non-physical ailments. Unfortunately, results are almost impossible to measure on the crippled subject, so she begins monitoring other, healthy text subjects... and even tries hypnosis on herself! What she's unlocking in the human brain may forever change medical science forever, but will she be remain sane enough - or even alive! - to present her findings?
When a prostitute is found dead in a Los Angeles skyscraper occupied by a large Japanese corporation, detectives John Conner and Web Smith are called in to investigate. Although Conner has previous experience working in Japan, cultural differences make their progress difficult until a security disc showing the murder turns up. Close scrutiny proves the disc has been doctored, and the detectives realize they're dealing with a cover-up as well.
A boy, Peter McCrea, witnesses a gangland murder. He turns to his martial arts teacher, Young Park, to help defend him from the gangsters. On the run from both the gang and the police, Peter learns self-defense and the courage to face his fears.
Barry is an asthmatic kid having trouble in life. He lives with his father, a computer programmer, in Texas. Barry is struggling to get by in life, dealing with his rough school life, bullies, as well as his health. Barry's only source of enjoyment is fantasizing that he is with Chuck Norris. Barry becomes sick of getting picked on by the bigger guys, and decides to learn karate.
Captivated by its sweet song, an emperor takes a nightingale into his palace as his companion. But when the emperor shows more interest in a bejeweled mechanical bird, the nightingale flees. It returns only when the lonely emperor sees how foolishly he has behaved.
Jeff, a young delinquent, is enrolled by his father in a kenpo school, in the hopes of teaching the boy some self-discipline. Years later, Jeff's mentor, Kim, is being threatened by one of the Korean mafia families. Jeff tries to help his old friend, but is too late to prevent Kim's death at the hands of an unknown hitman. Vowing revenge, Jeff takes on all of the families, using his martial arts skills to find the man who killed his friend.
Hisa Ishii and his brother Akira emigrate from Japan to the United States. They settle in rural California and start a strawberry farm, slowly integrating themselves into the life of the community, which includes Japanese-Americans of both lengthy and brief residence.
An uptight advertising exec has his entire life in a filofax organizer which mistakenly ends up in the hands of a friendly convict who poses as him.
A CIA Agent must rely on reluctant help from a female spy in the North Vietnam jungle in order to pass through enemy lines.
A stressed-out, big-city cop seeks refuge in Hawaii, only to become embroiled in a serial murder case that appears to be identical to his last case in New York City.
A couple works hard to renovate their dream house and become landlords to pay for it. Unfortunately one of their tenants has plans of his own.
The movie follows the perspective of several characters (such as Japanese victims, soldiers, American prisoners of war and others) and how they lived or tried to survive the effects felt during the aftermath of the Atomic Bomb dropping by the Enola Gay at Hiroshima, during World War II.
The close bond between two elderly sisters is threatened when one of them begins to have romantic feelings for a local mechanic.
Ypsilanti, Michigan, 1945. Engineer Preston Tucker dreams of designing the car of future, but his innovative envision will be repeatedly sabotaged by his own unrealistic expectations and the Detroit automobile industry tycoons.
The evil criminal leader Kendrick has kidnapped an elderly biochemist who holds the secret to creating a biological superweapon. The only person who can possibly stop Kendrick and his gang is L. A. cop Sam Kettle and martial arts master Jun Kim (uncle of a little girl also kidnapped by Kendrick). Together, they go to war against an army of ninjas to rescue the hostages and bring their kidnappers to justice.
Col. Carradine leads a group of American P.O.W.s, battling their way to freedom as Saigon falls to the Viet Cong.
One of Tanaka's underlings has stolen a rare statuette that he had planned to use as a peace offering between the local Yakusa and Chinese Tong. He hires two private investigators to exchange ransom money to recover the statuette, but the trade goes down bad and Clay Roth is killed. This angers Roth's brothers and father, all combat veterans, and they go after the people responsible
In his travels, Caine meets up with an old man who has several surprises for him. The first being the destruction of the Shaolin order, the second being that the man is the father of the Emperor's nephew whom he killed in China, and the third is that he seeks his revenge using the son Caine never knew he had sired as the instrument of his death. It will take all of Caine's skill and wisdom to find a solution to this deadly predicament.
Conan is commissioned by the evil queen Taramis to safely escort a teen princess and her powerful bodyguard to a far away castle to retrieve the magic Horn of Dagon. Unknown to Conan, the queen plans to sacrifice the princess when she returns and inherit her kingdom after the bodyguard kills Conan. The queen's plans fail to take into consideration Conan's strength and cunning and the abilities of his sidekicks: the eccentric wizard Akiro, the wild woman Zula, and the inept Malak. Together the hero and his allies must defeat both mortal and supernatural foes in this voyage to sword-and-sorcery land.
Hawaiian Heat is an American drama television series that premiered on ABC on September 14, 1984. It starred Robert Ginty and Jeff McCracken as two Chicago cops who quit their jobs in the Windy City to become detectives in Hawaii. Their boss at the Honolulu Police Department was played by veteran actor Mako. Many of the episodes were directed by reclusive African-American actor/director Ivan Dixon. Only eleven episodes aired on ABC, including the pilot movie. Its theme song, "Goodbye Blues", is now used by online video producer Brad Jones as the theme for his show "80's Dan".
It is just another day in the small town of Hamlin until something disastrous happens. Suddenly, news breaks that a series of nuclear warheads has been dropped along the Eastern Seaboard and, more locally, in California. As people begin coping with the devastating aftermath of the attacks — many suffer radiation poisoning — the Wetherly family tries to survive.
In Los Angeles, naive and lonely waitress and aspirant singer Carol finds an advertisement for a job opportunity in Tokyo. Traveling to Japan to work at the White Orchid nightclub, she discovers the scheme of prostitution in the club that belongs to Yakuza. Alone, without money and her passport, she is protected by Shiro, but pressed by the managers Madame Mori and her husband Hatanaka to be receptive to client's proposals.
A story of an art dealer who leads a double life as a martial arts warrior.
A kitchen maid and a nightingale help save the emperor with the power of song and friendship
A film adaptation of the classic sword and sorcery hero, Conan the Barbarian. A horde of rampaging warriors massacre the parents of young Conan and enslave the young child for years on The Wheel of Pain. As the sole survivor of the childhood massacre, Conan is released from slavery and taught the ancient arts of fighting. Transforming himself into a killing machine, Conan travels into the wilderness to seek vengeance on Thulsa Doom, the man responsible for killing his family. In the wilderness, Conan takes up with the thieves Valeria and Subotai. The group comes upon King Osric, who wants the trio of warriors to help rescue his daughter who has joined Doom in the hills.
In World War II era Los Angeles, the manager of the Culver Hotel leaves his nephew in charge for a weekend. The nephew changes the name to the Hotel Rainbow and overbooks with royalty, assassins, secret agents, Japanese tourists, and munchkins. Secret Service agent Bruce Thorpe and casting director Annie Clark find romance amidst the intrigue and confusion.
A steel samurai blade that was to be given to the American ambassador by the Emperor of Japan is stolen. American sailors and Japanese samurai are sent to find it.
Sean Kane is forced to resign from the San Francisco Police Department's Narcotics Division when he goes berserk after his partner is murdered. He decides to fight alone and follows a trail of drug traffickers into unexpected high places.
A young Asian American martial artist is forced to participate in a brutal formal street-fight competition.
The film looks back at the life of a man named Oda and other Japanese Americans through the decades as they face great challenges and joys living in the United States.
This film describes Navy Commander Jeremiah Denton's 7 and a half years as a prisoner of war. Held in numerous, brutal POW camps, he faced starvation, torture and terrible living conditions brought on by his North Vietnamese captors in an effort to keep communication alive between the prisoners. His wife, Jane, is also arranging a POW wives league in the U.S. in order to popularize their plight.
Fact based drama about one of the internment camps used by the American military during World War II to detain some 100,000 Japanese Americans (most of them U.S. born) following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.
Pacific Overtures is a musical written by Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman. The show is set in Japan beginning in 1853 and follows the difficult westernization of Japan, told from the point of view of the Japanese. In particular, the story focuses on the lives of two friends caught in the change. The original Broadway production of Pacific Overtures in 1976 was staged in Kabuki style, with men playing women's parts and set changes made in full view of the audience by black-clad stagehands. It opened to mixed reviews and closed after six months, despite being nominated for ten Tony Awards.Set in 1853 Japan, Pacific Overtures follows the Westernization of Japan, mainly through the story of Kayama, a samurai, and Manjiro, a fisherman. The lives of both men are radically changed by the coming of American ships to Japan.
Mike Locken is one of the principle members of a group of freelance spies. A significant portion of their work is for the C.I.A. and while on a case for them one of his friends turns on him and shoots him in the elbow and knee. His assignment, to protect someone, goes down in flames. He is nearly crippled, but with braces is able to again become mobile. For revenge as much as anything else, Mike goes after his ex-friend.
Melodrama set in South Vietnam in the 1960s. Krueger (Bramhall), a former infantry lieutenant, is imprisoned at Quai Dong, on the South China Sea, for refusing to fight. After a year at hard labor, he is told to use his Vietnamese language skills to question a Viet Cong suspect. The prisoner is drugged and tortured during the interrogation. Krueger eventually stops the torture by pretending that the prisoner has disclosed the location of a supply dump.
China, 7th century. On their way to a provincial center Judge Dee and his three wives spend the night at a Taoist monastery. Soon the judge discovers that the secluded place holds a secret - the former abbot died of unnatural causes. After a number of mysterious events and more cases of murder Dee tracks down the true villain.
After the superstardom and early death of Bruce Lee, 20th Century Fox decided to cobble together a couple of theatrical feature films from this property, of which this 1974 effort is the first. The bulk of the film consists of four episodes crudely spliced together. Scattered throughout are bizarrely irrelevant fight scenes from other episodes, which make the already disjointed plotting quite surreal. The television image was cropped to make a widescreen film, which means the tops of heads and hats are lopped off the frame with alarming regularity.
A Victorian gentleman hopes to find his long-lost son, who vanished whilst searching for a mysterious Viking community in a volcanic valley somewhere in uncharted Arctic regions. The gentleman puts together an expedition team to go on the search, but when they reach their destination they must escape from some Viking descendants who will kill to keep their existence a secret.
Blue Racer finds out that the Japanese chicken in the local farm has laid an egg. Blue Racer wastes no time getting it. Unfortunatly, the egg's father is a champion fighting rooster and foiled his plans several times. In his final attempt, he trips the rooster, which, as a result, the egg rolled down to the ostrich farm. The rooster mistakes an ostrich egg as his and takes it home, only, it hatched. The chicken couple argues over it, in Japanese language. Blue Racer, watching the scene, tells the audience that this is the Be Kind to Egg week, "So take your egg out to dinner, or at breakfast."
All-out war between the United States and an Asian country is averted when the two sides agree to settle their differences by each choosing a single soldier as champion and having the two men fight to the death on an isolated island.
A wanderer returns home only to find political turmoil, disease and romantic difficulties.
A motley group of phony church leaders attempts to rob a bank controlled by brothers in 1880's Texas.
Sgt. O'Farrell an Army soldier on an island in the South Pacific during World War II is trying to bring the two basics of life to his fellow servicemen, women and beer. The supply ship carrying the beer is torpedoed and the contingent of nurses consists of six males and ugly nurse Nellie Krause. If he could at least try to salvage the shipment of beer.
Engineer Jake Holman arrives aboard the gunboat USS San Pablo, assigned to patrol a tributary of the Yangtze in the middle of exploited and revolution-torn 1926 China. His iconoclasm and cynical nature soon clash with the 'rice-bowl' system which runs the ship and the uneasy symbiosis between Chinese and foreigner on the river. Hostility towards the gunboat's presence reaches a climax when the boat must crash through a river-boom and rescue missionaries upriver at China Light Mission.
The Garrisons are the "proud parents" of three adorable dachshund pups - and one overgrown Great Dane named Brutus, who nevertheless thinks of himself as a dainty dachsie. His identity crisis results in an uproarious series of household crises that reduce the Garrisons' house to shambles - and viewers to howls of laughter!
The crew of PT-73 are in trouble again when Ensign Parker is mistaken for a pilot and gets shanghied into the Air Force.
A U.S. military troop takes command of a band of Burmese guerillas during World War II.
Food critic Paul Gerard, who has been extorting money from restaurant owners in exchange for good reviews, murders one when threatened with exposure.
