Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast (John Atom, Jason Maher)

In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we resume our fourth season to talk about the iconic revenge film, Lady Snowblood (1973). We talk about the historical significance of the film, it's phenomenal action set pieces, and Meiko Kaji's role in the film's everlasting longevity.

We hope you enjoy our discussion!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2023/10/s4e7-touch-of-zen-1971.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

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In the 2nd episode of season 4 of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason take on a Michelle Yeoh double feature, Yes Madam (1985) and Royal Warriors (1986). They discuss the importance of these two films in the "girls with guns" genre, their merits, their flaws, and how they hold up in midst of the Hong Kong Golden Age.

We hope you enjoy!

Timestamps

0:01:46 - Film Discussion

1:01:34 - News

1:07:28 - Cultural Consumption

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2023/06/s4e2-yes-madamroyal-warriors-19851986.html

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For this years Halloween, we go to the prom with one of the most iconic horror movies ever made, Brian de Palma's Carrie (1976). Does the film stand the test of time? What is the social commentary hidden behind Carrie's blood-stained innocence?

We hope you enjoy our discussion!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2023/11/halloween-special-carrie-1976.html

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Welcome to season 4 of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, centered around female action heroes. We start the season with none other than Police Story: Supercop, staring Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh. One of the best action movies of the 90s, Supercop catapulted Yeoh into international fame and started a new chapter in Jackie Chan's career.

We hope you enjoy!

Timestamps

00:00 - Film Discussion

1:05:50 - News

1:16:08 - Cultural Consumption

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2023/05/s4e1-police-story-supercop-1992.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

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After a long delay, the second season of the Heroic Purgatory podcast is finally here. In this season we have decided to focus on Asian movies from the 90s, so be prepared for all kinds of 90s goodness with all the great movies and bad haircuts that it entails.

In the first episode of the season, we talk about Shohei Imamura's 1997 Palme D'or winner, The Eel. We discuss various interpretations of the film and try to understand the complex psychology of Imamura's characters.

Timestamps:

01:00 Introduction

05:04 Media Consumption

19:14 News

33:15 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/03/s2e1-eel-1997.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss the first two entries in the South Korean Whispering Corridors horror franchise: Whispering Corridors (1998) and Memento Mori (1999). Both films are shining examples of the rising Korean cinema of the 90s. We talk about their political symbolism, same sex relationships, as well as the role that these films played in the rise of Korean horror cinema.

Timestamps

2:26 - Media Consumption

16:04 - News

25:33 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/09/s2e9-whispering-corridorsmemento-mori.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we discuss the 2008 Thai action film, Chocolate. From the makers of Ong Bak and The Protector, this is another entry in a series of Thai films that found significant international success. Is chocolate worthy of its predecessors? Listen to our discussion and let us know what you think.

We hope you enjoy!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2023/07/s4e3-chocolate-2008.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason discuss the 2010 Palme D'or winning film, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall his Past Lives, directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. They attempt to decipher some of the film's most cryptic imagery and its place in the director's illustrious career.

We hope you enjoy.

Timestamps

1:42 - Media Consumption

31:14 - News

36:52 - Film Discussion

Website link:https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/11/s3e11-uncle-boonmee-2010.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason travel to mainland China to discuss Zhang Yimou's seminal 1991 film, Raise the Red Lantern. They discuss the film's accolades, allegorical interpretations, and its place in the director's multifaceted career.

Enjoy!

Timestamps

2:18 - Media Consumption

25:15 - News

27:27 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/06/s3e4-raise-red-lantern-1991.html

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In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss the iconic 1998 anime series, Cowboy Bebop. The boys talk about the characters, their favorite episodes, and like many others, they join the perennial bounty hunt for the myriad pop culture references buried within.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/11/november-special-cowboy-bebop.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason tackle John Woo's 1989 action flick, The Killer. They delve into the film's action, production values, religious themes, as well as its place in the "Heroic Bloodshed" genre which John Woo helped invent.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2020/10/episode-4-killer-1989.html

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As we move steadily through the new year, John and Jason take a look back at 2021 and talk about their favorite movies.

Timestamps:

2:23 - Media Consumption

15:04 - News

25:32 - Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/01/best-of-2021.html

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Intro music: "A Good Bass for Gambling" by Komiku

Outro music: Ninja Girl (2021) Original Soundtrack

In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we talk about The Heroic Trio and its sequel Executioners, both starring three giants of HK cinema, Michelle Yeoh, Anita Mui, and Maggie Cheung. We discuss the genre-mashing effect of these two films and debate passionately on which is the better one.

We hope you enjoy our discussion!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/04/s4e9-heroic-trio-1993.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss Wong Kar Wai's 1997 film, Happy Together. They discuss the film's technical aspects, its place in the director's filmography, as well as the film's larger statement on the politics of the time.

Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

1:40 Media Consumed

9:43 News

14:00 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/04/s2e2-happy-together-1997.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we discuss the 1984 film, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, based on his own manga with the same name. We talk about the differences between the film and the manga, the environmental and ecological themes of the movie, as well as its overall place in Miyazaki's remarkable oeuvre.

We hope you enjoy!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2023/08/s4e4-nausicaa-of-valley-of-wind-1984.html

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In the final episode of the season, John and Jason discuss Wong Kar-Wai's In the Mood for Love (2000), perhaps his most famous film. A seminal film in the history of Hong Kong cinema, it denotes a transitional period in the director's career. But is it his best? Listen to our discussion and let us know what your opinion is.

We hope you enjoy.

Timestamps

2:23 - Media Consumption

28:12 - News

35:26 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/12/s3e13-in-mood-for-love-2000.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason discuss the 2008 Oscar winning film, Departures. They talk about the film's obvious popular appeal, beautiful score, themes of death -- and finally they ruminate on whether it truly deserves its myriad of awards.

We hope you enjoy.

Timestamps

2:52 - Media Consumption

21:27 - News

28:16 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/08/s3e7-departures-2008.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

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Welcome to the inaugural episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast. In this episode, the hosts, John and Jason, introduce themselves and talk about their history with Asian cinema, as well as their plans for their new podcast.

Be sure to follow our show and let us know what you think.

Follow John on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mildly_scifi

Follow Jason on Twitter: https://twitter.com/filmnohito

Follow Jason's Japanese Cinema Blog: https://genkinahito.wordpress.com/

Intro music: "A Good Bass for Gambling" by Komiku

Outro Music: "Bleu" by Komiku

For the third year in a row, the Heroic Purgatory podcast is covering the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) which took place between March 10 and March 19. As usual, the podcast will present John's and Jason's favorite films of NYAFF 2023 (in addition to a general overview of the festival). Additional, this page includes short written reviews by John of the NYAFF movies he managed to see.

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2023/07/new-york-asian-film-festival-2023.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

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Halloween is here, and Heroic Purgatory is celebrating the spooky season with a spoonful of Roger Corman, Vincent Price, and Edgar Allan Poe. That's right, in this special episode we discuss Roger Corman's Poe cycle. Though we focus mostly on The Raven and The Pit and The Pendulum, we touch on all 8 films as well as other Corman and Price films in the scary category.

We hope you enjoy our discussion.

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/10/special-corman-poe-cycle.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we take on a Hong Kong Yuen Biao double feature, Righting Wrongs (1986) and On the Run (1988). Both films see Biao share the screen with a female co-star, Cynthia Rothrock and Patricia Ha, two riveting action stars who steal the show and make these movies memorable.

We hope you enjoy our discussion!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/06/s4e11-righting-wrongs-on-run.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John, Jason, and guest host Dr. Brian Ruh discuss Mamoru Oshii's 1995 animated masterpiece, Ghost in the Shell. They spend a lot of time discussing the film's philosophical/theological themes, Oshii's unique style, as well as the various sequels and spinoffs of the franchise.

Timestamps:

2:58 Media Consumption

10:18 News

15:36 Film Discussion

Buy Brian's book: https://www.amazon.com/Stray-Dog-Anime-Films-Mamoru/dp/1403963

Follow Brian on twitter: https://twitter.com/brianruh

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/08/s2e8-ghost-in-shell.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason discuss Bong Joon-ho's 2003 crime-thriller, Memories of Murder. They delve into the film's themes and messages, its statement on class and woman, as well as its stance on the past politics of South Korea.

Next Episode: Devils on the Doorsteps (China, 2000)

Website link:https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2020/11/episode-7-memories-of-murder-2003.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we discuss the 2017 South Korean film, The Villainess. We discuss the film's action, style, and the merits of its questionably derivative revenge story.

We hope you enjoy our discussion!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/05/s4e10-villainess-2017.html

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In the first episode of the year, the Heroic Purgatory hosts discuss their favorite films of 2023.

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/01/best-films-of-2023.html

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In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss their favorite movies from the wonderful 2022 Osaka Asian Film Festival.

Timestamps:

2:53 - Media Consumption

19:12 - News

23:42 - Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/03/oaff-2022-special.html

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In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss their favorite movies from the 2022 New York Asian Film Festival.

Timestamps:

1:48 - Media Consumption

10:32 - News

17:13 - Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/07/special-nyaff-2022.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason discuss Johnnie To's 1999 film, The Mission. They talk about the film's style, characters, deep underlying themes, as well as its place in Hong Kong's heroic bloodshed genre.

Enjoy!

Timestamps

1:35 - Media Consumption

14:50 - News

20:24 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/08/s3e6-mission-1999.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss the 1995 Hong Kong comedy, Out of the Dark, directed by Jeffrey Lau and starring Stephen Chow and Karen Mok. They talk about the Chow's most memorable scenes (in this film and others) and how Chow's particular brand of comedy elevates all his films above the competition.

Timestamps:

1:36 Media Consumption

16:17 News

24:10 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/06/s2e5-out-of-dark-1995.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss Kinji Fukasaku's final feature film, Battle Royale. Released in 2000, the film is as controversial now as it was then. We talk about the film, its sequel, the novel it was based on, and much, much more.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2020/09/episode-2-battle-royale-2000.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason discuss Bong Joon-ho's award winning and record breaking 2019 film, Parasite. They discuss themes of class and gender present in the film, its comparison with other films like Kurosawa's High and Low, and speculations about the film's legacy and success.

Timestamps

2:14 - Media Consumption

14:30 - News

18:55 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/05/s3e2-parasite-2019.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

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In this episode of the Heroic Purgatory podcast, John and Jason talk about Ang Lee's film, Eat Drink Man Woman, the final part of his "Father Knows Best" trilogy. They attempt to analyze the themes of tradition vs. modernity, as well as the film's autobiographical elements. As a side note, they also ponder on the current state of Asian cinema and what it means for Western audiences.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2020/11/episode-6-eat-drink-man-woman-1994.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we resume our fourth season to talk about the iconic revenge film, Lady Snowblood (1973). We talk about the historical significance of the film, it's phenomenal action set pieces, and Meiko Kaji's role in the film's everlasting longevity.

We hope you enjoy our discussion!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/04/s4e8-lady-snowblood-1973.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/filmnohito

In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason discuss the highly acclaimed 2015 film, The Assassin, directed by Taiwanese master Hou Hsiao-Hsien. We talk about the film's cinematography, editing, action, its mythic origins, and whether or not it deserves its numerous accolades.

We hope you enjoy.

Timestamps

3:04 - Media Consumption

27:29 - News

31:49 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/10/s3e9-assassin-2015.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

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The holiday season is finally upon us.

John and Jason close 2020 with a Heroic Purgatory Christmas Special, discussing their favorite Holiday themed movies, among other things.

We procrastinated a lot more than usual in this episode. Actual film discussion starts at 42:05.

Finally, we'd like to wish every one of our listeners a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year. See you in 2021.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2020/12/christmas-special-2020.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason discuss Park Chan-wook's 2003 masterpiece, Oldboy. A film as dark as it is entertaining, it contains themes of class, religion, fate, and vengeance. Listen as we attempt to analyze one of the most well known Korean films of all time.

We hope you enjoy.

Timestamps

2:03 - Media Consumption

14:20 - News

19:44 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/11/s3e12-oldboy-2003.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason discuss the 2018 Lee Chang-dong film, Burning. They talk about the film's themes, style, influences, and its nuanced take on social and existential issues.

We hope you enjoy.

Timestamps

3:02 - Media Consumption

23:20 - News

30:45 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/09/s3e8-burning-2018.html

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone. In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason tackle Satoshi Kon's 2003 film, Tokyo Godfathers.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/12/christmas-special-2021-tokyo-godfathers.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

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In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, we are taking a break from our coverage Asian cinema in the 90s to discuss the 2020 Best Picture Oscar winner, Nomadland, directed by Chloe Zhao. We discuss the film's merits as a work of social criticism along with its philosophical musings about the beauty and harshness of the "nomad" lifestyle. 

Timestamps:

2:02 Introduction

2:58 Media Consumption

10:53 News

16:24 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/05/oscars-2020-special-nomadland.html

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In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss the 2021 edition of the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF). For the second year in a row, NYAFF goes online (well, partially), which means everyone in North America can enjoy their wonderful selection of Asian films. In this episode we talk about our overall impression of the festival and list our favorite films.

The festival will run from August 6th to the 22th. For info and ticket purchasing visit nyaff.org

You can rent films individually, or purchase a bundle pass here.

We hope you enjoy.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/08/special-nyaff-2021.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss Takeshi Kitano's (Beat Takeshi) 1997 Golden Lion winner, Hana-bi (aka Fireworks). They talk about the film's uniquely minimalist aesthetic, beautiful soundtrack, and potential message of hope and/or nihilism, depending on the viewer's mood. We hope you enjoy!

Timestamps:

1:58 Media Consumed

6:58 News

12:47 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/05/s2e3-hana-bi-1997.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason tackle their first Iranian film with Abbas Kiarostami's 1997 Palme D'or winner, Taste of Cherry. They discuss the film's deep philosophical themes, cultural references, and unique visual aesthetic.

Enjoy!

Timestamps

2:10 - Media Consumption

20:05 - News

30:29 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/07/s3e5-taste-of-cherry-1997.html

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Alas, the season finale is here. In this final episode of season 2 of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss the 1997 Hong Kong film by Fruit Chan, Made in Hong Kong. We talk about the film's style, themes, and place in post-handover Hong Kong. We also share some overall thoughts on the topic of this season, 90s Asian cinema.

Timestamps

3:32 - Media Consumption

18:19 - News

24:27 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/10/s2e10-made-in-hong-kong-1997.html

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Season 2 might be over, but our coverage of great movies continues. In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason talk about John Carpenter's 1982 film, The Thing, and the various iterations that preceded it. Starting with John W. Campbell's novella, Who Goes There, and the Howard Hawks 1951 adaptation, The Thing from Another World, we delve into the many themes and interpretations contained inside this timeless story, focusing primarily on the Carpenter version.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/10/halloween-special-thing.html

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Once again this year, the Heroic Purgatory podcast is covering the Japan Cuts 2024 film festival which took place between July 10 and 21. As usual, the podcast will present John's and Jason's favorite films of the festival. Additionally, this page includes short written reviews by John of the Japan Cuts movies he managed to see.

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/07/special-japan-cuts-film-festival-2024.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

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Follow John: https://twitter.com/mildly_scifiO

In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason discuss the 2002 Yoji Yamada (of Tara-san fame) film, The Twilight Samurai. Along with its sequels and related films, we discuss the historical setting, multitude of themes, and Yamada's expertise in everyday drama.

We hope you enjoy.

Timestamps

2:18 - Media Consumption

32:03 - News

34:12 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/10/s3e10-twilight-samurai-2002.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason return to the coverage of 90s Asian cinema by discussion Ang Lee's 1993 film, The Wedding Banquet. In this film, Ang Lee presents yet another clash between tradition and modernity through the lens of a Taiwanese immigrant struggling to balance his personal life with his filial duties. Can those two worlds ever reconcile? Listen as we discuss these themes, and more!

Timestamps:

1:57 Media Consumption

10:27 News

15:52 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/07/s2e7-wedding-banquet-1993.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason discuss Ang Lee's 2000 Wuxia film, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Breaking all kinds of records when released, the film revitalized the Wuxia genre and brought international recognition to Ang Lee, Chow Yun Fat, and Michelle Yeoh. Listen to John's and Jason's discussion and see if they think the film stands the test of time.

Timestamps

2:16 - Media Consumption

15:13 - News

22:30 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/06/s3e3-crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-2000.html

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In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason take a brake from 90s Asian cinema to discuss a retrospective on the cinema of documentarians Kazuo Hara and Sachiko Kobayashi, presented by Japan Society.

The series runs until July 2nd, and can be viewed here: https://film.japansociety.org/page/cinema-as-struggle-the-films-of-kazuo-hara-and-sachiko-kobayashi/

Timestamps:

2:24 Media Consumption

5:41 News

9:54 Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/06/special-cinema-as-struggle.html

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In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason rank their favorite films of the 2022.

Let us know what your favorite films were.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2023/01/best-films-of-2022.html

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Welcome to the 3rd season of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast. This season's theme is "award winners." What are the biggest award winners in Asian cinema? How where these films received at the time, how are they received now, and can they tell as something about the state of Asian cinema at the time of their release?

John and Jason start the season with this year's big Oscar winner, Drive My Car (2021) directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, based on three short stories by Haruki Murakami. They discuss the film's ample subtext, its merit as a Murakami adaptation, and debate whether the films 3-hour runtime is justified. As always, we hope you enjoy.

Timestamps

7:56 - Media Consumption

29:29 - News

30:38 - Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2022/05/s3e1-drive-my-car-2021.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we discuss the 2001 South Korean film, My Wife is a Gangster. Does this 20+ year-old action comedy pass the test of time, or is it just another trope-filled product of its time?

We hope you enjoy our discussion!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2023/09/s4e6-my-wife-is-gangster-2001.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, in anticipation of the upcoming Japan Cuts 2024 film festival, we interview two members of Japan Society: director of film Peter Tatara, and programmer Alexander Fee.

Find out more about the festival at: https://japansociety.org/film/japancuts/

We hope you enjoy our discussion!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/07/special-interview-with-japan-society.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we discuss the 2019 American film, Alita: Battle Angel, based on the Japanese manga Gunnm by Yukito Kishiro. Is James Cameron's and Robert Rodriguez' adaptation faithful to the source material, or is it just another run-of-the-mill Hollywood blockbuster. Listen to what John and Jason have to say about the film.

We hope you enjoy!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2023/08/s3e5-alita-battle-angel-2019.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss Kim Jee-woon's action/crime film, A Bittersweet Life (2005). They talk about the film's existential themes, its well-crafted action scenes, as well as whether or not the whole thing is just happening in the main character's head.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2020/09/episode-3-bittersweet-life-2005.html

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In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason talk about John Carpenter's 1986 classic, Big Trouble in Little China. They talk about the film's influence's, legacy, and Kurt Russell's underappreciated comedic chops.

We hope you enjoy!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2023/03/osaka-asian-film-festival-2023.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we tackle a South Korean double feature: Green Fish and No.3, both from 1997. We talk about the similarities and differences between these too films, their artistic merits, as well as their commentary on Korean society of the 90s.

Timestamps:

1:15 Introduction

1:54 Media Consumed

8:00 News

12:38 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/04/s2e3-green-fish-no3-1997.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason revisit South Korean director, Kim Jee-woon, this time discussing his 1998 feature film debut, The Quiet Family. They talk about the comedy, the horror, and the film's political commentary on military regime of South Korean dictator Park Chung-hee.

Timestamps:

3:00 Media Consumption

21:47 News

37:13 Film Discussion

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2021/06/s2e6-quiet-family-1998.html

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In the final episode of the first season of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast, John and Jason discuss Wen Jiang's 2000 war drama/comedy, Devils on the Doorstep. They talk about the effectiveness of the film's comedy, its statement on propaganda, the morality of war, and much more.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2020/12/episode-8-devils-on-doorstep-2000.html

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For the second year in a row, the Heroic Purgatory podcast is covering the Osaka Asian Film Festival (OAFF) which took place between March 10 and March 19. As usual, the podcast will present John's and Jason's favorite films of OAFF 2023.

We hope you enjoy!

Timestamps

1:29:05 - News

1:46:50 - Cultural Consumption

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2023/03/osaka-asian-film-festival-2023.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason celebrate the spooky month of October by discussing Takashi Miike's seminal 1999 horror film, Audition. They talk about the film's feminist themes, its excessive violence, as well as its overall place in the horror genre.

Website link:https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2020/10/episode-5-audition-1999.html

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In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, we discuss the 2016 kaiju movie, Shin Godzilla, as well as the franchise's various other incarnations that followed it. We talk about the film's themes, social commentary, visual aesthetic, and its place in the Godzillaverse.

We hope you enjoy our discussion!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/05/special-shin-godzilla-2016.html

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In another special episode of Heroic Purgatory, we take a right turn towards Texas to visit John Sayles' Lone Star, a film about history and identity. We discuss the film's authenticity, brilliant performances, and which version of history is right or moral.

We hope you enjoy our discussion.

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/12/special-lone-star-1996.html

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In a season of female action heroes for the Heroic Purgatory podcast, we tackle what may be perhaps the first female action hero in the history of cinema: the iconic Ripley in Ridley Scott's 1979 seminal science-fiction horror film, Alien. From the special effects to the production design to the paradigm-shifting female-led action franchise, we can't help but admire every detail of this masterpiece.

We hope you enjoy our discussion.

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/10/special-alien-1979.html

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In the first actual episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason talk about Jackie Chan's seminal action-comedy, Police Story (1985). Considered to be one of the best action films of all time, Police Story was the first among many films that would catapult Jackie into international stardom.

Website link: https://heroic-purgatory.blogspot.com/2020/08/episode-1-police-story-1985.html

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Yet another year is behind us, so John and Jason get back behind the mics on this special episode of Heroic Purgatory to discuss their favorite films of 2024.

Enjoy!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2025/02/special-best-of-2024.html

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In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we discuss Zhang Yimou's 2004 wuxia love story, House of Flying Daggers, staring Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Andy Lau. We discuss the film's impressive visuals, anti-authoritarian themes, and its place in Yimou's expansive filmography.

We hope you enjoy our discussion.

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/08/s4e12-house-of-flying-daggers.html

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