Tears of The Black Tiger...

Forget Blockbuster. I walk in a couple of weeks ago, and see that their prices are something like 2.50 per movie for five days, just for an older release. Now, I say forget that, buy four movies, and walk out. I decide that I should just make a new account at Family Video, up here in Allendale. Now, this was a few months ago, yet, I still go back every time I need my DVD fix. Today was a perfect example why. I look around after returning High Fidelity and Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, and find that I have a great selection to choose from. I pick up four movies...Bubble, Breaking and Entering, The Tripletts of Belleville, and the film I will be reviewing now, Tears of The Black Tiger, all for 2$. What a great set, and I will be reviewing them all for the blog. So, lets get started.

Tears of The Black Tiger is a Thai Western, and is a story about a group of outlaws who are ruining a region in the outskirts of a local area. Amoung them, Dum, promised an old fling, that no matter the difference in their class, they will one day become married. He becomes involved in a fist fight, and loses his chance. However, he will not stop, and this is the story of him, The Black Tiger, and his attempt at regaining his lost love.

Now, the first thing that I need to say, is that this film was suprisingly really good. I was really hesitant about picking this up at first. The cover didn't really make the film seem appealing and it took me a couple of times to actually pick it up. However, I should have done it faster. This film is so over the top. The performances are hilarious, yet they work for the film. They are over the top and really bring a sense of humor and sometimes raise the stakes too. It's almost like Telemundo Telenovela kind of acting and it's so colorful and fun to watch. The best example of this is the first meeting between the two ex-lovers after years of seperation, and when Dum leaves, he goes next to a wall, the music picks up, and he punches a wall only to turn his head and stomp off. It really is quite comical. This is one film you watch with the dubbing ON.

Speaking of colorful, this films pallet may be one of the most stunning I have seen in a long long time. It has really bright blues and pinks, and everything just pops off of the screen. There is melodramatic jump cuts, extreme emotional closeups, and classic western style shots. It's almost like Kung Fu Hustle, meets Once Upon the Time In The West. Some of the shots are also just really stunning. In the opening fight scene for example. It cuts between the women walking in a garden, and the gun fight, only to stop and point out an impossible shot the main character makes. It's so obvious that it even says that they will replay it for you, and then they follow the bullet. It really is something to behold. The score is also really well done. Now, the over the top acting and story, color scheme, and score are all really great, but I do have a few problems.

There are just a couple of negatives to point out. First, the second act lags a little bit. I personally didn't care a ton about the romance, but the style is so amazing that it still kept me in. The only other problem was that the whole thing gets to be a little tedious. Like, this should have been cut about 15 minutes. However, I had no problem sitting through it, and neither will you. Please do yourself a favor and check out this little gem of a flick. You'll have a blast. This should be at most local video rental stores, and if you have a choice, don't go to Blockbuster. Forget Blockbuster.





Okay, so, expect some more news, and maybe a review of The Triplets of Belleville or Bubble tomorow.

Go see something good!!