Quote:
When a naïve young man (Shinichi Tsutsumi) and his lazy best friend attempt to rob a bank, they find another robber has beaten them to the punch. After the original robber and the best friend are killed the young man serendipitously gets the 80 million yen. But when he accidentally stabs an innocent hairdresser, a cause-and-effect situation quickly spirals out of control. Meanwhile, a trio of yakuza mistakenly kill a powerful mob boss. As their paths continue to cross, the story displays some interesting parallels about just-out-of-reach redemption and the unlikelihood of atoning for one’s sins, all delivered in a black comedy package.

Anrakki.monki.AKA.Unlucky.Monkey.1998.DVDRip.x264-HANDJOB.mkv

General
Container:	Matroska
Runtime:	1h 46mn
Size:	1.79 GiB
DXVA:	Compatible
Minimum settings:	Met
Video
Codec:	x264
Resolution:	718x478 ~> 849x478
Aspect ratio:	16:9
Frame rate:	23.976 fps
Bit rate:	2 167 Kbps
Audio
Japanese 2.0ch AC-3 @ 192 Kbps

https://nitro.download/view/3D7AD58BB9A5E33/Anrakki.monki.AKA.Unlucky.Monkey.1998.DVDRip.x264-HANDJOB.mkv

Language(s):Japanese
Subtitles:English, Chinese

The post Sabu – Unlucky Monkey (1998) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

Quote:
A fun-filled camp fantasy melodrama about cobra worshipers on an exotic secret tropical island. It was shot in appealing Technicolor on Universal’s back lot. Sarong-draped beauty Maria Montez has a dual role as both the good and evil twin sister. Director Robert Siodmak (“People on Sunday”/”Son of Dracula”/”Phantom Lady”) keeps the hokum going at a fast pace. It’s based on a story by W. Scott Darling and is written by Gene Lewis and Richard Brooks.

On a peaceful South Sea island local native beauty Tollea (Maria Montez) is kidnapped on the day she’s to marry Ramu (Jon Hall) by a mute giant Hava (Lon Chaney) and brought back to Cobra Island on orders of the island’s queen (Mary Nash), her grandmother. MacDonald (Morsoni Olsen) is a Scotsman adventurer living on the island, who tells Ramu that he raised Tollea as his daughter since she was a one-year-old stowaway on his ship after he was tortured and released from Cobra Island when he was shipwrecked on the forbidden island. Ramu learns that Tollea has been taken back to Cobra Island and pursues her despite warnings from MacDonald that strangers are killed on the island according to tribal law. Kado (Sabu), the goofy loyal teenage servant of Ramu, tags along uninvited.

On the island, her grandmother queen tells Tollea that she was brought back to her people to be the rightful ruler. We learn that Tollea’s younger twin sister Naja now rules the island as the high priestess and is a cruel despot. Naja is set to marry the evil priest Martok (Edgar Barrier), and the evil duo try to eliminate rescuers Ramu and Kado and their playful pet chimp Coco. The outsiders try to help the queen restore the rightful oldest ruler Tollea to her place on the throne, but must first eliminate the opposition.

It’s nutty fun, the sets are a visual treat, the hammy acting is fitting for such a wacky tale, the action is fast and loose, there are snake dances in the holy temple that look like a lounge act and you can’t beat the thrill of witnessing a rumbling volcano be a signal if the gods approve or don’t of the island ruler. — Dennis Schwartz (Ozus’ World Movie Reviews)

Robert Siodmak - (1944) Cobra Woman.mkv

General
Container:  	Matroska
Runtime: 	1 h 10 min
Size: 	1.82 GiB
Video
Codec: 	x264
Resolution: 	790x576 
Aspect ratio:  	1.372
Frame rate: 	23.976 fps
Bit rate: 	3 311 kb/s
BPP: 	0.303
Audio
#1:  	2.0ch AC-3 @ 192 kb/s
#2:  	2.0ch AC-3 @ 192 kb/s (Commentary by Film Historian Phillipa Berry)

https://nitro.download/view/9FC0F269C8BBE82/Robert_Siodmak_-_(1944)_Cobra_Woman.mkv

Language(s):English
Subtitles:English

The post Robert Siodmak – Cobra Woman (1944) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

In ancient Bagdad, the young prince Ahmad (John Justin) is betrayed, deposed, and imprisoned by his vizier Jaffar (Conrad Veidt), an evil and calculating man who is also a master of the Black Arts. But Ahmad is saved from prison, and certain execution, by Abu (Sabu), a young thief who has made his way in life by stealing whatever he needs. Together they escape from Bagdad and make their way to the port city of Basra, where they hope to sign to sail with the renowned sailor Sinbad. But Ahmad chances to catch a glimpse of the daughter (June Duprez) of the Sultan (Miles Malleson, who also co-wrote the screenplay), and falls hopelessly in love with her. Sneaking into the garden where she spends most of her days, she meets him and the two are bound together forever in that moment, he the first man she has ever seen, and she the most beautiful woman he has ever beheld. But no sooner have they declared their love for each other then Jaffar arrives in Basra, seeking the princess’ hand in marriage — and to secure the blessing of her father, a fanatical collector of toys, he offers the aging Sultan a fantastic mechanical flying horse that bears him into the clouds at will. The sultan agrees to the marriage, but the princess flees the city. Abu and Ahmad are captured and before either can tell the sultan of their plight, Jaffar works his magic, leaving Ahmad blind and transforming Abu into a dog — conditions that will remain until he holds the princess in his arms.

	
The.Thief.of.Bagdad.1940.BDRIP.576p.x264.AC3.KJNU.mkv

General
Container:  	Matroska
Runtime: 	1 h 46 min
Size: 	2.37 GiB
Video
Codec: 	x264
Resolution: 	788x576 
Aspect ratio:  	4:3
Frame rate: 	23.976 fps
Bit rate: 	3 000 kb/s
BPP: 	0.276
Audio
#1:  	English 1.0ch AC-3 @ 192 kb/s

https://nitro.download/view/A013D2139D77605/The.Thief.of.Bagdad.1940.BDRIP.NEW.576p.x264.AC3.KJNU.mkv

Language(s):English
Subtitles:English SDH

The post Ludwig Berger & Michael Powell & Tim Whelan & Alexander Korda & Zoltan Korda & William Cameron Menzies – The Thief of Bagdad (1940) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

Quote:
Directed by the Japanese king of kooky-cool, SABU, Hold Up Down has it all: bank robbers dressed in skin-tight Santa suits, the subway busker that looks like he is straight out of Woodstock, the suicidal church minister-turned-truck driver, a couple of twisted policemen – oh, and a key to a whole lotta cash.
SABU exploded on the Japanese film scene in 1986, first as an actor and later, taking a more firm role behind the camera as both director and scriptwriter with the acclaimed Dangan Runner in 1995. Hold Up Down is SABU’s second collaboration with all-male J-pop group V6 (they first starred in his previous Hard Luck Hero), which serves as a gentle reminder that, in Asia, pop stars who also act can find their CD sales actually increase (as opposed to the norm in this part of the world which seems to have the opposite effect)..

Horudo.appu.daun.AKA.Hold.Up.Down.2005.576p.BluRay.x264-MSTh.mkv

General
Container:  	Matroska
Runtime: 	1 h 36 min
Size: 	2.99 GiB
Video
Codec: 	x264
Resolution: 	1024x542 
Aspect ratio:  	1.889
Frame rate: 	23.976 fps
Bit rate: 	3 991 kb/s
BPP: 	0.300
Audio
#1:  	Japanese 5.1ch AC-3 @ 448 kb/s

https://nitro.download/view/291C8275435932E/Horudo.appu.daun.AKA.Hold.Up.Down.2005.576p.BluRay.x264-MSTh.mkv

Language(s):Japanese
Subtitles:English, Japanese

The post Sabu AKA Hiroyuki Tanaka – Hôrudo appu daun aka Hold up down (2005) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

synopsis:
Kenichi Asakura is an uptight, hyper-square salesman. One day, three bank robbers
commandeer his van. They are in hot pursuit of their fellow robber who has snatched the
money. Unfortunately for the bank robbers, Asakura never drives over 40 km/h speed limit
even under the extreme situation.

700MB | 1h 40m | 592×320 | avi

https://nitro.download/view/136F70E3D4DD1FA/Drive.2002.DVDrip.XviD-WRD.avi
https://nitro.download/view/8F011CCF08F930D/Drive.2002.DVDrip.XviD-WRD.srt

Language(s):Japanese
Subtitles:English

The post Sabu AKA Hiroyuki Tanaka – Drive (2002) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

Quote:
Kanjaki, a middle-aged man, goes to a quiet countryside village. He puts his helmet on a shrunken old woman whom he meets by chance in a shop. As soon as he presses the buttons on the helmet one by one, she suddenly remembers forgotten happy moments and is rejuvenated. This is just the beginning. Kanjaki goes on to make the village people recall their happy pasts, but his face is lined with worry and a sadness that deepens. What is the secret of this helmet? And what is he trying to do with it? Director Sabu’s Happiness suggests happiness and suffering are intertwined through the unusual scenario of a helmet reminding people of the happiest moments of their lives. Sabu convincingly portrays the notion that memory is the source of both happiness and suffering, and how memory affects our lives.

Low bitrate but the best we have for now…

317MB | 1h 30m | 640×360 | mkv

https://nitroflare.com/view/7982929C699D756/Happiness.mkv

Language(s):Japanese
Subtitles:English hardsubs

The post Sabu AKA Hiroyuki Tanaka – Happiness (2016) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

review:
*** might contain spoilers ***

Story: After being convinced by his friend Ishii, Asai decides to take part in a fixed
underground Thai-Boxing fight as a last minute replacement. The deal is simple; convince
the crowd that he is in fact a Muay Thaï champion from Thailand, which should be
miraculous considering the fact that he has no experience, and get knock out on the
second round. However, an unexpected incident during the fight turns the event into total
chaos.

Meanwhile, Ikeyama and Kishimoto, two salarymen, decide to try a new place for lunch.
They unexpectedly end up at the table of an important Yakuza who has come to watch
the illegal Thai-Boxing match that will take place in the underground restaurant.
Unfortunately for them, the situation turns upside down in a mere second during the fight.
The two men attempt to flee, but a police raid makes things more complicate for their
escape.

Meanwhile (it’s a Sabu movie after all), Fujita and Kudo, two low life gangsters, decide to
steal money from another gangster during the fight. Things fly completely out of control
when the Yakuza starts shooting at people and police raid the restaurant.

Review: What started as a music video collaboration between Avex Inc. and Japanese
director Sabu, ended up as a full motion picture with more than just simple commercial
appeal for fans of J-pop band V6. In fact, it shares the same brilliant quality with other
Sabu classics such as Monday, and Drive. While singer-turned-actor films are quite
common place, these types of films usually end up flopping due to the studio’s desire for
an extremely commercial product, and the generally poor acting ability of an inexperienced
cast. Despite that usual misfortune, Hard Luck Hero doesn’t fail to impress by unfolding a
great story and memorable characters.

It is surprising to see how well Sabu managed to keep control of this movie, as it easily
finds itself at home amongst any other film in the director’s filmography. It manages to be
very clever and intriguing until the last frame while still possessing the ability to always
keep the viewer entertained. When you think about it, it is plain to see that the original idea
stemmed from something much smaller, as the underdevelopment can be felt throughout
the story. However, when Sabu works his magic, something miraculous occurs.

The story is separate in three parts, with each part featuring a duo from the group V6. In
each segment we learn more about the whole story until all things comes together in the
finale. Not only does the movie hook you from the start, but it also manages to leave you
with a subtle “don’t give up on your dreams” message for his conclusion. Like most Sabu
films, there is not much to say about the plot without spoiling anything, so I will leave it up
to you to have fun discovering the fate of each character.

The most surprising aspect of the film was indeed V6’s acting. I was seriously expecting
something terrible, but they really did a great job at portraying each character. The most
impressive and funny one was Okada Junichi in the role of Asai. It was very easy to
sympathize with the character and Okada’s performance before the boxing fight was
totally hilarious! Inohara Yoshihiko and Nagano Hiroshi were also excellent as a duo of
salary men. In general, V6’s acting abilities might not permit them to play in more serious
productions, but their respective style fit perfectly in this production. Another cool thing
was the inclusion in minor role of famous actors such as Susumu Terajima, who also
appears in many Sabu, Kitano, and Miike productions.

The tone of the movie has a great mixture of humour and action, which in most Sabu
movies consist of people getting chased by police or Yakuza. The humour is also very
well balanced, as there are a few great laughs here and there. As for the dramatic
elements, they are present but very subtle.

Fans of previous Sabu movies will immediately recognize the structure of the film. Usually
it consists of an event that affects multiple characters that will eventually end up affecting
each of their lives later in the movie. So do not expect something revolutionary from Sabu,
but people who love his films are probably not expecting something different from him.
Only Sabu can make these kinds of movies so good.

700MB | 1h 18m | 640×336 | avi

https://nitro.download/view/7553B202C3F627A/(SABU)_Hard_Luck_Hero_2003.11.27_DVDrip.avi https://nitro.download/view/796A383216309F7/(SABU)_Hard_Luck_Hero_2003.11.27_DVDrip.srt Language(s):Japanese Subtitles:English

The post Sabu AKA Hiroyuki Tanaka – Hard Luck Hero (2003) first appeared on Cinema of the World.