Philip Ko Films

[Markgway]

Maybe you guys can help me with these queries?

1. Is EASTERN HEROES a simple retitling of FURY IN RED or is it a re-edited version?

2. Is FATAL CHASE a Filipino film or a HK-Filipino co-production? I can't find any production company names.

Thanks.

[MissScarlett01]

1. re-edit

2. HK film where most of the story takes place in the Philippines.

And future Mortal Kombat/Red Trousers star Robin Shou stars in both ;)

[Markgway]

Thanks,

Any idea what's different between Fury in Red and Eastern Heroes?

You don't happen to know the prod.co for Fatal Chase do you? Anyone got a Hong Kong poster?

[BKarza]

I wouldn't call what he made in the Phillipines, films. More like rent money and food money.

[Chen Zhen]

I wouldn't call what he made in the Phillipines, films. More like rent money and food money.

:rollin

[Markgway]

:lol

Yeah, Philip Ko was Ed Wood's protege, methinks.

[Takano2002]

All the movies made with Ko in Philippines are philippine productions. Fatal Chase is a pinoy movie (with Ronnie Rickkets, no less) with some inserts made in HK.

[Markgway]

Cheers, Takano.

Can you tell me which of these movies are Filipino, other than Fatal Chase and Lethal Panther 2?

[contraspirit]

Both LETHAL PANTHER 2 and FATAL CHASE are produced by the HK-based company MY WAY FILMS.
And according to the now defunct UK-magazine EASTERN HEROES the film company FILMSWELL simply retitled FURY IN RED for the international market.

[Markgway]

Ahh, well that's quite different info.

Were they Co-productions then? I would assume some Filipino company involvement with those casts?

Who's behind My Way Films?

Fury in Red is pure-Hong Kong. The one thing I did learn was that 'Eastern Heroes' has a longer uncensored version of a rape scene.

[Takano2002]

I'll collect the info you'll look for, Mark. And, talking about My Way, this company just buy taiwanese, chinese and filipino movies to recut them and sell. Ocassionaly produces, like Legend of the Wold. I had a long term relation with them, so I know what I talking about.

This company is owned by Jeremy Cheung and overeseas rights salesman is no other than Mr. Godfrey Ho himself. If you go to Cannes or AFM you can chat with him.

All the Philip Ko films made in Philippines ARE NOT COPRODUCTIONS. These are movies with new scenes inserted in HK, like Magsasangga sa Batas recut as Lethal Panter or Magsasangga 2000 being transformed in Ultracop 2000. The original cuts are almost 2 hour long. Heck, if you don't believe just go to any filipino store online and look for the original producers, mainly Viva Films, Regal Fims and others.

I think Ko get the 35 mm and overseas right as pay for the action direction in these, and later selling them to My Way, Golden Sun and New Treasurer Films.

There are a lot of cut and paste films made this way, like Angel on Fire (called Matira ang Matibay in uncut form, with a lot more of footage with the original filipino actors), Power Connection (originally Tapang sa Tapang, with Lito Lapid almost excissed in all scenes in HK cut) and a lot others you can find them in the rights catalogues from My Way & Golden Sun.

Don't talk if you don't know, man.

Edit: other filipino films are Guardian Angel, Hard to Kill, Asian Cops: High Voltage, etc...

[Markgway]

Excellent info, mate. I've always wondered about the true origins of these films. So for something like Lethal Panther 2 - were the scenes with Yukari Oshima and Philip Ko newly shot and inserted into Magsasangga sa Batas? It would certainly explain why these movies are so often choppy and incoherent.

Were any of the Chinese actors directly employed by the Filipinos? Or were they always replacing local actors with new footage? I ask because on something like Hard to Kill I seem to recall most of the film featuring Chinese-based actors like Oshima and Mark Cheng. That would have required most of the movie being reshot, no?

More info on these Filipino productions would be ace and really appreciated. :)

[Markgway]

Filipino Film Council link for 'Lethal Panther 2' with full cast list:

Magkasangga sa batas (http://www.filmdevcouncil.com/index.php?opt=5&opt2=1&A=M&A1=12&fid=71)

Seems that the original director was Edwin T. Lanado. Philip Ko is also listed - either for the action or the extra sequences?

Yukari Oshima and Sharon Kwok mentioned among the cast - would they have listed these actors if they didn't appear in the original cut?

[Reincarnation Of Thundering Mantis]

Hey thanks for the info Takano!

Anyone here seen or have any info on the following films

Bangis and Bangis 2: Predator rip off with action by Philip Ko Fei

Buhawi Jack - Monsour Del Rosario versus the son of Ko Fei

Duelo (Duel) - I believe this film has some HK involvement

Once Upon A Time In Manila - Yukari Oshima

[theportlykicker]

I've got Once Upon A time in Manila on VCD. It's pretty crappy really.

Lots of Filipino comedy and bad action performed by Yukari Oshima aka Cynthia Luster:lol . I'm sorry, that name always makes me laugh.

[contraspirit]

@Takano2002

I seriously doubt your info, since there are interviews with Donnie Yen, where he talked about the production of High Voltage (in an older ASIAN CULT CINEMA-issue), and it certainly is a HK-production that was filmed in the Phillipines because it´s so damned cheap there. Maybe there are longer and retitled versions made for the filipino-market, but they have nevertheless chinese producers (most of them were also listed in FILMSWELL- and REGENT-productions).

[contraspirit]

I just want to add (since I don´t know how I can edit my posts here): the names of the filipino-directors don´t have to be true, just think of Joseph Cheung, who was labelled as Joseph Velasco for the filipino release of FLAMING BROTHERS, or Yukari Oshima, who is called Cynthia Luster over there (and later even in Germany).

[thundered mantis]

Buhawi Jack - Monsour Del Rosario versus the son of Ko Fei

What!!??! Ko Fei has a son in the movies? Is also Yukari´s son? If it is, he should be nº 1 badass in the world!! :eek

(Maybe the only other human being able to match him would be a HJL-Kim Penn produced one :lol )

No, seriously, could you elaborate a bit more, Reincarnation? Name and movies he´s done, does he got skills?

[Reincarnation Of Thundering Mantis]

I'll have to double check for his name. But I'm not sure it's Yukari Oshima's son. He doesn't have any lines of dialog and the fights are as good as it gets as far as Filipino films are concerned.

[thundered mantis]

Awesome!

[Reincarnation Of Thundering Mantis]

Oh his name is Jimmy Ko, he's been around since maybe the mid-90's. Smaller roles and behind the scenes stuff.

[Takano2002]

He's not Yukari's son. But if you want to see him (Jimmy Ko) you can look for all these trash made on video movies directed or produced by Ko for Winner's Workshop in the 80's. He shot some of these in Philippines while he was action directing all these films mentioned. He also appears in the HK-Thai coproductions (yes, these are coproductions) helmed by Ko some years ago, like Legend of a Fighter and Angel Cops.

High Voltage could be a HK coproduction, it's true (called Kapwa Kumakasa in the longer talago cut). The others involved Ko not. I know the man personally, so no look for strange theories.

If Jun Aristorenas directed Cynthia Khan in a movie, you can be sure it's not a nickname of no HK man. All these pinoy guys directed hundreds of movies. That theory is absurd. Ko directed the action, Ko recieved the 35 mm copies to distribute, Ko sold the rights to Jeremy Cheung. End.

And I'm not going to add anything more. If anybody want to discuss look for other guy. I've been 10 years buying-selling rights, so I know what I'm talking. That's it.

[Reincarnation Of Thundering Mantis]

Yeah it's kind of a drag when people feel the need to question your claims Takano2002. I don't what's up with that.

But for the record I (along with others) appreciate the inside information you've shared with this board.

Thanks for the info man.

[Markgway]

I wasn't questioning your claims... I just wanted to know more. :(

[contraspirit]

@takano
I don´t know why you´re so pissed, I don´t know you, man, and I don´t know if you´re in the "biz" since 10 years. But thanks for the information, anyway.

[thundered mantis]

Great info on Jimmy Ko, Reincarnation and Takano, thanks! :D

[Markgway]

Found this old thread... we never got it finished.

I can believe the Philip Ko films were Filipino productions, I just wondered if the Chinese actors were added exclusively for the international edits? Most of the HARD TO KILL that I saw features Chinese stars and it looks like more than some inserts.

A list of HK-Filipino type action films would be great Takano, if you still post here, and their country of origin, background info. It's all appreciated.

HIGH VOLTAGE, the Filipino VHS cover lists the directors as Andrew Kam and Johnny Wood(!) That last name sounds bogus, maybe a cover for somehting mroe Filipino sounding? If Kam did direct that points to this being at least a HK co-production. Question is did "Wood" actual co-direct or is he an asst dir given bumped credit like the Koreans did with their co-productions? I would suspect Wood was an asst dir who soley directed additional Tagalog footage for the local releases, which explains why they're longer. Same as Korea.

[morgoth]

Is High Voltage any good?

[Knetan]

hey,

it's pure @#%$ but there are different opinions. ;)

[Markgway]

For once I agree with Knetan. ;)

[morgoth]

www.sogoodreviews.com/ (http://www.sogoodreviews.com/) Are those pictures from the movie on the bottom of the page?

[Knetan]

hey,

High Voltage? No, that quick take review is not online yet so those pictures do not correspond to it. :)