Feel free to enjoy, copy, and disseminate the contents of this file which is:

Copyright 1994  Bryan Taylor
All Rights Reserved  General Technical Data Restricted

Portions Copyright 1992  A. D. Vision
All Rights Reserved  General Technical Data Restricted



Welcome to the first editon of:
"A guide to Alternative Video"
by Bryan Taylor


This file is basically a "movie review book" -- but it "reviews"
movies available on video personally seen by I, Bryan Taylor, that
were originally made and released with little or no involvement
of "Hollywood".  Below is an actual entry from the main listing:


Rating [I have 16+ years of moviewatching experience]: worth watching
Title [movie title, extra info in []'s]: Akira [dubbed into English, animated]
Year of original release [in country of origin]: 1988
Approximate length of film [self-explanatory, extra info in []'s]: 124 minutes
Director [of the movie as a whole]: Katsushiro Otomo
Music Composer [for soundtrack "maniacs" like myself]: Shoji Yamashiro
Content [what's in the film  see list below for explanations]: 4,11
Video Distributor [address, if given, at end of file]: Streamline Pictures
Summary [self-explanatory]: Bikers in a rebuilt Tokyo of the future try to stop
one of their own endowed with psychokinesis [thanks to government
experimentation].  A violent, bloody, colorful, technically spectacular, epic
action film.  A must see for anime [adult oriented animation] fans -- others
beware.


A. D. Vision's
Anime[/live action film] Content Checklist

[information in brackets added by Bryan Taylor]
[A. D. Vision's list looks complete to me.  I will]
[add extra item numbers if needed in the future.]

Item#  Description

 1     giant robots/spaceships/mecha

 2     swordplay, samurai & ninjas

 3     Bodacious babes in Battle Armour[of some kind]/
       Girls with guns[or other weapon(s)]

 4     Death Destruction & total Carnage

 5     Lots of Sex/Naughty Bits

 6     Outrageous Physical Humor/Slapstick

 7     Clever Dialogue

 8     Posturing Superheroes in Spandex Costumes

 9     Demons/Zombies/Supernatural Creatures

10     Cute little ghosts who want to make friends

11     Action!  Action!  Action!

12     Romance!

13     Italian food-loving Reptiles [like TMNT]

14     Drama

Main listing below [alphabatized by title with a, and, & the "skipped" over]:

Rating: worth watching [thanks to lush production values & snazzy music score]
Title: AD Police Files: File 2 - The Ripper ["subd" into English, animated]
Year of original release: 1990
Approximate length of film: 40 minutes [includes bonus material after film]
Director: Akira Nishimori
Music Composer: Kaoru Mizutani, Toto Gentica, Identity Crisis[?!]
Content: 14 with "bursts" of 11
Video Distributor: AnimEigo (tm)
Summary: In 21st Century Tokyo, a young policewoman investgates a series of
brutal murders whose victims are prostitutes who frequent a dilapidated [but
still operational] subway system while searching for their killer.  Watch out
for the opening sequence--it's a SHOCKER!  Don't miss all the extra stuff on
the tape after the end of the film.

Rating: worth watching
Title: Akira [dubbed into English, animated]
Year of original release: 1988
Approximate length of film: 124 minutes
Director: Katsushiro Otomo
Music Composer: Shoji Yamashiro
Content: 4,11
Video Distributor: Streamline Pictures
Summary: Bikers in a rebuilt Tokyo of the future try to stop
one of their own endowed with psychokinesis [thanks to government
experimentation].  A violent, bloody, colorful, technically spectacular, epic
action film.  A must see for anime [adult oriented animation] fans--others
beware.

Rating: worth watching
Title: Area 88--Act I: The Blue Skies of Betrayal ["subd" in English, anime]
Year of original release: 1985
Approximate length of film: 50 minutes
Director: Eikoh Toriumi
Music Composer: Ichiro Nitta [Great reggae main title song!]
Content: 11 tempered with 14
Video Distributor: U. S. Manga Corps. (tm)
Summary: A young man is tricked into joining a Middle Eastern mercenary air
force by his best friend because of the woman they both cared about.  An
absorbing--though violent--character study of war and its effects on
individuals involed in it.

Rating: a must see
Title: Barbarians at the Gate
Year of original release: 1993
Approximate length of film: 105 minutes
Director: Glenn Jordan
Music Composer: Richard Gibbs [A good, appropriately frenetic score.]
Content: 7
Video Distributor: HBO Video
Summary: Story of the RJR-Nabisco leveraged buy-out from a number of years back
is told in a very funny fashion.  Winning performances by James Garner as
then-CEO F. Ross Johnson and David Rasche in the brief but glorious role as a
mentally unstable high financier seeking to buy the company.  The film contains
one absolutely HILARIOUS sequence set in a company-owned laboratory.  However,
that scene [and other portions of the film] is unsuitable for viewing by young
children...parential guidance is STRONGLY suggested.

Rating: worth watching
Title: Battle Angel [subtitled in English, animated]
Year of original release: 1993
Approximate length of film: 70 minutes [some repetition; bonus artwork at end]
Director: Hiroshi Fukutomi
Music Composer: Kaoru Wada; Tsukasa [end title song--nice score alltogether]
Content: 1,2,3,4,11
Video Distributor: A. D. Vision
Summary: ROBOCOP meets BLADERUNNER in this intriguing tale of the life and
times of a female cyborg [title character].  An arty, technically well-made
anime movie--think of it as AKIRA Lite.

Rating: worth watching
Title: The Dagger of KoMui [subtitled in English, animated]
Year of original release: 1985
Approximate length of film: 132 minutes [bonus material after the end of movie]
Director: Rin Taroo
Music Composer: Uzaki Ryuudo, Hayashi Eitetsu [good, anachronistic music score]
Content: 2,4,11
Video Distributor: AnimEigo (tm)
Summary: Story of a young man searching for a lost treasure whose whereabouts
are hidden on title weapon that belongs to him.  A stylish, meticulously
crafted and paced epic adventure of murder, betrayal, revenge, combat,
revalations,...and love.  This film was ten years in the making--and worth
every bit of effort poured into it.  Be sure to watch all of the bonus
material after the end of the movie...YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!

Rating: fair viewing
Title: Devil Hunter Yohko [subtitled into English, animated]
Year of original release: 1990
Approximate length of film: 45 minutes [includes closing music video]
Director: Katsushisa Yamada [an anime OOPS! from the dir. of OUTLANDERS]
Music Composer: Hiroya Watanabe; Katzutoshi Miura, Yoshio Iwasato [songs]
Content: 2,3,5,6,9,11
Video Distributor: A. D. Vision
Summary: Grandmother introduces granddaughter [title character] to the family
business.  Opens hilariously; ends rousingly--but is undermined by brazenly
gratuitous sex, nudity, and bosom close-ups[seriously!].  Great music and songs
sung in Japanese though.

Rating: fair viewing
Title: Dirty Pair: Affair on Nolandia [dubbed into English, animated]
Year of original release: 1985
Approximate length of film: 57 minutes
Director: Masaharu Okuwaki
Music Composer: Yoshihiro Kunimoto
Content: 1,3,4,5,6[Only ONE scene!],11
Video Distributor: Streamline Pictures
Summary: In the distant future, two beautiful female "troubleshooters"
investigate the disappearance of a young girl possessing psychic powers that
alter the persception of reality by others whom she mentally manipulates
--*WHEW!*  A flaccid but watchable piece of anime that has one truly hilarious
(but brief) sequence in it.

Rating: a must see
Title: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Year of original release: 1964
Approximate length of film: 93 minutes [rendered in glorious black and white]
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Music Composer: Laurie Johnson
Content: 7,11
Video Distributor: Columbia Pictures Home Video
Summary: Perhaps the definitive "doomsday" thriller--rendered as a satiric
masterpice!  U. S. President tries to avert World War III with the assistance
of a visiting Royal Air Force captain and the title character who is an
enigmatic wheelchair-bound physicist--all three roles played to perfection by
the now late Peter Sellers.  Great performances by the rest of the
cast--especially the now late Slim Pickens as the gung ho B-52 captain flying
into then-Russia to bomb it.  Filled with unforgettable images [the B-52
captain's "wild" ride, "explosive" finale] and dialogue [U. S. President-Soviet
premier phone conversation--now considered in some circles to be a classic bit
of cinema].

Rating: worth watching
Title: Dominion Tank Police [dubbed into English, animated]
Year of original release: 1989
Approximate length of film: 137 minutes [2-tape set with some repetition]
Director: Takaaki Ishiyama
Music Composer: Brown Eyes helped by Paul Sanders [nice music score]
Content: 1,3,5,6,7[Just one "line"--LOOK FOR IT!],11
Video Distributor: U. S. Manga Corps. (tm)
Summary: A girl and her tank fight crime in a futuristic, Japanese city.  Never
a dull moment in this epic, drama-laced, comedy-adventure.  Has its blatantly
cartoonish moments which are hilarious.

Rating: fair viewing
Title: Doomed Megalopolis--Chapter One: The Haunting of Tokyo ["dubd", anime]
Year of original release: 1992
Approximate length of film: 50 minutes [good pacing though]
Director: Rin Taro
Music Composer: Kazz Toyama [nice, appropriately dissonant music score]
Content: 2,4,9,11
Video Distributor: Streamline Pictures
Summary: ALIEN meets GHOSTBUSTERS in this tale of title city under seige of a
powerful demon.  An innocent young woman is involved in the demons's plans.
Stylishly made film opens in an intriguing, disquietiong fashion then
--unfortunately--reverts to "formula" of aforementioned films.  A mild
disappointment--maybe future series entries will be better.

Rating: worth watching
Title: El Mariachi [dubbed into English]
Year of original release: 1993
Approximate length of film: 81 minutes
Director: Robert Rodriguez [Hollywood can learn a thing or two from you!]
Music Composer: Marc Trujillo, et. al.
Content: 11
Video Distributor: Columbia Tristar Home Video
Summary: Wandering musician is mistaken for a ruthless, cold-blooded assassin.
Reason: they both dress in black and carry the tools of their trade in a guitar
case.  This film, shot for the ASTOUNDING sum of $7000.00, contains, in my
opinion, one of the best chase sequences EVER captured on film.  It is where
the title character is running for his life while pursued by several gun-toting
thugs whose employer once employed the assassin he is mistaken for.

Rating: fair viewing
Title: Fist of the North Star [dubbed into English, animated]
Year of original release: 1985
Approximate length of film: 110 minutes
Director: Toyoo Ashida
Music Composer: Katshushisa Hattori
Content: 2,4[LOTS AND LOTS!],11
Video Distributor: Streamline Pictures
Summary: Ok, after-the-end-of-the-world story is overwhelmed by almost nonstop
"splatter" violence!  Even fans of that genre of filmaking will feel cheated
watching this [lotsa gory footage has been obscured through video trickery in
the English dubbed version]!  Director Ashida fared much better with VAMPIRE
HUNTER D.

Rating: a must see
Title: The Gods Must be Crazy [dubbed into English]
Year of original release: 1981
Approximate length of film: 108 minutes
Director: Jamie Uys
Music Composer: John Boshoff
Content: 6
Video Distributor: Playhouse Video
Summary: Story of an African bushman's first contact with civilization is
absolutely HILARIOUS--EVEN SIDESPLITTINGLY SO AT TIMES!  To reveal more would
spoil the movie for first-time viewers.  A sequel was released eight years
later with a "II" appended to the title.  Though the sequel is worth watching,
it doesn't hold a candle to the original--the not-quite-rock-bottom production
values of this film is actually AN INVALUABLE ASSET TO IT!

Rating: a must see
Title: Grave of the Fireflies [subtitled in English, animated]
Year of original release: 1988
Approximate length of film: 88 minutes
Director: Isao Takahata
Music Composer: Michia Mamiya
Content: 4,14
Video Distributor: Central Park Media
Summary: A 14-year-old boy and his 4-year-old sister struggle for survival in
war-torn Japan at the close of World War II.  Devastating chronicle of how war
affects children.  Outstanding vocal performance by the voice of the sister.
A sublime, heartrending masterpiece.

Rating: fair viewing
Title: The Guyver [dubbed into English, animation]
Year of original release: 1989
Approximate length of film: 60 minutes [some repetition]
Director: Koichi Ishiguro
Music Composer: Reijiro Koroku
Content: 1,4,11
Video Distributor: U. S. Renditions
Summary: Two high school boys find a strange device.  One of them is
accidentally transformed by it into title character--a kind of superhero.  A
watchable, occasionally violent timekiller.

Rating: fair viewing
Title: Harmagedon [subtitled into English, animated]
Year of original release: 1983
Approximate length of film: 132 minutes
Director: Taro Rin                                         [    Good       ]
Music Composer: Nozomi Aoki, J. S. Bach[?!]; Keith Emerson [end title song!]
Content: 1,4,9,11
Video Distributor: U. S. Manga Corps. (tm)
Summary: A young woman, her team of "psychic warriors", and an ancient cyborg
from a faraway star system fight to save Earth from total destruction by
powerful demon-creatures from another dimension.  Ok, [unintentionally?]
derivative epic has a knockout opening 18-odd minutes and several movie
references for buffs [one is from STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE].

Rating: worth watching [if you like films that are so bad--they're GOOD!]
Title: Infra Man [dubbed into English]
Year of original release: 1976
Approximate length of film: 92 minutes
Director: Hua-Shan
Music Composer: ?[Seriously!  Dig that music for the motorbike chase scene!]
Content: 3,8[not really spandex],11
Video Distributor: Prism Entertainment
Summary: Young man is transformed by science into title character--a bionic
superhero--to do battle with an evil extraterrestrial princess and her motley
crew of aliens.  Hokey dialogue and seemingly makeshift sets, costumes, and
special effects helps to make this movie "so bad--it's good".  After seeing
this film [after reading its review in Leonard Maltin's movie review book], I
wonder if this movie served as the inspiration for the syndicated TV series
MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS....

Rating: a must see
Title: Jackie Chan's Police Force [dubbed into English]
Year of original release: 1985
Approximate length of film: 87 minutes
Director: Jackie Chan [Who also croons the end title song!]
Music Composer: Kevin Bassinson
Content: 6,7,11
Video Distributor: Cinema Group Home Video (tm)
Summary: Director portrays a dedicated cop trying to: 1) Catch the bad guys and
bring them to justice.  2) Protect a beautiful lady who worked for said bad
guys and is now assigned to his care.  3) Explain the situation in 2) to his
equally comely girlfriend.  4) Prove that he didn't kill a fellow cop with his
gun--that the bad guys in 1) are responsible.  Busy little action film is
filled with great stunts, nice comic tone, and three separate, remarkable
action sequences--to descibe them here would spoil the fun in seeing them for
the first time!  Be sure to watch this film all the way through to the VERY end
for an extra treat.

Rating: a must see
Title: The Killer [dubbed into English]
Year of original release: 1989
Approximate length of film: 110 minutes
Director: John Woo [His "Hollywood" debut, HARD TARGET is worth watching too.]
Music Composer: Lowell Lo [good, atmospheric score]
Content: 4,7,11
Video Distributor: Fox/Lorber Home Video
Summary: Dedicated cop doggedly pursues title character--a professional
assassin.  The killer, in turn, decides he wants out of the business after
accidentally blinding a beautiful young woman in a botched hit at a nightclub.
Fostering a sense of obligation, he takes on one last job to pay for an
operation to restore the woman's sight.  This film is filled with colorful
characters speaking literate dialogue in interesting situations, great action
sequences, and an astounding sequence where the cop and the killer meet for the
first time!  Like THE GODS..., this film's low-budget look is a GREAT asset.

Rating: worth watching
Title: La Femme Nikita [subtitled in English]
Year of original release: 1990
Approximate length of film: 117 minutes
Director: Luc Besson
Music Composer: Eric Serra
Content: 3,7,11
Video Distributor: Vidmark Entertainment
Summary: Wretched young woman is arrested for murdering a policeman in a
botched pharmacy robbery that claimed the lives of the other street punks she
hung out with.  While in prison, her death is staged and she is recruited into
a secret government organization.  Once there, she is transformed into a
beautiful professional assassin whose first job is quite hair-raising!  An
interesting character study of one woman's gradual descent into mistrust and
disillusionment.  Americanized as POINT OF NO RETURN starring Bridget Fonda.

Rating: worth watching
Title: The Laughing Target [subtitled in English, animated]
Year of original release: 1992[?--no explicit (c) notice on it]
Approximate length of film: 50 minutes
Director: Tohru Matsuzono
Music Composer: Kawachi Kuni [good score using accordion, chimes, & percussion]
Content: 9, 11 tempered with 14
Video Distributor: U. S. Manga Corps. (tm)
Summary: Unusual love triangle: A young man is romantically torn between his
girlfriend and his long-lost cousin whom he was betrothed to as a child--who
just happens to be demon-possessed.  Great chase scene set in an unusual place.
Nudity and violence is minimized; drama and suspense is maximized.

Rating: worth watching
Title: Outlanders [dubbed into English, animated]
Year of original release: 1986
Approximate length of film: 50 minutes [AMAZING!...HOW'D THEY DO IT?!]
Director: Katsushia Yamada
Music Composer: Megumi Wakakusa; Kisaburo Suzuki [music for end title song]
Content: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,11,12
Video Distributor: Dark Image Entertainment
Summary: A boy meets [and is abducted by] a beautiful alien warrior princess in
this freewheeling anime showcase.  This incredible little movie is truly
jam-packed with...well, refer to the Checklist above as the Content listing
here IS NOT A MISPRINT!

Rating: worth watching
Title: The Professional--Golgo 13 [dubbed into English, animated]
Year of original release: 1983
Approximate length of film: 94 minutes
Director: Osamu Dezaki
Music Composer: Toshiyoko Omoru
Content: 4,5,7,11
Video Distributor: Streamline Pictures
Summary: Ruthless, cold-hearted assassin [who's *NEVER* missed] becomes a
*TARGET!*  As he goes about finding out who's responsible for the contract on
his life, his accomplices are systematically rubbed out!  When he's not
dodging bullets, he's bedding beauties!  This film is an enthralling mosaic of
fast-paced action, bloody violence, steamy sex, hard-hitting dialogue, and
incredible "camerawork" under the surefooted direction of Dezaki.  If this
strikes your fancy, GO FOR IT!...Others beware.  In short, this film could be
best described as a "stripped-down" anime variation of THE KILLER.

Rating: worth watching
Title: Project A-ko [dubbed into English, animated]
Year of original release: 1986
Approximate length of film: 86 minutes
Director: Katsuhiko Nishijima
Music Composer: Ritchie Zito, Joey Carbone [songs, too]; Toji Akasaka
Content: 1,2,3,4,6,11
Video Distributor: U. S. Manga Corps. (tm)
Summary: Two teenage girls vie for the friendship of a third.  Naturally,
problems arise--involving aliens, robots, superpowers, and a surprise cameo
appearance!  Must be seen to be believed.  A madcap, slapstick,
comedy-adventure that contains references to other anime films for buffs.

Rating: fair viewing
Title: Robotech II: The Sentinels [dubbed into English, animated]
Year of original release: 1986
Approximate length of film: 85 minutes [with "lost" footage after movie]
Director: Carl Macek [who did a great job on the original series]
Music Composer: Ulpio Minucci, Arlon Ober, et. al. [quite a few others]
Content: 1,4,11 tempered with 14
Video Distributor: Streamline Pictures
Summary: Disappointing sequel to the [truly] epic anime megahit is a talky,
fast-paced pastiche of anime sequences from the severely incomplete follow-up
series as well as the original.  Purists would do well to watch original series
episodes on video or read Jack McKinney's novelizations of same and follow-up
series.  Even DEVIL HUNTER YOHKO was better than this!

Rating: worth watching [thanks to the music composer]
Title: Supergirl
Year of original release: 1984
Approximate length of film: 114 minutes
Director: Jeannot Szwarc
Music Composer: Jerry Goldsmith [Marvelous score--one of his ABSOLUTE best!]
Content: 8,9,11
Video Distributor: USA Video
Summary: Superman's supercousin does battle with an evil sorceress to retrieve
a powerful energy source accidentally lost from Argo City where she is
originally from.  Faye Dunaway is great as the evil sorceress as is Helen
Slater in the title role [her first!].  Incredible main and end title
sequences, rivaling those in SUPERMAN with Goldsmith's score a GREAT asset.
Now that Supergirl is dead [killed off by DC Comics in the summer of 1985],
this film sort of serves as her cinematic epitaph.

Rating: worth watching
Title: A Taxing Woman [subtitled in English]
Year of original release: 1987
Approximate length of film: 126 minutes
Director: Juzo Itami
Music Composer: Toshiyuki Honda
Content: 7
Video Distributor: Fox/Lorber Home Video
Summary: Title charater, an inspector for Japan's "IRS", matches wits with a
successful [but unscrupulous] businessman.  Film is long but never boring--
opens with a shot that cannot be described here but definitely "stamps" this
film as NOT FOR CHILDREN.

Rating: fair viewing
Title: Twilight of the Cockroaches [dubbed into English, animated, live-action]
Year of original release: 1987
Approximate length of film: 105 minutes
Director: Hiroaki Yoshida
Music Composer: Morgan Fisher, et. al. [and MANY others...]
Content: 4,14 with "bursts" of 11
Video Distributor: Streamline Pictures
Summary: A chronicle of life, death, and rebirth involving a group of
cockroaches who live in the apartment of a man who doesn't mind their presence
there.  However, his new girlfriend can't stand them and kills them at every
opportunity.  Pre-ROGER RABBIT [by ONE year!] mix of animation and live-action
is appealing--but alas, the film's only strong point.

Rating: worth watching
Title: Vampire Hunter D [dubbed into English, animated]
Year of original release: 1985
Approximate length of film: 80 minutes
Director: Toyoo Ashida
Music Composer: Noriyoshi Matsuura
Content: 1,3,4,9,11
Video Distributor: Streamline Pictures
Summary: A beautiful young woman hires title character to kill the bloodsucker
who bit her.  Even scenes of gratuitious nudity and violence--and profanity
cannot detract from this moody little horror masterpiece.

Rating: worth watching
Title: Zeram [dubbed into English]
Year of original release: 1991
Approximate length of film: 92 minutes
Director: Keita Amamiya
Music Composer: ? -> [good music; great music theme over Japanese end titles]
Content: 3,6,7,11
Video Distributor: Fox/Lorber Home Video
Summary: A beautiful, hard-boiled, armed-to-the-teeth female bounty hunter and
her sentient, talking computer is sent to Earth to stop title character--a
dangerous alien who escaped from a maximum security prison located in a galaxy
far, far, away...[I'm sorry, I couldn't resist!]  Along the way, she is
assisted by two initially unsuspecting guys from the local power company who
traced illegal electricity usage to her base of operations inside an abandoned
warehouse.  This action-packed Sci-Fi adventure has a definite "anime" feel to
it and if to your liking...CHECK IT OUT!

Notes:

The Dagger of KoMui, Doomed Megalopolis..., and Harmagedon appear to have been
directed by the same person--note the similarities in the names of the
directors of those films.  Just in case, though, each is given its own
director's credit obtained from the corresponding film itself.


Video distributor addresses [where known]:

A. D. Vision
2709 Chimney Rock
Houston  TX 77056 USA

AnimEigo (tm)
POB 989
Wilmington  NC 28402-0989 USA
tel: 1-919-251-1850  

[Playhouse Video, a divison of:]
CBS/Fox Video
39000 Seven Mile Rd.
Livonia  MI 48152 USA

[Prism Entertainment at same address but in Suite 1010, not on 3rd Floor]
Cinema Group Home Video (tm)
1875 Century Park East, 3rd Floor
Los Angeles  CA 90067 USA

Columbia Pictures Home Video
2901 W. Alameda Ave.
Burbank  CA 91505 USA

Columbia Tristar Home Video
3400 Riverside Dr.
Burbank  CA 91505-4627 USA

Dark Image Entertainment [or U. S. Renditions {divisions of Nippan}]
1123 Dominguez St. Unit K
Carson  CA 90746-3539 USA

Fox/Lorber Home Video [AKA New Video Group (r){?}]
419 Park Avenue South
New York  NY 10016 USA

HBO Video
1100 Avenue of the Americas
New York  NY 10036 USA

Streamline Pictures
POB 691418
West Hollywood  CA 90069 USA

USA Video
[a division of International Video Entertainment Inc.]
address unknown

Video distributor addresses [where known]:

[try contacting Central Park Media]
[C/O] U. S. Manga Corps. (tm)
250 West 57th Street  Suite 317
New York  NY 10107  USA
tel: 1-212-977-7456
fax: 1-212-977-8709

Vidmark Entertainment
address unknown