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Let's face it, doing work that you hate, even if it pays well is rougher. I love film making. I have always had a passion for movies, and I decided early on that film would be the focus of my life."BORN IN NEW YORK, Lee's father A World War two veteran and aircraft engineer moved the family westward when William was 6 years old, but not way out west, as in La La land (rumor has it that Lee's father was a staunch New yorker who hated phoniness and superficiality, ahem.) AFTER seeing kung fu legend, and martial arts movie legend BRUCE LEE on screen for the first time in 1974, Lee asked his father to purchase a movie camera so that he might replicate the famous martial artists' exploits--albeit on a smaller scale. Within a year of picking up a movie camera, Lee received his first film award at the Eye Music Festival of San Francisco. Since then, he has directed over thirty film projects."I would have directed quite a few more films if I had had the financial backing," Lee explains. "But, sad to say, a lot of done deals unraveled before I saw a penny. I met people who promised me unbelievable sums of money, or Hollywood stars who agreed to be in my films, then would disappear like the wind, leaving me looking like a complete fool. So I made up my mind to do it myself, no matter what the cost or struggle. My work has been financed with my own sweat and what little cash I could scrape together."
Outside of the obvious controversy, Lee has found that black filmmaking has come to a complete halt in terms of creativity. The era of “hood/ghetto/gangsta” films seems to keep hanging on, with the same tired plots and imagery. Lee has found it IMPOSSIBLE to find funding because he steers clear of typical material."Black distributors think my films are not black enough." As Lee says, "Not enough "ghetto", i.e. the rap star shooting his way out of "the game" or "social drama" about cheating spouses" But Lee also finds he is a contradiction as white distributors find his films "too socially conscious for white audiences". That is, expectations for black film are simple: action, revenge or exploitation. Lee doesn't fit either category and thus, the lack of major interest on both sides of the distribution coin. Until his first major release CODE BLACK, in 2007, Lee had been virtually unknown. His films languished in obscure film fests, Midwestern film premieres, and online sites like Indieflix.com. Never quirky enough to interest Sundance, too action filled to be praised in major “refined” film circles, never peopled by major or even sub-major stars, financed totally from Lee’s various day jobs, he has spent every year since 1974 chasing that dream. The dream that one day he could be seen for what he is. Not a black filmmaker, but a filmmaker who makes nonstereotypical, well-written action films with a message. Nothing more, nothing less.
Unfortunately, in spite of his growing reputation as a talented director, the color of his skin remained a problem as investors showed a lack of confidence in the ability of an African-American to direct a produce a money making film. He constantly had to turn to friends and family for financial backing. Determination and persistence are the heart and soul of William Lee. These qualities were ultimately tested by a challenge that would shatter a lesser man. As if what he had endured before was not daunting enough, Lee had to deal with something far worse than the usual backstabbing of the movie industry: life-threatening cancer-like Systemic Lupus. Diagnosed in 1997, the disease required him to undergo surgery, treatment with experimental drugs, and chemotherapy for the better part of two years. In addition to substantial weight loss, Will Lee was forced to contend with a gaping hole in his side, and physical debilitation that resulted in lengthy periods during which a wheelchair was his only way of getting around.
In spite of the intense pain and temporary setbacks, he eventually forced a miracle. The affliction that once placed his life in jeopardy is now in remission, and he is a fully functioning member of the community: a testimony to medical advances and his own desire to live. Having overcome the danger, but realizing there is no cure for the disease, this Lupus survivor today smiles at the memory of the experience. "It had me down, but I was never out. No way was Lupus going to take me out. I met death head-on, eyeball to eyeball, and made it blink. Now that's a fight I'll never forget. In the end, I think more people in this "business" need to face a life-threatening experience to understand that we take this film business way too fucking seriously. Sure, it's nice to be a well-known film director, but when that goes to your head and makes you think you're superhuman or better than everyone else, you change from a filmmaker to a dickhead or moron. The advice to "never forget where you came from" is as true as ever for a filmmaker. Keep it real my friends, keep it real."...
Ratings
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Reviews
6 Feet Below Hell (2017)
Superb
My expectations were for an indie action film with guns, zombies and interesting characters. I didn't expect Tom Cruise and a ten million dollar budget, so all the negative reviews here are obviously by people who have unrealistic expectations, or were fired from the film. Oh well, today's social media is a breeding ground for armchair critics and filmmaker wannabes. Question is, if this movie is so bad, why had it been at Redbox for 2 years. Hard to believe Redbox would continue to rent a film that wasn't selling.
M (1951)
Garbage
The term film noir has come to mean many things, and yet it is best exemplified by Fritz Lang himself. This 1951 remake is an abomination. It is flat, without mood or nuance. It's a 1950's crime drama with the name M stamped on it. Please, apologists, spare me. Did your grandfather work on the film or something? You cannot seriously be lauding this film on its cinematic merits!
Pure garbage. Mister Lang is obviously rotating in his grave.
I Am Wrath (2016)
No, please God. No.
Let's not waste time here....Terrible direction, the actors don't appear to all be on the same page. The director also appears not to understand the elements of an action film: urgency! None to be found.The lighting is hideous to say the least, as a long time resident of Columbus, Ohio I would like to say Columbus has some of the most uninspired skyline and atmospheric shots. Travolta and Merloni are good, but it's hard to make a garbage script into a great film. Din't bother to watch past the first 40 minutes. I was falling asleep. And oh, what's with all the unmotivated slow motion shots? Not even worth the price of a DVD rental.
Code of Honor (2016)
Not his worst but pretty freaking awful
Just attempted to watch Steven Segal's Code of Honor. Spoilers coming, but it's not like you won't get anything that Seagal has ever done before. He's a former agent, he's mad at the world, the cops are hunting him. There, did that spoil it for you? Seagal spends most of the film sitting on the same rooftop perch shooting down thugs. James Russo picks up a quick paycheck as a mob boss who walks around a dark room scowling menacingly at photos of his enemies, and the co star,Craig Sheffer, who plays an FBI agent who eschews standard issue hand guns for a pair of knives, which predictability leads to a poorly choreographed battle with Seagal. Props to the news anchors who give newscasts while using overly dramatic dialog which rivaled the writings of Shakespeare. Jesus. I'm not sure what the hell I just watched. Oh. Lots of strippers, and stereotypical Hispanic gang members. Do yourself a favor and get drunk and eat cheese curls on your couch instead of frying your brain with this incomprehensible vomit bath of a movie. Holy crap.
AC1: Alien Contamination (2014)
Uh, not so fast bro......
To the gentleman who had the negative comments about the film, here's a piece of news for you. that was not the official final version. It was rough cut. The new version is now on Vimeo VOD and is a far superior piece of work. Movie studios often put out tester copies to see what audiences do not like, and we agree that you may have pointed out some of them. However, you will find the new film is a completely different film and we do feel it will startle and surprise fans who like found footage films. However, our film is far beyond a typical found footage film in which we hear a lot of things going on, but never see anything. Calling it a "bad found footage film" is a compliment. thanks.
The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)
Don't drink the Kool Aid
Sorry, this is americanized Hollywood garbage. It has no relevance to any actual Chinese history, Kung Fu, or anything even remotely compelling. Seriously, outside of the fight scenes between Chan and Li, the lead star is annoying and unconvincing. Karate Kid, Chinese style? yeah sure. But if we have a film with arguably the two best martial artists of this era,shouldn't we get more than a fluffy, semi PG rated love story, and watered down tale of redemption? This is not even a good Saturday afternoon children's film. This is why Hollywood should stay out of the martial arts business. This is a lame attempt to appeal to that teeny bopper generation, whom they captured with films like karate Kid back in the day. Now, it's just bad filmmaking. Cut out all oft he kid's scenes, and you might have a movie. As it stands, this garbage is a waste of time and money. Guess somebody needed a quick pay day. Overly ambitious, yet fails deliver on any front.
Tian xia di yi quan (1972)
Not the First
Actually, Jimmy Wang Yu's Chinese Boxer came out two years earlier. Although "Fingers' aka, King Boxer is a better film, it was not the first. If you want to get technical about it, Kwan Tak Hing was doing kung fu films in the early 1900's. In fact, Lo Lieh appeared as a villain in The Chinese Boxer, which makes this tale all the more ironic. Wang Yu was also by no means, a kung fu expert. he had some limited training in karate, but his film was basically an "experiment" by the Shaw brothers to see if films other than colorful Swordplay epics, direct copies of Japanese Cinema, could make a buck. truth be told, Lo Lieh also had little in the way of Kung Fu training, he simply had more experience in martial arts films, and a more creative choreographer and director in charge, by the time he shot "King Boxer". The appellation of first kung fu film, should be amended, in that it was the "considered" as first successful kung fu film of the world wide "kung fu boom" of the 70's.
Dismal (2009)
Excellent indie effort
What I enjoyed about the film, was that it did not attempt to overreach it's bounds. It is what it is: a good old fashioned scare flick, which captivates the viewer from the first scene. What it reminded me of is the first time I saw the Texas Chainsaw Massacre back in the 70's. You kept saying to yourself "Damn, are there people out there like this?" Which when you think about it, is pretty creepy and that is where this film succeeds. While this film did not have the budget or Hollywood exposure of today's studio films, it is a worthy indie film which is far better than a lot of the low budget crapola on DVD now. In fact, you can take all the Pg13 horror flicks Hollywood is spewing out, and replace them with this. A good film done in the traditional horror genre, without bloated special effects, spoiled Hollywood stars, or a misguided remake of another sequels' sequel. Kudos to cast and crew.