in:  Movies/TV,News   |   April 18, 2013 - 9:34 am   |  by:  Lee Gambin

“THE SEARCH FOR WENG WENG” Doc looks to Kickstarter for completion

I was first introduced to the diminutive James Bond rip-off from the Philippines known as Weng Weng at my friend Anthony Biancofiore’s house long after an alcohol fueled party. Anthony is a big fan of the “little people” and it goes beyond an admiration and love for Billy Barty and the cast of UNDER THE RAINBOW. His devotion to dwarf stars extends to Bridget the Midget and her fellow small stature artistes in the world of adult entertainment and this strange oddity called Weng Weng; who with the help of his trusty umbrella that he uses to fly around à la Mary Poppins, his fast punchy kung-fu moves and his harem of regular sized sultry sexy starlets, has become an icon of cult cinema and is a significant part of Filipino culture.

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in:  Fearful Features,Movies/TV,News   |   March 12, 2013 - 11:00 am   |  by:  Lee Gambin

DAMIANO DAMIANI, 1922-2013

A lot of artists are sometimes trapped by their race and/or their heritage; auteurs outside of America that make superlative and innovative films are often quoted as “French director” or “German expressionist” and sometimes these people would just for once like to hear “director” or “expressionist” as a sole description, leaving the nation of origin out. Race, for many of these artists, shouldn’t matter. And this was the case for Damiano Damiani, a versatile and groundbreaking filmmaker, who passed away March 7th at his home in Rome age 90.

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