Off The Island

In a change to our normal domestic flight path, we now take a 2,391.16 mile diversion to Hong Kong, and celebrate the arresting visual imagery and sheer bonkers brio of their television and film. 'Sexy Killer' is a 1976 take on the old 'comely lady takes brutal revenge on nasty criminals' sub-genre perhaps best typified by the fantastic Pam Grier. The credit sequence is just about the best thing in the film, but there is an awful lot more on offer: sex, violence, drugs, groovy music, larger than life performances - and some eye watering outfits.      

Off The Island

'Flower Action 009' was a 1969 Japanese TV show based very loosely on a Manga. The show is similar to a super psychedelic Tokyo set 'Avengers' - with five Emma Peels. The female stars came as a package: the Nishino Bellet Dan Go Nin Musume (The Five Gals of the Nishino Ballet Group).

I have several of the 13 episodes of the show, but no subtitles. It doesn't matter. As you will see from the opening sequence, the visuals alone are more than enough to deal with.

I can never work out which of the girls is my favourite, but, if forced, it's probably the one on the horse.

Off The Island

Here on 'The Island' we mainly stick to British creations, but that doesn't mean we're totally averse to something a bit more multicultural, particularly if it emanates from that other eccentric and disconnected chunk of earth, Japan.. Here's the title sequence to TV show 'Playgirl', which ran from 1969 to 1974. Extremely popular, it is believed to have caught the eye of one Aaron Spelling who recycled its central premise (hot female private investigators) into his own 'Charlies Angels'. Cool show, cool ladies, cool music: 非常に涼しい

By the way, I don't speak Japanese, so I may have inadvertently offended someone with my attempt to write it. Sorry, it will probably happen again.