
If you didn't join us for Fantastic Fest this year, I will tell you that it was impossible to not spot a gathering of fist-pumping attendees sporting official or bootleg sleeveless Dragon Sound tank-tops screaming "TAE KWON, TAE KWON DO!" You would have also seen a gang of ultra-focused, infinity-degree black belt masters rolling deep with Grandmaster Y.K. Kim, the enthusiastic brain behind Miami Connection aka the greatest achievement gonzo '80s martial arts anti-sanity which hits theaters across the country this November.
This year's festival saw a triathlon of Miami Connection events and multiple sold-out screenings. During an introduction to the first screening, Grandmaster Kim sliced an oblong watermelon on the fearless stomach of Drafthouse programmer Zack Carlson, the man who actually re-discovered the film via blind buying a 35mm print on eBay for a buy-it-now price of $50. Gratitude, ninja style. See the video below.
But most epic of all was the 25th anniversary reunion concert of Dragon Sound, the fictitious synth rock band made up of adult orphan black belts (in case you were wondering what that/it is) took lighted stage at The Highball. And below you can watch the sizzlin' video performing their anthem "Against the Ninja." And for those of your wondering...next week on the Drafthouse Films website we will be selling Dragon Sound T-shirts and vinyl 7" singles! In the meantime to quench your midi/mullet lust you can download 2 free Dragon Sound songs right here.
Dragon Sound - "Against the Ninja" Video, produced and edited by Arts + Labor
Miami Connection Intro at Fantastic Fest, produced and edited by Arts + Labor
The above watermelon slicin' photo was taken by David Hill