The year is 1978. The place: a high school in Seoul, South Korea. The film: Once Upon a Time in High School. The Heroic Purgatory Asian Cinema Podcast is excited to bring you one of the most celebrated films of New Korean Cinema, Yoo Ha's 2004 coming of age story in an increasingly militaristic nation. John and Jason are joined by long time South Korean film reviewer Paul Quinn (http://www.hangulcelluloid.com/) to discuss the film themes, historical significance, and various references to Bruce Lee.

We hope you enjoy our discussion.

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2025/04/s5e2-once-upon-time-in-high-school.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/filmnohito

The Heroic Purgatory Podcast returns with a brand new season, this time focusing in historical martial arts. We kickstart the fifth season with the 1972 Bruce Lee film, Fist of Fury. We discuss the film's historical context, action choreography, it's impact on Lee's career as well as its legacy in Hong Kong and Asian cinema.

We hope you enjoy our discussion.

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2025/04/s5e1-fist-of-fury.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/filmnohito

In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we celebrate the life and works of the recently passed David Lynch (1946 - 2025). We discuss Lynch's career and the films that left the biggest impression on our lives.

Enjoy!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2025/02/special-remembering-david-lynch.html

Follow the show on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/heroicpurgatory.bsky.social

Follow Jason on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/filmnohito.bsky.social

Follow John on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jmhimara.bsky.social

Yet another year is behind us, so John and Jason get back behind the mics on this special episode of Heroic Purgatory to discuss their favorite films of 2024.

Enjoy!

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2025/02/special-best-of-2024.html

Follow the show on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/heroicpurgatory.bsky.social

Follow Jason on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/filmnohito.bsky.social

Follow John on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jmhimara.bsky.social

In another special episode of Heroic Purgatory, we take a right turn towards Texas to visit John Sayles' Lone Star, a film about history and identity. We discuss the film's authenticity, brilliant performances, and which version of history is right or moral.

We hope you enjoy our discussion.

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/12/special-lone-star-1996.html

Follow the show on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/heroicpurgatory.bsky.social

Follow Jason on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/filmnohito.bsky.social

Follow John on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jmhimara.bsky.social

Halloween is here, and Heroic Purgatory is celebrating the spooky season with a spoonful of Roger Corman, Vincent Price, and Edgar Allan Poe. That's right, in this special episode we discuss Roger Corman's Poe cycle. Though we focus mostly on The Raven and The Pit and The Pendulum, we touch on all 8 films as well as other Corman and Price films in the scary category.

We hope you enjoy our discussion.

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/10/special-corman-poe-cycle.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/filmnohito

In a season of female action heroes for the Heroic Purgatory podcast, we tackle what may be perhaps the first female action hero in the history of cinema: the iconic Ripley in Ridley Scott's 1979 seminal science-fiction horror film, Alien. From the special effects to the production design to the paradigm-shifting female-led action franchise, we can't help but admire every detail of this masterpiece.

We hope you enjoy our discussion.

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/10/special-alien-1979.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/filmnohito

In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, we discuss Zhang Yimou's 2004 wuxia love story, House of Flying Daggers, staring Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Andy Lau. We discuss the film's impressive visuals, anti-authoritarian themes, and its place in Yimou's expansive filmography.

We hope you enjoy our discussion.

Website link: https://www.heroic-purgatory.com/2024/08/s4e12-house-of-flying-daggers.html

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroicPurgatory

Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/filmnohito