Mark Dacascos - Meeting one of my Heroes (Who is Sometimes a Villain)

I recently enjoyed a quick-fire chat with actor, top entertainer, martial arts superstar, and delightful gent,  Mark Dacascos. 

We chatted about a variety of things but his career is so rich and varied that I had to focus on asking about what may be my favourite film of all, Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001) which has just been released by StudioCanal on HD Blu-ray as a 4K Director's Cut supervised by Chritsophe Gans so, of course we touch upon Mark's work on Gans' debut feature, the beautiful live-action adaptation of the classic manga, Crying Freeman (1995). 

We also cover his recurring super-villain role as Giyera for seasons three and four of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., facing-off with Keanu Reeves in John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum (2019), and finally bring things right up-to-date with Knights of the Zodiac (2023), the current series of Warrior (2023) and, of course, Iron Chef. (Can you guess what Mark's favourite meal is?) 

 

You can read the transcript published in Frame Rated where the uncut video has also been posted - I kinda became a vlogger by accident... The video may not be HD but you can see and hear Mark Dacascos clearly and he is a lively and entertaining interviewee, as one might expect. 

You can read, watch, and listen to my interview with Mark Dacascos HERE - a Frame Rated exclusive. 

You can read my extended review of the new Director's Cut of Brotherhood of the Wolf  HERE - also published in Frame Rated. 

Mark Dacascos as Mani in Brotherhood of the Wolf

Mark Dacascos IMDb filmography    |    Mark Dacascos on Twitter 

THE ASEMIC TERRAIN - Exhibition

 

A showcase of my drawn poetry and visual writing is the current exhibition at 

The Signifier : six : shot : gallery  

I have this idea that our living landscapes are already poems written in a language of minerals, chemical processes, and ongoing energy exchanges. It is an unfinished epic poem, already spanning billions of years but with a fractal metre of minutes, months, millennia… land stanzas spanning portions of our perceptive interaction through the lens of living. 

Our word ‘poem’ proceeds from the French poème, Latin poema, Greek poēma, already an ancient variant of poiēma meaning ‘fiction’, derived from poiein meaning to ‘create’… ergo : Creation is pre- and post-literate Poetry : ad infinitum...

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22 into 23 - Happy New Year!

The close of 2022 marked my second year as curator of The Signifier : six : shot : gallery which officially launched January 2021 and, every calendar month since, has hosted an artist’s showcase of just six images linked by aesthetics, techniques, processes, philosophies, formal or conceptual elements. 

Some of those exhibiting with us are already well-established, internationally renowned artists, some have gone on to win major accolades since featuring. That’s not saying they wouldn’t have without the six shot! They were clearly on those positive trajectories when selected, but Signifier believes their successes are worth celebrating. Plus, it’s a welcome vote of confidence in the acumen of the curator’s eye. 

You can read my summary of all 24 exhibitions HERE. 

...and I am very happy to announce that year three is off to a stonking start with an exhibition by one of my favourite creative persons, Jonathan Meades, who you may know better as a television film-maker, newspaper columnist, and audacious author. 

You can view his six shots, Treyfs and Artknacks, HERE. 

I continue writing as a critic at Frame Rated, which keeps me in fine company among a top-notch team of movie buffs and film fans. During 2022, I wrote retrospective reviews for a couple of mainstream 1980s crowd-pleasers that I still love: 

  

...as well as plenty of other, perhaps more 'cult' favourites, a few of which I link to below including high camp horror, visionary science fiction suspense, a seminal Vampire classic, a dreamy Japanese thriller, Italian Giallo essentials, and an edge-of-the-seat Korean thriller... (kudos for knowing the film before clicking on the thumbnail to read the extended reviews): 

 

  

  

In addition to curating the aforementioned Signifier : six : shot : gallery, I also edit The Signifier publication on Medium and contribute regular articles on art, design, and media. My most popular pieces this year included articles about the art of chess, Gustav Klimt's paintings of trees, an ancient magical scroll featuring nine Chinese dragons, an overview of Joan Miró, a celebration of J-Pop-Art phenomena Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, and a School of Athens Renaissance reunion... 

   

As for fiction, my best-selling book of 2022 was a close tie between This That and The Other Books One and Two, and when Books Three and Four catch-up, I assume pressure for Part Five will mount! Zel and me are sure looking forward to That! 

Big 'thank you' goes to all those who have joined Rietta and Carla on their adventures across the Three Realms so far. All your support - whether that's reading the books, sending us letters of encouragement, or helping to spread the word on social media - is always appreciated... and for those yet to get involved in the epic fantasy adventure, please check-out the four-book sequence so far via amazon. 

That's all for now, except for me to wish you and yours all the very best for 2023!

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