I suppose it's a cliché to say the powers that be in Hollywood can't recognize talent, but Steven Ho does such a of great job of directing "Soundman," that it's amazing to me that he hasn't had another opportunity to display that skill again since 1998. When I went to Steven Ho's credits, I really expected to see at least some TV directing credits. As few and far between as good TV programs are, in the past many now famous directors learned their craft by directing TV episodes, or TV movies.
I don't want to stretch the comparison too far, but compare what happened to Richard Kelly after his strong directing debut, "Donnie Darko," to the nada that's happened to Steven Ho after an equally strong debut. I understand that Kelly had more powerful supporters in the Hollywood establishment, Drew Barrymore in particular. Still it is a measure of their respect for Ho that such fine indie film actors as Trejo, Studi, Forsythe, and Stahl signed on for "Soundman."
I'm glad that Steven Ho can earn a living as a stunt performer and sometimes as an actor, but it just seems so unfair that eleven years have passed now since his one and only small masterpiece.
While I originally saw "Soundman," on a Vanguard DVD, I recently found a used, much more deluxe version of it on first rites/Asylum. It is letter boxed, and contains commentaries by Ho and some of the actors, and even a "making of" documentary. Worth tracking down if you like this film as much as I do. Maybe going to Asylum's Website
www.theasylum.cc
might a least allow you to find out if this deluxe version is still available--it's not listed on Amazon.
I don't want to stretch the comparison too far, but compare what happened to Richard Kelly after his strong directing debut, "Donnie Darko," to the nada that's happened to Steven Ho after an equally strong debut. I understand that Kelly had more powerful supporters in the Hollywood establishment, Drew Barrymore in particular. Still it is a measure of their respect for Ho that such fine indie film actors as Trejo, Studi, Forsythe, and Stahl signed on for "Soundman."
I'm glad that Steven Ho can earn a living as a stunt performer and sometimes as an actor, but it just seems so unfair that eleven years have passed now since his one and only small masterpiece.
While I originally saw "Soundman," on a Vanguard DVD, I recently found a used, much more deluxe version of it on first rites/Asylum. It is letter boxed, and contains commentaries by Ho and some of the actors, and even a "making of" documentary. Worth tracking down if you like this film as much as I do. Maybe going to Asylum's Website
www.theasylum.cc
might a least allow you to find out if this deluxe version is still available--it's not listed on Amazon.