''Ten Zan: The Ultimate Mission'' (also known as ''Missione Finale'') is a 1988
science fiction
Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
action film
The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as D ...
written and directed by
Ferdinando Baldi
Ferdinando Baldi (19 May 1927 – 12 November 2007) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Throughout his career he used a number of pseudonyms, including Ted Kaplan, Ferdy Baldwin and Sam Livingstone.
Biography
Baldi was born in ...
under the
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...
"Ted Kaplan".
[Schonherr, Johannes.]
East of Siberia: Films From North Korea
. ''iFilm Connections: Asia & Pacific!''. Retrieved on 2 November 2008. The film stars
Frank Zagarino
Frank Zagarino is an American personal trainer and former actor, who starred in a number of low budget action movies.
One of his early roles was in the movie ''Barbarian Queen'' (1985) in which he played opposite Lana Clarkson. Like several oth ...
,
Mark Gregory,
Romano Kristoff
Romano Kristoff is a Spanish actor, writer and director, better known for his work in Filipino cinema. He worked mostly in the Philippines between the 1980s and early 1990s. He was also credited as Rom Kristoff, Ron Kristoff, Run Kristoff, Ron Kra ...
, and
Sabrina Siani
Sabrina Siani (born Sabrina Seggiani in Rome, 1963) is an Italian film actress. She also used pseudonyms such as Sabrina Sellers and Sabrina Syan. She starred in numerous films, mostly violent cannibal films and sexy barbarian "sword-and-sandal" ...
. It was Baldi's final film before his death in 2007.
The film, an international co-production between
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
and
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
, was filmed on-location in the latter country. To date, it is one of the few Western-produced non-documentary features to be shot in the country, and one of the only films made there to feature American actors. The film portrays North Korea as a futuristic utopia, a decision which Baldi later explained as "a conscious avoidance of reality" foisted upon the production by the local regime.
''Ten Zan'' was one of eight North Korean films to be shown at the Udine Festival of Far East Film in 2000. In a report of these screenings for ''
Asiaweek
''Asiaweek'' was an English-language news magazine focusing on Asia, published weekly by Asiaweek Limited, a subsidiary of Time Inc. Based in Hong Kong, it was established in 1975, and ceased publication with its 7 December 2001 issue due to a ...
'', Richard James Havis regarded the film as "truly lamentable", saying: "The acting is worse than that of the propaganda movies, as is the plot."
[Havis, Richard James.]
Peering Into A Closed World
". ''Asiaweek'', 19 May 2000. Retrieved on 2 November 2008.
Plot
A group of known troublemakers are working on experiments in the Far East. They have discovered a substance that penetrates human cells, and makes changes to chromosomes and genes. These experiments are carried out on young girls who are abducted from the local villages. They are brought to the "Center", which is heavily guarded by mercenaries. The leader of the scientists is an avid biologist, Professor Larson, who dreams of breeding a master race to rule the world. The scientific organizations in Asia and Europe are aware of these experiments and decide to do something about them. A group of ex-commando fighters are used, who have never failed so far. But it remains to be seen if this mission is to succeed.
Cast and characters
*Lou Mamet (
Frank Zagarino
Frank Zagarino is an American personal trainer and former actor, who starred in a number of low budget action movies.
One of his early roles was in the movie ''Barbarian Queen'' (1985) in which he played opposite Lana Clarkson. Like several oth ...
): a mercenary-for-hire, from
Mattituck, Long Island, he is contracted through FSR (Final Solution Research), an organization that contracts commandos to deals with problem too delicate to be handled through official government channels.
*Jason (
Mark Gregory): the military leader of the mercenaries responsible for the attacks and kidnappings.
*Ricky (
Romano Kristoff
Romano Kristoff is a Spanish actor, writer and director, better known for his work in Filipino cinema. He worked mostly in the Philippines between the 1980s and early 1990s. He was also credited as Rom Kristoff, Ron Kristoff, Run Kristoff, Ron Kra ...
): a middle-man for FSR, he is hired by Professor Larson to commission the FSR to end the illegal trafficking of woman, which in turn hires Lou Mamet. Credited as Rom Kristoff.
*Mavi (Kim Follet): the younger sister of Ricky, and love interest for Mamet.
*Glenda (
Sabrina Siani
Sabrina Siani (born Sabrina Seggiani in Rome, 1963) is an Italian film actress. She also used pseudonyms such as Sabrina Sellers and Sabrina Syan. She starred in numerous films, mostly violent cannibal films and sexy barbarian "sword-and-sandal" ...
): assistant and lover of Jason. Credited as Sabrina Syan.
*Professor Larson (Charles Borromel): Lithuanian professor of the University of Vilna, who works to breed a master race.
Production
''Ten Zan'' was produced as an attempt to revitalize the
North Korean film industry, which was then struggling to find markets even in other communist countries. It was decided to produce an action film which could look Western enough to circumvent the embargo on North Korean products and turn out a profit on international markets. The North Koreans went to the
Cannes Film Market
Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The city is ...
where they approached Italian director
Ferdinando Baldi
Ferdinando Baldi (19 May 1927 – 12 November 2007) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Throughout his career he used a number of pseudonyms, including Ted Kaplan, Ferdy Baldwin and Sam Livingstone.
Biography
Baldi was born in ...
, who was promoting his latest film, ''
Warbus'', and proposed him the project. Baldi was surprised at the idea of shooting a film in North Korea but was curious enough about the experience to accept. He initially wrote a script about the
Pacific War
The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War or the Pacific Theatre, was the Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II fought between the Empire of Japan and the Allies of World War II, Allies in East Asia, East and Southeast As ...
, hence the title, ''Ten Zan'',
[Schönherr, Johannes .]
Ten Zan – Ferdinando Baldi’s Ultimate Mission
. ''Film International'', April 13, 2011 . Retrieved on 16 July 2022. which is a reference to the last Japanese stronghold on
Iwo Jima
is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands, which lie south of the Bonin Islands and together with them make up the Ogasawara Subprefecture, Ogasawara Archipelago. Together with the Izu Islands, they make up Japan's Nanpō Islands. Although sout ...
, which was called Devil's Peak by the American soldiers trying to capture the island during the
Battle of Iwo Jima
The was a major battle in which the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and United States Navy (USN) landed on and eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) during World War II. The American invasion, desi ...
.
However, the script was completely rewritten by the North Koreans.
The film was co-produced by North Korea and by an Italian company called Amerinda. Filming took place in North Korea and lasted eight weeks. North Korean authorities frequently interfered with filming, forbidding Baldi to use certain locations. The North Koreans were initially very reluctant to have an American,
Frank Zagarino
Frank Zagarino is an American personal trainer and former actor, who starred in a number of low budget action movies.
One of his early roles was in the movie ''Barbarian Queen'' (1985) in which he played opposite Lana Clarkson. Like several oth ...
, play the lead role.
The film includes a major
plot hole
In fiction, a plot hole, plothole, or plot error is an inconsistency in a storyline that goes against the flow of logic established by the story's plot.
Plot holes are usually created unintentionally, often as a result of editing or the writers ...
in that the character of Professor Larson, who hires the two protagonists at the beginning, turns out at the end to be the head of the antagonists' organization, meaning that he sent the heroes to destroy his own operation. Baldi later conceded in an interview that this did not make sense, but blamed the inconsistency on "a problem of production" as he was not allowed to see the rushes during filming. Baldi speculated that the script had been somehow changed during production without him being informed.
Zagarino liked to take photos, which caused an incident during filming as the North Koreans suspected him of being a spy. Baldi later said that Zagarino had then been arrested and jailed for two days.
However, Zagarino himself downplayed the incident in an interview and said that the North Koreans merely confiscated his camera. Zagarino called the film "a huge disaster", as filming in North Korea had been particularly difficult and the North Koreans "never gave us what they promised".
Exclusive interview with Frank Zagarino
bzfilm.com, July 10, 2012 (retrieved July 17, 2022)
Release
After organizing a screening in Italy for the North Koreans, Baldi had no further contact with them. Due to a falling out between the Italian co-producers and the North Koreans, the film was never released in Italy. It was only released internationally on home video
Home video is recorded media sold or Video rental shop, rented for home viewing. The term originates from the VHS and Betamax era, when the predominant medium was videotapes, but has carried over to optical disc formats such as DVD and Blu-ray. ...
.
Notes
References
External links
* {{IMDb title, 0254814, Ten Zan: The Ultimate Mission
1988 films
1980s science fiction action films
1980s English-language films
English-language North Korean films
English-language Italian films
Italian science fiction action films
North Korean science fiction films
Films directed by Ferdinando Baldi
Films shot in North Korea
Films about genetic engineering
1980s Italian films
1988 science fiction films
English-language science fiction action films