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Albert Pyun Taking A Break Due To Health Issues

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  • Albert Pyun Taking A Break Due To Health Issues

    He posted this on his Facebook page yesterday - he's taking an indefinite break, but hopefully this is not permanent:

    "While the screening went well in Albuquerque, my health has deteriorated further over the past 3 days. I now have complete numbness and pain on my entire right side (face, arm, chest, legs, even my butt! - sorry for that bit of more than you want to know info). Beyond the pain and brain fog that persists almost continuously now (some might say I've had this my entire filmmaking career). I don't have the ability to function very well right now and i can barely walk and even think clearly most of the time now. I get easily confused and there's a lot of pain. I know once I finish the medical tests in LA next week, I'll be put on some meds and a program that will stabilize my conditions. I intend to add a camera bracket on my wheelchair so my entire life can be a continuous tracking shot. So I look at this as a brief enforced sabbatical and chance to think up new movies with a different perspective. My hands and arms are so weak and numb, I can make a movie called "Shaky Cam!! - the movie". But in any case my filmmaking days are likely over.

    The number of symptoms is truly staggering. I have body functions I never knew I had. I've lost control over some of these which is embarrassing. I've been noticing odd issues the past 5 years but really in the past few months they became more pronounced. Ah, getting old is the ultimate movie adventure for sure. I still hope to screen RTH in LA and, if I am able, other cities just for the chance to be amongst rabid film fans once more for the joy of that. The last "Pyun" cinema experience. Nobu is pretty hammered by age herself but I hope she outlives her Daddy.

    So I'm really shutting down until I can get a handle on this disease (MS) and there's a chance I never might. I've accepted that. Watching poor Chiba and Nobu with their own health challenges as they journey through their 14th years, I know that having them, my girls and Cynthia, my great love, and dear friends like you, that no matter what happens, I'm content and blessed. And still trying to put movies together but likely now for the next generation of filmmakers. There are so many great talents out there. I feel the need to help as many as I can. For me, that's always been the best part of my filmmaking. The ability to assist others get closer to the life dreams they have, be it as crew or producer or actor.

    "While the screening went well in Albuquerque, my health has deteriorated further over the past 3 days. I now have complete numbness and pain on my entire right side (face, arm, chest, legs, even my butt! - sorry for that bit of more than you want to know info). Beyond the pain and brain fog that persists almost continuously now (some might say I've had this my entire filmmaking career). I don't have the ability to function very well right now and i can barely walk and even think clearly most of the time now. I get easily confused and there's a lot of pain. I know once I finish the medical tests in LA next week, I'll be put on some meds and a program that will stabilize my conditions. I intend to add a camera bracket on my wheelchair so my entire life can be a continuous tracking shot. So I look at this as a brief enforced sabbatical and chance to think up new movies with a different perspective. My hands and arms are so weak and numb, I can make a movie called "Shaky Cam!! - the movie". But in any case my filmmaking days are likely over.

    The number of symptoms is truly staggering. I have body functions I never knew I had. I've lost control over some of these which is embarrassing. I've been noticing odd issues the past 5 years but really in the past few months they became more pronounced. Ah, getting old is the ultimate movie adventure for sure. I still hope to screen RTH in LA and, if I am able, other cities just for the chance to be amongst rabid film fans once more for the joy of that. The last "Pyun" cinema experience. Nobu is pretty hammered by age herself but I hope she outlives her Daddy.

    So I'm really shutting down until I can get a handle on this disease (MS) and there's a chance I never might. I've accepted that. Watching poor Chiba and Nobu with their own health challenges as they journey through their 14th years, I know that having them, my girls and Cynthia, my great love, and dear friends like you, that no matter what happens, I'm content and blessed. And still trying to put movies together but likely now for the next generation of filmmakers. There are so many great talents out there. I feel the need to help as many as I can. For me, that's always been the best part of my filmmaking. The ability to assist others get closer to the life dreams they have, be it as crew or producer or actor.

    More after they scan, poke and drill me...but still fighting the fight, just a little more slowly to get another vision out of my soul to the screen.

    I know I'll never be at the level of a Rodriquez, Hill or Tarantino (or heck, even an Eli Roth or, even, my kindred spirit, Ed Woods), but I hope in a few months to be able to get back to being Albert. Many critics and haters have often wondered what was in my head as I was making my movies, now they can know, LESIONS!! I can see the Headlines, now! - No Budgets couldn't stop him, natural disasters could not deter him, Worldwide scorn couldn't dissuade him! But MS might stop Pyun! - lol. Truth in that for sure.

    Thanks for everything. You've all made my life better and richer (not literally of course). Please support the new talents I've had the pleasure of working with, like Joei Fulco, Daniel Gutierrez, Daniel Faust and particularly the genius of Michael Su. New writers like Darron Meyer and newbies just begining their great careers like Connor Bible. My dear longtime collaborators, Tony Riparetti, Michael McCarty, Sasha Mitchell, Michael Pare, Clare Kramer, Norbert Weisser, Scott Paulin, Dru Anne Moss, Trudi Forristal, Jessica Delgado, Kevin Sorbo and Sazzy Calhoun in whatever they do going forward. Support them and protect them from the harshness of this business."ore after they scan, poke and drill me...but still fighting the fight, just a little more slowly to get another vision out of my soul to the screen.

    I know I'll never be at the level of a Rodriquez, Hill or Tarantino (or heck, even an Eli Roth or, even, my kindred spirit, Ed Woods), but I hope in a few months to be able to get back to being Albert. Many critics and haters have often wondered what was in my head as I was making my movies, now they can know, LESIONS!! I can see the Headlines, now! - No Budgets couldn't stop him, natural disasters could not deter him, Worldwide scorn couldn't dissuade him! But MS might stop Pyun! - lol. Truth in that for sure.

    Thanks for everything. You've all made my life better and richer (not literally of course). Please support the new talents I've had the pleasure of working with, like Joei Fulco, Daniel Gutierrez, Daniel Faust and particularly the genius of Michael Su. New writers like Darron Meyer and newbies just begining their great careers like Connor Bible. My dear longtime collaborators, Tony Riparetti, Michael McCarty, Sasha Mitchell, Michael Pare, Clare Kramer, Norbert Weisser, Scott Paulin, Dru Anne Moss, Trudi Forristal, Jessica Delgado, Kevin Sorbo and Sazzy Calhoun in whatever they do going forward. Support them and protect them from the harshness of this business."
    Rock! Shock! Pop!

  • #2
    This is the saddest day ever. I can only hope that some medical miracle can be found. If we have to harvest organs from Toyboy or Tolch I am totally ok with that.
    "No presh from the Dresh!"

    Comment


    • #3
      Man, this is some heartbreaking news. Hang in there, Albert. Don't really know what else to say.

      Originally posted by Ian Jane View Post
      I know I'll never be at the level of a Rodriquez, Hill or Tarantino (or heck, even an Eli Roth or, even, my kindred spirit, Ed Woods), ....
      Don't sell yourself so short, either. NEMESIS and SWORD AND THE SORCERER are fine films that you should be proud of. Personally I'd put them above anything Rodriguez and Roth did, and even about half of Tarantino's output. Walter Hill is from a different era but even he had some misfires. The thing is none of these guys would have made the films you made and that's what makes them so special.
      "When I die, I hope to go to Accra"

      Comment


      • #4
        But in any case my filmmaking days are likely over.
        Pyuns movies were so much a part of my growing up days (mostly by accident via blind rentals at the video store but..nonetheless)...It is indeed a sad, sad day...but he really does sound bad medically...i never even knew he had MS!!!

        Nice to see he is keeping his humour and that he has enjoyed making his movies and screening them for people.....

        This bit REALLY annoyed me though.....

        I know I'll never be at the level of a Rodriquez, Hill or Tarantino (or heck, even an Eli Roth)
        Pyun has had a much more varied career, shooting on non-existant budgets and, while even I a hard core Pyun fan realise some of his films have been...erm...lacking something, movies like DOLLMAN, NEMESIS, KICKBOXER 2, CYBORG etc etc have shown that, while he may never have had the money to make something EXACTLY how he would have liked....he put enough love and effort into his movies......

        Now, maybe Albert would have made a TERRIBLE movie if he had been given time, a big budget and decent actors.....but luckily I love the movies he has made enough to put him higher in my list than Rodriguez and a whole LOAD of other filmakers making "movies" today (if Pyun had doen a crap movie like SCARY MOVIE 5 he would have AT LEAST made an effort..and it would have been better than that big budget crapfest!

        He needs to take it easy now and look after his health.....His movies will always be a part of my life..and many others lives too...He should be proud of that!

        Comment


        • #5
          Sad news regarding his condition on his Facebook page:

          Well, the preliminary diagnosis is "full blown MS" and it's severe enough to where my current symptoms could be permanent and there's a chance it could get worst and nice things like blindness and paralysis are likely ahead. Its still a very rough early diagnosis and emphasizes worst case but I will likely be hospitalized next week, which Cynthia and Docs are insisting on. Cynthia is pretty upset but she knows how I feel about it and, while unfortunate, it doesn't distract from my great sense of happiness and need to make movies. Its not pleasant but no means dire, at least in my mind. To me its just one more filmmaking challenge to get past, like an actor refusing to come out of a trailer or a bad review or bad weather.

          Surrounded by many great friends, talented collaborators and my loving family, I don't feel down or angry. In fact I'm shooting the Road To Hell music video tomorrow because after this diagnosis, its really the best cure for me. It just lifts me and I'm grateful to everyone who helped Cynthia by relieving stress and making the shoot possible on very short notice (hours not weeks). What a terrific cast and crew they are. Doing it for the love of it just as Daniel Faust did for me last week in Germany. Michael Su is a true friend and saviour by getting the below the line stuff put together with no pressure on me. Amanda Martinez is doing make up on short notice. Cynthia did costumes today.

          When the Doctor said I could go blind, in my mind, I thought "Well, that's okay. I have a eternity of images in my imagination that will fill the void". So I'm optimistic. I'm in pain and have some weird things going on in my body, but ramping up to shoot tomorrow makes life grand! Will post RTH scenes by Sunday if I can.

          As a sort of flipping the bird at fate, I'm going to shoot 24 pages tomorrow. Which is a fair amount if healthy. TV shows show 9 pages a day, movies 4 pages. So this is really my way of confronting the disease. Thank you everyone!! Especially the talented cadre of actors creating magic with me tomorrow - Joei, Paige, Jessica and Daniel Faust! In fact everyone here and all my fellow filmmakers will be in my heart tomorrow as are everyone I've every worked with over my career spanning back to the late 60's. Now you know why Peter Kent calls me "Maximum Albert".

          Albert
          Rock! Shock! Pop!

          Comment


          • #6
            Holey Moley.....I never realised Mr Pyun was so full of life and so POSITIVE about everything in his life......

            He really is a hero in my eyes....The guy is confronted with all this (is there anything WORSE that could happen to a filmaker than going blind????)..and he STILL wont let it get him down...

            I am going to go on an Albert Pyun movie marathon over the next few months....The guy is even MORE of a legend now than he was before...

            Comment


            • #7
              Yeah, he's definitely approaching this with the right attitude, which is inspiring to say the least.
              Rock! Shock! Pop!

              Comment


              • #8
                Press release by way of Fangoria:

                The intensely prolific, energized and enthusiastic Albert Pyun has plans to retire in light of poor health. Now a campaign from friends and family is underway to celebrate his 50-film oeuvre and his latest, and final, picture ROAD TO HELL with one, all-out screening.

                From the release:

                Plans are being made to celebrate the career of retiring filmmaker Albert Pyun, who has directed fifty films over a thirty year span. The celebration will include a roast of Pyun and a screening of the prolific filmmaker's fiftieth film, ROAD TO HELL, an homage to Walter Hill's STREETS OF FIRE. Pyun, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, had to cancel plans to tour with the film on the festival circuit due to worsening health. A just launched IndieGoGo fundraising campaign will enable Pyun's friends and fans from around the world to help him celebrate his career and final production at his dream theater, the ArcLight Cinema in Hollywood.

                “We want to have stars, crew and artists from Albert's many films in attendance to collectively embrace his journey lasting more than forty years,” says Cynthia Curnan, Pyun's partner. “We want Albert to have the best gift we can provide and something he has wanted his whole career: a billboard on Sunset Boulevard. His first job in LA was on Sunset Blvd and he used to pass all the exciting and glamorous billboards. They symbolized to him the epitome of entertainment. ROAD TO HELL is the only one of Albert's films to receive so many awards and positive reviews. It is a fitting climax to his long career. We want this film to receive as much exposure as possible to highlight his legacy.”

                A short sampling of Pyun's long list of genre films includes The Sword and the Sorcerer, Radioactive Dreams, Alien from L.A., Cyborg, Captain America, Kickboxer 2: The Road Back, Bloodmatch, Dollman, Nemesis, Brain Smasher…A Love Story and Cool Air. Road to Hell stars Michael Pare as Tom Cody, the role he created in Streets of Fire. In the film, Cody encounters two thrill killers on a desert highway. Much of the hyper-stylized film was shot against a green screen, and Pyun has finessed the footage for several years.

                If you'd like to contribute to celebration, the Indiegogo fundraiser runs through mid October. Curnan hopes bring the stars of Pyun's films from across Europe to the screening, exact date TBA. For much more on Pyun, visit the Celebration's official Facebook here.
                Rock! Shock! Pop!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Now THIS is something I would kill to attend....

                  An ALBERTPYUN-A-THON!

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