Part pseudo documentary, part superhero action flick with an ending that comes out of nowhere and makes no sense. I love it.
For anyone in the US who's been on the fence about Belladonna of Sadness, the Blu-ray is currently available at Amazon at a significant price drop over what it has been selling for previously - just over $15.
If you're open to Asian movies in general (not just Japanese), almost anything from Zhang Yimou is fantastic. Joon-Ho Bong is good too
Noruwei No Mori (Norwegian Wood) is a good film I think. Watched that one last Winter on TV and have it on DVD since a few months.
Does anyone know if there's a been a home release of The Yellow Handkerchief (幸福の黄色いハンカチ, 1977) that includes English subtitles? I watched this on TV and it was in HD and had subtitles, but none of the DVD or Blu-ray listings seem to include them. Features like that aren't always reliably reported online though, so perhaps someone knows firsthand.
I saw that you admired The Only Son in an earlier thread. You wouldn't go wrong buying the Criterion Collection double feature dvd of Ozu's Story of Floating Weeds/Floating Weeds (1934, 1959). The '59 version is essentially the same story updated and expanded a bit (including the addition of color) and Machiko Kiyo as the lead actress/mistress of the leader of the travelling players. She's one of my favorite Japanese actresses of that day. And still kicking last I checked.
According to Wikipedia, she's still alive, aged 93. One of the great Japanese actresses of the 1950s. She worked several times for Kenji Mizoguchi, including her famous role as Lady Wakasa in Ugetsu.
Indeed. She also starred in Akira Kurosawa's international breakout, Rashomon (1950). I like her best in Floating Weeds - reminds me of my old landlady.
Recently watched, The Hidden Sword and enjoyed it quite a bit. Didnt care for the comedic elements, but it's one helluva story.
Earlier this week at the 74th Venice International Film Festival, Dave Kehr (whose taste and judgment I generally find myself very much in accord with) tweeted "there is a magnificent restoration of mizoguchi's "sansho the bailiff" in Venice, which is manifestly unfair to other films." There's not a lot of info on the festival website, but there is some language crediting the restoration: Kenji Mizoguchi - Sanshō dayū (Sansho the Bailiff) Intriguingly, Chikamatsu Monogatari was also screened at the festival a day earlier, and has similar language referencing a restoration in its listing: Kenji Mizoguchi - Chikamatsu Monogatari (A Story from Chikamatsu) Despite already owning Sansho in multiple formats (the Criterion laserdisc, the Criterion DVD, the MoC DVD, and the MoC Blu-ray), I recently broke down and purchased the Criterion Blu-ray as well. I'm wondering if this news from Venice is an early herald of still another upgrade yet to come.
Anyone into rewarding, introspective drama should see director Hirokazu Koreeda's After the Storm. It was just released on Blu-ray. A divorced father has to cope with his failed ambitions and connecting with his young son. http://doblu.com/2017/09/09/after-the-storm-blu-ray-review/
I have this film on pre-order as part of Arrow's forthcoming Kore-eda box set, Family Values: Family Values: Three Films by Hirokazu Kore-eda We just watched his film Our Little Sister, which is not included in Arrow's box set, the other day. A little saccharine, and lacking in dramatic tension, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
There is a great making-of documentary on the After the Storm Blu-ray from Film Movement. I'm guessing it will also show up on the Arrow set.
Finished both sets and enjoyed them both. I hope Arrow does some more Blu-rays with Kinji. I have several of his DVDs and would upgrade some more of the Yakuza tales.
Picked up Arrow’s recent dual-format edition of Wolf Guy for £6. Completely bonkers horror-action-supernatural mashup, with a funky ’70s soundtrack. Great fun!
Answering my own question here in case anyone else is interested. This blu-ray is being released on Twilight Time with English subtitles. Their website is a little confusing as it says, "Available for pre-order. Release date is tentatively November 14th". There is a review on dvdtalk.com though, so if it's not available now, it should be soon.