Takashi Miike on DVD

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Antoine Doinel
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#76 Post by Antoine Doinel » Thu May 24, 2007 12:26 pm

barrym71 wrote:I hated it, hated it, hated it. Granted, I am not a Miike fanatic, but I saw it with three people who are and no one was very taken with the film. It was pretentious in a way that I haven't seen in other Miike films.
Gozu had its fair share of pretension for sure.

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teddyleevin
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#77 Post by teddyleevin » Tue Jun 05, 2007 9:38 pm

Antoine Doinel wrote:Gozu had its fair share of pretension for sure.
I liked Gozu, but I liked DOA, Ichi, Katakuris, Deadly Outlaw Rekka, Audition, and Bird People better. However, I liked it better than IZO. IZO was funny at times, but boring.

Back to Gozu, it is pretentious. There is supposedly a lot of deepness behind it, but I didn't get it. I watched the commentary and it didn't help. However, many moments in Gozu are classic. The first 10 minutes are so perfect.

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Keith Kawaii
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#78 Post by Keith Kawaii » Sun Jun 10, 2007 5:31 pm

I haven't seen a Miike film since Gozu in 2003 I think, and I'm kind of interested in getting back into his movies (there are so many).... have any really good ones come out in the last few years?

I'm going to check out Young Thugs: Nostalgia, one I missed. Is it necessary to see Young Thugs: Innocent Blood beforehand?

Nothing
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#79 Post by Nothing » Sun Jun 10, 2007 11:33 pm

Izo: Miike sets out to prove he can do more than off-the-wall comedy /sadism and fails dismally.

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Sanjuro
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#80 Post by Sanjuro » Mon Jun 11, 2007 1:22 am

Keith Kawaii wrote:I haven't seen a Miike film since Gozu in 2003 I think, and I'm kind of interested in getting back into his movies (there are so many).... have any really good ones come out in the last few years?

I'm going to check out Young Thugs: Nostalgia, one I missed. Is it necessary to see Young Thugs: Innocent Blood beforehand?
Zebraman was delightfully wacky. Looks like a kids movie but all the jokes are for middle-age closet ultra-man fans.

His piece on Three Extremes was nice.

46-Oku nen no koi was very interesting.

And don't forget to catch Django this Autumn if you're in Japan or otherwise if it makes it to the festivals. :D

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colinr0380
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#81 Post by colinr0380 » Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:03 am

Keith Kawaii wrote:I'm going to check out Young Thugs: Nostalgia, one I missed. Is it necessary to see Young Thugs: Innocent Blood beforehand?
Without having seen them yet I'm not sure it is necessary and if it were we still wouldn't have full continuity in the film series as Artsmagic didn't release the non-Miike directed first film at the same time as the other two (Strangely the director of the first Young Thugs film, Kazuyuki Izuzu, turns up in Shinya Tsukamoto's Bullet Ballet as the gangster at the station. Tom Mes mentioned it in his commentary, and that Miike's films were parts two and three of the series, so Artsmagic were most likely aware of the other film)

This was a nice review of Ichi The Killer.

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blindside8zao
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#82 Post by blindside8zao » Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:58 pm

Oh wow, if you all haven't ever seen Miike's Three Extremes segment, the Box, go rent/buy it now. It's the best thing I think Miike's done (at least from what I've seen) and the cinematography feels very immaculate and tight to me.

Titus
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#83 Post by Titus » Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:38 pm

blindside8zao wrote:Oh wow, if you all haven't ever seen Miike's Three Extremes segment, the Box, go rent/buy it now. It's the best thing I think Miike's done (at least from what I've seen) and the cinematography feels very immaculate and tight to me.
Agreed. Among his best work (and miles ahead of Chan-wook Park's and Fruit Chan's segments), and probably his most technically polished.

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teddyleevin
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#84 Post by teddyleevin » Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:53 pm

Oh yeah, Box. I must say I liked Box the least. While visually arresting, the story wasn't as easy to get a hold of. I liked Chanwook's the best maybe because I'm a sucker for everything he does. And Fruit Chan's dumplings was twisted and funny. I enjoyed the entire movie as a whole when it all comes down to it.

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Antoine Doinel
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#85 Post by Antoine Doinel » Mon Jun 11, 2007 10:10 pm

Titus wrote:
blindside8zao wrote:Oh wow, if you all haven't ever seen Miike's Three Extremes segment, the Box, go rent/buy it now. It's the best thing I think Miike's done (at least from what I've seen) and the cinematography feels very immaculate and tight to me.
Agreed. Among his best work (and miles ahead of Chan-wook Park's and Fruit Chan's segments), and probably his most technically polished.
Definitely agree here. Box was beautiful, haunting and probably Miike's most cohesive work to date. A wonderful accomplishment.

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#86 Post by zombeaner » Mon Jun 11, 2007 10:38 pm

Nothing wrote:Izo: Miike sets out to prove he can do more than off-the-wall comedy /sadism and fails dismally.
I call bullshit. There are MANY examples of Miike pulling off styles apart from the ones you mentioned. Dead Or Alive 2, Bird People In China, Young Thugs: Nostalgia, to name a few. Izo, I'll agree wasn't what it should've been, but the guy has no fear, you've got to at least give him that.

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Antoine Doinel
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#87 Post by Antoine Doinel » Tue Jun 12, 2007 4:29 pm

Sukiyaki Western: Django, featuring Quentin Tarantino in a small role, has wrapped.

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Scharphedin2
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#88 Post by Scharphedin2 » Sat Jun 30, 2007 6:50 pm

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread over the years. It is actually quite informative, and a fun read that at times develop into a free-for-all of film titles being slung around. The information is all there to construct an impression of what is worth seeing out of Miike's immense body of work, and the patchy way that the information is literally thrown at you in this thread is somehow very appropriate.

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blindside8zao
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#89 Post by blindside8zao » Mon Jul 02, 2007 7:35 pm

I just saw young thugs, one missed call, and visitor q. I can't say I was as impressed with any of them as much as the others I've seen. I really just don't get Visitor Q at all I guess, if there's anything to get. I mean, I even like Gozu.
Last edited by blindside8zao on Sun Jun 08, 2008 9:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Antoine Doinel
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#90 Post by Antoine Doinel » Wed Jul 18, 2007 6:53 pm

Miike's next is Like A Dragon. Here's the trailer.

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Antoine Doinel
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#91 Post by Antoine Doinel » Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:31 pm

Gallery of stills from Sukiyaki Western Django.

grungies
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#92 Post by grungies » Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:53 pm

Antoine Doinel wrote:Gallery of stills from Sukiyaki Western Django.
Christ, there's a THIRD western I'm anticipating :D

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colinr0380
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#93 Post by colinr0380 » Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:02 am

Antoine Doinel wrote:Does anyone know where I could track down a copy of Shangri-La? It's Miike in straightahead comedy film mode. It's about as he'll ever get to doing a John Hughes kind of film, but it's a blast.
Having just read this review by Mark Schilling now I am desperate for a chance to see this film as well! Did you have any luck tracking this down Antoine?

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manicsounds
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#94 Post by manicsounds » Tue Oct 23, 2007 5:01 am

I wastched this during the theatrical run with my girlfriend. You have to get used to the forced English from most of the cast first. But it showed me what it would be like to make an English language movie with my friends or students in Japan.

It's a lot of over the top action and violence, but not as much as you'd expect from Miike. He is playing to a wider audience for this one for some reason. It's definitely imaginative, probably more fun making the film than anything else.

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Antoine Doinel
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#95 Post by Antoine Doinel » Tue Oct 23, 2007 7:12 am

colinr0380 wrote:
Antoine Doinel wrote:Does anyone know where I could track down a copy of Shangri-La? It's Miike in straightahead comedy film mode. It's about as he'll ever get to doing a John Hughes kind of film, but it's a blast.
Having just read this review by Mark Schilling now I am desperate for a chance to see this film as well! Did you have any luck tracking this down Antoine?
No such luck in R1 anyway. Haven't looked as hard at R2 though. Let me know if you find anything (legitimate or otherwise).

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colinr0380
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#96 Post by colinr0380 » Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:08 am

Thanks manicsounds and Antoine! So Shangri-La is more the Miike of Zebraman and One Missed Call? That doesn't sound so bad!

yoshimori
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#97 Post by yoshimori » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:30 am

Saw Miike's Crows in Tokyo last week. Very standard, big budget (for Japan) teen gang flic. Not at all Miike. Horrible dialogue, dreadful performances from the pop pretty boy stars, and glossy but pro forma visuals. Will see Sukiyaki Western Django, which promises to be much better, on Friday.

Good news though. Miike's 46 okunen no koi [Big Bang Love, Juvenile A] is going to get an r1us release in January. I hope the transfer is the same as my r2jp disc's.

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colinr0380
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#98 Post by colinr0380 » Fri Dec 28, 2007 1:51 pm

According to Twitch a DVD of one of Miike's stage plays, Demon Pond, is getting a US release in the middle of next year.

DVD Times review of the region 1 release of Big Bang Love, Juvenile A

zombeaner
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#99 Post by zombeaner » Sat Mar 08, 2008 1:21 pm

I'm watching Sukiyaki Western Django as I'm typing and although I will buy an R1 version for English subs and extras, I find it hard to believe that it will come anywhere near this Geneon R2 disc for image quality or sound. The DTS mix on this disc is AMAZING, and the image looks awesome, I highly recommend.

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Sanjuro
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#100 Post by Sanjuro » Sun Mar 09, 2008 7:15 am

Is this really hard to understand without subtitles? I've seen lots of sites mention that English subs are absolutely essential to understand it. I understood everyone pretty much perfectly, but then I've lived here for a decade so have an advantage.

The problem is I found a lot of the humour came from the outrageous western cliches that came from the mouths of each of the characters unexpectedly and can't help but feel something's lost watching with subtitles. Of course, it's all lost if most people can't understand a word of it so subs are a good idea I suppose. Or perhaps you could listen to some Shonen Knife before you go watch it.

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