Horror fans have had a whole lot of zombie entertainment sent our way in the last couple decades, much of it broadcast on television by AMC. There have been so many flesh-eaters and brain-munchers on our screens, some of us are feeling zombie overload. But if you’re still looking for zombie stories that do things a little differently from the others, we have a recommendation for you: a Japanese film that mixes the walking dead with shootouts, swordfights, and lengthy martial arts fights. It’s called Versus – and if you haven’t seen this one yet, it’s the Best Horror Movie You Never Saw.
Versus (watch it Here) was an independent production made by a bunch of unknowns, and many of the people involved with the movie remain unknowns to this day. It marked the feature directorial debut of Ryuhei Kitamura, who has gone on to have a solid career,...
Versus (watch it Here) was an independent production made by a bunch of unknowns, and many of the people involved with the movie remain unknowns to this day. It marked the feature directorial debut of Ryuhei Kitamura, who has gone on to have a solid career,...
- 5/2/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Since making his feature film debut with the awesome zombie movie Versus in 2000, director Ryuhei Kitamura has brought us such movies as Alive, Aragami, Azumi, Sky High, Godzilla: Final Wars, The Midnight Meat Train, No One Lives, Lupin the 3rd, Downrange, The Doorman, and The Price We Pay. Now Deadline reports that Kitamura has signed on to direct the rollercoaster thriller Thrill Ride.
Scripted by Chad Law and Christopher Jolley, Thrill Ride will show us what happens when a group of people, including two young women, who are trapped upside down on a roller coaster taken over by a mysterious saboteur threatening to drop them all one-by-one to their deaths.
United Film’s Gabriel Georgiev, Ellen Wander, and Jordan Dykstra are producing the film, which is expected to start filming in Bulgaria at Pro Cinema Studios in the fourth quarter of this year. Film Bridge International will be presenting the...
Scripted by Chad Law and Christopher Jolley, Thrill Ride will show us what happens when a group of people, including two young women, who are trapped upside down on a roller coaster taken over by a mysterious saboteur threatening to drop them all one-by-one to their deaths.
United Film’s Gabriel Georgiev, Ellen Wander, and Jordan Dykstra are producing the film, which is expected to start filming in Bulgaria at Pro Cinema Studios in the fourth quarter of this year. Film Bridge International will be presenting the...
- 4/19/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Ryuhei Kitamura has had a rather interesting career. Starting with some of the cult titles of the 00s, including “Versus”, “Azumi” and “LoveDeath”, he then shot a Godzilla and a “Lupin The Third” film, then he moved to Hollywood to shoot films with Ruby Rose and Jean Reno among others, and now he is back with “Three Sisters of Tenmasou”, a manga adaptation that shows his most sensitive side as of now.
Three Sisters of Tenmasou is screening at Japan Cuts
The particular manga is “Tenmasou no Sanshimai: Sky High” by Tsutomu Takahashi (published from 2013 to 2014 by Young Jump Comics) and revolves around the said inn, a quaint out-of-time place in the small port town of Mitsuse. The establishment functions as a stopping point for people on the verge of death to decide if they want to return to the world of the living, where they are in a coma from an accident or illness,...
Three Sisters of Tenmasou is screening at Japan Cuts
The particular manga is “Tenmasou no Sanshimai: Sky High” by Tsutomu Takahashi (published from 2013 to 2014 by Young Jump Comics) and revolves around the said inn, a quaint out-of-time place in the small port town of Mitsuse. The establishment functions as a stopping point for people on the verge of death to decide if they want to return to the world of the living, where they are in a coma from an accident or illness,...
- 7/31/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Ryuhei Kitamura, the Japanese filmmaker behind the classic indie zombie horror Versus, not to mention Alive, Azumi, and even Godzilla: Final Wars, takes a stab at picking some of his favorite horror films now streaming on the Bloody Disgusting-powered Screambox. Kitamura, who also directed the awesome adaptation of Clive Barker’s The Midnight Meat Train, the […]
The post Ryuhei Kitamura Selects Five Horror Movies to Stream on Screambox Now! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
The post Ryuhei Kitamura Selects Five Horror Movies to Stream on Screambox Now! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
- 5/4/2022
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
Hello again, dear readers! We’re back with our weekly horror and sci-fi home media releases rundown, and tomorrow’s assortment of titles is an interesting bunch, to say the least. Blue Underground is showing some love to Lucio Fulci’s Manhattan Baby this Tuesday, and Scream Factory has put together a Special Edition Blu-ray for Night Creatures as well. And if you’re looking to catch up on some recent horror, V/H/S/94, Richard Bates Jr.’s King Knight, Bleed With Me, and The Exorcism of God are all being released this week as well.
Other titles headed home on April 19th include Alive, Snuff Tapes, and Ghosts of the Ozarks.
Alive
From director Ryuhei Kitamura For the brutal revenge killing of his girlfriend’s rapists, Tenshu is sentenced to die in the electric chair. Resigned to his fate and unremorseful for his crime, he amazingly survives his high voltage execution!
Other titles headed home on April 19th include Alive, Snuff Tapes, and Ghosts of the Ozarks.
Alive
From director Ryuhei Kitamura For the brutal revenge killing of his girlfriend’s rapists, Tenshu is sentenced to die in the electric chair. Resigned to his fate and unremorseful for his crime, he amazingly survives his high voltage execution!
- 4/18/2022
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Over the last several years, major Japanese studios have started to follow the tactics of their Hollywood equivalents by finally adapting their own comics, called manga, in the way they deserve.
This tendency is not exactly new, since films based on manga/anime have been shot since the 70s. However, it is the first time that so many expensive and subsequently elaborate productions are being made. This is chiefly attributed to two factors:
1.The people behind those films finally realized that they could not squeeze eight or more hours of anime in a single film, and thus decided to present the movie in two or three parts, retaining much of the original’s story and themes.
2.They also realized since most of the titles are sci-fi themed, much of the budget should be allocated towards the special effects, in order for the adaptation to capture the images of the original.
This tendency is not exactly new, since films based on manga/anime have been shot since the 70s. However, it is the first time that so many expensive and subsequently elaborate productions are being made. This is chiefly attributed to two factors:
1.The people behind those films finally realized that they could not squeeze eight or more hours of anime in a single film, and thus decided to present the movie in two or three parts, retaining much of the original’s story and themes.
2.They also realized since most of the titles are sci-fi themed, much of the budget should be allocated towards the special effects, in order for the adaptation to capture the images of the original.
- 4/12/2022
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
The range of pricing in VOD play has never been so clear. Two films at the extreme ranges of budget and premium stand out among new releases. At $3.99, which represents rock-bottom for a new film, Dinesh D’Souza’s latest right-wing polemic “Trump Card” is #1 at both Apple TV and Google Play, charts that rank by transaction volume.
At the same time, Disney’s “Mulan” is now available on platforms beyond Disney+ for $29.99, and is #1 at the revenue-based FandangoNow. “Ava” also continues its successful showings, with first place at Spectrum.
“Trump Card” is pitched as an expose of “socialism, corruption, and the deep state,” and clearly aimed at Election Day interest. In his past films (which received theatrical release), D’Souza preferred to specifically demonize Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. This time, the target is far broader than the tougher-to-hate Joe Biden. It placed #2 at FandangoNow, where its low price hurts its ranking.
At the same time, Disney’s “Mulan” is now available on platforms beyond Disney+ for $29.99, and is #1 at the revenue-based FandangoNow. “Ava” also continues its successful showings, with first place at Spectrum.
“Trump Card” is pitched as an expose of “socialism, corruption, and the deep state,” and clearly aimed at Election Day interest. In his past films (which received theatrical release), D’Souza preferred to specifically demonize Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. This time, the target is far broader than the tougher-to-hate Joe Biden. It placed #2 at FandangoNow, where its low price hurts its ranking.
- 10/13/2020
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Ruby Rose, fresh from her role in 2018 shark smash The Meg and currently shooting Batwoman for the CW, is set to star in Doorman.
The action-thriller — being shopped by Ddi in Berlin — is being directed by award-winning Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura (The Midnight Meat Train, Azumi, Lupin the 3rd). The film will be produced by Harry Winer of Smash Media, Jason Moring of Ddi, Michael Philip, Phin Glynn, Sara Shaak and Shayne Putzlocher. Mark Padilla and Stanley Preschutti of Ddi will executive produce.
Doorman will tell the story of an officer in the Marines who encountered traumatic events while serving her country and ...
The action-thriller — being shopped by Ddi in Berlin — is being directed by award-winning Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura (The Midnight Meat Train, Azumi, Lupin the 3rd). The film will be produced by Harry Winer of Smash Media, Jason Moring of Ddi, Michael Philip, Phin Glynn, Sara Shaak and Shayne Putzlocher. Mark Padilla and Stanley Preschutti of Ddi will executive produce.
Doorman will tell the story of an officer in the Marines who encountered traumatic events while serving her country and ...
Ruby Rose, fresh from her role in 2018 shark smash The Meg and currently shooting Batwoman for the CW, is set to star in Doorman.
The action-thriller — being shopped by Ddi in Berlin — is being directed by award-winning Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura (The Midnight Meat Train, Azumi, Lupin the 3rd). The film will be produced by Harry Winer of Smash Media, Jason Moring of Ddi, Michael Philip, Phin Glynn, Sara Shaak and Shayne Putzlocher. Mark Padilla and Stanley Preschutti of Ddi will executive produce.
Doorman will tell the story of an officer in the Marines who encountered traumatic events while serving her country and ...
The action-thriller — being shopped by Ddi in Berlin — is being directed by award-winning Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura (The Midnight Meat Train, Azumi, Lupin the 3rd). The film will be produced by Harry Winer of Smash Media, Jason Moring of Ddi, Michael Philip, Phin Glynn, Sara Shaak and Shayne Putzlocher. Mark Padilla and Stanley Preschutti of Ddi will executive produce.
Doorman will tell the story of an officer in the Marines who encountered traumatic events while serving her country and ...
Ryûhei Kitamura ("Versus", "Midnight Meat Train", "Alive", "Godzilla: Final Wars", "No One Lives", "Azumi", "Aragami") is heading to Tiff's Midnight Madness with "Downrange", a “terrifying” new thriller starring Stephanie Pearson ("Insidious: Chapter 2"), Kelly Connaire, Rod Hernandez-Farella, Anthony Kirlew, Alexa Yeames, and Jason Tobias. Produced by Kitamura and Eleven Arts' Ko Mori, the film is executive produced by Taro Maki. Screenplay is by Joey O'Bryan ("Motorway", "Fulltime Killer"), with a story by O'Bryan and Kitamura.Six college students are carpooling cross-country when one of their tires blows out on a desolate stretch of country road. Getting out to fix the flat, they quickly discover that this was no accident. The tire was shot out. With their vehicle...
- 8/13/2017
- www.ohmygore.com/
40. Road to Perdition
One of the more surprising and lesser-known facts about Sam Mendes’ second film, Road to Perdition, is that it’s actually adapted from a graphic novel of the same name by Max Allan Collins. The plot follows Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks), an Irish mob enforcer as he goes on the run with his son Michael Jr. after Jr. witnesses a murder and their family is killed in an effort to cover up any witnesses. There’s many great things in this film that standout, such as Jude Law’s creepy performance as assassin Harlen Maguire, one of Paul Newman’s final and finest performances as mob boss John Rooney, and Hollywood got an early look at the talent of Daniel Craig as the unstable Connor Rooney. However, it’s the climax that remains the most memorable thing in it, featuring some of the most iconic work from...
One of the more surprising and lesser-known facts about Sam Mendes’ second film, Road to Perdition, is that it’s actually adapted from a graphic novel of the same name by Max Allan Collins. The plot follows Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks), an Irish mob enforcer as he goes on the run with his son Michael Jr. after Jr. witnesses a murder and their family is killed in an effort to cover up any witnesses. There’s many great things in this film that standout, such as Jude Law’s creepy performance as assassin Harlen Maguire, one of Paul Newman’s final and finest performances as mob boss John Rooney, and Hollywood got an early look at the talent of Daniel Craig as the unstable Connor Rooney. However, it’s the climax that remains the most memorable thing in it, featuring some of the most iconic work from...
- 9/2/2015
- by Staff
- SoundOnSight
The WWE logo splashing across the screen during a trailer or promo, doesn’t exactly fill this potential viewer with confidence. Sure, they’ve had some watchable(at best) films, especially in the horror genre, such as See No Evil, but they also have duds such as The Marine 3, and 12 Rounds 2. In 2013, I was witness to not one, but two WWE Films titles that were not only just watchable, but I’d consider them to be exceptional. One of which was the action thriller Dead Man Down, starring Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace. The other WWE film that hit the big screen in 2013 was No One Lives. I remember the first time I was exposed to the trailer, it was before a screening of Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem, that I had driven two hours to see. I’m not sure if I was just in a bad mood from driving,...
- 8/23/2013
- by Shawn Savage
- The Liberal Dead
Hopefully you know the name Ryuhei Kitamura. In 2000 Kitamura released a movie best described as his Evil Dead a nifty little actionhorror flick called Versus. It featured the Yakuza zombies gunplay swords all kinds of awesomelooking imagery and action. He followed it up pretty successfully with the likes of Alive Aragami and Azumi before directing what was basically the giant monster version of The Avengers Godzilla Final Wars. Things slowed down for him after that and it was with some surprise I saw that he directed the Clive Barker adaptation Midnight Meat Train starring a preHangover Bradley Cooper. Not a classic by any means it is still a lot of fun including a wonderful cameo from Ted Raimi. It is odd that here we are again...
- 5/10/2013
- Best-Horror-Movies.com
If Kenji Kohashi seems like a familiar face to you that's because he probably is. As an actor, he's appeared in numerous TV dramas in Japan, and is probably best known to Western audiences as Hyuga in Ryuheu Kitamura's 2003 manga to live action adap. Azumi. Taking time away from the spotlight, Kohashi stepped back into the film world when he had an opportunity to document the journey of Cap, a wheelchair-bound motorcycle enthusiast, whose dream it was to travel across Route 66. Our correspondent, The Lady Miz Diva had a chance to sit down with Kohashi and talk about the experience of making his first feature, in this, our final dispatch from Japan Cuts 2012. This interview is being cross-published at Diva's site, The...
- 8/2/2012
- Screen Anarchy
The Cannes Film Festival is in full swing right now. Movies are being watched by critics, photos are being taken by papparazzi and studios are trying to get their upcoming films distributed. Ryuhei Kitamura (Versus, Midnight Meat Train) has a new film in the works called Marble City. Nicolas Cage and now Mickey Rourke are set to star in the film that is being described as "Kill Bill meets Drive".
Jason Piette, Managing Director of Stealth Media Group La office made the announcement today. Marble City wil be financed by Polaris Pictures' Producer Jeremy Wall along with Premiere Pictures. Mike Nilon, Cage’s manager, is also producing.
Director Kitamura stated:
"This is Kill Bill meets Drive. The movie is a story of one man's journey of vengeance on a road filled with rage, bullets and ultra-violence. He needs to go through the darkest places to reach the light in a classic story of revenge,...
Jason Piette, Managing Director of Stealth Media Group La office made the announcement today. Marble City wil be financed by Polaris Pictures' Producer Jeremy Wall along with Premiere Pictures. Mike Nilon, Cage’s manager, is also producing.
Director Kitamura stated:
"This is Kill Bill meets Drive. The movie is a story of one man's journey of vengeance on a road filled with rage, bullets and ultra-violence. He needs to go through the darkest places to reach the light in a classic story of revenge,...
- 5/18/2012
- by Tiberius
- GeekTyrant
It’s a pairing made in both heaven and hell. As a press release from Stealth Media Group reports, Nicolas Cage and Mickey Rourke — “his career should have crashed” and “his career will crash over and over again” — are planning to collaborate on Marble City, a revenge picture succinctly described as “Kill Bill meets Drive.” That’s all well and good, but a better way to describe it would be, in terms of plot, “a journey of a newly released prisoner who seeks revenge on those that put him inside.”
Director Ryûhei Kitamura (Midnight Mean Train) — who sees it as “the story of a man who finds his inner peace through vengeance” — will work from the Thomas Sjölund-penned screenplay, while Cage and Rourke will go head-to-head in a battle of overacting that’s sure to ultimately underwhelm our socks into a slight breeze. Well, okay, it’s possible I...
Director Ryûhei Kitamura (Midnight Mean Train) — who sees it as “the story of a man who finds his inner peace through vengeance” — will work from the Thomas Sjölund-penned screenplay, while Cage and Rourke will go head-to-head in a battle of overacting that’s sure to ultimately underwhelm our socks into a slight breeze. Well, okay, it’s possible I...
- 5/17/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Stealth Media Group announced today that Nicolas Cage and Mickey Rourke are in talks to star in director Ryuhei Kitamura's Marble City . The announcement was made by Jason Piette, Managing Director of Stealth Media Group La office. Polaris Pictures' Producer Jeremy Wall will co-finance the film along with Premiere Pictures. Mike Nilon, Nicolas Cage.s manager, is also Producing. "Ryuhei is the electric kind of filmmaker that Stealth Media is proud to be in business with," said Piette. "His vision of action filmmaking is truly unique as seen in 'Azumi' and we look forward to bringing a high octane smart action picture to the market that targets the critical young male demographic.. Marble City takes us on a journey of a newly released prisoner who seeks revenge...
- 5/17/2012
- Comingsoon.net
The latest list in sound of sights month long look at the greatest horror films ever is taking a different look on the horror genre. There is a very narrow line that divides finding something funny and scary, which is exactly the sort of film this list is celebrating. As a genre there is two ways you can address the comedy horror. The first and the much more popular route is comedy about horror, these films rarely attempt to attain any qualities other than a comedic jibe at the genre. If you were to pick one classic example it would be Young Frankenstein – a film that satirises early horror and Frankenstein in what is close to comedy perfection (the Gene Wilder effect). The contemporary take on the genre has given the world some of the worst films of recent times in the Scary Movie franchise and its brood of mutant off-shoots.
- 10/31/2011
- by Robert Simpson
- SoundOnSight
The transition to American films has not proven easy for Japanese cult director Ryuhei Kitamura. After building a loyal following around the world for offerings such as Versus, Azumi and Godzilla: Final Wars it appeared he was poised to make a successful transition. But after directing seven Japanese features between 2000 and 2006 Kitamura has only been seen on screens once since, that being with the ill-fated Midnight Meat Train, a film that was largely shelved due to infighting at Lionsgate.But Kitamura should be returning to the screen next year, his internationally backed No One Lives now listed in post-production. Luke Evans and Adelaide Clemmens anchor a cast that includes WWE wrestler Brodus Clay and Bitch Slap star America Olivo in the bloody horror...
- 8/14/2011
- Screen Anarchy
In what is surely one of the weirdest news stories I've read all week, Capcom have officially announced that a movie adaptation of their popular Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney video game series is in development. The franchise has been a hit on the Nintendo DS both in Japan as well as the rest of the world, with players taking control of a rookie defense lawyer who investigates various cases and ultimately takes them to the courtroom. The games have a cartoony style and a goofy sense of humour, and are generally considered to be fun for the whole family. That's not really the weird part though. The weird part is that the director of the movie is none other than Takashi Miike, the man behind such violent and disturbing films as Audition, Ichi the Killer, and most recently, 13 Assassins. Has the renegade filmmaker finally sold out? Rumours of Miike's involvement first started at Cannes,...
- 5/27/2011
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Developer Pop Quiz is a weekly interview series in which we ask developers from around the industry the same 10 questions and post their responses.
Isn't it great when dreams come true? For Ska Studio's Lead Dishwasher, James Silva, the Xbox Live Indie Games movement helped him, not only keep his dreams alive, but go on to release two of Xbox Live Arcades best games, "The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai" and "The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile." As a true testament to how the indie games scene can help you quit your day job, and go on to do much bigger things with your life, Mr. Silva owes a lot of his success to hard work, self-motivation and perseverance, which makes him an ideal candidate for this week's Developer Pop Quiz.
Name: James Silva
Title: Lead Dishwasher
Company: Ska Studios
Job Description: Programmer, Artist, Animator, Designer, Composer, Dishwasher
First title worked on: "Zombie Smashers...
Isn't it great when dreams come true? For Ska Studio's Lead Dishwasher, James Silva, the Xbox Live Indie Games movement helped him, not only keep his dreams alive, but go on to release two of Xbox Live Arcades best games, "The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai" and "The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile." As a true testament to how the indie games scene can help you quit your day job, and go on to do much bigger things with your life, Mr. Silva owes a lot of his success to hard work, self-motivation and perseverance, which makes him an ideal candidate for this week's Developer Pop Quiz.
Name: James Silva
Title: Lead Dishwasher
Company: Ska Studios
Job Description: Programmer, Artist, Animator, Designer, Composer, Dishwasher
First title worked on: "Zombie Smashers...
- 4/15/2011
- by Jason Cipriano
- MTV Multiplayer
Previously only seen in glimpses as a teaser trailer, here’s your first full look at the big-budget live-action “Space Battleship Yamato” movie via YouTube. Based on the popular anime, the live-action movie is directed by Takashi Yamazaki (“Returner”), and stars Koyuki (last seen in “Blood: The Last Vampire”), Aya Ueto (star of the “Azumi” movies), and Takuya Kimura (“I Come with the Rain”). It was apparently shown during a Japanese TV show, hence the Pip with the people, uh, watching the trailer along with us. To save the human race once again facing the danger of extinction, the restored Yamato voyages in to outer space. The year is 2220. A black hole with a size 300 times larger than the sun approaches the Solar System and the earth is expected to fall in to massive black hole. A transmigration to the Sairam Star begins and the first convoy led by Kodai Yuki departs the earth.
- 6/29/2010
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
With Wednesday's announcement that Netflix InstantWatch is finally coming on the Nintendo Wii this Spring, Netflix now has the video game market in the palm of their hands. With all three next-gen systems providing it and phenomenal movie choices added every few days, the company has revitalized their home movie service. I freely admit that my satisfaction with Netflix has been rocky in the past, but in the recent couple of years, the growth of their streaming service has been so gratifying that it makes their DVD delivery service almost irrelevant.
Here are some of the great selections not to miss, newly available on Instant Watch this week.
• • •
Big Fan
Comedian Patton Oswalt, who first claimed cinematic acclaim with his voice performance in Ratatouille, here tries his hand at something much darker and pathetically sad. In truth, I've had a glimpse of that in his memorable appearance in an episode of Dollhouse,...
Here are some of the great selections not to miss, newly available on Instant Watch this week.
• • •
Big Fan
Comedian Patton Oswalt, who first claimed cinematic acclaim with his voice performance in Ratatouille, here tries his hand at something much darker and pathetically sad. In truth, I've had a glimpse of that in his memorable appearance in an episode of Dollhouse,...
- 1/17/2010
- by Arya Ponto
- JustPressPlay.net
89- Azumi (2003) Directed by Ryûhei Kitamura Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Action Lovers of Asian cinema should love Azumi. A slick, relentless, violent yet beautiful genre piece with breathtaking stunt choreography and impressive wirework by Yuta Morokaji that makes the fight sequence in Kill Bill seem tame. - 88- The Proposition (2005) Directed by John Hillcoat Genre: Western The spirits of Sam Peckinpah [...]...
- 12/12/2009
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Gale Anne Hurd's Valhalla Motion Pictures and Platinum Studios, Inc., an entertainment company that controls an international library of more than 5,600 comic book characters which it adapts, produces and licenses for all forms of media and Top Cow Productions, an entertainment company specializing in building intellectual properties through comic book and graphic novel publication, have attached Ryuhei Kitamura to direct and Holly Brix to write the feature film Magdalena , based on Top Cow's comic book character. Kitamura previously directed Midnight Meat Train for Lionsgate and Lakeshore Entertainment, and he has directed numerous Japanese films including Godzilla: Final Wars , Love Death , Sky High and Azumi among many others. Brix previously wrote The Butterfly...
- 7/22/2009
- Comingsoon.net
In this the *final entry in the long running Zatoichi series released some 15 years after the previous entry we catch up with the character as he enters his twilight years. A living legend and master of the quick draw sword technique Zatocihi continues to roam the dusty tracks of Edo Period Japan. To most who pass him he is just another blind masseur. How ever though blind from the age of 2, his other senses have been heightened to near supernatural levels and this makes him not only a formidable swordsman, but also a gambler with few piers. While these skills have enabled Ichi to wander as he wished making a living from gambling and massage and safe from anyone who would underestimate his bumbling walk and lack of vision as a weakness he has also built a reputation that follows him where ever he goes.
The Zatoichi movies made their...
The Zatoichi movies made their...
- 4/19/2009
- by Leigh
- Latemag.com/film
Baton is a new anime from director Ryuhei Kitamura (Versus, Azumi) and Shunji Iwai (April Story, All About Lily Chou-Chou) that is being produced by Us animation studio titmouse (huh?). There’s not much known about the story at the moment See update below!, only that Aya Ueto and (Hayato Ichihara will play the two main characters Apollo and Micha(?)l who live together with intelligent robots on a future Earth.
The three, about 20 minutes long Episodes of Baton will be shown during the 150th anniversary celebration of the city of Yokohama from April 28 to September 27.
[See post to watch Flash video] According to the development studio Wild Boar Media, Baton is a mixture of “traditional rotoscope animation with added 2D and 3D effects”…the result kinda looks like A Scanner Darkly gets drunk with Freedom on a cocktail party thrown by Ralph Bakshi.
Update: Nippon Cinema has come up with a detailed synopsis for the flick:
On Planet Abel,...
The three, about 20 minutes long Episodes of Baton will be shown during the 150th anniversary celebration of the city of Yokohama from April 28 to September 27.
[See post to watch Flash video] According to the development studio Wild Boar Media, Baton is a mixture of “traditional rotoscope animation with added 2D and 3D effects”…the result kinda looks like A Scanner Darkly gets drunk with Freedom on a cocktail party thrown by Ralph Bakshi.
Update: Nippon Cinema has come up with a detailed synopsis for the flick:
On Planet Abel,...
- 3/12/2009
- by Ulrik
- Affenheimtheater
A general stands alone with a priest on a bloody battle field. On the ground amongst the body’s lies that of his own slain son. Victory has come at a huge cost and there seems no end to the constant warring of Japans feudal war lords. The priest how ever has a plan; he believes that a group of highly trained assassins could be the answer. He believes that if power hungry war lords are assassinated before they can start wars Japan will be at piece. The general pledge to make the priests wishes a reality and sets about searching for suitable orphaned children who can be turned into obedient killing machines. He searches the war torn countryside and finds 10 orphans all male accept one, a girl named Azumi, who just might grow to be the deadliest of them all.
The general takes his finds to a remote mountain...
The general takes his finds to a remote mountain...
- 2/25/2009
- by Leigh
- Latemag.com/film
While you may not know Naoto Takenaka by name, believe me when I say that if you’re any kind of fan of Japanese cult film then you know the popular comedian’ss face. Takenaka has played key roles in a string of popular films ranging from Ping Pong to Azumi to Swing Girls to The Great Yokai War. And now Takenaka is stepping behind the camera to create Yamagata Scream, his latest directorial effort.
The story is set in a village in the Yamagata prefecture, inspired by tales of the ochimusha of the Taira clan. The ochimusha were warriors who, after being defeated in battle, fled to remote areas of Japan and established small towns to live in. In the film, a businessman and a high school girl arrive in the village and accidentally unearth one of the Taira graves, awakening the zombies of the ochimusha. Takenaka will play the “zombie general.
The story is set in a village in the Yamagata prefecture, inspired by tales of the ochimusha of the Taira clan. The ochimusha were warriors who, after being defeated in battle, fled to remote areas of Japan and established small towns to live in. In the film, a businessman and a high school girl arrive in the village and accidentally unearth one of the Taira graves, awakening the zombies of the ochimusha. Takenaka will play the “zombie general.
- 1/24/2009
- by Todd Brown
- Screen Anarchy
Back in July it was announced that Tadanobu Asano would be the lead in the adaptation of the stage-play Donju written by Kankuro Kudo [Go, Ping Pong, Zebraman, Mayonaka no Yaji-san Kita-san and Maiko Haaaan!!! We can go on, you know]. The story is the mystery behind a young writer named Dekogawa (Asano), who has been “killed” multiple times, but somehow keeps reappearing.
We can now add more names to the bill. Asano’s supporting cast includes Yoko Maki [Udon and The Grudge], Kazuki Kitamura [Maiko Haaaan!!! and Azumi], Yusuke Santamaria [Udon and the Bayside Shakedown movies], Yoko Minamino, and Aimi Satsukawa.
Filming began at the beginning of this month and we can expect a release in 2009.
We can now add more names to the bill. Asano’s supporting cast includes Yoko Maki [Udon and The Grudge], Kazuki Kitamura [Maiko Haaaan!!! and Azumi], Yusuke Santamaria [Udon and the Bayside Shakedown movies], Yoko Minamino, and Aimi Satsukawa.
Filming began at the beginning of this month and we can expect a release in 2009.
- 8/27/2008
- by Mack
- Screen Anarchy
- Yohei Fukada is no Ryuhei Kitamura – that was my immediate reaction following a viewing of Chanbara Beauty. Fukada, who started out as a D.P. on schlocky J-horror films, makes his directorial debut in this no budget horror/actioner based on a videogame series. Another in a long line of hot chick swordplay flicks (perfected by Kitamura in Azumi), the film stars waifish sexpot Eri Otoguro as Aya (I so want to say titular here!), an orphaned swordswoman with a bikini and cowboy-hat fetish who prefers to let her blade do the talking. Her’s is a world overrun by zombies of the 28 Days Later variety which she seeks to vanquish one slice at a time. Accompanied by a motley crew of survivors including a dimwitted sidekick and a gun-toting vixen named Reiko (Manami Hashimoto), they set their sights on stopping Sugita, the mad scientist responsible for the undead plague.
- 7/1/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
It may sound like porn, but it's a new thriller by Lionsgate.Lionsgate sent us the new poster(right) and the trailer (below). Midnight Meat Train is directed by critically acclaimed Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura (Versus, Azumi, Sky High) in his American debut, and based on Clive Barker’s popular, short story from his classic Books of Blood collection. The screenplay was adapted by Jeff Buhler. Next stop…death. When Leon Kaufman’s (Bradley Cooper) latest body of work – a collection of provocative, nighttime studies of the city and its inhabitants -- earns the struggling photographer interest from prominent art gallerist Susan Hoff (Brooke Shields), she propels him to get grittier and show the darker side of humanity for his upcoming debut at her downtown art space. Believing he’s finally on track for success, Leon’s obsessive pursuit of dark subject matter leads him into the path of a serial killer,...
- 1/22/2008
- ZombieFriends.com
It may sound like porn, but it's a new thriller by Lionsgate.Lionsgate sent us the new poster(right) and the trailer (below). Midnight Meat Train is directed by critically acclaimed Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura (Versus, Azumi, Sky High) in his American debut, and based on Clive Barker’s popular, short story from his classic Books of Blood collection. The screenplay was adapted by Jeff Buhler. Next stop…death. When Leon Kaufman’s (Bradley Cooper) latest body of work – a collection of provocative, nighttime studies of the city and its inhabitants -- earns the struggling photographer interest from prominent art gallerist Susan Hoff (Brooke Shields), she propels him to get grittier and show the darker side of humanity for his upcoming debut at her downtown art space. Believing he’s finally on track for success, Leon’s obsessive pursuit of dark subject matter leads him into the path of a serial killer,...
- 1/22/2008
- ZombieFriends.com
Tokyo International Film Festival
TOKYO -- Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge by Takuji Kitamura, a teenage ninja vs. mutant flick, is coherently scripted, genre-savvy and visually stimulating, it features a kickass female lead, and even psychological insight into adolescent blues. Premiered at TIFF, Chainsaw was one of the few films in the Japanese Eyes section that received warm applause. Meant mainly for teenagers in Japan, the film will win over more mature genre fans in overseas fantastic film festivals and DVD markets.
Megumi Seki (Honey and Clover, Arch Angels) is Eri, a high school student who believes it's her destiny to fight a chainsaw-wielding monster who descends from the moon in a shower of snowflakes. Enter Yosuke (Hayato Ichihara), wuss-extraordinaire, who gets in Eri's way while dodging cops after a shoplift attempt. It's "love at first sight" for him, and "out of my sight!" from her, but somehow, Yosuke sticks around to become Eri's chaperone and beverage-server during her duels with the mysterious monster. In time, the two realize they share similar identity crises and tragic memories, and learn the meaning of interdependence.
At first glance, Eri appears to be cut from the same cloth as Lolita warriors of Japanese manga and action-fantasies like Azumi and Princess Blade. Looking undaunted and delectable in a yellow school blazer, she levitates and dives, throwing Ninja darts like a ballerina. However, it gradually transpires that her relationship with the Chainsaw Man has darker psychological roots that recall the Freudian undertones of Candy Man and Nightmare on Elm Street.
The film boasts some fabulous sets for the fighting scenes, such as an Edo period theme park, an aquarium and an indoor swimming pool. HD cinematography is technically robust, adequately showcasing the inventively-combined CGI and Japanese style action choreography -- which are used in moderation. Editing is clean and streamlined.
The narrative sags a bit when it settles on comically chronicling the school life of Yosuke and his equally deadbeat classmates. Yosuke's dream of challenging his dead friend Noto -- a rebel who fought for what he believed -- somehow seems too manga-like to ring true. However, the film draws attention to the apathy and spinelessness of contemporary youth. Indeed a teacher is disappointed with his students for NOT talking back, and just caving in to the system.
NEGATIVE HAPPY CHAINSAW EDGE
Digital Frontier Inc/Nikkatsu Studio/Nikkatsu Corporation
Credits:
Director: Takuji Kitamura
Writer: Hirotoshi Kobayashi
Based on the novel by: Tatsuhiko Takimoto
Producers: Suguru Matsumura, Kazuhiro Hirose, Akira Yamamoto
Director of photography: Gen Kobayashi
Production designer: Yasuyo Kawamura
Costume designer: Yukiko Kosato
Cast:
Eri Yukizaki: Megumi Seki
Yosuke Yamamoto: Hayato Ichihara
Watanabe: Yosuke Asari
Noto: Haruma Miura
Running time -- 109 minutes
No MPAA rating...
TOKYO -- Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge by Takuji Kitamura, a teenage ninja vs. mutant flick, is coherently scripted, genre-savvy and visually stimulating, it features a kickass female lead, and even psychological insight into adolescent blues. Premiered at TIFF, Chainsaw was one of the few films in the Japanese Eyes section that received warm applause. Meant mainly for teenagers in Japan, the film will win over more mature genre fans in overseas fantastic film festivals and DVD markets.
Megumi Seki (Honey and Clover, Arch Angels) is Eri, a high school student who believes it's her destiny to fight a chainsaw-wielding monster who descends from the moon in a shower of snowflakes. Enter Yosuke (Hayato Ichihara), wuss-extraordinaire, who gets in Eri's way while dodging cops after a shoplift attempt. It's "love at first sight" for him, and "out of my sight!" from her, but somehow, Yosuke sticks around to become Eri's chaperone and beverage-server during her duels with the mysterious monster. In time, the two realize they share similar identity crises and tragic memories, and learn the meaning of interdependence.
At first glance, Eri appears to be cut from the same cloth as Lolita warriors of Japanese manga and action-fantasies like Azumi and Princess Blade. Looking undaunted and delectable in a yellow school blazer, she levitates and dives, throwing Ninja darts like a ballerina. However, it gradually transpires that her relationship with the Chainsaw Man has darker psychological roots that recall the Freudian undertones of Candy Man and Nightmare on Elm Street.
The film boasts some fabulous sets for the fighting scenes, such as an Edo period theme park, an aquarium and an indoor swimming pool. HD cinematography is technically robust, adequately showcasing the inventively-combined CGI and Japanese style action choreography -- which are used in moderation. Editing is clean and streamlined.
The narrative sags a bit when it settles on comically chronicling the school life of Yosuke and his equally deadbeat classmates. Yosuke's dream of challenging his dead friend Noto -- a rebel who fought for what he believed -- somehow seems too manga-like to ring true. However, the film draws attention to the apathy and spinelessness of contemporary youth. Indeed a teacher is disappointed with his students for NOT talking back, and just caving in to the system.
NEGATIVE HAPPY CHAINSAW EDGE
Digital Frontier Inc/Nikkatsu Studio/Nikkatsu Corporation
Credits:
Director: Takuji Kitamura
Writer: Hirotoshi Kobayashi
Based on the novel by: Tatsuhiko Takimoto
Producers: Suguru Matsumura, Kazuhiro Hirose, Akira Yamamoto
Director of photography: Gen Kobayashi
Production designer: Yasuyo Kawamura
Costume designer: Yukiko Kosato
Cast:
Eri Yukizaki: Megumi Seki
Yosuke Yamamoto: Hayato Ichihara
Watanabe: Yosuke Asari
Noto: Haruma Miura
Running time -- 109 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 12/11/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A high-kicking, all-action female Samurai is winging her way to British shores after Toronto-based sales outfit Bogeydom Licensing cut a deal with Optimum Releasing on Monday at the American Film Market for all U.K. rights to Azumi. The film, which screened in one of the midnight slots during this year's Sundance Film Festival, is billed as part of the new wave of action and horror titles coming out of Asia at the moment. It details the story of the life and development of a female Samurai assassin, played by Aya Ueto, who is being groomed for a high-profile assassination.
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