All Things: Asian Film, Vol. III

Nikkatsu Diamond Guys: Vol 1 Blu-ray

Arrow Video will release on Blu-ray Nikkatsu Diamond Guys: Vol 1. The release will be available for purchase in the United States on January 26, 2016.

Nikkatsu, the oldest film studio in Japan, inaugurated a star system in the late 1950s, finding talent and contracting to their Diamond Line for a series of wild genre pictures. This collection celebrates these "Diamond Guys" with three classic films from directors Seijun Suzuki (Branded to Kill), Toshio Masuda (Rusty Knife) and Buichi Saito (Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril).

Arrow Video is just the best.
 
‘Okja': Bong Joon-ho’s Monster Movie Adds Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, and Bill Nighy
http://collider.com/okja-jake-gyllenhaal-paul-dano-bill-nighy-kelly-macdonald/

After Tilda Swinton recently reaffirmed that should would be reuniting with Snowpiercer director Bong Joon-ho for his next film, a new report has confirmed just which project that is along with four new cast members who are expected to star in it. As was presumed for a while, Bong Joon-ho’s next movie will be the multilingual monster movie Okja, which is expected to feature a Korean female lead and a cast of English-speaking supporting actors, whose scenes will be set in New York.

The Wrap reports that a foursome of the aforementioned English-speaking actors are in various stages of discussions to join the film, though the news comes before offers have officially been extended. The actors in question include Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Bill Nighy, and Kelly Macdonald. Swinton is currently the only actor confirmed to be on board. Very little information on the film’s plot, characters, or setting has been revealed yet, but that should change relatively soon since Okja is expected to go into production in early 2016.

 
Hana-Bi Blu-ray

Independent British distributors Third Window Films have detailed their upcoming Blu-ray release of Takeshi Kitano's film Fireworks a.k.a. Hana-Bi (1997), starring Takeshi Kitano, Kayoko Kishimoto, Ren ?sugi, Susumu Terajima, and Tetsu Watanabe. The release will be available for purchase on January 11.

Special Features and Specs:

30-minute documentary from the film's original release
Interview with Takeshi Kitano
Audio commentary by film critic Mark Schilling
New trailer
5.1 Surround Sound
Removable subtitles
Cardboard slipcase with new illustrated design (limited to 1000 units only)

For me, Kitano's best work by a mile. Gonna import the fuuuuuuuuuuuck out of this.
 
Outside of a couple of amazing fights sequences, didn't think Ip Man was all the great. Could care less about Ip Man 2, but not gonna lie here, the Mike Tyson gimmick might get me to watch Ip Man 3. It looks so bad, it might be good.

Really? I thought the first Ip Man was pretty fantastic. Mostly because of the fight sequences, natch.
 
Hong Kong Movies, Even From As Recently As The ’90s, Are Disappearing

Think about that. One of the biggest hits of the mid-Nineties, when Hong Kong cinema was at its zenith. A movie starring the legendary Leslie Cheung and four other major stars. A movie directed by one of China’s most successful directors, from one of Hong Kong’s most famous production companies. And there is maybe one 35mm print left in existence. But that’s the story of Hong Kong cinema: it’s disappearing.

This is, for real, Not Good.
 
Stephen Chow releases first poster for "The Mermaid"

7cn_stephenmermaidposter00.jpg


 
RAN 4K Restoration Trailer



The restoration: The film has been restored based on a 4K scan by the French laboratory ?clair, under StudioCanal's supervision. Based on an original negative, the majority of the restoration work was done manually, frame by frame, with the film's Director of Photography, Mr. Ueda, approving the color grading. (Technical information courtesy of StudioCanal).

Probably too much to hope that the eventual blu-ray release of this will be Criterion...
 
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