Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Thailand, etc
Yi-Long
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 8616
Joined: 26 Oct 2004, 13:46
Location: Alkmaar, Holland

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by Yi-Long »

HungFist wrote:No English subs on the German dvd.
Ah thank. That' too bad :) I'll keep waiting for the UK disc to drop in price...
Image
I was there, the big BNB blackout of november, 2008. We lost many that day...
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by HungFist »

There's a R4 release by Madman, with highly positive reviews fron less than reliable reviewers. They all state
1) the picture quality is excellent (4/5 and 10/10 ratings)
2) the disc is in pal format
3) it runs 237 minutes

Now, you see, there's a contradiction. If the disc runs 237 minutes, then the transfer is either standards conversion (= not a good transfer) or in NTSC format (unlikely), or the running time is incorrect. So either the reviewers can't even notice a standards conversion, or they can't even get the basic information correct. Useless.

http://www.dvdbits.com/reviews.asp?id=3932
http://www.dvdresurrections.com/reviews ... osure.html
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by HungFist »

Hikari Mitsushima gravure vid clip. Posting here cause I like the music, but don't have dailymotion account where to favorite the clip :D
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3xn7z ... shima_sexy
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by HungFist »

Here's a conversation I thought was worth copying here, too, in shortened form, a bit messy thanks to my editing but I tried to include the main points and have it in somewhat readable form.
- viewtopic.php?f=19&t=4448&start=1919
Markgway wrote:Love Exposure *½

Original. Unique. Bollocks.

I'll admit that for about an hour I was willing to submit to the extremely offbeat perv humour, even though I didn't "get it" (or the bizarrely unappealing characters), but by the time the heavy-handed religious cult stuff became dominant I was worn out and really not enjoying myself... and there was over 2 hours to go. 'Yoko' may be physically cute, but her personality has all the appeal of a black widow sinking its fangs into your neck. Endless scenes of "Hentai" "Hentai" and pretentious babble about being true to yourself numbed me to the core. I couldn't possibly sit thru this again. Ever.

I know the Japanese are as mad as a bag of spiders, but how did this play in Japan?
HungFist wrote:The critics hated it, but they hate all Sono films. His movies are too honest, so they consider him a national disgrace. The audience usually agrees. Love Exposure was an exception. It was the biggest indie hit to ever hit Tokyo cinemas.

The only Sono film the Japanese critics liked was Be Sure to Share. That's the film Sono himself disliked :D

just as btw, while I was in Japan a guy from our school was arrested for tosatsu (upskirt photography). There were no victims in the uni, though. He had only been photographing the high school girls from next door.

Then later, I was having lunch with a few female friends and they mentioned (to each other, not directly to me) that someone from our school had been arrested for tosatsu. I spit my rice on the table :D And they were like, "how do you know what tosatsu means??!!"
HungFist wrote:while I was in Japan a guy from our school was arrested for tosatsu (upskirt photography).
Markgway wrote:Be honest. It was you, wasn't it? :thumbs:
HungFist wrote:Hey, it wasn't me, swear to God :lol:

My friend did snap a few photos of those high school girls, though. But that was no tosatsu. The skirts they were wearing were so short you could take a mugshot and you'd still see their panties.

And I'm talking about the official school uniform. That they were wearing in winter. While it was snowing heavily Image
HungFist wrote:His movies are too honest
Markgway wrote:Honest? You mean people like these characters actually exist? :help:

Panty-snappers, Jesus freaks, pornographers, shoplifters, men-hating lesbian feminists... I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't love this sweet-natured romcom?
HungFist wrote:Actually, I'd go as far to call it my favorite love story of all time. It's amazingly entertaining with brilliant soundtrack, totally unpredictable 370 page screenplay, hilariously imaginative tosatsu techniques, movie references (Female Prisoner Scorpion), girl gangs, lesbianism, and even martial arts and Yoshihiro Nishimura gore effects. But first and foremost it's a winsome love story full of energy and youth (“a film to make you feel young again” said one critic). And beneath all this overwhelming energy there’s a surprising amount if wonderful little scenes, like those with Yoko’s little sister, Koike entering the church, Yoko bringing Koike home for the first time, etc.

The film is based partly on Sono's friend, who was a tosatsu maniac, and partly on Sono himself. Sono had quite an interesting youth. He ran from home to Tokyo when he was 17. There he met a charming older lady, and had high hopes of losing his virginity with her. Turned out, the woman was suicidal maniac looking for someone to die with. But Sono didn't want to die, so she changed her plan. She returned to her parents with Sono, with Sono playing her husband. This act continued for a few weeks until Sono "escaped". He never really found out whether the parents bought the act or not. Sono later adapted these events into his film Noriko's Dinner Table.

Later, probably in Tokyo again, Sono joined some kind of a religious cult. He got into trouble with the police while being part of this cult, and said that if he had not quit he would probably have become a terrorist. These events inspired Love Exposure.

Fast forward some years, and Sono has moved to California. He was supposed to be studying, but he spent most of his time watching grindhouse films and porn. He later adapted some of this stuff into a film called Hazard, which he shot in New York.

After this he founded Tokyo GAGAGA, which was a querilla street performance poetry group. This group got quite famous. These days many people like punk musicians have fond memories of the good old days when Sono's group was having aggressive, protest like performances on streets and subway stations. Of course with no permits, and always trouble with the police.

Sono himself was a poet before becoming a filmmaker. He got international recognition in the early 90's when his movies Bicycle Sighs and The Room played in Berlin. If I remember correctly Japan was not happy at all with rebel Sono's movies being shown abroad.

But his final international breakthrough came in 2002 with Suicide Club. Everybody hates it in Japan (too touchy subject and too accurate points) but it become an instant cult classic in in festival circuit. It's popularity is partly based on wrong reasons, though. It's a very challenging movie and you need strong knowledge of Japanese society and Japanese way of thinking in order to interpret it. But it got very popular with foreigners because of its strangness and goriness (which are also part of its appeal, though). I have to admit that while I loved it from the first time, it took me several years before I even started to understand it.
Markgway wrote:It's obviously a matter of perspective because I thought it was the creepiest anti-romance I've ever seen. These characters made me want to take a shower (by myself)...

...The soundtrack was one of the better elements. I rather liked that chirpy song that popped up from time to time.
Markgway wrote:A learning experience for you then?
HungFist wrote:No, no, but... maybe the film doesnt hit quite as hard if you don't live (physically or mentally) in the same world as the characters do. I do very much. This is my Japan. Hirokazu Koreeda and Ozu and go kiss my ass
Markgway wrote:I've never been 'into' Japanese culture and so my appreciation for Japanese film is very much that of a gaijin. I would imagine that my opinion is more reflective of a mainstream western audience than those well versed in Japanese cinema and immersed in their culture (such as yourself).

You may disagree with this (in fact I've no doubt you will) but I found the 'romance' in LE utterly insincere. I never for a second believed that these characters loved each other. I don't think they even knew what love is. Thus I had zero emotional investment in them or the story. At times I wondered if the director was playing a joke on his audience and kept waiting for some sort of ironic punchline.
+ Meiko Kaji / Female Prisoner Scorpion

Image
User avatar
Markgway
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 20177
Joined: 18 Feb 2005, 02:04

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by Markgway »

HungFist wrote:Hikari Mitsushima gravure vid clip. Posting here cause I like the music, but don't have dailymotion account where to favorite the clip :D
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3xn7z ... shima_sexy
Yes, it's all about the music. ;)

This was about the only thing I liked about the movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu_9Wr-ORdI
Image
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by HungFist »

Markgway wrote: This was about the only thing I liked about the movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu_9Wr-ORdI
Live version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z68pQlYWcec
User avatar
Markgway
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 20177
Joined: 18 Feb 2005, 02:04

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by Markgway »

The band that time forgot? :D
Image
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by HungFist »

My favorite song from the film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmaRJ1nzWCo
User avatar
Markgway
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 20177
Joined: 18 Feb 2005, 02:04

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by Markgway »

OK, but I prefer the one I posted. Even if the band do look as though they're waiting for the 70s to return.
Image
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by HungFist »

US DVD 2011-12-20
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005QODERG

Still no BD anywhere.
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by HungFist »

User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by HungFist »

Finally! Japanese Blu-Ray announced for July!
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=833704

Surely no subs, so muhahahaha motherfuckers :lol:
User avatar
Markgway
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 20177
Joined: 18 Feb 2005, 02:04

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by Markgway »

HungFist wrote:Surely no subs, so muhahahaha motherfuckers :lol:
Oh noes! Does that mean I won't be able to buy it???

Image
Image
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by HungFist »

HungFist wrote:Finally! Japanese Blu-Ray announced for July!
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=833704

Surely no subs, so muhahahaha motherfuckers :lol:
Actually, this one does have English subs (just like the Himizu BD). And a muthafucking awesome artwork. I'll try to scan it tomorrow.
logboy
Jackie Chan's BIG toe
Posts: 35
Joined: 10 Aug 2011, 07:57

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by logboy »

USA and uk get blu's of 'love exposure' this year...
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by HungFist »

Japanese Blu-Ray

Amuse Soft (Japan)
Region Free
BD-50 (actual size: 43.6 GB)
Video: 1080 progressive
Audio: Japanese 5.1 DTSHD-MA
Subtitles: English
Extras: none

The much awaited Blu-Ray edition of Sion Sono's divine masterpiece. The Japanese release titles itself as the "Ultimate Edition", though it hardly is. All extras are absent, despite them being plentiful on the original Japanese 3 Disc DVD release. Contrary to the early announcements, the disc does feauture English subtitles. The new transfer is, according to the front cover, supervised by Sono himself. The minor optical censorship (a few seconds of partial shots of a fake penis) is still present. The UK DVD was previouly reported being uncensored.

Somewhat amusingly, the cardboard sleeve (probably limited to the initial pressing) is full of English language quotes -perhaps because the Japanese critics hated the film, though local audiences made it the biggest arthouse hit in Tokyo movie theaters ever. The regular blue case found inside the sleeve comes with awesome, new artwork, as depicted in the scan below.

Note that US and UK Blu-Ray editions will be released shortly. With all three coming out withing three months after three years of wait, it's not hard to guess all will utilize more or less the same source. The UK edition, however, would appear most promising with its set of extras and low price tag (and possibly region B encoding).

Image Image

Image Image

Screencaps (click for full size)
Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Rough refence comparison to R2J 3 Disc DVD

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by HungFist »

Love Exposure has been edited into a five hour (10 x 30min) TV series. Will contain additional scenes not in the (4 hour) movie. Premiers next month on J:COM.

Info (in Japanese):
http://www.cinematoday.jp/page/N0089259
User avatar
Markgway
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 20177
Joined: 18 Feb 2005, 02:04

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by Markgway »

HungFist wrote:Love Exposure has been edited into a five hour (10 x 30min) TV series. Will contain additional scenes not in the (4 hour) movie. Premiers next month on J:COM.
Fucking hell! :lol:
Image
User avatar
HungFist
Bruce Lee's Fist
Posts: 11704
Joined: 14 Dec 2005, 15:50
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Love Exposure (Sion Sono) (2008)

Post by HungFist »

HungFist wrote:Love Exposure has been edited into a five hour (10 x 30min) TV series. Will contain additional scenes not in the (4 hour) movie. Premiers next month on J:COM.

Info (in Japanese):
http://www.cinematoday.jp/page/N0089259
JP BD release coming Sept. 27

Running time: 275 min. That's 38 minutes more than the movie version, though I don't know if there's OP/ED credits in every episode or if they've been edited together. The series was supposed to be 10 x 30 min EP, but again I don't know if that was accurate

Image
- https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B073WVCHWY
Post Reply