Bullets 'n' Babes

Battle Royale from Arrow:
http://www.asianblurayguide.com/detail/ ... d_kingdom/

Yes!!! I only want the non-Directors cut though

Crazy, I wonder why Palisades Tartan don't have it?

How come you want the theatrical cut? He fixed effects like the knife going in the neck and stuff.

going by the dvd specs, it's the original cut.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Battle-Royale-D ... 942&sr=8-1

I'm split over this... the dir. cut adds some very good stuff (the opening R-15 logo is majestic, and I love the basketball addition) but also weakens the ending, plus Chiaki's childhood flashback is just dumb. I'd still prefer the dir.cut

gasteropod wrote:Crazy, I wonder why Palisades Tartan don't have it?

Rights expired, perhaps

Aww I hope they include the DC.

Would make sense to include both cuts.

It would indeed but they might only own one cut in HD, like with Palisades Tartan's Lady Vengeance (that's what they claimed anyway).

I wouldnt mind both cuts actually. Either way its got to better than the cheapo old HK DVD.

If I had to choose I'd go with the theatrical cut.

Not a fan of directors tinkering with films after the fact.

I'll wait for reviews though.

This is fantastic. I don't care which cut it is. Both cuts work just fine for me. Are Arrow any good?

This is literally my number 1 "Asian blu-ray upgrade". I'll be pre-ordering this. This will have to be seriously fucked up for me not to get it. Imagine Battle Royale in Lossless 5.1! OMG!

HungFist wrote:I'm split over this... the dir. cut adds some very good stuff (the opening R-15 logo is majestic, and I love the basketball addition) but also weakens the ending, plus Chiaki's childhood flashback is just dumb. I'd still prefer the dir.cut

The basketball scene is good. Overall I prefer the Director's Cut but am happy with either cut. How does the new ending go again? I thought both cuts had them run away together.

Markgway wrote:If I had to choose I'd go with the theatrical cut. Not a fan of directors tinkering with films after the fact.

The director was forced to change it so "under 15s" could see it in Japan. According to IMDB it was originally classified R-15.

I think the DC just has like an epilogue rather than a different ending, I have no problems with it. Yeah Arrow are good, been doing cool releases of Argento and Romero films.

bradavon wrote:The director was forced to change it so "under 15s" could see it in Japan. According to IMDB it was originally classified R-15.

That cut version was only released in Japan.

The "director's cut" just adds narrative footage and some CGI blood (not cool).

gasteropod wrote:It would indeed but they might only own one cut in HD, like with Palisades Tartan's Lady Vengeance (that's what they claimed anyway).

Well they can't use the masters Tartan used as they were NTSC - or did they re-release it progressively? New masters means it's 50/50 as to whether they'll go for the TC or DC, perhaps the fans over on the Cult Labs forum will make Arrow aware of the desire for both cuts.

bradavon wrote:Imagine Battle Royale in Lossless 5.1! OMG!

Shouldn't sound as good as any contemporary Hollywood action film, no nation knows how to mix gunfire like the Americans (on account of the fact that they actually know how different type, make, and model are supposed to sound).

Markgway wrote:That cut version was only released in Japan.

I didn't know that. So we/hong kong basically got the R-15 version.

Markgway wrote:The "director's cut" just adds narrative footage and some CGI blood (not cool).

True. For me it's a case of "nice to have" but no biggie, if it's missing. I remember liking the CGI blood. I am more picky now a days though.

Shingster wrote:Shouldn't sound as good as any contemporary Hollywood action film, no nation knows how to mix gunfire like the Americans.

True but I still recall it being really good with obscene amounts of bass.

Shingster wrote:Well they can't use the masters Tartan used as they were NTSC - or did they re-release it progressively?

Battle Royale or Lady Vengeance? The "infamous" NTSC 5.1 Theatrical Cut DVD was Progressive. I'm sure it was marketed as that on the rear cover (it was a direct port with English subs from the Japanese DVD) but I "think" the Extended Cut Tin version is NTSC to PAL. That's the one I've got but I've not seen it for years. It was later re-released in Native NTSC (Interlaced/Progressive I've no idea) and this time DTS (no Tin though).

Shingster wrote:New masters means it's 50/50 as to whether they'll go for the TC or DC, perhaps the fans over on the Cult Labs forum will make Arrow aware of the desire for both cuts.

What are Arrow like in releasing two disc blu-rays? I guess it may work putting both versions on a BD50 (MPEG4 compression is very good) but I cannot see that happening.

Thanks Gas. That's good to hear. What's their "biggest" release to day? So I can track down some reviews.

Dawn of the Dead perhaps, they also released that Japanese film 'Departures' on Blu-ray.

bradavon wrote:So we/hong kong basically got the R-15 version.

Yeah.

The "infamous" NTSC 5.1 Theatrical Cut DVD was Progressive.

Infamous?

Actually, both cuts were R-15 in Japan. Originally Fukasaku and Kitano wanted a pg-12 rating for the film, but it didn't happen. So the film played with R-15 rating. Nothing was cut from this version as far as I know. Fukasaku did file a complaint about the rating, but he took it back before any new decision was made because of the increasing political controversy...

Both versions certainly have R-15 rating on dvd.

Some English language sources state Fukasaku prepared an edited version for younger audiences, but I think it's a mistake (people confusing the facts... Fukasaku creating the director's cut, which is even more violent, after failing to get a pg-12 rating for the original). I can't find any mention of a cut version in any Japanese language source.

Markgway wrote:Infamous?

The original BR UK DVD was that awul Tartan PAL effort. Back when they re-used cinema prints. They then went and released an NTSC Progressive DD5.1 version (with no extras, I'm 99% sure it's Progressive). Remember? I'd say it's pretty famous (not infamous, my mistake).

HungFist wrote:Some English language sources state Fukasaku prepared an edited version for younger audiences, but I think it's a mistake (people confusing the facts... Fukasaku creating the director's cut, which is even more violent, after failing to get a pg-12 rating for the original). I can't find any mention of a cut version in any Japanese language source.

That's what I was referencing. Glad to see you know better, as usual. R-12 would be just stupid. R-15 is good. School kids can then see it too and it's clearly not meant to be taken seriously. So your Japanese is pretty good know then? How close to fluent?

Thanks Gas for the info on Arrow. I'd be surprised if the DVD was the Theatrical Cut but BD the Director's Cut. Some useful links:

* DVD extras (is that it?): Original Theatrical Trailer - Star and Director Filmographies - Stills Gallery - Film Notes
Source: http://www.arrowfilms.co.uk/index.php?t ... 7&art_id=5

* "Negative. Departures is region-locked." (it seems this is the only one though, so it's possible)
Source: http://forum.dvdtalk.com/hd-talk/577062 ... 010-a.html

* Cult-Labs link (lots of talk of both cuts being "requested"): http://www.cult-labs.com/forums/arrow-v ... oyale.html

* A break down of how each cut differs (lots of detail/screen captures): http://movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=1083

TBH I'd be happy with barebones, lossless 5.1 (it must be lossless!) and decent AV, of either cut. Battle Royale isn't one I need extras for. I wonder how much I'll be able to get for my LE Tin?

bradavon wrote:

HungFist wrote:Some English language sources state Fukasaku prepared an edited version for younger audiences, but I think it's a mistake (people confusing the facts... Fukasaku creating the director's cut, which is even more violent, after failing to get a pg-12 rating for the original). I can't find any mention of a cut version in any Japanese language source.

That's what I was referencing. Glad to see you know better, as usual. R-12 would be just stupid. R-15 is good. School kids can then see it too and it's clearly not meant to be taken seriously. So your Japanese is pretty good know then? How close to fluent?

I'm not 100% sure on this, but enough to bet my money on it.

Fukasaku was pretty serious about the film. He did want 12 year olds to see it, as a warning example. A bit controversial imo also, but considering many Hollywood soft-R films are pg-12 here (District 9, Shutter Island, Predators (which I haven't seen myself) it's, well, I don't know.

My Japanese... well... the language is more difficult than I'd like it to be... or maybe I'm just dumber than I'd like to be...

Normal written Japanese is impossible... I need to use auto translator assistance... my kanji knowledge is limited to a few hundred... so I'm a few thousand short here

And my speaking (or understanding) isn't exactly fluent either.

But hey, I'm progressing. Will probably try master's degree in Japan in 2012, with a mix of English / Japanese (language of instruction) courses.

but this is going off topic. If you'd like to ask or comment something, we can continue here:
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... &start=100

HungFist wrote:Originally Fukasaku and Kitano wanted a pg-12 rating for the film, but it didn't happen.

Gee, I wonder why??
How can a film in which schoolkids graphically massacre each other get a '12'.
The Japanese are mad bastards.

bradavon wrote:The original BR UK DVD was that awul Tartan PAL effort. Back when they re-used cinema prints. They then went and released an NTSC Progressive DD5.1 version (with no extras, I'm 99% sure it's Progressive). Remember? I'd say it's pretty famous (not infamous, my mistake).

Yeah, I have the NTSC version. It was the 'infamous' part which confused me. But you meant famous. Fine.

Have you seen the Director's/Extended cut?

Japan sure is unique. There's nowhere else like it.

Not a big fan of Japanese cinema but I thought this was excellent. Simply put, this is one of the best movies ever made. Special Edition cut for me!

gasteropod wrote:Crazy, I wonder why Palisades Tartan don't have it?

It was only a couple years ago that Tartan folded up shop and started selling off a bunch of stuff. Maybe they coughed this up for some extra cash?

Battle Royale = MASSIVELY over-rated, and I quite like the film! Fukasaku would have made a better film than this in his sleep back in the 70s/early 80s.