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Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 5:53 am
by The Fanciful Norwegian
Michael Kerpan wrote:You may have to rip the DVD -- and then play the rip in VLC (using an external subtitle file). Never found a way to use the external subtitle file along with playing the DVD itself.
It's not quite the same thing, but you can use
Vob2MPG to convert the movie to a single .MPG file (a quick and painless process that requires no re-encoding), then play it with external subs in Media Player Classic (or theoretically any player with FFmpeg or DirectVobSub support). VLC can also overlay subs on an .MPG file, but for some reason it loses sync if seek backwards or forwards while playing.
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 11:44 am
by Finch
Thanks everyone for your feedback which is very much appreciated but I think I'll hold out on a possible Korean or HK english-friendly disc of Symbol or get the Japanese disc when my Japanese is up to scratch.
zombeaner, looking forward to the final TWF piece on twitch (enjoyed the last few).
It's a pity TWF don't seem interested in picking up classic jidaigeki films. Eiichi Kudo's oeuvre needs some serious exposure, not just the better known titles but little-seen films like 1969's The Fort of Death with Tomisaburo Wakayama. The film was shown at Italian and US festivals in recent years so the print must be in decent shape (there isn't even a Japanese DVD!).
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 1:10 pm
by Finch
Sion Sono's Cold Fish opened in Japan yesterday and gets 3.5 out of 5 stars in the
Japan Times
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 9:55 am
by TonyleStephanois
Really pleased to see Cold Fish coming to the UK, a really fun film with an incredible dark wit.
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:43 am
by John Edmond
Any word on Sono's adaptation of Lords of Chaos?
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 8:15 pm
by The Fanciful Norwegian
As of November he was still
"piecing together financing" and had gone on to yet another project. That one's
finished, but I haven't seen anything about his next film.
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:47 am
by Finch
Confessions collected Best Picture and three other awards at
the Japanese Oscars. I hope I'll be having a better experience with this film than with Matsuko which I couldn't get into at all.
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:25 pm
by zombeaner
Finch wrote:Thanks everyone for your feedback which is very much appreciated but I think I'll hold out on a possible Korean or HK english-friendly disc of Symbol or get the Japanese disc when my Japanese is up to scratch.
zombeaner, looking forward to the final TWF piece on twitch (enjoyed the last few).
Wrote that last piece up a few days ago. No big earth shattering news to report yet.
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:36 pm
by manicsounds
Digital Fox reviews "Confessions Of A Dog" (Gen Takahashi, 2005)
Good review, and with the misleading "BANNED IN JAPAN" on the cover...
It's rare that films are outright banned in Japan. Mostly just distributors not wanting to touch it or release it, and that's what happened for 4 years.
Blu-ray.com reviews "Confessions" (2010) Blu-ray
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 10:50 am
by manicsounds
Surprised that "Confessions" still hasn't received a US release. Maybe nobody wants to touch it, as with "Battle Royale", students killing might be a sensitive subject matter.
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 4:26 pm
by Finch
Another 2010 title, Villain, which did pretty well in the Japanese End of Year polls, is due for TWF distribution theatrically and then Blu/DVD later this year.
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 1:43 pm
by The Fanciful Norwegian
manicsounds wrote:Surprised that "Confessions" still hasn't received a US release. Maybe nobody wants to touch it, as with "Battle Royale", students killing might be a sensitive subject matter.
There were
multiple U.S. distributors interested in
Battle Royale -- I think the blame there belongs with Toei. Haven't heard anything about
Confessions, but something similar could be at work. (By the same token, I've read
Norwegian Wood doesn't have a U.S. distributor yet because they're holding out for a better deal.)
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Thu May 05, 2011 1:06 am
by manicsounds
Third Window says there are compatibility issues with "Confessions Of A Dog" on Sony players, but there will not be a recall, as it would not be cost effective.
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 5:43 pm
by colinr0380
The latest films coming from Third Window:
24.11.2011
Third Window Films are pleased to announce the acquisition of Sion Sono's latest work 'Himizu' and Yuya Ishii's latest 'Mitsuko Delivers' (Hara ga Kore Nande)
Sion Sono's 'Love Exposure' and 'Cold Fish' have both been previously released by Third Window Films, and we are proud to continue promoting the works of one of the most talented directors in contemporary Japanese cinema.
'Himizu' had its world premiere at the 2011 Venice Film Festival where it played in competition and won awards for Best Young Actor and Best Young Actress. It is based on the famous Manga of the same name and will have its theatrical release in Japan in January 2012 and April 2012 in the UK. DVD release date will be in July.
Another of the most promising young talents to emerge from Japan in recent years is that of Yuya Ishii, the director of 'Sawako Decides', a previous Third Window Films release. With
'Mitsuko Delivers', he continues his trend seen in 'Sawako Decides' and 'Girl Sparks' looking at women who are struggling to come to terms with themselves and the situation they are in. 'Mitsuko Delivers', is a heart-warming comedy that is recommended to all people who liked 'Sawako Decides'. It will be released in UK cinemas in May of 2012
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:17 am
by manicsounds
Sucks that they are now going back and doing DVD-only, as opposed to Blu-rays. First "Villian" Blu-ray gets cancelled now these will be DVD-only...
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:58 am
by zombeaner
Third Window are at a huge disadvantage after the Sony fire this summer. They lost a huge amount of money on the theatrical release of Villain at a time when they really needed a bump. The decision to shelve that release was in response to it's awful theatrical performance. I suppose there is still a slight chance that these films, primarily Himizu, will end up on Blu-ray, but it all depends on how well TWF recovers in the next few months.
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:01 am
by zombeaner
zombeaner wrote:Third Window are at a huge disadvantage after the Sony fire this summer. They lost a huge amount of money on the theatrical release of Villain at a time when they really needed a bump. The decision to shelve that release was in response to it's awful theatrical performance. I suppose there is still a slight chance that these films, primarily Himizu, will end up on Blu-ray, but it all depends on how well TWF recovers in the next few months.
BTW, I had the exclusive on those acquisitions about two weeks ago:
http://twitchfilm.com/news/2011/11/excl ... -films.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:00 pm
by Calvin
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:27 pm
by bigP
Wow!
Tetsuo: Iron Man and Body Hammer on Blu-ray with
The Adventures of Electric Rod Boy as an extra \:D/ This is already looking like my favourite release of the year. Also fantastic news on Kotoko in October and I'll almost certainly pick up the
Love Exposure and
Himizu Blus. What with the announcements from MOC and New Wave releasing 3 Svankmajers in June, this is probably the best day's announcements in years for me.
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 4:23 am
by Adam X
Fantastic news! Glad I held off on getting Love Exposure now. Here's hoping that Isn't Anyone Alive? does well enough for TWF that they release Ishii Sogo's August in the Water & Labyrinth of Dreams too.
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 8:10 am
by colinr0380
Very excited for all of the films, but especially the Tsukamotos! This may be the time to finally upgrade my VHS copies of the first two films (While Bullet Ballet is probably my favourite Tsukamoto film Tetsuo II: Body Hammer comes a close second).
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 8:49 am
by MichaelB
I've never forgotten seeing Tetsuo: The Iron Man for the first time, at a Young Japanese Cinema festival at the ICA. It didn't have subtitles, but as Tony Rayns pointed out in his intro, it didn't really need them - though it was certainly clearer when I caught a fully-subtitled version on VHS.
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 1:22 pm
by Finch
Definitely getting the Love Exposure Blu - being able to watch it without interrupting the flow by switching to the second DVD is a nice bonus on top of the AV upgrade. Shame Sono hasn't done anything near as good since. Curious about the Tetsuos, time for a rental..
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 8:12 pm
by colinr0380
MichaelB wrote:I've never forgotten seeing Tetsuo: The Iron Man for the first time, at a Young Japanese Cinema festival at the ICA. It didn't have subtitles, but as Tony Rayns pointed out in his intro, it didn't really need them - though it was certainly clearer when I caught a fully-subtitled version on VHS.
Tetsuo: The Iron Man is certainly an impactive experience! Though I think Tetsuo II, while superficially slicker and more polished, so losing some of that dangerously grimy 'handmade' feel, still contains just as many transgressive elements as the first in the series and gains a strange kind of detached, dreamy quality which contrasts nicely against the visceral, jagged editing and score of the the first film
It was amusing to find that someone else must have been transfixed by the hypnotic "Moshi Moshi" telephone conversation from the first Tetsuo, to the extent of having
created a kind of video art piece involving it! And on doing a search, the dialogue from that scene has even been
sampled!
Re: Third Window Films
Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 8:15 pm
by zedz
My first encounter with Tetsuo was an unsubbed print as well, and I think it only reinforced the alienation of it all, particularly when, as in the "moshi moshi" sequence, you knew what they were saying but still had no idea what was going on.