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• Restored High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of all three films
• Original lossless Japanese PCM 1.0 mono soundtracks
• Optional English subtitles
• Brand new audio commentaries on all three films by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp
• Brand new, in-depth appreciations of all three films by Japanese cinema expert Tony Rayns
• Alternate colour ending to Black Rain, shot by Imamura but removed from the film shortly before its release
• Archival interviews on Black Rain with actress Yoshiko Tanaka and assistant director Takashi Miike
• Multiple trailers and image galleries
• Original Japanese press kits for The Ballad of Narayama and Black Rain (BD-ROM content)
• Limited edition 60-page booklet containing new writing by Tom Mes
• Limited edition packaging featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella

L.A. wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 2:15 pmShehei?

Michael Kerpan wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 4:13 pm First subbed release of Zegen, so far as I can tell.... Definitely, a must-pre-order for me as well.

therewillbeblus wrote:

Michael Kerpan wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 4:13 pm First subbed release of Zegen, so far as I can tell.... Definitely, a must-pre-order for me as well.

I imagine like most others, Zegen is the one I haven't seen, though everything I'm reading makes it sound like a great satire- Michael have you seen it?

Mr Sausage wrote:Zegen (1987)

A movie examining Japanese comfort women, told through the lense of the true story of Iheiji Muraoka, who built a series of brothels for the Japanese military in Southeast Asia stocked with women, often poor, kidnapped from the mainland under the approval of the Japanese government. Japan helped build its empire on the back of this enterprise, then shut it down and abandoned all the people working in it when they decided it didn’t suit the image of a country newly emerged on the international stage. On one level, the movie is an allegory. Iheiji is an image of Japan itself, naïve and thrust suddenly into international politics by Russia, only to find himself in a position to expand his interests through immoral and shady dealings he justifies with blood and soil nationalism. Heady prosperity gives way to war and to widespread discontent among the oppressed local populations, leaving our central figure to exhaust himself with chasing delusions of further conquest and success well after his downfall. On a less symbolic level, Iheiji is also a victim of Japanese colonialism. Like so many of the characters in the film, he is used, bullied, and discarded by Japan. He is also sold an ideal of nationalism and fealty to the emperor that clouds his judgement, gives him leave him to commit crimes against humanity, and allows him to be taken advantage of by an ungrateful government with no interest in rewarding its servants.

This is a rich film, as you’d expect from Imamura, and yet it lacks the power and incisiveness of Imamura’s documentary work on the same subject. I felt I’d gotten precisely this story in The Making of a Prostitute, only not so diffuse, and in the words of its primary victims, the kidnapped women, instead of in a farce about a primary exploiter. Indeed, the decision to play the story as farce is unfortunate given that Imamura can’t muster the necessary energy. The prologue isn’t panicky enough, the first act full of the rush of success and ingenuity not frenetic and buoyant enough, and the downfall not quite so crushing or desperate. The film is pitched just a bit too low. There are moments when the farce works brilliantly, such as when it undercuts the solemnity and stoicism of seppuku (hard not to see it as a response to Mishima’s cult of suicide), but I’m not sure it finds the right note on which to bring everything together. One can, however, simply bask in the splendour of its period setting. As so often before, Imamura creates a living, breathing world around his story, one you feel extends well outside the camera’s lense. As a recreation of turn of the century Southeast Asia, it is persuasive and enthralling.

Michael Kerpan wrote:If only this included Karayuki-san as a bonus....

Michael Kerpan wrote: Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:48 am I don't think Karayuki-san has ever gotten a subbed home video release has it?

Yakushima wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 2:56 pm Best Arrow news of the year (and probably since "Khrustalev, my car!"). Day one pre-order for me. High hopes for Dr Akagi, The Eel and Warm Water in the near future!

Stefan Andersson wrote: Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:23 pmI believe there are two cuts of The Eel. The director´s cut was released by Madman:
https://www.blu-ray.com/dvd/The-Eel-DVD/144327/

Michael Kerpan wrote: Sat Sep 19, 2020 3:08 amI suppose I repress thoughts of that Icarus set because I thought it really was pretty poor overall.