screamncream

I have a question about the excellent Audition movie. Several months ago, I bought the dvd in a thin cardboard case that offers very little protection. While this case is nice looking, it is definitely one of the worst dvd cases I have ever seen (similar to Panic Room-superbit). I noticed that Best Buy now has Audition in a much more durable plastic case. I was curious if any one else spotted the new dvd cases for Audition in stores other than Best Buy?

By the way, I watched Miike's Dead or Alive several days ago and was highly dissapointed. Compared to Audition and Happiness of the Katakuris, Dead or Alive is a bit mediocre, especially its low quality dvd.

Richard Malloy

I agree with you, snc, but I think the yakuza-fans might take a bit of offense! For me, the best Miike is "Audition", "Katsakuris", and "Visitor Q". These latter two dvds are excellent.

But then there's "Audition". I've only rented this title (twice now!) because I'm not exactly crazy about the transfer, packaging, etc., and I'm hopeful that a really super-duper edition might appear. After all, this flic is really attaining cult status by now, don'tcha think?

Criterion, please! Or Anchor Bay! Elite? I hope someone steps up and does this flick justice on DVD!

cupcake jesus

Yeah--my buddy bought the keepcase version at Borders. I got the first (cardboard) release, and think it looks a helluva lot better than the keepcase version. The case was probably changed to keep costs down.

ehonauer

That's a shame if they're discontinuing it. I thought the cardboard-cased Audition was really snazzy. I'm not sure if Audition would get licensed by someone else, it seems to be the Chimera/Vitagraph/American Cinematheque consortium's flagship product. I would welcome an anamorphic version, even if they re-released it.

Dead Or Alive is probably the least interesting Miike film I've seen, however DOA2 is reportedly much better, and his last yakuza flick, Graveyard of Honor, is supposedly his best film since Audition. He's also recently released another Lynchian psychofest called Gozu (review has some spoilers).

Hey Richard... long time no see! I don't know if you're still in the Boston area, but Ichi The Killer and Fudoh are playing at the Coolidge Center in Brookline in August.

For you New Yorkers, Miike's Shangri-La (2001) is showing on Sunday, 6/15 at 8:15 PM in the Tribeca Grand Hotel.

Richard Malloy

Thanks for the news! I assume these are yakuza films, but I'll definitely check them out anyway.

Guy Maddin's "Dracula" is playing the Brattle this weekend!

DonnachaOne

Why not just get a proper anamorphic transfer from another country?

fnordboy

Hard to define Ichi the Killer as a yakuza film, but I guess it is.

Great movie though, if you haven't seen it you should really check it out. One of the best.