Chinese steve loves a fight, after we were about to go on adventure with fergus who has recently disappeared, we heard of the cheese bandits, a gang of crusty freaks who's sole aim is to spread trouble around ciao city and get people banished (you know who you are) anyway kel161080 seems to have been a victim so me and chinese steve decided to go and seek vengeance.
To give us some battle tips steve told me to buy Battle Royale on dvd, being from the far east he was aware of the work of 'BEAT' Takeshi (some japanese actor) and had heard good stuff about it, i had been aware of a little bit of uproar when it came out at the cinema over here and had wanted to see it but my local only played it about twice before playing some pap about aa animated fish or something.
We whacked it in and enjoyed.
Battle royale is a violent action/sci fi/horror/war film in which Japanese youth are out of control, to 'battle' this the government have set up an
annual game in which one class of school kids is sent to a deserted island, given weapons and given three days in which to kill each other, last boy or girl standing wins. If after three days there is more than one class member alive then the metal collars around their necks will explode, killing everyone.
The man in charge of this years game is Kitano played by takeshi, he was the teacher of this years chosen class until he was stabbed in the leg by a class member prompting his resignation. The class are drugged and sent to the island waking up to their ex teacher, loads of people with guns and a quirky video introduction explaining the rules. At first they are obviously reluctant until Kitano demonstartes that this is for real. The class are sent out in the jungle each of them with a randomly selected weapon, 40 kids left and three days to go.
What follows is a brutal two hours (if your watching the special edition, i think the normal version is a bit shorter) of death by gun, crossbow, knife, and anything that comes to mind. Most of the action is seen through Nanahara a boy who came from a shelter after his father killed himslef a few years earlier and Noriko, a girl who Nanahara has had feelings for for a long time. They both vow not to take part in the game and to just survive till they find a way off the island alive. Along the way they find help from Kawada, an ex contestant on battle royale who won it a few years back. He has taken part to find out the meaning behind the game after his girlfriend was killed, by him, in the final moments of the game.
The three days of carnage is played out brilliantly with some excellent moments of violence throughout (a sequence in a lighthouse with a group of girls and a misunderstanding over poison is brilliant) some of them set to classical music which gives the film a twisted edge. It's the type of film that would really struggle to get made in Hollywood and is an example of how Eastern cinema is really getting the recognition it deserves. A similar film called series 7: the contenders is available but it really lacks the edge of this masterpiece. A sequel is currently being filmed and probably won't suck. Another difference between this kind of film and standard hollywood fare. Maybe a little too violent for some and the dialogue sometimes gets lost in the translation but don't let that put you off this is really a great film. Wonder if an American re make is on the cards, they'll probably mess it up.
The dvd of this special edition is something very special indeed, with some great extras that add to the whole mythology of Battle Royale, plus in an exciting twist. When i ordered this from play.com i recieved the edition that comes in a nice little tin with a collectors card (you know the ones with a frame from the film) this might not be too exciting but I don't think it's available in the shops anymore, i have seen just the version without the tin. Maybe not too exciting again but when i paid 23 quid for it (i know but i really wanted it) it's nice to get something extra.
Obviously it's an 18 kids so stay away or get a tramp to buy it for you.
So me and chinese steve pulled on our kagools, grabbed a crossbow and some fruit loaf and jumped from the kitchen window and ran down the street to fight the cheese bandits. High up on the roof of the squeaky sewer pipe a bandit sits moaning about the use of the word f****r in a baked bean op, now i agree that the word farter is wrong but theres NO NEED TO CRY AND MOAN AND RUN TO THE POLICE!!! chief tinkle walks by and waves to me a big smile on his face and the bandit swoops pinning tinkle to ground, Steve leaps into the air and pulls out his crossbow in mid air,
pang!!
the bandits head splits open like a watermelon showering brain and fluid all over the wall of bretts tree shop. Steve lands on the ground and puts his crossbow away.
BANDIT # 1 , realeejit dead, 9 to go
PABLO and STEVE
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Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
With the Japanese currently leading the way in thought-provoking cinematic violence its ... more
only fitting that Kenta FukasakusBattle Royaleis being touted asA Clockwork Orangefor the 21st century. Based on the novel by Koshun Takami, the film opens with a s...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
With the Japanese currently leading the way in thought-provoking cinematic violence its ... more
only fitting that Kenta FukasakusBattle Royaleis being touted asA Clockwork Orangefor the 21st century. Based on the novel by Koshun Takami, the film opens with a s...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
At the dawn of the new millennium, Japan is in a state of near-collapse. Unemployment is ... more
at an all-time high, and violence amongst the nation's youth is spiraling out of control. With school children boycotting their lessons and physically abusing thei...
At the dawn of the new millennium Japan is in a state of near-collapse. Unemployment is ... more
at an all-time high and violence amongst the nation's youth is spiralling out of control. With school children boycotting their lessons and physically abusing the...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Original storyline, emotionally involving, relevant to today's fears of escalating juvenile crime Disadvantages: A couple of unclear plot quibbles
blinderben 22.11.2002 (22.11.2002)
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Review of Battle Royale (DVD)
![Battle Royale [DVD] [2001]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78522790.jpg "Battle Royale [DVD] [2001]")
May 7th, 2003
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