A Brief History and Review of the Manga and Movie
Author: Elliot Gay
Source: DEATH NOTE Official Movie Guide, AFM, NTV, Death Note, Box Office Mojo, The Ones Who Never Lie, various
Japanese Material Translated by: Elliot Gay
Special Thanks to Keith Aiken and James Ballard

The English language international sales flyer for DEATH
NOTE. Photo courtesy of NTV. © 2006 [Death Note] Film
Partners

DEATH NOTE (Desu Noto)
Domestic Distribution: Warner Bros. Japan, Released June 17, 2006
International Sales: Nippon Television Network Corporation
Japanese with English Subtitles, 126 minutes
Official Movie Site: Death-Note-Movie
AFM Screenings: Thursday, November 2, 5:00pm and Monday, November 6, 8:45am at AMC Theatres Santa Monica Seven

In December of 2003, Death Note began running in the weekly Japanese comic Shonen Jump. Written by first time manga writer Tsugumi Ohba, and drawn by acclaimed artist Takeshi Obata (Hikaru no Go), Death Note reached great success amongst readers. Perhaps it is unsurprising then, that the manga was quickly picked up to be adapted into two feature length films by several companies working under the name “DEATH NOTE” Film Partners. The studios involved in this venture were Nippon Television Network Corporation (NTV) and Nikkatsu Studios, with Warner Bros. distributing the film in Japan. The man who was chosen to direct both films is one who is a very familiar name to fans of tokusatsu: none other than Shusuke Kaneko.
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A look at the 40th anniversary Ultraman movie
Author: James Ballard
Official Site: Ultraman Mebius & Ultraman Brothers

Theatrical poster design for ULTRAMAN MEBIUS &
ULTRAMAN BROTHERS. ©2006 Tsuburaya Productions

In celebration of the Ultraman series’ 40th anniversary, Tsuburaya Productions have taken us back to the original (albeit loose) continuity of the original shows, following the story from ULTRAMAN thru ULTRAMAN 80 (Urutoraman 80, 1980). The latest television series ULTRAMAN MEBIUS (Uruotraman Mebiusu, 2006), currently airing at 5:30pm Saturdays on the CBC network in Japan, begins in a world that has been at peace from giant monsters for 25 years, since the departure of Ultraman 80 in 1981. However, with a new era on monsters on planet Earth approaching, the Father of Ultra sends the rookie Ultraman Mebius as the planet’s new protector.

Coinciding with the new television series was the latest theatrical feature, ULTRAMAN MEBIUS & ULTRAMAN BROTHERS (Urutoraman Mebiusu & Urutora Kyoudai, 2006), which opened to screens nationwide in Japan on September 16th.

The film opened at #3 in the Japanese box office, the best ranking domestic film, behind X-MEN: THE LAST STAND (2006) and THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT (2006) at #1 and #2 respectively. While a highly uneven film in many aspects, if nothing else ULTRAMAN MEBIUS & ULTRAMAN BROTHERS succeeds in being an entertaining film that successfully reestablishes the story of the original Ultra brothers, and comes across as a much more honest anniversary film than both GODZILLA: FINAL WARS and GAMERA THE BRAVE.
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Beauty and the beast revisited: Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) and King Kong. Photo courtesy of Weta Digital Ltd./Universal Studios.© 2005 Universal Studios.

The Cast and Crew Discuss Making a New Eighth Wonder of the World
Source: Universal Studios
Official Site: King Kong Movie

The following production notes were created by Universal Pictures for the December 14, 2005 theatrical release of KING KONG. The text is © 2005 Universal Studios.

Triple Academy Award winner Peter Jackson, whose THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy made motion picture history, now brings his sweeping cinematic vision to one of the screen’s most enduring classics and one of the greatest filmic adventures of all time: KING KONG.
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KING KONG DELUXE EXTENDED EDITION DVD cover art.
Photo courtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
© 2005 Universal Studios.

More Dinosaurs, More Kong in a Spectacular New 3-Disc Set
Author: Keith Aiken
Source: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Official Site: King Kong Movie

In 1969, a young New Zealander named Peter Jackson saw the original KING KONG for the first time, an event that set the course of his life. “No film has captivated my imagination more than KING KONG,” Jackson said. “I’m making movies today because I saw this film when I was 9 years old. It has been my sustained dream to reinterpret this classic for a new age.” Twenty seven years later, Jackson was approached by Universal with an offer to remake KING KONG. The filmmaker leapt at the chance to realize his life’s dream, and immediately put his production team to work on the story and concept designs for a new KING KONG. The project was cancelled, then restarted, and eventually made it to theaters on December 14, 2005.

After grossing nearly $700 million worldwide, Peter Jackson’s KING KONG has been revised and expanded in a new 3-Disc DELUXE EXTENDED EDITION DVD set that includes a wealth of new, informative, and entertaining extra features. For a review of the set and an overview of King Kong Region 1 DVDs, please go here.

And check out the KING KONG PRODUCTION NOTES from Universal Studios for dozens of photos and a detailed look at the making of the film.

Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah, and Baragon at the Clay Theatre
Source: San Francisco Bay Guardian

Catch Godzilla on the big screen this weekend in San Francisco. © 2001 Toho Co.,
Ltd.

This weekend’s “midnight movie” at San Francisco’s Landmark Clay Theatre will be GODZILLA, MOTHRA, AND KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK (Gojira, Mosura, Kingughidora: Daikaiju Soshingeki, 2001), the popular Godzilla film from director Shusuke Kaneko (the Gamera trilogy, DEATH NOTE). GMK will be shown both Friday, November 17 and Saturday, 18 at 11:59pm.

The Landmark Clay is located at 2261 Filmore (at the corner of Clay) in San Francisco, CA 94115. Tickets can be ordered from Moviefone on their website or at 771-FILM #096. For additional info, contact the theater at (415) 267-4873.

First look at the long-awaited Korean fantasy film
Author: Keith Aiken
Source: Showbox/Mediaplex, AFM, The Korea Times, Variety, various

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

Cover to the AFM brochure for D-WAR. Photo courtesy of
Showbox. © 2006 Younggu-art Entertainment Co., Ltd.

D-WAR
Production: Younggu-art Entertainment Co., Ltd.
International Sales: Showbox
English and Korean with English Subtitles, 110 minutes
Official Site: D-War.com
AFM Screening: Saturday, November 4, 5:00pm at Laemmle’s Monica 4

For five years, monster movie fans have been looking forward to D-WAR, a big-budget film about Korean monsters attacking Los Angeles. After numerous delays the movie is finally done, and it was screened for the first time anywhere last week at the American Film Market in Santa Monica, CA.

As part of a series of reports on Asian movies featured at this year’s AFM and AFI Fest, SciFi Japan presents a look at D-WAR and an exclusive review of the finished film, which is scheduled for release in the summer of 2007.
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Advance poster for DEATH NOTE: THE LAST NAME.
© 2006 [Death Note] Film Partners

Director Shusuke Kaneko has second box office #1 in Japan this year
Source: Nippon Television Network Corporation
Official Site: Death Note

Director Shusuke Kaneko (the Gamera trilogy, GMK) has scored a major success with DEATH NOTE, a pair of films based on the manga serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. Part one opened at the top of the Japanese box office on June 17… now the conclusion DEATH NOTE: THE LAST NAME goes it one better with an opening weekend take more than double that of the first DEATH NOTE.

Check out the press release from NTV (Nippon Television Network) for full details.

Some of the titles promoted and shown at AFM and AFI 2006. SINKING OF JAPAN © 2006 “Sinking of Japan” Production Committee, HINOKIO © 2005 Hinokio Film Venturer, ONE MISSED CALL: FINAL © 2006 Chakushin-Ari Film Partners, D-WAR © 2006 Younggu-art Ent. Co., Ltd., THE HOST © 2006 Chungeorahm Film and Showbox, ASHURA © 2005 Ashura Film Partners, DEATH NOTE © 2006 [Death Note] Film Partners, A HEARTFUL OF LOVE © 2005 “A Heartful of Love” Production Committee

SINKING OF JAPAN, THE HOST, DEATH NOTE, GHOST TRAIN, D-WAR and more screened in California
Author: Keith Aiken
Source: AFM, AFI Fest, TBS, Showbox/Mediaplex, and Toho International

2006 marks the 27th American Film Market (running November 1-8) and the 20th AFI Fest (November 1-12). The two events have drawn hundreds of motion picture companies and over 8,000 acquisition and development execs, producers, distributors, agents, attorneys, buyers, and film financiers from around the globe, with general attendance expected to top 60,000.

This month SciFi Japan will present a series of reports on some of the Asian movies featured at the 2006 American Film Market and AFI Fest. First up is Toho’s A HEARTFUL OF LOVE, and please check back in the coming days for coverage of SINKING OF JAPAN, THE HOST, DEATH NOTE, and D-WAR.
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Shochiku’s SYNESTHESIA is one of the live-action movies
picked up by ADV Films. International publicity flyer
courtesy of Shochiku Co., Ltd. © 2004 Art Port/Shochiku
/Euro Space/Kansai Telecasting Corp.

Source: ADV Films
Special Thanks to Shochiku Co., Ltd.

ADV Films of Houston, TX and Shochiku Co., Ltd. of Tokyo have announced an agreement for several recent properties from the Japanese studio. Under terms of the deal, ADV has North American theatrical, video and TV rights to the feature films GHOST TRAIN and SYNESTHESIA, as well as North American, British, and Australian video, TV and Video On Demand rights to the hit animated series LE CHEVALIER D’EON. These titles are planned for release before the summer of 2007.

Masaki Koga of Shochiku’s International Business Division commented, “We are very proud of the titles and hope that their success in the US and other territories mirrors their success in Japan. ADV Films is one of the premier specialty distributors in North America and the ideal distributor for these properties. We hope to establish a long standing distribution partnership that begins with this initial deal.”
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Toei’s kaiju movie LEGEND OF DINOSAURS AND MONSTER
BIRDS finally gets a US DVD release thanks to Media
Blasters. © 1977 Toei Co., Ltd

Tokyo Shock Release Schedule for November 2006-March 2007
Author: Keith Aiken
Source: Media Blasters, Inc.

Media Blasters has provided additional information on their Tokyo Shock DVDs for November 2006 through March 2007. For the updated release schedule, more cover and publicity art, and early word on newly added titles like SCRAP HEAVEN with Chiaki Kuriyama, the thriller BLACK KISS, DOLL FROM HELL, and the rarely-seen monster movie LEGEND OF DINOSAURS AND MONSTER BIRDS please go here.