From left to right: Princess Yuki (Masami Nagasawa), Shinpachi (Daisuke Miyagawa), Takezo (Jun Matsumoto),and Rokurota Makabe (Hiroshi Abe); the heroes of
HIDDEN FORTRESS: THE LAST PRINCESS. Toho’s remake of the Akira Kurosawa classic is coming to DVD in the UK this month. Photo courtesy of 4Digital Media
and Organic Marketing.© 2008 “Hidden Fortress: The Last Princess” Film Partners

50th Anniversary Remake of Akira Kurosawa Samurai Classic Comes to UK DVD on June 28th
Source: Toho Co., Ltd promotional materials, 4Digital Media, Organic Marketing
Official Movie Site: kakushi-toride.jp (Japan)
Special Thanks to Louise Rivers, Steve Beecham, and Stuart Galbraith IV

Toho’s international sales flier for HIDDEN FORTRESS: THE
LAST PRINCESS. Photo courtesy of 4Digital Media.© 2008
“Hidden Fortress: The Last Princess” Film Partners

By the late 1950s. filmmaker Akira Kurosawa was internationally renowned for his serious, intelligent— and often bleak and pessimistic— dramas such as RASHOMON (1950), I LIVE IN FEAR (Ikimono no Kiroku, 1955), THRONE OF BLOOD (Kumunosu-jo, 1957), and the LOWER DEPTHS (Donzoko, 1957). For his next production, Kurosawa decided to do something different. With THE HIDDEN FORTRESS (Kakushi Toride no San-Akunin), Kurosawa explained that, “I want to make a 100% entertainment film, full of thrills and fun.” Working once again with his RASHOMON and SEVEN SAMURAI (Shichinin no Samurai, 1954) stars Toshiro Mifune and Minoru Chiaki, Kurosawa created a movie that has been long acknowledged as a masterpiece of entertainment.

For the film’s fiftieth anniversary, Toho and director Shinji Higuchi took a fresh look at the story and characters of THE HIDDEN FORTRESS. Higuchi’s unique imagination infused the classic tale with a 21st Century perspective to bring it back as a new, non-stop swashbuckling adventure… HIDDEN FORTRESS: THE LAST PRINCESS (Kakushi Toride no San-Akunin: The Last Princess).

While still unreleased in North America, HIDDEN FORTRESS: THE LAST PRINCESS is coming to DVD (Region 2, PAL, with English subtitles) in the United Kingdom from 4Digital Media. Available June 28th, 2010, the DVD will carry a 15 certification and a suggested retail price of £15.99.
Continued…

Advance publicity art for the Japanese release of 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION, the conclusion of the hit sci-fi movie trilogy.
© 1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/ Shogakukan. © 2009 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners

A Look at US Publicity Materials for the Final 20TH CENTURY BOYS Movie
Source: VIZ Pictures
Official Site: 20thboysfilms.com
Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji

US poster art for 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION. Photo
courtesy of VIZ Pictures. © 1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio
Nuts/ Shogakukan. © 2009 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners

North American distributor VIZ Pctures has provided the following press notes for 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION, the final chapter in the hit Japanese sci-fi movie series. The film will be released on Region 1 DVD on June 1st and carry a MSRP of $24.92 U.S. / $35.99 CAN.

20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION

Directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi
Starring Toshiaki Karasawa, Etsushi Toyokawa, Takako Tokiwa, Teruyuki Kagawa, Airi Taira

Genre: Action/Sci-fi
2009 / Japan / 155 min. / Color
This film is not rated.
Japanese Theatrical Release: August 29, 2009
US Theatrical Premiere: August 28, 2009
© 1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts / Shogakukan © 2009 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners
Continued…

Three SciFi Japan readers in the United Kingdom will win free 20TH CENTURY BOYS TRILOGY: THE COMPLETE SAGA DVD sets from 4Digital Media and Organic
Marketing. Photo courtesy of 4Digital Media and Organic Marketing. ©1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/Shogakukan. ©2008 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners

Source: 4Digital Media, Organic Marketing press release
Official Movie Site: 20th Boys (Japan), 4digitalmedia.com/20cb (UK)
Special Thanks to Alexandra Beedell and Louise Rivers

Note: This contest is only open to fans living in the United Kingdom. Any entries from outside the UK will not be accepted.

On May 31st the epic sci-fi movie trilogy 20TH CENTURY BOYS will be released on DVD in the United Kingdom as a 4 disc box set 4Digital Media. The COMPLETE SAGA DVD set includes a special Edition 24 Page Book with an extra disc packed full of 4 hours bonus extras making the Japanese thriller trilogy a “must have” for manga and Japanese cinema fans. To celebrate the upcoming release, 4Digital Media and Organic Marketing have offered free copies of the 20TH CENTURY BOYS: THE COMPLETE SAGA for 3 lucky SciFi Japan winners.
Continued…

4 DVD Set to be Released in the UK on 31 May, 2010
Source: 4Digital Media, Organic Marketing press release
Official Movie Site: 20th Boys (Japan), 4digitalmedia.com/20cb (UK)
Special Thanks to Alexandra Beedell and Louise Rivers

Packaging art for the UK DVD collection 20TH CENTURY BOYS
TRILOGY: THE COMPLETE SAGA, coming May 31st. Photo
courtesy of 4Digital Media and Organic Marketing. ©1999,
2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/Shogakukan. ©2008 ”20th
Century Boys” Film Partners

One of the biggest undertakings ever attempted in the Japanese movie industry… a positively epic exercise in filmmaking and storytelling, the blockbusting 20TH CENTURY BOYS trilogy has proven to be one of the most ambitious, expensive and successful undertakings in Japanese Cinema. Director Yukihiko Tsutsumi’s epic efforts to release three films in one year based on Naoki Urasawa’s acclaimed manga (selling 28 million copies) has brought to life a stunning doomsday thriller that spans multiple generations and genres, and bites into conspiracy theory, pop culture, nostalgia and spectacular special effects.

The 20TH CENTURY BOYS TRILOGY: THE COMPLETE SAGA DVD set comes with all three films in the trilogy, plus Chapter 1 is packaged as a Special Edition 24 Page Book with an extra disc packed full of bonus extras. The box set boasts Special Features totaling 4 Hours!

The 20TH CENTURY BOYS saga begins in 1969 when a young boy named Kenji and his friends write The Book of Prophecy. In the book, they write about a future where they fight against an evil organization trying to take over the world and bringing about Doomsday. Years later in 1997, a mysterious cult being lead by a man only known as “Friend” has emerged and gained a strong influence over society. A series of catastrophic events begin to occur, mirroring the prophecies made up by the young Kenji. The greatest fear is that the climax of The Book of Prophecy will become a reality: on December 31st, 2000, a terrifying giant virus-spreading robot will attack the entire city of Tokyo, leading to the end of mankind. The only people who know about The Book are Kenji and his childhood friends. Who is Friend? Will Kenji and his friends be able to save mankind and live to see the 21st Century?
Continued…

The cult classic SHOGUN ASSASSIN celebrates its 30th anniversary with a Special Edition Blu-ray release. © 1980 Toho Co., Ltd.

30th Anniversary Collector’s Edition Available in July
Source: AnimEigo, Inc. press release
Special Thanks to Aaron Cavazos

Cover art for SHOGUN ASSASSIN 30th Anniversary Collector’s
Edition Blu-ray. Photo courtesy of AnimEigo, Inc. © 1980 Toho
Co., Ltd.

AnimEigo proudly celebrates the 30th anniversary of the legendary samurai cult classic, SHOGUN ASSASSIN, by announcing the first ever high-definition version of the film! The most famous samurai film in the Western World is finally coming to North America in the clearest and most pristine version ever seen by man, woman, or ninja.

Directed by Academy Award-winner Robert Houston, the English dubbed SHOGUN ASSASSIN was created by editing together footage from the first two Lone Wolf and Cub (Kozure Ookami) films, SWORD OF VENGEANCE (Kozure Okami: Kowokashi Udekashi Tsukamatsuru, 1972) and BABY CART ON THE RIVER STYX (Kozure Okami: Sanzu no Kawa no Ubaguruma, 1972). It uses about 11 minutes of footage from the first film and 70 minutes of footage from the second. The Lone Wolf and Cub films are based on the original manga (story by Koike Kazuo, illustrations by Kojima Goseki), a 142-episode epic, which ran in Manga Action between September 10, 1970, and April 1, 1976.

The SHOGUN ASSASSIN 30th Anniversary Collector’s Edition Blu-ray will be available on the AnimEigo website in July and from a store near you August 24, 2010.
Continued…

Apocalyptic Prophecy and Frenetic Action Reach a Stunning Climax in 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION
Source: VIZ Pictures, MediaLab press releases
Official Site: 20thboysfilms.com
Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji and Erik Jansen

DVD cover art for 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION, the
conclusion of the hit sci-fi movie trilogy. Photo courtesy of
VIZ Pictures. © 1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/
Shogakukan. © 2009 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners

VIZ Pictures concludes the epic sci-fi film trilogy based on Naoki Urasawa’s acclaimed manga, 20th Century Boys, with the release of the final film, 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION, on DVD on June 1st. The film, which will be distributed by VIZ Media in North America, will carry an MSRP of $24.92 U.S. / $35.99 CAN.

Directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi and presented in partnership with Nippon Television, the 20TH CENTURY BOYS saga begins in 1969 when a young boy named Kenji and his friends write The Book of Prophecy. In the book, they write about a future where they fight against an evil organization trying to take over the world and bring about Doomsday. Years later in 1997, a mysterious cult being led by a man only known as “Friend” has emerged and gained strong influence over society. A series of catastrophic events begin to occur, mirroring the prophecies made up by the young Kenji.

VIZ Pictures celebrates the release with a film screening of 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION for one-night-only at VIZ Cinema in San Francisco on Thursday, May 20th at 7:00pm. VIZ Cinema is the nation’s only movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and is located at 1746 Post St., in the heart of the city’s Japan-town. Tickets to attend the movie-only are: $10.00; or attend the film and take home the brand new DVD, a 20TH CENTURY BOYS poster, and more for only $25.00.
Continued…

Source: VIZ Pictures
Official Movie Site: k20themovie (US), K-20 (Japanese)
Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

Three SciFi Japan readers have each won a K-20: THE
FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES Gift Pack containing the
DVD and poster. Photo courtesy of VIZ Pictures. © 2008
“K-20″ Film Partners

Thank you to everyone who entered VIZ Pictures and SciFi Japan’s contest for a free K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES DVD Gift Pack. The following randomly drawn entrants correctly answered all contest questions:

Christopher Zabawa
Jake Burhenn
Joseph W Whalen

Congratulations to the winners! Each of you has won a Gift Pack containing the K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES DVD and theatrical poster. VIZ Pictures will be shipping the Gift Packs shortly so keep an eye on your mailbox.

More contests are planned for 2010— including another VIZ DVD giveaway for 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION— so keep checking back with SciFi Japan for more chances to win some cool stuff!
Continued…

Two-Part Film Festival Begins Tomorrow in Los Angeles
Source: American Cinematheque

KAGEMUSHA (The Shadow Warriror) © 1980 Toho
Co., Ltd.

The American Cinematheque joins the UCLA Film & Television Archive for a two-part retrospective celebrating the career of one of cinema’s most inventive and artful masters, Akira Kurosawa. Enraptured with the works of classic Hollywood director John Ford, Kurosawa skillfully borrowed elements from American genre films and wove them into the elegant tapestry of his Japanese works, which range from contemporary noirs to epic period pieces. Some of his greatest films include RASHOMON, THE SEVEN SAMURAI and RAN, though these three stunners hardly account for the entirety of his oeuvre, which spanned decades. Kurosawa’s career as a director featured a long-running professional relationship with actor Toshiro Mifune, whose charismatic, hyperbolic presence illuminated many of Kurosawa’s best films.

Centennial Celebration: The Films of Akira Kurosawa, Part I— running at the Egyptian Theatre May 14 – 23, 2010— is a retrospective of Kurosawa’s work, co-presented by the UCLA Film & Television Archive, which also will include screenings of DODES’KA-DEN, STRAY DOG, HIGH AND LOW, KAGEMUSHA, HIDDEN FORTRESS, YOJIMBO, SANJURO and I LIVE IN FEAR.
Continued…

An ominous house beckons from a hilltop in writer/director Nobuhiko Obayashi’s horror movie HOUSE, one of the strangest films ever produced by Toho.
Photo courtesy of Janus Films. © 1977 Toho Co., Ltd.

Bizarre Japanese Horror Film Now Playing in American Theaters
Author: Kyle Byrd
Official Movie Site: janusfilms.com/house

HOUSE poster art by Sam’s Myth for the current US
theatrical run. Photo courtesy of Janus Films. © 1977
Toho Co., Ltd.

When sitting down to review a film like Nobuhiko Obayashi’s HOUSE (Hausu), one has to dismiss everything they know about film criticism. It’s a film that is truly one of a kind, so the “rules” of film criticism are almost impossible to apply to it. When Toho mega producer Tomoyuki Tanaka gave TV commercial director Nobuhiko Obayashi a small chunk of money to make a horror film, its doubtful that he realized he was funding what would be one of the oddest films to come out of Toho Studios.

HOUSE is a film that is truly beyond description. Obayashi took the imaginative musings of his 11-year-old daughter and turned them into what could be the most bizarre film I’ve ever seen (which is saying a lot).

Shrouded in obscurity, the film was never released in the United States. Lucky for us, the good folks at Janus Films happened to unearth this rare gem. It wasn’t enough that they decided they’d give the film a Criterion DVD release… they felt this movie had to be seen by an audience first. HOUSE has been given a limited theatrical release and I was lucky enough to see it on the big screen with an enthusiastic crowd.
Continued…

Source: VIZ Pictures
Official Site: 20thboysfilms.com
Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji

Attendees of VIZ Cinema’s screening of 20TH CENTURY
BOYS 3: REDEMPTION will get an advance copy of the
DVD and a poster. Photo courtesy of VIZ Pictures.
© 1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/ Shogakukan.
© 2009 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners

20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION (20-Seiki Shonen: Saishusho-Bokura no Hata, 2009), the final chapter of the smash hit sci-fi action trilogy based on the manga by Naoki Urasawa, will be available on Region 1 DVD starting June 1st. VIZ Pictures is celebrating the upcoming DVD release with a special one-night-only film screening event this month at the VIZ Cinema in San Francisco.

VIZ Pictures presents a YUKIHIKO TSUTSUMI Film, Based on a manga by NAOKI URASAWA
20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION
2009/Japan/35mm/with English subtitles/155 min./Color/16:9 anamorphic

Day: Thursday, May 20th
Time: 7pm
Place: VIZ Cinema (NEW PEOPLE B-Level, 1746 Post St., SF, CA 94115)
Ticket: $25 (including movie ticket, DVD, poster & more!)
$10 (movie ticket only) No discounts apply
Continued…

A Fantastic Array Of Japanese Films Feature Surfing, Godzilla, Giant Robots, And The End Of The World
Source: VIZ Pictures, MediaLab press releases
Official Site: NewPeopleWorld.com
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

Kaiju Shakedown poster, courtesy of VIZ Media.
© 1971-1974 Toho Co., Ltd.

May is a month to celebrate obsessions at VIZ Cinema. The nation’s only movie theatre dedicated to Japanese film, unfolds its most varied line-up yet, spotlighting a variety of obsessions ranging from surfing to art to science fiction and anime.

VIZ Cinema complements a remarkable new exhibit – THE SURF SHOP – opening Saturday, May 15t in the SUPERFROG Gallery featuring Japanese surf-inspired art, custom surfboards and more with a special BIG SURF weekend of new and classic surfing films. Sci-fi fans will want to catch VIZ Cinema’s first-ever Kaiju Shakedown, with four films featuring the world’s most famous Japanese monster dinosaur on 35mm prints! The theatre is also proud to team with Bandai Entertainment to present the exclusive U.S. premiere of THE DISAPPEARANCE OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA, based on the smash-hit anime TV series. Moviegoers also can look forward to 7 other anime feature films all playing throughout the month of May at VIZ Cinema!
Continued…

Retailer solicitations for Kaiyodo’s Sci-Fi Revoltech Wave 3, coming in June. Photos courtesy of Anime Jungle. © 2010 Kaiyodo Co., Ltd.

The Special Effects Line Continues
Author: John “Dutch” DeSentis
Source: Anime Jungle
Official Site: kaiyodo.co.jp/revoltech
Special Thanks to Tetsu Shiota and Jim Ballard

As previously reported on SciFi Japan, the Kaiyodo Company in Japan has begun a new series in their Revoltech figure line called Sci-Fi Revoltech. There will be three figures released for Wave 3 on June 1st. First up is a figure based on the character Jack Skellington from Tim Burton’s THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1993). The other two figures, which will be of more interest to kaiju fans no doubt, are Gamera and Gyaos from 1995’s GAMERA: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE (Gamera: Daikaiju Kuchu Kessen). If the advance photographs are any indication, the high level of quality set forth in the first two waves will be carried over here.

Wave 4 is due for release on July 1st and will feature figures based on the DC Comics icon Batman as he appeared in the blockbuster film THE DARK KNIGHT, and the classic Japanese tokusatsu superhero Giant Robo from the show of the same name (released in the US as JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT). Both figures will come with the usual array of interchangeable parts.
Continued…

The evolution of the Iron Man armor on display in Tony Stark’s lab in IRON MAN 2, the sequel to 2008′s smash hit based on the Marvel Comics character.
Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures. © 2009 MVLFFLLC

Author: Kim Song-ho
Official Movie Site: ironmanmovie.marvel.com

Key theatrical poster art for IRON MAN 2, opening
May 7th. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
© 2009 MVLFFLLC

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new movie.

IRON MAN 2 begins from the final scene of the previous film, where Tony Stark revealed his secret identity of Iron Man and made the press conference panic. However, this time we see it again not from where the film exactly ended, but from a different place – a shabby, small room in Russia. There lies an old man on his deathbed and his son, who keeps drinking vodka to get over sadness. At last, the old man dies and the son’s grief turns into rage. It’s the birth of Ivan Vanko/Whiplash, the new enemy of Tony Stark/Iron Man.

But in this sequel, Whiplash is not the only enemy. The US government tries to confiscate the Iron Man suit because it considers the suit as a threat to the country’s security. Justin Hammer, a rival arms dealer, keeps trying to bite a chunk out of Stark whenever he has the chance. Later, he wins Whiplash over to his side and makes a formidable threat to Stark. To make matters worse, Stark’s company declines and Stark himself suffers from poisoning caused by the arc reactor. He begins to fuddle between narcissism and self-destructive eccentricity. He must face not only the enemies out there, but also the enemy – a very hard to defeat at that – in his own mind. At this point, the audience become anxious. With twice as many characters and plot points than the previous film, this sequel might crash.
Continued…

Yuriko Sinjou (Ayumi Sonoda) and Kenji Uozaki (Kouzou Nomura) apparently see something even more exciting than the giant monster rampaging behind
them in a publicity paste-up for the early Toho daikaiju movie VARAN. Photo courtesy of Media Blasters. © 1958 Toho Co., Ltd.

Author: Sean Kotz

On March 31, 2010, New York City’s Japan Society launched a fascinating film series called “Mad, Bad… and Dangerous to Know: Three Untamed Beauties” highlighting counter-culture images of women in Japanese society featuring the work of three actresses–Ayako Wakao, Meiko Kaji and Mariko Okada. In contrast to the customary Japanese model of deferring, silent and bashful servants, their upstart female characters challenge the tradition but mostly with negative (and often downright evil) characters. However, as early as 1958’s VARAN (Daikaiju Baran), Toho’s monster films were offering positive, even heroic, alternatives to the accepted molds of housewife and office lady—the female reporter, a role that would develop into a staple during the Showa period and beyond.
Continued…

Get the K-20 DVD and Poster for Free, Courtesy of VIZ Pictures and SciFi Japan
Source: VIZ Pictures
Official Movie Site: k20themovie (US), K-20 (Japanese)
Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji

VIZ Pictures is offering SciFi Japan readers the chance to
win a K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES Gift Pack
containing the DVD and poster. Photo courtesy of VIZ
Pictures. © 2008 “K-20″ Film Partners

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

Today, VIZ Pictures is releasing the action film K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES (K-20: Kaijin Nijumenso Den, 2008) on Region 1 DVD. To celebrate the new release, VIZ Pictures is giving SciFi Japan readers in the United States and Canada a chance to win one of three Gift Packs, each with the K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES DVD and poster.

Heikichi Endo (played by Takeshi Kaneshiro) is a circus acrobat who is deceived by K-20 and framed to take the fall for the phantom thief. Using his incredible physical dexterity, Heikichi wages war against K-20 in order to clear his name and fights alongside K-20′s next wealthy target, Duchess Yoko Hashiba (Takako Matsu) and her fiancée, the brilliant detective Kogoro Akechi (Toru Nakamura). But what is the ultimate decision Heikichi has to make?

The K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES DVD is now available for purchase. The suggested retail price is $24.92 U.S. / $35.99 CAN.
Continued…

Three Days of Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Horror Movies
Official Site: http://www.vintagemonsters.de/festival.php (Germany)
Special Thanks to Ralf Lorenz

Film lineup for the VINTAGE MONSTERS FESTIVAL. © 2010 Andreas
Schiefler and Ralf Lorenz

Classic monsters and heroes return to the big screen in Germany with the VINTAGE MONSTERS FESTIVAL, running May 7-9, 2010 in Hamburg. Event organizers Ralf Lorenz (GUALAGON, Pranke: Das Filmmagazin für Monsterfreaks) and Andreas Schiefler (Vintage Movie Posters) will be screening 35mm prints of the German language versions of nine fan favorites at the Metropolis Kino, Steindamm 54, 20099 Hamburg, Germany.

Scheduled to be shown are CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982), GODZILLA VS GIGAN (1972), THE BLACK PIT OF DR. M (1959), THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM (1961), THE GREEN SLIME (1968), ANDY WARHOL’S BLOOD FOR DRACULA (1974), DRACULA VS FRANKENSTEIN (1970), TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA (1970), and PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES (1965).
Continued…

Toho Releases Classic WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS to Blu-Ray.
Author: Loren Portillo
Official Website: Toho Blu-Ray

Cover for the Blu-Ray release of WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS. ©2010 Toho Co., Ltd.

With the great news of a new Godzilla film in the near future, Toho Studios has been getting into the Blu-Ray game with some of the great kaiju classics from the 1950′s and 60′s with such titles as GODZILLA (GOJIRA, 1954), RODAN (SORA NO DAIKAIJU RADON, 1957) MOTHRA (MOSURA, 1962) and the newly released WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (SANDA TAI GAIRA, 1966).

Presented in an incredible 2:35:1 Blu-Ray transfer, WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS is by far the most pristine print ever of this classic and is superior to the “Toho Master Collection” put out by Classic Media last year. Many fans were disappointed with the Japanese film transfer in that collection, but will be very elated to see a fantastic film transfer here. But unlike the Classic Media DVD collection, this Blu-Ray does not come with English subtitles which is no surprise when it comes to how Toho releases their films on DVD or Blu-Ray.
Continued…

Suspense And Intrigue Combine With Stunning Visual Effects And Gravity-Defying Stunts For A Riveting Adventure
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Official Movie Site: k20themovie (US), K-20 (Japanese)
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

Cover art for the K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES
Region 1 DVD, on sale April 20th from VIZ Pictures. Photo
courtesy of VIZ Media. © 2008 “K-20″ Film Partners

VIZ Pictures will release the action film K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES (K-20: Kaijin Nijumenso Den, 2008) on DVD on April 20th. The film will carry an MSRP of $24.92 U.S. / $35.99 CAN.

Director Shimako Sato assembled a strong cast and used cutting edge special effects to bring K-20 to life. The movie is set in the fictional city of Teito in the late 1940s, in a world where World War II never happened and the nobility system established during the Meiji Era still exists. An extreme divide exists between the upper and lower classes, with 90 percent of the country’s wealth being held by the upper class. The capital of Teito is in crisis with the emergence of a menacing phantom thief known as “The Fiend (Kaijin) With Twenty Faces” or simply “K-20.”

“The character of K-20 was originally born in the best-selling 26-volume Boy Detectives series, written by Japanese literary master Rampo Edogawa, and over the years the stories have been enjoyed by more than 100 million people,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of VIZ Pictures. “The inspired film uses a potent mix of eye-catching visual effects and gravity-defying high wire stunts to bring the unique story to the screen with incredible results. We look forward to fans discovering this thrilling new action feature from VIZ Pictures.”
Continued…

Official Site: vintagemonsters.de (Germany)
Special Thanks to Ralf Lorenz

Cover art for Vintage Monsters #1. Photo courtesy of
Ralf Lorenz. © 2010 Vintage Movie Posters and MonsterCon

This month sees the premiere of Vintage Monsters, a new German magazine featuring rare and beautiful international posters and lobby cards from monster, sci-fi, fantasy and horror films. The magazine is the brainchild of Andreas Schiefler (owner of Vintage Movie Posters) and Ralf Lorenz (GUALAGON, Pranke: Das Filmmagazin für Monsterfreaks).

Vintage Monsters #1 runs forty pages and focuses on the movies playing at next month’s VINTAGE MONSTERS FESTIVAL in Hamburg with more than 150 full color illustrations from CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982), GODZILLA VS GIGAN (1972), THE BLACK PIT OF DR. M (1959), THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM (1961), THE GREEN SLIME (1968), ANDY WARHOL’S BLOOD FOR DRACULA (1974), DRACULA VS FRANKENSTEIN (1970), TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA (1970), and PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES (1965). The text is written in both German and English.
Continued…

Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Official Site: NewPeopleWorld.com
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

VIZ Cinema will hosts a GUNDAM movie marathon on April 10th.
Photo courtesy of VIZ Media. © Sotsu, Sunrise

April welcomes Spring, and VIZ Cinema, the nation’s only movie theatre dedicated to Japanese film, celebrates the season of the sakura (cherry blossom) with a colorful – and tasty – schedule of films and fun events.

Don’t miss a very rare personal appearance by Director Yuri Nomura for the U.S. premiere of her acclaimed documentary film about gastronomy, EATRIP. Known widely in Japan as a chef, author and teacher, and also for her Food Creative Team, “Eatrip,” that takes ‘eating’ to the next level. EATRIP created a buzz in film festivals worldwide and now comes to San Francisco!

Nomura will attend the U.S. premiere of EATRIP at VIZ Cinema on April 10th as part of the 43rd annual Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco’s Japantown. Tickets are available to attend a unique dinner and discussion with the Nomura, hosted in association with Sylvan Mishima Brackett, owner of PEKO-PEKO and the former creative director at the world-renowned restaurant, Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, CA. VIP tickets are $50.00 and include dinner and reception (April 10th, 7:00pm) and are now available for purchase online.

Other new films opening in April include SAKURAN, GRAVITY’S CLOWNS and a special GUNDAM Forever Movie Marathon! Science fiction fans can also look forward to the next installment of TokyoScope: The Wild and Crazy World of Japanese Cult Films Vol. 2, which this month focuses on MECHA MANIA: Four Decades of Slam-Bang Sci-Fi Robot Anime, and a special screening of K-20: THE FIEND WITH 20 FACES to celebrate the release of the film on DVD by VIZ Pictures on April 20th.
Continued…