Posted Thu Jan 12, 2012 at 12:00 PM PST by Tom Landy
One of the most controversial films of all-time arrives for the first time in North America this March.
In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay says 'Battle Royale' and 'Battle Royale: The Complete Collection' will be coming to Blu-ray on March 20.
42 students, Three days, One survivor – No Escape. Welcome to the world of Battle Royale!
A title that has shocked, thrilled and unnerved audiences. A film whose fiendishly simple premise has inspired many imitations, including the upcoming 'The Hunger Games' motion picture. Based on the 1999 global best-seller by Koushun Takami, the futuristic tale first came to the screen in 2000, directed by the legendary Kinju Fukasaku. Authors, filmmakers and film fans the world over consider the film and its 2003 sequel 'Battle Royale II: Requiem' sacred cinematic classics.
'Battle Royale' - In the near future, the economy has collapsed, unemployment has soared and juvenile crime has exploded. Fearful of their nation’s youth, the Japanese government passes The BR Law: Each year, a 9th grade class is sent to a remote island where they will be locked into exploding neck collars, given a random weapon, and forced to hunt and kill each other until there is only one survivor left. Chiaki Kuriyama ('Kill Bill') and screen legend Takeshi Kitano ('Boiling Point,' 'Brother') star in the movie that has been argued, acclaimed and banned around the world. More than a decade later, it remains one of the most savage, shocking and emotionally powerful films of all time. Now experience the complete Director’s Cut of Kinji Fukasaku’s uncompromising masterpiece – nominated for 10 Japanese Academy Awards® – available uncensored and unrated for the first time ever in America.
The Blu-ray will feature the Director's Cut in 1080p, a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 soundtrack in Japanese (5.1 in English) with optional English subtitles, and no supplements.
'Battle Royale: The Complete Collection' - In 2000, director Kinji Fukasaku unleashed 'Battle Royale,' his violently poetic epic about an innocent group of Junior High students forced by the government to hunt and kill their classmates for sport. It was nominated for 10 Japanese Academy Awards®, launched a global phenomenon, and banned from screens by frightened civic groups and distributors across America. Three years later, the equally disturbing sequel – featuring a new class, new rules, and a brutal terrorist plot by the first film’s young survivors – triggered its own tragic firestorm around the world. Now for the first time ever, you can see it all: Experience the entire Battle Royale saga on 4 discs that forever blasts open one of the most potent, shocking and savagely influential sagas in motion picture history.
The 4-Disc set includes three Blu-ray discs: 'Battle Royale: Director's Cut' with 1080p video and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (English 5.1) soundtracks, 'Battle Royale: Theatrical Cut' with 1080p video and Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtracks (English and Japanese), and 'Battle Royale II: Revenge Director's Cut with 1080p video and a Japanese Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack with optional English subtitles.
The set also includes a bonus DVD with loads of supplements including: The Making Of BATTLE ROYALE, Filming On-Set, BATTLE ROYALE Press Conference, Instructional Video: Birthday Version, Audition & Rehearsal Footage, Special Effects Comparison Featurette, Tokyo International Film Festival 2000, Battle Royale Documentary, Basketball Scene Rehearsals, Behind-The-Scenes Featurette, Original Theatrical Trailer and TV Spots (Special Edition and Tarantino Version).
Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is set at $29.99 and the Complete Collection is $49.99.
You can find the latest specs for 'Battle Royale' and 'Battle Royale: The Complete Collection' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under March 20.
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