Universe Laser are set to release Sion Sono's 'Strange Circus' in just over a weeks time, in HK on DVD. Watch out around here for the adverts and Pre-Order links to YesAsia when available... remember, Sono's got a whole load of films around at the moment, and was the Director of the massively popular 'Suicide Club' (aka 'Suicide Circle').
The following information from The Gomorrahizer's coverage of the film :
Strange Circus had its world première at the 10th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) on October 9th of last year, and its North American première at the 15th Philadelphia Film Festival (PFF) on April 2nd of this year. TLA Releasing (TLA Entertainment Group Inc.) has acquired the North American theatrical and home entertainment distribution rights for it.
The screenplay for Strange Circus was written by Sono. The movie stars Masumi Miyazaki, Issei Ishida, Rie Kuwana, Mai Takahashi, Fujiko, Tomorowo Taguchi, and Hiroshi Ôguchi.
Here's a description of Strange Circus from the Fantasia Festival website: "STRANGE CIRCUS is for everyone who thought that Sion Sono's previous film SUICIDE CLUB was just too 'normal.' This year's most challenging title, STRANGE CIRCUS is a surreal shockfest that just gets more disturbing as it progresses down its increasingly hallucinatory path, and much of the audience is likely to be reeling... even before the amputations, bondage imprisonment or secret transsexuality. Welcome back, Sion Sono! Adolescent Mitsuko is forced to watch her parents' lovemaking by her perverted father and her domineering mother, who imprison her in a cello case employed with a peephole. When Mitsuko's mother apparently dies, her father forces the girl to be the victim of his incestuous desires, which drives her to attempt suicide with a leap from a height... yet all of this is apparently just the new novel being penned by reclusive, wheelchair-bound author Taeko (Masumi Miyazaki, who also plays the mother). Or is it? Taeko is assigned a new assistant, effeminate admirer Yuji, and the two begin a sexual relationship in Taeko's ornately designed estate. But we soon must question the real identities of both Taeko and Yuji. Sono isn't necessarily any more concerned with providing easy answers here than he was in SUICIDE CLUB, but [l]ike that film, STRANGE CIRCUS is an often shocking, always bizarre cinematic ride for the adventurous."
Fantasia Festival: Strange Circus.
Strange Circus trailer (downloadable 14.4 MB WMV file).
That's great but once again my purchase will depend on whether or not they included and subtitled the extras, specifically the "Strange Days" feature length making of docu. I could follow the film just fine on the unsubbed Japanese R2. The making of and the interviews ... not so much.
Hm, I'm not sure if I should buy the HK- or the Japan DVD. After all, I'm learning japanese since the beginning of the year.
I'm always a little reserved regarding HK-DVDs.
"when a DVD has subtitles, they can be removed. if you have a HK disc following an R2 Japan DVD, it is more than likely to be the same transfer, but with a much cheaper price."
Depends on the company, as most of them churn out watered down versions of the originals. Look at what they did to Nana - http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=61657
I'm betting that this will eventually get a R1 release if you can wait that long. Lets just hope that TLA isn't the one picking it up :S
TLA's already got it, actually.
mikko, it's important to understand that compromise still plays an unfortunately large part in the scene - so if you get a slightly lesser transfer on a subbed release verses an immaculate print on an unsubbed release, and if you need subtitles in order to understand the film, then go for the lesser transfer with subtitles. in the end, once a film has been experienced it's in the brain that the best part of the benefit is to be fealt... focus is on taking in the films, thats the way i think it should be.
"compromise still plays an unfortunately large part in the scene"
for those who need subtitled releases, yes. Personally I don't mind spending a little time on making my own subs.
But it does take time, and R2J's take money. That's why I wish more HK dvds would be R2J ports. I've been disappointed by HK dvds too many times. I'm tired of having to buy the same film several times. Nowadays I buy some R2J's just because I don't want to take the risk of having to upgrade to a R2J later.
Back to Strange Circus; I'm not 100% sure but it seems like the R2J is anamorphic.
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