We Are Movie Geeks All things movies… as noted by geeks.

March 1, 2021

KEEP LIVE ALIVE ST. LOUIS March 12th – Fundraiser For Local Musicians From the Biggest Stages in Town

Filed under: Movies — Tags: — Tom Stockman @ 10:27 am

On any given night in St. Louis, there are dozens chances to treat your ears to some phenomenal musicianship. The St. Louis music scene is, and always has been, very diverse. Whether it’s blues in the Soulard neighborhood, cool vocal stylings at a hip suburban bistro, or the joyful jamming of a Grateful Dead tribute band in the Loop, the live music scene in St. Louis has rocked visitors, and locals every single night. Until Covid. When the pandemic hit, live music was one of the first things to be affected and will be one of the last to come back. If you miss going to concerts, imagine how the musicians, sound & lighting techs, stagehands, bartenders and everyone else involved in the presentation of live music must feel.

On March 12, the St. Louis Classic Rock Preservation Society will present KEEP LIVE ALIVE SAINT LOUIS, a FREE 90-minute entertainment video special and fundraiser produced by Ron Stevens for the people in St. Louis who miss being able to attend concert events due to the pandemic. You can view the special for FREE at KeepLiveAliveSTL.org Check out this preview:

More importantly, KEEP LIVE ALIVE SAINT LOUIS is about all the people behind the scenes who bring you concerts everyday – ushers, ticket takers, bartenders, wait staff, sound & lighting technicians, stagehands, backstage crews, the list goes on and on. Net proceeds from fundraising and sponsorships will benefit entertainment industry professionals in the St. Louis region who are suffering financially due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and loss of work. Any member of the live entertainment industry – on stage, off stage, front of house, back of house, in the office or on the road, tending bar or parking cars – all may call on Keep Live Alive Saint Louis.

By making a donation, you will be helping some of those people most affected by being laid off, waiting and wanting to come back to work producing your favorite concerts and live entertainment events. Donations can be made anytime HERE

So, come join along with SAMMY HAGAR, KEVIN CRONIN (REO SPEEDWAGON), PAT & DANNY LISTON (MAMA’S PRIDE), MICHAEL ‘SUPE’ GRANDA (OZARK MOUNTAIN DAREDEVILS), STAN KIPPER (GYPSY, MINNIE RIPERTON, JAY FERGUSON), as well as local musicians LADY J HUSTON, BELL DARRIS and ROLAND JOHNSON, comedians PAULA POUNDSTONE, GREG WARREN and JOE MARLOTTI, and country recording artists LINDSAY ELL and ALEXANDRA KAY – plus special guests MARK KLOSE, LAUREN ‘LERN’ EWELL and FAVAZZ from KSHE-95. Joining them will be RIZZUTO and LUX from 105.7 The Point, MASON & REMY and KASEY from 92.3 WIL with COURTNEY LANDRUM and DONNY FANDANGO from 106.5 The Arch – Plus many other special guests and performances!

The St. Louis Classic Rock Preservation Society was founded in January, 2016 as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, by Randy Raley, John Sebben and Ron Stevens, but its story began well before that. Both Randy and John had been operating online radio stations for several years. The annual St. Louis Classic Rock Trivia Night fundraised for local charities since 2014 as well. Upon incorporation a, the Society was able to do more for local organizations, musicians and other individuals, and have assembled a great team to make KEEP LIVE ALIVE SAINT LOUIS a successful AND entertaining event. KEEP LIVE ALIVE SAINT LOUIS is also sponsored by KSHE-95, 106.5-TheArch, 106.7 THE POINT, 92.3 WIL, and Weber Chevrolet.

February 24, 2021

MARCH OF COPPOLA – Webster University is Hosting a 4-Film Sofia Coppola Retrospective Next Month

Filed under: Movies — Tags: , , , , — Tom Stockman @ 7:08 pm

Webster University Film Series has become the location for many national tours of international cinema, often acting as the only such venue in Missouri. The Series is host to speakers and visiting artists who address the pertinent issues in films presented. In an effort to further integrate film with education, the Film Series provides workshops with artists and experts.

As part of the Film Series virtual Speaker Series in March, MARCH OF COPPOLA, focuses on the works of  Oscar-winner Sofia Coppola. Once a week, all throughout March a guest speaker will give a talk on a different film of the writer/director. Each film is available on popular streaming services like The Criterion Channel, HBO Max, and/or Amazon Prime. Watch each ahead of time and then join The Webster University University Film Series all month long for interesting and thought-provoking discussions on the works of Ms Coppola.

Here’s the  line-up:

Lost in Translation – March 4 at 7:00 p.m. with Dr. Daniel Yezbick, Professor of Media Studies and Intercultural/International Education Coordinator at St Louis Community College-Wildwood.
(Sofia Coppola, 2003, USA/Japan, 102 minutes)
Widely considered to be Coppola’s best film, and by far her most well-known, Lost in Translation deals with lonely strangers Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) who find solace in each other, while culturally displaced in a city that isn’t theirs. Set in Tokyo, the two meet and quickly form a unique kind of bond in which they speak the same language—in many senses of the phrase. Written and directed by Coppola, this Oscar-winning feature carries forth both a sense of romantic melancholy and a quiet desire for something more.
Lost in Translation is available to watch through the subscription-based streaming service Amazon Prime (subject to change) or can be rented digitally on most platforms for $4. More details can be found HERE

The Virgin Suicides — March 11 at 7:00 p.m. with Taylor Gruenloh, Adjunct Professor of English at Webster University and Assistant Teaching Professor at Missouri S&T.
(Sofia Coppola, 1999, USA, 97 minutes)
Coppola’s debut feature, The Virgin Suicides, puts her on the map as a filmmaker distinct from her father and mentor, the venerable Francis Ford Coppola. Emerging right away as a critical success, the film adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides’ novel of the same name has only garnered more attention and admiration with age, eventually marking it a modern classic. Favored for its hazy, entranced portrait of youth, The Virgin Suicides stamped Coppola with the soft, blonde overtones of white femininity that she soon became known for. Shown from the collective perspective of a young group of boys, the story follows the five unknowable sisters of the Lisbon family, trapped within the walls of a rigid home and suffocated by a fog of misery.
The Virgin Suicides is available to watch through the subscription-based streaming service Amazon Prime (subject to change) or can be rented digitally on most platforms for $3-4. More details can be found HERE

Somewhere – March 18 at 7:00 p.m. with Jessica Pierce, freelance filmmaker and General Clerk for the Webster Film Series
(Sofia Coppola, 2010, USA, 94 minutes)
Though one of her lesser-known films, Somewhere very much captures the typical spirit of Coppola’s work. Featuring a young Elle Fanning as the daughter of a somewhat estranged celebrity father, Somewhere focuses on a strained-but-ever-evolving relationship between parent and child. Told through few words, long takes, and some improvisation, Somewhere displays love, laughter, and aimlessness through innumerable moments of vulnerability and affection between father and daughter.
Somewhere is available to watch through the subscription-based streaming service HBO Max (subject to change) or can be rented digitally on most platforms for $4. More details can be found HERE

On the Rocks – March 25 at 7:00 p.m. from Dr. Diane Carson, Professor Emerita, St. Louis Community College; Film Critic, KDHX 88.1FM and Alliance of Women Film Journalists.
(Sofia Coppola, 2020, USA, 96 minutes)
Coppola and Bill Murray reunite as director and actor for the first time since 2003 in her latest film, On the Rocks. Worried her husband might be having an affair, Laura (Rashida Jones) confides in her distanced father Felix (Murray), and an investigation of sorts ensues. Having fallen away from his family years prior, Felix uses this time as an opportunity to bond and reconnect. Complete with awkward encounters and an almost slapstick game of cat and mouse, On the Rocks offers a slight shift in tone for Coppola—one with humorous, plentiful dialogue and the air of a slice-of-life comedy.
On the Rocks is only currently available to stream via the subscription service Apple TV+ (subject to change).More details can be found HERE

Guy Pearce in THE LAST VERMEER Now Available on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD

Filed under: Blu-ray — Tags: , , — Tom Stockman @ 12:17 pm

Guy Pearce in THE LAST VERMEER is now available on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD

While Joseph Piller (Claes Bang), a Dutch Jew, was fighting in the Resistance during the Second World War, the witty, debonair art connoisseur Han van Meegeren (Guy Pearce) was hosting hedonistic soirees and selling Dutch art treasures to Hermann Göring and other top Nazis. Following the war, Piller becomes an investigator assigned the task of identifying and redistributing stolen art, resulting in the flamboyant van Meegeren being accused of collaboration—a crime punishable by death. But, despite mounting evidence, Piller, with the aid of his assistant (Vicky Krieps), becomes increasingly convinced of Han’s innocence and finds himself in the unlikely position of fighting to save his life.

Directed By: Dan Friedkin

Screenplay By: James McGee and Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby
Based on the Book:The Man Who Made Vermeers by Jonathan Lopez
Producers: Ryan Friedkin, Danny Friedkin, Bradley Thomas
Executive Producers: Ridley Scott, Peter Heslop, Gino Falsetto
Music By: Johan Soderqvist
Cast: Guy Pearce and Claes Bang 

David Oyelwo’s Directorial Debut WATER MAN Set For Worldwide Distribution

Filed under: Movies — Tags: , , — Tom Stockman @ 11:41 am

David Oyelwo’s Directorial Debut WATER MAN is set for Worldwide Distribution RLJE Will Release it in North America; Netflix Set For Rest of the World. The film Stars Oyelowo, Rosario Dawson and Lonnie Chavis.

David Oyelwo’s family adventure film, THE WATER MAN, has been acquired by RLJE Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, for North America, and by Netflix for the rest of the world. The film is the directorial debut of acclaimed actor David Oyelowo (Selma), which he also stars in, and is produced by Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films, ShivHans Pictures, and Yoruba Saxon. In North America the film is expected to be released day-and-date in theaters and PVOD on May 7, 2021 and Netflix will release the film internationally later this year.  The film had its world premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival to much critical praise and also opened this year’s Urbanworld Film Festival. 

THE WATER MAN, a Black List script written by Emma Needell, also stars Rosario Dawson (“Luke Cage”), Lonnie Chavis (“This is Us”), Amiah Miller (War For the Planet of the Apes), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2) and Maria Bello (“NCIS”). In THE WATER MAN, Gunner (Chavis) sets out on a quest to save his ill mother (Dawson) by searching for a mythic figure who possesses the secret to immortality, the Water Man. After enlisting the help of a mysterious local girl, Jo (Miller), they journey together into the remote Wild Horse forest — but the deeper they venture, the stranger and more dangerous the forest becomes. Their only hope for rescue is Gunner’s father (Oyelowo), who will stop at nothing to find them and in the process will discover who his son really is.

“While in some ways this film is a father and son story, at its core it’s also a love letter to mothers everywhere and is dedicated to my own. To be able to share my directorial debut, THE WATER MAN, with the world through the hands of RLJE Films and Netflix is a dream come true for me,” said Oyelowo.

THE WATER MAN is produced by Oyelowo (A United Kingdom), Carla Gardini (“Delilah”), Shivani Rawat (Wander Darkly) and Monica Levinson (Golden Globe nominees Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, The Trial of The Chicago 7) and executive produced by Oprah Winfrey (The Color Purple), Darren M. Demetre (Lean on Pete), Connor Flanagan (Wander Darkly) and Emma Needell.

Valentyn Vasyanovych’s ATLANTIS Screens Virtually as Part of Webster University’s Film Series February 24th and 25th

Filed under: Movies — Tags: , — Tom Stockman @ 11:12 am

Valentyn Vasyanovych’s ATLANTIS (2019) screens virtually as part of Webster University’s Film Series February 24th and 25th, For more information, go HERE

Film Series patrons can rent Atlantis. Taking some aesthetic cues from Children of Men, writer/director/DP/editor Valentyn Vasyanovych (previously cinematographer on 2014 standout The Tribe) has created a sci-fi world somewhat at odds with what you tend to see depicted at the movies. Taking place largely in a series of tableaux, former soldier Sergiy, who suffers from PTSD, struggles to adjust to a rapidly changing dystopian society. A whiff of faith comes in the form of Katya, whose presence may be able to restore some semblance of the old normal to Sergiy’s life. Ukraine’s official submission to the Academy for the 2021 Oscars, Atlantis further establishes Vasyanovych as someone to watch on the stage of world cinema.

Carey Mulligan Leads PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Coming to Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital

Filed under: Blu-ray — Tags: , , — Tom Stockman @ 10:43 am

Driven by a mysterious and tragic event in her past, a young woman seeks out vengeance in this thrilling and wildly entertaining story about a delicious new take on revenge in PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, available to own for the first time on Digital on March 2, 2021 and Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand on March 16, 2021 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Proclaimed as “absolutely brilliant” (Matt Goldberg, Collider) PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN is the riveting, genre-bending must-own dark comedy of the year that combines masterful filmmaking with an unapologetic look at female empowerment and social justice with a deeply powerful twist. Hailed as “a game-changing masterpiece,” (Scott Menzel, We Live Entertainment) and “revenge, served red hot” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone), the edgy thriller is the directorial debut of groundbreaking filmmaker Emerald Fennell (“Killing Eve,” “The Crown”) who wrote the vibrant, twisted and suspenseful story. Showcasing an incredible ensemble cast lead by Academy Award® nominee Carey Mulligan (An Education, Drive) and with an iconic soundtrack, fans can now go behind-the-scenes of the provocative and sensational film with exclusive bonus content on the Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital including featurettes with the cast and crew taking fans deeper into the edge-of-your-seat story that has everyone talking.

Dazzling critics and audiences alike, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN offers a gripping and foreboding comedic look at toxic culture norms that permeate throughout society and has earned an extraordinary 91% “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes®. Hailed as “the best film of the year” (Mara Reinstein, US Weekly), the captivating film has won over an impressive 48 awards to date and has racked up over an astonishing 165 award nominations to date. Garnering four Golden Globe® nominations including Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and Best Screenplay, the film has also earned six Critics Choice Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay, BAFTA longlisted in 13 Categories including Best Film Outstanding British Film, Director and Original Screenplay, a 2021 SAG Award® nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, a 2021 Writers Guild Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, nine Hollywood Critics Association Award nominations and was named one of the Top Ten Films of the year by the National Board of Review.

Everyone said Cassie (Mulligan) was a promising young woman…until a mysterious event abruptly derailed her future. But nothing in Cassie’s life is what it appears to be: she’s wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she’s living a secret double life by night. Now, an unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs of the past in this thrilling and wildly entertaining story. Featuring incredible must-see performances from the entire cast, the bold and gritty PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN is led by critically acclaimed Mulligan who received the Los Angeles Film Critics Best Actress award for her role and has a phenomenal supporting cast including Bo Burnham (Eight Grade, The Big Sick), Alison Brie (Sleeping With Other People, “GLOW”), Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption, Thor: Ragnarok), Jennifer Coolidge (Legally Blonde, American Pie), Laverne Cox (“Orange Is the New Black,” Grandma), Connie Britton (“Dirty John,” “Friday Night Lights”), Alfred Molina (Frida, Spider-Man 2), Adam Brody (Shazam!, “The OC”), Max Greenfield (“New Girl,” The Big Short), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad, Kick-Ass), Chris Lowell (The Help, Up in the Air), Sam Richardson (“Veep,” “New Girl”), and Molly Shannon (“Divorce,” Superstar).

By turns darkly hilarious and heart-wrenching, the astonishing film is packed with daring and thought-provoking moments from beginning to end by writer-director Fennell delivering a “delicately-wrapped bonbon laced with arsenic” (Keaton Bell, VOGUE). From Academy Award®-winning production company FilmNation Entertainment and the filmmakers behind The King’s Speech, Arrival and The Big Sick and alongside LuckyChap Entertainment producers Margot Robbie (I, Tonya, Dreamland), Tom Ackerley (Dreamland, Terminal) and Josey McNamara (Dreamland, Terminal) the “funny, sexy, smart and absolutely terrifying” (Kate Erbland, IndieWire) PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN is a must-own film with a profound message for all.

Carey Mulligan and Bo Burnham star in a scene from the movie “Promising Young Woman.” The Catholic News Service classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (CNS photo/Merie Weismiller Wallace, Focus Features)

With the purchase of PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN on disc or digital, fans are eligible to earn points towards special rewards via the Universal All-Access Rewards program. Members can redeem their points for digital movies, signed collectables, box sets, win exclusive prizes and more! For FREE registration and details please visit www.MyUniversalRewards.com.

BLU-RAYTM, DVD & DIGITAL BONUS FEATURES:

  • A Promising Vision – Writer/Director Emerald Fennell discusses her inspirations for writing this bold, genre-bending film.
  • Two-Sided Transformation – A look at why Carey Mulligan was the perfect choice to play “Cassie” and how filmmakers used wardrobe, hair, and makeup to express the balance between light and dark.
  • Balancing Act – Cast members discuss their unexpected reactions to the careful balance of levity and tragedy in director Emerald Fennell’s take on female revenge.
  • Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Emerald Fennell

Jackie Chan in VANGUARD Coming to Blu-ray, DVD & VOD March 9th

Filed under: Blu-ray,Trailer — Tags: , , — Tom Stockman @ 10:05 am

Jackie Chan is back in action when Vanguard arrives on Digital March 2, and on DVD and Blu-ray (plus Digital) March 9 from Lionsgate. Check out this exciting trailer:

This film released in the U.S. on November 25 in 1,000+ theaters. Featuring international action superstar and martial arts legend Jackie Chan (Rush Hour, The Foreigner, Police Story), Yang Yang (Once Upon A Time, TV’s “The King’s Avatar”, “The Whirlwind Girl”), and Miya Muqi (Tomb Robber, Kung Fu Yoga, The Pluto Moment). Vanguard will be available on DVD and Blu-ray™ (plus Digital) for the suggested retail price of $19.98 and $24.99, respectivley.

International superstar and martial arts legend Jackie Chan leaps into action as Tang, CEO of the covert security company Vanguard in this gripping action-thriller. After wealthy businessman Qin rats out his corrupt partner in an arms deal gone fatally wrong, he and his family become targets of the world’s deadliest mercenary organization — and the fighting power of Tang’s team is their only hope to survive. Set in locations across the globe — including London, Zambia, India, an Arabian desert, and Dubai — Vanguard delivers electrifying thrills from start to breathtaking finish!

BLU-RAY / DVD / DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES

  • The Making Of Vanguard

CAST

Jackie Chan                Rush Hour, The Foreigner, Police Story

Yang Yang                  Once Upon A Time, TV’s “The King’s Avatar”, “The Whirlwind Girl”

Miya Muqi                   Tomb Robber, Kung Fu Yoga, The Pluto Moment

February 22, 2021

Here’s the Thrilling Trailer For Yael Stone and Paul Sorvino in AS LONG AS WE BOTH SHALL LIVE

Filed under: Trailer — Tags: , , , , , , — Tom Stockman @ 12:49 pm

Gravitas Ventures, a Red Arrow Studios Company, has acquired North American rights to Ali Askari’s romantic thriller AS LONG AS WE BOTH SHALL LIVE. The film will be available to rent and own on North American digital HD internet, cable and satellite platforms through Gravitas Ventures on February 26, 2021. Check out the trailer:

Malcolm is thrust into depression after his wife, Sarah, tragically dies. When he meets Nya one year later, he finally allows himself to give over to new love. And that’s when he starts seeing his dead wife, telling him how abandoned she feels, terrorizing him at every turn. Every time she appears, debilitating headaches cripple him, as well as doubts about his sanity. With the help of his sister-in-law, Dee, and his mentor, Jim, he must reconcile his past with his present in order to forgive himself, mourn properly, hang onto his new love – and not lose his mind in the process.

Directed by Ali Askari and written by Askari, Joe McKernan, Adam C. Sherer, and Golan Ramraz. AS LONG AS WE BOTH SHALL LIVE was produced by Ramraz and Sherer. AS LONG AS WE BOTH SHALL LIVE stars Josh Helman, Yael Stone, Jennifer Allcott, Paul Sorvino, Yvonne Cone, Slate Holmgren, and Danny Lane.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with Gravitas Ventures on this project. The characters that Josh, Yael and the rest of the cast bring brilliantly to life are astonishing. The story is as suspenseful as it is touching, and I can’t wait for the world to see it,” said Writer/Producer Golan Ramraz.

“Rooted in the layered and tortured performance of Josh Helman, Ali’s film is a haunting thriller that will keep audiences guessing and make them question what is real. We look forward to unveiling the film to North American audiences,” said Tony Piantedosi, Vice President of Acquisitions at Gravitas Ventures.

Ewan McGregor in Tim Burton’s BIG FISH Available on 4K ULTRA HD May 4th

Filed under: Blu-ray — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Tom Stockman @ 10:46 am

“There are some fish that cannot be caught. It’s not that they are faster or stronger than other fish, they’re just touched by something extra.”

Tim Burton’s BIG FISH will be available on 4K ULTRA HD May 4th. Throughout his life Edward Bloom (Ewan McGregor) has always been a man of big appetites, enormous passions and tall tales. In his later years, portrayed by five-time Best Actor Oscar nominee Albert Finney (Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Erin Brockovich, 2000), he remains a huge mystery to his son, William (Billy Crudup). Now, to get to know the real man, Will begins piecing together a true picture of his father from flashbacks of his amazing adventures in this marvel of a movie.

DISC DETAILS & BONUS MATERIAL 
4K ULTRA HD DISC

  • Newly Remastered in 4K resolution from the original camera negative, with HDR10
  • All-new Dolby Atmos audio + original theatrical 5.1 audio

BLU-RAY DISC™

  • Feature presented in HD, sourced from the new 4K master
  • Tim Burton Audio Commentary, Moderated by Mark Salisbury
  • The Character’s Journey
    • Edward Bloom at Large
    • Amos at the Circus
    • Fathers and Sons
  • The Filmmaker’s Path
    • Tim Burton: Storyteller
    • A Fairytale World
    • Creature Features
    • The Author’s Journey
  • Original Cast Interviews & Behind the Scenes
  • Easter Eggs
  • Theatrical Trailer

CAST AND CREW

Directed By: Tim Burton
Screenplay By: John August
Based on a Novel by: Daniel Wallace
Producers: Richard D. Zanuck, Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks
Executive Producer: Arne L. Schmidt
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Alison Lohman, Robert Guillaume, Marion Cotillard with Steve Buscemi and Danny DeVito

February 21, 2021

Teruo Ishii’s SHOGUN’S JOY OF TORTURE Available on Blu-ray February 23rd From Arrow Video

Filed under: Blu-ray — Tags: — Tom Stockman @ 6:29 pm

Teruo Ishii’s SHOGUN’S JOY OF TORTURE (1968) will be available on Blu-ray February 23rd from Arrow Video

From the outrageous imagination of cult director Teruo Ishii (Orgies of Edo, Horrors of Malformed Men) comes this infamous omnibus of three shocking tales of crime and punishment based on true-life documented cases set during the reign of the Tokugawa shogunate.

The first tale sees the beautiful Mitsu (Masumi Tachibana) going to horrifying lengths to tend to her older brother Shinz (Teruo Yoshida), a carpenter injured in a work accident, but the law catches up on them and metes out a terrifying retribution after they violate the ultimate taboo. In the second, unfettered passions in a Buddhist nunnery are not allowed to go unpunished after abbess Reih (Yukie Kagawa) and her attendant Rintoku (Naomi Shiraishi) encounter a virile young monk from a neighboring temple. In the closing segment, a sadistic torturer (Fumio Watanabe) attempts to show a tattoo artist (Asao Koike) how to depict convincing expressions of faces of pain in his work by allowing him to sketch a selection of Europeans as they are tortured for entering Japan with the aim of spreading Christianity.

Ishii s notorious portmanteau of Edo-era excess signaled a change in direction for a director until then regarded for his crime and yakuza films, setting the ball rolling on the run of grotesque historical anthologies for which he is now best remembered. Vehemently denounced by the critics of the day, Shogun s Joy of Torture set a new benchmark for the depiction of sex, sadism and depravity in Japanese exploitation, with Ishii staging his elaborate torture methods with an unmatched verve and inventiveness.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

  • High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
  • Original uncompressed mono PCM audio
  • Optional English subtitles
  • Audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes
  • Teruo Ishii: Erotic-Grotesque Maestro an exclusively newly filmed interview with the author Patrick Macias
  • Bind, Torture, Thrill author and critic Jasper Sharp discusses the history of torture in Japanese exploitation cinema
  • Original trailer
  • Image gallery
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jacob Phillips

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors booklet featuring new writing on the film by Mark Schilling

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