Blade of the Immortal (Takashi Miike, 2017)

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Guro Taku
King of Beggars
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Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 16:37

Blade of the Immortal (Takashi Miike, 2017)

Post by Guro Taku »

Guro Taku
King of Beggars
Posts: 658
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 16:37

Re: Blade of the Immortal (Takashi Miike, 2017)

Post by Guro Taku »

The first English language review I found, now that the film is out in Japan, comes from the Japan Times and is less than kind to Miike's latest.
...the film suffers from the elephantiasis endemic to big-budget manga adaptations [...] and the result is a two-hour-plus running time packed with self-indulgent bloat.
Some films require a bathroom break; this one needs an aspirin interval.
:lol:

Meanwhile, it has been announced that the Cannes film festival (May 17th to May 28th) will show Blade of the Immortal out of competition.
Guro Taku
King of Beggars
Posts: 658
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 16:37

Re: Blade of the Immortal (Takashi Miike, 2017)

Post by Guro Taku »

English subtitled trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M2F4-oTNF4

I didn't realize Miike picked this project for his 100th film. Magnet Releasing acquired the North American rights and is planning a 2017 release.

Also, in the wake of its Cannes screening, more reviews from The Guardian, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, all of which find more to like in the film than the Japan Times review.

The film pretty much bombed in Japan, by the way, opening in 5th place and doing only marginally better than TERRA FORMARS.
Guro Taku
King of Beggars
Posts: 658
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 16:37

Re: Blade of the Immortal (Takashi Miike, 2017)

Post by Guro Taku »

Interview with Miike from Cannes:

http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2017/05/23/ ... iences-and

Interesting how he laments that producers in Japan want him to make flicks for 12-18 year old girls because that's where they make the most money and then at the end of the interview he reveals that he is currently directing a Sunday morning TV show for girls aged 3-6. I kind of can't wait to see that.
Guro Taku
King of Beggars
Posts: 658
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 16:37

Re: Blade of the Immortal (Takashi Miike, 2017)

Post by Guro Taku »

No worries if you want to see this with English subs. Magnet Releasing picked up the North American rights in Cannes, while Arrow Video will release the film in the UK "this winter".
Guro Taku
King of Beggars
Posts: 658
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 16:37

Re: Blade of the Immortal (Takashi Miike, 2017)

Post by Guro Taku »

Guro Taku wrote:...he reveals that he is currently directing a Sunday morning TV show for girls aged 3-6. I kind of can't wait to see that.
It's called IDOL X WARRIOR MIRACLE TUNES and it stars Suzuka Adachi, Asaka Uchida and Yubaha Ada.

Here's a trailer/featurette thingy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n15SreteZc

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Guro Taku
King of Beggars
Posts: 658
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 16:37

Re: Blade of the Immortal (Takashi Miike, 2017)

Post by Guro Taku »

BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL turned out to be one of the more watchable current Miike flicks. Definitely runs a bit too long but makes up for it with a decent amount of violence and gore during the plentiful fight scenes. The CGI is limited to the magical blood parasites that stitch the hero back together whenever he gets chopped up. Miike has some fun with this too, culminating in a moment (unfortunately spoiled in one of the trailers) where the hero faces off against another quasi-immortal and, after having turned each other into human pincushions, laments that "dying is hard".
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