HANNA-BI, KIKUJIRO and DOLLS from Third Window Films Source: Third Window Films Special Thanks to Claire Marty British label Third Window Films is pleased to announce the Blu-Ray releases of three films from Takeshi Kitano. All feature new 2K remasters from Office Kitano. The first 1000 copies of each feature cardboard slipcases with new illustrated artwork by Marie Bergeron supported by Filmdoo`s Film Creativity Competition.
HANNA-BI (???) Former Police officer Nishi feels responsible for the shattered lives of his loved ones. His partner Horibe has been crippled in a disastrous stakeout, a colleague is shot dead by the same villain, and his own wife has a terminal illness. In debt to a yakuza loan shark, Nishi conceives a bank robbery to provide for his partner, help the dead cop’s widow, and take one last holiday throughout Japan with his wife and share a final taste of happiness... A highly original crime drama written, directed and starring Takeshi Kitano. Bonus Features: 30 minute documentary from the film`s original release, Interview with Takeshi Kitano from the film`s original release, New Audio commentary by film critic Mark Schilling Release Date: January 11, 2016 Format: Blu-ray (Region 2, PAL) Number of discs: 1 Certification: 18 Year: 1997 Language: Japanese Subtitles: English Running Time: 105 Minutes RRP: £14.00
KIKUJIRO (?????) It’s summer and little Masao has no one to play with. With soccer practice suspended and his friends away at the beach, living alone with his grandmother seems even less fun for a nine-year-old boy. With address and photo in hand, Masao decides to take off in search of the mother he’s never met. But with little money and even less sense of direction, Masao can’t go alone. A friend of his grandmother volunteers her husband to accompany the boy on his quest. Kikujiro hardly seems an ideal companion for anyone, let alone for a boy as sensitive as the sullen Masao. Brash, loudmouthed and always on the lookout for easy money, the irresponsible Kikujiro doesn’t even appear to be overly fond of children. Kikujiro’s excursion to the cycle races is the first of a series of adventures for the unlikely pair. Theirs will be a whimsical journey of laughter and tears with many a zany surprise and oddball character to meet along the way. All to discover that they have more in common than meets the eye. All to show wide-eyed Masao that the world, as he’s known it, is not without magic. By the bittersweet trip’s end, Masao will have collected a wealth of information for his “What I Did Last Summer” project. And for Kikujiro, the heart-warming lesson that sometimes it takes a child’s games to help us see exactly what went wrong with our own lives. Bonus Features: JAM SESSION - 90 minute documentary on KIKUJIRO directed by the award-winning Japanese director Makoto Shinozaki Release Date: February 22, 2016 Format: Blu-ray (Region 2, PAL) Number of discs: 1 Certification: 12 Year: 1999 Language: Japanese Subtitles: English Running Time: 121 Minutes RRP: £14.00
DOLLS (????) Three stories of undying love: Bound by a long red cord, a young couple wanders in search of something they have forgotten. An aging yakuza returns to the park where he used to meet his long-lost girlfriend. A disfigured pop star confronts the phenomenal devotion of her biggest fan. Bonus Features: Interviews with Takeshi Kitano, Miho Kanno, Hidetoshi Nishijima & Yohij Yamamoto, Behind the Scenes, Video from the film`s premiere at the Venice Film Festival Release Date: March 14, 2016 Format: Blu-ray (Region 2, PAL) Number of discs: 1 Certification: 12 Year: 2002 Language: Japanese Subtitles: English Running Time: 114 Minutes RRP: £14.00
About Third Window Films
The Third Window Films brand was born in 2005 when its film-loving founders grew bored of the stream of worn-out shock horror vehicles from the Far East. Third Window Films works hard to bring you the wonderful world beyond long-haired ghost films and mindless Hollywood action copies, sourcing the finest works in new Far Eastern cinema. We strive to represent a rich variety of film genres, be they dramas, comedies, political satires, action or anything else in between. Expect everything from the unknown and cult to the off-beat and even the occasional mainstream masterpiece... or expect nothing but quality Asian cinema! Let Third Window Films be your window to the East!