High definition transfers of TAKASHI MIIKE`S BLACK SOCIETY TRILOGY come to Blu-ray and DVD this month. Images courtesy of MVD Entertainment. © Kadokawa Shoten

The Beginning of Takashi Miike`s Mature Career as a Filmmaker and Some of His Finest Works Source: Arrow Video US, MVD Entertainment Group Special Thanks to Clint Weiler January`s a great month for fans of Japanese crime cinema as Takashi Miike`s "Black Society Trilogy" arrives on both Blu-ray and DVD. These stylish and gripping crime films put Miike on the cinematic map and proved he was more than just a specialist in blood and guts. See the films that made Takashi Miike`s name as a master of Japanese crime cinema with this exciting set from Arrow Video. Including SHINJUKU TRIAD SOCIETY (????? ???????????, Shinjuku Kuroshakai Chaina Mafia Sensoo, 1995), RAINY DOG (????? RAINY DOG, Gokudoo Kuroshakai RAINY DOG, 1997) and LEY LINES (????? LEY LINES, Nihon Kuroshakai LEY LINES, 1999), in beautiful high definition transfers, the set also contains a host of special features including a brand new interview with the director himself. After several years spent working almost exclusively in the direct-to-video world of "V-cinema" in Japan, Takashi Miike announced himself as a world-class filmmaking talent with this trio of thematically-connected, character-centric crime stories about violence, the underworld of Japanese society, families both real and surrogate, and the possibly hopeless task of finding one`s place in the world. His first films made specifically for theatrical release, and his first for a major studio, the "Black Society Trilogy" was the beginning of Miike`s mature career as a filmmaker and they remain among the prolific director`s finest works. Set in the bustling Kabuki-cho nightlife neighborhood of Tokyo, SHINJUKU TRIAD SOCIETY follows a mixed-race cop (Kippei Shiina, OUTRAGE) struggling with private issues while hunting a psychotic criminal (Tomorowo Taguchi, TETSUO THE IRON MAN) who traffics in children`s organs. RAINY DOG, shot entirely in Taiwan, is about an exiled yakuza (DEAD OR ALIVE`s Show Aikawa) who finds himself saddled with a son he never knew he had and a price on his head after the Chinese gang he works for decides to turn on him. LEY LINES moves from the countryside to the city and back, as three Japanese youths of Chinese descent (including THE RAID 2`s Kazuki Kitamura) seek their fortune in Tokyo, only to run afoul of a violent gang boss (Naoto Takenaka, THE HAPPINESS OF THE KATAKURIS). Three of the most dramatically moving films created by the director, the "Black Society Trilogy" offers clear proof that Miike`s frequent pigeonholing as a specialist in bloody spectacle is only one aspect of his filmmaking career, and taken as a whole, the films are among the finest works ever to deal with the way violence and brutality can unexpectedly destroy even the most innocent of lives. Years of Production: 1995-1999 Director: Takashi Miike Actors: Kippei Shiina, Tomorowo Taguchi, Kazuki Kitamura, Naoto Takenaka SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS • High Definition digital transfers of all three films • Original uncompressed stereo audio • Optional English subtitles for all three films • New interview with director Takashi Miike • New interview with actor Show Aikawa (RAINY DOG, LEY LINES) • New audio commentaries for all three films by Miike biographer Tom Mes • Original theatrical trailers for all three films • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector`s booklet featuring new writing on the films. BLU-RAY SKU: AV078 UPC: 760137968986 SRP: $49.95 DVD SKU: AVD004 UPC: 760137969099 SRP: $39.95 Street Date: 01/24/17 Label: Arrow Video Genre: Action/Adventure Run Time: 302 mins Number of Discs: 2 Audio: STEREO Language: Japanese

About MVD Entertainment Group

MVD Entertainment Group is a full service music and movie distribution firm, exclusively representing thousands of audio and visual products for DVD, Bluray, CD, vinyl, and digital rights, worldwide. MVD also exclusively distributes a growing line of merchandise including limited edition collectibles, tee shirts, and more. “Serving Artists and Audiences” is MVD’s purpose statement; it represents a commitment to the interests of the musicians, filmmakers, record labels, producers, managers, and every link in the supply chain. The customers are the Audience, from wholesalers, sub-distributors, major retail chains, online retailers, specialists, and independent mom and pop stores, all the way to the consumer. MVD Entertainment Group was founded in 1986 by Tom Seaman, an industry veteran with prior experience with The Record Hunter, Sam Goody, CBS Retail, and JEM Distribution. Tom, along with his family Elinor, Eve and Ed, initially focused on music videotapes. At the turn of the century, with the advent of DVD, MVD built a large catalog of exclusively distributed audiovisual content on DVD’s, with special strength in music concert films, horror movies, documentaries, comedy, cult classics, and much more.