High definition transfers of TAKASHI MIIKE`S DEAD OR ALIVE TRILOGY come to Blu-ray and DVD in March. Images courtesy of MVD Entertainment. © Excellent Film

Source: Arrow Video US, MVD Entertainment Group Special Thanks to Clint Weiler MVD Entertainment Group furthers the distribution of Arrow Video in the US this March with an amazing release tailor made for cult fans. Arriving on both Blu-ray and DVD, Takashi Miike`s classic DEAD OR ALIVE Trilogy starring Riki Takeuchi and Show Aikawa as their various characters deal drugs in Tokyo, put their yakuza assassin skills to good use and even meet cyborg soldiers in future Yokohama. Each film deftly shows off Miike at the height of his skills, and weaves a captivating tapestry of crime, action and character study.

Photo courtesy of MVD Entertainment. © Excellent Film

Beginning with an explosive, six-minute montage of sex, drugs and violence, and ending with a phallus-headed battle robot taking flight, Takashi Miike`s unforgettable DEAD OF ALIVE Trilogy features many of the director`s most outrageous moments set alongside some of his most dramatically moving scenes. Made between 1999 and 2002, the DEAD OR ALIVE films cemented Miike`s reputation overseas as one of the most provocative enfants terrible of Japanese cinema, yet also one of its most talented and innovative filmmakers. In DEAD OR ALIVE (??? ?? ???? ???, Deddo oa Araibu Hanzaisha, 1999), tough gangster Ryuichi (Riki Takeuchi) and his ethnically Chinese gang make a play to take over the drug trade in Tokyo`s Shinjuku district by massacring the competition. But he meets his match in detective Jojima (Show Aikawa), who will do everything to stop them. DEAD OR ALIVE 2: BIRDS (??? ?? ???? 2 ???, Deddo oa Araibu 2 Tooboo-sha, 2000) casts Aikawa and Takeuchi together again, but as new characters, a pair of rival yakuza assassins who turn out to be childhood friends; after a botched hit, they flee together to the island where they grew up, and decide to devote their deadly skills to a more humanitarian cause. And in DEAD OR ALIVE: FINAL (??? ?? ???? ??, Deddo oa Araibu Fainaru, 2002), Takeuchi and Aikawa are catapulted into a future Yokohama ruled by multilingual gangs and cyborg soldiers, where they once again butt heads in the action-packed and cyberpunk-tinged finale to the trilogy. Each of them unique in theme and tone, the DEAD OF ALIVE films showcase Miike at the peak of his strengths, creating three very distinct movies connected only by their two popular main actors, each film a separate yet superb example of crime drama, character study, and action film making. Years of Production: 1999-2002 Director: Takashi Miike Actors: Riki Takeuchi, Sho Aikawa Bonus Materials • High Definition digital transfers of all three films • Original stereo audio • Optional English subtitles for all three films • New interview with actor Riki Takeuchi • New interview with actor Sho Aikawa • New interview with producer and screenwriter Toshiki Kimura • New audio commentary for DEAD OR ALIVE by Miike biographer Tom Mes • Archive interviews with cast and crew • Archive making-of featurettes for DOA2: BIRDS and DOA: FINAL • Original theatrical trailers for all three films • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Orlando Arocena FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector`s booklet featuring new writing on the films by Kat Ellinger. BLU-RAY SKU: AV083 UPC: 760137975281 Number of Discs: 2 SRP: $49.95 DVD SKU: AVD005 UPC: 760137975397 Number of Discs: 3 SRP: $39.95 Street Date: 03/14/17 Label: Arrow Video Genre: Action/Adventure Run Time: 291 Minutes Audio: STEREO Language: Japanese

Photo courtesy of MVD Entertainment. © Excellent Film

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.