by: Chris Eaton source: Nippon Cinema
Ten years later mind you.
Battle Royale was one of those mythological films when it came out. Upon it’s release in 2000, it had an insane concept that sounded like a one note exploitation film. The finished product though, was far from that. Battle Royale garnered critical claim and controversy in it’s home country of Japan. Mostly due to it’s basic premise: The government of Japan once a year rounds up a whole class of high school students, kidnaps them against their will, slaps explosive collars on them, and gives them three days with random weapons to kill each other. If there’s more than one left standing by the end of the three days, the collars explode, and everyone dies. Director Kinji Fukasaku took that base concept, and gave it a Clockwork Orange edge to it that makes Battle Roayle a modern classic.
Unfortunately, this classic never saw an official release state side. Some say it was due to its content. It did have the unfortunate timing to being released a half year after Columbine and a few other school shootings that went on. The more sensible reason wasn’t because of some unofficial banning, but that it’s rights holder, Toei, wanted more money than small investors were willing to pay for it. Since then, it’s been one of the biggest imported DVD’s to be sold in chain stores like Hot Topic and Virgin (when they were around). The best release was Korean DVD two pack that had the directors cut of the first film, the second film (which Fukasaku died during filming, and his son took over making) and a huge making of documentary on a second disc. That set, is sadly out of print, and goes for a hefty sum online. With the importing and years in between, no company bothered to pick up the rights to release the film.
Until today. Word from the AMF via Nippon Cinema is that good ol’ Anchor Bay has picked up the 3D re release of the first film for it’s tenth anniversary. They also bought the second film that’s been converted into 3D, and best of all, the rights to the non 3D versions to be released next year. Oh.. happy happy days. While I’ve loved Battle Royale for years, I’ve never gotten the full balls out special English edition that I’ve wanted to comb over. During High School, when I picked up a bootleg VHS copy, I ended up whoring it out to 80% of everyone in my class. Most of them liked it, but couldn’t handle the subtitles. Everyone for the most part loved it in the end though. If you were between the ages of 13-25 upon it’s initial release, the film was a landmark. Now, finally, a whole new generation will get to enjoy this masterpiece for themselves.