Father Geek here with another timely report dug from the depths of my bursting at the seams E-mail accounts. This time I have found pigmon's latest weekly column on Japanese Cinema buried in that maze of 10s of thousands of virus laden mails that have flooded Geek Headquarters in the last week. We haven't caught the bug on any of the AICN computers, buuuuuut many of our readers have, and as a result there has been a tsunami of infected messages unknowingly forwarded our way by the spam happy worm's unwilling hosts...

NEWS

*Tom Cruise will visit Japan on the 28th, and the press conference for "The Last Samurai" will be held prior to the world premiere on the same day -- Ken Watanabe ,Hiroyuki Sanada , Koyuki and others will also attend. This is the first time he visits Japan since last October for the press conference and shooting in Japanese locations. Although Tom Cruise has visited Japan several times for PR of his other movies until now, this is the first time that 2 visits to Japan are carried out for the same movie. Moreover, although the invitation letter to a press conference held at home in Japan is usually manufactured at home, this time it was manufactured in the U.S. Tom Cruise plans to show never-before-seen–footage from the film at this press conference.

* "Project 28" is go. Based on famous cartoon in 60's " Testujin 28 Gou",gets green lights for production.There will be no man in the suits robot,there will be only CG robots.Japanese top rated CG artists assembled for "Project 28".The boy who will control giant robot is played by 13 years old Soriyo Ikematsu ("Last Samurai").Shooting will continue to October for next year release.

* Director Isao Yukisada("GO") will start shooting his new film, "Sekaino Chushin De Ai O Sakebu" next month. Kou Shibasaki ("GO")will be playing main character of this love story film. Toho plans to release this film next summer.

* "Zatoichi" press conference was held before the Japan premiere on August 19th. Director/Actor Takeshi Kitano, producer Masayuki Mori and actor Tadanobu Asano attended this press conference. Takeshi suggests that he uses rhythm very carefuly from the beginning to the last in this film. Only common thing from the old Zatoichi franchise is that he is blind. Best scene from this press conference was that when one reporter asked about how he feels about being selected at upcoming Venezia Film Festival, Takeshi said that if the projector stopped at the middle of screening like last year, he would kill all the people with his sword. Of course he was just kidding... I assume.

REVIEWS

* "Zatoichi"(Shochiku) directed by Takeshi Kitano

"Zatoichi" is very different from Takeshi's past films. They are 1)first period film, 2)lots of camera movement, 3)simple story, 4)hip hop style music and 5)very colourful. Takeshi always wanted to shoot a period film and chooses the right material for the project. He concludes that this new Zatoich is different from old Zatoich which was played by Shintaro Katsu. That's why he dyes this character's hair blond. Cool hair style and cool kimono (supervised by Yoji Yamamoto and designed by Kazuko Kurosawa, a daughter of late Akira Kurosawa) makes new kind of Japanese period hero.

Story line is so simple. Zatoich comes to the village which is ruled by gang s.Zatoichi fights and kills all for innocent village people. That's it. Even kids can understand this film (rated 12,no one age under 12 can see this film, due to strong violence).

Shooting style is so fast. There are lots of tracking(dolly)shots,and even editing is so speedy. Sword fights is also so fast. You don't have time to blink your eyes for some scene. Climax battle between Zatoichi and samurai (Tadanobu Asano) was one of the fastest battles in samurai movie history.

You will see plenty of blood on this movie ,like other Takeshi Kitano violence movies. When you look at his past works very carefully, Takeshi likes to use lots of blue colour. His last movie,"Dolls" , uses lots of red colour. This time, Navy blue which is what Zatoichi's kimono colour is based on, and each 'kimono represents their personality which makes the movie very colourful.

Finally music style on "Zatoichi" is very pop, hip hop infulenced music has been used. Even when farmers plant rice, that noise synchonized well sound and visual.

Humor is also very good on this movie. You will laugh a lot at many scenes. Those who watch the trailer, there is a tap dancing sequence. That scene is a festival at the end of the movie which works very well. You will see most of characters on the movie at this scene... except Zatoichi.This is first time Takeshi shoots a movie which is for all the movie goers... This is a big winner!

BOXOFFICE

Annnnd this week's winners are...

• 1(1) Bayside Shakedown 2
• 2(2) Pirates of Caribbean
• 3(New )HERO
• 4(3) Terminator 3:Rise of The Machines
• 5(New )Kamen Rider 555:Paradise Lost

That's all for this week.

See ya at the movies!

Coolpigmon@aol.com