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More on BATTLE ROYALE, that crazy outrageous damn cool sounding foreign flick!
Hey folks, Harry here with more on BATTLE ROYALE! God this must play AUSTIN NOW! I want to see it! I've been wandering around Battle-Royale.Com aimlessly for a bit, not being able to understand what any of the symbols mean... but just hoping that some of them say ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE, AUSTIN TEXAS... NEXT WEEK.... but alas my hopes are not through the roof that those words are on that page.... YET..... Check out this batch... plus additional weirdness!
Hello Harry,
I too attended the U.S. premiere of the Kenji Fukasaku film Battle Royale
last night at the Egyptian theater in Los Angeles. Even though I've already
read a couple of opinions from fellow ticket holders, this movie was so
good, I felt I still needed to include my two bits, and shed some light on
the point of what some people think is a pointless film.
I must first say that the main reason I wanted to see Battle Royale was
because of one of its supporting characters played by Takeshi "Beat" Kitano
(whose birthday was actually yesterday). I've been a huge fan of Kitano
ever since I saw his amazing film Sonatine a few years ago, and I have a
good collection of his movies on DVD. I've yet to be let down by a Takeshi
Kitano film, whether he's acting, directing ,writing or editing it, Kitano's
movies never cease to inspire me.
So when I heard he was co-staring in a new film by longtime director Kinji
Fukasku, I instantly knew that I had to see this movie. Then I began
hearing reports on its controversial violence, and the push by the Japanese
political authority to outright ban the movie from theaters throughout
Japan. I've never been a squeamish film-goer, so this only intensified my
desire to see the film. Having just been released in the Land of the Rising
Sun last December, my heart sank as I knew there would probably be a long
wait for Battle Royale to make its American debut, and as I read more about
the controversies surrounding the film, I began to fear I might never see it
all.
Lo and behold, I was flipping through the pages of my LA Weekly publication
last week when I happened upon on add for a screening of Kenji Fukasaku's
latest film Battle Royale, premiering one night only at the Egyptian theater
here in LA as part of a two week retrospective of Fukasku's 60 film career.
Now, there are moments in ones life when one feels as though they've been
blessed, and I certainly knew at that moment that I had been smiled upon by
the cinema gods. They gave me a chance to see this movie I was coming very
close to obsessing over, and I knew there was no possible way I would miss
seeing Battle Royale (short of a rolling blackout). It was a miracle.
So I grabbed a buddy, and we made our trek to the newly restored Egyptian
theater. Before the film started, Fukasaku himself introduced the film
through the assistance of a translator. He expressed his gratitude at the
turnout and thanked all of us for showing up to watch Battle Royale--the
first screening of the film outside of Japan. He mentioned how theaters
were selling out in his country, and attributed that fact to the
overwhelming support that the "young people" were showing towards his film.
Fuksaku went on to explain how the Japanese PTA and politician's were
pushing to ban the movie from all theaters. He continued by saying the
Japanese film board gave Battle Royale a rating of R-15 (meaning, I suppose,
that no one under the age of 15 would be allowed into theaters showing the
movie.) Fukasaku then joked that he wished the film would have gotten
something like an R-50 rating, thus preventing anyone over 50 from viewing
the film. This got quite a laugh from the audience. Everyone applauded as
Fukasaku stepped aside, the theater darkened, and the movie began.
Battle Royale has some brilliant moments, and the prelude was that--simply
brilliant. We discover in the not-too-distant-future that kids have become
much more aggressive, tend to "boycott" (I assume skip) school to an
alarming degree, and have generally just become a nuisance. But what else
is new? Because of these facts, the adult authorities enacted a law
instituting "Battle Royale", a deadly game where once a year, a single jr.
high school class is chosen at random, taken to a deserted island where they
are forced to kill each other until only one remains (sort of like
Highlander, except much, much better). If, after three days, more than one
person still survives, everyone dies as explosive neck collars are
detonated, opening the arteries of the remaining contestants.
Now, on to the brilliant opening scene. The film comes to life as an overly
dramatic, but a well done musical score blasts over the Toho Film logos. We
see a group of news reporters in a frenzy. The winner of the latest "Battle
Royale" has returned. Helicopters buzz in the sky overhead, military
personnel push and shove people out of the way as they make room for the
survivor.
One of the reporter yells into her microphone, "The winner is a girl! She's
holding something!"
We can barely glimpse the young girl through the throng of people swarming
around here.
The reporter continues, "She's holding a teddy bear!"
We then see the young teenage girl tightly clutching a stuffed teddy
bearsmiling maniacally into the
camera, the glean of braces covering her teeth.
Cut to black. Film titles "BATTLE ROYALE"
I can think of no other way to say this than... Kick ass! There were rounds
of applause, and a few "oh, my god"'s whispered throughout the theater. It
set the perfect mood for the rest of the film. At that moment, I knew, and
I believe the rest of the audience knew as well, that for the next 90
minutes, we were in for a hell of a ride.
I don't want to spoil too much of the movie, but there's one more scene I
simply have to mention that again, I believe falls within the purview of
brilliant. After the current jr. high school class, consisting of 42
students, has been abducted to the island, their former teacher Kitano,
played superbly by Takeshi Kitano (I have a feeling that part was written
specifically with him in mind), begins to explain the situation the students
are in, and what they will be facing for the next 72 hours. To further
elucidate, Kitano plays a video tape narrated by a cute and perky Japanese
girl who further elucidates on the rules and regulations of Battle Royale.
The way Kitano plays against the video is so damn funny, and he does a great
job of also making you feel very unsettled and disturbed at the same time,
while retaining a very child-like attitude during the whole proceeding, that
is until he flings a knife into the head of one of the students for
whispering during the video presentation.
The entire film is one great ride. There's a fantastic sequence in a
lighthouse that I will not spoil here as it's too damn good to give away in
such a cruel manner by the written word to those who haven't seen the movie.
Even the end continues to surprise with it's originality. And although
there are some very violent scenes, there are conversely some quite humorous
ones as well. Occasionally, the humor and violence would occur
simultaneously, thus keeping the viewer in a constant state of being on the
edge of their seat.
And speaking of the violence, I have to say... I think it's being slightly
exaggerated. Don't get me wrong, there are some terribly violent and bloody
moments in the film, but it's nothing compared to something like Salo or Men
Behind the Sun (which I couldn't even get through) or even Saving Private
Ryan. In my opinion, I never felt that the violence was exploitative
either. They keep the exploding collars to a minimum [I must say here that
I really felt they handled the exploding collars very well, and they didn't
resort to the old head exploding bit seen in a few other films that feature
explosive neck collars. Instead, when they detonate, they simply open up
the arteries in the neck, which actually made for a more disturbing scene
than a gory melon being blown to bits.] The violence is shocking, sure--one
scene in particular had every man in the audience grasping their genitals
and wincing in pain--but so is the violence in Goodfellas and Reservoir
Dogs, and countless other films. In my opinion, this isn't violence for
violence's sake. It's just a well made action movie. And unlike most
Arnold Schwarzenegger films where the big guy kills someone gruesomely, then
whips out a snazzy one-liner, the deaths in Battle Royale have true
repercussions and are much more potent emotionally as these children are
forced to kill their friends and lovers. I kept finding that I was identify
with these kids quite a bit in this movie, wondering what I would do if I
were in their situation.
All of the acting was excellent as well. Although the only actor I was
familiar with was Takeshi Kitano (it just goes without saying that he was
awesome), all of the kids put in very convincing portrayals. I was quite
impressed. I was also pleased to note that the jr. high school students
spoke like jr. high school students should speak, unlike a show like
Dawson's Creek where the writers are trying to pander to kids as
Kierkegaarian scholars. There's one scene in particular that was at once
amusing and tragic all at once. A girl, having been shot, is quickly dying.
The boy who had a crush on here has sworn to stay by her side until the end.
The girl thinks I want to say just one more thing to him before I die. She
then turns to the boy and proclaims "You're so cool..." Whereby the boy
responds while crying "I think you're cool too. You're the coolest girl in
the world." It was a touching scene, a funny scene, and a tragic scene all
rolled into one. There aren't many films being produced these days that
have any of those elements in them, let alone all three in the span of a few
seconds.
Finally, I feel I must editorialize what I believe is the theme, or central
point of the film, as many people seem to think Battle Royale is a pointless
execution in extreme violence. The film deals quite a bit with the concept
of trust--how the adults don't trust the children, thereby enacting "Battle
Royale", how the children don't trust the adults, and how the children don't
trust the other children as they're frantically trying to survive on an
island where everyone else is out to kill them. Several times in the film
one of the participants states how you can't trust anyone. You begin to
wonder if the film is just a cynical view on life, but... well, I'm not
going to spoil it for you, as I believe amidst the brutality and violence,
there is actually a good, if not somewhat obvious message being told
throughout the carnage.
So let me sum this up... Battle Royale is a great film, not for the
squeamish, but not as bad as everyone would lead you to believe as far as
the violence is concerned. It's a very fun ride, with some truly touching
and dramatic moments as well. I highly recommend this film, particularly to
all those people out there who enjoy that TV show Survivor, as I believe
there's a lot in Battle Royale that parallels that program.
Hecubus
P.S. Before the film started, a speaker got up before the audience and
stated that this two week retrospective of Kinji Fukasaku's films is touring
throughout the country and will be heading to Cleveland, Portland, Toronto,
and New York I believe. However, if you live in a big city, I would be
doing some research to find out if Battle Royale will be playing in a local
movie house. Because if you blink, you might miss out on the chance to see
a truly original and incredibly cool ride of a film.Now, lest you think every single person on planet earth loved it.... Here comes someone that liked it, but didn't think it was 'all that'. So here ya go...
Harry,
If my computer was up and running I would've emailed you last night about
Battle Royale, but I have to add to the comments already posted, which is
basically I don't think Battle Royale was all that.
The only reason why the movie works, and believe me it makes it worth
seeing, is on the strength of the concept of 42 kids on an island who have
to kill each other until only one survives. However, outside of that and a
few decent gruesome deaths, everything else is a real cliche.
There's the virtuous couple you KNOW are going to survive, the renegade who
must plot revenge, the slut who you know will get their comeuppance, the
brainiacs, etc. etc. All the while Beat Takeshi plays his role as the
teacher/puppetmaster with a campy glint in his eyes.
It's also to take the movie well when nearly everyone dies with that pat way
of saying one...last...word... and then just slumping over and closing their
eyes as if to say "poof, I'm dead". I wouldn't mind that if one character
dies that way but EVERYONE dies that way...a testament to the inexperience
of these young actors.
Given the controversy, the gore was nothing that exciting. People not
accustomed to gore will be shocked, but true gore fans should note that,
even with it's R-15 rating in Japan, this IS a mainstream studio movie
(Toho) so it's not that gruesome.
Overall it's OK and certainly worth checking out, but believe me it's not
worth all the praise of the other 2 opinions you have posted.
Repojay
Alright... Now I know you've been curious to learn what those bizarre strange figures all over the place on this page are.... Well BATTLE ROYALE may be some sick as can be stuff, but who says it ain't MERCHANDIZABLE!!!!????? I love the Japanese dearly.... My wallet and my watch are both from there, because only there could these things these cool be made!
Although this does'nt count as a scoop or anything, I thought I'd send some pics and a little backstory, since you'd been running Battle Royale posts over the last couple of weeks.
Medicom, a toy/hobby company in Japan produces a line of Lego-esque cute figures named Kubricks. They produce these Kubrick figures from various anime licenses such as Mazinger, Tetsuwan Atom (Astro Boy), and Evangelion to little SWAT guys complete with machine guns and gas masks.
Anyway, I'd seen a couple of new sets on the Medicom website ( http://www.medicomtoy.co.jp ) that I could'nt figure out what the hell they were from. With the help of the great guys at http://www.toyboxdx.com (an incredible toy/anime/diecast site ran by the best bunch of robot gimps around), they informed the world that Battle Royale Kubricks were here!
Here's a couple of pics of the little figures (the kids even have explosive collars).....now who would'nt pay for a chibi-sized version of Takehashi Kitano!
JodyCody
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is there anyway i can see if im in LA and had no clue about this screening. Also from that whole "love" scene description it does seem a bit trite but i really wanna see it.
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And I thought marvel Toy Biz Fugures Sucked!!!
Buy the Buy, I love the Slasher Horror Movies like Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, ect...
But i got to say that Battle Royale just sounds like a Crule exploition shock film worse than the slasher pix! The only way i would go see it is if i knew in the end Someone had found a way to permanatly shut down the BR tournamate. So all the deaths wouldn't be for nothing! Yeah Yeah i know. I'm getting to hipper over a film. But then again.... -
does anybody know when and where it's showing in toronto? if u know how i could get tickets (im kinda unfamiliar with this sorta thing, im new) that would be great, too!
now if only they would screen avalon here too... ;) -
Sorry, Hecubus, I disagree with you. I said it before and I'll say it again, now that the film has been shown in the West (by the way, what was the rating? R?) This was rated X (18 and over only) in Hong Kong, meaning all members of the audience had to show IDs (I'm in my late 30s, and I had to show mine too) because there were rumours that people in school uniforms had been spotted lining up to buy tickets for it.
Anyhow, like I said in a posting some time ago, this movie has no point to make, and if you claim it did, what was it? Decency triumphs over all? Don't trust anyone? Those points are stressed but this movie is nothing more than a first-person shoot-'em-up PC game, with figures on screen giving statistics every time someone died, even saying "Game Over" when it ends.
Also, it definitely isn't credible. It's not an alternate universe (well, kids do seem quite adept at shooting and killing somehow). It's Japan in the near future. So, kids become rebellious, so this B.R. thing is used to do what? Thin out the ranks? Just give guns to the teachers and have them shoot the disrespectful brats (hey, sequel idea!). Have them kill each other or they all die? Come on, it's just to showcase the violence.
And damn predictable too. Anyone could easily figure who would survive. And what happens to the character Takeshi plays, that too was predictable, and really cheesy (the audience was laughing). I guess having Takeshi lent some credibility to this movie.
This movie was based on a Japanese novel, and I wonder what changes were made to the original story, if any, and I too wonder if the pictures from Columbine influenced the author and director in any way.
I'm not saying that those who like this movie are sick or wacko or whatever... I'm shocked that post-Columbine, people are allowed to see this in the USA. Yeah, I know there is the First Amendment, but then again, obscenity laws also ban bestiality and child porn, right? In Japan, it is impossible for anyone to get guns, no matter what their movies show. In the States, well, kids can get them anytime. In Japan, this movie might play as a fantasy (like Ultraman and Godzilla), an especially shocking one, perhaps one to say something about a society in decline or something, but in the States, God only knows what ideas kids might get.
In the end, it will only appeal to nerds/geeks and those taking their girlfriends expect them to be squeamish. -
Jan 20, 2001 10:02:45 AM CST
This movie should be played in every classroom across America!!
by el duderino
Damn straight! The premise is hilarious and bound to scare parents shitless. Oh no! What if kids see this? Will they automatically become brainwashed killers, being the little machines they are who are unable to reject anything? I say hell yes! Release it wide in America! And if Liebermann interferes with this getting released, I say we get him one of those fancy neck braces! Heh heh, all kidding aside, the presmise rocks and it looks hilarious to boot. Something I will definately have to own whenever it gets released on DVD/VHS.
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does anybody any info on the japanese movie, ring??? i wanna see it, read some great stuff on it
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If so, there are some seriously deranged movie-goers out there. Maybe this movie should not have been made. What kind of fuck up do you have to be to think something like this would be kick-ass? I think it's a pretty sad state of affairs. This shit will be totally offensive for most people in the West. Anyone with children will be turned off and made puking sick from something like this. Just because some fuckhead can't think up a decent original story, he has to write something like this where the plot will be feeble at best to support the amount of blood and horror that will just end up desensitizing the youth of today even further. Instead of making movies ('cause they suck at it) the Japanese should concentrate on building something that will make all lives easier. Anime doesn't cut it for me. Even Princess Mononoke had me falling asleep half way through it. Nice looking drivel is what it is. Put your heads together and say, "geez, is this Battle Royal idea ever a fucking bad premise for a move," then walk the fuck out of the theater. Maybe you can get your money back and stop financing snuff-film child porn like violence. This is why many Japanese came West in the first place!! If you are sane, why go to a movie that depicts children that are forced to kill each other?
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Four words: Lord of the Flies.
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Jan 20, 2001 11:46:21 AM CST
Could we be a little less generous with our paintbrushes now?
by airchinapilot
How can you lump Princess Mononoke in with "Battle Royale"? Just because they're both Japanese you think there's something wrong with it? That's like lumping Iron Giant in with Robocop.
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This instantly reminded me of a direct-to-video/cable movie I saw on HBO a couple of years ago called MEAN GUNS. ( http://us.imdb.com/Title?0119642 )
The setup is that some sort of criminal syndicate invites 100 people who it had working for them, but had in some way done something the syndicate didn't like, to a newly built prison scheduled to open in a few days. They range from common street thugs to professional assassins, and a few that aren't exactly the killer type. Once they're all in it's announced that they're locked in and the only way out is to kill everyone else and be the 3 survivors. Oh, and there's $10 million waiting to be split up among the lucky 3. On top of all this is a really fun Mambo soundtrack that gives a disturbingly fun rithym to mass murder. maybe not the best movie, but pretty fun, especially when it's 2:00 AM and there isn't any other crap on TV. -
Put it to rest. It wasn't the first time a school got shot up. The media went overboard, as usual. Everyone wants to tone down violence, now, but this type of violence has been going on for years. It's just a "fad". When everyone finally puts it to bed, it'll be business, as usual, until the next incident. A particular deleted scene from The Crow is being omitted from the upcoming special edition DVD because of this hysteria. Watching violence does not cause someone to be violent. If it does, then that person is an unstable nut. They would do whatever it is they are capable of doing regardless of stimulation. If you disagree with me, then I'll gladly bend over so you can kiss my left ass cheek.
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Is that so? Where did you get your PHd in Psych from?
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I haven't seen this film but the violence seems to be a given (and hyped up by both the Japanese and the non-Japanese public through flying rumors, I guess). The main reason this film was almost banned was probably due to the "situation" in Japan. Everywhere you go, you hear news of kids (under 18) killing others supposedly for no reason. Kids committing suicide due to school bullies, kids going on a killing spree using bombs, knives, hammers, saws and such, cutting off heads and placing them in front of the nearest school gate. Sure it's been going on since the early days, but it's only noticeable now that it's a freak'n trend for the media to blow up. Some eager politicians probably thought this was good topic to go against...as well as a good rep-builder.
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You dumbshits objecting to this movie are fucking hypocrites, unless you never watch an action movie. Oh, I see -- it's okay for Neo to shoot about a thousand cops, but make adolescents do it in the context of a satire and it becomes objectionable? Fucking hypocrites.
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I got my PhD from Common Sense University. Reports about these "studies" that supposedly prove the influence of violent media on human behavior are ludicrous. Our parents and grand parents were exposed to this kind of thing throughout the years and most of them are fine. The ones that aren't, were bonkers to begin with and didn't need something like a Western or radio show to provoke them. There are always going to be the bad apples. The right ass cheek is getting cold.
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. . .I am there. One good thing about Portland, Oregon--lots of good independant/foreign movies make it up here. This sounds absolutly exquisite--lot's of cute little Japanese kids blasting the fuck out of each other in an orgy of senseless violence. My kind of movie, Maynard, ya brain-damaged git. If anything, the premise actually makes me think of old-skool '70's flicks like DEATH RACE 2000 and ROLLERBALL.
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Jan 20, 2001 4:06:05 PM CST
Not only are the Japanese "whacked" to make a movie like this, t
by iamlegolas
Man, that is some fine stuff they are smoking.
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Probably old news, but if it was, why hadn't anyone mentioned it?!?!?
Here's the link. http://www.battle-royale.com/officialsite/trailer/index.html -
i'm going to see this movie battle royale even if it sucks because it's a film thats daring & raw! thank god for foriegn filmakers who can produce strong jack daniels kick *ss movies! i'm tired of all the lame *ss PG-13 moronic films that hollywood comes up again & again. films like "the wedding planner" & "finding forrester" are enough to make you castrate yourself!
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Ring is out in Japan and Hong Kong on vcd and dvd. It's got English subtitles, so check it out. I think it's great.
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At least the ones mentioning Lord of the Flies are thinking metaphor. Why has no-one drawn a comparison between this allegory and the real-life student suicides in Japan?
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the violence we see in movies can indeed effect a kid and influence him/her to do violent acts. but typically these are kids who have serious mental issus in the first place so to say the movie was the catalyst...well you never know.
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Jan 20, 2001 11:09:04 PM CST
In Europe, This Was Released As BATTLE ROYALES WITH CHEESE.
by buzz maverik
Another factor that none of the reviewers is mentioning, because I guess it's too big of a SPOILER, is that the island the kids are on is Monster Island. So not only are they killing each other and exploding, but they have to deal with Ghidrah the Three Headed Monster, Minyah, Rodan the Flying Monster, Gorgo and The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms. I'll tell ya, I don't know how they get anything done in Japan with Godzilla running around all the time. By the way, my theory is that Godzilla is not a mutated dinosaur or a prehistoric monster, but a mutated World War II American G.I., eager to pay the Japanese back for Pearl Harbor.
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God preserve us if we ever get to the point where a portrayal children killing each other is entertainment. Granted fundamentally it's no different than all the adults that are killed in movies, but I find those numbers excessive too.
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I don't think there are too many similarities. Actually, the one similarity is that the movie portrays children in violent conflict with one another. In Lord, the violence was there because it was an inevitable outcome from being left alone without guidance. You saw these young boys change from prep school panzies, to violent savage murderers. There was an actual plot in this film. I like action and violence, but I think watching children kill each other is just fucking silly. I mean, what's the point? Shock value? That's a gimmick and they get old really quick. The thing about visual violence on the tube affecting people, is that there are more people out there that are are mentally fucked up than you give credit for. I bet the percentages are alarming. Mentioning Lord of the flies in relation to this movie is sacriledge to a classic novel that has stood the test of time. People will forget all about Battle Royale in less than 6 months. If I want violence mixed with a really good story, I will watch the security guard torture scene from Reservoir Dogs. Watching that actually made me weak in the knees.
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the adults are angry that kids are rebellious and ditching school, so they make school better by adding the chance to be forced to murder/be murdered by your classmates?! BWHAAAA?!?!?!? Why isn't anyone mentioning how little fucking sense this makes?!? Is it explained in the movie or something?!
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Jan 21, 2001 11:52:25 AM CST
I'm sure Harry has 2 or 3 well used blow up dolls in his closet
by maynard
Bwahahaha!!!!
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The "Ring" DVD in Japan (Region 2) doesn't have english subtitles. I don't want to tell you how much I liked this film because by the time they become available they've been hyped out of proportion. "Ring" was scary, 'cos I rented it late one night without knowing anything about it. "Battle Royale" was nasty because it was a mainstream movie at the local multiplex. Besides which I think, often but not always, watching a subtitled movie in a language you don't understand, on video, can remove a lot of the catharsis. Probably if you watch "Ring", just lke Blair Witch, thinking "This film is supposed to be REALLY scary c'mon SCARE ME" it's not going to work. The same goes for "Battle Royale" and in fact most "shocking" movies. Another example: "Audition" is a great Japanese film to show people who know nothing about it. The fact that I had to go to the "Psycho-suspense-horror" section of my video store to rent it somewhat dampened the impact.
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I've missed the previous two AICN blitzes about this film, but I have to say, it sounds pretty awful. I really have no desire to see kids jugulars exploded open... I don't want to deny anyone else the right to... but I will suggest that someone who does want to see such a thing should take a good long look at the possibility that he or she is a fucking idiot. None of the reviews of this movie that I've seen explain why the premise makes any sense at all or what this "satire" is satirizing. So all that's left seems to be people getting knives thrown into their heads... well, goody.
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I've heard some Talkbackers call this flick "challenging" and "gutsy", but let's backtrack a sec and just recognize that the concept is moronic. Juvenile delinquency is supposed to be curtailed by forcing kids to fight to the death on an island once a year? What the fuck? If you're proposing a future where such violent methods are acceptable to the public, wouldn't it make more sense to just execute delinquents than to execute a random junior high class? But of course, this movie wasn't made to be challenging or even remotely plausible. I think Mugwump's assessment is probably about right: "A play-by-the-numbers survivalist plot, some latent pedophilia, and kid-on-kid violence just doesn't add up. While the filmist in us all wants to embrace the edginess of this concept, it's got to be an empty feeling sitting in a lonely theatre manipulated by images of children exploding." I think there's a fairly obvious difference between a straightforward actioneer like "Die Hard" or "Predator" and "Battle Royale." The first two films *do* exult in violence, but in a cartoonish way that's a far cry from the violence of "Goodfellas" or "Clockwork Orange". "Battle Royale" may be similarly cartoonish, but it's hard to imagine a movie solely devoted to offing children as anything but sickeningly venal. And if the violence is portrayed seriously (as the first reviewer suggests), then I'm all too happy to outright condemn this film as utter filth. What's the next filmic barrier we'll dare to cross? How about an entire movie of kids getting raped? Man, won't that by "raw" and "challenging"! Have the kids engage in some heart-rending conversations between rapes and maybe we'll be able to convince ourselves the movie has relevance! Sith Lord, I'd like to believe "Battle Royale" could be tongue-in-cheek satire like "Deathrace 2000", but I'm wholly dubious. Any merits it may have are diluted by my revulsion at the concept. And merchandising cutesy dead-kid toys? Hey, there's a new low.
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. . .it seems to me that people may be making too big a deal out of nothing where this film is concerned. Especially since none of us have seen it yet. I'm guessing that it may be tongue-in-cheek, ala STARSHIP TROOPERS, because as someone else above pointed out the plot makes NO sense: "Kids are getting more violent and rebellious so lets do our dammdest to turn them all into certifiable psychopaths." WTF?? ExQUEEZE ME?! So I wouldn't worry too much about it. Have you ever seen a cult classic titled CLASS OF 1984? Perry King of "Riptide" fame(?) was in it. He's the teacher at a High School where the kids are all punk rock gangstas who all pack heat, kill and rape their teachers and each other, etc. Lotsa violence and mayhem. It came out in 1982 and according to the reviews of that era seemed shocking then; to me in '98 (when I rented it) it just looked silly. I guess my point is that the violence will only seem disturbing to me if the situation depicted seems realistic; is played straight. As in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, for example, which shocked me to the core. STARSHIP TRROPERS OTOH had far more gore but was so ridiculous that it didn't bother me at all. I have a feeling that this film will be the same, but I guess I'll find out when it comes my way. Will it be coming to your area, wherever that is?
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...but I am a fan of Verhoevan's "Starship Troopers" (independant of Heinlein's excellent book, literary elitists!). I agree with you that the context of the violence can mean the difference between a fun 'n' gory actioneer and films that seriously conetemplate the implications of violence ("Private Ryan", "Goodfellas"). And I don't even mind exploitational films to a degree (my personal standards stopping short of any film featuring cannibalism, torture, or rape for their own sake). My problem with "Battle Royale" stems mainly from the fact that it seems designed *exclusively* to get a kick out of watching kids kill each other, agonize about killing each other, and then kill each other some more. A conversation here and there and some stylish cinematography can't disguise the fact that this is essentially violence-porn of a much more insidious ilk than "Starship Troopers" or "Deathrace 2000". Even if it's tongue-in-cheek, I can't help but find the concept disgusting. And I'm a little unsure as to whether the movie will be as tongue-in-cheek as you think. The first reviewer noted, "the deaths in Battle Royale have true repercussions and are much more potent emotionally as these children are forced to kill their friends and lovers." Might be exaggerating, but I'll leave that for you to determine. Since I'm living in the same land as Harry - Austin, Texas - I fully expect him to pull some strings and get "Battle Royale" screened at some point, probably at the Drafthouse...but I'll be skipping it. Sure, the "Phantasm" marathon was a blast and a half, but everyone's got to have a limit as to how much violence they need to see. And for that reason, I have no interest in watching films like "Cannibal Holocaust" or "Rapeman" or "Urotsukidoji". Same for "Battle Royale".
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I haven't seen this movie but I think you people are missing the point -- the fact that Battle Royale has kids killing eachother *IS* edgy. What if it had been a group of adult men dumped on the island and made to fight to death?!?! Yawn -- we've seen *that* hundreds of times, it's just called "Escape from Absolom" or "Die Hard on an Isle". At least the kids in this movie range from 15-16 upwards. When does it become OK for a kid to kill another on the screen? When they are adults at 18? Had it been really young kids doing the killing -- say 8-13 years old -- than that would be really fucking sick. And how many of you complained bitterly over the psycho kid in Pet Semetary? Fuck man, that was a toddler (and yeah, it gave me chills and I didn't quite like it) but I haven't been attacked by too many scalpel weilding kindergarten kids since then. Society goes on. P.S. As a last note, yes there will be some deranged little fuckers that will try to re-enact some scene from this movie, whether they do it in Japan, America, Australia or wherever.
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I've actually seen it, in Hong Kong, and I repeat, where it was rated NC-17 (Category 3, which means no one under 18). It was in the news that patrons in school uniform had been seen lining up to buy tickets, so ticket inspectors have been checking IDs. Also, there was an incident at a school where a teacher was attacked by elementary school kids (she'd taken one student's CD player), and I guess the newspapers "made" some sort of connection with the movie. The only way kids could have seen it is by watching a pirated VCD copy of the movie. The movie is doing very well though...
Obviously, to the Japanese, with their rebellious-youth problems of the past few years, the movie is definitely controversial, and I reckon that adds to its appeal.
And I'll say it again: the premise doesn't make sense. ***Minor SPOILERS AHEAD***
There are references (flashbacks) to previous "Battle Royale" games, but still, the premise is illogical, to quote a famous Vulcan. You are never really told about why these kids are rebellious, many are shown to be good kids (especially those who chose NOT to participate in very predictable ways). Why not punish only the troublemakers, why punish all 42? Takeshi plays a former teacher, but why is he involved in the "B.R." thing? Why the armed forces? Why not have a student court? Why not lock them up? Why not just send the troublemakers to the good ol' USA? Perhaps it's about "survival of the fittest", but to have kids fight each other in order not to be killed first, instead of just weeding out the worst, is stupid. "Freedom" to the winner? Would you set free the winner of "kill-all" tournament? To me, since the premise was ludicrous, the film HAD to be some sort of satire, but with no message to be had at the end, it really wasn't. It isn't funny in any way.
And, the scandal surrounding has attracted many of you posters to want to see it. Go see it.
You will be disappointed. You will come out of the cinema saying, "That's it?!!!" and demand your money back.
I'm not against this movie. It's just that it was mostly pointless. I loved "Starship Troopers"; it made sense, in its Verhoevenesque way. It isn't "Lord of the Flies" either; that was about kids who need to behave like adults and in the end bring out the worst of humanity into the open. It's just some "reality" video game.
Also, can someone please tell me if the film was rated R or NC-17 or Unrated when it was shown in L.A.?
And for those wondering about the Kubrick (Lego-like) toys? Well, the students are all given a backpack containing one weapon (could be anything, from a machinegun to a pot lid) and a weatherproof, transparent pouch with a map, compass, pen, and that's what the toys are. -
Jan 22, 2001 6:18:28 AM CST
Well, Dellis, there's "edgy" as in "cutting edge" and "pushing t
by dave_f
You'll forgive me if "Battle Royale" sounds like the latter. You raise a pertinent question, though: "When does it become OK for a kid to kill another on the screen?" This is where the debate becomes a little gray. I have no problem with "Lord of the Flies", which finds a relevance in the violence it depicts. Then there's a movie like "Kids", which had a pack of teenagers beat the shit out of one of their own. Harder call there. The movie was meant to be a shocking wake-up call about youth sex, violence, and drug use, but I thought it tread a thin line between educating and exploiting. And I'm pretty sure there was a kid who died a painful death in "From Dusk 'Til Dawn", which I found pretty distasteful (as if the movie wasn't bad enough anyway). Still, not a one of those previous examples occurred during a film devoted EXCLUSIVELY to watching kids die. And that's what "Battle Royale" is. I'd like to think that most people would recognize that as clearly disgusting exploitation, a far cry from even a kid getting killed in a b-horror movie. Dellis, you acknowledge that, "Had it been really young kids doing the killing -- say 8-13 years old -- than that would be really fucking sick." Well, I don't know what the age range for Japanese junior high students is, but in America, it might certainly include 13-year-olds. So is it sick now? And if this film is successful and spawns a hundred clones that become as boring as "Die Hard" is to you, will you be hip to watching ten-year-olds get slaughtered for entertainment? Yes, that'd be even edgier, but you do have to find boundaries. I don't mind that some peoples' boundaries are beyond mine, but after I certain point I think it can get fairly sickening and I don't mind calling them on it. At a certain point, crossing boundaries does desensitize and dehumanize a person. Your extreme example of a kid emulating "Pet Cemetary" is ridiculous. A shockingly violent movie (or book, magazine, whatever) can dehumanize and warp a person in a hundred different ways without leading them to emulate what they saw or read. I'm not suggesting a single viewing of "Battle Royale" is gonna screw someone up for life, but watch enough of that shit, and the cumulative effect *will* be to dehumanize you. Consider: a decade or so ago, TV talk shows were a little sleazy, epitomized by Geraldo Rivera. Then came Rikki Lake, and I started seeing a definite trend towards trashy teen exploitation themes and finding entertainment in people's misfortune rather than trying to learn from it. Jerry Springer upped the ante yet again, literally reveling in the misery of his guests. Now every talkshow has sunk to about the same miserable fucking level, and we get lovely primetime TV shows where women are auctioned off to millionaires like whores and "Temptation Island" makes infidelity a voyeuristic game. Edgy enough? It's all an offshoot of those early talkshows that appealed to the lowest common denominator of public tastes. You *have* to set boundaries, or human nature just sinks lower and lower. I'm not talking about the slippery slope of censorship as a means to curtail sleaze, but I'm most certainly talking about JUST FUCKING AVOIDING IT. Boycott shit like "Temptation Island" and, yes, "Battle Royale". Being bored with typical Hollywood actioneers is no excuse at all to lower the bar this low. Because it'll just keep sinking as long as filmmakers are getting a buck, and eventually you *will* see ten-year-olds killing each other in a movie, or the American equivalent of Japan's "Rapeman" series. Somehow, I don't think the tenuous virtue of being "edgy" is worth that. Don't know if anyone remembers, but a couple months back, Harry was suggesting that "The Excorcist" was a perfectly fine movie for kids to see, possibly even morally instructional. I'm pretty sure Harry's a decent guy at heart, but to even think that terrorizing a kid with a film as beyond their scope as "The Excorcist" might be a positive thing suggests that he's been negatively impacted by violent and disturbing films. He *has* been dehumanized to a degree. If he ever has a kid and screens "The Excorcist" for him at age five, I would say he's being a terrible parent, at least partially as a result of indulging his basest instincts in film. The one good thing about Harry's mind-numbing suggestion of showing "The Excorcist" to kids was that nearly every Talkbacker in that very long Talkback criticized that horrible line of thinking. They recognized the need for boundaries. It gave me a bit of hope for the Talkbackers, though this "Battle Royale" Talkback is diluting that hope. But just for the record...one more time: boycott this piece of shit, trash movie. We're better than this.
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You guys are no fun.
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...I'm still going to see this movie. I'm not saying that it's time to stoop this low (movies with kids shooting, screwing and taking drugs or whatever), but lets not forget that here in Aus (at least, and I'm sure it's the same in the States) that kids as young as 16 can join the army. Now that's an institution bred to create killers. Maybe they could cut the wheat from the chaff with the new army inductees in a Battle Royale way...Ah fuck, it's 3am -- what the hell am I talking about? I might just reserve all further comments until I've seen it -- who knows, I may even be freaked out by it.
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Perhaps it's one big joke. As the society inside the film makes the kids play the game for no good reason, the society outside of the film goes to see this movie for no good reason (as it is with most other films)...Nah! Anyways, check the film out yourself and formulate your own opinion. And for all of those other folks who haven't seen it, check it out if you must. Don't worry, it's just a film. You need not worry about being called a sicko, or thinking yourself as one (that's for you to decide).
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That was Eddie Murphy by the way.
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. . .I can certainly understand your points--after all, one of my major moviegoing New Year's Resolutions this year has been to seek out excellence in cinema and avoid trash. But at the same time, I do not want to pre-judge this flick as a "piece of shit, trash movie" without ever even having seen it. That would put me in the same category as the creeps who dis rap music or movies like THE CELL without ever even having heard/seen them. I will try to keep an open mind, but if this flick sucks ass I will loudly say so. Fair enough?
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Jan 22, 2001 9:56:42 PM CST
'Course I'm still here, Sith Lord. I can't go off on a rant and
by dave_f
Just wanted to take a moment to note that I have no problem pre-judging a flick...as long as it's done intelligently and not dogmatically. I've seen a few Michael Bay flicks, and I now happily dodge all his efforts based on his lame-ass track record. If critics ever go gaga for one of his movies ("Pearl Harbor"?), then maybe, just maybe I'll give it chance. But otherwise, I'm content to pre-judge him as an idiotic filmmaker to be shunned like a modern-day Hester Prynne. And while I haven't seen "Battle Royale", I've read probably four or five reviews of it on this site, and I'm content to say, "This movie isn't for me. It seems pretty offensive in concept alone." I skipped "The Cell" too, because I'm basically fed-up with glamorous serial killer flicks (even "Seven's" drab hues and omnipresent rain were, in a sense, visually seductive). But these are informed decisions, based on reviews, experience with with similar types of movies, or simply my knowledge of my own tastes and limits. Put bluntly, if snuff flicks were more than just an urban legend, I wouldn't have to see one to find it abhorant. I wouldn't go so far as to put "Battle Royale" anywhere near that horrific level, but based on the reviews, it sure sounds like what I'd call "a piece of shit, trash movie." No, it's not one I'm ever likely to see, but I'll still be curious to hear your take on it after you see it. Drop me a line.
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And as for PEARL HARBOR. . .I don't know, I'll have to flip a coin on THAT one. If all the critics start nuking it I'll just rent TORA TORA TORA instead. In the meantime, later, 'gator.
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I read the original Battle Royale novel last year after hearing about the film and I must admit that it was a good read (even though it cost me $24). I can't say that I will see the film, because a 90 minute movie has to cut out a gross majority of the 666 paged book. From the trailer, TV commercial, and things I've read on the Japanese website, I already noticed so many changes, including the fact that the name "Program" has been changed to "Battle Royale" and apparently the year is set in the near future, not 1997 anymore. The novel went into great detail about 37 of the 42 characters to breathe life into them (although there were some people that I was growing bored with) and while a lot of the kids fell into cliches overall the idea behind it is very intriguing in showing trust and fear of death.
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