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Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 11:48:34 AM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
  
Note: This thread used to be part of one that covered both Third Window Films and Cine Asia. I've cut the gallery and all of my comments from that thread, and pasted them here. I was obviously unable to move other people's comments, so I've quoted the relevant ones and posted them below. Apologies if that makes it look like I'm having a conversation with myself!!

The other thread (http://www.empireonline.com/forum/tm.asp?m=2390614) is now for Cine Asia only, so if you're tidy-minded and your comments have been quoted below, feel free to go to that thread and delete any that are related to Third Window.

Another UK company distributing East Asian (mainly S. Korean) films on R2 is Third Window. They've been pretty slow to get off the mark, but look to have a number of titles due soon. Not so heavy on the extras, but some interesting titles nonetheless.

Current releases:

















1 - Guns and Talks  - May 2007
2 - No Blood, No Tears - May 2007
3 - Say Yes - May 2007
4 - Green Fish - Jun 2007
5 - Wild Card - Jun 2007
6 - PTU - Jul 2007
7 - Teenage Hooker Became a Killing Machine - Dec 2007
8 - Friend - Apr 2008
9 - Memories of Matsuko - Jan 2009
10 - Kamikaze Girls - Jan 2009
11 - The President's Last Bang - Feb 2009
12 - Turtles are Surpringly Fast Swimmers - Feb 2009
13 - Funuke: Show Some Love, You Losers! - May 2009
14 - Fine, Totally Fine - May 2009
15 - Dasepo Naughty Girls - Jun 2009
16 - Kick the Moon - Jun 2009
17 - Oasis - Aug 2009
18 - No. 3 - Aug 2009
19 - Love Exposure - Jan 2010
20 - Lalapipo - A Lot of People - Feb 2010
21 - Peppermint Candy - Apr 2010
22 - Instant Swamp - May 2010
23 - Kakera: A Piece of Our Life - Jun 2010
24 - Fish Story - Jul 2010


Coming soon:

24 - Confessions


 
Alt versions:



DVD - Kamikaze Girls - 2 disc SE - Feb 2010
BLU - Kamikaze Girls - Feb 2010


< Message edited by Gram123 -- 10/8/2010 12:14:44 PM >

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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 11:52:27 AM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: TRM

You have none? I expected soooo much better from you Gram

Thats pretty awesome! I might as well hold off of buying the Lee Chang Dong boxset then. I have spent a few weeks going through Koreanfilm.org, just trying to make a list of the films I really want to see and that should make these releases a great way to go through them 

I like the quote on Green fish - "Best film". Best film of what exactly? Ever? At a festival?


 Well, I do have 6 of the films, just not from Third Window. I very nearly bought No Blood, No Tears last week cos it's only £5.99 in HMV, but I'm currently under the impression that it's only alright, not marvellous (anyone who's seen it, feel free to tell me otherwise!) so it's pretty low down on my wants.
And cash is v. v. tight this month, so maybe another time.

quote:

ORIGINAL: TRM
I like the quote on Green fish - "Best film". Best film of what exactly? Ever? At a festival?

In red underneath it says "1997 Blue Dragon Awards", so it's an award rather than a quote.

quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49
Unsurprisingly I have far more [films from Third Window] than [films from Cine Asia]. Curiously several of those have turned up as staff choices in Fopp - Turtles are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers - which was a disappointment - President's Last Bang, Fine Totally Fine and Funuke in the last month or so.

Not that it isn't great to get the first 3 Lee's on R2, but what's with the odd release order? Still glad I got No 3 cheap on R3 - doubt I'd have paid more. Unsurprising to see Song and Choi get top billing now, above the actual lead! 

Have you seen President's Last Bang, elab? Any good?

quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49
I'll definitely be looking out Kick the Moon on Monday to see what happened after Attack the Gas Station.

Precisely my thinking, though maybe not as soon as Monday.

quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49
Not that it isn't great to get the first 3 Lee's on R2, but what's with the odd release order?

Weird. I was always under the impression that that was the right order, but having just looked, you're right! PC did come out before Oasis. Well, you learn something new etc etc.

quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49
Still glad I got No 3 cheap on R3 - doubt I'd have paid more.
 
Ooh, why? I thought this was supposed to be good. Maybe the presence of Song Kang-ho and Choi Min-sik has pushed it further up my want list than it deserves...

< Message edited by Gram123 -- 29/7/2009 11:55:47 AM >

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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 11:56:15 AM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49

I didn't get all the staff choices although I do have Presidents - I just haven't watched all of it yet. I thought it would be an interesting double bill with The Presidents Barber.

No 3 wasn't bad - but I wasn't as much of a fan of it as I think Jasiri was. It seems to go from gangsters to wives to idiotic poetry and infidelity subplots and can't quite encompass them all. Tellingly the 2 best known stars aren't involved in that side of things - Choi is in a class of his own as one outsider and Song is just a mad bugger running some kind of cult in what seems like a completely different film! It is certainly worth a look for those two (I reviewed it last month on the top 100 thread somewhere - I still need to sort out my referencing in there) and I got it doing my Song completist thing. I've now seen everything but Bad Movie and, of course, Thirst (which I saw had a July release in the US?).


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 11:56:48 AM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
 I've only seen one scene from No. 3 - the one that was parodied in Fun Movie, in that film's DVD extras, which sadly had no subtitles. The parody's pretty good though, and the clip of the real film confirmed for me that I wanted to pick it up.

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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 11:57:15 AM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49

If it was of Song's character I really don't believe they could parody it any more than he did!


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 11:58:06 AM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: belluccisbra
I've got a copy of teenage Hooker became a killing machine that i'll post of to anyone who wants it


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 11:58:35 AM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: foz

I've had Kick the Moon for ages - the beginning and end are brilliant, but the middle bit is a bit wishy-washy.  It's a good yarn, but anyone (ie, me) expecting Attack the Gas Station 2 will be a bit disappointed.

I'm looking forward to No.3 though, in much the same "It was in Fun Movie" vein as described by Gram123 above.  As it's also a comedy, I hope that watching it after seeing it parodied doesn't detract from it at all, as I watched Friend after FM and laughed my head off all the way through (not as much as I did at the end of Green Fish though as I wasn't expecting it) and I don't think I was supposed to 



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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 11:59:05 AM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49

No 3 isn't a comedy - did I pick that up wrong? That's why I think Song's section is off to the side and seems like a different film.


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 11:59:23 AM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: foz

I have no idea where I plucked that from, to be honest.  I'm having a bit of a giddy day all round


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 11:59:52 AM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: barkers101

So glad they are releasing Chang Dong's films on R2 - too bad i have ordered the box set of amazon 


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:00:19 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: Jasiri

quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49

No 3 wasn't bad - but I wasn't as much of a fan of it as I think Jasiri was. It seems to go from gangsters to wives to idiotic poetry and infidelity subplots and can't quite encompass them all. Tellingly the 2 best known stars aren't involved in that side of things - Choi is in a class of his own as one outsider and Song is just a mad bugger running some kind of cult in what seems like a completely different film! It is certainly worth a look for those two (I reviewed it last month on the top 100 thread somewhere - I still need to sort out my referencing in there) and I got it doing my Song completist thing. I've now seen everything but Bad Movie and, of course, Thirst (which I saw had a July release in the US?).



No.3 isn't perfect,it is all over the place but it's just got that uniquely S.Korean sense of fun about it.Very different film but in a way it reminds me of Save The Green Planet! with the way it jumps in tone,but it's neither as nasty,as funny or as odd as StGP! and it doesn't hold together as a whole as well either.I could see the lack of focus being a problem for some people but worth seeing,It's got Song and Choi afterall...oh! and Ashtray.



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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:00:49 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: richCie

i did a double bill of presidents last bang + barber, theyre difficult to compare to be honest, very different tone, both have some very good parts but also fall short of potential, well worth a watch though, overall i prefer Barber though there is one amazing HA tracking shot in last bang that really needs to be seen


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:01:11 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: Ultimo Lee

I have Guns and Talks (Unwatched), No Blood, No Tears, (Ok) Say Yes,(Fun but not must see, very OTT) Green Fish,(Good) Wild Card (i really liked it) and PTU (did nothing for me) all from Third Window. As said above you get very few extras.

I've also seen Kamikaze Girls and Dasepo Naughty Girls, both are very zany but not much fun. Dasepo gets more annoying with every minute that passes. Also seen Chocolate which is suprising good, it's no Ong-Bak but very good.

I'll be looking to pick up Friend, Kick the Moon, No. 3 & Oasis




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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:01:43 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: richCie

i think its worth pointing out as well that The President's Last Bang as released by Third Window is (as far as i know) the only uncut version anywhere with the documentary footage restored. it doesnt made a huge difference but certainly helps to put it all in a bit of context so i would recommend seeing the full version.


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:03:25 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: TRM

Any chance you know of any other small companies like these releasing R2 Asian films? I wasnt aware of third window films at all until you mentioned them, but now I spot them quite easily in HMV. Your right about the lack of extras though with Third window films! Green fish doesnt seem to have any.


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:04:11 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
 My initial thought was to create a thread for each small UK company releasing world cinema films. But then I figured most probably won't have much of a catalogue of releases, and new releases would be irregular and the threads may slip down the page and into obscurity.
So I just picked two that sprang to mind that release East Asian films and stuck em in this thread.

As for other UK companies...

Well, there are the bigger labels who have released some East Asian films, though not exclusively. They include Artificial Eye, bfi, Fortissimo Films, Masters of Cinema, Momentum Pictures, Optimum Releasing. And smaller labels who have mixed world cinema catalogues that include some East Asian films, like Peccadillo Pictures, Second Run, Second Sight and Soda Pictures.

Historically, we had Eastern Heroes who sold some slightly shoddy versions of kung fu films. I think they were mainly dubbed. They sold most of their back catalogue to Soulblade and Medusa Communications.

Soulblade also own the brand Dragon Video.

Medusa did run the Hong Kong Legends and Premier Asia brands, but were bought out by Contender Entertainment Group, who royally fucked those brands up. Most HKL and Premier Asia stuff is now OOP.
Contender Entertainment was later acquired by Canadian company Entertainment One, and the UK arm was subsequently re-branded as E1  Entertainment.

Medusa went on to become Showbox Home Entertainment, who run the Cine Asia, Rarescope and Vengeance Video brands.

Then of course you've got Tartan Films and their brands Tartan Video, Tartan Asia Extreme and Tartan Terror. They were bought out by Palisades, who thus far have managed to release all of one film, I think. Dunno what the hell's going on there.

Then there were things like the UK arm of US company Artsmagic and their Eastern Cult Cinema brand; Prism Leisure and their 55th Chamber brand; Image and their Eastern Masters brand; Mia Video Entertainment. Pinnacle Vision etc etc
I don't know how many of these are still producing DVDs, though.

I heard of a new label recently called Terra.

Oh, and of course, anime labels like FUNimation, Manga Entertainment, Mvm, Revelation Films, etc

< Message edited by Gram123 -- 29/7/2009 12:08:02 PM >

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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:04:52 PM   
Gram123

 

Posts: 5665
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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: Jasiri

Yume Pictures,among other things they've released stuff from Seijun Suzuki,Nagisa Oshima,Yasuzo Masumura.Oh and a couple of Akira Kurosawa's lesser known films.


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:05:56 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
 Third Window have announced another title:



Love Exposure, a 4-hour long Japanese film from Sion Sono, director of Exte: Hair Extensions.
First I've heard of this film, or the director, though I do recognise the Hair Extensions title. Anyway, Love Exposure sounds sufficiently mental and is so far getting pretty rated on IMDb - see: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1128075/

Prior to the Jan 2010 DVD release, it will be shown at London's ICA Cinema from Oct 30th.

< Message edited by Gram123 -- 12/11/2009 4:43:43 PM >

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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:08:48 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49

I've not long ordered Suicide Club so it is good to know some of the films might be more accessible if I like that.


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:09:32 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
 I've been looking through the list of companies up there , to see which are still operational etc.

Defunct:
Eastern Heroes
Soulblade / Dragon Video - last release was Sept 2007
Medusa Communications - became Showbox in 2008
Hong Kong Legends / Premier Asia
Showbox Home Entertainment's Rarescope and Vengeance Video brands - last releases were 2008 and 2007 respectively.
Tartan Films / Tartan Video / Tartan Asia Extreme / Tartan Terror
Artsmagic / Eastern Cult Cinema - Last release was 2006.
Prism Leisure / 55th Chamber  - Last release was 2008.
Mia Video Entertainment / Tokyo Bullet
Pinnacle Vision
 
 
Otherwise failing:
Contender Entertainment Group / E1 Entertainment - stopped releasing East Asian films - last was City of Violence in 2008.
Tartan Palisades - still haven't got off the ground. Released one DVD in the UK (P2) and one cinema release in the US (Silent Light) to date.
Image / Eastern Masters - appear to still be operational in the US, but no UK releases for some time.


Still operational:
Showbox Home Entertainment's - Cine Asia brand
Third Window
Yume Pictures


Beyond these, the survivors are either: 1) Large, diverse companies, who can afford to make less profit on certain titles; 2) Small but diverse companies who are not limited to, or entirely dependent on, East Asian films; or 3) Anime labels.
 
Artificial Eye
bfi
Fortissimo Films
Masters of Cinema
Momentum Pictures
Optimum Releasing

Peccadillo Pictures - though the catalogue is mainly "gay interest" rather than world cinema
Second Run
Second Sight
Soda Pictures
 
ADV Films
Anime Projects
FUNimation
Manga Entertainment
Mvm
Revelation Films / Kiseki Films

< Message edited by Gram123 -- 29/7/2009 12:10:20 PM >

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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:10:45 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: TRM

Thats a real shame to see. When you posted the list of companies I was pretty surprised at the thought of how much variety we had that I previously wasnt aware of, but now I can see why I wasnt aware of quite a lot of it. 


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:14:18 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49

At one point it seemed every second disc my rental were sending me was Second Run/Second Sight/Artificial Eye or Soda so I'm glad to see they are still going strong. Second Run are really opening up eastern European cinema.

I don't really recognise many of the defunct ones


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:15:18 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: barkers101

Tokyo Bullet i had forgotten all about them! Aren't the Takeshi Kitano films through them?


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:15:49 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: barkers101
Tokyo Bullet i had forgotten all about them! Aren't the Takeshi Kitano films through them?


The old ones were:


The new ones are on Second Sight:
 

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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 12:16:14 PM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
quote:

ORIGINAL: foz

In all honesty, I actually prefer the subs on Tokyo Bullet's Boiling Point to the new ones, just because they're a bit more colloquial (hard to explain, so bear with me on this.  this is the exception though, as at least 2nd Sight's Violent Cop actually has some subtitles compared to TB's 


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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 10:21:29 PM   
TRM


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From: Bristol
 Seems like someone has had a fun day! 

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RE: Third Window Films - 29/7/2009 10:24:37 PM   
elab49


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Bloody hell.

We really need to work out how to split thread!

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RE: Third Window Films - 30/7/2009 9:23:11 AM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
 Yeah, part way through doing it I wondered if I should have just left well alone.....

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RE: Third Window Films - 7/8/2009 11:09:19 PM   
mafyou


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I bought Green Fish recently which is my first Third Window DVD and Lee Chang Dong film. I hope it's a decent transfer and a good film. If so, I'll probably go for Oasis next.

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RE: Third Window Films - 8/8/2009 10:57:28 AM   
Gram123

 

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From: Reino Unido
 Update:

Love Exposure - as mentioned, the theatrical release is 30th October. The DVD now has a definite release date, too - 11th Jan 2010

Lalapipo - A Lot of People - will get a theatrical release on 13th November. The DVD is due on 8th Feb 2010.

There will also be a 2-disc edition of Kamikaze Girls released on 8th Feb 2010.


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