*Updated* Pre-Order Yoji Yamada's 'Love & Honor' R2 Japan DVD with English Subtitles for June 1st 2007.

The final part of the reasonably loose trilogy from Yoji Yamada, each of which has had critical acclaim, followed by later DVD releases just about everywhere with English Subtitles; some of the few films in recent years to manage this. As expected then, one of the few given releases likely to have come from Japan with subs given the past record with the previous two films, 'Bushi No Ichibun' ('Love & Honor') comes along this Summer in Standard and Special Editions; full details to follow down the line.

This time around the film didn't get a decent trailer beyond a rather nondescript teaser, so the flow of information on the film wasn't particularly visual. I'm sure there's a huge appreciation for Yamada's incredibly solid productions though, gentile and potentially quite dry, subtle and unusual samurai films as they are - and certainly a change that harks back to Japanese Cinema of previous generations and bygone times. They're perhaps more popular with fans of older film styles than with the more frenetic action-oriented styles Japan turns out more frequently, but variety is (as they say) the spice of life. I will be waiting eagerly for this, perhaps for the inevitably cheaper editions though.

'The Hidden Blade' Review by Todd, here at Twitch.
'Bushi No Ichibun' ('Love & Honor') Review at Variety.
'Bushi No Ichibun' ('Love & Honor') Official Website (with streaming trailer, link within the site).

**UPDATE** YesAsia have added a third option, the cheapest option for this release of the R2 J.

Pre-Order 'Love & Honor' Standard Edition R2 Japan DVD with English Subtitles at YesAsia.
Pre-Order 'Love & Honor' Special Edition R2 Japan DVD with English Subtitles at YesAsia.
Pre-Order 'Love & Honor' Deluxe Edition R2 Japan DVD with English Subtitles at YesAsia.