Criterion Picks Up Nikkatsu Action Flick A COLT IS MY PASSPORT

Reader Comments

1. ScottF 07/12/2008 @ 2:02pm

   That’s some great news! I had bought the Nikkatsu book awhile ago and have been eager to check out many of the films referenced in it.

2. kungfueurotrash 07/12/2008 @ 2:40pm

   I CAN’T WAIT FOR IT!!!

3. Simon Abrams 07/12/2008 @ 6:19pm

   Can you please find out the other titles?

   I’m wondering what of the Nikkatsu Action Films retro Walkow organized will be hitting Criterion Collection. Hopefully THE WARPED ONES as I’d buy that in an instant. Easily one of my favorites of that bunch. A COLT is good but don’t know if I’d buy it.

4. brbro4 07/12/2008 @ 7:49pm

   Thank you once again Criterion!

5. Marc 07/13/2008 @ 2:14am

   Just a clarification. There have actually been a few Nikkatsu Action titles on DVD in the US before, but they were always isolated releases, and not part of a concentrated effort to expose the genre.

   For instance, all of Suzuki Seijun’s pre-1967 films count as part of “Nikkatsu Action”. Also BLACK TIGHT KILLERS (from Image), STRAY CAT ROCK: SEX HUNTER and BLOODY TERRIROTIRES (from Home Vision), and a few others.

6. ChevalierAguila 07/13/2008 @ 3:45am

   It was about time someone would pick this movies for distribution.

7. Blake 07/13/2008 @ 6:20am

   I would guess Velvet Hustler would be one perhaps included since Criterion had it out via Home Vision on VHS in the US with English subtitles years ago.

   If Warped Ones is out, then would love to see it paired with Black Sun.

   Still dying to see - Fast Draw Guy, Gangster VIP, Plains Wanderer, Dirty Work and Crimson Pistol.

8. Simon Abrams 07/13/2008 @ 7:03am

   I missed PLAINS WANDERER when it was shown but GANGSTER VIP is one of the better films I saw at the Nikkatsu retro. Still, THE WARPED ONES is easily my favorite.

9. fozzy 07/14/2008 @ 8:55am

   > This will be the first time any films from the Nikkatsu Action series of releases have ever been available on any video format with English subtitles

   wrong but not surprising from someone who claims to be an expert on “joe shishido” lol

10. El Duderino 07/16/2008 @ 4:49am

    It’s about time! Great, great news!

    Now we need Gangster VIP, Season of Heat, Glass Johnny and Velevet Hustler.

11. Simon Abrams 07/16/2008 @ 5:58am

    Nobody needs GLASS JOHNNY. That movie....that movie is easily the worst Nikkatsu action film I’ve ever seen.

12. El Duderino 07/16/2008 @ 6:18am

    You’re kidding, right?

13. Simon Abrams 07/16/2008 @ 6:24am

    No. Are you?

    Here’s my review: http://blogs.nyunews.com/arts/2008/04/07/subtitle-showdown-torture-the-spectator-koreyoshi-kurahara’s-“glass-johnny”-hurts/

14. El Duderino 07/16/2008 @ 6:33am

    Nope.

    i would link my review too, but it’s in italian, so no need for that.

15. Simon Abrams 07/16/2008 @ 6:52am

    I read some Italian.

    Why not just summarize what you said then?

16. El Duderino 07/16/2008 @ 7:13am

    Really? That’s cool

    You find the review on the right with all my other Nikkatsu-reviews.
    http://www.asianfeast.org/eventi/fareastfilm2005.shtml

    Sadly, my english is not very good, but i liked the movie quite a bit.
    The acting was good and - like you wrote - it’s far out the typical “Nikkatsu-Action”. Sure it’s not a masterpiece, but actually i found it pretty interesting and the ending was beautiful.

    I would love to have it on dvd, at lesat i could rewatch it. It’s been 3 years since i saw it. I’m not remebering it that well.

17. El Duderino 07/16/2008 @ 7:13am

    Did you see the Nikkatsu-Western? Silly, silly stuff.

18. Simon Abrams 07/16/2008 @ 7:20am

    Oh, PLAINS WANDERER? Nah, I missed that one and I really regret having missed it but I wish I could’ve seen it.

    Nice site. I was surprised that I was able to understand most of what was on it. My Italian is very rusty; I lived in Florence for four months last year. I attended the Korean Film Festival they had their...very disorganized festival but a very enthusiastic audience, I thought. Very serious but enthusiastic.

19. El Duderino 07/16/2008 @ 7:32am

    Yeah, Plains Wandere and Fast Draw Guy. Funny, but very silly.

    Glad you like the site.

    I’ve never been to the Korean FF, but i heard it is fun.
    Last year they had the whole Park Chan wook retro, right?

20. Simon Abrams 07/16/2008 @ 7:37am

    Not last year as far as I know. Last year they had the Im Kwon-taek retro. I remember because I saw SOPYEONJE there and...THE SURROGATE MOTHER.

    They had BLOODY TIES and FORBIDDEN....um....FORBIDDEN....I forget the title of it. FORBIDDEN QUEST! That’s the title.

    Yeah, I’ll keep checking the site out for sure.

21. El Duderino 07/16/2008 @ 8:13am

    Oh, ok, then Park was the year before.

    Another nice Nikkatsu that we saw back in 2005 is Roughneck.
    I don’t know why i have no review for that, but it’s a gritty little flick.

22. yuenclan 07/26/2008 @ 8:16pm

    Woo Hoo! I can’t wait until these come out… Amazing, what’s next - Misumi? It would be nice if the Jp dvd companies would condescend to english sub everything, but for now, I’ll settle for the recently announced Tora-San box set. Which, strangely enough, has english subs!

    No offense, but be wary of ‘reviewers’ that dismiss films in an offhand manner - If I would have paid attention to the loveHKfilm reviews when I started collecting HK films, I would have missed out on quite a few gems. So now their disapproval is the best recommendation!

Post Your Comments

• Next Entry
• Previous Entry