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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka "Mizu no onna" or "Woman of Water")
directed by
Sugimori Hidenori
Japan 2002
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In this lyrical meditation on
the elements, Japanese singer Ua plays Ryo, a woman who becomes
entangled with an arsonist after her father dies and she takes
control of the family's bath house in a small provincial town in
Western Japan. Ryo, whose name means "cool, clear
water," is also known as "Rain Woman" because heavy
downpours tend to accompany important events in her life.
Simple, elegant visual effects and entrancing cinematography give
a mythical atmosphere to this beautiful directorial debut which
utilizes the kind of impossibly gorgeous imagery found in the
films of Tran Anh Hung. In what may safely be described as a
case of style over substance, we here have a beautiful nature meditation
and a still sketch of a young Japanese woman. Nothing more,
nothing less. The film won the Best Script prize at Sundance in
2001, and was given a Golden Alexander in Thessaloniki 2002.
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Poster
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Theatrical Release: September 12th, 2002 - Toronto Film Festival, Toronto Canada
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews Official Site
DVD Review: Artist Film / TFC (Japan) - Region 2 - NTSC
Big thanks to Trond Trondsen of Masters of Cinema.org for all the Screen Caps!
| DVD Box Cover |
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CLICK to order from:
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| DVD Covers (Front and Back) |
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| Distribution | Artist Film / TFC - Region 2 - NTSC | |
| Runtime | 2:04:00 is the Director's Cut - the Theatrical Cut is 1:55:00 | |
| Video |
1.78:1.00
Letterboxed WideScreen / 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: unavailable NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
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| Bitrate: |
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| Audio | Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) | |
| Subtitles | English, Japanese, None | |
| Features |
Release Information:
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Edition Details:
- Theatrical version and_ Director's
Cut
- Into the Light: Documentary
featuring UA &interview w/director
- Made-for-DVD making-of docu
w/footage from Venice Film Festival
- UA Music Video
- Trailer
- TV Spot
No subs on Extras! |
| Comments: |
This is a reference
quality DVD transfer - use it to show off the
capabilities of your home theatre system. The film
abounds with static scenes where the bit rate is allowed to drop
significantly, without any discernable loss in image definition
whatsoever; blacks are solid and dark areas are clean
of blocking artifacts. Water is a particularly tricky
substance to transfer properly onto DVD - but its internal dynamic
nature is here preserved perfectly by sending the bitrate through
the roof, as required. Yoko Kanno's ingenious, fluid
soundtrack likewise is presented with great attention
to detail.
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Recommended Reading for Japanese Film Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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The Japan Journals : 1947-2004, by Donald Richie |
The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film by Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp |
Kon Ichikawa (Cinematheque Ontario Monographs) by James Quandt, Cinematheque Ontario |
Shohei Imamura (Cinematheque
Ontario Monographs, No. 1) by James Quandt |
Eros Plus Massacre: An
Introduction to the Japanese New Wave Cinema
(Midland Book, Mb 469) by David Desser |
The Films of Akira Kurosawa by Donald Ritchie |
by Yasujiro Ozu, Kogo Noda, Donald Richie, Eric Klestadt |
Ozu by Donald Richie |
A Hundred Years of Japanese Film by Donald Richie |
Check out more in "The Library"
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Subtitle sample
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Screen Captures
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| DVD Box Cover |
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CLICK to order from:
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| DVD Covers (Front and Back) |
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| Distribution | Artist Film / TFC - Region 2 - NTSC | |
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Gary Tooze
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