(aka "San tai yon ekkusu jugatsu" or "3-4xjugatsu")
Japan 1990
During a screening of “Violent Cop”, Kitano had sneaked in to see how the audience reacted. It came as a shock to him, that they laughed whenever he would appear on the screen. His disappointment soon turned into anger, and while he already was about to experiment with the media, Kitano took it a step further and quiet possible beyond, as “Boiling Point” is a messy affair.
Kitano began a self-destructive course which would last five years and end with his near fatal accident, after which Kitano found an inner peace that allowed him to mature both as person and as director. He later joked about this self-destructive course when saying: “It took me 10 years of playing serial killers and rapists to be perceived as a serious actor among the Japanese public.”
Masaki is slow of mind. When not playing baseball, he works at a gas station. He is ignored by almost everyone, except by his one and only friend. When he one day hits a local yakuza, because he is tired of being kicked around, it sets of a series of events, that ultimately will make Masaki into a martyr.
There really is no excuse for the mess this film is. There is almost no story, it is more a series of linked events and gags. Worse, Kitano, frustrated by the audience, became self-destructive and turned himself into the most unlovable character ever: He beats up women, he sodomizes his own bodyguard and is generally unpleasant. The idea for the film came during lunch, when Kitano aired the idea for his next film about some yakuza guy for producer Hisao Nabeshima, and Kitano may have had some idea, but it all got clouded by his frustrations. This film is his first revenge on the Japanese audience.
Instead of directing, Kitano is far more interested in editing, and “Boiling Point” is almost a catalogue of elliptic editing. There is the now typical Kitano cause and effect ellipses, there are several complex elliptic templates and even mind screening. The film almost seems as an excuse for the opportunity to experiment with editing techniques.
The original title, "3-4xjugatsu" means 3rd and 4th of October and notes upon the events of the story.
Henrik Sylow of kitanotakeshi.com
Posters
 |
Theatrical Release: September 15, 1990
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Comparison:
MIA - Region 2 - PAL vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 3 - NTSC
(MIA - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 3 - NTSC - RIGHT)
| DVD Box Covers |
|
|
| Distribution |
MIA Region 2 - PAL |
Chinese
Bootleg Region 3 - NTSC |
| Runtime | 1:36:54 | 1:36:48 |
| Video |
1.81:1
Aspect Ratio |
1.78:1 Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
|
Bitrate:
MIA NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
|
|
|
Bitrate:
Chinese Bootleg
|
|
|
| Audio | 2.0 Dolby Digital Japanese |
2.0 Dolby Digital Japanese |
| Subtitles | English, None | none |
| Features |
Release Information: Studio: MIA Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
Chapters
12 |
Release Information: Studio: Chinese Bootleg Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
DVD
Release Date: Chapters 12 |
| Comments | The Chinese bootleg is a copy from the Japanese Bandai DVD and compared to the MIA DVD, it is rather sad, that a bootleg is the best version available. The MIA DVD is just hazy and looks poor. The only positive things that can be said about it is, that its not cropped as “Violent Cop” and that it has subtitles. | |
Recommended Reading for Japanese Film Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
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 Ritchie |
A Hundred Years of Japanese Film by Donald Richie |
Check out more in "The Library"
DVD Menus
(MIA - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs.
Chinese Bootleg - Region 3 - NTSC - RIGHT)
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Screen Captures
(MIA - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 3 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
|
|
|
|
(MIA - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 3 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
|
|
|
|
(MIA - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 3 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(MIA - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 3 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Report Card:
|
Image: |
Chinese Bootleg |
|
Sound: |
Chinese Bootleg |
| Extras: | MIA |
| Menu: | MIA |
Mail cheques, money orders, cash to: or CLICK PayPal logo to donate!
|
Gary Tooze
|
|
Many Thanks...
Takeshi
Kitano's - Boiling Point - 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point
3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling
point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD
Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano's - Boiling Point - 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling
point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD
Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano's - Boiling
Point - 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD
Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling
point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD
Review Takeshi Kitano's - Boiling Point - 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi
Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling
point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD
Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano's - Boiling Point - 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling
point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD
Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano's - Boiling Point - 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling
point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD
Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano's - Boiling Point - 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling
point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD
Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano's - Boiling Point - 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling
point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD
Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano's - Boiling Point - 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling
point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD
Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano's - Boiling Point - 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling
point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD
Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano's - Boiling Point - 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling
point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD
Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano's - Boiling Point - 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x
juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling
point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD
Review Takeshi Kitano Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review Takeshi Kitano
Boiling point 3-4x juugatsu DVD Review
