(aka "Ano natsu, ichiban shizukana umi" or "A Scene at the Sea")
Japan 1991
After having made two films for Shochiku Fuji, Kitano left and made his own production company. Having a limited budget, Kitano created a minimalist tale, sparse in locations and dialogue, about a deaf mute boy who wants to surf. As the limited budget also meant little post production, Kitano turned this into an advantage, using the long takes to study compositions in space (long shots vs. close ups) and time, thus reducing the editing process.
A notable element is that Kitano isn’t present in the film. The problem was that the general audience wouldn’t accept him as serious actor - he is Beat Takeshi, the comedian – and began to laugh whenever he appeared on screen. While he joked about maybe playing a yakuza beach bum, he remained off screen. The public point of view still affects him to this date. He is, and will always be, his greatest critic.
It was also the first film where Kitano worked
with minimalist composer extraordinaire Jô Hisaishi, who went on to win an
Japanese Academy Award for best score; The film got nominated for best film,
screenplay, editing and direction, but Kitano was ignored. But where the
Academy chose to ignore him, others didn’t: At the 13th Yokohama Film
Festival, Kitano won best directorial award.
out
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Theatrical Release: October 19th, 1991 - Japan
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Comparison:
Enter One (Korea) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Image Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Panorama - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Chinese Bootleg Region 2 - NTSC
Big thanks to the Fred Patton and Will Kelly for the Screen Captures!
(Enter One - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Image Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Panorama - Region 0 - NTSC - 3rdE vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 2- NTSC - RIGHT)
| DVD Box Covers |
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| Distribution |
Enter One Korean R0 NTSC |
Image Entertainment Region 1 - NTSC |
Panorama Entertainment Region 0 - NTSC |
Chinese
Bootleg Region 2 - NTSC |
| Runtime | 1:40:22 | 1:40:30 | 1:40:18 | 1:40:33 |
| Video |
1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate: Enter One |
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Bitrate: Image
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Panorama
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Chinese Bootleg
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| Audio | 2.0 Dolby Digital Japanese | Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0) |
Japanese (Dolby Digital 5.1) Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0) |
Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0) |
| Subtitles | English, Korean, None | English, and none | English, Chinese and none | English, Chinese and None |
| Features |
Release Information: Studio: Enter One Aspect Ratio: Edition Details: DVD
Release Date: October 29th, 2004 Chapters 15
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Release Information: Studio: Image Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Edition Details:
DVD
Release Date: December 12, 2000
Chapters 15 |
Release Information: Studio: Panorama (HK) Aspect Ratio:
Chapters 12 |
Release Information: Bootlegged from: Chinese Bootleg Visuals Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 10
This release of Scene is part of a 10-disc Kitano Box for sale in China, so Chinese and English subtitles have been added. You would need to find it from a Chinese etailer. My copy was brought back from China rather than purchased online, so I'll have to look for an etailer and post the link. |
| Comments: |
ADDITION: (Nov - 04 m) Enter
One (Korean) release :
While the Korean has more colour and contrast than the Chinese
bootleg, it makes compression elements more visible. So despite a
“sharper” image, the Chinese bootleg still is the best image. Please
note that both editions are DVD5, and that Enter One has stolen the
menus of the Image DVD, which makes one wonder about how its
legit-ability. Comparing all images with each other it appears that all images are overscanned, as each of them has more frame material either left or right and lesser in the opposite side. NOTE: The Bandai labeled DVD is a Chinese Bootleg. The anamorphic Chinese Bootleg image quality is easily the best of the three - with both the Image and Panorama showing signs of saturation. Actually they look to be from the same print (similar bitrate peaks and valleys) - with slightly off-kilter framing. The Panorama has a choice of original sound or bumped to 5.1 . None of the edition have any Extra Features aside from a Filmography on the Panorama. I personally prefer the subtitles on the Chinese Bootleg and this is the edition we are recommending. Bandai has only made one boxset of Kitano's film. It was a 9 DVD set called "Kitano Takeshi Kantoku Zenshu" (Complete works of Kitano Takeshi), released January 25 2001, as "Brother" was released theatricly in Japan. The set consists of Kitano's 8 film (Violent Cop to Kikujiro), a special 9th DVD called "Brother Special" with interviews and trailers, and a booklet about all films. All the 9 DVDs are in 16:9 OAR (1,85:1) and has both Japanese and English subtitles.
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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"
DVD Menus
(Enter One - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Image Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)
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. (Panorama - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 2- NTSC - RIGHT)
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Subtitle Sample
(Enter One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Image Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Panorama - Region 0 - NTSC - 3rd vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 2- NTSC - BOTTOM)
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Screen Captures
(Enter One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Image Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Panorama - Region 0 - NTSC - 3rd vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 2- NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(Enter One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Image Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Panorama - Region 0 - NTSC - 3rd vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 2- NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(Enter One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Image Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Panorama - Region 0 - NTSC - 3rd vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 2- NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(Enter One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Image Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Panorama - Region 0 - NTSC - 3rd vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 2- NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(Enter One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Image Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Panorama - Region 0 - NTSC - 3rd vs. Chinese Bootleg - Region 2- NTSC - BOTTOM)
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Report Card:
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Image: |
Chinese Bootleg |
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Sound: |
Panorama |
| Extras: | Panorama |
| Menu: | - |
| Subtitles | Chinese Bootleg |
| DVD Box Covers |
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Thinking of buying from YesAsia? CLICK HERE and use THIS UPDATED BEAVER PAGE to source their very best... |
| Distribution |
Enter One Korean R0 NTSC |
Image Entertainment Region 1 - NTSC |
Panorama Entertainment Region 0 - NTSC |
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Gary Tooze
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Many Thanks...