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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "All About Lily Chou Chou" or "Riri Shushu no subete" or "Lily Chou-Chou no subete")

directed by Shunji Iwai
Japan 2001

 

Wildly popular filmmaker Shunji Iwai breaks a three-year hiatus following his less than successful April Story with this elliptical drama about teenaged alienation, violence, and celebrity. The film centers on Yuichi Hasumi (Hayato Ichihara), an eighth grader who lives in a sleepy town in rural Japan with his mother, her boyfriend, and the boyfriend's son. At school he is beaten up and harassed by his former friend Hoshino. In order to scrape up the cash to meet Hoshino's daily extortion demand, Yuichi resorts to petty theft and shoplifting. At home he finds sanctuary with his favorite singer Lily Chou-Chou, for whom he has devoted a website called "Liliphilia." One day, he encounters on the net a fellow Lily-phile who goes by the handle "blue cat." As Hoshino's power grows, he demands that Yuichi tail fellow classmate Shiori Tsuda (Yu Aoi), who he is pimping out to older men. Yuichi's suffocating situation at school leads him to consider suicide, something he confesses to "blue cat" -- his only confidant. Things come to a head tragically at a long awaited Lily Chou-Chou concert. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival.

***

"What a trip!  Style is typical Iwai, but the story is nothing like his previous works.  Some scenes are quite hard to watch, something I didn't expect.  Very dark and sad film start to finish.  Extremely powerful and highly stylized images and the music is just amazing.  What impressed me the most is how the film appears to be cut with almost mathematical efficiency, which is quite impressive for a film that runs almost two and a half hour.  There's no filler anywhere, every shot has meaning is important to the story.  Scenes begin and end abruptly, not wasting time on form. " 

Jeff

Poster

 

Theatrical Release: 6 October 2001

Reviews                                                                          More Reviews                                                              DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

Home Vision - Region 1- NTSC vs. Panorama (HK) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Norman's Nose (JP) - Region 2 - NTSC vs. Optimum (UK) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Film Movement - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Geert Jan Alsem and Jeroen for all the DVD Screen Caps!

 Box Covers

Reissued in May 2024:
Distribution

Home Vision

Region 1 - NTSC

Panorama

Region 0 - NTSC

 Norman's Nose
Region 2 - NTSC		 Optimum
Region 2 - PAL		 Film Movement - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime 2:25:55 2:20:09 (4% PAL speedup) 2:26:05 2:26:05 2:26:20.229
Video

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.31 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s 

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.95 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 7.17 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 6.49 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.78:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 46,987,239,556 bytes

Feature: 41,251,479,552 bytes

Video Bitrate: 30.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:

Home Vision

 

Bitrate:

Panorama (HK)

 

Bitrate:  

Norman's Nose (JP)

 

Bitrate:

Optimum (UK)

 

Bitrate:

 

Blu-ray

 

Audio Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo) Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 surround

Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 surround

Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 surround

 DTS-HD Master Audio Japanese 4209 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4209 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio Japanese 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps / DN -31dB
Subtitles English, None English, Chinese, None Japanese, None NO ENGLISH! English (non-removable) English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Home Vision

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Edition Details:

• Making of Documentary
• Director biography and filmography
• Trailer reel
• Essay by director Shunji Iwai
• Music Video: "Wings That Can't Fly"

DVD Release Date: February 15th, 2005
Chapters 24

 Release Information:
Studio: Panorama

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Edition Details:

none

DVD Release Date: March 17th, 2003
Chapters 12
 

 Release Information:
Studio: Norman's Nose

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Edition Details:
• I believe the 2 disc version is out of print, so no extra features on the single disc.
 

DVD Release Date: unknown

Chapters 28

 Release Information:
Studio: Optimum

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1.78:1

Edition Details:
• Theatrical trailer

 

DVD Release Date: July 28th, 2003
Chapters 16

 Release Information:
Studio: Film Movement

 

1.78:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 46,987,239,556 bytes

Feature: 41,251,479,552 bytes

Video Bitrate: 30.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Making-Of Featurette (01:26:12) and essay by Stephen Cremin (deputy director NYAFF).


 Blu-ray Release Date: May 7th, 2019
 Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 13

 

 

Comments

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Film Movement Blu-ray (May 2019): Now released for the first time ever on Blu-ray in North America, Film Movement presents Shunji Iwai's 2001 modern classic "All About Lily Chou-Chou". This is a new 2K remaster of the digitally shot film. Though amounts of detail are limited to the digital photography being used in 2001, this new Blu-ray still shows a greater fidelity to the original source. Also now shown is slightly more information on all sides of the frame. Colors also greatly benefit from the 1080p transfer, showing deeper and more realistic greens (gone is the jaundiced looking grass, for example). The 2.5-hour long film is housed on a dual-layered Blu-ray with a high bitrate. The use of different cameras shows up during a sequence, about halfway through the film. This temporary degrading in digital quality is intentional, and diegetic. Absolutely worth the upgrade over the DVDs, with the caveat that the clarity of the image is limited to the scope of 2001 digital photography (barring some future algorithm that can create the illusion of greater detail, ala Blu-ray players up-conversion systems).

There are two audio options on this Blu-ray. There is a 5.1 surround sound DTS-HD Master audio track, or a Dolby digital option. The surround track showcases the beautiful piano performances, as well as the score from Takeshi Kobayashi. There are optional English subtitles on this Region Free Blu-ray release from Film Movement.

The sole bonus feature on the Blu-ray is a 1.5-hour making-of documentary. The documentary is almost as ambitious as the film itself, shot in the same sort of sweeping narrative, multi-format, mixed media style. There is an accompanying booklet with an essay from Stephen Cremin (deputy director NYAFF). The essay, "Cruel Stories of Youth" is quite in depth, giving the film some informative contextual details.

This unique film means a lot of many people and it's refreshing to have it re-enter the conversation with a new HD presentation. This Blu-ray is positively recommended!

Colin Zavitz

ON THE DVDs: If you don't need English subtitles, the R2 JP has by far the best picture quality. The new Home Vision looks only marginally better than the Panorama (HK) edition. The R2 UK is non-anamorphic and has burned in subtitles, which are not 16X9 friendly.

The NTSC (HK) DVD has a 4% speedup. As far as definitive English-friendly releases go, I suspect the Home Vision is best, but it looks so dark and hazy it is hard to give it the nod of any approval. This beautiful movie shouldn't be seen with such dark and washed out colors as are in the Panorama and Home Vision. What a shame.

The translation on all three English subtitled releases are the same. I'd wait for a superior release, although I don't know of one coming soon. many true fans will use DVDSubber and follow a script with the Japanese release. Although I love Iwai, I won't be doing that.

 - Geert Jan Alsem and Gary Tooze

DVD Menus


(Home Vision - Region 1- NTSC LEFT vs. Panorama (HK) - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)


 
 

 

 

 

 

(Norman's Nose (JP) - Region 2 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Optimum (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

 

 

Film Movement - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Subtitle sample

 

1) Home Vision - Region 1- NTSC TOP

2) Panorama (HK) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Norman's Nose (JP) - Region 2 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Optimum (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - FOURTH

5) Film Movement - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) Home Vision - Region 1- NTSC TOP

2) Panorama (HK) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Norman's Nose (JP) - Region 2 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Optimum (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - FOURTH

5) Film Movement - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) Home Vision - Region 1- NTSC TOP

2) Panorama (HK) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Norman's Nose (JP) - Region 2 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Optimum (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - FOURTH

5) Film Movement - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) Home Vision - Region 1- NTSC TOP

2) Panorama (HK) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Norman's Nose (JP) - Region 2 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Optimum (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - FOURTH

5) Film Movement - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) Home Vision - Region 1- NTSC TOP

2) Panorama (HK) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Norman's Nose (JP) - Region 2 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Optimum (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - FOURTH

5) Film Movement - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) Home Vision - Region 1- NTSC TOP

2) Panorama (HK) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Norman's Nose (JP) - Region 2 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Optimum (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - FOURTH

5) Film Movement - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) Home Vision - Region 1- NTSC TOP

2) Panorama (HK) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Norman's Nose (JP) - Region 2 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Optimum (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - FOURTH

5) Film Movement - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

More Film Movement - Region FREE - Blu-ray Captures

 

Hit Counter

Report Card:

 

Image:

Blu-ray

Sound:

Blu-ray
Extras: Home Vision

 

 Box Covers

Reissued in May 2024:
Distribution

Home Vision

Region 1 - NTSC

Panorama

Region 0 - NTSC

 Norman's Nose
Region 2 - NTSC		 Optimum
Region 2 - PAL		 Film Movement - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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