Battle Royale - Director's Cut DVDs

(aka "Batoru rowaiairu" or "Battle Royale")

directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Japan 2000

"In a future where society is on the verge of collapse, the government takes drastic action against the problem of rebellious teenagers in this violent sci-fi opus from Japan. In the year 2002, Japan's economy has taken a dramatic turn for the worse, and massive unemployment and inflation have thrown most adults into a state of chaos; the nation's youth culture responds with unprecedented violence, delinquency, and truancy. Desperate to restore order, the Japanese parliament responds by creating the Millennial Reform School Act, in which groups of junior high students are selected at random, sent to an isolated island, and forced to play a rigorous war game, in which all but one of their number are killed. Kitano (Beat Takeshi) is an embittered school instructor who guides the 44 students of the Zentsuji Middle School's Class B through the deadly game known as "Battle Royale," as they struggle to survive against the elements and each other. Battle Royale proved to be both successful and highly controversial in Japan, where it set box-office records and prompted political leaders to call for stricter controls on violence in Japanese entertainment; the film was initially rated R-15 (no one under 15 admitted), unusual for violent films in Japan, though director Kinji Fukasaku later prepared a re-edited version that earned a more lenient classification. "

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DVD Comparison (This is for the DIRECTOR'S CUT):

Starmax (Korea) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Tartan- Region 0 - PAL vs. Cream (Korea) Region 0 - NTSC

Thanks to Mark Wilson for all of the screen captures

(Starmax (Korea) - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Tartan- Region 0 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Cream (Korea) Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Starmax (Korea) Region 0 - NTSC	Tartan (UK) Region 0 - PAL	Cream (Korea) Region 3 - NTSC
Runtime	2:01:00	2:01:16 (NO PAL speedup)	2:01:00
Video	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.97 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 4.27 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.94 NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s
Bitrate: Starmax NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Tartan R0
Bitrate: Cream
Audio	DTS 5.1 Japanese DD 2.0 Stereo Japanese	DD 5.1 Japanese	DD 5.1 Japanese DD 2.0 Stereo Japanese
Subtitles	English, Korean and none.	English, None	English, Korean and none.
Features	Release Information: Studio: Stramax (Korea) Theatrical Release Date: Dec 16th, 200 Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: Extras: The First Term The Book was Published WOWOW Special Audition Shooting Making of Birthday Party Memorial Photo Album The Second Term Crank Up CG Orchestra Recording Tokyo Film Festival Marketing BR Affairs Release Art Gallery The Third Term Filming a Special Edition Making of Finished Special Edition Release Theatrical Trailer TV Spot WOWOW Trailer DVD Trailer "Movie is a War" Trailer Cardboard Slip Case Chapters 48 Double DVD (1 DVD 9, 1 DVD 5) NTSC First 5000 copies included a Free map of the island	Release Information: Studio: Taratan Video (UK) Theatrical Release Date: Dec 16th, 2000 Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: Poster Art Collector's Card Film Frame Card 4 page infomation booklet Making of Battle Royale BR Press Conference Instructional Video: Birthday Version Audition and Rehersal Footage Special Effects Comparison Featurette Tokyo International Film Festival 2000 BR Documentary Basketball Scene Rehearsals Behind the Scenes Featurette Filiming on the set Original Theatrical Trailer Special Edition TV Spot TV Spot: Tarantino Version Director's Statement On-Screen Filmography most if not all extras are English Subbed. DVD Release Date: September 23rd, 2002 Tin Case Chapters 24 2 Disc Set (both Single Layer)	Release Information: Studio: Cream (Korea) Theatrical Release Date: Dec 16th, 2000 Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: Extras: The First Term The Book was Published WOWOW Special Audition Shooting Making of Birthday Party Memorial Photo Album The Second Term Crank Up CG Orchestra Recording Tokyo Film Festival Marketing BR Affairs Release Art Gallery The Third Term Filming a Special Edition Making of Finished Special Edition Release Theatrical Trailer TV Spot WOWOW Trailer DVD Trailer "Movie is a War" Trailer NOTE: The same extras as the R0 Starmax 2 disc version. Click Case Chapters 47

Comments:

NOTE: 2010 Arrow Blu-ray (both Theatrical an Director's Cut) compared HERE.

Not a lot to choose in the picture quality of these three anamorphic releases. There is no cropping on any of the DVDs. the colors are consistent. I find the Cream Region 3 version every so-slightly softer than the other two and the Tartan a little darker, but the differences are very negligible.

One of the major points is the subtitles. A personal preference I suppose, but I am NOT partial to the Starmax font and the Cream seems the clearest. I assume that the Tartan may be the most detailed in the translation.

All 3 versions are pretty stacked with Extras but the Cream and Starmax are identical. True fans may wish to get one of the Korean version as well as the Tartan for the extensive extras. All have 5.1 original audio. Ohhh... and chapters; Both Korean DVDs have really divided the film up nicely where Tartan has taken a shorter cut with about half as many stops.

The menus are always the least important issue for DVD buyers, but as these editions are so close, we will look at it. The Cream appears to have the clearest menu system, while the Tartan is easily the most boring. Personally I like the Starmax... but that is only me. You may have a different choice. Okay, there they are 3 Director's Cuts of "Battle Royale". The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence as these three editions are pretty much the same.

- Gary W. Tooze

Recommended Reading for Japanese Film Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)