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Tokyo Tribe [Blu-ray]
(Shion Sono, 2014)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production: Theatrical: Django Film Video: Eureka
Disc: Region: 'B'-locked (as verified by the Oppo Blu-ray player) Runtime: 1:56:23.476 Disc Size: 49,158,138,015 bytes Feature Size: 38,456,481,984 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.39 Mbps Chapters: 11 Case: Black Blu-ray case Release date: June 15th, 2015
Video: Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio Japanese 4139 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4139 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) LPCM Audio Japanese 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles: English, none
Extras: • Feature-length behind-the-scenes documentary (1:04:29)• Deleted scenes (3:27) • Trailer (1:44) • Limited edition collector s booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Aaron Hillis along with behind-the-scenes photography
Bitrate:
Description: Just when you thought Sion Sono's (Why Don't
You Play In Hell?) unique brand of subversive cinema
couldn't get any more out there, he's back to explode
expectations once again as he ventures even further into
uncharted cinematic territory with an ingenious hybrid of
Yakuza gang-action and hip-hop musical.
The Film: Tokyo is at war, the city carved into pieces with each territory controlled by a variety of hip hop street gangs. Left to their own devices the gangs co-exists in an uneasy balance but when the order is disrupted … watch out, because things are going to get crazy. Sion Sono has long been revered among cult film fans as a sort of patron saint of excess, the director never shying away from indulging his grand – and often bizarre, violent and troubling – visions. And with his adaptation of Santa Inoue's manga Sono has delivered on his grandest scale yet. Shot on a massive set to give the director every possible freedom and opportunity to bring his vision to the screen without any concessions to the real world, Tokyo Tribe delivers a sort of ultra-underground West Side Story with the characters bolder, the drugs flowing freely, and the (mostly) playful violence dial cranked up to eleven. Built around a cast of actual rappers, stunt men, first time actors discovered via open YouTube auditions and cult favorites like Riki Takeuchi, Tokyo Tribe is what happens when an in-the-blood maverick is given financial resources to match the biggest mainstream talents without any of the attendant restrictions. This is entertainment on a grand scale with every frame jammed with amazing imagery and every scene threatening to twist off in unexpected directions. Strap yourself in, Sono's bringing the crazy. Excerpt from MRQE located HERE
That style has Tokyo Tribe moving forward at a constant fast
pace, with jokes and details packed into every corner, more characters
than the audience can possibly process, and moments of jaw-dropping
insanity that you can almost imagine Sono giggling as he put them into
the script for how silly they are (the beatboxing server in the banquet
scenes may have been my favorite thing Sono has ever gone for while she
was on-screen). There's garish designs, tanks, slapstick, and other
over-the-top madness. Image : NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. Tokyo Tribe appears true to the source on Blu-ray from Eureka Cinema in the UK. The transfer is dual-layered with a max'ed out bitrate. It was surely shot with the versatility of digital with its hectic and relentless pace floating around the mayhem. There is little depth and very little high-end detail as the camera is so kinetic. Lighting is at a very low level and the image is what the image is. Weak for the format but authentic. This Blu-ray probably looks very much like the film did theatrically.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio :The audio is as bodacious as the video and we get a robust DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround track at a healthy 4139 kbps pounding out the music of B.C.D.M.G. like you are at a concert. Effects run the gamut and separation exists both subtly and aggressively. There are optional English subtitles and m y Oppo has identified it as being a region 'B'-locked.
Extras : Included is a lengthy (1 hour plus) behind-the-scenes documentary which amounts to some sporadic sound bytes with cast/crew, auditions and other aspects of the filmmaking process in a kind of ad-hoc expression that mimics the film. It is mostly in Japanese with English subtitles. There are also some brief deleted scenes, a trailer and the package contains a limited edition collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Aaron Hillis along with behind-the-scenes photography!
BOTTOM LINE: Gary Tooze June 15th, 2015 |
About the Reviewer: Hello, fellow Beavers! I have been interested in film since I viewed a Chaplin festival on PBS when I was around 9 years old. I credit DVD with expanding my horizons to fill an almost ravenous desire to seek out new film experiences. I currently own approximately 9500 DVDs and have reviewed over 3500 myself. I appreciate my discussion Listserv for furthering my film education and inspiring me to continue running DVDBeaver. Plus a healthy thanks to those who donate and use our Amazon links.
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