Classic Japanese Flick Battle Royale Gets US 3D Release

Surely this can’t be possible? Kenji Fukasaku’s classic dystopian nightmare, Battle Royale, has never seen the light of day in America. I remember seeing this at the pictures back in, it must have been, 2001? That’s almost a decade.

Anchor Bay have picked up distribution rights to finally give the Yanks a blast of cinematic awesomeness that introduced Chiaki Kuriyama to the world (Quentin Tarantino definitely saw it because he cast her in Kill Bill). She was absolutely kick-ass in both QT’s flick and Fukusaku’s!

Yes, we all know Battle Royale II: Requiem was a bag of shite, but the original is an out-and-out masterpiece. And Takeshi Kitano’s in it too – and he rocks! Think of Battle Royale as Lord of the Flies meets The Running Man.

Anchor Bay plan to retrofit the movie into 3D and release it sometime in 2011. Quite why they’re going for 3D is a bit of a mystery because the film is quite brilliant without it. Maybe they think audiences need an added incentive to experience the film in 3D. Crap retrofitted 3D at that.

The famous distribution company also have the right to retrofit Battle Royale II: Requiem, which sadly was unfinished by director Kenji Fukasaku – he died – leaving his son to pick up the megaphone in his place. It’s a rubbish sequel by any standard.

If you’ve never seen this wonderful film and you get the chance to: take it.

Source: Movieline.