Films - Takeshi Kitano

A new compilation of some of Takeshi Kitano's early films comes to Blu-ray this month as part of the BFI's celebration of Japan 2020...

Press Release

Takeshi Kitano burst onto the scene as a director in 1989 with Violent Cop and quickly established himself as a filmmaker to watch. He continued within the yakuza genre with 1990’s Boiling Point and with Sonatine, released three years later, he gained deserved international acclaim.

As part of the BFI’s major season JAPAN2020, these three films will be released on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK in Takeshi Kitano Collection on 29th June 2020. Numerous extras include commentaries for each film, a documentary looking at Kitano’s cinematic image and more.

Born in Japan in 1947, Takeshi Kitano is a comedian, television presenter, author, actor and filmmaker who has become a cultural icon both in his own country and abroad. He is predominately known in the West for his work as an actor and director on films including Battle Royale, Zatoichi and Hana-bi, the last of which won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival.

More often known by his stage name ‘Beat’ Takeshi, Kitano has been described as the true successor to legendary director Akira Kurosawa, and it’s hard to imagine greater praise than that.



Special features:

• High Definition transfers of all three films
• Feature-length audio commentaries on Violent Cop and Sonatine by Chris D, punk poet, singer, actor, film historian and author of Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film
•  Newly recorded audio commentary on Boiling Point by David Jenkins
• That Man is Dangerous: The Birth of Takeshi Kitano (2016, 20 mins): documentary examining the emergence, establishment and popularity of Takeshi Kitano’s cinematic image
• Okinawa Days: Kitano’s Second Debut (2016, 20 mins): a look back at Kitano’s Boiling Point, featuring interviews with producer Masayuki Mori and actor Yurei Yanagi
• Boiling Point trailers
• Sonatine trailer
• *** First pressing only*** 44-page book with new writing on the films and their director by Japanese film experts Tom Mes, Jasper Sharp, Mark Schilling and film critic James-Masaki Ryan

Takeshi Kitano Collection Blu-ray releases on 29 June 2020 followed by release on 27 July 2020 on iTunes, Amazon Prime and on BFI Player (Subscription) as part of JAPAN 2020.

Image - BFI