Japanese Movies/Discussion/Recommendations

pcmodem wrote:And I don't like paying a membership fee as is common at Japanese video rental stores.

I can relate to that thought... In 1976, my dad bought a VHS-based VCR, about $3500 for a single-head unit. A 30-minute blank VHS tape (yes, they made 30-minute tapes) was around $25.00 each, and $40.00 for a 1-hour tape. They didn't even make 2-hour tapes at that time.

My family's first experience with a video rental store was soon after we bought the VCR. There was a hole-in-the-wall office in Chinatown (Honolulu) that allowed you to rent videos (there were less than 200 titles in existence in 1976, 100-percent of them released by a single non-MPAA company). Membership was $750/year, and $10.00 per video. You had to return the videos within 3 days, or you had to pay $5.00 a day per video.

--- groink

bmwracer wrote:

pcmodem wrote:
And I don't like paying a membership fee as is common at Japanese video rental stores.

Yeah, I've noticed that, too... Wassup with that?

there was a brief discussion regarding this the other day on one of the newsgroups (ABMJ). It was mentioned that the reason for membership fees at Japanese video stores was because much of the Japanese shows for rent there are basically personally recorded captures. To get around potential copyright laws (since they're just dubbed recordings), they rent the videos under the basis of "fair use" which (basically) states that one can make a copy for your own personal use. By creating a membership system at the video stores...they can argue that it's merely sharing amongst members...

pcmodem wrote:One thing that drives me nuts about Japanese DVDs is that they are outrageously priced. :grumble:

And I don't like paying a membership fee as is common at Japanese video rental stores.
-PCM

Do you get the fee back after a period of time? I know many of the smaller rental places require a membership fee/down payment as collateral in case you steal a tape. After a period of time, they pay it back. They don't have the clout of a Blockbuster.

Mibugishiden is one of my favorites. The Toshiro Mifune one based on Macbeth was good to.(I think it was Throne of Blood, or something) I want to say Azumi, but I'll be honest. If it wasn't for Ueto Aya, the movie is barely watchable.

Kijinnmaru wrote:The Toshiro Mifune one based on Macbeth was good to.(I think it was Throne of Blood, or something.

You got it: it was Throne of Blood... A Kurosawa classic. :D

gregsan wrote:there was a brief discussion regarding this the other day on one of the newsgroups (ABMJ).

Yes, gregsan is correct... This was brought up when dustoff started up the conversation about the ban of Japanese show recording exchanges by the Japanese court system, citing a Japanese-written newspaper article. To summarize, the courts find that it is illegal:

1) for a Japanese proprietor to buy PCs or other DVD-quality recorders to capture Japanese TV content, and then allow people outside of Japan to download the content via the Internet.

2) for a person outside of Japan to purchase a PC, and then rent space in Japan to store the PC for the purpose of recording TV stations.

3) for a Japanese proprietor to rent out copies of Japanese TV captures purely without paying any license/royalty fees. The loophole, as gregsan mentioned, is to create a video "club", allowing customers to join the club by charging membership fees.

groink wrote:
Yes, gregsan is correct... This was brought up when dustoff started up the conversation about the ban of Japanese show recording exchanges by the Japanese court system, citing a Japanese-written newspaper article. To summarize, the courts find that it is illegal:

1) for a Japanese proprietor to buy PCs or other DVD-quality recorders to capture Japanese TV content, and then allow people outside of Japan to download the content via the Internet.

2) for a person outside of Japan to purchase a PC, and then rent space in Japan to store the PC for the purpose of recording TV stations.

3) for a Japanese proprietor to rent out copies of Japanese TV captures purely without paying any license/royalty fees. The loophole, as gregsan mentioned, is to create a video "club", allowing customers to join the club by charging membership fees.

Good to know that it wasn't just a discussion between myself and Dust Off!!!

Anyone seen Itami Juzo's Tampopo?

Made this startling discovery when I watched it again the other day: the sidekick (Gun) to the truckdriver, is none other than Watanabe Ken, of The Last Samurai fame... Incredible. :D :applaud:

Well, since I'm a huge Itami fan... yup.

Three of my all time favorite movies were made by Itami.

The Funeral

Tampopo

Taxing Woman.

By the way... along those same lines, you can see a very young Atsuro Watabe in Itami's "Quiet Life".

And of course, if you ever want to see Itami as an actor (man, the guy was in a lot of movies as an actor) you can always go to "Lady Snowblood 2" and check him out as Ransui.

Geezer wrote:By the way... along those same lines, you can see a very young Atsuro Watabe in Itami's "Quiet Life".

I don't know who that is... :sweat:

From Love Letter you mentioned, neh?

bmwracer wrote:Anyone seen Itami Juzo's Tampopo?

Made this startling discovery when I watched it again the other day: the sidekick (Gun) to the truckdriver, is none other than Watanabe Ken, of The Last Samurai fame... Incredible. :D :applaud:

Not so coincidentally, that's also the name of my favorite ramen joint in SF's Nihonmachi.

Geez', if you haven't tried Tanpopo in SF's Nihonmachi, I highly recommend it. Though the service tends to be on the rude side.
-PCM

pcmodem wrote:Not so coincidentally, that's also the name of my favorite ramen joint in SF's Nihonmachi.

Geez', if you haven't tried Tanpopo in SF's Nihonmachi, I highly recommend it. Though the service tends to be on the rude side.
-PCM

Interesting. I wonder if it's a chain, 'cause there's a Tampopo here in Torrance, located in the Mitsuwa Marketplace.... :headscratch:

bmwracer wrote:
Interesting. I wonder if it's a chain, 'cause there's a Tampopo here in Torrance, located in the Mitsuwa Marketplace.... :headscratch:

Ever since the movie, I'm sure a number of noodle houses sprung up here and there and took on the name.

The one here in SF is very good, it's where the Nihonjin go for ramen when in SF.
-PCM

pcmodem wrote:Ever since the movie, I'm sure a number of noodle houses sprung up here and there and took on the name.

The one here in SF is very good, it's where the Nihonjin go for ramen when in SF.

Nihon-jin truck drivers?? :rolleyes: :hehe:

bmwracer wrote:
Nihon-jin truck drivers?? :rolleyes: :hehe:

The coolest Nihonjin teamster I've ever seen was Murai's mom in GTO! :woot:

She was so cool. :applaud:
-PCM

bmwracer wrote:
I don't know who that is... :sweat:

From Love Letter you mentioned, neh?

Yup. Watabe is the star of "Love Letters"

He also played Ken Watanabe's "other" son in the Taiga Drama, "Hojo Tokimune"

He also co stared with Miki Nakatani in "Keizoku" which was the forerunner to the Trick series.

And he was also in "Beautiful Life" and "Nanisama" and "Koi ga shitai Koi ga shitai Koi ga shitai"

And he created one of the coolest characters in the history of Japanese movies in "Swallowtail Butterfly".

The guy is everywhere.

PC

I'd love to say I'd try Tampopo in the city... but I have to admit, I'm a bit provincial.

As much as I love Japanese entertainment... Japanese food always reminds me of the food challenge on Fear Factor.

My Ramen comes out of a package, purchased at Safeway.

I know... shame on me.

Geezer wrote:I know... shame on me.

No, that's "SHAME ON ME," Geez.... :hehe:

Has anyone seen the movie Shall We Dance? I caught the last part of it on a movie channel. It looked like a good movie.

eightysix wrote:Has anyone seen the movie Shall We Dance? I caught the last part of it on a movie channel. It looked like a good movie.

Really good movie... Saw it back in '97 ('98?) in the theater... Yakusho Koji is excellent.... :) It should be out on DVD soon, I think.

I can't imagine the U.S.-made version starring Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, and J-Lo being better than the original...

bmwracer wrote:
Really good movie... Saw it back in '97 ('98?) in the theater... Yakusho Koji is excellent.... :) It should be out on DVD soon, I think.

Hm, I gotta pick this one up then. I read a review about it and seems like it's a classic.