The 2000s saw the action genre in a state of flux. The Matrix revolutionized everything at the end of the previous decade, The Bourne Supremacy would make shaky cameras standard practice in 2004, and the MCU would take flight with Iron Man in 2008. At the same time, Michael Bay reached his ultimate form with Bad Boys II, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Kill Bill made kung fu classy, and Oldboy changed the way we look at hallways.
Within those changes came a host of greats that didn’t get the same attention. Some of these movies represent the first steps in the development of those who would define the genre, such as Scott Adkins and Gareth Evans. Some find stars at the height of the powers, such as Donny Yen and Michael Jai White. And some are just cool, because that’s really all an action movie needs.
If you’ve...
Within those changes came a host of greats that didn’t get the same attention. Some of these movies represent the first steps in the development of those who would define the genre, such as Scott Adkins and Gareth Evans. Some find stars at the height of the powers, such as Donny Yen and Michael Jai White. And some are just cool, because that’s really all an action movie needs.
If you’ve...
- 5/9/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
In 2009, at the request of SkyMovies, Quentin Tarantino named his 20 favorite films released between 1992 and 2009. 1992 was chosen as the starting point because that was the year Tarantino himself became a film director. Quentin cited a Japanese action movie that he felt was blatantly ripped off by The Hunger Games as his favorite project of the past 17 years:
“I’m a big fan of the Japanese movie Battle Royale, which is what Hunger Games was based on. Well, Hunger Games just ripped it off. That would have been awesome to have directed Battle Royale.”
Long before The Hunger Games, director Kinji Fukasaku captured the frenzy of teenagers stranded on an island to survive. Battle Royale is a Japanese film that has become a cult classic over the course of two decades, spawning a wave of works about deadly games.
What is Battle Royale About?
In the future, an economic crisis has...
“I’m a big fan of the Japanese movie Battle Royale, which is what Hunger Games was based on. Well, Hunger Games just ripped it off. That would have been awesome to have directed Battle Royale.”
Long before The Hunger Games, director Kinji Fukasaku captured the frenzy of teenagers stranded on an island to survive. Battle Royale is a Japanese film that has become a cult classic over the course of two decades, spawning a wave of works about deadly games.
What is Battle Royale About?
In the future, an economic crisis has...
- 4/21/2024
- by zoe-wallace@startefacts.com (Zoe Wallace)
- STartefacts.com
Though it’s easy to get caught up in fruitless debates over genre classifications, genres are a fascinating part of any medium’s evolution. Yes, they sometimes oversimplify complex works for the purposes of classification. However, a deeper look at the origins of those genres often reveals fascinating facts about the evolution of art and entertainment.
That’s especially true of gaming. Many of us have been alive for most of the notable history of video games. Yet, it’s still remarkably easy to forget how some of the more unique and prevalent video game genres actually began.
Today, we’re going to take a look at the birth of some of those genres. Some were clearly created by the release of a revolutionary new title, while others can trace their origins to games that took an existing concept in a new direction. Some are world-famous, while others have been...
That’s especially true of gaming. Many of us have been alive for most of the notable history of video games. Yet, it’s still remarkably easy to forget how some of the more unique and prevalent video game genres actually began.
Today, we’re going to take a look at the birth of some of those genres. Some were clearly created by the release of a revolutionary new title, while others can trace their origins to games that took an existing concept in a new direction. Some are world-famous, while others have been...
- 3/29/2024
- by Matthew Byrd
- Den of Geek
Photo: Murray Close/Lionsgate
What is the root of evil? In the YA fiction genre, storytellers often source it to bad breakups and torn friendships, which can transform Prince Charming into the Prince of Darkness. Plain evil isn’t engaging, but evil for evil’s sake can be wildly compelling,...
What is the root of evil? In the YA fiction genre, storytellers often source it to bad breakups and torn friendships, which can transform Prince Charming into the Prince of Darkness. Plain evil isn’t engaging, but evil for evil’s sake can be wildly compelling,...
- 11/9/2023
- by Eric Francisco
- avclub.com
Ever had that late-night itch for a cinematic scare, only to find yourself tired of the same old slashers and ghost stories? Enter J-Horror, the dazzling (and terrifying) world of Japanese horror. Filled with vengeful spirits, hair-raising urban legends, and a unique cultural zest, J-Horror has secured its spine-chilling reputation on a global scale.
If you’re not quite up-to-speed with terms like ‘Yūrei’* or haven’t been thoroughly traumatized by a cursed videotape yet, you’re in for a treat! We’re about to embark on a roller coaster ride of the very best Japanese Horror (or ‘J-Horror’ for those in the know) that promises more thrills than a Tokyo karaoke night gone awry. So grab your safety blanket; it’s about to get eerily entertaining!
*Yūrei (幽霊): spirits or ghosts in Japanese folklore, often likened to Western notions of restless ghosts. Characterized by white funeral garments, long unkempt black hair,...
If you’re not quite up-to-speed with terms like ‘Yūrei’* or haven’t been thoroughly traumatized by a cursed videotape yet, you’re in for a treat! We’re about to embark on a roller coaster ride of the very best Japanese Horror (or ‘J-Horror’ for those in the know) that promises more thrills than a Tokyo karaoke night gone awry. So grab your safety blanket; it’s about to get eerily entertaining!
*Yūrei (幽霊): spirits or ghosts in Japanese folklore, often likened to Western notions of restless ghosts. Characterized by white funeral garments, long unkempt black hair,...
- 8/27/2023
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
During his long career as a filmmaker, Kinji Fuksaku shot many classics, including the “Battles Without Honor and Humanity”-features, “Street Mobster” and “Graveyard of Honor”, to name but a few examples. However, especially in the Western world, all of these were outshone by “Battle Royale”, his last full effort as a director – a feature whose influence can be felt even today with directors such as Quentin Tarantino calling it his favorite film or film-series such as “The Hunger Games” being more or less modeled after Fukasaku’s original. While there is no denying the film has its iconic moments, with some of them having become parts of popular culture in their own right, it is maybe at its most controversial when being regarded as a political parable, a reading even the director himself seems to have supported if his last interviews are any indicator. However, despite the success of...
- 4/24/2022
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
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As everyone who’s made it through all of Netflix’s “Squid Game” can report, there’s just something utterly compelling about getting to watch characters being put through the ringer on a repeated basis, especially when that ringer gets worse and worse each and every time. Whether or not the appeal of the show is discovering which child’s game has been bastardized into a cruel death trap this episode, or simply witnessing the emotional torture of those desperately in debt purely for the entertainment of the wealthy and corrupt — or, you know, we the television audience, but don’t think about that too much — the show has become a phenomenon (and...
As everyone who’s made it through all of Netflix’s “Squid Game” can report, there’s just something utterly compelling about getting to watch characters being put through the ringer on a repeated basis, especially when that ringer gets worse and worse each and every time. Whether or not the appeal of the show is discovering which child’s game has been bastardized into a cruel death trap this episode, or simply witnessing the emotional torture of those desperately in debt purely for the entertainment of the wealthy and corrupt — or, you know, we the television audience, but don’t think about that too much — the show has become a phenomenon (and...
- 10/15/2021
- by Graeme McMillan
- Variety Film + TV
Salor Suit and Machine Gun
A perky high-schooler takes on the mob in “Sailor Suit and Machine Gun”, a one-of-a-kind genre-bender that riffs on the yakuza film, coming-of-age drama and ‘idol movie’, inventively adapted from Jiro Akagawa’s popular novel by director Shinji Somai, a massively influential figure in Japanese cinema whose work has been little seen outside his homeland.
Hoshi Izumi is a young innocent forced to grow up quickly when her father dies and she finds herself next in line as the boss of a moribund yakuza clan. Wrenched from the security of her classroom and thrust into the heart of the criminal underworld, she must come to terms with the fact that her actions hold the key to the life or death of the men under her command as they come under fire from rival gangs.
Presented in both its Original Theatrical and longer Complete versions, and...
A perky high-schooler takes on the mob in “Sailor Suit and Machine Gun”, a one-of-a-kind genre-bender that riffs on the yakuza film, coming-of-age drama and ‘idol movie’, inventively adapted from Jiro Akagawa’s popular novel by director Shinji Somai, a massively influential figure in Japanese cinema whose work has been little seen outside his homeland.
Hoshi Izumi is a young innocent forced to grow up quickly when her father dies and she finds herself next in line as the boss of a moribund yakuza clan. Wrenched from the security of her classroom and thrust into the heart of the criminal underworld, she must come to terms with the fact that her actions hold the key to the life or death of the men under her command as they come under fire from rival gangs.
Presented in both its Original Theatrical and longer Complete versions, and...
- 8/29/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
In 2000, director Kinjo Fukasaku released a controversial little film that would be talked about for decades after its release. Based on the book of the same name written by Japanese author Koushun Takami, Battle Royale is about Forty-two students who are forced to fight and kill each other by legislation to compete in a battle royale. As you can imagine, a film that depicts graphic violence against children wasn’t exactly received well by many, though the foreign movie would go on to reach cult status thanks to the overall themes and messages communicated in the film. Oh, and because
The Hunger Games vs. Battle Royale: Which Dystopian Film Is Better?...
The Hunger Games vs. Battle Royale: Which Dystopian Film Is Better?...
- 8/23/2021
- by Jeffrey Bowie Jr.
- TVovermind.com
To mark the release of Battle Royale, out now, we’ve been given a copy to give away on Blu-ray.
The kids of Third Year Class-b Shiroiwa Junior High School are back, in a brand new 4K restoration of the classic cult shocker adapted from the controversial novel by Koushun Takami.
Presenting an alternate dystopian vision of turn-of-the-millennium Japan, Battle Royale follows the 42 junior high school students selected to take part in the government’s annual Battle Royale programme, established as an extreme method of addressing concerns about juvenile delinquency. Dispatched to a remote island, they are each given individual weapons (ranging from Uzis and machetes to pan lids and binoculars), food and water, and the order to go out and kill one other. Every player is fitted with an explosive collar around their neck, imposing a strict three-day time limit on the deadly games in which there can only be one survivor.
The kids of Third Year Class-b Shiroiwa Junior High School are back, in a brand new 4K restoration of the classic cult shocker adapted from the controversial novel by Koushun Takami.
Presenting an alternate dystopian vision of turn-of-the-millennium Japan, Battle Royale follows the 42 junior high school students selected to take part in the government’s annual Battle Royale programme, established as an extreme method of addressing concerns about juvenile delinquency. Dispatched to a remote island, they are each given individual weapons (ranging from Uzis and machetes to pan lids and binoculars), food and water, and the order to go out and kill one other. Every player is fitted with an explosive collar around their neck, imposing a strict three-day time limit on the deadly games in which there can only be one survivor.
- 4/29/2021
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
One cannot question the legacy of Kenji Fukasaku. Although internationally most known for his Yakuza films, he is one of those filmmakers who can not be placed into a particular preferred genre. In this way he is a precursor to modern directors with widely ranged filmography, e.g, Sono and Miike. His 2000 release, a controversial adaptation of an equally controversial novel by Koushun Takami, has become a cult classic and is considered one of his late masterpieces. In multiple later films, literature and most frequently in the gaming industry, “Battle Royale” is a major influence.
In the near future, a devastating recession turns Japan into a turbulent nation. As a large number of adults become unemployed, juvenile delinquency reaches its peak. A frustrated authoritarian government passes the Br Act to curb the youth. Through the act, a random class is taken away to an uninhabited island, where...
In the near future, a devastating recession turns Japan into a turbulent nation. As a large number of adults become unemployed, juvenile delinquency reaches its peak. A frustrated authoritarian government passes the Br Act to curb the youth. Through the act, a random class is taken away to an uninhabited island, where...
- 11/20/2020
- by Raktim Nandi
- AsianMoviePulse
Pubg Corp. withdrew their copyright infringement lawsuit against Epic Games on Monday, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Pubg Corp., a subsidiary of Bluehole, filed the lawsuit in January in the Seoul Central District Court.
While the concept of starting with 100 players who duke it out was unlikely to be protectable, “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” (“Pubg”) had other, more specific claims to enforce. Mainly, they didn’t feel that “Fortnite” was putting their own spin on the new genre, and was more of a copycat.
The hit game “Pubg” was not the inventor of the concept of battle royale it undoubtedly was the game objective that made the title iconic, which Bluehole vice president Chang Han Kim pointed out.
“We’ve had an ongoing relationship with Epic Games throughout Pubg’s development as they are the creators of (Unreal Engine 4), the engine we licensed for the game,” Kim said in a statement.
Pubg Corp., a subsidiary of Bluehole, filed the lawsuit in January in the Seoul Central District Court.
While the concept of starting with 100 players who duke it out was unlikely to be protectable, “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” (“Pubg”) had other, more specific claims to enforce. Mainly, they didn’t feel that “Fortnite” was putting their own spin on the new genre, and was more of a copycat.
The hit game “Pubg” was not the inventor of the concept of battle royale it undoubtedly was the game objective that made the title iconic, which Bluehole vice president Chang Han Kim pointed out.
“We’ve had an ongoing relationship with Epic Games throughout Pubg’s development as they are the creators of (Unreal Engine 4), the engine we licensed for the game,” Kim said in a statement.
- 6/27/2018
- by Liz Lanier
- Variety Film + TV
Special Mention: Battle Royale
Written and directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Japan, 2000
The concept of The Hunger Games owes much to Koushun Takami’s cult novel Battle Royale, adapted for the cinema in 2000 by Kinji Fukasaku. The film is set in a dystopian alternate-universe, in Japan, with the nation utterly collapsed, leaving 15 percent unemployed and 800,000 students boycotting school. The government passes something called the Millennium Educational Reform Act, which apparently provides for a class of ninth-graders to be chosen each year and pitted against one another on a remote island for 3 days. Each student is given a bag with a randomly selected weapon and a few rations of food and water, and sent off to kill each other in a no-holds-barred fight to the death. With 48 contestants, only one will go home alive. Yes, this has been often cited as the original Hunger Games; whether or not Suzanne Collins borrowed heavily...
Written and directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Japan, 2000
The concept of The Hunger Games owes much to Koushun Takami’s cult novel Battle Royale, adapted for the cinema in 2000 by Kinji Fukasaku. The film is set in a dystopian alternate-universe, in Japan, with the nation utterly collapsed, leaving 15 percent unemployed and 800,000 students boycotting school. The government passes something called the Millennium Educational Reform Act, which apparently provides for a class of ninth-graders to be chosen each year and pitted against one another on a remote island for 3 days. Each student is given a bag with a randomly selected weapon and a few rations of food and water, and sent off to kill each other in a no-holds-barred fight to the death. With 48 contestants, only one will go home alive. Yes, this has been often cited as the original Hunger Games; whether or not Suzanne Collins borrowed heavily...
- 10/10/2015
- by Ricky Fernandes
- SoundOnSight
Years before The Hunger Games, Rollerball introduced its own form of televised combat. Ryan compares their dystopian futures...
When first the Hunger Games adaptation arrived in cinemes two years ago, it reignited old comparisons between Suzanne Collins’ source novel and the Japanese film Battle Royale (itself adapted from a book, that one by Koushun Takami).
It’s arguable, however, that the Hunger Games series, which has just reached its penultimate instalment with the recently-released Mockingjay - Part 1, has just as much in common with a dystopian movie released in 1975: director Norman Jewison’s Rollerball, based on screenwriter William Harrison's own short story, Roller Ball Murder.
Like The Hunger Games, Rollerball is set in a dystopian future where the bloodlust and revolutionary tendencies of the populace are held in check by a violent televised sport. A cross between a roller derby and gladiatorial combat, Rollerball sees its rival teams clash on a circular arena.
When first the Hunger Games adaptation arrived in cinemes two years ago, it reignited old comparisons between Suzanne Collins’ source novel and the Japanese film Battle Royale (itself adapted from a book, that one by Koushun Takami).
It’s arguable, however, that the Hunger Games series, which has just reached its penultimate instalment with the recently-released Mockingjay - Part 1, has just as much in common with a dystopian movie released in 1975: director Norman Jewison’s Rollerball, based on screenwriter William Harrison's own short story, Roller Ball Murder.
Like The Hunger Games, Rollerball is set in a dystopian future where the bloodlust and revolutionary tendencies of the populace are held in check by a violent televised sport. A cross between a roller derby and gladiatorial combat, Rollerball sees its rival teams clash on a circular arena.
- 11/28/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
We know there are a lot of Battle Royale fans who frequent this site so when word came of a one-shot manga from Viz Media heading our way written by Koushun Takami, author of the original novel, of course we had to share!
From the Press Release:
Viz Media, LLC (Viz Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has announced the release on June 17th of Battle Royale: Angels’ Border, a new one-shot manga (graphic novel) written by Koushun Takami, author of the original Battle Royale novel.
Battle Royale: Angels’ Border debuts in print from the Viz Signature imprint, is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, and will carry an Msrp of $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 Can. The new single-volume release reveals for the first time in graphic novel form the full story and grisly demise of the girls in the lighthouse that was so...
From the Press Release:
Viz Media, LLC (Viz Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has announced the release on June 17th of Battle Royale: Angels’ Border, a new one-shot manga (graphic novel) written by Koushun Takami, author of the original Battle Royale novel.
Battle Royale: Angels’ Border debuts in print from the Viz Signature imprint, is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, and will carry an Msrp of $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 Can. The new single-volume release reveals for the first time in graphic novel form the full story and grisly demise of the girls in the lighthouse that was so...
- 5/22/2014
- by Debi Moore
- DreadCentral.com
[Press Release] San Francisco, CA, May 21, 2014 – Viz Media, LLC (Viz Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has announced the release on June 17th of Battle Royale: Angels’ Border, a new one-shot manga (graphic novel) written by Koushun Takami, author of the original Battle Royale novel. Battle Royale: Angels’ Border debuts in print from the Viz Signature imprint, is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, and will carry an Msrp of $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 Can. The new single-volume release reveals for the first time in graphic novel form the full story and grisly demise of the girls in the lighthouse that was so memorably featured in the original Battle Royale book and live-action film. Battle Royale: Angels’ Border features artwork by Mioko Ohnishi and...
- 5/22/2014
- by Pietro Filipponi
- The Daily BLAM!
Odd List Ryan Lambie Simon Brew 28 Nov 2013 - 06:04
Our series of lists devoted to underappreciated films brings us to the year 2000, and another 25 overlooked gems...
The new millennium brought with it an eclectic range of hit films. Hong Kong action director John Woo brought us Mission: Impossible II, the most profitable film of the year at the box office. Ridley Scott enjoyed one of the biggest critical and financial successes of his career with Gladiator, while Robert Zemeckis created a memorable drama with Tom Hanks and a ball named Wilson in Cast Away.
From a comic book movie standpoint, 2000 was also a key year. X-Men not only established a successful film franchise which is still going, with X-Men: Days Of Future Past out next year, but also headed up a wave of big-budget Marvel adaptations which shows no sign of slowing down.
As ever, we've travelled far outside the...
Our series of lists devoted to underappreciated films brings us to the year 2000, and another 25 overlooked gems...
The new millennium brought with it an eclectic range of hit films. Hong Kong action director John Woo brought us Mission: Impossible II, the most profitable film of the year at the box office. Ridley Scott enjoyed one of the biggest critical and financial successes of his career with Gladiator, while Robert Zemeckis created a memorable drama with Tom Hanks and a ball named Wilson in Cast Away.
From a comic book movie standpoint, 2000 was also a key year. X-Men not only established a successful film franchise which is still going, with X-Men: Days Of Future Past out next year, but also headed up a wave of big-budget Marvel adaptations which shows no sign of slowing down.
As ever, we've travelled far outside the...
- 11/27/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games book series has often been compared with Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight novels, primarily because both center on a young female protagonist and have become phenomenons for their shared young-adult demo. This is arguably an insult to the novel and the big-screen adaptations, since The Hunger Games is leagues above Twilight in artistic credibility. The sense of familiarity of The Hunger Games goes much further back, recalling everything from William Golding to Phillip K. Dick to even Stephen King. Here are 12 films that come highly recommended, and should be essential viewing for any fan of the Hunger Games franchise.
****
1. Battle Royale
Written and directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Japan, 2000
The concept of The Hunger Games owes much to Koushun Takami’s cult novel Battle Royale, adapted for the cinema in 2000 by Kinji Fukasaku. The film is set in a dystopian alternate-universe, in Japan, with the nation utterly collapsed,...
****
1. Battle Royale
Written and directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Japan, 2000
The concept of The Hunger Games owes much to Koushun Takami’s cult novel Battle Royale, adapted for the cinema in 2000 by Kinji Fukasaku. The film is set in a dystopian alternate-universe, in Japan, with the nation utterly collapsed,...
- 11/17/2013
- by Ricky da Conceição
- SoundOnSight
Many film websites published “decade’s best horror films” lists in late 2009/early 2010. While these lists collectively provided a rough snapshot of the genre’s ups and downs during that time, with more time to reflect, it becomes increasingly clear what an important period the 2000’s were for the horror genre on a global scale.
Not only did this decade easily and obviously eclipse the comparatively arid 1990’s in both volume of production and overall quality, the 2000’s can also be looked at as a crucial one for horror cinema despite the justified outrage about the American film industry’s widespread strip-mining of classics and foreign films for remakes/re-boots and its saturation of the market with teen-friendly PG-13 rated horror films.
While by no means as groundbreaking as the 1970’s or as sentimentally regarded as the 1980’s, the 2000’s will be recalled as the decade that, despite well-founded criticisms...
Not only did this decade easily and obviously eclipse the comparatively arid 1990’s in both volume of production and overall quality, the 2000’s can also be looked at as a crucial one for horror cinema despite the justified outrage about the American film industry’s widespread strip-mining of classics and foreign films for remakes/re-boots and its saturation of the market with teen-friendly PG-13 rated horror films.
While by no means as groundbreaking as the 1970’s or as sentimentally regarded as the 1980’s, the 2000’s will be recalled as the decade that, despite well-founded criticisms...
- 11/4/2012
- by Terek Puckett
- SoundOnSight
The prior four articles of the good and ugly in comedy horror, all of it was in the run down to this final part. We’ve looked at Frank Henenlotter, Joe Dante, and an unfathomable number of pratfalls, puns, sarcastic one liners and gore, gore, gore. If you’re favourite comedy horror hasn’t appeared, tell us what it is in the comments section below. Maybe a variation on this article will appear in 12 months with some of those omissions included.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Now to the meat of the matter, what are the greatest films that combine both comedy and horror?
Wallace & Gromit And The Curse Of The Were-rabbit
Wallace & Gromit made their debut feature length with one of best horror homages in many a year. Maybe that’s a biased viewpoint as a Brit, Wallace and his pet dog can do no wrong on these shores.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Now to the meat of the matter, what are the greatest films that combine both comedy and horror?
Wallace & Gromit And The Curse Of The Were-rabbit
Wallace & Gromit made their debut feature length with one of best horror homages in many a year. Maybe that’s a biased viewpoint as a Brit, Wallace and his pet dog can do no wrong on these shores.
- 10/31/2012
- by Rob Simpson
- SoundOnSight
CW President Mark Pedowitz responded to the buzz surrounding the announcement that the CW was looking to adapt the Japanese film Battle Royale. Battle Royale, of course, is an iconic Japanese film about kids killing kids in a dystopian future (much like Hunger Games) based on a novel by Koushun Takami.
Pedowitz: “At this point in time, it’s only in development, and we’re not even ‘in development.’ All that existed was a phone call. And we’re not planning to do anything that we cannot get on the air. So the answer to that question is, no, we’re not going to go in that direction. We’re going to wait to see what happens and how things develop.”
Turns out Pedowitz is looking for a show with a Game Of Thrones and Hunger Games vibe, and while both of those things rule, they don’t entirely jive...
Pedowitz: “At this point in time, it’s only in development, and we’re not even ‘in development.’ All that existed was a phone call. And we’re not planning to do anything that we cannot get on the air. So the answer to that question is, no, we’re not going to go in that direction. We’re going to wait to see what happens and how things develop.”
Turns out Pedowitz is looking for a show with a Game Of Thrones and Hunger Games vibe, and while both of those things rule, they don’t entirely jive...
- 8/2/2012
- by Andy Greene
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Battle Royale and The CW. Doesn't quite jive like, say, peanut butter and chocolate (pardon my uninspired analogy), alas, that pairing may very well happen.
To bring you up to speed, the network has been in discussions with the U.S. rights holders of the property with the intent to turn it into an American television series. Of course, a number of factors need to occur for that to happen, including the blessing of Battle Royale author Koushun Takami. The mere mention of "discussions" alone, however, sent genre/cult fans into a tizzy last week.
Now, Mark Pedowitz is weighing in the series rumblings. The CW prez was on a TCA (Television Critics Association) panel recently and the press was able to grill him on the latest developments.
Read more...
To bring you up to speed, the network has been in discussions with the U.S. rights holders of the property with the intent to turn it into an American television series. Of course, a number of factors need to occur for that to happen, including the blessing of Battle Royale author Koushun Takami. The mere mention of "discussions" alone, however, sent genre/cult fans into a tizzy last week.
Now, Mark Pedowitz is weighing in the series rumblings. The CW prez was on a TCA (Television Critics Association) panel recently and the press was able to grill him on the latest developments.
Read more...
- 7/31/2012
- shocktillyoudrop.com
As previously reported, The CW has been in discussion with the U.S. rights holders of the Battle Royale property with the intent to turn it into an American television series. Of course, a number of factors need to occur for that to happen, including the blessing of "Battle Royale" author Koushun Takami. However, the mere mention of "discussions" alone sent genre/cult fans into a tizzy last week. Now, Mark Pedowitz is weighing in the series rumblings. The CW president was on a TCA (Television Critics Association) panel recently and the press was able to grill him on the latest developments. HitFix.com addressed the obvious - is today's environment right for a show about kids killing kids? Pedowitz replied: "At this point in time, it.s only in...
- 7/31/2012
- Comingsoon.net
The CW president Mark Pedowitz has defended plans to make a Battle Royale TV show. Koushun Takami's 1999 novel Battle Royale - made into a 2000 film by Kinji Fukasaku - follows a group of schoolchildren who are pitted against each other in a fight to the death. "We'd love to do it," Pedowitz told reporters at the TCA press tour. "Hopefully, we'll be able to make a deal with the producers, and we'll see where it goes." The network head insisted that a Battle Royale television series is viable for the teen-oriented CW, despite the original book's violent (more)...
- 7/31/2012
- by By Morgan Jeffery
- Digital Spy
A CW series based on the ultra-violent Japanese novel "Battle Royale"? Not so fast, says network president Mark Pedowitz. "It’s amazing what happens when you have just a phone call and a discussion," said Pedowitz during his executive session at today's TCAs, in reference to an La Times report last week that claimed the network was in talks to acquire the property. "We’d love to do it. Hopefully, we’ll be able to make a deal with the producers, and we’ll see where it goes. But at this point in time, it’s just a discussion for development." Written by Koushun Takami and...
- 7/30/2012
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
The CW’s entertainment president loves the idea of doing a Battle Royale TV show.
But isn’t a faithful adaptation of the brutal novel sort of impossible for a broadcast network?
“We’d love to do it,” CW chief Mark Pedowitz told reporters at the TCA press tour in Beverly Hills. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to make a deal with the producers, and we’ll see where it goes.”
Pedowitz emphasized that at this point there’s only been “a phone call” looking into the Japanese cult hit novel’s rights.
For those who are unfamiliar with Koushun Takami’s bestseller,...
But isn’t a faithful adaptation of the brutal novel sort of impossible for a broadcast network?
“We’d love to do it,” CW chief Mark Pedowitz told reporters at the TCA press tour in Beverly Hills. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to make a deal with the producers, and we’ll see where it goes.”
Pedowitz emphasized that at this point there’s only been “a phone call” looking into the Japanese cult hit novel’s rights.
For those who are unfamiliar with Koushun Takami’s bestseller,...
- 7/30/2012
- by James Hibberd
- EW - Inside TV
Many have pointed out how similar Suzanne Collins’ book series The Hunger Games and subsequent movie adaptation was to a 2000 Japanese film Battle Royale (and the Koushun Takami book upon which it was based). Battle Royale chronicled a bunch of teenagers fighting to the death in a totalitarian state. Sound familiar, don’t it? Well, prepare yourself for a lot more chatter about their similarities.
The success of the movie has killed any chance of an American film remake, but CW is revitalizing the project in TV form, according to the La Times. There is no deal in place, but CW hopes to add Battle Royale to their mix, and it may hinge on Takami’s approval. We’ll give you updates when we find out what happens with this one. With so many other survival and dystopian shows and movies on the docket right now, this is hardly surprising,...
The success of the movie has killed any chance of an American film remake, but CW is revitalizing the project in TV form, according to the La Times. There is no deal in place, but CW hopes to add Battle Royale to their mix, and it may hinge on Takami’s approval. We’ll give you updates when we find out what happens with this one. With so many other survival and dystopian shows and movies on the docket right now, this is hardly surprising,...
- 7/28/2012
- by Andy Greene
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Battle Royale is based on Koushun Takami's 1999 novel, it was adapted into a film. It was also turned into a manga series. The story, children are gassed and then awaken on an island. The 42 children are given food, water, and a random weapon, and told that must kill their classmates until only one survives. They have a time limit, and wear collars that prevent them from escaping. If they try to escape their collars will explode. The La Times reports: In the last few weeks, the CW has had talks with the project's Hollywood representatives about the possibility of turning the property into an English-language show, said a person with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to speak about it publicly. The talks were preliminary, but if a deal could be reached, the network would acquire rights to Koushun Takami’s underlying novel, then unpack and expand...
- 7/27/2012
- ComicBookMovie.com
The Los Angeles Times was reportedly approached by an anonymous source, who spilled some major beanage about a possible TV remake of 2000’s instant classic Battle Royale. The CW network is reportedly in talks with the property’s owners in an attempt to secure the TV rights to the Japanese cult classic.
A Us remake of the modern classic was supposedly in the works not so long back and was being pushed by producers Neal Moritz and Roy Lee but the project was recently stalled, probably because of its similarities with The Hunger Games. The L.A Times piece indicates that the CW’s meeting with the copyright holders are still in the preliminary stages and no deal is as yet in place. Reportedly, the writer of the original Battle Royale novel, Koushun Takami is still yet to have a say on the matter.
For a while it was uncertain...
A Us remake of the modern classic was supposedly in the works not so long back and was being pushed by producers Neal Moritz and Roy Lee but the project was recently stalled, probably because of its similarities with The Hunger Games. The L.A Times piece indicates that the CW’s meeting with the copyright holders are still in the preliminary stages and no deal is as yet in place. Reportedly, the writer of the original Battle Royale novel, Koushun Takami is still yet to have a say on the matter.
For a while it was uncertain...
- 7/27/2012
- by Stuart W. Bedford
- Obsessed with Film
Kids killing kids doesn’t exactly scream ‘prime time hit.’
Or, at least, it didn’t before the crazy success of The Hunger Games (final domestic box office: over 405 million dollars). Now fights to the death seem as profitable as shows about vampires. The CW is reportedly developing a show based on the cult Japanese movie Battle Royale. EW has confirmed that The CW has “inquired about the rights.”
For the uninitiated, Battle Royale is a 2000 film about a group of Japanese school children. The group is rounded up and moved to an island where, much like The Hunger Games,...
Or, at least, it didn’t before the crazy success of The Hunger Games (final domestic box office: over 405 million dollars). Now fights to the death seem as profitable as shows about vampires. The CW is reportedly developing a show based on the cult Japanese movie Battle Royale. EW has confirmed that The CW has “inquired about the rights.”
For the uninitiated, Battle Royale is a 2000 film about a group of Japanese school children. The group is rounded up and moved to an island where, much like The Hunger Games,...
- 7/27/2012
- by Erin Strecker
- EW - Inside TV
1.) We begin today with a pretty amazing photo Darren Aronofsky tweeted from the set of Noah. [Darren Aronofsky] 2.) Terrence Howard and Dawn Olivieri ("House of Lies") are in talks to become the latest stars to board Breacher (formerly known as Ten) for director David Ayer (Street Kings, the upcoming End of Watch). Sam Worthington and Arnold Schwarzenegger are already attached to the action thriller. The script by Swordfish scribe Skip Woods follows 10 DEA agents get picked off one by one after pulling off a heist. Howard and Olivieri would play two of the team members who are engaged in an affair and have a plan to keep all the money to themselves. [Heat Vision] 3.) Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don't Cry) is attached to direct a remake of the 2000 French thriller With a Friend Like Harry. The original tells of a family man joined on vacation by an old schoolmate named Harry, who he doesn't remember.
- 7/27/2012
- by Kevin Blumeyer
- Rope of Silicon
"Battle Royale" might finally get its American remake, though not in the form we have expected.
According to the Los Angeles Times, teen-centric television station The CW is looking to turn the story from Koushun Takami's novel-turned-cult Japanese movie into an hour-long drama TV series. "Battle Royale" tells the story of a group of ninth grade Japanese students who are kidnapped and forced to fight to the death on a remote island under the Battle Royale Act.
If that sounds like a familiar concept, it's because it is. Though Takami's novel came out in 1999 and the film came out a year later, this "making children fight to the death" story became popularized in the States thanks to Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games." This sort of dystopian future has seen a surge in popularity ever since, and it's likely that The CW wants to give their own spin on...
According to the Los Angeles Times, teen-centric television station The CW is looking to turn the story from Koushun Takami's novel-turned-cult Japanese movie into an hour-long drama TV series. "Battle Royale" tells the story of a group of ninth grade Japanese students who are kidnapped and forced to fight to the death on a remote island under the Battle Royale Act.
If that sounds like a familiar concept, it's because it is. Though Takami's novel came out in 1999 and the film came out a year later, this "making children fight to the death" story became popularized in the States thanks to Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games." This sort of dystopian future has seen a surge in popularity ever since, and it's likely that The CW wants to give their own spin on...
- 7/27/2012
- by Terri Schwartz
- MTV Movies Blog
Hollywood has been trying to do an Americanized remake of Japan's hit film Battle Royale for years! The movie is basically a much more violent and hardcore version of The Hunger Games, only it was made long before The Hunger Games existed. The film follows a group of teenagers that live in a totalitarian state and have to fight for survival in a government-imposed competition. Producers Neal Moritz (The Fast and the Furious) and Roy Lee (the upcoming Lego movie) have been trying to get it made for about six years.
Now it looks like Battle Royale could end up being a TV series on The CW, which doesn't spark much confidence. A series like this belongs on HBO or Starz. Maybe AMC could pull it off, but not The CW. It makes no sense to me that Battle Royale could end up being developed there. According to the La Times,...
Now it looks like Battle Royale could end up being a TV series on The CW, which doesn't spark much confidence. A series like this belongs on HBO or Starz. Maybe AMC could pull it off, but not The CW. It makes no sense to me that Battle Royale could end up being developed there. According to the La Times,...
- 7/27/2012
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
It's got teen drama and it's got action, so on some theoretical level Kinji Fukasaku's hyperviolent dystopic 2000 drama about a middle school class sent to an island to fight to the death has the elements of a solid television series. But it's still a little mind-boggling to read from Steven Zeitchik in the La Times that "Battle Royale" is being looked at as a possible adaptation for the CW network: In the last few weeks, the CW has had talks with the project's Hollywood representatives about the possibility of turning the property into an English-language show, said a person with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to speak about it publicly. The talks were preliminary, but if a deal could be reached, the network would acquire rights to Koushun Takami’s underlying novel, then unpack and expand on it for an hourlong dramatic series. Asked about the CW talks,...
- 7/27/2012
- by Alison Willmore
- Indiewire
Young-skewing TV network The CW has reportedly been in preliminary talks about the possibility of remaking the cult 2000 Japanese hit "Battle Royale" as an English-language TV series says The Los Angeles Times.
Should a deal be reached, the network would acquire rights to Koushun Takami’s novel and then expand on it for an hour-long dramatic series. One issue is the approval of Takami which legally must be secured before any remake moves forward.
Recent smash hit novel and film series "The Hunger Games" has drawn parallels to the original 'Royale' which is also set in a totalitarian state where a class of 42 ninth-grade students are forced to kill each other until only one is left in a battle for survival.
The CW was already developing another young adult dystopian series with a similar premise entitled "The Selection", a project that went to a pilot but was not picked up.
Should a deal be reached, the network would acquire rights to Koushun Takami’s novel and then expand on it for an hour-long dramatic series. One issue is the approval of Takami which legally must be secured before any remake moves forward.
Recent smash hit novel and film series "The Hunger Games" has drawn parallels to the original 'Royale' which is also set in a totalitarian state where a class of 42 ninth-grade students are forced to kill each other until only one is left in a battle for survival.
The CW was already developing another young adult dystopian series with a similar premise entitled "The Selection", a project that went to a pilot but was not picked up.
- 7/27/2012
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
The Los Angeles Times was tipped off by a source who informed the paper that The CW is having discussions with the Hollywood rights holders of Battle Royale to potentially turn the property into a television series. The cult classic that - for quite some time - was considered as something that was never going to be released on U.S. soil. Then, Anchor Bay released an awesome DVD/Blu-ray collection earlier this year - just in time for the debut of The Hunger Games , too (which you could arguably say was inspired by Koushun Takami's novel and the screen adaptation that followed). A U.S. remake was being kicked around by Neal Moritz and Roy Lee, but the project stalled. The L.A. Times ' piece says The CW's talks are preliminary and there is no deal in place. Apparently,...
- 7/27/2012
- Comingsoon.net
There's no denying that "The Hunger Games" is extremely similar to "Battle Royale," no matter how much "Hunger Games" author Suzanne Collins claims she's never heard of the Japanese novel/film. At one point "Battle Royale" was going to get a Us remake, but the plan has since changed. La Times has learned that the CW has been in negotiations to turn the property into an hour-long TV series. The only thing keeping the deal from coming together is author Koushun Takami's approval. Released back in 2000, "Battle Royale" revolves around a group of teenagers who are forced to fight for survival in a government-imposed competition. A sequel followed in 2003.
- 7/27/2012
- WorstPreviews.com
Have any of the executives who talk about Battle Royale actually seen Kinji Fukasaku's Battle Royale or read the original novel by Koushun Takami? Or have their assistants just described it to them? The latest bit of news makes me wonder. According to Los Angeles Times, the CW television network -- the fifth network in the U.S., home of The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, and Gossip Girl -- has had preliminary "talks with the project's Hollywood representatives about the possibility of turning the property into an English-language show." Rather than remake the movie, they would acquire rights to the novel and work from there. Takami can say no, which would quash any potential deal. Evidently, the network already has one "teen-centered post-apocalyptic" show in development,...
- 7/27/2012
- Screen Anarchy
There have always been murmurs of a possible American remake of Kinji Fukasaku’s masterpiece Battle Royale, which is based on the novel by Koushun Takami, but luckily it has never materialized. Thanks in part goes to the recent adaptation of Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games, which is a ripoff of the same basic story. However, there is now a possibility for the remake’s resurrection on another medium.
The Playlist is now reporting that talks have begun between the television network CW and the people behind the supposed American remake to bring the story to the small screen.
In case you’re not familiar with the story of Battle Royale, it takes place in the not too distant future of Japan where the economy has collapsed and students have started boycotting school. In order to deal with the latter problem, a random lottery takes place that chooses a middle school class,...
The Playlist is now reporting that talks have begun between the television network CW and the people behind the supposed American remake to bring the story to the small screen.
In case you’re not familiar with the story of Battle Royale, it takes place in the not too distant future of Japan where the economy has collapsed and students have started boycotting school. In order to deal with the latter problem, a random lottery takes place that chooses a middle school class,...
- 7/27/2012
- by Jeff Beck
- We Got This Covered
When The Hunger Games was released, there were plenty of people comparing it to Battle Royale, which was originally release in 2000. Looking to capitalize on the success of The Hunger Games, it is being reported that the CW is interested in developing a Battle Royale TV series.
This was first reported by the La Times, who claims that the CW is currently talking to the property’s Hollywood representatives about purchasing the rights. The one hurdle that may hold up a deal is that it requires the approval of Koushun Takami, who wrote the novel the film is based on.
Sadly, it seems unlikely that the series will be developed for fans of the original film, but for a young audience that sees it as a TV version of The Hunger Games. With the series being on the CW, it would be impossible to include the same level of violence...
This was first reported by the La Times, who claims that the CW is currently talking to the property’s Hollywood representatives about purchasing the rights. The one hurdle that may hold up a deal is that it requires the approval of Koushun Takami, who wrote the novel the film is based on.
Sadly, it seems unlikely that the series will be developed for fans of the original film, but for a young audience that sees it as a TV version of The Hunger Games. With the series being on the CW, it would be impossible to include the same level of violence...
- 7/27/2012
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Back when it hit these shores in 2001, Battle Royale caused a storm. The Us had to wait a few more years to see it (outside of festivals and shipped-in DVDs, that is) but interest in the movie has been strong among Us studios and executives since long before it actually hit cinemas, with talks of a remake circling every few years. The Hunger Games may effectively have blown the head off that idea, but TV network The CW thinks it might be able to make Battle Royale work on the small screen.According to the La Times, the channel’s chiefs have been having early talks with the Us representatives of the movie and the source novel, written by Koushun Takami.No deals have been made, but if the CW does go ahead with developing the series, it would end up stretching the story of school children sent to an...
- 7/27/2012
- EmpireOnline
Sometimes news comes our way that immediately starts making our heads hurt. This is one of those times. An American remake of the classic Japanese film Battle Royale is something that's been talked about a lot. Now with the success of The Hunger Games...
The La Times reports that The CW has had talks with the project's Hollywood representatives about the possibility of turning the property into an English-language show, said a person with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to speak about it publicly. The talks were preliminary, but if a deal could be reached, the network would acquire rights to Koushun Takami’s underlying novel, then unpack and expand on it for an hour-long dramatic series.
In the original film the economy has collapsed, unemployment has soared, and juvenile crime has exploded. Fearful of their nation’s youth, the Japanese government passes The Br Law: Each...
The La Times reports that The CW has had talks with the project's Hollywood representatives about the possibility of turning the property into an English-language show, said a person with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to speak about it publicly. The talks were preliminary, but if a deal could be reached, the network would acquire rights to Koushun Takami’s underlying novel, then unpack and expand on it for an hour-long dramatic series.
In the original film the economy has collapsed, unemployment has soared, and juvenile crime has exploded. Fearful of their nation’s youth, the Japanese government passes The Br Law: Each...
- 7/27/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Barf-o-rama. Okay, a childish reaction to this item, but c'mon... The Los Angeles Times was tipped off by a source who informed the paper that the CW is having discussions with the Hollywood rights holders of Battle Royale to potentially turn the property into a television series.
Yes, Battle Royale.
The cult classic that - for quite some time - was considered as something that was never going to be released on U.S. soil. Then, Anchor Bay released an awesome DVD/Blu-ray collection earlier this year - just in time for the debut of The Hunger Games, too (which you could arguably say was inspired by Koushun Takami's novel and the screen adaptation that followed).
A U.S. remake was being kicked around by Neal Moritz and Roy Lee, but the project stalled.
Read more...
Yes, Battle Royale.
The cult classic that - for quite some time - was considered as something that was never going to be released on U.S. soil. Then, Anchor Bay released an awesome DVD/Blu-ray collection earlier this year - just in time for the debut of The Hunger Games, too (which you could arguably say was inspired by Koushun Takami's novel and the screen adaptation that followed).
A U.S. remake was being kicked around by Neal Moritz and Roy Lee, but the project stalled.
Read more...
- 7/27/2012
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Here comes the hate. When The Hunger Games was released, there were several comparisons to another novel from Japanese author, Koushun Takami called Battle Royale. If that was a controversy that got your attention, you may not be too happy if The CW decides to pick it up for their line-up. That's right. The CW, formerly known as The WB is looking to bring Battle Royale to the small screen. A popular film adaptation came out in 2000. It's taken a bit, but the material has gained a cult...
- 7/26/2012
- by Niki Stephens
- JoBlo.com
Although I’ve been recently reminded of the fact repeatedly, it always shocks me anew to hear that Battle Royale, Kinji Fukasaku’s stunning, blood-soaked film adaptation of the novel by Koushun Takami, has never officially had U.S. distribution. After a spate of festival bookings, a 3D release of the film in honor of its 10-year anniversary, and a DVD and Blu-ray release from Anchor Bay, Battle Royale, original flavor, is starting to see theatrical premieres in the U.S., like the one at the Cinefamily Theater in Los Angeles in December 2011, and the New York premiere starting at the IFC Center today, a mere 12 years after the film was made. Luckily Fukasaku and his epic satire’s themes of love, war, and rebelling against authority have aged well.
I first saw the film just over 10 years ago, when I helped bring it to my college as a member...
I first saw the film just over 10 years ago, when I helped bring it to my college as a member...
- 5/25/2012
- by Farihah Zaman
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
DVD Playhouse—April 2012
By Allen Gardner
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (Warner Bros.) An eleven year-old boy (newcomer Thomas Horn, in an incredible debut) discovers a mysterious key amongst the possessions of his late father (Tom Hanks) who perished in 9/11. Determined to find the lock it matches, the boy embarks on a Picaresque odyssey across New York City. Director Stephen Daldry and screenwriter Eric Roth have fashioned a film both grand and intimate, beautifully-adapted from Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel, thought by most who read it to be unfilmable. Fine support from Jeffrey Wright, Sandra Bullock, John Goodman, Viola Davis and the great Max von Sydow. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-hd 5.1 surround.
Battle Royale: The Complete Collection (Anchor Bay) Adapted from Koushun Takami’s polarizing novel (compared by champions and detractors alike as a 21st century version of A Clockwork Orange) and set in a futuristic Japan,...
By Allen Gardner
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (Warner Bros.) An eleven year-old boy (newcomer Thomas Horn, in an incredible debut) discovers a mysterious key amongst the possessions of his late father (Tom Hanks) who perished in 9/11. Determined to find the lock it matches, the boy embarks on a Picaresque odyssey across New York City. Director Stephen Daldry and screenwriter Eric Roth have fashioned a film both grand and intimate, beautifully-adapted from Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel, thought by most who read it to be unfilmable. Fine support from Jeffrey Wright, Sandra Bullock, John Goodman, Viola Davis and the great Max von Sydow. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-hd 5.1 surround.
Battle Royale: The Complete Collection (Anchor Bay) Adapted from Koushun Takami’s polarizing novel (compared by champions and detractors alike as a 21st century version of A Clockwork Orange) and set in a futuristic Japan,...
- 4/13/2012
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
A future world in which youthful rebellion has descended into violent anarchy, leading to social meltdown. Under new laws designed to deter wayward youth, a class of high school students is chosen at random and dumped on an uninhabited island where they’re forced to kill each other until only one remains. Death lurks around every corner for these hapless teens, as old allegiances are tested to breaking point and former friends are torn apart by long-standing jealousies and resentments, leading to outbreaks of hideous bloodshed. Sound familiar? Forget Hunger Games, the real teen kill Olympics is the 2000 Japanese film Battle Royale. Based on a novel by Koushun Takami and directed at the age of 70 by veteran director Kinji Fukasaku (Message From Space, Green Slime), Battle Royale is one of those films so controversial that its reputation has surpassed its content. Probably because the Columbine massacre had just taken place,...
- 4/11/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games series has often been compared with Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight novels primarily because both centre on a young female protagonist and somehow both became phenomenons for their shared young-adult demo. Personally, I think this is both an insult to the novel and the latest big screen adaptation, since The Hunger Games is leagues above Twilight in artistic credibility. The sense of familiarity of The Hunger Games in fact goes much further back, recalling everything from William Golding to Phillip K. Dick and even Stephen King. Here are several films which may or may not have inspired Gary Ross’s big screen adaptation – eleven films which come highly recommended and should be essential viewing for any fan of the soon-to-be billion dollar franchise.
1- Battle Royale
Directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Written by Kinji Fukasaku
2000, Japan
The concept of The Hunger Games owes much to Japanese author...
1- Battle Royale
Directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Written by Kinji Fukasaku
2000, Japan
The concept of The Hunger Games owes much to Japanese author...
- 3/26/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
As this weekend’s early box-office receipts start to pour in, it’s quickly becoming clear that The Hunger Games is about to be a huge hit. And I have no reason to doubt that hardcore fans of Suzanne Collins’ bestsellers will get their minds blown by all the teen-on-teen mayhem and melodrama. Still, I can’t help thinking how much more pumped I would be to see the film if it was rated R instead of PG-13. I mean, how do you even make a PG-13 movie that stays true to the novel’s bloody bodycount plot?! I guess...
- 3/23/2012
- by Chris Nashawaty
- EW.com - PopWatch
Lionsgate A scene from “The Hunger Games.”
Hey, did you know that Suzanne Collins’s apocal-epic Ya trilogy “The Hunger Games” is set to hit the big screen this weekend? Not a surprise? Maybe it’s because, you know, it’s all anyone’s been talking about for pretty much forever.
What’s ironic — and by ironic, we mean “Alanis Morisettian irony,” e.g., not actually ironic — is how saturated the conversation around “Hunger Games” is with the language of one-on-one,...
Hey, did you know that Suzanne Collins’s apocal-epic Ya trilogy “The Hunger Games” is set to hit the big screen this weekend? Not a surprise? Maybe it’s because, you know, it’s all anyone’s been talking about for pretty much forever.
What’s ironic — and by ironic, we mean “Alanis Morisettian irony,” e.g., not actually ironic — is how saturated the conversation around “Hunger Games” is with the language of one-on-one,...
- 3/23/2012
- by Jeff Yang
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
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