Takeshi Kitano Collection (1989-1993) (3 x

This is just a small review of the blurays as the films speak for themselves!The transfers are generally very good indeed, comparing to the prior blurays released in Japan and France, they appear somewhat darker. I assume they are the same native 2k scans performed by Kitano's office. Violent Cop always seemed to come off worse in most recent editions but here it just shines and almost looks like a modern film. Skin tones and colour levels are great. It is the sound which is truly exceptional though, even the detail of traffic noise is palpable. Immersive listening! Just wait to hear that insane crackle when Murakawa finishes off all the henchmen inside the blackened-out office at the finale of Sonatine with the machine gun. So great to finally get all three together in HD, a long time coming for the UK but well worth the wait.(I still think Violent Cop is probably Kitano's best film - the epitome of pithy witty violent gangster film, which he stepped into when Fukasaku grew tired of trying to manage Kitano's TV schedule around the film).All three films have commentaries. 44 page booklet with writing by Mes, Sharp and Schilling. (If you want a really good book on Kitano I think the one written by Casio Abe is the best)BFI really took care with these three films and all three demonstrate just what a naturally gifted genius filmmaker Kitano was and is. If you know the films you won't need to be persuaded to buy but if you are new to Kitano, his first three films offer a true fire-cracker of a trilogy with blistering images, flowering blood and outstanding music and sound design. Although filled with humour and pathos, they represent nothing less than the 'modern disease of absurdity'. They are like the combination of a catastrophe and a miracle unfolding at the same time, Kitano's will to life and death drive trying to pip each other to the post!

Worth it just for the incredible upgrade to VIOLENT COP compared to previous DVD releases (which were appalling), but the much improved BOILING POINT and SONATINE are also good to have! Revisiting BOILING POINT made me appreciate what a pivotal film it was and how influential on Takashi Miike and Japanese cinema in general.Special mention to the person that translated the subtitles, which are exemplary.

Stunning films, great collection

Bought this to try out with Takeshi's films, they're all stunning films, there's some noise grain on some of the picture now and again but other than that they look great on a 4K telly

Old tokyo bullet dvds were inside the case rather than the bfi blu rays