A Bride for Rip Van Winkle (Shunji Iwai, 2016)

[Zen_Amako]

Has anyone ordered or watched this?



I'm a fan of some of Iwai's work, like Love Letter, April Story, and Swallowtail, so I'm looking forward to seeing this. The Blu-ray is English-friendly.

There is also a 4 1/2 hour version being released. I think I'm probably good with the three hour director's cut version, but we'll see.

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHNS75txtKs

I read that it will be coming to the U.S. soon.

[manicsounds]

Watched the 3 hour version theatrically. I will get around to watching the 4-hour version probably this week.

As emotionally draining as it is, there are a lot of funny moments here and there.
In Japan the Blu-ray set includes both 3 and 4 hour versions.
In Hong Kong, they are being released separately.

[PGW]

Dammit. I have the 3 hour version on the way (should be here Monday) - when I ordered it, the 4 hour version was only available in Japan w/o English subs. Now I see an English friendly HK version is available. Has anyone seen this? Someone tell me it's worth it.

[Dan8700]

The 3h version is fine, but several scenes can be certainly expanded without hurting the quality of the movie, actually quite the opposite - here and there it felt like there were a few holes both in the editing and the screenplay. It's that kind of movie which could last for 10 hours. In all likelihood, the 4h version is better. I'm gonna order it - can't wait to revisit this.

[shadedpain4]

I have the 4 hour version on order. Seems like director's cut special edition has exclusive special features? Anyone know if they are English friendly?

[PGW]

According to

http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparison....php?fid=39017

they're English friendly. Of course, I don't know how much to trust that information.

[elite]

Originally Posted by PGW

Dammit. I have the 3 hour version on the way (should be here Monday) - when I ordered it, the 4 hour version was only available in Japan w/o English subs. Now I see an English friendly HK version is available. Has anyone seen this? Someone tell me it's worth it.

I did the same thing. I only saw the 3 hour version available on DDDHouse and ordered it without any knowledge of there being a 4 hour one available.

I noticed the HK disc of the 4 hour version is really expensive too compared the typical price one would pay for a blu-ray from Hong Kong. Still cheaper to buy both than the Japanese version at least.

[shadedpain4]

Does this actually exist?

[PGW]

If you look on Amazon's listing for that UPC number, it says "import." That would suggest it's just an import of the 2 disc HK blu-ray + DVD set. Why Yesasia would import an export of something they're already selling at half the price escapes me, though.

[stobbart]

Enjoyed the 3hr version, definitely did not feel like 3 hours while I was watching it. After doing some research and realizing that the 4+hr version is a TV version it made sense, the movie had a certain 'dramaesque' quality to it.

Here is a fun interview:
http://www.filmcomment.com/blog/shunji-iwai-interview/

"Iwai prefers the three-hour version, but says that it is missing material. “It’s not perfect. Even the TV version, the longest, isn’t perfect because it doesn’t have a very, very important scene in the climax. You can only see that in the three-hour version.”

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by stobbart

Enjoyed the 3hr version, definitely did not feel like 3 hours while I was watching it. After doing some research and realizing that the 4+hr version is a TV version it made sense, the movie had a certain 'dramaesque' quality to it.

Here is a fun interview:
http://www.filmcomment.com/blog/shunji-iwai-interview/

"Iwai prefers the three-hour version, but says that it is missing material. “It’s not perfect. Even the TV version, the longest, isn’t perfect because it doesn’t have a very, very important scene in the climax. You can only see that in the three-hour version.”

Well, now I need both.

[BigManDeath]

I think there is some confusion in this thread. The two blu-rays of this film that came out in Hong Kong from Panorama are both the 3-hour version. The difference between the two is that one comes with a DVD of special features and one does not. AFAIK, the 4-hour version has not been released on blu-ray with English subtitles at this point.

[elite]

Originally Posted by BigManDeath

I think there is some confusion in this thread. The two blu-rays of this film that came out in Hong Kong from Panorama are both the 3-hour version. The difference between the two is that one comes with a DVD of special features and one does not. AFAIK, the 4-hour version has not been released on blu-ray with English subtitles at this point.

That's what I thought too. Until I saw this:

http://www.yesasia.com/us/a-bride-fo...0-en/info.html

https://www.buyoyo.com/buyoyo/eng/Pr...91028&prtype=0

[BigManDeath]

Originally Posted by elite

That's what I thought too. Until I saw this:

http://www.yesasia.com/us/a-bride-fo...0-en/info.html

https://www.buyoyo.com/buyoyo/eng/Pr...91028&prtype=0

Ah, they must have released that after the initial releases for the three hour version! Panorama did the same thing with the live-action PATLABOR film, first releasing the theatrical cut and a few weeks later releasing the Director's Cut. Thanks for the info!

[PGW]

They did. I posted about that earlier.

At this point, I'd be happy to see EITHER version of the film. The 3 hour version was supposed to be here Monday, but after clearing customs it simply stalled in a post office in New York, and has been sitting there since Saturday. Nice job, USPS. :-/

[Zen_Amako]

I received an email from play-asia about preordering the 4 hour version the day after I ordered the 3 hour version. :P

[PGW]

Mine finally arrived today (the three hour version - the four hour version hasn't shipped yet).

I can confirm the 92 minute "making of" on the DVD has English subs.

Also, if/when you get yours, be very careful removing the useless empty notebook - it's been affixed to the blu-ray with sticky pieces of glue that are TOO sticky - I ended up ripping the back of the notebook just to separate the two.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by PGW

Mine finally arrived today (the three hour version - the four hour version hasn't shipped yet).

I can confirm the 92 minute "making of" on the DVD has English subs.

Also, if/when you get yours, be very careful removing the useless empty notebook - it's been affixed to the blu-ray with sticky pieces of glue that are TOO sticky - I ended up ripping the back of the notebook just to separate the two.

Thanks for the subs/making of verification. Now I feel even better about ordering both versions.

[shibal]

I only caught the 3 hour director's cut available via torrent thankfully with good english subs but I went ahead and ordered the 4 hour version from buyoyo. Those yoyo bucks came in handy as it reduced the price + air mail shipping to a more palatable $50. I feared it might be a more drawn out and austere Love Letter after the first half & the slow pacing (lanquid at times) certainly didn't aid the cause but fortunately, it had its own delightful quirks to influence me to purchase the blu ray. I have to say I'm impressed with singer, Cocco's acting here as I was the first time I saw her in Shin'ya Tsukamoto's psychological thriller Kotoko. She has a limited body of work but she's really got some acting chops.

[Dan8700]

Originally Posted by shibal

I have to say I'm impressed with singer, Cocco's acting here as I was the first time I saw her in Shin'ya Tsukamoto's psychological thriller Kotoko. She has a limited body of work but she's really got some acting chops.

Absolutely, she's glorious in this (and Kotoko), here's hoping to seeing her in some other films...
Incidentally, she seems to have acted also in Ningyo ni aeru hi (awfully translated as "Girl of the sea"), but it looks very amateurish and the director is a kid (barely 20 years-old).