Takeshi Kitano's "Sonatine" Blu-ray Beach Scenes - Blu-ray Forum

Blasst67 · 05-07-2019, 12:37 AM

are an awesome place to visit!

Beach Sonatine https://vimeo.com/334277437/0a7c5b3de8

Sonatine being one of my very favorite films, I always wanted to visit where the beautiful beach scenes where filmed. Did some research and with help from the Okinawa film board, and google maps, I was able to nail down exactly where the beach scenes where filmed back in 1992 on Ishigaki Island, Japan. It is only a 40 minute flight from Taipei, Taiwan, so on a visit to Taiwan a couple of weeks ago, I planned to go full Sonatine and did so with a side visit to Ishigaki. My youngest daughter and I just had to pay tribute to one of the beach scenes and did just that in almost the exact spot as you will see in the short video.

tsetse27 · 05-07-2019, 01:52 AM

that is awesome!

Please post some photo

Blasst67 · 05-07-2019, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsetse27

that is awesome!

Please post some photo

The link has photos and video from my visit, though here is another then and now shot.

Looking the other direction 180 degrees from the first shot.

Dragon Ranger · 05-07-2019, 08:43 AM

Amazing photos and video; is there a thread on this forum of members visiting movie locations?

Dan8700 · 05-08-2019, 10:37 AM

One of the most glamorous homages to Master Kitano! Made me want to revisit this incredible masterpiece. Bravo, Blasst!

scarletlion · 05-08-2019, 11:11 AM

This is amazing.

Dan8700 · 05-08-2019, 09:52 PM

Especially in love with the family-choreo! Blasst, have you already shown the film to your daughter? What does she think about it?

Blasst67 · 05-12-2019, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan8700

Especially in love with the family-choreo! Blasst, have you already shown the film to your daughter? What does she think about it?

Over the years I have shown parts of it to my kids, all in their mid 20's and up now, I don't think they have ever watched the entire film. My youngest daughter was up to the challenge of going and recreating those shots, instead of telling me that I was crazy

It was surreal to actually be standing on that beach after wanting to go there for many years. We went parasailing over "Beach Sonatine" right before walking down and doing the filming. A short clip of that awesome flight time over that area.https://vimeo.com/335160323/8c22b1bb99

Blasst67 · 05-12-2019, 03:44 AM

Its interesting how cameras change the visual perspective, and those rocks in the background of some of the film shots are much larger than you would think once you get up close. First shot with the blue circle indicates where I am standing in the second photo... those rocks are massive as I am 6'2" plus tall.

Burnout29 · 05-12-2019, 11:01 AM

I hope we get a UK blu-ray sometime soon. I wonder why Third Window Films didn't release it with their other Kitano releases.

Blasst67 · 05-13-2019, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dragon Ranger

Amazing photos and video; is there a thread on this forum of members visiting movie locations?

I tried doing a search and came up empty for a thread like that. Seems like it would be a pretty cool thread if we had one.

Dan8700 · 05-16-2019, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blasst67

Over the years I have shown parts of it to my kids, all in their mid 20's and up now, I don't think they have ever watched the entire film. My youngest daughter was up to the challenge of going and recreating those shots, instead of telling me that I was crazy

It was surreal to actually be standing on that beach after wanting to go there for many years. We went parasailing over "Beach Sonatine" right before walking down and doing the filming. A short clip of that awesome flight time over that area.https://vimeo.com/335160323/8c22b1bb99

^^ Also, fantastic sea down there.

hana_bi · 06-08-2019, 10:59 AM

That's super cool! I always wanted to know where that beach was located. Any chance you could say which beach it was? Maybe where it is on google maps...

Blasst67 · 06-09-2019, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hana_bi

That's super cool! I always wanted to know where that beach was located. Any chance you could say which beach it was? Maybe where it is on google maps...

There is no name for that exact spot of beach that I am aware of. I think we should call it Beach Sonatine from now on.

Here are three pics of google maps showing where the exact spot is.

Blasst67 · 06-09-2019, 01:56 AM

Whats interesting is the houses you see in the film where they holed up by the beach were built just for the film, so they are long gone now. The cattle are still there just like when they filmed Sonatine.

A couple of links of video when they filmed the scene I recreated, and when they finished filming.

05-07-2019, 12:37 AM	#1
Blasst67 Active Member Member since:Jul 2017	Takeshi Kitano's "Sonatine" Blu-ray Beach Scenes are an awesome place to visit! Beach Sonatine https://vimeo.com/334277437/0a7c5b3de8 Sonatine being one of my very favorite films, I always wanted to visit where the beautiful beach scenes where filmed. Did some research and with help from the Okinawa film board, and google maps, I was able to nail down exactly where the beach scenes where filmed back in 1992 on Ishigaki Island, Japan. It is only a 40 minute flight from Taipei, Taiwan, so on a visit to Taiwan a couple of weeks ago, I planned to go full Sonatine and did so with a side visit to Ishigaki. My youngest daughter and I just had to pay tribute to one of the beach scenes and did just that in almost the exact spot as you will see in the short video. Last edited by Blasst67; 05-07-2019 at 03:39 AM.

05-07-2019, 01:52 AM	#2
tsetse27 Senior Member Member since:Jul 2009 Location:Deep South Blu-ray collection:297 Blu-ray reviews:2 Trading Score:31	that is awesome! Please post some photo

05-07-2019, 08:43 AM	#4
Dragon Ranger Blu-ray Guru Member since:Jan 2015 Blu-ray collection:258 DVD collection:85	Amazing photos and video; is there a thread on this forum of members visiting movie locations?

05-08-2019, 10:37 AM	#5
Dan8700 Special Member Top contributor Member since:May 2011 Location:Rome, Italy 4K collection:42 Blu-ray collection:1178	One of the most glamorous homages to Master Kitano! Made me want to revisit this incredible masterpiece. Bravo, Blasst!

05-08-2019, 11:11 AM	#6
scarletlion Special Member Member since:Feb 2017 Location:Wales, Europe 4K collection:37 Blu-ray collection:343 DVD collection:8	This is amazing.

05-08-2019, 09:52 PM	#7
Dan8700 Special Member Top contributor Member since:May 2011 Location:Rome, Italy 4K collection:42 Blu-ray collection:1178	Especially in love with the family-choreo! Blasst, have you already shown the film to your daughter? What does she think about it?

05-12-2019, 03:44 AM	#9
Blasst67 Active Member Member since:Jul 2017	Its interesting how cameras change the visual perspective, and those rocks in the background of some of the film shots are much larger than you would think once you get up close. First shot with the blue circle indicates where I am standing in the second photo... those rocks are massive as I am 6'2" plus tall.

05-12-2019, 11:01 AM	#10
Burnout29 Member Member since:Oct 2018	I hope we get a UK blu-ray sometime soon. I wonder why Third Window Films didn't release it with their other Kitano releases.

06-08-2019, 10:59 AM	#13
hana_bi Junior Member Member since:Jan 2018	That's super cool! I always wanted to know where that beach was located. Any chance you could say which beach it was? Maybe where it is on google maps...

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