Third Window Films Discussion Thread

[floor pie]

Well that's really disappointing to hear, especially after having enjoyed Red Post on Escher Street so much, a film which originated from his acting workshop and starred at least a couple of young women.

[thirdwindowfilms]

Originally Posted by Magyalmar

Another list to add to my cancel list.

@thirdwindowfilms I'm sure the question has already been asked but is there any chance to see Castaway on the Moon released in the UK?

probably not. I'm a little too far disconnected to Korean sales agents and the such

[thirdwindowfilms]

Originally Posted by Marlew

And a separate question for anyone who's listened to the podcast, does anyone recall what Adam said about Linda Linda Linda? I swear it came up but I can't find the reference from scrolling through the eps. I'd really love to see it from everything I've heard. Seems there's nothing besides an OOP DVD which didn't get a UK release.

just don't really like the sales agent of it to be honest

[thirdwindowfilms]

Originally Posted by whedon

I wonder will the sexual harassment allegations against Sono impact the release of Suicide Club?

For those unaware: https://variety.com/2022/film/news/s...nt-1235224844/

I'm not sure. Spoke to Spectrum about it and they said they're going to release it as planned.
Actually, I have a contract for the film, but coincidentally it's not signed yet, so in theory it can be canceled.

[Ranger517]

Not going to comment on the recent news about Sono but I've been waiting years for Suicide Club to release on blu-ray and I hope it still happens. It's my favorite Sono film and this latest news won't deter me from wanting to own it.

[whedon]

Originally Posted by thirdwindowfilms

I'm not sure. Spoke to Spectrum about it and they said they're going to release it as planned.
Actually, I have a contract for the film, but coincidentally it's not signed yet, so in theory it can be canceled.

I hope it goes ahead as I have been waiting to see Suicide Club for 20 years at this stage, I have owned two DVDs and both versions had issues so I never ended up seeing it.

I can't see there being any long-term effect to the allegations, if history tells us anything about allegations such as this in Japan it's that Sono should be back making movies in 6 months or so thanking his lucky stars that he wasn't found with drugs as that can really ruin your career over in Japan.

[thirdwindowfilms]

Originally Posted by whedon

I hope it goes ahead as I have been waiting to see Suicide Club for 20 years at this stage, I have owned two DVDs and both versions had issues so I never ended up seeing it.

I can't see there being any long-term effect to the allegations, if history tells us anything about allegations such as this in Japan it's that Sono should be back making movies in 6 months or so thanking his lucky stars that he wasn't found with drugs as that can really ruin your career over in Japan.

Not sure this time as MeToo has just started, and it's spreading like it did everywhere else many years ago (Japan is always many years behind the rest of the world). Since Sono is such a big name, he's bearing the brunt of it, when actually many others have been much, much worse (though they're all connected to Sono and especially things like Sushi Typhoon)

[whedon]

Originally Posted by thirdwindowfilms

Not sure this time as MeToo has just started, and it's spreading like it did everywhere else many years ago (Japan is always many years behind the rest of the world). Since Sono is such a big name, he's bearing the brunt of it, when actually many others have been much, much worse (though they're all connected to Sono and especially things like Sushi Typhoon)

Not speaking Japanese makes it hard to follow a lot of what is going on but seeing a few people connected to Sono and Ryuhei Kitamura getting accused of different things. Saw the Tak video where he apologised for his role in leaving a girl with Sono. The Sono thing seems to be that he's a creep and was blatant in giving roles in exchange for sex and that's getting all the headlines over here while actual rape allegations against others are a footnote in a Sono story.

It was not too long ago in Japan that the women would have to apologise for the hassle they have caused in reporting this and it's a shame that this is likely going to overshadow Ryusuke Hamaguchi's success and what should be a huge moment for Japanese cinema.

If you continue to release Sono's older work I'll still buy them but would understand any reluctance on your part to continue doing so. It's a shame as I love Sono's work but as my wife said, is it that surprising considering his films and it now appears that actual moments of sexual debauchery in these films were based on things he was doing.

[Takuma]

Very sad news about Sono, but I really hope his movies don’t get pulled from distribution. It’s not like punishing film negatives and the hundreds of innocent people who participated in making those films makes any sense. Sono should carry the responsibility alone.

This is not aimed at Third Window Films of course, they shall act as they see fit from business or moral or any other perspective. I’m just expressing frustration towards the common attitudes that when a director does something awful, it’s ok to punish everyone who has ever worked with him by cancelling their collective art.

[thirdwindowfilms]

Originally Posted by whedon

Not speaking Japanese makes it hard to follow a lot of what is going on but seeing a few people connected to Sono and Ryuhei Kitamura getting accused of different things. Saw the Tak video where he apologised for his role in leaving a girl with Sono. The Sono thing seems to be that he's a creep and was blatant in giving roles in exchange for sex and that's getting all the headlines over here while actual rape allegations against others are a footnote in a Sono story.

It was not too long ago in Japan that the women would have to apologise for the hassle they have caused in reporting this and it's a shame that this is likely going to overshadow Ryusuke Hamaguchi's success and what should be a huge moment for Japanese cinema.

If you continue to release Sono's older work I'll still buy them but would understand any reluctance on your part to continue doing so. It's a shame as I love Sono's work but as my wife said, is it that surprising considering his films and it now appears that actual moments of sexual debauchery in these films were based on things he was doing.

Not Ryuhei Kitamura, Hideo Sakaki (also from VERSUS)

[Yami]

I don't see how this is going to "overshadow Ryusuke Hamaguchi's success". In fact, I don't think this news is going to register much internationally beyond those who are already familiar with Sono's work and isn't going to contaminate the widespread view of an entire nation's cinematic output. French cinema survived Luc Besson without much issue and American cinema has survived...well, pick a name.

Though I think Drive My Car itself is going to be a less important milestone for Japanese cinema than, say, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 which is proving that it can make money internationally and not just critical success (which Japanese cinema has had pretty much since the 30s).

[whedon]

Originally Posted by thirdwindowfilms

Not Ryuhei Kitamura, Hideo Sakaki (also from VERSUS)

I know there's no allegations against Ryuhei Kitamura just that people he worked closely with have allegations against them. Sakaki and Tak both mentioned in articlea though I believe that the Take allegations are that he brought a girl to Sono and left her with him and that his apology video is quite helpful in legitimising the allegations.

[whedon]

Originally Posted by Yami

I don't see how this is going to "overshadow Ryusuke Hamaguchi's success". In fact, I don't think this news is going to register much internationally beyond those who are already familiar with Sono's work and isn't going to contaminate the widespread view of an entire nation's cinematic output. French cinema survived Luc Besson without much issue and American cinema has survived...well, pick a name.

Though I think Drive My Car itself is going to be a less important milestone for Japanese cinema than, say, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 which is proving that it can make money internationally and not just critical success (which Japanese cinema has had pretty much since the 30s).

It'll register much further than just those familiar with Sono's work, there is a lot of allegations against a number of people and most likely much more to come.

Drive My Car is one of the biggest films to come out of Japan in years and should lead to a bigger interest in the country's productions and see foreign investment in the industry there like we saw with Korea in the early 00s when every major studio was suddenly interested in the next Old Boy. This could be hampered by the Japanese film industry going through a MeToo reckoning. No one thinks these allegations will destroy the industry but will certainly overshadow anything Japanese cinema-related for the next while.

Also, nowhere did I say or imply that it would taint people's views of Japanese cinema, you're either reading far too much into what I wrote or twisting my comments to make some point in response to a point that was never made.

As for Besson, there was little issues for him, he took a little break and is back this year with Dogman. In fact quite a few of the US MeToo people are back this year, Brett Ratner is currently shooting a new film and Louisc C.K won a Grammy this week.

[Yami]

Originally Posted by whedon

Also, nowhere did I say or imply that it would taint people's views of Japanese cinema, you're either reading far too much into what I wrote or twisting my comments to make some point in response to a point that was never made.

I didn't know how else to interpret "this is likely going to overshadow Ryusuke Hamaguchi's success and what should be a huge moment for Japanese cinema" considering Hamaguchi himself hasn't been connected to this in any way.

As for Besson, there was little issues for him, he took a little break and is back this year with Dogman. In fact quite a few of the US MeToo people are back this year, Brett Ratner is currently shooting a new film and Louisc C.K won a Grammy this week.

Precisely. Rightly or wrongly, 'cancel culture' has a pretty low success rate.

[whedon]

Originally Posted by Yami

I didn't know how else to interpret "this is likely going to overshadow Ryusuke Hamaguchi's success and what should be a huge moment for Japanese cinema" considering Hamaguchi himself hasn't been connected to this in any way.

No worries, sorry if my response was a little harsh.

[Aunt Peg]

Originally Posted by Ranger517

Not going to comment on the recent news about Sono but I've been waiting years for Suicide Club to release on blu-ray and I hope it still happens. It's my favorite Sono film and this latest news won't deter me from wanting to own it.

My favourite Sono film is Guilty of Romance and a like the shorter and longer versions equally.

Really hope Suicide Club goes ahead because it is one of his best films.

[dr727]

I do agree that it’s possible to separate art from the artist [see Besson yes, and a large swath of male artists in the Louvre]. I also believe/support the victims—predatory use of power, particularly sexual, is unforgivable (no matter how normalized it is in Japan or anywhere else).

[blublob123]

Originally Posted by dr727

I do agree that it’s possible to separate art from the artist [see Besson yes, and a large swath of male artists in the Louvre]. I also believe/support the victims—predatory use of power, particularly sexual, is unforgivable (no matter how normalized it is in Japan or anywhere else).

I agree with you on this and recently discovered and watched all of his English-subbed BDs--mostly through Third Window Films.

To me, his films were so bold and provocative with their progressing messaging that it made me appreciate his artistic voice & see the throughline in his works.

Now, I cannot bear to watch any of his works and do not believe that there should be a platform for this serial abuser. It truly disgusts me that someone, with such an obvious voice against objectification and seemingly condemning abuse in his films, can be such a hypocrite and played the audience and his fans like fools.

His films will always be remembered by me, but I cannot have his films in my BD collection & now will never get around to discovering Suicide Club through Third Window.

[Magyalmar]

It's a shame that we have to remind it all the time on the Internet but there is such a thing as presumption of innocence.

[thirdwindowfilms]

Originally Posted by Aunt Peg

My favourite Sono film is Guilty of Romance and a like the shorter and longer versions equally.

Really hope Suicide Club goes ahead because it is one of his best films.

Some of the issues in putting out Suicide Club are a little more complex due to this. For example, I had a designer setup for new artwork and he canceled on me when the news came out.
I also had a new commentary decided on and I don't think the people who were going to do it now will want to continue with it.
I'd also planned an upcoming interview with Sono, but he may not want to do it and/or a brand new interview right after these allegations wouldn't sit right either.
Considering there are no original extras to be used on the release, everything needing to be made for the release would be new, and all post-allegations, so it makes things just more morally complicated.