Third Window Films Discussion Thread

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Yurakucho

Is Scent of a Spell actually, you know, good?

I wondering the same, as with Bumpkin Soup.

I’ve liked most the Directors Company choices but was a bit burnt on The Guard from Underground, so I’ve gone a bit cautious into the new three releases and gone with just Mermaid Legend as it sounds the most well liked.

[wabrit]

Originally Posted by Foggy

I wondering the same, as with Bumpkin Soup.

I’ve liked most the Directors Company choices but was a bit burnt on The Guard from Underground, so I’ve gone a bit cautious into the new three releases and gone with just Mermaid Legend as it sounds the most well liked.

I'd have to say that I really didn't get on with Bumpkin Soup at all - even at a breezy 82 minutes it was a slog to get through, although I thought Guard from Undergound was OK.

[rapta]

I've also cautiously gone with just Mermaid Legend for the time being (saw the trailer a few years ago and was already on board), but curious about Scent of a Spell since it's the same director. Hardly any info on it when you search, but some good reviews on Letterboxd (sounds a bit like Love Hotel, but being Ikeda rather than Somai probably much darker).

I will definitely blind-buy Bumpkin Soup since it's Kurosawa, but not in a hurry, and similarly hesitant with Love Hotel and Luminous Woman. Still keen to get The Crazy Family, but waiting til the next sale/offer (was going to get it in the Arrow Christmas sale, but forgot to place an order before it finished).

[logboy]

Originally Posted by rapta

I've also cautiously gone with just Mermaid Legend for the time being (saw the trailer a few years ago and was already on board), but curious about Scent of a Spell since it's the same director. Hardly any info on it when you search, but some good reviews on Letterboxd (sounds a bit like Love Hotel, but being Ikeda rather than Somai probably much darker).

I will definitely blind-buy Bumpkin Soup since it's Kurosawa, but not in a hurry, and similarly hesitant with Love Hotel and Luminous Woman. Still keen to get The Crazy Family, but waiting til the next sale/offer (was going to get it in the Arrow Christmas sale, but forgot to place an order before it finished).

scent of a spell

https://windowsonworlds.com/2025/02/...ru-ikeda-1985/

i've seen bumpkin soup. didn't like it. similar issue i have with other earlier kurosawa, in that it's nothing like the sweet spot that includes several that haven't appeared on BD.

love hotel is one of my favourites of last year. best thing TWF have done in years.

[Cinematt]

I'd say Love Hotel was the best of those, I went into it with a bit of trepidation because a lot of Roman Porno stuff does just look like cheap smut but I thought it was a really good film, and surprisingly dark. Scent of a Spell would be next for me, again pretty dark, felt a bit cheaper but well worth watching. I haven't checked out the extras yet but I really liked the commentary on Love Hotel and I think the context really helped me appreciate it and learn a fair bit about a corner of Japanese cinema I've had very little to do with. Bumpkin Soup similarly had interesting extras, but the film struck me as more interesting than fun. If you've not come across much from the early part of Kurosawa's career it's probably a bit more jarring, it's a long way from the horror stuff that made his name over here. But in the context of the Directors Company series and looking at his whole career it makes more sense, and I'm glad to have it, and anyone that's been interested in the RP line from 88 should definitely take a look at it.
Mermaid Legend is next up for me, it does have the best reputation of the new crop so I'm looking forward to it and wondering if it can knock Luminous Woman off the top spot of the Directors Company series so far for me.

[logboy]

Originally Posted by Cinematt

I'd say Love Hotel was the best of those, I went into it with a bit of trepidation because a lot of Roman Porno stuff does just look like cheap smut but I thought it was a really good film, and surprisingly dark.

RP is expensive smut, if that's the way we're going to describe it. that's what nikkatsu went for, erotic productions with better production values than those that were coming through elsewhere, and a place that's very different from what TV could do in order to try and survive.

on the whole, i think RP is taken by those sold on it - very few in the west, still, i suspect - as something to be mined because it's in a general territory with lots of potential, and there will be gems hidden within. we're not looking for smut, but accept they're broadly relationship stories exploring all sorts of odd ideas in odd ways and made by a studio with great experience by that time.

having looked a little at eighties output across japan for a while during the last year, i'd say the influence of RP, or the application of similar approaches, bleeds through to other studios and so i'd like more from that period in both RP and from the wider picture of japan in general. we've had a few in the last couple of years, but i think it's still largely regarded as mysterious to us in the west compared to other decades.

[DukeTogo84]

Does Third Window end up with both the UK/US rights for a few films and then sub licenses them to US labels? I've noticed quite a few releases recently open up with the Third Window Logo when the films start, so just wondering what's going on.

[jonboy24]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Does Third Window end up with both the UK/US rights for a few films and then sub licenses them to US labels? I've noticed quite a few releases recently open up with the Third Window Logo when the films start, so just wondering what's going on.

I wouldn't say they own the films but they do act as international sales agents on behalf of the owners for some of the smaller titles like River and One Cut of the Dead.

[theosh]

I’m a huge fan of Kiyoshi Kurosawa, so was excited to finally sit down and watch my copy of BUMPKIN SOUP tonight. The film is very (very) odd, and whilst at times it was a bit of a slog to get through, I still couldn’t hate the film. It had a weird charm to it, even when it made no sense at all. Even though this was a very early film in Kurosawa’s caree, there were a number of times when we see glimpses of the master he will become. I must say too that the blu ray comes with some informative extras that shed light on the film’s journey to make it to the big screen, which explains the inclusion of some of the more odder scenes in the film (like the truly bizarre finale three or so minutes).
Overall, while I didn’t love BUMPKIN SOUP, I’m glad to have now seen it and to own the blu ray.

I hope Third Window is able to release more Kiyoshi Kurosawa films in the future!

[logboy]

Originally Posted by Ben_C

Had that too. Strange one has a stock issue and the other two haven’t.

spoken to HMV this morning. stock sat in warehouse, but not processed. should be shipped today. fingers crossed.

[Cinematt]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Does Third Window end up with both the UK/US rights for a few films and then sub licenses them to US labels? I've noticed quite a few releases recently open up with the Third Window Logo when the films start, so just wondering what's going on.

Were those Directors Company titles? I recall Adam saying he was working with the guy that found the negatives that have been remastered (when he was talking about the disappointment of finding out Evil Dead Trap had been licensed days before he tried) so perhaps Third Window have funded the new transfers and are licensing them to the US?

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by Cinematt

Were those Directors Company titles? I recall Adam saying he was working with the guy that found the negatives that have been remastered (when he was talking about the disappointment of finding out Evil Dead Trap had been licensed days before he tried) so perhaps Third Window have funded the new transfers and are licensing them to the US?

Some have been Directors Company titles, but some have not been. It’s almost like it’s the same disc just authored for the US in some cases. I’m fine with this, and I know it’s probably too expensive for TWF to release these films in the US themselves.

[logboy]

known takashi ishii boxset will apparently be :

alone in the night (1994)
angel guts : red flash (1994)
a night in nude (1993)
original sin (1992)

... first two are already certified by the BBFC. the other two are confirmed via TWF on bluesky.

all of these interest me, and it would be the one set known of this year to match my tastes very well. i am sure there are other films from takashi ishii that i and others would like too.

[MifuneFan]

The Most Terrible Time in My Life (1993) rated by BBFC for Third Window Films.

https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-m...pwwc0xmdi4mjq1

Looking forward to checking this one out. Here's a JP trailer sourced from a recent 4K restoration of it

The Most Terrible Time in My LIFE - trailer - YouTube

Yokohama private eye Maiku Hama (a play on Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer) gets embroiled in the disappearance of a Taiwanese immigrant’s brother, getting caught in the crosshairs of a gang war in Hayashi’s love letter to Nikkatsu B-movies and American detective film.

[Grethiwha]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Does Third Window end up with both the UK/US rights for a few films and then sub licenses them to US labels? I've noticed quite a few releases recently open up with the Third Window Logo when the films start, so just wondering what's going on.

I know error4444 has worked with Third Window films, and the discs are the same if you buy from either region. Which is why you will get TWF logos on the error4444 discs and vice versa on the titles they share. I don't know the specifics of the licensing agreements, I assume they were licensed separately.

[JackyJacquard]

Linking Reddit as I haven’t figured out image upload etc. here yet

Link

What are the odds of two Lala Pipo DVD having almost identical scratches? Was there an issue with the batch or is this just my luck with the likes of musicmagpie having weak qc labelling it ‘very good’?

Was so alarmed with the first one i bought the only other copy going for under £25 in the hope it’d be better…it kinda is as one has scratches all over and a manky yellow case whereas the other only has the big scratch, but still quite a disappointment

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by Grethiwha

I know error4444 has worked with Third Window films, and the discs are the same if you buy from either region. Which is why you will get TWF logos on the error4444 discs and vice versa on the titles they share. I don't know the specifics of the licensing agreements, I assume they were licensed separately.

Yeah, I've been seeing discs start with their logo a bit more. Team Error4444, Terror Vision/Graveface, and even some of the features on Discotek will open with their logo.

I'd love for Third Window to expand to the US, but them sub licensing if that's what's happening is some cases is the next best thing. At least those that don't import get to experience their quality craftsmanship one way or another.

[BackwoodsAltar]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

The Most Terrible Time in My Life (1993) rated by BBFC for Third Window Films.

https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-m...pwwc0xmdi4mjq1

I've been waiting for this one for YEARS, so I'm really glad Third Window Films is the company handling its release. Assuming this will be part of the Kaizo Hayashi boxset they teased so maybe they're doing the whole trilogy! Exciting times.

[DukeTogo84]

Oh man, this is trilogy is amazing. The second film is a personal favorite. Wonder who TWF licensed this from, and as someone who doesn't import pretty jealous about this news. Hopefully someone can work with TWF to get these over in the US.

[A Tortured Duckling]

I'm looking at Mermaid Legend and Scent of a Spell, but I've heard that ML is censored, and I just watched the SoaS on Youtube, which is heavily censored, so now I'm wondering if I should even bother with them.

I haven't watched either film before, but this is the type of stuff I like and I'd be happy to blind-buy them. I'd rather not buy censored versions, though.