Japanese Video Tapes in London (was KEIZOKU)

[Stephen Cremin]

Its a local government thing.  Depends where you live.  In the 1980s there
was a wonderful Japanese video library at the Japan Centre which for a while
even occupied its own store.  All tapes were original and included a wide
selection of Japanese films and international cinema with Japanese
subtitles.  But the Video Recordings Act (1984?) requires that all videos be
classified for age rating and potentially censored; for the Japan Centre to
submit over 1000 tapes at anywhere from US$1000 to US$2000 each or more
depending on length would have cost a couple of million dollars.  Police
turned a blind eye to Chinatown: just one raid I'm aware of in 1980s, but
then they were pretty legally compliant anyway.  Problem is that at the cost
of certification they were only prepared to subtitle sex, action and
comedies with the bigger stars since then they'd get their money back from
rentals.  I remember having to hire DAYS OF BEING WILD in the summer of 1991
from a little old lady who walked around Chinatown with a carrier bag full
of tapes: presumably triad operated.  The police of Westminster Council
eventially shut down the Japan Centre's operations around ten years ago
after a couple of swoops on them.  Their problem was that they had too many
non-Japanese members and were too visible.  Other rental libraries, notably
Books Nippon near St Pauls (and hence in another council's jurisdiction)
were allowed to continue under strict guidelines that only Japanese passport
holders could rent tapes and that they mustn't make a profit.  I don't know
how legit Book Nippon is, but police generally turn a blind eye to copyright
infringements in other rental shops ... just as long as they're only
corrupting fellow Japanese.  Video regulations were tightened in the 1990s
and now renting a tape - even last night's soap opera - can result in a five
figure fine and a prison sentence if it hasn't been certified.  The
certification board (BBFC) have improved a lot in recent years and now do
their job much faster and with more openness but the prohibitive costs of
classification effectively mean that its a censoring organisation.  Japanese
Embassy in recent months have put two video recorders with monitors in their
public library in central London, but the only tapes you can view are
origami documentaries and guides to Nara.  A great wasted opportunity since
I presume its off-limits to Video Recordings Act, etc, being an Embassy (?).
 So I haven't belonged to a Japanese video rental shop now for around ten
years.  But the Koreans are very professional in their operations - although
very well hidden - and welcome non-Koreans.  Within a week of a film's
rental release in Seoul, they'll be available in London converted to PAL in
large numbers.  They even have the odd Japanese film now with Korean subs.

Stephen

----------
>From: "Peter Larson" <bulb at netway.com>
>To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
>Subject: Re: KEIZOKU
>Date: Tue, Mar 20, 2001 1:21
>

>Stephen,
>
>Hmm, I don't think I can make it to Italy anytime soon. Why on earth would
>the British government make such an absurd rule?
>
>I'll keep checking here in the US.
>
>THanks!
>
>Pete
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Stephen Cremin" <asianfilmlibrary at mac.com>
>To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
>Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 5:34 PM
>Subject: Re: KEIZOKU
>
>
>> Well, the mysterious Helmut is one of those modest guys who does a lot of
>> work for Japanese [and Korean, etc] film in the background but won't write
>> to the list. (Suggestions that he's just "shy" are misplaced.)  He'll
>> contact you if he wants to.
>>
>> Alternative is to come to Udine in northeastern Italy in the last week of
>> April where TBS sales agent Usui will be in attendance with 40+ Asian
>> directors, actors, actresses, producers, composers, etc.  KEIZOKU probably
>> won't be playing, but its likely they'll have a [subtitled] tape you can
>> view.
>>  Lineup will be announced shortly but includes several Western (outside
>> Asia) premieres of Japanese films among 70-80 East Asian features.
>>
>> I'm not sure which State you're in but surely there's a Japanese rental
>> library within half-a-day's drive?  Things are much stricter in the UK
>where
>> you have to have a Japanese passport to be a member of a Japanese video
>> rental library by order of local government.  You know, to protect the
>> locals from corruption.
>>
>> Stephen
>>
>> ----------
>> >From: "Pete Larson" <plarson at contextmedia.com>
>> >To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
>> >Subject: RE: KEIZOKU
>> >Date: Mon, Mar 19, 2001 21:41
>> >
>>
>> >Hmmm, ok, so where do I find Helmut? Nakatani Miki has a following in
>> >Taiwan, I'm fairly surprised that it's not out on the Chinese market.
>I've
>> >seen the series in Chinese catalogs but not the movie. Hmmm
>> >
>> >You watched it on tape? Where did you get the tape? I don't need
>subtitles.
>> >
>> >HELP!
>> >
>> >Pete
>> >
>> >
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >From: owner-KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
>> >[mailto:owner-KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu]On Behalf Of Stephen
>Cremin
>> >Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 4:36 PM
>> >To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
>> >Subject: Re: KEIZOKU
>> >
>> >
>> >I watched it on tape without subtitles and liked the atmosphere and
>visuals
>> >but have no comment on the story.  (But heck I liked MESSENGERS, EKIDEN
>and
>> >OJUKEN which is probably enough to get kicked off this list.)  KEIZOKU
>had
>> >its international premiere this week at list member Helmut Krutsch's
>> >festival in Cologne with Tsutsumi in attendance.  (Sincere apologies for
>not
>> >being there!)  I haven't seen the TV series but it reminded me of
>Ichikawa
>> >Kon's 1970s Kindaichi films in the horror stakes with a nice sense of
>humour
>> >to it.
>> >
>> >---
>> >>KEIZOKU: BEAUTIFUL DREAMER
>> >Director: TSUTSUMI Yukihiko; cast: NAKATANI Miki (Shibata Jun), WATABE
>> >Atsuro (Mayama), KOYUKI (Kirishima Nanami), TAKAGI Masahiro (Asakura),
>RYU
>> >Raita (Nonomura).  Released: Tokyo on 4/3/2000.  Festivals: CineAsia
>> >[Cologne].  119 mins.
>> >
>> >Shibata Jun, who boasts an IQ of 199, is appointed section chief of a
>> >special police department that specialises in unsolved cases.  When
>> >Kirishima Nanami arrives in her office, Shibata gets her first case:
>solve
>> >the mysterious disappearance of a ship near Yakugami Island fifteen years
>> >ago.  Although there were seven survivors, Kirishima Nanami's parents had
>> >been murdered in the incident, but without enough evidence to go on, the
>> >police had dropped the case.  Shibata and street-wise cop Mayama, arrive
>on
>> >the island to interview the seven suspects who have returned for a
>reunion
>> >initiated by Nanami.  But the guests begin to die one by one and it
>becomes
>> >apparent that Nanami may have supernatural powers.  Meanwhile Mayama has
>his
>> >own homicidal stalker in Asakura who is also psychically gifted.
>> >
>> >Filmography: CHINESE DINNER + OBORERU SAKANA (2001); KEIZOKU: BEAUTIFUL
>> >DREAMER (2000); HANAKO (1998); KINDAICHI SHONEN NO JIKENBO: SHANGHAI
>GYOJIN
>> >DENSETSU (1997); etc.
>> >---
>> >
>> >I think the website is still online at:
>> >http://www.tbs.co.jp/keizoku/top_eiga.html
>> >
>> >Mark reviewed it on 4 April last year in the Japan Times:
>> >http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?ff20000404a1.htm
>> >
>> >It hasn't been released in other Asian territories even if TBS has a
>pretty
>> >good track record for getting their films into Hong Kong, etc, with FIRST
>> >LOVE and HIMITSU.  Perhaps Nakatani Miki isn't popular enough in Hong
>Kong
>> >for a release.
>> >
>> >I guess the best way to see it is to be very, very sweet to Helmut.
>> >
>> >Stephen
>> >
>> >----------
>> >>From: "Pete Larson" <bulb at netway.com>
>> >>To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
>> >>Subject: RE: SATORARE
>> >>Date: Mon, Mar 19, 2001 15:28
>> >>
>> >
>> >>Does anybody know anything about the movie of Keizoku? I saw the TV
>series
>> >>but have not been able to find the movie anywhere (I live in the US). Is
>> >>there anybody out there who could help me out?
>> >>
>> >>-----Original Message-----
>> >>From: owner-KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
>> >>[mailto:owner-KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu]On Behalf Of Stephen
>> >Cremin
>> >>Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 10:26 AM
>> >>To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
>> >>Subject: SATORARE
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>Did anybody watch Motohiro Katsuyuki's SATORARE over the weekend.  I'm a
>> >big
>> >>fan of BAYSIDE SHAKEDOWN (Odoru Daisosasen), have been waiting for this
>> >one,
>> >>and would just love to hear any good word-of-mouth.
>> >>
>> >>Stephen
>> >>
>> >
>>
>