Why Don’t You Play in Hell? Dated for Home Video Release
John Squires
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One of 2014’s most batshit crazy genre films heads home right at the start of 2015 as Drafthouse Films has made a date with Sion Sono’s Why Don’t You Play in Hell? Read on for all the release details!
From the Press Release:
A renegade film crew becomes embroiled with a Japanese crime gang feud in Why Don’t You Play in Hell?, an outrageous actioner that also pays thrilling tribute to classics of the yakuza genre. The latest wild epic from writer-director Sion Sono comes to Digital Download, Blu-ray and DVD on January 27, 2015, from Drafthouse Films, in conjunction with Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM). The extras-filled discs have SRPs, respectively, of $29.93 and $24.99.
Master filmmaker Sion Sono (Love Exposure, Cold Fish) describes his frenzied, gleeful new masterpiece as “an action film about the love of 35mm.” Based on a screenplay he wrote nearly 15 years ago, Why Don’t You Play in Hell? is among Sono’s very best work, as his trademark excess and outrageousness are infused with an affection for the previous century of Japanese cinema. This is Sono with his talent and unique vision completely unleashed.
“A twisted valentine to moviemaking and the disappearing medium of 35mm film.”–Alonso Duralde, The Wrap
Ten years ago, the Kitagawa yakuza clan attacked the Muto yakuza clan at Muto’s own home, only to have Muto’s wife fight back. This unexpectedly left the Kitagawa clan in shambles, with their top hit man Ikegami wounded and Muto’s wife in prison. Despite the carnage, the most unfortunate fallout from this attack is when Muto’s beloved actress daughter, Mitsuko, has her adorable toothpaste commercial taken off the air. Now, Ikegami seeks revenge, while Muto only has one desire: to have his wife return from prison to see Mitsuko star in her first movie.
Enter The F★★★ Bombers, an eager but untalented group of wannabe filmmakers whose dreams of making movies have come crashing down after 10 years of 8mm efforts. Circumstances have brought them to this fateful moment where they’ll be able to film – in 35mm! – the actual climactic battle between yakuzas in an over-the-top, blood-splattering epic for the ages.
Endlessly irreverent and wildly, hilariously visceral, Why Don’t You Play in Hell? is a Tarantino-esque ode to the yakuza films of yore and features an over-the-top, blood-soaked finale for the ages.
“A deliriously gaudy celebration of the decline of everything.”–Anton Bitel, Sight & Sound
When filmmaker Sono started writing the script for this movie, it was the beginning of the digital age of filmmaking. While it’s now common to shoot and show commercial and independent movies digitally, back then, 8mm film was widely used by independent film groups like The F★★★ Bombers (yes, they really existed). Therefore, to the amateurs, 35mm films became the symbol of the professional movie. By having the yakuza shoot in 35mm, Sono makes Why Don’t You Play in Hell? an homage to cinema. The film also includes specific references to the work of Kinji Fukasaku, whose scores of yakuza films, including the monumental series Battles Without Honor and Humanity, greatly influenced Sono.
Why Don’t You Play in Hell? was an official selection at various 2013 festivals, including the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival, the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, the Independent Film Festival Boston, the Nashville Film Festival and the RiverRun International Film Festival.
Special Features:
• Press conference with director Sion Sono
• 11×17-inch fold-out poster by comic artist James Callahan
• 24-page booklet
• Theatrical trailers
• Digital download
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