"Battle Royale" to jump on the 3D bandwagon???

by Chris MaGee

Okay, yes... we're a little late to the pary with this news item, but it's been a week from hell getting the announcement of the first block of films for the 2nd annual Shinsedai Cinema Festival ready. So, our apologies for our tardiness, but we couldn't just let this story pass unmentioned.

There is an army of "Battle Royale" fans out there. This we know. So many of you came to Japanese cinema through Kinji Fukasaku's last film about a lass of high school students who are forced into a pitched battle for their lives on an abandoned island. Next to the classics of Kurosawa, Mizoguchi and Ozu "Battle Royale" stands as a contemporary classic, so we wnat to know what the studio execs at Toei are thing when the announce that they're going to be converting Fukasaku's 2000 film into a 3D format for a Japanese theatrical re-release happening this November. Okay, we know what they're thinking of - money. That being clear we're still dumbfounded as to the wisdom of messing with such a beloved film.

I guess we can be thankful that this isn't a remake, Hollywood or otherwise, but we here at the Pow-Wow are none to happy. How about you? If you haven't already spilled your bile about this on other comments and message boards then by all means spill away in the comments to let us know what you think about a rehauled "Battle Royale".

Thanks to Slash Film for the bad news.