"Actor: Jun Hanamura"

• The Burmese Harp | Unknown | (15/09/2025) from £31.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The Burmese Harp An Imperial Japanese Army regiment surrenders to British forces in Burma at the close of World War II and finds harmony through song. A private, thought to be dead, disguises himself as a Buddhist monk and stumbles upon spiritual enlightenment. Magnificently shot in hushed black and white, Kon Ichikawa's The Burmese Harp is an eloquent meditation on beauty coexisting with death and remains one of Japanese cinema's most overwhelming antiwar sentiments, both tender and brutal in its grappling with Japan's wartime legacy. Japan 1956 116 minutes Black & White 1.37:1 Japanese, Burmese Spine #379 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES: ¢ New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack ¢ One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features ¢ Interviews with director Kon Ichikawa and actor Rentaro Mikuni ¢ Trailer ¢ New English subtitle translation ¢ PLUS: An essay by critic and historian Tony Rayns

• Yokai Monsters Collection | Blu Ray | (21/02/2022) from £26.79   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  From the makers of Daimajin comes a trilogy of terror ripped from the pages of Japanese folklore, with ghosts and monsters from ancient myths and legends brought to life through stunning special effects, alongside an epic, big-budget reboot of the series from a modern-day master of the macabre. In the first film in the trilogy, 100 Monsters, a greedy slumlord's attempts to forcefully evict his tenants invite the wrath of the titular spirits when a cleansing ritual is botched, with terrifying results. The second film, Spook Warfare, tells the tale of an evil Babylonian vampire inadvertently awoken by treasure hunters, and a brave samurai that teams with the yokai to defeat the bloodthirsty demon. In the final film, Along with Ghosts (released only 12 months after 100 Monsters), the yokai are roused to defend a little girl on the run from deadly yakuza. Decades later, none other than Takashi Miike (Audition) helmed The Great Yokai War, a loose remake of Spook Warfare that used cutting-edge digital effects to renew the franchise for a new generation. In it, a young boy is given a grave responsibility: to band together with a group of yokai to defend humanity against a vengeful and powerful demon that has sworn retribution against modern-day Japan. Special Edition Contents High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray™ presentations of all four films Optional English subtitles on all four films Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jolyon Yates Disc One 100 Monsters Original uncompressed Japanese mono audio Hiding in Plain Sight, a documentary giving a primer on yokai for Western audiences, featuring interviews with experts Matt Alt, Zack Davisson, Kim Newman, Lynda E. Rucker, and Hiroko Yoda Theatrical trailer US re-release trailer Image gallery Disc Two Spook Warfare / Along With Ghosts 4K restoration of Spook Warfare by Kadokawa Pictures Original uncompressed Japanese mono audio for both films Theatrical trailers for both films US re-release trailers for both films Image galleries for both films Disc Three The Great Yokai War DTS-HD MA 5.1 original Japanese and dubbed English audio Audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes Archive interviews with the cast and crew, including Takashi Miike Short Drama of Yokai, two shorts detailing the further adventures of the yokai Another Story of Kawataro, two shorts featuring the continuing story of the kappa character in the film World Yokai Conference, a publicity event where Miike speaks about the film Promotional Events, video of the press conference to announce the start and completion of filming, as well as the premiere in Tokyo Documentary on the film's young star, Ryunosuke Kamiki, and his experience making the film Theatrical trailer Image gallery

• The Burmese Harp | Blu Ray | (13/02/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A rhapsodic celebration of song, a brutal condemnation of wartime mentality, and a lyrical statement of hope within darkness; even amongst the riches of 1950s' Japanese cinema, The Burmese Harp, directed by Kon Ichikawa (Alone Across the Pacific, Tokyo Olympiad), stands as one of the finest achievements of its era. At the close of World War II, a Japanese army regiment in Burma surrenders to the British. Private Mizushima is sent on a lone mission to persuade a trapped Japanese battalion to surrender also. When the outcome is a failure, he disguises himself in the robes of a Buddhist monk in hope of temporary anonymity as he journeys across the landscape – but he underestimates the power of his assumed role. A visually extraordinary and deeply moving vision of horror, necessity, and redemption in the aftermath of war, Ichikawa's breakthrough film is one of the great humanitarian affirmations of the cinema. Nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar and honoured at the Venice Film Festival, The Burmese Harp is one of cinema's great anti-war classics, alongside La Grande Illusion (Jean Renoir), Grave of the Fireflies (Isao Takahata/Studio Ghibli), Paths Of Glory (Stanley Kubrick), All Quiet on the Western Front (Lewis Milestone), and The Great Dictator (Charlie Chaplin). Special Features: New, restored high-definition 1080p transfer officially licenced from Nikkatsu Newly translated optional English subtitles Exclusive video interview with scholar and filmmaker Tony Rayns Original Japanese theatrical trailer PLUS: A 40-page booklet with an essay by Keiko I. McDonald and rare archival stills