Japanese writer Hiroharu Takami's 1999 dystopian novel Battle Royale is one of the horror stories of many people's student days, and in 2001 director Shinji Fukasaku adapted it into a live-action version of Battle Royale, but because the script was too sensational, Japan was afraid of doubts about affecting the behavior of teenagers and the image of the government, and the main film producers had to go to the Japanese Diet to be questioned by members of parliament, becoming the first Japanese film in Japan to prepare for parliamentary consultation. It turns out that after the release of "Battle Royale", it really caused a sensation around the world, and even affected the thriller movies in Hollywood in the future.
The film version of Battle Royale, starring Ryuya Fujiwara and actress Yaki Maeda, tells the story of a country in decline at the beginning of the new century, with an unemployment rate of more than 15%, as many as 10 million people unemployed, 800,000 students dropping out of school, and a sharp rise in juvenile delinquency. Out of fear of young people, adults who have lost their confidence adopt the "New Century Education Reform Law" referred to as the "BR Law" to dominate young people with the horror of death, thus regaining the majesty of adults. One day, the 3rd year B class of Chengyan Middle School was randomly selected to become the implementation class of the "BR Law" on the original happy graduation trip, and the rules announced that only 1 of the 42 students in the class could survive the desert island fight scene.
On the 20th anniversary of the release of Battle Royale, this Japanese classic has unveiled a new Chinese preview of the ultra-clear 4K restoration, and will be re-released in Hong Kong on July 1.
Hirokazu Takami, the author of the novel Battle Royale, graduated from the Fine Arts Department of the Faculty of Letters at Osaka University and served at the Shikoku Shimbun from 1991 to 1996. He began writing this book in 1996 and participated in a horror fiction contest organized by Kadokawa Shoten in 1999. Because the subject matter described was too horrifying and too unethical, it caused criticism from the judges that it was "very unpleasant after reading", so the novel was not given the first prize. Later, it was published in Japan in April 1999 under the responsibility of Ota Publishing House.
The book sits firmly on the throne of the classic of violent literature, and for more than a decade there is still no work to surpass, and it has had a huge impact on later literary works. For example, the Japanese best-selling novel "King's Game" and the American literary work "The Hunger Games" are based on the game rules in "Battle Royale". Another example is the chicken eating game that has been on fire in recent years, which is also based on the rules of the game in "Battle Royale".
The author emphasizes in the preface that the novel is the original work. The status of the film of the same name goes without saying, but due to adaptation restrictions, the film does not mention the background setting of the novel - the Novel depicts Japan as a totalitarian ruling country that "restricts foreign trade", "the Internet is restricted", "rock and roll is prohibited", and "if there is a rebellion, it will be sanctioned by the government". This novel, which began in 1996, has long ago made predictions about social institutions as in 1984.
In addition, the novel is compact in text, and each character has a profound depiction, and the protagonists Akiya Nanahara and Noriko Nakagawa subvert the two images of waste wood that readers know through the movie.
If the highlight of the movie is the teacher, the Soma Photon, the Chikusa Takako, the light and darkness of human nature; then the highlight of the novel is the fucking fascist regime. Only after reading the novel can you say that you have actually watched Battle Royale.
Battle Royale adaptation of the comic book Survival Game
Director Shinji Fukasaku was born on July 3, 1930 in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. The second generation of Japanese post-war directors and screenwriters. Graduated from the Faculty of Arts, Nihon University, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Arts. His representative works include "War without Mercy", "The Conspiracy of the Yanagi Family", "Kamata March", "The Man of the Fire House", and "The Rebellion of Hua". At the 6th, 10th, and 18th Japan Academy Awards for Best Director, on January 12, 2003, Shinji Fukasaku passed away in his sleep at the age of 72. Violent film grandmaster Shinji, who has rarely failed works in his life, as a "national director", most of his works have sold well and have a good reputation. His gang films and period dramas have influenced many people. Fukasaku not only has the talent to shoot B-grade films, but he is also at ease with large-scale science fiction films like "Resurrection Day". The magnificent mythological era dramas "Rebirth of the Demon World" and "The Legend of the Eight Dogs of Satomi" not only embody poetic history and legends, but also have super-first-class narratives. Fukasaku's ability to macro-control the film's narrative is by no means under Akira Kurosawa.
Someone asked the director Shinji Fukasaku why he made a battle royale movie, and director Shinji Fukasaku said that it was because he had experienced World War II, when he was mobilized and assigned to work in the Japanese military materiel factory in the third grade of middle school, and a friend was killed by the shelling of a US warship, so the distrust of the country and the hatred of adults have always existed.
2. Fukasaku Shinji took the initiative to find Kitano Takeshi, hoping that he would come to perform, Kitano Takeshi saw that it was Fukasaku Shinji's invitation, gladly accepted the invitation to agree to the performance, and after Kitano Takeshi joined, the number of people willing to invest in this film began to increase, it can be seen that Kitano Takeshi was a gangster-level actor at that time, after the filming of the whole film, Fukasaku Shinji also took the initiative to offer flowers, thanking Kitano Takeshi for his support.
3. The selection of student actors is to issue a selection order, all school-age students can voluntarily sign up for the performance, a total of 6,000 applications were received, 800 were selected after registration, and then 42 were selected, and the final decision was made in April to May 2000.
Fujiwara Ryuya also
Maeda Yaji
Love Maeda
4. Male and female starring selection: In fact, this film plays Akiya Shichihara Fujiwara Ryu is also the first decided role, playing Nakagawa Noriko Maeda Yaji did not participate in the audition, but the crew invited to participate, the role is to be determined, Nakagawa Noriko decided at the beginning to be played by Iwamura Ai, is the former winner who held the doll at the beginning of the film, but Iwamura ai leg injured, can not perform, let Maeda Yaji replace, I am quite puzzled, Maeda Yaji in 2000 is very famous, Not through the selection since it is invited to the person, that does not play the heroine to invite her to play who, I am quite curious, Maeda Yaji's sister Maeda Ai instead participated in the audition, was selected, is the heroine of the second part, in fact, at that time Maeda Ai is also an actor, participating in the audition is quite disreputable, I don't know if Maeda Ai does not participate in the audition, can not participate in this drama. I heard that the two sisters had a bad relationship when they were young, and they were competitive, and I don't know if Maeda loved to see his sister Maeda Yaji can star, so he participated in the audition to participate in the audition.
Chiaki Kuriyama
Yuki Shibasaki
5. Takako Chikusa played by Chiaki Kuriyama was originally swapped with the role of Mitsuko Soma played by Yuki Shibasaki, that is to say, Shibasaki Yuki played Chikusa and Chiaki Kuriyama played Mitsuko, but before the performance, Fukasaku Shinji temporarily decided to swap, and the rest of the crew strongly opposed it, but Fukusaku Shinji tried to exclude public opinion and insisted on his own opinion.
6. Masanobu Ando, who plays Kiriyama and Yu, took the initiative to find Fukasaku Shinji and wanted to participate, because Ando Masanobu was a fan of Fukasaku Shinji, Fukasaku Shinji actually let him play Akigo Kawada at the beginning, and Masanobu Ando said that he wanted to play the role of Kazuo Kiriyama, who has been killing the cool Kiriyama, and Kiriyama and Yuo had a line at the beginning, which roughly said that life is not equal, but Masanobu Ando said that it was best not to add lines, and Fukasaku Shinji agreed.
7. Yamamoto Taro, who plays Akigo Kawada, is a movie role that has left a deep impact on Fukasaku Shinji, so Fukasaku Shinji met with him and let him play, at the beginning Kawada Akigo was not the winner of the previous game, the specific setting is unknown, may also be 18 years old, but toei company executives are very angry, saying that Yamamoto Taro looks so old, where like 18 years old, helpless, can only set Kawada Akigo as the winner of the previous session.
A class of 42 students, all forced to participate in the BR (Battle Royale) Act, must kill each other within 3 days until the last person left can survive. Their only ending is two, life or death. Do you choose to kill, escape, hide, or be killed? In 3 days, 42 people staged the most fleshy human fable.
First, the social jungle, rules first
Three people died at the beginning, and the class teacher, HayashiDa, was identified as an incompetent adult because he opposed Class B's participation in the BR battle royale. Female No. 18 Fujiyoshi Fumiyoshi was killed by Kitano because she did not listen to the rules and talked to people privately. Male No. 7 Kunishin Kyungshi was killed by an explosive device detonated in front of his neck because he questioned the "rules of the game" of cannibalism.
Second, the gift of life is innate, and there is a difference between the advantages and disadvantages. Don't resist it, accept it, and use it flexibly.
Each person was randomly assigned weapons by the organizers, including telescopes, pot lids, submachine guns, crossbows, scythes, axes, pistols, etc. It's like we come into this world bare, beautiful, wise, healthy, talented, gifted, talented and given no choice. Embracing it, accepting it, and using it flexibly is the way to survive.
Third, the catfish effect
A pool of sardines in stagnant water will always suffocate in the middle of the road, and only the desire to survive can make life more vibrant. The addition of two catfish, Akigo Kawada and Kazuo Kiriyama, became the biggest catalyst for the class.
Fourth, embrace reality, or escape from society
The two couples choose to commit suicide, choose to hide forever, completely give up hiding and fighting, life, death, love are intertwined, is it the kindness or cowardice of human nature, is it the choice of life or oppression? Some people are in a completely dazed state, taking up weapons and attacking others, and some people are grabbing pistols and chasing and killing, still chanting words and carrying formulas in their mouths, and never forgetting the dream of entering college.
Fifth, I just don't want to sit still
Soma Mitsuko is fierce and vicious, and in order to survive, she does everything in her power, and sickles, guns, hypocrisy, pity, and even her body become her weapons to survive. However, she was not born cruel, but because fate had placed her in such a family. From an early age, she declared with a determined look that she would become a fighter for life, rebelling against all the factors that deprived her of her survival, whether it was the blasphemy of a prostitute, a classmate, or a brutal natural murderer.
Sixth, love and hate, how long is the distance between life and death
Holding a GPS, Hiroki Sugimura has the best defensive weapon in his hand to predict the approaching enemy, and he risks his life to cross the island to protect the girl who has been in love for a long time. As a result, he was desperate for love, but he was shot by the crush's piano shot. How far is the reasonable distance between love and hate, life and death?
Seventh, although I am born kind, I also have the courage to fight
Many people live and are unwilling to hurt others or be hurt by others. When danger comes, they let go of their kindness and raise their weapons. Just like Takako Chikusa! Even though the life around her had become completely different, she did not think of hurting others, and still insisted on exercising as usual, without letting up. When danger came, she was sure to unsheath. Life is not afraid, and death is safe.
The collapse of the fortress is only a fragile trust
The six sons of the lighthouse were originally at peace, because an outsider, Nanahara Akiya, appeared, and the balance of trust tilted. In order to poison the outsider (who was witnessed killing a classmate), Kamiyuki pours potassium cyanide into her lunch, resulting in the accidental killing of Nakagawa Yuki. This incident became the fuse that detonated the entire lighthouse. In the midst of the chaos, the six sons of the lighthouse fell under each other's guns. In the face of life and death, the trust between people is so fragile and vulnerable.
Violent societies, even elites, cannot avoid life and death
Nobushi Mimura, who gathered the power of two friends, Seto Toyotomi and Iijima Keita, used what he had learned in his life to hack and destroy the surveillance system as a hacker, making a powerful explosive, only one step away from fighting the brutal organization, but they eventually died at the hands of natural killers. They have both technology, innovation, and team spirit, can they be said to be the elite of this group of students? However, in a violent society, elite groups still cannot avoid life and death!
Tenth, no matter how "bloody" society is, it must persist in going.
The crazy and violent Takeshi Kitano has been silently guarding Noriko Nakagawa, and the appearance of him doing radio gymnastics so seriously in the square alone is a stinging loneliness. He uses a virtual water gun as bait, prompting Nanahara to end his hopeless life.
When the strong man Kawada died, he finally understood that when only the two of them survived the BR game, the shot that his woman Keiko shot at him was to complete love in the name of selfishness, and Keiko had originally planned to sacrifice herself to fulfill her love Kawada.
Nanahara and Noriko, who are wanted by the whole country, return to the world, bravely look at each other and laugh on the streets of Tokyo, and tell each other that when they go strong, no matter where they go, they just have to do their best.
In the whole film, the most wonderful shot appears on Takeshi Kitano's body. After he was shot, he heard the mobile phone ringing, stood up again, resisted the words of his daughter and wife, and then ate the last cookie of Noriko and died safely. This is not a struggle.
Battle Royale is not a perverted film, it is in the name of perversion and gore, reflecting the real world and real human nature.
In the eyes of children: society is a huge web of chaos, battle royale, the world is forcing children to grow up, face and fight
In the eyes of Fukasaku Shinji, who is over 70 years old, the battle royale is to tell children that no matter how "bloody" society is, it must persist in going.
To borrow a comment from a classmate on Douban to make a final summary:
Gibran said that only love and death can change everything, and love is greater than death.
Romain Rolland said: Recognize the world, and then love him.
Then I send this word of Romain Rolland to you, me, and all people, to recognize this world, no matter how ugly and despicable it is, with love and warmth, to stick to your own path, and to go on...............