Got my copies of The Ultimate Versus and 2LDK in the mail today. Which is fucking awesome because i only placed my order like 4 days ago. Usually it takes about a week from the day that i pay to the day that the stuff finally arrives.
I never did mention 2LDK in my last movie post did i? It’s another Japanese flick and it’s part of this Duel Project that this one guy had with Ryuhei Kitamura (the guy who made Versus).
Imagine, if you will, two Japanese directors who meet at a film festival, each familiar with (and appreciative of) each other’s work. Then imagine a night of binge drinking that leads to the gauntlet being thrown down – a little friendly competition to see who can make the best “Duel to the Death” film. Then throw in a few rules like 1) The script can contain no more than 2-3 characters 2) The film must be shot in seven days and on a small budget 3) the film can only take place in one setting, and most importantly 4) at least one character must die. Thus, the Duel Project was born.
More details about the Duel Project over here.
I haven’t actually seen 2LDK yet, but i do have Aragami on DVD (the other Duel Project movie; Kitamura’s, and it’s fucking great)
Here’s a short synopsis/review of 2LDK from some livejournal i found.
“2LDK, in Japan, refers to an apartment with two bedrooms, and a living, dining, kitchen. The whole movie takes place within the confines of one apartment and only involves two actresses (as per the rules of the Duel Project). They play actresses in the movie as well, competing with each other for the lead role in a film while being roommates together. As their evening in the apartement goes on, they find themselves fighting each other in bloody and ultraviolent fashion. At times it was difficult to watch them tear each others lovely faces apart, but powerful at the same time. Chainsaws, electrical appliances, swords – all used as they duel each other… It was awesome!”
And here’s an excerpt of a review from Film Threat:
“There’s black comedy and then there’s just plain sadistic. Yukihiko Tsutsumi’s “2LDK” is surely on the side of the latter. This little puppy is about as sick and twisted, and yet disturbingly hilarious, as any movie in recent memory. Think of it as a cross between “American Psycho” and that Miller Lite commercial where the two girls… oh I’m sure you remember. Throw in just a tad of “Tom and Jerry” cartoonishness, and you’ve got the cat fight to end all cat fights. The “Apocalypse Now” of cat fights, if you will. Two girls. One apartment. Zero patience.”
Mmm cat fight. Meow!
Speaking of cat fights. Is anybody actually going to see Catwoman tomorrow? May God have mercy on your soul.
Nevertheless, it’ll be interesting to see how it does at the box office come Monday. Me, i’m going to see The Bourne Supremacy. I already have a free ticket from the double dipped DVD that i bought (which i’ll probably sell off because it’s a fucking weak double dip).
Anyway, yeah, so i haven’t been giving the front page much love lately. Been busy with school and stuff. I had to go out and shoot some footage for this commercial that we were supposed to hand in on Wednesday (yesterday). Shot about 20 minutes of raw footage on Monday, for a commercial that’s only supposed to be 60 seconds long. And i spent the next two days editing the hell out of the thing and i gotta say, it came out pretty good. Fucking 66 shots in 60 seconds. I had 3 pages of storyboards for a commercial that’s supposed to be 60 seconds long and had a minimum requirement of just 10 camera angles. If i don’t get an A for it, then there’s no justice in the world (i got an A+ for my last video assignment. oh, it’s all for a Small Format Video class by the way).
My commercial was for Apple’s Final Cut Pro product. Although it wasn’t very Apple-like. It’s more like one of those Geico commercials where you have absolutely no fucking idea what it’s all about until you hear the punchline at the end. I love those Geico commercials.
“…but the good news is i just saved a whole buncha money on my car insurance using Geico!”
I won’t bother to tell you what actually happens in my commercial but just like the Duel Project, mine only has 2 people in it and it all takes place in one location. And i’d probably put it under the suspense/comedy genre. I guess that’s where those 66 cuts went; towards the suspense side of things.
Ahh… quick cutting MTV visuals.
And hey, i also managed to throw in a couple of Raimi-esque extreme closeup zooms.
Mmm… homage-y goodness.
I’d probably post up the commercial but i’m actually in the damn thing (i have one line) and fuck if i’m gonna show you how bad my ‘acting’ was.
How i managed to fuck up pretending to drink a bowl of soup is beyond me.
Suspense/Comedy? 66 shots in 60 seconds? Sam Raimi? See, i told you it wasn’t very Apple. The actual Apple product that i was advertising? Final Cut Pro HD
Oh and don’t worry. My next post will actually have babes and pictures in it. But for now, it’s time to watch The Ultimate Versus.
ps: i also bought ESPN NFL 2K5 for xbox today. i suck at it but hey, if you’ve got Live, add Psykotik 2000 to your buddylist and maybe i’ll let you rape my ass or something.