WATCH PARTY: Battle Royale (2000) dir. Kinji Fukasaku @ South Norfolk Library
Details
Approaching its 25th anniversary on December 16 and with one of the novel’s main inspirations (The Long Walk) recently receiving a movie adaptation, what better time to revisit today’s lesson plan.
RUNTIME: 114 minutes
SYNOPSIS: 42 9th graders are sent to a deserted island. They are given a map, food, and various weapons. An explosive collar is fitted around their neck. If they break a rule, the collar explodes. Their mission: kill each other and be the last one standing. The last survivor is allowed to leave the island. If there is more than one survivor, the collars explode and kill them all.
BLURBS:
"Departing from two decades' worth of domestic and personal dramas and returning to his roots as Japan's maestro of mayhem, Kinji Fukasaku has delivered a brutal punch to the collective solar plexus with one of his most outrageous and timely films." - Robert Koehler, Variety
"Some will be uncomfortable or appalled, and the mix of humour and horror is uneasy, but this isn't a film you'll forget easily. And, seriously, what would you do?" - Kim Newman, Empire Magazine
"This is a heart-stopping action film, teaching us the worthy lessons of discipline, teamwork, and determination, but wrapping them up in a deliberately provocative, shockingly violent package." - Jason Korsner, *BBC.com*