"Battle Royale” Japanese Movie Poster

Due to the success of The Hunger Games (2012), which was similar to – and – helped popularize Kinji Fukasaku’s Battle Royale (2000) in America, The CW Network is currently in discussion to remake Battle Royale as an English-language TV series. If a deal is reached, the TV series will source off Koushun Takami’s original novel and the story will be expanded into a series of hour long episodes.

LA Times reports: When Hunger Games came out in the spring, it effectively killed any chances of a Royale film; citing the similarities, producers said at the time that no studio would want to risk looking like copycats. This explains why they’re remaking it as a TV series instead of a film. For for the full article, visit LA Times.

Updates: EW.com reports that Mark Pedowitz, The CW’s entertainment president, loves the idea of doing a Battle Royale TV show. But when Pedowitz is questioned about bringing Battle Royale’s brutal content to a broadcast network, he replies: “We’re not planning to do anything that we cannot get on the air”.

"No Mercy" Korean Theatrical Poster

This week features a host of familiar Asian horror titles being re-released on DVD by Palisades Tartan with all new cover art and, in some cases, all new titles. In addition, Blue Underground is repackaging several great Italian genre films in affordable DVD sets. Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 7/31/12:

ASIAN CINEMA

No Mercy (DVD) – CJ Entertainment brings this taut 2010 Korean serial killer thriller to North America

Hindsight (DVD) – Song Kang-ho (“Thirst”) tries to leave behind a life of crime in this 2011 Korean thriller

Ghosts of War (DVD) – Palisades Tartan offers a re-release of the 2004 Korean film “R-Point.” Yep, despite new packaging and a new title, it is the same film. This supernatural military tale unfolds during the Vietnam War

Dorm (DVD) – Palisades Tartan also re-releases this 2006 Thai horror film set in a boys’ boarding school

Phone (DVD) – this 2002 Korean horror film about a mysterious phone call and a series of deaths is re-released on DVD by Palisades Tartan

The Maid (DVD) – Palisades Tartan brings this 2006 Chinese-language horror film to DVD once again with new cover art

Devil’s Feast (DVD) – in this unrated 2007 Japanese sexploitation film, a young newsreporter finds herself caught between the biggest scoop of her life and a deadly sex cult

FOREIGN CINEMA

Le Havre (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection brings this 2011 French-language film from acclaimed director Aki Kaurismäki to hi-def. The story follows a young African refugee who becomes a shoeshine boy in the French harbor city of Le Havre

La Grande Illusion (Blu-ray) – director Jean Renoir’s classic 1937 anti-war film comes to Blu-ray courtesy of the Criterion Collection

Waves of Lust (DVD) – this 1975 Italian exploitation spin on Polanski’s “Knife in the Water” was helmed by infamous “Cannibal Holocaust” director Ruggero Deodato

Lula, Son of Brazil (DVD) – this 2009 Portugese-language film is a moving account of the early life of Brazil’s most revered president

Facts of Murder (DVD) – Mya Communications brings this 1959 Italian crime film to DVD with an original Italian audio track

The Light Thief (DVD) – this 2010 film from the country of Kyrgyzstan is a heartfelt parable of good and evil

Soul of Sand (Pairon Talle) (DVD) – in this 2010 Indian film, a young couple is besieged by their evil landlord

The Hunter (DVD) – not to be confused with the recent Willem Dafoe film of the same name, this 2010 Farsi-language film follows a man’s slow breakdown from reality and confrontation with local police after his wife and daughter go missing

MAINSTREAM

Total Recall: Mind-Bending Edition (Blu-ray) – Paul Verhoeven’s classic 1990 sci-fi film receives another Blu-ray release, this time with a brand new hi-def transfer supervised by the director himself

Hijacked (Blu-ray/DVD) – “The Expendables 2” star Randy Couture stars in this 2012 direct-to-video action thriller about a plane hijacking

Fortress (Blu-ray/DVD) – a low-budget 2012 film about aerial battles during World War II

4.3.2.1 (Blu-ray/DVD) – when four friends encounter some deadly thieves, their lives are changed forever in this 2010 film from the UK

Zyzzyx Road (DVD) – Katherine Heigl and Tim Sizemore star in this 2006 independent thriller

Sand Sharks (DVD) – in this 2011 low-budget creature feature starring Hulk Hogan’s daughter, there are sharks…under the sand!

Nazi Invasion – Team Europe (Blu-ray) – it’s ‘Team America’ meets ‘Inglorious Basterds’ with this 2010 tale of the Nazi invasion of England – told with puppets

Firstborn (Blu-ray/DVD) – Peter Weller (“Robocop”) butts heads with his new girlfriend’s son in this 1984 British thriller

RE-RELEASES

Midnight Movies Vol 1: Horror Triple Feature (A Blade in the Dark/Macabre/Shock) (DVD) – Blue Underground presents three Italian horror films from the 70’s and 80’s, two directed by Lamberto Bava and one directed by his father, the legendary Mario Bava

Midnight Movies Vol 2: Western Triple Feature (Companeros/Four of the Apocalypse/Run Man Run) (DVD) – Blue Underground brings you a selection of 70’s Italian spaghetti Westerns in this 3-film DVD pack

Midnight Movies Vol 3: Action Triple Feature (Big Racket/Heroin Busters/Street Law) (DVD) – three of the best 70’s Italian crime films of all time are brought together in one DVD package, courtesy of Blue Underground. If you like tough guys with big guns and attitudes to match, you won’t want to miss these flicks

Midnight Movies Vol 4: Thriller Triple Feature (Bloodstained Shadow/Short Night of Glass Dolls/Who Saw Her Die) (DVD) – more bloody 70’s Italian horror fun, from the good folks at Blue Underground

CLASSICS

River of No Return (Blu-ray) – two icons of Hollywood, Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe, headline this 1954 Western

HORROR

Detention (Blu-ray/DVD) – this critically-praised 2011 horror film from the director of “Torque” finally makes its way to home formats

ATM (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 2012 horror/thriller about three friends held captive inside an ATM

The Faculty (Blu-ray) – Robert Rodriguez’s 1999 flick about a group of genre-savvy teens fighting off an alien invasion is now in hi-def

Whisperer in the Darkness (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 2011 adaptation of the H.P. Lovecraft story, filmed in a black-and-white 1930’s noir style

The Bunny Game (Blu-ray/DVD) – whispered and rumored about online, this 2010 horror shocker finally makes its way to an unrated retail release

The Haunting of Whaley House (Blu-ray/DVD) – a low-budget 2012 horror film about a haunted house

Dead Season (DVD) – this low-budget 2011 zombie film shuffles its way onto DVD

Interested in any of these movies? If so, we hope that you’ll consider ordering from ouraffiliate to help support this site. Thank you!

"The Silent War" Chinese Theatrical Poster

The first trailer for a new Chinese-language espionage film The Silent War is now online. The movie was previously revealed under the title Windseekers but this new moniker seems more appropriate, as it appears the plot of the movie utilizes Morse Code quite a bit.

The Silent War features two big name stars in Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Zhou Xun, who previously exhibited romantic chemistry in The Great Magician. This time around Tony Leung portrays a blind secret agent, working alongside Zhou Xun in 1951 to help Mainland China foil its enemies.

The Silent War arrives from directors Alan Mak and Felix Wong, who are no strangers to blockbuster entertainment – the duo previously directed Infernal Affairs II and The Lost Bladesman, arguably two of the best Chinese-language films of the past 10 years.

Also enjoy some still images and a more detailed write-up at Chinese Films. The Silent War is set for a release in China later this year.

Update: Scope out two new posters and some stills from this hotly anticipated film. A brand new trailer, courtesy of Chinese Films. Here are some lovely new stills of actress Zhou Xun in the film. Some new posters over at Chinese Films.

BREAKING NEWS: What has been dubbed the final poster for the film is now online.

"Sleeping Dogs" Box Art

We don’t typically cover video games here at Cityonfire.com but publisher Square-Enix has gone out of their way to hire some high-profile Asian talent as voice actors in their new game, titled Sleeping Dogs.

In this open world action title, you play as an undercover cop working to rid the streets of Hong Kong of organized crime. Naturally, this involves going deep undercover in the Triad.

Fans of Asian cinema can look forward to hearing several familiar voices among the cast. In the lead role is Korean actor Will Yun Yee, who previously starred in Hollywood films like Die Another Day and the upcoming Total Recall remake.

Also keep your ears peeled for Edison Chen (Infernal Affairs II); James Hong (Big Trouble in Little China); Tzi Ma (Rush Hour); Parry Shen (Better Luck Tomorrow); Steph Song (War); Terence Yin (New Police Story); and Jerry Ying (The Girl From the Naked Eye).

Sleeping Dogs hits retail on August 14th, 2012 for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. Click here to order.

Karate-Robo Zaborgar Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Cityonfire.com has received the following press release from Well Go USA:

“… fans of Iguchi and Nishimura’s brand of madness will be delighted … ” – Ard Vijn, Twitch Film

“… a triumph of popcorn-crunching entertainment. ” – Matthew Sorrento, Film Threat

Part Motorcycle, Part Karate Expert, ALL ROBOT!

KARATE-ROBO ZABORGAR

The Exciting, Over-the-Top Action-Comedy
From Sushi Typhoon and Director Noboru Iguchi
Debuts on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital September 11^th

Bonus Materials Include Go, ZABORGAR, Go! Short Films

Director Noboru Iguchi and Special Effects Director Yoshihiro Nishimura, creators of Mutant Girls Squad, reunite for the cyborg-filled action-packed comedy-thriller Karate-Robo Zaborgar debuting on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital September 11^th from Well Go USA Entertainment. The film stars Itsuji Itato (Tokyo Gore Police) as a secret-police officer who teams up with his super robot “Zaborgar” to battle all manner of mechanized super weapons in their quest for justice. The film also stars Asami (Mutant Girls Squad) as a rampaging school-girl robot and Akira Emoto (Ichi) as the leader of the sinister Sigma organization who plans to unleash a giant, transforming robot weapon to wreak havoc upon the unsuspecting world.

Synopsis:

Following the death of his scientist father, secret police officer Yutaka Daimon (Itsuji Itao) inherits a mighty robot warrior named “Zaborgar.” With its array of super weapons, expertise in karate and its ability to transform into a motorcycle, Zaborgar assists Daimon in his fight against the Sigma, the nefarious crime organization responsible for his father’s death.

Bonus Features Include:
–  Go, ZABORGAR Go! Short Films
–  Sushi Typhoon Trailers

Karate-Robo Zaborgar has a runtime of approximately 114 minutes and is not rated.

"East is Red" Chinese DVD Cover

Brigitte Lin was one of the most charismatic and screen-dominating presences of 80’s and 90’s Hong Kong cinema, with star-making turns in films like The Bride With White Hair and New Dragon Gate Inn. And like many actresses of that era, she chose to retire in her prime, marrying wealthy and disappearing from the acting game.

However, it appears that internationally acclaimed director Zhang Yimou, of Hero and House of Flying Daggers fame, has successfully managed to woo Brigitte Lin out of retirement.

His latest film, Dragon’s Kisses, will carry a budget of around $15 million US dollars and feature Chinese talent alongside Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie. The plot is rumored to involve time travel but, for the time being, it’s safe to say that Hong Kong movie buffs are most excited about Brigitte Lin’s return to the big screen.