Takashi Miike action fans rejoice! The red band trailer for the Japanese auteur's 100th (yes, 100th!) film Blade of the Immortal is out, well in time for its September international premiere and wider November release. And, boy, does it take the title ‘red band' seriously!
The film stars Japanese icon Takuya Kimura (Hero, Love and Honor) in the role of Manji, a samurai living the life of a criminal after having taken many lives, including those of innocent people. It so happens that Manji has been cursed to remain immortal till he kills enough evil men. He comes across a young girl called Rin Asano, played by Hana Sugisaki, who enlists his help to avenge the slaughter of her family by a group of master swordsmen. The unlikely pair set out on a quest to right the wrongs done to them, meeting many deadly adversaries on their way. Sōta Fukushi, Hayato Ichihara, Erika Toda, Kazuki Kitamura, Min Tanaka, Chiaki Kuriyama and Shinnosuke Mitsushima co-star.
The filmmaker has never been known to shy away from bloodshed and gore, with cases in point being classics like Audition, Ichi the Killer and Sukiyaki Western Django. The very stylish and madcap trailer set to riveting hip-hop music shows that fans are in for another treat. Blood sprays out in gallons. Limbs get chopped off frequently. And, um, grow back too.
Blade of the Immortal is based on the manga series of the same name by Hiroaki Samura, first published in 1993. The film is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures and Recorded Picture Company. Magnolia Pictures' Magnet Releasing are the distributors for USA.
The international premiere is scheduled for September 2017 at the Austin Fantastic Fest. Wider release is scheduled for 3rd November in the US and 24th November in UK.
(Source: io9, Highsnobiety)