Review Category: DVD/Blu Ray

If suffering for your craft means groping umpteen breasts for maximum realism, then self-confessed creepy mangaka Yuki Aito suffers like no other. For Yuki, panties are the be-all and end-all – his muse. His manga series, Shy Café, then, is exactly as you’d expect.

Based on Hiroyuki’s four-panel manga series, the anime takes the same good humoured pot shots at the industry. For all its quirks, the series does touch on the hard graft and crippling hours of manga artists in a way that only an insider could know.

With the onslaught of weekly deadlines, Yuki is only able to keep a steady turnaround with his reliable assistant Sahoto Ashisu, and a combination of energy drinks and sleepless nights. Sahoto is nursing her own dreams of being a pro, but is building up a backlog of rejected stories. Their relationship can be on the caustic side, but there’s a geniality to it.

Having failed in her own ambition to become a comic artist, Mihari Otosuna took on the mantle of Yuki’s editor instead. She’s filled with harsh truths and wake up calls, but an unbidden day dreamer nonetheless. And in the social strata of the Monthly Shōnen Gongon environment, Matome Minano is the bigwig as the kooky and creepy Editor-in-chief.

In their round table meetings, this rogue’s gallery of magazine types offer up a deconstruction of manga tropes. Trying to jazz up the waning series leads to a creative back and forth, the result of which is that if it works, use it. And there’s plenty to be gleaned from this insight, whether it be conforming to what’s popular in order to boost the chance of publication or introducing a new character to score new readers.

Away from genre conventions, the series – or more specifically Yuki – gets very philosophical about panty flashes. Apparently there’s contention among connoisseurs between a glimpse and a full flash. This ardent fascination lets viewers into the mind-set and motivation of echhi, which is on its way to being celebratory if it weren’t for the satire at the root of it all.

Told across twelve 13-minute episodes, each of with are essentially a series of sketches, the series is easy to experience in one sitting (if you don’t mind the Japanese dub only option, that is). The 6 OVAs are a nice addition but just more of the same, and the same does wear thing after a few hours.

With its mix of visual gags, sound effects and Yoshitsugu Matsuoka’s terrific voice acting, The Comic Artist and His Assistants stumbles across a winning formula. As well as offering an insight in the manga industry and placidly poking fun, it’s a series that’s charming in a perverted sort of way. A sentiment best embodied by Yuki singing Endless Panties over the end credits of the final episode.

Special Features: 6 OVAs / Clean opening and closing / Episode 12 karaoke version

THE COMIC ARTIST & HIS ASSISTANTS – THE COMPLETE COLLECTION / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: TAKESHI FURUTA / SCREENPLAY: AKI ITAMI / STARRING: YOSHITSUGU MATSUOKA, SAORI HAYAMI, ARISA NOTO, YUKA IGUCHI / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

Through intelligent camera work and interesting if occasionally simple effects, Mark Duffield’s gothic fantasy Demon belies its low budget status to generate more chills and intrigue than the majority of mainstream horror films. A persistent, uncomfortable tone set against growing unease that something sinister is about to happen engages the viewer, but sadly the film ultimately fails to carry its unsettling premise through to a finale that is slightly disappointing.

Visiting London to attend a clinic that specialises in blood disorders, Lorcan (Andrew Mullan) falls in love with attentive nurse Amy (Clare Langford). As his affliction becomes increasingly dominant, resulting in a transformation into the titular Demon, he struggles with his feelings for Amy while attempting to supress his bloodthirsty nature.

There are hints throughout Demon as to what the film could have been with a little more investment. It’s clear that Duffield has done everything he possibly can with what he had, and the film never feels cheap or guilty of poor production values, but there is a sense that it could have been so much more. Inventive camera work hides the modern day paraphernalia of London, allowing a believable Victorian setting to be realised. The limited yet creatively creepy indoor sets confirm that considerable thought and planning took place in order to maximise the available resources. Where Demon is weak is in some of the scenes of exposition, when characters are prone to explain everything relevant in order to advance the stumbling narrative. When that narrative becomes even more stifled in the second half, these dialogue-heavy exchanges slow the film down to a weary, plodding pace and diminish much of the previous strong work.

According to the IMDb, writer, producer, cinematographer and director Duffield has no credits to his name following 2012’s Demon, and this is a shame. Taking the film as a whole, he has captured the gothic style so reminiscent of the atmosphere evident in many of Hammer Studios films, with a soundtrack clearly influenced by that period. The story slips into melodrama a little too easily towards the end, and the film feels very much like an elongated short, but it is interesting enough to warrant seeking out. The love story at the centre of Demon may not carry much dramatic depth, and draws comparison with Coppola’s love-struck Dracula, but this is a decent film. Keep your expectations reasonable and Demon may even surprise.

DEMON / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: MARK DUFFIELD / STARRING: CLARE LANGFORD, ANDREW MULLAN, GABRIELLE CURTIS, TOM HALL / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

In a crowded “undead” genre that includes infected humans, zombies and various, nightmarish end-of-the-world monsters, Miguel Ángel Vivas’ new film Extinction offers something different. Instead of the apocalyptic action of World War Z or 28 Days Later, or the lumbering portent of any number of zombie films, Vivas instead centres on a small, isolated human struggle.

Following undisclosed cataclysmic events that began with the onset of World War III, the world ended. Miles from anywhere, two men, one with a daughter, struggle to survive in ice age conditions while coming to terms with their own distinctly frosty relationship. Forgotten by society, and even by the dystopian creatures that now roam the Earth, they have settled on some form of existence.

Extinction is primarily a character piece, with homemaker Jack (Jeffrey Donovan) doing his best to bring up a headstrong daughter, Lu (Quinn McColgan), who has never been able to set foot outside their fortified compound. “Neighbour” Patrick (Matthew Fox), whose history with Jack is unknown but important enough to have generated real hatred between them, lives across the “street” in his own wire-fenced stockade. Interestingly, although you have some indication of the secret in the men’s past, you are never sure whose side to be on. As more becomes clear you empathise with both and, while not necessarily being able to fully endorse either’s actions, you do understand them.

The script, performances and direction are all impressive, giving tension filled-life to the stark existence of this dysfunctional family. Issues are on the surface but never dealt with, resulting in fragmented relations between Jack and his daughter, with Patrick as a reluctant antagonist. The issue is that these tensions seem to last for a very, very long time without resolution, even when a forced “supper” takes place. Perhaps it was the filmmakers’ intention to contrast the sense of abandonment the characters feel; isolated and alone in a freezing world with the barrenness of the landscapes? If so, then this is successful, but at the expense of developing the narrative and moving the film along with any sense of pace. Only when the inevitable happens and they come under attack from the creatures does there feel like any real threat. Prior to this you just get the sense that everyone is simply waiting around to die with little hope or thought of what to do.

The creatures themselves are impressive. Not zombies as such, they are bloodthirsty humanoid predators with sight being replaced by enhanced hearing and smell (think the monsters from The Descent with a more vampiric look). Produced by Arturo Balceiro, who worked on Pan’s Labyrinth among other films, they have a unique aesthetic but are vastly underused. Vivas has chosen not to make them superhuman, which is a relief, but also they never feel like the dangerous threat they should be and no indication is given to how dominant a species they now are.

That said, the film is not about the monsters outside so much as the monsters within. Vivas has constructed an intelligent, considered film that deals with the isolation and strained relationships inevitable in the situation the characters find themselves in. It is sad to say then that Extinction just feels a little too slowly paced, resulting in a film that while interesting feels a little too thoughtful for its own good.

EXTINCTION / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: MIGUEL ANGEL VIVAS / SCREENPLAY: ALBERTO MARINI, MIGUEL ANGEL VIVAS / STARRING: MATTEW FOX, JEFFREY DONOVAN, QUINN MCCOLGAN, VALERIA VEREAU / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

After being rejected by a childhood friend for little more than being an otaku, Shinichi Kanou retreated into life as a shut in. There he fell deeper into the rabbit hole of geekery and wound up a lonely 29 year old. After scoring top points on an otaku-themed quiz, he is hired by a mysterious bureaucratic organisation. It’s only after waking up from a drugged cup of coffee that he realises the extent of the job he’s signed on for.

In the shadow of Mt Fuji, a rift was discovered that led to another universe. For the otaku mindset, the mishmash of final fantasy touchstones and genre tropes is a haven, which is fortunate as Shinichi has been hired as a cultural envoy to introduce its people to the wonders of Japanese manga, anime and video games. As someone who speaks in anime quotes and references, it’s a job he’s been training his whole life for. The fact he has a half elf maid doting on him only sweetens the deal.

But this is a culture which functions on inequality; 80% of the populace is illiterate and any species other than human is forced into military duty to gain citizenship. This inevitably holds an ugly mirror up to our own world and what we deem common practice. Interestingly, there’s a subplot involving terrorists and nationalism, demonstrating Outbreak Company, like otaku themselves, are so much more than meets the eye.

It’s a concept very reminiscent of this year’s Gate, albeit in reverse, and one which has the power to startle and surprise. It’s only a few months into the job that Shinichi has introduced the Japanese language to a people whose native tongue was based on runes and other pictographs, and established a school. And the natives take otaku culture to their hearts with utter abandon, leading to a boom in Japanese exports and a dubious example of globalisation.

The barrage of game and manga references are helpfully listed like a grab bag of geeky delights, and it’s just one of the reasons why the concept works better in anime form than Ichirō Sakaki’s light novel source material.

As a bullied otaku, to escape into a fantasy land is the eternal daydream. Outbreak Company is wish fulfilment at its most affectionate, and as a cautionary tale on the evils of consumerism, it’s a pretty thoughtful experience too.

Special Features: Texltess opening and closing / Trailers

OUTBREAK COMPANY – SERIES COLLECTION / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: KEI OIKAWA / SCREENPLAY: NARUHISA ARAKAWA / STARRING: NATSUKI HANAE, SUZUKO MIMORI, MAI FUCHIGAMI, MAAYA UCHIDA / RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 12TH

 

Noragami is a series where phantoms flock to seismic emotions and the conflict of adolescence is a melting pot of anger, frustration and hormonal angst, making the high school setting wholly justified. The fact it’s exam week only makes the stress and anxiety that much more delectable.

Yato – brilliantly voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya – is a frustrated up-and-coming demi-god lacking a shrine but packing a finely honed sense of bad boy street cred. In his tracksuit, bandit scarf and boots he cuts a striking figure though less divine and more ragamuffin. After slaying a phantom that’s prowling around the school, his regalia – a bound spirit halfway between a weapon and assistant – unceremoniously resigns.

Desperate to earn enough cash to build his own bountiful shrine, Yato takes on odd jobs for a five yen reward. Without a regalia to hand, that aim becomes a lot more difficult. Nevertheless, he takes on a wish to find a missing cat by the name of Milord. Cosmic fate has him cross paths with Hiyori Iki, a martial arts otaku and high school student.

Following a near death experience trying to save Yato from an oncoming bus, Hiyori gets trapped somewhere between the near shore and the far – the twin planes of existence. Consequently, her spirit is prone to ditch her body like narcolepsy of the soul. As a living phantom, she’s a walking target. Once the duo come up against a patricianly insistent phantom, Yato finds his new regalia in the form of Yukine – voiced by the consistently great Yūki Kaji – an angst-ridden fourteen year old spirit, and then the family unit is complete. The trouble is, Yukine isn’t much of a fan of Yato’s lifestyle as a down and out vagrant deity.

The presence of the phantoms is prefigured by trippy visuals of bulging eyes against blood red and bruised purple backdrops. It brings home just how effortlessly Japanese animation can conjure a sense of terror and otherness. The phantoms themselves are neon coloured creatures with either an aquatic, amphibian or insectoid physiology. As if in keeping with the enemy, the music is every bit as barmy. With evocative ambience conjuring Angelo Badalamenti, stringed together with whiffs of new age and grime for a cool urban swagger.

Special Features: Commentary / Textless opening and closing / Trailers 

 

Well here’s a classic film noir of slightly confusing origins. Before we get to the “is it any good?” narrative, we’ll just say that Night and the City (1950) is usually referred to as a “British film noir” (because, yes, we did make them and we were rather good at it). However, that’s slightly misleading as director Jules Dassin was an American and he made it over here because he’d just been put on the Hollywood blacklist for suspected un-American activities. It also stars Richard Widmark and Gene Tierney so, in a sense, it’s very much American noir. But not only is the titular city bombed-out London, you also get Googie Withers in a lead role and nobody is more British than Googie Withers. She practically won the war single-handedly (but with a bit of help from Vera Lynn).

All of this is rather fortuitous as Gerald Kersh’s novel that inspired the movie was actually set in London. Harry Fabian (Widmark) is a spiv, a con-man and a loser, always looking for a get-rich-quick scheme. Curiously, his nationality is never referred to in the film (although he does allude to being an American when conning some transatlantic tourists) but the character in the book was a Londoner who tried to perfect an American accent so quite what Widmark is playing is open to conjecture. But the scheme he’s about to embark on is going into the ruthless business of wrestling promotions up against the suitably uncompromising Kristo (a young Herbert Lom). But as usual, he just needs some money first. This isn’t going the end well. It’s film noir, of course it isn’t going to end well.

As noir goes, this is one of the darkest. In fact, one of the ground-breaking things about the movie is the fact that none of the characters are sympathetic. You think that one’s OK? Believe us, by the end of the movie you’ll have changed your mind. Everyone betrays everyone. Being film noir, we know Harry is doomed. But actually, all these unhappy people are, after 100 minutes-or-so of running around, all a lot less happy than they started even if they’re lucky enough to still be breathing at all. But that’s what you pay your money for in this kind of film. It’s still a great ride.

There are hidden depths to every character and pretty much all the cast are brilliant. It’s an early role for Widmark so it’s curious to see him in a less heroic role than we’re used to. Googie Withers in the complex role of a nightclub owner’s wife delivers one of the best performances you’ll see in this kind of film. And then there are the real locations of London itself, looking far more dark and threatening than New York has ever done. Blu-ray always does these kind of things well and this can give The Third Man (1949) a run for its money in the visual stakes.

There’s one more oddity to all this: the American and British versions were quite different. Here you get both. So all in all, you’ll be needing this one.

Special Features: Commentaries / Interviews / Trailer / Illustrated booklet

NIGHT AND THE CITY (1950) / DIRECTOR: JULES DASSIN / SCREENPLAY: JO EISINGER / STARRING: RICHARD WIDMARK, GENE TIERNEY, GOOGIE WITHERS, HERBERT LOM, HUGH MARLOWE, FRANCIS L. SULLIVAN / RELEASED: OUT NOW