Sukiyaki Western Django - Japanese DVD

There are 3 editions of this movie released in Japan:

1-disc Blu-ray,


1-disc "Standard Edition" DVD,


and 3-disc "Special Collector's Edition" DVD (limited).


Here I'm going to write about the 3-disc SCE DVD because that's what I own.

I chose it because it's the only edition that have meaningful supplements. And the package looks cool.

On the other hand, BD is movie-only. And it seems to me that the visuals of this movie doesn't require HD quality to fully enjoy it.

Of course, it's absolutely disappointing they didn't release Special Edition BD at the same time.
But considering this title was the first Japanese movie ever released on BD in Japan, maybe they were not confident about the format back then.


Well, now on to the SCE DVD....


Cat.# GNBD-1430
Publisher: Geneon Universal Entertainment/Sedic International
http://db2.geneonuniversal.jp/contents/hp0002/list.php?CNo=2&AgentProCon=3040
Release date: Feb. 6, 2008
Region code: 2

The Packaging:

The box is made of rigid, embossed cardboard with many "bullet holes" in it.

Inside the box, there are:

• 3-disc keepcase
• Booklet (8 pages)
• Storyboard book (168 pages)

The keepcase artwork:

The discs:

The booklet:

The storyboard book:

Disc 1: The Movie

Single-Sided, Dual-layer
Running time: 121 mins (Note that US DVD is shorter 98 mins version)

Video: CinemaScope, 16:9 enhanced

Audio:

• English 6.1 DD SR-EX
• English 6.1 DTS-ES
• Japanese  6.1 DD SR-EX
• English 2.0 DD SR
• Japanese 2.0 DD SR
• Audio commentary: Japanese 2.0 Stereo

Subtitles:

• Japanese
• Japanese for dubs
• None

A note on the languages:

In case you don't know (unlikely I think),

the movie was shot with English languages spoken by Japanese actors.

As the majority of them don't speak a word of English in real life, their English is not so good.

It may be difficult for native English speakers to understand what they are speaking.

English subtitles would have been appreciated. But keep in mind this is a Japanese movie made for Japanse audience, and the DVD released for Japanese market.

As you can see in the options, there's a Japanese audio version too.

It was released in a limited number of theatres at the same time.

All the actors dubbed themselves except for Quentine Tarantino, who was dubbed by none other than Takashi Miike.

Supplements:

• Audio commentary
• Trailers

Audio commentary is done by writer/director Takashi Miike and Christian Storms.

Storms is the one who translated the script to English, He also had a bit part in the eraly flashback scene.

The commentary is spoken in Japanese only, and there's no subtitles.

It's almost Miike's solo, as Storms rarely speaks except when Miike asked him.

Miike talks lot throughout the movie, and there's no dull or silent moment.
I find this commentary very fun to listen.

Trailers section (all in 4:3) has:

2 teaser trailers (1'10", 1'16"), 2 theatrical trailers (0'30", 1'50"), 2  TV spots (0'15", 0'30") ("Play All" option available).

and a promo video for "Devil May Cry 4" video game (3'40").

Disc 2 - Special Disc 01:

Single-Sided, Single-Layered

4:3, no subtitles

 ("Play All" option is available for the contents.)

- Making-of documentary "Yuta-mura ni Tadayou Miike-gumi no Tamashii" (53 mins, 6 chapters)
(roughly "The Soul of Miike's team runs through the Yuta village")

This documentary mostly focuses on the shooting in Yuta village open set.

- SWD-VFX Ver.1.8 (11 mins)

CGI producer Misako Saka guides us in the CGI studio while the crew are at work. 

- Sukiyaki Gun Guide (22 mins)

by Bill Yokoyama, who is responsible for firearms in this movie.

He supplied them, devised gun effects (although some of them are done with CGI).

Here, he introduces the firearms used by each character:

the basic informations of the guns (name, specs, brief history)

what kind of characters used them in westerns in the past,

and why he chose that particular gun for the character.

If you have no interest in firearms this must be boring, but for me it's very interesting. 

BTW, Bill Yokoyama is seen at the very beginning of the movie as a dead man with a hole in his forehead.

According to Miike, this is an inside joke to refer "Kill Bill".

- Zoku Yuta-mura eno Michi - Sukiyaki Rokechi Annai (34 mins)

(roughly "The road to Yuta village continued - A Guide to Sukiyaki locations)

The title is slightly misleading for me.

It's basically a guide to each set constructed on the location site,

analyzed by art director (or production designer) Takashi Sasaki.

After a brief introduction by Sasaki, we see 2 pages of a map of the Yuta village, which serves as the chapter index. (Thankfully, "All Play" is available.)

Disc 3 - Special Disc 02:

Single-Sided, Single-Layered

4:3, no subtitles

 ("Play All" option is available for the contents.)

Majority of this disc is a collection of various publicity events.

- Press conference to announce the project (from the Yuta village set) (11 mins)

- Press conference upon the completion of the movie (18 mins)

- Speeches by cast & director on the preview event (10 mins).

- The Venice International Film Festival (10 mins).

- Speeches by cast and director on the opening day (10 mins).

- 5 deleted scenes (total: 10 mins)

• Heihachi and Ruriko in the morning in their house
• Ruriko talks about her past to Toshio in the mountain
• Yoshitsune examines the wound of dead Yoichi 
• Benkei realizes what's really important for him
• The funeral of Shizuka conducted by Ruriko in the mountain

They are presented with brief footages of the actual movie,

so we can see where they were supposed to be.

- Lastly, Trailers of 11 spaghetti western DVD titles available (total: 44 mins).

OST - Album and Single CD of the end title song "Sasurai" by Saburo Kitajima:


US versions:


[2015-07-30: Modified/added product links due to the changes of Amazon.com's affiliate specs]