Notizie

BBC Studios Renews Pact With Zdf

BBC Studios has struck another renewal agreement, unveiling a new deal with Germany’s Zdf today at its annual Showcase event. Notably in the multi-year agreement, which follows an earlier pact struck in 2019, the new deal will extend to co-development of scripted shows. This comes after Zdf entered into a co-production with AMC Networks-owned Acorn TV through a deal instructed by an initial partnership with the BBC’s commercial wing. Zdf will get first option on pre-sales and acquisitions, with BBC shows such as Kingdoms, Make Me Famous and This is Going to Hurt confirmed for ZDFneo. Zdf is also a c-producer on landmark natural history series Mammals and Asia.

‘Doctor Foster’ Gets Japanese Remake On Nippon TV

Another one out BBC Studios Showcase. Japan’s Nippon TV will be the latest network to get a local remake of psychological relationship drama Doctor Foster...

Stars: Yayan Ruhian, Rirî Furankî, Hayato Ichihara, Mio Yûki, Pierre Taki, Denden, Tetsu Watanabe, Yoshiyuki Morishita, Riko Narumi, Reiko Takashima, Lily Frankie, Masanori Mimoto, Shô Aoyagi, Manzô Shinra, Kiyohiko Shibukawa | Written by Yoshitaka Yamaguchi | Directed by Takashi Miike

I’m not sure if it’s from watching Battles Without Honour and Humanity or my love of the Crows Zero movies that did it, but I have to admit that I was very excited about Takashi Miike’s Yakuza Apocalypse. Now that I’ve seen it, I may be a little confused but I’ll also admit to being in love with the insane little film.

Yakuza Apocalypse focuses on the story of Kageyama, a Yakuza who is ridiculed for his lack of signature tattoos down to his sensitive skin. When he witnesses the defeat of his former boss, whose decapitated head in turn bites him turning him into a vampire he turns into a vampire.

Stars: Yayan Ruhian, Rirî Furankî, Hayato Ichihara, Mio Yûki, Pierre Taki, Denden, Tetsu Watanabe, Yoshiyuki Morishita, Riko Narumi, Reiko Takashima, Lily Frankie, Masanori Mimoto, Shô Aoyagi, Manzô Shinra, Kiyohiko Shibukawa | Written by Yoshitaka Yamaguchi | Directed by Takashi Miike

When considering the work of a director who often makes up to six or seven films a year, you might be forgiven for assuming that most of these would be low-key, simple productions focusing on small sets of characters. Not so in the case of Takashi Miike, the filmmaker behind such eyebrow-raising fare as the ultraviolent Ichi The Killer, zombie musical comedy The Happiness of the Katakuris and contemplative drama The Bird People in China. Never one to shirk an ambitious project for the sake of an easy life, Miike’s latest film sees him on world-ending form with Yakuza Apocalypse.

Kageyama is a low-level Yakuza thug bullied by his fellow gangsters...