A Look At The Death Trance DVD

Though we've reviewed the film in detail already - short version: it's a lot of fun - my production copy of Yuji Shimomura's Death Trance with Tak Sakaguchi has just arrived and it seems worthwhile commenting on the release itself.

It comes packaged in the plastic keepcase / cardboard slip cover arrangement that seems to be becoming the standard for all of Media Blasters' higher profile releases. The transfer is anamorphic widescreen and very stong, crisp and clean and it really shows off Shimomura's direction and cinematography. I said in my review that this is a much better looking film than it has any right to be and the DVD shows that off to good effect. Audio comes in 2.0 and 5.1 options for both the English dub and the original Japanese and the subtitles are very well translated.

As for extra features, it's a bit sparse but what's there is good. First thing you'll notice when you pop open the case is that it also includes a little 3" DVD of trailers from other Media Blasters releases. On the Death Trance disc itself you get a 'Making Of' which is basically just EPK material plus an interview with star Tak Sakaguchi. Watch the interview. I have no idea what I really expected Tak to be like in person, but he's brash, intelligent, very articulate and - most of all - very, very funny. He knows exactly who and what he is, loves who and what he is, obviously had a great time making this film and listening to him take outrageously cheap shots at himself, director Shimomura, the writer and the stunt crew - all of whom are close personal friends of his - while fighting off laughter the entire time is so far away from the standard, bland stock interview that you normally get on these things that it could have gone on far, far longer than it does and I'd have been perfectly content to let it run.

A note to the Media Blasters people: when the inevitable sequel gets made, and please let it be soon, not giving Sakaguchi and Shimomura a commentary track will be considered a criminal offence. Seriously. This guy's too good to waste.