I am a Miike fan but cannot find a review of this mini-series anywhere on the Web. Could someone who has seen it post a review on this website? With the UK release of the DVD's imminent I'm sure you'd be helping out a lot of prospective purchasers.
shareI'm not gonna write a review but it was pretty good though. Unfortunaly the BBFC has edited the UK release with pixals to get rid of Sexual violence, bare brains and a scene with children and a cross dresser...(i think it was hard to tell)
shareActually Miike is the one who did the editing, it's supposed to be pixals. This is actually a common thing Miike does, sometimes it's for humor, sometimes it's so the viewer will think it's worse then it really is under the pixals.
BTW, I enjoyed MPD Psyco, tons of fun
Never seen it in any of his other films looks pretty stupid...
sharewell on the first look it may seems stupid, but i think its really better than destroying the whole mood of the movie cause you see that these scenes are fake.
shareThe pixel thing is done in a couple of his other films but I can only think of Full Metal Yakuza. It is done by Miike and is meant to be there there isn't a un-cut version somewhere.
For the record I thought it was good have only seen parts 1 & 2 thus far but am enjoying it although it's a little confusing for me.
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In Japan, you can not show genitals on film, even in pornography. That is why there is pixelation.
shareIs the new region 1 version uncut?
shareThe Region 1 DVD is not UNCUT. Its written on the back of the DVD box which says:
(PLEASE NOTE:SINCE MPD PSYCHO WAS FILMED FOR TELEVISION, THE VIOLENT FOOTAGE HAS BEEN DIGITALLY MASKED WITH STATIC. THOUGH WE ATTEMPTED TO FIND THE FOOTAGE UNCUT, IT NO LONGER EXISTS.)
Dont let this stop you from seeing it.
I don`t wanna watch a cut version. Now i can`t watch the series. Helvetes strenge folk.
shareThe uncut footage was part of Easter eggs on the Japanese DVDs, but Miike left the censoring in for more of an artistic merit for the DVDs than anything else. I think it's there either to psyche out the viewer into imagining more horrible things than what's actually under the editing or to hide cheap TV production values.
The flowerpot brains look more like Jello molds than anything else to me. ;p
what about a good story and excellent direction? graphic sex and violence isn't what make miike's stories good. if that's all you want, go rent urotsukidoji and leave the good stuff to people with taste.
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Actually, it's a pretty strange gray area with regard to graphic nudity in Japan. If the genitals are shown, it cannot have any sexual connotation. (Kind of a contradiction, isn't it?) Since the murders in MPD Psycho are of a sado-sexual nature, the images would never pass the Japanese censors. Miike-san, being Miike-san, beat the censors at their own game while remaining true to his artistic vision. If you watch the extra of the making of the SPFX, you can see the dummies and appliances. They could have, if lit and shot correctly, been nauseatingly realistic.
The Japanese are an amazing people, but their society is so repressed. What I find odd, is that although they can't show genitalia, the censors have no problem with showing men being graphically sodomized by foreign objects (Visitor Q, Fudoh.)
As to the originalsubject of the thread, is MPD Psycho any good... In my opinion, it's freakin' brilliant. You have to really pay attention. If you think you can just sit back and be entertained, you'd better think again. (Either that, or have an ample supply of kind bud!)
Are you Asian? Because if you're not why do you call him Miike-san?
shareActually he used the censoring techinique in Visitor Q, I also read an article where he said that he intentionally censored things to make the viewer think that things are worse than they really are. If you notice though, not everything is censored. But the things that are...it makes you want to know why or it makes you think that things are worse than they really are.
I thought it was interesting at how when you get your first glimpse of Lucy Monostone...that it's fogged over, so that the actual first glimpse of Lucy is of the barcode on his eye.
Actually Miike is the one who did the editing, it's supposed to be pixals. This is actually a common thing Miike does, sometimes it's for humor, sometimes it's so the viewer will think it's worse then it really is under the pixals.
There was only one actual scene in the first episode that had any genitals to blur - the rest of the censorship was gore: the flowerpots, etc.
See my post about the uncut footage as Easter eggs on the Japanese DVDs.
I don't see how it could be on the Japanese DVDs if it was real, unless it was totally covered by the woman's patch (which is now okay to show in Japan, as long as they don't show ermm - further details).
shareThere are rips of the Japanese DVDs floating around on filesharing networks that have the uncensored bits edited back in. I don't know how it addresses the nudity issue, but that's honestly the last thing on my mind when it comes to MPD-Psycho.
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Actually Miike is the one who did the editing, it's supposed to be pixals. This is actually a common thing Miike does, sometimes it's for humor, sometimes it's so the viewer will think it's worse then it really is under the pixals.
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I don't think that's the reason why they exist. It's illegal in Japan to show male or female reproductive parts anywhere (TV, magazines, film, comics, etc.) You can't even show cartoon versions of it in anime or manga (you'll find pornographic comics and animations that also have blur/mosaic censoring). If Miike had a choice, I'm sure he would have left these scenes uncensored.
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I'm not too sure about that. I saw a film called "Graveyard of Honour" and there was nudity in that.
I heartily recommend that you read at least a little of the comic that this series was based on before you give the DVDs a try. A fangroup has the translated the comic into English, just use Google and you'll find it easily.
Without it, you might be more than a little lost.
www.superhappyfun.com/content.htm
go and type it on the search engine there. They have all 3 series each containing the uncut footage.
I personally think the uncut footage ruins the show, glad they included it on the disc though.
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Its a bit boring. his other films are better. the cameras they use are intended for television not cinema so its shoddy. the stories are good as are the ideas. if you want a good miike film try Audition but this is also good. worth borrowing off a friend.
shareAlthough by now you have read many reviews of this series, if you are a fan of Miike or David Lynch then this is a must. What I like about this guy and anything that seems to come out of Asia these days, is that there is a depth and humour that few people either get or care about. The pixels that block out the gore (whether intentional or not) have that unsettling feel, you do question should or do I want to see this? I certainly questioned my morals!!
Do not be put off by other peoples criticisms. This series needs to be experienced.
Are you experienced?
This series is great! If you like any kind of Japanese sci-fi/horror or anime this has elements or influences of both. I'd really recommend it. Don't be put off by the whole "blurring" issue - it's a really effective device for letting your imagination make up for the special effects.
I'd give the serial an 8 out of 10! And that's a GOOD 8/10!
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About the pixelated genitals, they also do it in Rainy Dog, which is in an extremely funny scene, which is the only comedy in the otherwise down crime-noir. In the scene, some dude who is sleeping on a roof in the city wakes up in the morning and needs to pee, so he starts going CRAZY and starts peeing EVERYWHERE, on his sleeping bag, off the roof, on teh floor, everywhere, and he's whipping it around like a fire-hose. (no penis joke intended) His penis is pixelated, which acutally adds to the comedy of the scene because I've never seen pixelation used in such a way...
"You are the Duke of New York! You are A # 1!"
you have to really make an effort to enjoy this one. which is not saying it is a bad movie, it is just very slow, arty, and perplexing. it is one of my least favorite miike films, but it is still worth a viewing.
shareI've buy the first dvd today and i think i've waste my money... The image quality is really really bad, it looks like a cheap sitcom. The colors are absolutely hideous, and the for example the color of the blood is not beliveable at all... The gory effects sucked, with stupid pixels on it... It so cheap, mpd psycho deserve more than that, it looks like a troma production! And the actors are really pitiful...
Sorry, i'm angry, in Switzerland it's really expensive to buy those import dvds, and i think i should have buy something better than this amteur-mini dv style serie!
Is it a movie mini-siries or anime?
I hear that they made MPD anime, and a movie...is that true?
The Pixels looked awful.
It reminded you that you were watching a film/series etc.
It totally through you out of the story seeing these 'fuzzy boxes' over the images that were guiding the film.
Miike is known for the extreme side of cinema and all the sleeves to the MPD series have gore splashed all over them.
Then when you get to watch the series those images are blocked out.
INSANE!
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I completely agree. Possibly the best mini-series ever. A highpoint of Miike's career.
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I've never seen any other of miike's material,but judging by this he's gotta be great!
*makes mental note to see some other stuff by miike*
How many episodes did Miike direct? Should i buy the whole series or only the episodes that were done by Miike?
shareassim123, he directed all 6 episodes. You can buy the boxset.
Thats what I'm thinking of doing. Huge Miike fan but the pixels are really off-putting and it seems that this could go either way, love or hate. What the hell, I think I'll just get them. Now I'm all excited...
My YMDb: http://www.ymdb.com/forest-law/l32806_ukuk.htmlshare
ahh k, because on the DVD it says volume 3 episodes 5 and 6, so I thought maybe he only did two episodes,
Heres the link and some other links;
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MPD-PSYCHO-VOLUME-3-parts-5-6-R_W0QQitemZ150016784728QQihZ005QQcategoryZ60894QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MPD-PSYCHO-VOL-1-NEW-SEALED-DVD-R4_W0QQitemZ9133162444QQihZ011QQcategoryZ60893QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MPD-PSYCHO-VOL-2-NEW-SEALED-DVD-R4_W0QQitemZ9133162485QQihZ011QQcategoryZ60893QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
These are the only ones available in Australia, is this the same for the rest of the world?
not quite sure about Austrailia, but these are the R2 versions;
http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/6-/Search.html?searchstring=mpd+psycho&searchtype=r2alldvd&searchsource=0
and this is the boxset with all 6 episodes in...
http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/677796/MPD_Psycho_Boxed_Set/Product.html
Have you looked around for an R4 boxset? or is it just the volumes?
Its just the volumes, Australia has the crapiest releases on DVDs, some American movies are still not available in Australia like "blade runner" and "they live!" yet alone Japanese or other world movies!
The only movies of Miike Takashi's available in Australia are Audition, MPD Pshyco (not all episodes), Ichi the Killer, Bird People in China, dead or alive series, young thug series, three extremes, one missed call, visitor q, fudoh, and city of lost souls. Mind you thats preety impressive, try geting any other Asian directors movies youll only find one or two five maximum, sometimes I have to go down to China Town and settle for cheap DVDs which dont have subtitles.
The Australian website for Asian cinema is www.easterneye.com.au
And Australian distributors are,
http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvds
www.ezydvd.com.au
Alot of people from America and England purchase from these websites because of the low currency of the Australian dollar.
Anyways Ive complained enough for now lol.
Assim, I've been wanting to see Bird People of China for a while but it has no R2 release. Same with One Missed Call, have you seen these? and are they worth the imports?
Shame about the DVD situation there in Austrailia? Do they get shown on TV sometimes....only rarely do we get world cinema titles like Miike's shown over here and only about 2/3 in rental shops. So we have to purchase a lot...i might start renting online :)
My YMDb: http://www.ymdb.com/forest-law/l32806_ukuk.htmlshare
One missed Call is a excellent movie, but the ending leaves you scratching your head as to what happen, Bird People in China I have not seen yet. Unforunatly they dont get shown on free to air TV only on cable TV which offers a world cinema channel. Australia has a large Asian population and there are many Asian DVD rental stores where I can rent rare Asian movies from, however some dont have subtitles and I enjoy watching the special features. Half of my Asian cinema and world cinema collection is from eBay.
But it looks like I have to import MPD Psycho for all the 6 episdoes.
I watched all six episodes a few weeks ago and it is undeniably very good even with the self-censorship. Lots of interesting ideas and hihly professional finish. There were a few loose ends that I didn't get but it is not surprising as there is a lot to take in.
@pixeling: The way this was done, it kind of reminded me of a documentary for murders. Most of those blur out the very violent photos much in the same way Miike has done with this series. I really don't find the pixles too distracting after the first 10 min or so (i'm not sure when they first appear... but after awhile, they become haunting and add to the whole distrubing aspect of it)
@assim: Miike directed all 6 episodes. Each one is an hour long so they could only fit two to a disc.
@stevefolan: I agree. So far I'm really impressed with what he was able to do on a shoestring budget, small timelimit, and censors to sidestep.
Um...Its pretty interesting actually, if you read the manga first I feel that you get alittle confused at first but it's easy to catch on what's happening.
The mosaic pixelling was interesting...Some parts were censored and some werent so it gave sort of like a artistic eefect in a way. But you can still sort of see what being pixellated which I find funny.
Actors are great...I was a tiny bit disappointed...I was hoping some scenes from the manga would be in the series. Only one was I belive. Actors were great, Hosaka is a great actor!
It's a must see. I just downloaded the series so ya : )
this is a great series with a serious pair of balls on it...it flips almost every genre and is a compelling watch...ive seen the uncut version and its great. it will perplex the hell out of you from minute one but you need to use your brain to fill in the blanks and it really pays off when you do cos it comes together very well! everything is done purposefully and it works a treat, highly recommend this!
share"It's illegal in Japan to show male or female reproductive parts anywhere (TV, magazines, film, comics, etc."
So... In Japan if you're riding in a friends car and the windows are foggy so you draw a little penis with your finger on the window is that against the law?
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Movies are racist!
Er, no more than you can be arrested for murder by drawing a picture of yourself stabbing someone to death. :\
Some velvet morning when I'm straight...