When Johnnie To pays tribute to Akira Kurosawa
A party animal and notorious alcoholic, manager of a club that is drowning in debt, Sze-To was in a former life a great judo champion. One evening Tony, a young and enthusiastic judoka, arrives and wants to challenge the former prodigy. The next day, it is the turn of Mona, an apprentice singer determined to perform in his club. These two newcomers will bring Sze-To a renewed energy and hope to face Kong, the opponent he should have fought two years earlier, before giving up judo...
With Judo (Throw Down) , the very prolific director Johnnie To signs a captivating work at the crossroads of genres, between the martial arts film, the urban thriller and the dramatic comedy. The Hong Kong filmmaker pays tribute here to Akira Kurosawa's first film, The Legend of the Great Judo (1943). With the humanism and visual mastery that characterize the latter's work, Johnnie To delivers a touching fable about the courage and determination of a man to regain self-esteem. To discover for the first time on Blu-ray™ in its sublime 4K restoration!
JUDO by Johnnie To
(2004 – Colors – 96 mins – VOST + VF)
New 4K Restoration
Available on Blu-ray & DVD
SUPPLEMENTS (IN HD) *
. INTERVIEW WITH JOHNNIE TO (40 mins)
Director Johnnie To looks back at the story and characters of Judo , discusses the film's key scenes, and talks about his aesthetic choices, his direction of actors, and the influence of Kurosawa's cinema.
. MAKING-OF (11 min)
A dive into the heart of the filming of Judo in the company of the director and the main actors of the film.
. ORIGINAL TRAILER
*in HD on the Blu-ray Disc™ version
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BD 50 • HIGH DEFINITION MASTER • 1080/23.98p • AVC ENCODING
Original Version / French Version DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 • French Subtitles 2.35 Format respected • Colors • Film Length: 96 mins
DVD 9 • NEW RESTORED MASTER • PAL • MPEG-2 ENCODING
Original Version / French Version Dolby Digital 5.1 • French Subtitles
2.35 format respected • 16/9 compatible 4/3 • Colors • Film duration: 92 mins
Released on January 27, 2021
Also available in the JANUARY MONTHLY PACK
