Tartan Asia Extreme Releases More Scares

Asian Fever’s favorite Distribution company Tartan Asia Extreme has announced plenty of goodies to be released this spring.
Those includes MAREBITO, a new film from acclaimed master of horror Takashi Shimizu (Ju-On, The Grudge), PRAYER, a part of the New Generation Thriller series, ANOTHER PUBLIC ENEMY, a sequel to the hit Public Emnemy, and HEIRLOOM, a Taiwanese horror! Click on a link below to see info and specs for these titles!

ANOTHER PUBLIC ENEMY (March 28th 2006)

Plot: When a number of unsolved crimes are linked to an enigmatic foundation, newly assigned prosecutor Kang steps up the investigation using his own brand of justice.  But after he realizes the man behind the vast corruption of bribery, embezzlement and murder is an old nemesis, he’ll discover just how far this conspiracy really goes.

Another Public Enemy is the sequel to Public Enemy, one of the most successful Korean crime thrillers of all time. It stars Sol Kyung-gu, winner of the Grand Bell and Blue Dragon Awards for Best Actor for his compelling performance as a ruthless cop in the original film.  In the sequel, Kyung-gu plays a completely different character, strait-laced prosecutor Kang.

DVD specs
Anamorphic widescreen,
Korean Dolby Digital 5.1 Sound and DTS with optional English subtitles
Commentary with Director and Cast
The Making Of
Behind-The Scenes Featurette
Original theatrical trailer
Trailers of Tartan Asia Extreme’s upcoming releases

MAREBITO (March 14th 2006)

Plot: Masuoka (cult filmmaker Shinya Tsukamoto, Tetsuo), a solitary cameraman obsessed with the desire to understand fear, watches grisly footage of a man committing suicide in the subway. Desperate to understand the madman’s intentions, Masuoka returns to the scene, inadvertently opening a door into a bizarre and horrifying underworld. Here among the ghosts and creatures he finds a strange and beautiful mute girl. After kidnapping her, Masuoka discovers evidence of a chillingly inhuman nature and realizes he has discovered a truth too frightening to be real.

Director Takashi Shimizu is well-known for his Ju-On horror series which includes four Japanese Ju-On films and the American film The Grudge starring Sarah Michelle Gellar.  Shimizu is currently making the fifth Ju-On film and a sequel to The Grudge.  Other credits include Tomie: Re-birth and Reincarnation.

DVD specs
Anamorphic widescreen
Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS with optional English subtitles
Interview with director Takashi Shimizu
Interview with actor Shinya Tsukamoto
Director’s Discussion of Ju-On, The Grudge and Marebito
Original theatrical trailer
Trailers of Tartan Asia Extreme’s upcoming releases.

PRAYER (April 11th 2006)

Plot: Down on their luck and desperate for money to buy drugs, Mitsuru (Tetsuji Tamayama) and Maki (Asami Mizukawa) have the perfect plan. They decide to kidnap a young girl and hide out in an abandoned school, until their demands are met. Everything is going according to plan, until they realize they have made one gross miscalculation. Their hostage died a year ago today and now it’s their turn.

Prayer, directed by Yuichi Sato, is part of the New Generation Thriller series.  A collection of Japanese thriller and horror films helmed by up and coming directors and featuring a new breed of actors.  The next film, Booth, will be released by Tartan Asia Extreme later this year.

DVD specs
Anamorphic widescreen
Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 with optional English subtitles
Extra has yet to be determined.

HEIRLOOM (April 25th 2006)

Plot: Twenty years ago, an inexplicable mass suicide occurred in the millionaire Yang household, where the entire family hanged themselves at the exact same time. Only one member survived. To this day, the case remains unsolved.  Now, a distant relative inherits the house and moves in with his new fiancée.  Mysterious events begin to disturb their lives and force them to confront the evil within.  The demented legacy of the Yang family comes full circle and the curse left behind is reborn.

The Heirloom is directed by Leste Chen, one of the hottest young directors in Taiwan.  He previously directed music videos for Taiwan’s most popular rock band Mayday, Hong Kong songstress Joey Yung and Hong Kong actor/singer Eason Chan. His short films have been nominated for two consecutive years at the Taipei Film Awards.

DVD specs
Anamorphic widescreen
Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS with optional English subtitles
Extra are yet to be determined.