Battlefield Baseball

I'm really having a hard time trying to wrap my head around this insane film. Actually, calling the film insane would be a huge understatement. The film is completely maniacal and not in a macabre kind of way. By the looks of the DVD, you'd think that this would be some kind of Shaolin Soccer meets Battle Royale hybrid. In a sense I guess it is. However, it's much less about gory baseball than it is about humor and that's where I get completely lost.

For me, Japanese humor can really go both ways: it's either funny in a flamboyant, mildly incoherent way or it's just totally illogical to the point of cult caliber hilarity. Battlefield Baseball certainly has its moments of narrative incoherence but it also has its share of virtues. It's definitely watchable, some of the jokes were funny, and I assume that it will earn a cult following based on its wacky, fringe premise alone.

Perhaps the idea would've made for a great short. Actually, the DVD features some very funny short films that also benefit from an ideal running time. I really don't want this review to be a put down of Subversive Cinema because they really did a stellar job with these discs. In fact -- and I never thought I'd say this -- they may have even gone a little overboard in this case.

First thing's first, the DVD sports an excellent anamorphically enhanced transfer, even with all the packed bonus content. Also included are a stereo mix and even a newly created 5.1 mix. Both audio options serve the film quite nicely.

The DVD comes equipped with commentary by director Yudai Yamaguchi, producer Ryuhei Kitamura, star Tak Sakaguchi, and actor slash comedian Hidetaka Nishio. This is a pretty light, fun track that showcases lots of humor, mainly from Nishio. The commentary gets more in-depth as they discuss locales, cast members, Sakagushi's dislocated shoulder, and the smell of each others farts.

In terms of featurettes, we get two nearly half-hour making-of docs. The first one has a little boy conducting an interview with Sakaguchi as he discusses such things as shot setups, characterization, and special effects (ie. having a helicopter hover right over his head to create a wind effect for his "suuuupaaaaa tornado" special attack). The other doc has more to do with production footage and special effects. Both are definitely worth watching but the first one (with the faux interview footage) is actually funny, entertaining, and informative. The other doc is just entertaining and informative.

The DVD also comes with two LEGO spoofs of the film. The first one's pretty damn hilarious and inventive, the second was kinda short and tedious. Oddly enough, the much longer short is less dull. There are also three Battlefield Baseball trailers. The first two are incomprehensible, while the third is incomprehensibly brilliant (there's a fine line). There are also several amusing trailers for other Subversive Cinema releases, including The Freakmaker. I don't know what this film is but the trailer is totally bitchin'.

In addition, there are a series of bloopers and outtakes, a funny and confusing karaoke sing-along double featurette, a look at the film's premiere -- with the cast/crew onstage with some naked guy -- and, finally, the cream of the crop, a very funny, delightfully incoherent story of a boy trying to get Ramen noodles for his dying grandma, played by an old man with drawn-on boobies (!?!). And oh yeah, the film is also accompanied by an intro with the creators of Battlefield Baseball, including the creator of the Manga it's based on...and a naked man holding a crying baby.

This film is completely mad, as is the DVD. It's definitely worth spinning if you're a fan of cinematic mayhem, topped off with nonsensical humor. I can't wait to make my friends watch this maniacal nonsense.

Good job Subversive but, hopefully, next time you'll end up with better films to distribute. Once you do, I know I'll be the first to buy them. I'm gonna have to go ahead and recommend this title as a rental just so you can all support an impressive up-and-coming company and possibly help them release some better films. For more on Subversive Cinema, check out this interview with the company's founder Norman Hill. -- Neil Karassik