Death Note (2006 film): Difference between revisions
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* [[Masahiko Tsugawa]] as Saeki |
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===English=== |
===English Dub Voice Cast=== |
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* [[Brad Swaile]] as Light Yagami |
* [[Brad Swaile]] as Light Yagami |
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* [[Alessandro Juliani]] as L. Lawliet |
* [[Alessandro Juliani]] as L. Lawliet |
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Revision as of 12:25, 10 March 2009
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Death Note (デスノート, Desu Nōto) is a series of two live-action Japanese films released in 2006 and based on the Death Note manga and anime series by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. The films primarily center on a university student who decides to rid the world of evil with the help of a supernatural notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it. The two films were directed by Shūsuke Kaneko, produced by Nippon Television, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures Japan.
A spin-off film directed by Hideo Nakata, titled L: Change the World, was released on February 9 2008.
Plot
The series is about Light Yagami, a young man who resents the crime and corruption in the world. His life undergoes a drastic change when he discovers a mysterious notebook, known as the "Death Note", lying on the ground. The Death Note's instructions claim that if a person's name is written within it while picturing that person's face, that person shall die. Light is initially skeptical of the notebook's authenticity, but after experimenting with it, he realizes that the Death Note is real. After meeting with the previous owner of the Death Note, a shinigami named Ryuk, Light seeks to become "the God of the New World" by passing his judgement on those he deems to be evil or who get in his way.
Soon, the number of inexplicable deaths of reported criminals catches the attention of the International Police Organization and a mysterious detective known only as "L". L quickly learns that the serial killer, dubbed by the public as "Kira" (キラ, derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the word "killer"), is located in Japan. L also concludes that Kira can kill people without laying a finger on them. Light realizes that L will be his greatest nemesis, and a game of psychological cat and mouse between the two begins.
Cast
Japanese
- Ken'ichi Matsuyama as L
- Tatsuya Fujiwara as Light Yagami
- Erika Toda as Misa Amane
- Asaka Seto as Naomi Misora
- Shidou Nakamura as Ryuk (voice of)
- Shigeki Hosokawa as Raye Iwamatsu
- Shunji Fujimura as Watari
- Takeshi Kaga as Souichirou Yagami
- Yuu Kashii as Shiori Akino
- Hikari Mitsushima as Sayu Yagami
- Shin Shimizu as Kanzo Mogi
- Matt Lagan as Lind L. Taylor
- Michiko Godai as Sachiko Yagami
- Tatsuhito Okuda as Shuichi Aizawa
- Sota Aoyama as Touta Matsuda
- Ikuji Nakamura as Hirokazu Ukita
- Ruben Chacon as Kevin LeRoy
- Masanori Fujita as Ryotaro Sakajo
- Norman England as FBI agent
- Takeo Nakahara as Matsubara
- Yoji Tanaka as Sasaki
- Masahiko Tsugawa as Saeki
English Dub Voice Cast
- Brad Swaile as Light Yagami
- Alessandro Juliani as L. Lawliet
- Shannon Chan-Kent as Misa Amane
- Ashleigh Ball as Shiori Akino
- Chris Britton as Soichiro Yagami
- Vincent Tong as Tota Matsuda, Takeshi Maruo
- Trevor Devall as Shuichi Aizawa
- John Murphy as Kanzo Mogi
- Jeremy From as Hirokazu Ukita
- Janyse Jaud as Sanami
- Ron Halder as Watari, Matsubara
- Kristie Marsden as Sayu Yagami
- Saffron Henderson as Sachiko Yagami
- Michael Donovan as Ryotaro Sakajo, Takuo's friend
- Brian Drummond as Ryuk
- Ted Cole as Lind L. Tailor, additional voices
- Michael Adamthwaite as Raye Iwamatsu
- Nicole Oliver as Naomi Misora
- Brian Dobson as Kiichiro Osoreda, Katsuya Seta
- Bill Switzer as Sasaki
- Louis Chirillo as Takuo Shibuimaru, Yusuke Hibisawa
- David Kaye as Koreyoshi Kitamura
Production
Development
In his production notes, director Shūsuke Kaneko explained his desire to convince audiences that, while the killing of bad humans may seem to be fair, it underestimates the power imbued in the Death Note (the manga series follows a very similar viewpoint). Kaneko also commented that the psychological fear of dying could be "more nightmarish than Kaiju (monsters) destroying cities and killing people."[3]
Kaneko also stated that he wanted the film to "focus on psychological pain," explain how the deaths occur, and explain how younger people would begin to like Kira.[4] He also removed many of the interior monologues prominent in the manga and allow audiences to develop their own beliefs of the characters' thoughts and beliefs while allowing "dramatic tension."[5]
Kaneko said that the most difficult portion of the manga to film was the scene when the investigation begins, after the authorities conclude that a person is responsible for killing the criminals. He chose to add a scene in which L explains his logic via his personal computer in order to make the film "more believable" and "excite people" for the coming struggle between L and Light.[5]
Shūsuke Kaneko indicated mixed feelings while directing the movie; he said that he felt "a little reservation" at how the movie would perform since the film "uses ‘death’ to entertain the audience" and feels "morally unsettling." Kaneko theorizes that the film may have performed well because of the Internet culture of Japan. Kaneko said that use of the Death Note had similarities to how users attack one another on message boards and blogs. In addition, Kaneko noted that death is "carefully" concealed to the point where "people don’t even think about it."[6]
Filming
Kaneko chartered an underground line to film a particular scene in the first film; this was the first time in Japanese filming history that an underground line was used. Kaneko used about 500 extras throughout the first film.[4]
Soundtracks
Theme Songs
Death Note
Death Note: The Last Name
- "Dani California" by Red Hot Chili Peppers (Opening)
- "Snow ((Hey Oh))" by Red Hot Chili Peppers (Closing)
Release and Reception
Death Note
The first film, simply known as Death Note, premiered in Japan on June 17, 2006 and topped the Japanese box office for two weeks, pushing The Da Vinci Code into second place.[7]
Death Note (死亡筆記) was released in Hong Kong on August 10, 2006, Taiwan on September 8, 2006, Singapore on October 19 2006 & Malaysia on November 9, 2006 with English and Chinese subtitles. The sequel was released in Hong Kong on November 3, 2006, in Taiwan on November 24, 2006, in Singapore on December 28, 2006, and in Malaysia on January 25, 2007, with English and Chinese subtitles. The world premiere was in the UA Langham Place cinema in Hong Kong on October 28 2006, as the first Japanese movie to have its world premiere in Hong Kong. The film ended up earning $41 million United States dollars in Japan, $1.9 million USD in Hong Kong, and $1.6 million USD in the Republic of China.
Death Note was released in the UK on 25 April 2008.
Death Note: The Last Name
The second movie, Death Note: The Last Name, premiered on November 3, 2006, and instantly topped the Japanese box office,[8] remaining at number one for four straight weeks,[9] and grossed 5.5 billion yen in Japan by the end of the year, making it one of the year's highest grossing Japanese films.[10] It combines elements from the rest of the storyline creating an outcome similar to the manga, but with a few key differences.
Christy Lee S.W. of The Star, in her review of the second film, stated that Kaneko "did a good job" in pacing the film, adding that the increased pacing towards the end made some of the content difficult to understand. She also said that screenwriter Tetsuya Oishi made sure the characters were "well fleshed out" and easily empathized with.[11]
North American release
The first movie briefly played in certain North American theaters on May 20 and 21st, 2008[12] The theatrical version featured actors from the English dub of the anime voicing over their respective characters (with a few notable recasts, and the exception of John Murphy (Lind L. Tailor's English dub actor) due to Lind L. Tailor already being played by American actor Matt Lagan (in the dub, Tailor's voice is instead dubbed by Ted Cole). The film was not rated, but it was treated with the equivalent of an "R" rating. The film was broadcasted in Canadian theaters for one night only on September 15, 2008. The DVD was released on September 16, 2008, one day after the Canadian showing. [13]
Death Note: The Last Name was given similar treatment. The film was dubbed into English and released in American theaters for two nights only, October 15 and 16. Again, the film was treated as if it held an "R" rating. The film was released in Canada on December 3, with the DVD release scheduled for February 10, 2009.
L: Change the WorLd is planned to be released in the United States in summer 2009. The exact dates are April 29th and 30th of 2009.
Remake
Death Note has been optioned for a live-action Hollywood remake. A 2007 article in The Star (Malaysia) states that more than ten film companies in the United States expressed interest in creating a remake.[6] Vertigo Entertainment is currently set to develop a US Death Note remake, with a tentative target date of 2010. [14].
References
- ^ a b "Official Death Note live-action movie website" (in Japanese). Warner Bros. Retrieved 2006-11-19.
- ^ "Death Note Live Action Movie - BBFC Rating". BBFC. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
- ^ Tai, Elizabeth. "... And justice for all?." The Star.
- ^ a b "The making." The Star.
- ^ a b Shōnen Jump. Volume 6, Issue 6. June 2008. VIZ Media. 8.
- ^ a b "Here’re a few hints of the second and concluding part of Death Note the movie, The Last Name.." The Star.
- ^ "Death Note Tops Box Office Again". Anime News Network. 2006-06-27. Retrieved 2006-12-18.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Death Note Wins Japanese Box Office Weekend". Anime News Network. 2006-11-07. Retrieved 2006-11-07.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Death Note Notches Fourth Week at #1". Anime News Network. 2006-11-27. Retrieved 2006-11-27.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Japan's Top 10 Box Office Hits in 2006". Anime News Network. 2007-01-08. Retrieved 2007-01-09.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "A Name to Remember." The Star.
- ^ "1st Death Note Film to Run in 300+ U.S. Theaters in May". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|Date=ignored (|date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Death Note Live-Action!! Trailer". Viz Media. 2007-04-14. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Vertigo Entertainment Developing U.S. Death Note Remake". 2008-06-02. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=30361 (retrieved March 7th, 2009)
External links
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