How would you deal with the disappearance of your boss? For the sadistic Kakihara, his reaction is to find out what's happened through torture sequences, the likes of which you'll never have seen before on DVD.

Takashi Miike, director of "Audition", here pushes visual brutality to a new high, in a unique combination of action and horror that will leave hardened addicts trembling. With this stunning two-disc DVD set, you, like Kakihara, can find out just how terrifying Ichi the Killer really is.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

Picture This might be one occasion where a grubby and grainy picture might be welcomed, but fear not. The image transfer for this disc is crystal clear, so you won't miss a gory detail.

Sound The 5.1 sound mix adds further unsettling tension to an already difficult experience.

Disc One Special Features

Audio Commentary Hong Kong Legends commentary king Bey Logan is joined by producer Eliot Tong, and leading lady Alien Sun, for an amusing and in-depth look at the making of this brutal movie.

Bey is part of the EMG production company that made the film, so can offer good insight into the project. Its first problem was, dare they make such a violent movie?

The highly successful Manga comic upon which the film is based was so gratuitous, the fear was that the big screen adaptation would have to be weaker. As we find out, the movie ended up even more vicious than the source.

It even shocks the commentators, who do at times audibly flinch from what they're seeing. Alien Sun comes out with some strange comments, like, "I love this shot, it's so cute"... as a sexually excited Ichi touches himself after slaying her rapist.

Disc Two Special Features

Interview Gallery Four new in-depth interviews make up this gallery, which helps shed some light on the creative minds behind the project.

Director Takashi Miike ominously opens his conversation with the fact that, "On my set my staff may lose sleep," as he tries to explain the blend of perfectionism and crew satisfaction that goes into creating the right shot. Miike also has plenty to say about the technical issues of the film and how revolting moments were created.

Tadanobu Asaho, the actor behind the terrifyingly sadistic Kakihara, discusses his role, and how it was offered to him two years before the film was made. In that time he was able to read-up on the Manga and absorb his character.

Also interviewed are Alien Sun, who describes the film as "violently funny"; and Shinya Isukamoto (Ichi), who talks about Miike's direction and how it frees actors.

Promotional Archive As well as trailers for the film, a photo gallery and behind-the-scenes outtakes, there's also another, shorter, promotional interview with Miike to be found in this section.

Behind-the-Scenes Want to see how they made that severed face slide down a bloody wall? Find out here in a thorough look at the stunts and makeup effects of the film, including a breakdown of how the grisly finale was filmed.

Information Library Film notes, cast and crew biographies, and an Alien Sun glamour shot gallery round off disc two.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Region: 2
Chapters: 32
Ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Audio Tracks: Japanese
Subtitles: English and Dutch
Captions: English
Menus: Animated, with bloodcurdling glee and terrifying noises
Special Features Subtitles: Subtitles are only available for the interviews conducted in Japanese.

This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-S57 DVD player.