School in the Crosshairs - Blu-ray Exclusive
From the director of House (1977) & His Motorbike, Her Island (1986).
Released months before lead Hiroko Yakushimaru’s breakthrough hit Sailor Suit and Machine Gun, Nobuhiko Obayashi’s first groundbreaking teenage idol picture is a dazzling mix of special effects and blue-screen artifice—a stylistic flair perfected in Obayashi’s debut House, now utilized for the onset of an alien invasion. Ordinary schoolgirl Yuka’s (Yakushimaru) new term comes to an odd start when she inexplicably stops an accident by using latent psychic powers. Troubled by her newfound abilities, Yuka also senses a strange force start to take hold of the school, with students turning into mind-controlled fascists, patrolling school halls, stifling dissent and mandating the re-education of freethinkers. A psychotronic fantasy forged into a young girl’s destiny to defend the planet, School in the Crosshairs is a cosmic overload of extraterrestrial tyrants, preternatural powers and Obayashi’s uniquely adroit filmmaking abilities, underlaid with an existential cry for free will.
Cult Epics website Exclusive: Reversible Slipcase art by Sam Smith + Japanese theatrical poster Postcard. Limited Edition of 500.
Special Features
- 2K Transfer & Restoration
- Audio Commentary by film critic Max Robinson
- Sailor Suits and Sound - Visual essay by Phillip Jeffries
- Obayashi Film Poster Gallery
- Theatrical Trailers
- New improved English subtitles
- New Slipcase art design by Sam Smith
- Reversible sleeve with original Japanese poster art
- First Pressing includes repro Japanese booklet (pamphlet)
- Web Exclusive: Reversible Slipcase art by Sam Smith (500)
- Web Exclusive: Japanese theatrical poster Postcard (500)
Technical Specs
Japan / 1981 / Color / Original Aspect Ratio 1.85:1 / 90 Mins / Japanese language with optional English subtitles / LPCM 2.0 Stereo / Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround / DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround
Information
Reviews
“School in the Crosshairs is yet another great cinematic discovering I’ve made this year. I notice all my favorites have something in common…they all celebrate personal freedom and liberation. I can’t think of two more important things for our current now. With this film, Obayashi gave me a ticket back through my own memories and dreams and admired School in the Crosshairs so very, very much.” - Nostalgiakinky
“"School In The Crosshairs is a brilliant and outrageous trip back to junior high."
Insidepulse
“After dabbling in romantic dramas and quirky murder mysteries for a few years, director Nobuhiko Obayahshi returned to psychedelic, optical-heavy style of his 1977 cult classic House with another fantasia gated to younger viewers: School in the Crosshairs.” - Mondodigital
"School in the Crosshairs gets a fun Blu-ray release boasting a new 2k scan of the film paired nicely with an audio commentary track from film critic Max Robinson and a visual essay (“Sailor Suits and Sound”) by Phillip Jeffries.” - Ink19
"the effects-filled finale is a psychedelic mash-up of Altered States, Tron and that animated music video for Take On Me. Trust me, it’s a trip whatever decade you’re living in.” - Movielineonline
"This Cult Epics release belongs in the collection of anyone interested in 1980s Asian cinema, Nobuhiko Obayashi’s filmography, or simply films willing to take genuine artistic risks. School in the Crosshairs proves that commercial entertainment and serious artistic vision need not be mutually exclusive.” - Andersonvision
“More so now than ever in the current political climate, freedom of expression endangerment is the critical theme for Ôbayashi’s “School in the Crosshairs,” a color melange of resistance against the forces of evil hard to differentiate looking like our friends, family, and the everyday student.” - Itsblogginevil
"School in the Crosshairs gets a first-rate release from Cult Epics that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras; highly recommended.” - 10Kbullets
"I can’t speak highly enough of the work they’ve done to give a film a noteworthy release. The disc includes a new 2K transfer and restoration, an audio commentary track by film critic Max Robinson and a visual essay by Phillip Jeffries.”
- Midwestfilmjournal
What sets School in the Crosshairs apart is its dreamlike atmosphere, courtesy of Ôbayashi's innovative direction. The film's use of vibrant colors, eerie landscapes, and unconventional narrative structure will keep you on the edge of your seat. - SIMKL The School in the Crosshairs sees Obayashi uphold the same surrealist sensibility and relentless visual experimentation that marked his seminal horror opus House (1977), styled like a live action manga. - TheSpinningImage If you loved the super colorful and crazy visuals of House, then you’ll adore the look and feel of School in the Crosshairs. - Forty90.com
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