Kino International has struck a co-distribution deal with Tidepoint Pictures of San Francisco, in collaboration with Viz, to launch the Viz/Tidepoint library of cutting-edge, independent Japanese films in the North-American home video market. Tetsuki Ijichi and Elizabeth S Wilkerson's Tidepoint Pictures was set up in San Francisco in 1996 to distribute the latest in Asian cinema. Viz was founded in 1986 and releases more than 20 titles each month including the animated Pokemon. and Dragon Ball Z series.
The Viz/Tidepoint library comprises nine Japanese pictures made between 1996 and 2000: Chaos by Hideo Nakata (who directed the Ring series); Dead Or Alive by Takashi Miike; Welcome Back Mr McDonald by Koki Mitani; Shark Skin Man And Peach Hip Girl by Katsuhito Ishi; Junk Food by Masashi Yamamoto; Tokyo Eyes by Jean-Pierre Limosin; Sasayaki by Akihiko Shiota; The Most Terrible Time In My Life by Kaizo Hayashi; and Love And Pop by Hideaki Anno.
Viz/Tidepoint Pictures in association with Kino will release Chaos in North American theatres, beginning in New York on Mar 7. An April release date has also been set for Katsuhito Ishi's Shark Skin Man And Peach Hip Girl. Described as a mix between Memento and Pulp Fiction, Chaos uses multiple perspectives to tell the story of a kidnapped trophy wife. The picture is set for a remake by Jonathan Glazer, who directed Sexy Beast, for Universal Pictures and Tribeca Productions with Robert De Niro and Benicio Del Toro in the lead roles.
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