The Japanese film Battle Royale has been a cult classic ever since it was released 11 years ago, even though it's been nearly impossible to find on DVD in the United States. Set in a dystopian future in which the country fears its youth, it follows the titular battle in which a class of 9th graders is sent every year to a remote island, outfitted with random weapons and collars that monitor their behavior, and instructed to kill each other until only one remains. If it sounds awfully similar to a certain blockbuster adaptation of a popular book that's coming out in a few weeks, it is-- Battle Royale was an inspiration for The Hunger Games, though if you ask the people who have seen it, it goes even darker and bloodier than Suzanne Collins's book.
Now, for the first time ever, American moviegoers will have the chance to find out for themselves, as Battle Royale prepares for its Blu-Ray release on March 20, just three days before The Hunger Games opens. The four-disc Blu-Ray set includes both the director's and theatrical cut of the first film, the sequel Battle Royale II, and a ton of bonus content, including a making-of documentary, audition and rehearsal footage, the original theatrical trailer, and more. We've got an exclusive first look at one of those bonus features, a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of a scene early in the film, when the teacher puts on a video explaining "The Rules" to the students, and punishes one of them severely for talking out of turn. Check out the behind-the-scenes clip below first, and then the scene in the movie to see how it turned out.
For much more where that came from, get Battle Royale: The Complete Collection in stores on March 20. The stand-alone Blu-Ray and DVD discs will also be available for sale that day.
