{"product_id":"looking-for-an-angel-1999","title":"LOOKING FOR AN ANGEL (1999)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem class=\"quoted-creative-work-title\"\u003e天使の楽園\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMostly seen on the gay pink circuit and recently restored by its director to its rightful place in the Japanese arthouse canon, Akihiro Suzuki's debut takes the death of a young gay porn performer named Takachi as its starting point. Looking for an Angel follows Shinpei and Reiko as they process their friend’s disappearance, their memories coalescing into a bold exploration of grief set against the backdrop of a nostalgic, blue-hued city shot in a variety of filmic formats. As the viewer begins to piece together Takachi’s story, laden with desire for another boy named Sorao, between the cities of Tokyo and Kochi (“where the boys look like angels”), a powerful free-associative beauty emerges from a unique work described by Suzuki himself as “neither straight, gay, queer, bisexual, asexual or pornographic, but [rather] anti-heterosexist” — a film completely free of dogma and convention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“At the time, I felt a sense of rebellion against the heterosexual-dominated world, and wanted to portray sexuality and identity through an ambiguity that cannot be categorized,” says director Akihiro Suzuki. \"I wanted to make a 35mm film like an 8mm film, mix various visual media, and include people of diverse sexualities around me in it.” — Akihiro Suzuki\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Shunzo (Bengal) and his wife Michi (Masako Motai) run a beloved greengrocer on the outskirts of Tokyo. When Lee, a struggling exchange student from China, visits the shop but is unable to afford the produce, an uneasy relationship sprouts. Begrudgingly, Shunzo agrees to lower his prices. Soon, Lee’s classmates begin frequenting the shop. As Shunzo’s generosity sneaks up on him and strains his family’s welfare, he confronts his role as surrogate father to his newfound Chinese friends.\\n\\n\\nShot between May - July of 1989 and addressing the historically charged notion of a Sino-Japanese friendship, this lesser-seen masterpiece from director Nobuhiko Obayashi (House) chronicles the end of a decade marked by the Japanese economic bubble and the brutal close of possibility in China. A delicate elegy to the Chinese students of its time, Beijing Watermelon finds Obayashi at his most modern, channeling the style of Yasujiro Ozu, while his experimental flourishes provide the perfect disruption, inviting viewers to fill in the blanks of history.\\n\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}'\u003eAdditional info:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Shunzo (Bengal) and his wife Michi (Masako Motai) run a beloved greengrocer on the outskirts of Tokyo. When Lee, a struggling exchange student from China, visits the shop but is unable to afford the produce, an uneasy relationship sprouts. Begrudgingly, Shunzo agrees to lower his prices. Soon, Lee’s classmates begin frequenting the shop. As Shunzo’s generosity sneaks up on him and strains his family’s welfare, he confronts his role as surrogate father to his newfound Chinese friends.\\n\\n\\nShot between May - July of 1989 and addressing the historically charged notion of a Sino-Japanese friendship, this lesser-seen masterpiece from director Nobuhiko Obayashi (House) chronicles the end of a decade marked by the Japanese economic bubble and the brutal close of possibility in China. A delicate elegy to the Chinese students of its time, Beijing Watermelon finds Obayashi at his most modern, channeling the style of Yasujiro Ozu, while his experimental flourishes provide the perfect disruption, inviting viewers to fill in the blanks of history.\\n\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}'\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"2K restoration \\nInterview with Chigumi Obayashi \\nTheatrical Trailer \u0026amp; Teaser\\nOptional English subtitles\\nBooklet with new writing by Aaron Gerow\\nNew art by Qiu Jiongjiong of A New Old Play (Kani 010)\\nLogo design by Leo Mak\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":12973,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"5\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"6\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"8\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"10\":0,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Calibri\",\"16\":11}'\u003eRegion A Blu-ray\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Shunzo (Bengal) and his wife Michi (Masako Motai) run a beloved greengrocer on the outskirts of Tokyo. When Lee, a struggling exchange student from China, visits the shop but is unable to afford the produce, an uneasy relationship sprouts. Begrudgingly, Shunzo agrees to lower his prices. Soon, Lee’s classmates begin frequenting the shop. As Shunzo’s generosity sneaks up on him and strains his family’s welfare, he confronts his role as surrogate father to his newfound Chinese friends.\\n\\n\\nShot between May - July of 1989 and addressing the historically charged notion of a Sino-Japanese friendship, this lesser-seen masterpiece from director Nobuhiko Obayashi (House) chronicles the end of a decade marked by the Japanese economic bubble and the brutal close of possibility in China. A delicate elegy to the Chinese students of its time, Beijing Watermelon finds Obayashi at his most modern, channeling the style of Yasujiro Ozu, while his experimental flourishes provide the perfect disruption, inviting viewers to fill in the blanks of history.\\n\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}'\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"2K restoration \\nInterview with Chigumi Obayashi \\nTheatrical Trailer \u0026amp; Teaser\\nOptional English subtitles\\nBooklet with new writing by Aaron Gerow\\nNew art by Qiu Jiongjiong of A New Old Play (Kani 010)\\nLogo design by Leo Mak\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":12973,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"5\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"6\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"8\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"10\":0,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Calibri\",\"16\":11}'\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Shunzo (Bengal) and his wife Michi (Masako Motai) run a beloved greengrocer on the outskirts of Tokyo. When Lee, a struggling exchange student from China, visits the shop but is unable to afford the produce, an uneasy relationship sprouts. Begrudgingly, Shunzo agrees to lower his prices. Soon, Lee’s classmates begin frequenting the shop. As Shunzo’s generosity sneaks up on him and strains his family’s welfare, he confronts his role as surrogate father to his newfound Chinese friends.\\n\\n\\nShot between May - July of 1989 and addressing the historically charged notion of a Sino-Japanese friendship, this lesser-seen masterpiece from director Nobuhiko Obayashi (House) chronicles the end of a decade marked by the Japanese economic bubble and the brutal close of possibility in China. A delicate elegy to the Chinese students of its time, Beijing Watermelon finds Obayashi at his most modern, channeling the style of Yasujiro Ozu, while his experimental flourishes provide the perfect disruption, inviting viewers to fill in the blanks of history.\\n\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}'\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"2K restoration \\nInterview with Chigumi Obayashi \\nTheatrical Trailer \u0026amp; Teaser\\nOptional English subtitles\\nBooklet with new writing by Aaron Gerow\\nNew art by Qiu Jiongjiong of A New Old Play (Kani 010)\\nLogo design by Leo Mak\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":12973,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"5\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"6\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"8\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"10\":0,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Calibri\",\"16\":11}'\u003eInterview with director Akihiro Suzuki\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Shunzo (Bengal) and his wife Michi (Masako Motai) run a beloved greengrocer on the outskirts of Tokyo. When Lee, a struggling exchange student from China, visits the shop but is unable to afford the produce, an uneasy relationship sprouts. Begrudgingly, Shunzo agrees to lower his prices. Soon, Lee’s classmates begin frequenting the shop. As Shunzo’s generosity sneaks up on him and strains his family’s welfare, he confronts his role as surrogate father to his newfound Chinese friends.\\n\\n\\nShot between May - July of 1989 and addressing the historically charged notion of a Sino-Japanese friendship, this lesser-seen masterpiece from director Nobuhiko Obayashi (House) chronicles the end of a decade marked by the Japanese economic bubble and the brutal close of possibility in China. A delicate elegy to the Chinese students of its time, Beijing Watermelon finds Obayashi at his most modern, channeling the style of Yasujiro Ozu, while his experimental flourishes provide the perfect disruption, inviting viewers to fill in the blanks of history.\\n\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}'\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"2K restoration \\nInterview with Chigumi Obayashi \\nTheatrical Trailer \u0026amp; Teaser\\nOptional English subtitles\\nBooklet with new writing by Aaron Gerow\\nNew art by Qiu Jiongjiong of A New Old Play (Kani 010)\\nLogo design by Leo Mak\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":12973,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"5\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"6\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"8\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"10\":0,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Calibri\",\"16\":11}'\u003eCommentary track by Dakota Noot (co-host of Two in the Pinku podcast)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Shunzo (Bengal) and his wife Michi (Masako Motai) run a beloved greengrocer on the outskirts of Tokyo. When Lee, a struggling exchange student from China, visits the shop but is unable to afford the produce, an uneasy relationship sprouts. Begrudgingly, Shunzo agrees to lower his prices. Soon, Lee’s classmates begin frequenting the shop. As Shunzo’s generosity sneaks up on him and strains his family’s welfare, he confronts his role as surrogate father to his newfound Chinese friends.\\n\\n\\nShot between May - July of 1989 and addressing the historically charged notion of a Sino-Japanese friendship, this lesser-seen masterpiece from director Nobuhiko Obayashi (House) chronicles the end of a decade marked by the Japanese economic bubble and the brutal close of possibility in China. A delicate elegy to the Chinese students of its time, Beijing Watermelon finds Obayashi at his most modern, channeling the style of Yasujiro Ozu, while his experimental flourishes provide the perfect disruption, inviting viewers to fill in the blanks of history.\\n\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}'\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"2K restoration \\nInterview with Chigumi Obayashi \\nTheatrical Trailer \u0026amp; Teaser\\nOptional English subtitles\\nBooklet with new writing by Aaron Gerow\\nNew art by Qiu Jiongjiong of A New Old Play (Kani 010)\\nLogo design by Leo Mak\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":12973,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"5\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"6\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"8\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"10\":0,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Calibri\",\"16\":11}'\u003eBonus feature: New scan of Angel's Body Temperature (2003, 82mins)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Shunzo (Bengal) and his wife Michi (Masako Motai) run a beloved greengrocer on the outskirts of Tokyo. When Lee, a struggling exchange student from China, visits the shop but is unable to afford the produce, an uneasy relationship sprouts. Begrudgingly, Shunzo agrees to lower his prices. Soon, Lee’s classmates begin frequenting the shop. As Shunzo’s generosity sneaks up on him and strains his family’s welfare, he confronts his role as surrogate father to his newfound Chinese friends.\\n\\n\\nShot between May - July of 1989 and addressing the historically charged notion of a Sino-Japanese friendship, this lesser-seen masterpiece from director Nobuhiko Obayashi (House) chronicles the end of a decade marked by the Japanese economic bubble and the brutal close of possibility in China. A delicate elegy to the Chinese students of its time, Beijing Watermelon finds Obayashi at his most modern, channeling the style of Yasujiro Ozu, while his experimental flourishes provide the perfect disruption, inviting viewers to fill in the blanks of history.\\n\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}'\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"2K restoration \\nInterview with Chigumi Obayashi \\nTheatrical Trailer \u0026amp; Teaser\\nOptional English subtitles\\nBooklet with new writing by Aaron Gerow\\nNew art by Qiu Jiongjiong of A New Old Play (Kani 010)\\nLogo design by Leo Mak\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":12973,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"5\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"6\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"8\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"10\":0,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Calibri\",\"16\":11}'\u003eSelected scenes commentary by Dakota Noot on Angel's Body Temperature\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Shunzo (Bengal) and his wife Michi (Masako Motai) run a beloved greengrocer on the outskirts of Tokyo. When Lee, a struggling exchange student from China, visits the shop but is unable to afford the produce, an uneasy relationship sprouts. Begrudgingly, Shunzo agrees to lower his prices. Soon, Lee’s classmates begin frequenting the shop. As Shunzo’s generosity sneaks up on him and strains his family’s welfare, he confronts his role as surrogate father to his newfound Chinese friends.\\n\\n\\nShot between May - July of 1989 and addressing the historically charged notion of a Sino-Japanese friendship, this lesser-seen masterpiece from director Nobuhiko Obayashi (House) chronicles the end of a decade marked by the Japanese economic bubble and the brutal close of possibility in China. A delicate elegy to the Chinese students of its time, Beijing Watermelon finds Obayashi at his most modern, channeling the style of Yasujiro Ozu, while his experimental flourishes provide the perfect disruption, inviting viewers to fill in the blanks of history.\\n\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}'\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"2K restoration \\nInterview with Chigumi Obayashi \\nTheatrical Trailer \u0026amp; Teaser\\nOptional English subtitles\\nBooklet with new writing by Aaron Gerow\\nNew art by Qiu Jiongjiong of A New Old Play (Kani 010)\\nLogo design by Leo Mak\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":12973,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"5\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"6\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"8\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"10\":0,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Calibri\",\"16\":11}'\u003eBooklet with new writing by Elizabeth Purchell\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Shunzo (Bengal) and his wife Michi (Masako Motai) run a beloved greengrocer on the outskirts of Tokyo. When Lee, a struggling exchange student from China, visits the shop but is unable to afford the produce, an uneasy relationship sprouts. Begrudgingly, Shunzo agrees to lower his prices. Soon, Lee’s classmates begin frequenting the shop. As Shunzo’s generosity sneaks up on him and strains his family’s welfare, he confronts his role as surrogate father to his newfound Chinese friends.\\n\\n\\nShot between May - July of 1989 and addressing the historically charged notion of a Sino-Japanese friendship, this lesser-seen masterpiece from director Nobuhiko Obayashi (House) chronicles the end of a decade marked by the Japanese economic bubble and the brutal close of possibility in China. A delicate elegy to the Chinese students of its time, Beijing Watermelon finds Obayashi at his most modern, channeling the style of Yasujiro Ozu, while his experimental flourishes provide the perfect disruption, inviting viewers to fill in the blanks of history.\\n\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":4993,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"10\":2,\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Arial\"}'\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"2K restoration \\nInterview with Chigumi Obayashi \\nTheatrical Trailer \u0026amp; Teaser\\nOptional English subtitles\\nBooklet with new writing by Aaron Gerow\\nNew art by Qiu Jiongjiong of A New Old Play (Kani 010)\\nLogo design by Leo Mak\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":12973,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"5\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"6\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"8\":{\"1\":[{\"1\":2,\"2\":0,\"5\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":0}},{\"1\":0,\"2\":0,\"3\":3},{\"1\":1,\"2\":0,\"4\":1}]},\"10\":0,\"12\":0,\"15\":\"Calibri\",\"16\":11}'\u003eEnglish SDH subtitles\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"VINEGAR SYNDROME","offers":[{"title":"BLU-RAY","offer_id":48550511182043,"sku":null,"price":46.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0660\/6379\/4395\/files\/Looking_For_An_Angel_LTD_Front_2500x_ce7b9fca-da77-4b5c-b34a-306d886f9220.webp?v=1775159516","url":"https:\/\/baystvideo.com\/products\/looking-for-an-angel-1999","provider":"Bay Street Video","version":"1.0","type":"link"}