Kaubôi bibappu: Tengoku no tobira (2001)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Shinichirô Watanabe

Writers:

Keiko Nobumoto (writer)
Hajime Yatate (story)

Release Date:

1 September 2001 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Comedy | Crime | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Thanks to him... this summer is going to be a hot one.

Plot:

A terrorist explosion releases a deadly virus on the masses, and it's up the bounty-hunting Bebop crew to catch the cold-blooded culprit.

Plot Keywords:

Terrorist | Virus | Explosion | Madman | Halloween

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Steve Blum	...	Spike Spiegel (English version) (voice: English version) (as Steven Blum)
Martin Halm	...	Spike Spiegel (voice: German version)
Bruno Mullenaerts	...	Spike Spiegel (voice: French version)
Kôichi Yamadera	...	Spike Spiegel (voice: Japanese version)
Beau Billingslea	...	Jet Black (voice: English version)
Unshô Ishizuka	...	Jet Black (voice: Japanese version)
Megumi Hayashibara	...	Faye Valentine (voice: Japanese version)
Wendee Lee	...	Faye Valentine (voice: English version)
Yolanda Quesada	...	Faye Valentine (voice: Spanish version)
Marion Sawatzki	...	Faye Valentine (voice: German version)
Sabine Bohlmann	...	Edward (Ed) (voice: German version)
Melissa Fahn	...	Edward (Ed) (voice: English version)
Stéphane Flamand	...	Edward (Ed) (voice: French version)
Aoi Tada	...	Edward (Ed) (voice: Japanese version)
Jennifer Hale	...	Electra (voice: English version)

Also Known As:

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
Cowboy Bebop the Movie: Knockin' on Heaven's Door (USA)
Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heavens Door (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

Japan | USA

Language:

French | German | Italian | Portuguese | Spanish | Japanese | English | Arabic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-15 | Chile:14 | Brazil:16 (DVD release) | Malaysia:18SG | Iraq:(Banned) | Iran:(Banned) | Hong Kong:IIB | Japan:R | Mexico:B15 | South Africa:10V | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Canada:14+ (Quebec) | Denmark:15 | France:U | Germany:16 | Ireland:15 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Taiwan:R-12 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Canada:14A (Nova Scotia)

Company:

Bandai Visual Company

Trivia:

Much to the chagrin of fellow staff members, half way through production, the movie changed from a ninety minute film, to a two hour film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Spike chases the Moroccan out of the shop, and is searching for him in the crowd, his jacket jumps about between shots.

Quotes:

Jet: Great, a wannabe preacher with a gun...

Movie Connections:

References Blade Runner (1982)

Soundtrack:

COSMIC DARE (PRETTY WITH A PISTOL)

an extended jam on an established theme, with improvisations

I'll try to avoid echoing other comments here and cut straight to the chase: This is not perfect, but MAN it's so close. I had some trouble with the pacing, which seemed a bit slow to me--as if they weren't quite sure how to work with a feature-length timeframe; I'm still a bit hazy on just how the villain's threat was resolved, which I'm usually not after a CB episode; and gosh, *why* isn't "Tank!" on the soundtrack? Songs with words just don't cut it in a CB score. --But honestly, those seem like such small problems next to everything that's wonderful about this movie. It has all the stuff you love about Bebop the series: the brilliant, flashing action and fight sequences, the character interaction, Spike's nicotine jones =), the gorgeous cinematic visuals, and the dreamlike melancholy that underlies even the funniest moments. The villain, his grip on the fantasy/reality divide completely erased after a genetic experiment on Titan, makes a neat counterpoint to Spike, forever haunted by his dreams of the perfect future he once believed in. Jet's protective concern for his reckless teammates was never better painted than in a scene where he blusters about how much happier he was without any of them and couldn't care less where they are, only to pounce on the phone's first ring like a worried mom on date night. There's just a *little* more of Faye's skin for the fanboys (but only a very little bit more, honest! we're not talking topless here! x my heart!), Ed has a trick-or-treat encounter that would never make it to American TV, and even the Big Shot duo put in an appearance (despite having absolutely nothing to say).

It's not intended as a wrap-up or finale to CB the series; it occurs in between episodes and should be thought of that way, as an experimental episode both different from and similar to the original sessions. Kind of like an extended jam on an established theme, with improvisations, in the true bebop style.