The Japanese Godfather Trilogy: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1977 (The Japanese Godfather), Japan, 1978 (The Japanese Godfather: Ambition, The Japanese Godfather: Conclusion)
Director: Sadao Nakajima (All Films)
Cast: Shin Saburi, Kôji Tsuruta, Hiroki Matsukata, Kô Nishimura, Etsushi Takahashi, Bunta Sugawara, Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba, Asao Koike, Mikio Narita, Toshirô Mifune, 

Release Date: February 23rd, 2026 (UK), February 24th, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 132 Minutes 11 Seconds (The Japanese Godfather), 140 Minutes 42 Seconds (The Japanese Godfather: Ambition), 129 Minutes 16 Seconds (The Japanese Godfather: Conclusion)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese (All Films)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £39.99 (UK), $99.95 (USA)

"At the dawn of the 1970s, Japan is becoming an economic superpower and the Nakajima crime syndicate extends its grasp across the nation. Politicians and corporations seek the gang’s favor to form strategic and highly prosperous partnerships, but its leaders disagree about whether to leave the old ways behind for the sake of money and respectability." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5 (All Films)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The Japanese Godfather Trilogy was transferred in high definition by Toei Company, Ltd. and supplied to Radiance Films as high-definition digital files."

The Japanese Godfather comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.8 GB

Feature: 35.4 GB

The Japanese Godfather: Ambition comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.4 GB

Feature: 37.7 GB

The Japanese Godfather: Conclusion comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 40.7 GB

Feature: 35 GB

All of the sources are free of any debris or source imperfections. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity is strong, compression is solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction. That said, while back levels generally look strong, there are moments where they are not as convincing.

Audio: 4/5 (All Films)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable subtitles. All tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras are spread over three discs. Extras include two theatrical trailers for The Japanese Godfather (5 minutes 26 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), three theatrical trailers for The Japanese Godfather: Ambition (6 minutes 30 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), two theatrical trailers for The Japanese Godfather: Conclusion (6 minutes 3 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Sadao Nakajima (33 minutes 12 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an appreciation by filmmaker Kazuyoshi Kumakiri (16 minutes 9 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), and an interview with scriptwriter Koji Takada (28 minutes 54 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 40-page booklet (limited to 2000 copies) with cast & crew information for each film, an essay titled The Toei Studio and the Yamaguchi-Gumi written by Akihiko Ito, an essay titled Familiar Faces written by Tom Mes, archival writing by cinematographer Toshio Masuda titled Notes on Filming Japanese Godfather, and information about the transfers.

Summary:

Sadao Nakajima directed The Japanese Godfather Trilogy. He’s known for Memoir of Japanese Assassinations, Hot Springs Konjac Geisha, The Kyoto Connection, Tokyo-Seoul-Bangkok, Jeans Blues: No Future, The Rapacious Jailbreaker, and The Great Okinawa Yakuza War.

Toei led the yakuza film industry in the 1970s, and although the Japanese Godfather trilogy shares many similarities with their other yakuza films, it distinguishes itself from its contemporaries. The most notable difference between the Japanese Godfather trilogy and other Toei yakuza films comes down to tone. Where Toei’s yakuza films, especially those by Kinji Fukasaku, are characterized by a kinetic energy, the Japanese Godfather trilogy adopts a more restrained tone that aligns more closely with Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather films.

Each Japanese Godfather film has a sprawling narrative that’s filled with numerous characters whose stories receive significant screen time. While some of the most memorable characters are secondary, like Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba’s Sakoda (he’s only in the first film), it is ultimately Sakura and Oishi whose stories drive the narratives. Both of these characters are vying to become the next Don, and what ensues is a power struggle where each of these men's underlings makes moves to better position their boss.

While this trilogy features violent outbursts, the first film stands out as the most violent of them all. The second film has the least amount of violence, while the third film’s final act dives into the violent side of these characters. All of these films are heavily reliant on dialogue, and there is considerable posturing throughout. Despite their lack of kinetic energy and minimal use of violence, these films remain consistently enthralling. Ultimately, the Japanese Godfather trilogy consists of three well-crafted yakuza films that represent a high point in Toei’s 1970s Yakuza cinema.

The Japanese Godfather Trilogy gets a first-rate release from Radiance Films that gives each film a strong audio/video presentation and insightful extras. Highly recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia – Shout! Factory (UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: USA/Mexico, 1974
Director: Sam Peckinpah
Writers: Gordon T. Dawson, Sam Peckinpah, Frank Kowalski
Cast: Warren Oates, Isela Vega, Robert Webber, Gig Young, Helmut Dantine, Emilio Fernández, Kris Kristofferson

Release Date: June 3rd, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 112 Minutes 51 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH, English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $36.98

"When a Mexican land baron puts a million dollars on the head of the man who seduced and impregnated his daughter, two money-hungry hired killers recruit a small-town bartender (Oates) to help them do their dirty work. But their tequila-fueled trek across the desolate Mexican frontier grows more intense, gruesome, and bloody with every savage murder they leave in their wake." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "4K Scan from the Original Camera Negative."

Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 77.1 GB

Feature: 68.3 GB

Although the 4K master that Arrow Video and Kino Lorber used for their releases looked solid, this new transfer may be the best Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia has looked on home media. Flesh tones and colors look correct; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid; and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. Included are English SDH and English subtitles when anyone speaks Spanish. Audio and subtitles can only be changed via the setup menu and not during playback.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an extensive image gallery (stills/posters), 6 TV spots (3 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (1 minute 58 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with writer/film historian Julie Kirgo titled A Killer's Rhapsody: Revisiting Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (28 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with screenwriter/producer Gordon Dawson, moderated by film historian Nick Redman, and an archival audio commentary with film historians Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons, David Weddle, and Nick Redman.

Summary:

Sam Peckinpah directed Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia. Notable films he directed are Major Dundee, The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, The Getaway, and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.

A wealthy Mexican rancher discovers that his unmarried daughter is pregnant and he offers a reward of one million dollars to anyone who brings him the head of Alfredo Garcia, the man responsible for taking his daughter's virtue. Two hitmen approach an American bartender working in a Mexican border town and hire him when tracking down Alfredo Garcia becomes too difficult.

When discussing the all-time great director, critics far too often liberally apply the term auteur. While there is a valid debate about the criteria that define what makes a director an auteur, understanding the true essence of an auteur largely depends on whether the director possesses a singular vision that is uniquely their own. That said, Sam Peckinpah was a director who epitomized the essence of having a singular vision.

The narrative opens with a rare moment of tranquility; from there, things shift into a darker territory that becomes bleaker as things build to an exemplary cathartic finale. The well-constructed narrative is perfectly paced, giving key moments time to resonate. Bennie, the protagonist, needs redemption, and he is a rare example of a character who is not solely driven by their greed. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia defines its characters well, and greed motivates the majority of them, while this film’s moral center is Bennie's fiancée, Elita.

Casting Warren Oates (Dillinger) in the role of Bennie, a bartender turned hitman, is an inspired choice. While he’s a more-than-capable actor who has a strong screen presence, he’s not your usual leading man type. The most surprising performance is Isela Vega (Drum) in the role of Elita. Her character is the light in a world engulfed by darkness. Notable cast members include Kris Kristofferson (Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid) in the role of a rapist biker and Robert Webber (Hired Killer) and Gig Young (The Shuttered Room) in the roles of two hitmen who hired Bennie to do their dirty work.

Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia excels with its visuals, which fill the screen with striking moments that heighten the mood. The visuals give the cast room to create freely while taking full advantage of the scenic landscapes featured throughout. Some notable moments are a tender scene between Bennie and Elita as they sit beneath a tree, the scene where two bikers hold Bennie at gunpoint while they sexually assault Elita, and when Bennie finds Alfredo Garcia’s grave and retrieves his head.

Sam Peckinpah's films often centered around loners who are forced to compromise their moral code to survive a nihilistic world that is at constant odds with them. Throughout Sam Peckinpah's career, he often found himself at odds with those financing his films, and with Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, he's able to create an unfiltered film that fully embodies the elements that are synonymous with his cinema. That said, the most surprising aspect of Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia is how it manages to create some moments of beauty for such an unrelenting exploration of the darker side of humanity.

Shout Factory gives Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia an excellent release that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Garden of Love: Collectors Limited Edition – Unearthed Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Germany, 2003
Director: Olaf Ittenbach
Writers: Thomas Reitmair, Olaf Ittenbach
Cast: Natacza Boon, Rebecca Verlaine, James Matthews-Pyecka, Daryl Jackson, Bela B., Donald Stewart, Alexandra Thom-Heinrich, Jean-Luc Julien

Release Date: February 3rd, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 89 Minutes 16 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $39.95

"The story of a young woman tormented by bloody visions of a past she can't really remember. All she knows is that all of her family was slaughtered when she was very young. Now, the spirits of the dead lusts for vengeance and they want Rebecca to guide those responsible to them. Rebecca reluctantly agrees and bloodspurting chaos ensues." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Garden of Love comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 40.3 GB

Feature: 26 GB

The source looks excellent; colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are solid, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Stereo English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English and a LPCM stereo mix in English. Both audio tracks are in excellent shape; dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. Included are removable English subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a photo gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a trailer (2 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), original intro (6 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), outtakes (32 minutes 18 seconds, no sound), an archival featurette titled A Look behind Garden of Love (18 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo German with removable English subtitles), an archival featurette titled Making of Garden of Love (22 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo German with removable English subtitles), and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Olaf Ittenbach directed Garden of Love. He’s known for The Burning Moon, Premutos: The Fallen Angel, and Beyond the Limits.

A woman returns to the source of her childhood trauma when her father's malevolent ghost forces her to help bring the killers to justice.

The opening credits/scene does a phenomenal job setting the tone; it is a prototype slasher film stalking sequence where the camera glides through the room of the house while the killers viciously annihilate their victims. While there are several other moments that match this scene's ferocity, once the narrative settles, there is a dramatic tonal shift. The lone survivor of that night was in a coma for two years, and she remembers nothing. Besides her lack of memories, she also struggles with mental health, and things get worse when she starts seeing people no one else can see.

Garden of Love is a blend of several genres: slasher film, psychological thriller, and supernatural horror. Of these three, it is the latter that most dominates, as the source of most of the carnage comes from malevolent ghosts who can’t rest in peace until they achieve their vengeance. That said, the narrative does a superb job holding your attention with a few well-executed twists that expose characters who have ulterior motives.

The main draw for most viewers is Garden of Love’s use of practical special effects for its gory moments of carnage. When it comes to the kills, they involve characters being viciously stabbed, heads crushed, and limbs being ripped. While the gory special effects excel, unfortunately the performances fail to measure up. Ultimately, Garden of Love is a film that fans of Olaf Ittenbach are sure to enjoy, while someone going into his films for the first time might not appreciate his cinematic style.

Unearthed Films gives Garden of Love an excellent release that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras. Recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer