Black Test Car/The Black Report – Arrow Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Japan, 1962 (Black Test Car), Japan, 1963 (The Black Report)
Director: Yasuzô Masumura (Both Films)
Cast: Jirô Tamiya, Junko Kanô, Eiji Funakoshi, Hideo Takamatsu, Ichirô Sugai, Kichijirô Ueda (Black Test Car), Ken Utsui, Junko Kanô, Hideo Takamatsu, Shigeru Kôyama, Eitarô Ozawa (The Black Report)

Release Date: August 24th, 2020 (UK), August 25th, 2020 (USA)
Approximate running times: 94 Minutes 35 Seconds (Black Test Car), 92 Minutes 14 Seconds (The Black Report)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese (Both Films)
Subtitles: English (Both Films
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK) / $39.95 (USA)

"Japanese maverick director Yasuzo Masumura (Blind Beast) helms a bitingly satirical espionage thriller set in the heart of the Japanese auto industry in his 1962 landmark Black Test Car, which launched a series of similarly themed “Black” films.

In a bitter, take-no-prisoners corporate war between the Tiger Motorcar Company and their competitors, the Yamato Company, undercover spies have infiltrated both sides. As Tiger prepares to launch its newest “Pioneer” car and a prototype bursts into flames, Toru (Hideo Takamatsu, The Last Emperor) heads a secretive task force to root out Yamato’s spy, and find out what they can about the competitor's familiar-looking new model." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5 (Black Test Car, The Black Report)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "The High Definition masters were provided by Kadokawa. Additional picture restoration was completed by Arrow Films at R3Store Studios, London."

Black Test Car and The Black Report comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.2 GB

Feature: 22 GB (Black Test Car), 21.5 GB (The Black Report)

The sources used for both transfers are in great shape and any print debris is minimal. The image looks crisp, contrast and black levels look strong throughout.

Audio: 3.75/5 (Black Test Car, The Black Report)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese and both films come with removable English subtitles. Both audio mixes sound, clean, clear and balanced throughout.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a reversible cover art for The Black Report, trailers for Black Test Car (2 minutes 42 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with English subtitles) and The Black Report (3 minutes 1 second, LPCM mono Japanese with English subtitles), image galleries for Black Test Car and The Black Report, a critical appreciation by film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum titled What Masumura Does With Our Madness (17 minutes 7 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles) and a twenty-four page booklet with cast & crew information for Black Test Car and The Black Report, an essay titled A Longitudinal View of Daiei’s Black Series written by Mark Downing Roberts and information about the transfers.

Summary:

Yasuzô Masumura is one of the most gifted and diverse filmmakers that Japan has ever produced. He worked in just about every genre imaginable and along the way he made films that defied all genre conventions. His notable films include, Red Angel, Manji, Giants and Toys, Afraid to Die and Vixen. With his masterpiece Blind Beast, a film that flawlessly sums up all that’s great about Yasuzô Masumura as a filmmaker.

Double crosses, blackmail and greed are at the heart of Black Test Car. Though Yasuzô Masumura had earlier with Giants and Toys explored the business world. Giants and Toys was a satirical film that had a lighthearted tone, while Black Test Car takes on a darker tone by creating an environment of paranoia, where no one is safe.

Performance wise the cast are all very good in their respective roles. With Black Test Car’s standout performance being Hideo Takamatsu (A Wife Confesses) in the role of Toru Onoda, a ruthless divisional manager who’s in charge of an industrial espionage unit. Another performance of note is Jirô Tamiya in the role of Toru Onoda protegé with a conscience.

Those familiar with the cinema of Yasuzô Masumura should have a good idea of what to expect from Black Test Car, a film that has all the style and mood that his films are known for. And for those who have yet too be exposed to the cinema of Yasuzô Masumura. Black Test Car is one of his more accessible films for someone who’s wanting to test the waters of Yasuzô Masumura’s cinema for the first time.

The Black Report's only connection to Black Test Car are their titles. Both films are part of eleven film series produced by Daiei where all the films have the word black in their titles.

Content wise, where it’s predecessor Black Test Car explored corporate espionage, The Black Report is a whodunit that features a rogues gallery of suspicious characters. That said, The Black Report is equal parts police procedural and courtroom drama.

The Black Report’s plot revolves around Akira Kido, an up and coming prosecutor who’s on the verge of being promoted to Tokyo. He’s given one last case before his transfer. And though he’s a thorough prosecutor who’s collected more than enough evidence for a conviction. Even best laid plans go awry, when he goes head to head with an unscrupulous defense attorney.

Performance wise the cast are all very good in their respective roles, especially Ken Utsui (Sûpâ jaiantsu ‘Super Giant’) in the role of Akira Kido. He delivers a solid performance that does a great job capturing his character’s determination. Another performance of note is Junko Kanô in the role of Ayako Kataoka, the murdered man’s secretary/mistress.

From a production standpoint, there’s not an area where The Black Report does not deliver. The premise is well-executed and the narrative has an ample amount of twists and turns, which reinforce the mounting tension. Ultimately, The Black Report is a well-made suspense film that has a very satisfying conclusion that perfectly ties together the events that have just unfolded.

Black Test Car and The Black Report is a solid double feature release from Arrow Academy that comes with strong audio/video presentations and an informative extra about the films, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer