Blind Beast – Arrow Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1969
Director: Yasuzô Masumura
Writers: Yoshio Shirasaka, Rampo Edogawa (story)
Cast: Eiji Funakoshi, Mako Midori, Noriko Sengoku

Release Date: August 23rd, 2021 (UK), August 24th, 2021 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 84 Minutes 6 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK) / $39.95 (USA)

"Blind Beast is a grotesque portrait of the bizarre relationship between a blind sculptor and his captive muse, adapted from a short story from Japan's foremost master of the macabre, Edogawa Rampo (Horrors of Malformed Men, The Black Lizard, Caterpillar). An artist's model, Aki (Mako Midori), is abducted, and awakens in a dark warehouse studio whose walls are decorated with outsized women's body parts - eyes, lips, legs and breasts - and dominated by two recumbent giant statues of male and female nudes. Her kidnapper introduces himself as Michio (Eiji Funakoshi), a blind sculptor whom she had witnessed previously at an exhibition in which she featured intently caressing a statue of her naked torso. Michio announces his intention of using her to sculpt the perfect female form. At first defiant, she eventually succumbs to his intense fixation on her body and finds herself drawn into his sightless world, in which touch is everything." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

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."

Blind Beast comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32.2 GB

Feature: 24.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in very good shape. Colors and flesh tones look correct, black levels fare well and the image generally looks crisp.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese and included with this release are removable English subtitles. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include reversible cover art, an image gallery, a trailer for Blind Beast (2 minutes 25 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with English subtitles), a visual essay by Japanese literature and visual studies scholar Seth Jacobowitz titled Blind Beast: Masumura the Supersensualist (10 minutes 51 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an introduction by Japanese cinema expert Tony Rayns (18 minutes 33 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary by Asian cinema scholar Earl Jackson and a twenty-eight page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled Blind Beast: A Perverse Cinema of the Body written by Virginie Sélavy, Yasuzô Masumura filmography and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Though Blind Beast, like most of Yasuzo Masumura’s films, is dialog driven. That’s not to say that there are not many visually arresting moments in Yasuzo Masumura’s films. And with Blind Beast Yasuzo Masumura he delivers what is arguably his most exquisite film visually.

In its opening moments, Yasuzo Masumura makes an interesting choice stylistically by using black and white photographs before shifting into color for the rest of the film. Also, throughout Blind Beast Yasuzo Masumura masterfully uses light and shadow, which heightens the actors’ expressions.

Though Blind Beast has many elements that have become synonymous with Pinku eiga. Most notable elements in Blind Beast that's meant to arouse viewers like sadomasochism and a room that’s covered on its walls with various body parts and a large woman’s torso that lays in the middle of the room. That said, the result is a film that transcends Pinku eiga cinema.

Performance wise the three leads are all very good in their respective roles, especially Eiji Funakoshi in the role of a blind artist named Michio and Mako Midori in the role of Aki, his unwilling muse. Reportedly Eiji Funakoshi visited a school for the blind and the result is a performance that has you believing he is really blind. Also, Mako Midori is equally impressive as Aki as she effortlessly goes from victim to seductress.

Without a doubt, one of the most riveting aspects of Blind Beast is the dynamic between the three characters. Before Aki the only woman in Michio’s life was his overbearing mother. After Aki’s arrival tension builds when Michio’s mother becomes jealous of her son's affection for Aki, which only further pushes Michio away from his mother. Also, it's ironic that Michio's strongest sense, touch, is what betrays him in the end. Ultimately, Blind Beast is an amazing film and Yasuzo Masumura’s greatest achievement as a filmmaker.

Arrow Video gives Blind Beast a solid audio/video presentation and a trio of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer