Tokyo Decadence – Unearthed Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1992
Director: Ryû Murakami
Writer: Ryû Murakami
Cast: Miho Nikaido, Sayoko Amano, Tenmei Kano, Masahiko Shimada, Yayoi Kusama, Chie Sema

Release Date: January 18th, 2022
Approximate Running Time: 112 Minutes 46 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Stereo Japanese, LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"In the most lavish penthouses, visible only through keyholes, there exists a dangerous and erotic world. High-paid prostitutes who specialize in high-stakes games make the rounds. The richer the client, the wilder the ride. When fantasy gets too rough for one young call-girl, escaping becomes her reality." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.25/5

Tokyo Decadence comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 23.1 GB

Feature: 21.8 GB

No information is provided about the source of this transfer. That said, it does look better than Cinema Epoch’s 2008 DVD and Arrow Video’s 2011 DVD. Though the source looks clean, when it comes to things like black levels, there is black crush and a lack of detail. Fortunately, colors fare much better, and daytime scenes' image clarity is much stronger.

Audio: 4/5 (LPCM Stereo Japanese), 3/5 (LPCM Stereo English)

This release comes with two audio options: a LPCM stereo mix in Japanese and a LPCM stereo mix in English. The Japanese language track is in great shape; there are no issues with distortion or background hiss, the dialog comes through clearly and everything sounds balanced. The English language track does not fare as well. There is a background hiss that pops up throughout and other issues that are common with dub language tracks, like dialog that at times sounds louder than it should. Included with this release are removable English subtitles for the Japanese language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include reversible cover art, a slipcover, Japanese theatrical trailer (1 minute 25 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese, no English subtitles), German theatrical trailer (1 minute 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese, no subtitles), a stills gallery (38 images) and an archival making of featurette (8 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles).

Other extras include trailers for Evil Dead Trap, Untold Story, and Premutos.

Summary:

Tokyo Decadence was written and directed by novelist Ryû Murakami. Tokyo Decadence was adapted from his novel of the same name. Many of his novels have been adapted to film, most notably Takaski Miike’s adaptation of Audition. 

The narrative revolves around a young woman named Ai who works as a call girl and specializes in S&M. And though the narrative is essentially built around a series of her sexual encounters, the lack of exposition and character back-story does not lessen the finale’s impact.

The heart and soul of Tokyo Decadence is Miho Nikaido’s uninhibited performance. She delivers an utterly convincing performance that makes you feel her character's pain and suffering. Everyone in her life uses her, and a lover's rejection sets her on a downward spiral.

Visually, Ryû Murakami's nearly flawless direction juxtapositions images of Tokyo’s bright, vibrant outer decor with the darkness that engulfs Ai in the dimly lit rooms where she performs her sexual acts. Composer Ryuichi Sakamoto’s score is equally seductive and sorrowful. And though Tokyo Decadence has many elements associated with Pinku cinema, it’s not the type of film that arouses you since most of the S&M sequences are acts of degradation. Ultimately, Tokyo Decadence is an unflinching tale about loneliness and isolation that many will find difficult to stomach.

Unearthed Films gives Tokyo Decadence its best home video release to date.

Written by Michael Den Boer