Seijun Suzuki: The Early Years. Vol. 1 Seijun Rising: The Youth Movies: Limited Edition – Arrow Video (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Dates: Japan, 1958 (The Boy Who Came Back), Japan, 1961 (The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass), Japan, 1962 (Teenage Yakuza), Japan, 1963 (The Incorrigible), Japan, 1965 (Born Under Crossed Stars)
Director: Seijun Suzuki (All Films)
Cast: Sachiko Hidari, Akira Kobayashi, Ruriko Asaoka, Jô Shishido, Kôji Wada, Mayumi Shimizu, Nobuo Kaneko, Tamio Kawaji, Noriko Matsumoto, Keiko Sugiyama, Ken Yamauchi, Masako Izumi, Midori Tashiro, Michi Azuma, Yôko Benisawa, Hiroshi Chô, Ryuichi Fujiyama

Release Date: February 12th, 2018 (UK), February 13th, 2018 (USA)
Approximate running times: 99 Minutes 12 Seconds (The Boy Who Came Back), 84 Minutes 35 Seconds (The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass), 72 Minutes 57 Seconds (Teenage Yakuza), 95 Minutes 5 Seconds (The Incorrigible), 96 Minutes 59 Seconds (Born Under Crossed Stars)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese (All Films)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B (Blu-ray), Region 1,2 NTSC (DVD)
Retail Price: OOP

"The Boy Who Came Back (1958) marks the first appearances of Nikkatsu Diamond Guys and regular Suzuki collaborators Akira Kobayashi and Jo Shishido, with Kobayashi cast as the hot-headed hoodlum fresh out of reform school who struggles to make a clean break with his tearaway past. The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass (1961) is a carnivalesque tale of a young student who hooks up with a down-at-heels travelling circus troupe. Teenage Yakuza (1962) stars Tamio Kawaji as the high-school vigilante protecting his community from the extortions of mobsters from a neighbouring city. The Incorrigible (1963) (also known as ''The Bastard'') and Born Under Crossed Stars (1965), both based on Toko Kon s novels about young love, represent Suzuki s first films set in the 1920s era later celebrated in his critically-regarded Taisho Trilogy." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (The Incorrigible, Born Under Crossed Stars), 3.75/5 (The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass), 3.5/5 (The Boy Who Came Back, Teenage Yakuza)

Here’s the information provided about the transfers, "The films in this collection were remastered in High Definition and delivered to Arrow Films. Additional restoration and grading work was completed at R3store in London."

The Boy Who Came Back, The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass, and Teenage Yakuza come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45 GB

Feature: 16.5 GB (The Boy Who Came Back), 15.8 GB (The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass), 11.4 GB (Teenage Yakuza)

The Incorrigible, and Born Under Crossed Stars come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.6 GB

Feature: 20.3 GB (The Incorrigible), 20.9 GB (Born Under Crossed Stars)

The sources for The Boy Who Came Back and Teenage Yakuza have some minor instances of print-related damage, and the grain looks natural. And though there is an inconsistency when it comes to contrast and black levels, There are also moments where contrast and black levels look very good.

The source used for The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass is in good shape, and though colors fare well, there is room for improvement. The image looks crisp, and the grain looks natural.

The sources for The Incorrigible and Born Under Crossed Stars are in very good shape. These are the best-looking films included as part of this collection. Details generally look crisp; black and contrast levels remain strong throughout, and grain looks natural.

Audio: 4/5

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese, and removable English subtitles are available for each film. All issues related to background noise and distortion are minimal. Dialog comes through clearly, and range-wise, these audio mixes sound balanced.

Extras:

Extras on the Blu-ray disc with The Boy Who Came Back, The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass and Teenage Yakuza include stills galleries for The Boy Who Came Back, The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass and Teenage Yakuza, and theatrical trailers for The Boy Who Came Back (3 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles) and The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass (3 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles).

Extras on the Blu-ray disc with The Incorrigible and Born Under Crossed Stars include stills galleries for The Incorrigible and Born Under Crossed Stars, theatrical trailers for The Incorrigible (3 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English with removable English subtitles) and Born Under Crossed Stars (3 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English with removable English subtitles), and an interview with film critic/historian Tony Rayns (39 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art, a sixty-page booklet with cast and crew information for each film, an essay titled Seijun Rising: Suzuki’s Seishun Eiga written by Jasper Sharp, a Seijun Suzuki filmography, and information about the transfers.

Included with this release are two DVDs that have the same content as the Blu-ray included as part of this combo release.

Summary:

Seijun Suzuki was born on May 23rd, 1923, in Tokyo, Japan. Seijun Suzuki’s calculated B-movie renditions of Yakuza thrillers put him in the company of other postmodern artists (Michelangelo Antonioni, Ingmar Bergman, Jean-Luc Godard, and Samuel Fuller). Seijun Suzuki's work is now being recognized.

Seijun Suzuki’s style is deliberate, as the flow of his narrative structures and the experiments in his symbolic use of colors and stylized acting show in every frame. He was just ahead of his time. In 1956, Seijun Suzuki would make his first feature for the Nikkatsu Studios, and he would go on to direct 42 films over an 11-year span for Nikkatsu.

During his peak period of 1963–1967, Seijun Suzuki would go on to create some of the most ambitious and daring B-films in the history of cinema. With each new film, he would try to top himself as an artist and keep the audience’s attention. Films like Toyko Drifter and Branded to Kill (a film that is now regarded as Seijun Suzuki’s masterpiece worldwide) would lead to Seijun Suzuki being fired from Nikkatsu.

In an unprecedented move, Seijun Suzuki, feeling cheated, sued Nikkatsu for wrongful dismissal, a case that the director won three and a half years later. Though he won in court. He was effectively blacklisted by all the major studios for nearly ten years. Seijun Suzuki would work on and off for the next 35 years, and with the film Pistol Opera, he appears to have returned to his more experimental roots.

The Boy Who Came Back: The narrative revolves around a delinquent’s attempt to reform his life, which is derailed by hoodlums from his past who have a score to settle. Nobuo Kasahara, the protagonist, is cut from the same mold as James Dean’s character from Rebel Without a Cause. And nowhere is this clearer than in how his temper is connected to his inability to fit in.

From a production standpoint, The Boy Who Came Back is a solid example of teenage angst. The protagonist is well-defined, and the cast is all very good in their respective roles. With the standout performance being Akira Kobayashi (Battles Without Honor, and Humanity) in the role of Nobuo Kasahara. Other performances of note include Sachiko Hidari (Under the Flag of the Rising Sun) in the role of Keiko Midorikawa, a young woman who volunteers to be Nobuo’s mentor, and Jô Shishido (Detective Bureau 2-3: Go to Hell Bastards!) in the role of a hoodlum named Kajita.

Visually, The Boy Who Came Back does not disappoint. Standout moments include a scene where Nobuo takes Keiko to a nightclub shortly after meeting her. During this scene, the image cuts between them dancing and glasses of beer that become emptier as Keiko becomes more disoriented. Other standout moments include a tender moment with Nobuo at the seaside that is in contrast to the hostile atmosphere that is prevalent throughout, and a scene where Kajita and his gang attempt to rape Nobuo’s girlfriend.

The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass: The narrative revolves around a down-on-his luck student in dire need of money who befriends a carnival troupe that is traveling the country.

Though the Yakuza play a role in the story at hand, Content-wise, The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass is closer to a lighthearted melodrama than it is to a crime film. With the main focus being the relationships that its protagonist, Shintaro Fugagi, forms with the various characters that he encounters. Most notably, his romantic relationship with Misako Iwai, the daughter of the man who runs the traveling variety show,

From a production standpoint, The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass achieves its goals. The narrative is well executed, and key moments are given ample time to resonate. Performance-wise, the cast is all good in their respective roles. With this film’s most memorable performance being Tomio Aoki (The Rambling Guitarist) in the role of a Yakuza hitman named Full Moon Sanpai, other performances of note include Kôji Wada (Tokyo Knights) in the role of Shintaro and Mayumi Shimizu (Red Pier) in the role of Misako.

Visually, The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass takes full advantage of being shot in color. And nowhere is this clearer than in how vibrant those colors look during the scenes where the carnival troupe performs. Standout moments include a scene where Shintaro prevents Full Man Sanpai from killing the man he’s been contracted to kill and a scene where Misako’s father dies while performing a dangerous stunt that involves him being chained and submerged in water.

Teenage Yakuza: The narrative revolves around a high school vigilante who has been protecting his community from mobsters and finds himself in trouble with the law after his community, out of fear, turns their back on him.

The protagonist becomes a reluctant hero after he stands up for his community, which the yakuza have been extorting money from. And when the yakuza are unable to prevent Jiro from defending his community, The enlist the help of his crippled best friend Yoshio Nakagawa and to further isolate Jiro, they use blackmail to turn the community against him.

Content-wise, despite Teenage Yakuza has many of the elements that are usually associated with youth films. The end result is a film that more closely resembles a Yakuza film, albeit with teens. The premise is well executed, the narrative is briskly paced, and key moments are given ample time to resonate.

Performance-wise, the cast is good in their respective roles. With the standout performance being Tamio Kawachi (The Warped Ones) in the role of Jiro. He delivers a charismatic performance that fulfills the role of the hero. Another performance of note is that of Toshio Sugiyama in the role of Yoshio. It is this character that exhibits the teenage angst that has become synonymous with youth films.

The action sequences are quick and to the point. With the most violent moment being the scene where Yoshio has been given the task of killing Jiro. This scene takes place in a remote area just outside of town, and the area where their confrontation takes place is on a hillside. This is a beautifully choreographed moment that is further enhanced by Yoshio’s limitations due to his being a cripple.

The Incorrigible: After being expelled from several schools, a delinquent known for his violent temper finally gets his life on track when he falls in love with a girl. What starts off as a tale about a rebellious youth eventually transforms into a tragic Romeo and Juliet-like love story.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where The Incorrigible does not excel. The premise is superbly realized, and the well-executed narrative gives ample time for key moments to resonate.

Performance-wise, they are all very good in their respective roles. With the standout performance being Ken Yamauchi in the role of the protagonist, Tôgo Konno. Another performance of note is Masako Izumi (Tattooed Life) in the role of Emiko Okumura, the girl who Tôgo falls in love with. Without a doubt, their onscreen chemistry is this film’s greatest asset.

Not to be overlooked are the visuals and how they do a great job reinforcing the mood. Standout moments include a scene where Tôgo intimidates the older students who have come to inspect his room for public moral violations; a scene where Tôgo forces an older student named Tako, whose nickname is Tako the Octopus, to crawl like a crab into a river; a scene where a Geisha seduces Tôgo; and this film’s tragic ending provides a very satisfying conclusion to the events that have unfolded.

Born Under Crossed Stars: The narrative revolves around a rebellious young man who falls in love with two girls who have distinctively different personalities’.

Content-wise, despite Born Under Crossed Stars has some of the elements associated with youth films. These elements almost become secondary. With the love triangle between Jûkichi, Suzuko, and Taneko being the focal point of Born Under Crossed Stars.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where Born Under Crossed Stars does not deliver. The premise is well executed, and the briskly paced narrative ensures that there is not a dull moment. Key moments are given an ample amount of time to resonate, and the characters are well-defined. Another strength of Born Under Crossed Stars is how effectively it uses humor.

Performance-wise, the cast is very good in their respective roles. With the standout performance being Yumiko Nogawa (Gate of Flesh) in the role of Taneko Yamaga, a flirtatious girl whose seduction of Jûkichi distracts him from the girl he really loves, other standout performances include Ken Yamauchi in the role of this film’s protagonist, Jûkichi Suzuki, and Masako Izumi in the role of Suzuko Mishima, the girl whom Jûkichi pushes away.

Visually Born Under Crossed Stars has many of the stylish flourishes that have become synonymous with Seijun Suzuki. Standout moments include a Judo fight that juxtaposes images of cockfighting, a scene where a blind woman mistakes Jûkichi for her lover, and a scene at a bathhouse where Taneko begins her seduction of Jûkichi.

Seijun Suzuki: The Early Years. Vol. 1 Seijun Rising: The Youth Movies is a phenomenal release from Arrow Video that showcases five of Seijun Suzuki's lesser-known films, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer