Elegant Beast: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1962
Director: Yûzô Kawashima
Writer: Kaneto Shindô
Cast: Ayako Wakao, Yûnosuke Itô, Hisano Yamaoka, Yûko Hamada, Eiji Funakoshi, Manamitsu Kawabata, Shôichi Ozawa, Hideo Takamatsu, Kyû Sazanka, Chôchô Miyako

Release Date: December 18th, 2023 (UK), December 19th, 2023 (USA)
Approximate running time: 95 Minutes 40 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"In their humble two-room apartment, the Maeda family seem ever so self-effacing - but their modest façade hides another truth. Daughter Tomoko is the mistress of a bestselling author with well-lined pockets. Son Minoru embezzles funds with his lover Yukie (Ayako Wakao, Red Angel), who has her own hidden agenda. And father Tokizo (Yunosuke Ito, Ikiru, Lone Wolf and Cub) is a former military man who swears he will never return to the poverty he knew during the war, no matter what the cost. One after another, those affected by the Maedas’ schemes show up on their doorstep. But these visitors all have their own duplicitous agendas. With each knock on the door, the gamesmanship reaches a whole new level." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “Elegant Beast was restored in 4K by kadokawa Corporation. Additional color and grading was performed by Radiance Films in 2023."

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

Disc Size: 33.7 GB

Feature: 27.7 GB

The source used for this transfer looks excellent. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, black levels are strong, and there does not appear to be any digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape; there are no issues with hiss or distortion. Dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, though things can be limited, this has more to do with the intended sound design than any audio shortcomings. Also, this is not an issue since Elegant Beast is a dialog-driven film.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), a video essay titled The Age of the Danchi by film critic Tom Mes on post-war architecture in Japanese cinema (11 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an appreciation by filmmaker Toshiaki Toyoda (14 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an interview with film critic Toshiaki Sato (16 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings, and a 24-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information, an essay titled Yûzô Kawashima and the Faces of Women written by Midori Suiren, a contemporary archival writing titled Enclosed Space: An Homage to Elegant Beast written by Yasunari Takahashi, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Directed by Yûzô Kawashima, whose other notable films are Burden of Love, Suzaki Paradise: Red Light District, and Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate. He would die a year after directing Elegant Beast at the age of 45.

The narrative revolves around a family of swindlers whose crimes are against those who are afraid of the negative impact said crime would have on their reputation if it became public knowledge.

Setting a film in one central location can be a tricky proposition. Outside of a few brief moments, most of Elegant Beast takes place in a tiny apartment, which will make you feel claustrophobic while watching. In this confined space, there is a mother, a father, a son, and a daughter.

Based on the premise and the confinement of the narrative to one location, I had doubts that Elegant Beast would be able to hold my attention for its duration. Fortunately, any doubts I had about Elegant Beast’s ability to remain riveting were quickly dismissed once the main players and their first con had been laid. From there, the narrative does a phenomenal job of creating tense moments that build upon each other, all leading towards an ending that perfectly brings together everything that preceded.

When it comes to the performances, the entire cast is amazing in their roles, and the actors who portray the four family members and another schemer named Yukie Mitani are all standouts. That is not to say that the secondary characters and the actors in these roles are not impressive. That said, the most memorable performance is Ayako Wakao (Red Angel) in the role of Yukie Mitani, an accountant who swindles money from her boss, and in the process, she even double-crosses other characters who thought they were allied with her.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where Elegant Beast does not deliver, and then some. The premise is superbly realized, and the narrative pacing is flawless. And though the visuals are not flashy, they are mostly static shots where characters who are talking are in the frame. That is not to say that the visuals do not play a significant role. Another strength of Elegant Beast is how characters use veiled threats against those who have done them wrong instead of going to the police. Ultimately, Elegant Beast is an engrossing melodrama that is an unflinching social commentary on 1960s Japanese society.

Elegant Beast gets an excellent release from Radiance Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer