The Sting of Death: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1990
Director: Kôhei Oguri
Writers: Kôhei Oguri, Toshio Shimao
Cast: Keiko Matsuzaka, Ittoku Kishibe, Midori Kiuchi, Takenori Matsumura, Yuri Chikamori, Akira Yamanouchi, Miyoko Nakamura, Seiko Kitamura

Release Date: January 29th, 2024 (UK), February 8th, 2024 (USA)
Approximate running time: 114 Minutes 21 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC|
Rating: 12 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"In the aftermath of World War II, a writer's love affair with another woman drives his wife mad with distrust. Realising his errors, he tries all he can to save her from literally losing her mind." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The Sting of Death was transferred in High-Definition by Shochiku Co. Ltd. and supplied to Radiance Films as a High-Definition digital file."

The Sting of Death comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43 GB

Feature: 31.1 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape; only a few minor moments of print debris remain. Image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is solid. The Sting of Death has a subdued color palette, and this transfer does a great job retaining its intended look.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. This is a dialog-driven film, and dialog always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and the score and ambient sounds are well-presented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with film scholar Hideki Maeda (20 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival documentary on the Japanese film renaissance of the 1990s featuring interviews with Kohei Oguri, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Kaneto Shindo and others (56 minutes 40 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 interview with Kôhei Oguri by Hubert Niogret, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

The Sting of Death is one of only six films directed by Kôhei Oguri. And though he has a limited filmography for a career that spanned four decades, that said, all of his films are excellent and among some of the best Japanese cinema of the last forty-three years.

The Sting of Death is essentially a story about two characters Toshio, the husband and Miho, the wife. And though there are others characters like their two children and Toshio’s mistress that play a role in the story that evolves. It is ultimately their dysfunctional relationship that is front and center in The Sting of Death.

In the opening moments, we are introduced to Toshio and Miho, who are in the middle of an argument. And as this sequence evolves, it becomes clear that the issue that has led to them fighting is Toshio’s infidelity. And though Toshio makes it clear that his affair is over, Miho's insecurities further drive a wedge between them. Also, Toshio goes out of his way to please Miho; he becomes more subservient while she becomes more dominant in their relationship.

Though there are a few secondary characters who appear throughout, performance-wise, it is ultimately Ittoku Kishibe in the role of Toshio and Keiko Matsuzaka in the role of Miho that carry The Sting of Death. They both deliver an utterly convincing performance in which they perfectly capture their character's states of mind.

From a production standpoint, The Sting of Death is a film where everything falls into place. The opening setup is perfectly executed, and from this moment onward, there is never an issue with momentum. And though infidelity is the act that sets in motion the story that unfolds, at its core, The Sting of Death is an unflinching glimpse of mental illness. Also, the way in which the image frames characters greatly enhances the mood. Ultimately, The Sting of Death is an extraordinary exploration of betrayal and jealousy and the damage these two things can cause when left unchecked.

The Sting of Death gets a solid release from Radiance Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer