Assault! 13th Hour – Impulse Pictures (DVD)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1977
Director: Yasuharu Hasebe
Writers: Chiho Katsura, Yoshio Shirasaka
Cast: Yuri Yamashina, Yûdai Ishiyama, Hidetoshi Kageyama, Tamaki Katsura, Ikunosuke Koizumi, Hiroshi Kôno, Naomi Oka, Rei Okamoto, Yoshihiko Tabata, Akira Takahashi, Natsuko Yashiro

Release Date: July 5th, 2022
Approximate Running Time: 72 Minutes 42 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.00:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region 1 NTSC
Retail Price: $24.95

"A violent sexual predator (named 'Crimson') takes on a young protégé, and they are both pursued by vengeful gangs of vigilantes hellbent on capturing the pair for their crimes. As the two men evade the law, they continue their violent assaults on various women of the community. Will the authorities ever catch this disgusting duo, or will they suffer a much worse fate at the hands of the gangs looking for brutal revenge?" – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 1/5

Assault! 13th Hour comes of a single layer DVD.

Disc Size: 3.8 GB

This release uses an ancient source that is incorrectly framed. Colors are lackluster, image clarity is inconsistent, there is black crush, and compression-related issues.

Audio: 2.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. The audio sound is clear and balanced, and range-wise, this audio track is satisfactory.

Extras:

Extras for this release is limited to reversible cover art with the alternate title Rape! 13th Hour.

Summary:

Yasuharu Hasebe was one of the prominent directors working in Nikkatsu romantic pornography films. His first two forays into this genre, The Naked Seven and Sukeban Deka: Dirty Mary, were both homages: Seven Samurai and Dirty Harry, respectively. He found his first success in this genre with Okasu!, a film that started the Violent Pink sub-genre. Other notable films he directed in this sub-genre include Assault! Jack the Ripper, Attack! 13th Hour, Attacked! And Yaru!.

The narrative revolves around a habitual sex maniac who befriends a young man and passes on his obsession for violating women to him.

After a trio of successes in the violent pink film sub-genre, Yasuharu Hasebe would continue to push the boundaries of sexualized violence with Assault! 13th Hour. The narrative quickly dives into the type of scenes synonymous with Yasuharu Hasebe Nikkatsu romantic pornography films, a scene where two men who had just met instantly forge a bond as they rape a woman. This sequence, like the ones that follow the use of classical music, provides a perfect juxtaposition for the graphic assaults that are unfolding.

Besides the story line that revolves around these two rapists, there is a subplot that revolves around a gang of homosexuals whose leader desperately wants to have sex with the rapist named Crimson, and he even goes so far as to try to blackmail him. Though this subplot provides an obstacle for the two rapists, who, for the most part, freely go around doing what they do without any consequences, there is a lack of reason behind why the leader of the gang is so obsessed with Crimson.

The most surprising aspect of Assault! 13th Hour are the performances, especially Akira Takahashi’s emotionless portrayal of Crimson. He’s a character devoid of any morality, lacking regard for anyone else, only driven by impulse. The most fascinating aspect of Crimson’s relationship with the young man he mentors is how the latter changes. His apprentice initially observes violations with a voyeuristic attitude, but over time, he assumes the role previously held by his mentor.

When it comes to sexual assaults, these are moments of opportunity, with no planning involved. Yasuharu Hasebe’s direction leaves little for the imagination, and there are several visually arresting moments. None more striking than the scene where Crimson is finally violated and in such a brutal way that it makes his own assaults look tame. That said, the most disturbing aspect of Assault! 13th Hour is how many of the victims find pleasure in what is happening to them. Ultimately, Attack! 13th Hour is a text-book example of Violent Pink cinema that grabs you by the throat and suffocates you with its bleak subject matter.

Assault! 13th Hour deserves so much better than this release; it's a barely watchable presentation.

Written by Michael Den Boer