Tattooed Life: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1965
Director: Seijun Suzuki
Writers: Kei Hattori, Ai Kennedy, Kin'ya Naoi
Cast: Hideki Takahashi, Masako Izumi, Hiroko Itô, Kayo Matsuo, Hôsei Komatsu, Seizaburô Kawazu, Akira Yamanouchi

Release Date: September 23rd, 2024 (UK), September 24th, 2024 (USA)
Approximate running time: 86 Minutes 34 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Tetsuo (Hideki Takahashi, Fighting Elegy), a low-level yakuza is double-crossed by his boss and attacked. His younger brother Kenji (Kotobuki Hananomoto, This Transient Life), an aspiring artist with no connections to crime, comes to his aid and kills Tetsuo's assailant. Fearing repercussions from the yakuza they flee to Manchuria where they risk coming under suspicion of rival gangs." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “Tattooed Life was transferred in High-Definition by Nikkatsu Corporation and supplied to Radiance Films as a High-Definition digital file."

Tattooed Life comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.8 GB

Feature: 23.3 GB

The source looks great; there are some very minor instances of print debris. Flesh tones look healthy, colors at times look vivid, black levels are strong, image clarity and compression are solid, and there does not appear to be any digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape. Dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 5 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), a newly edited archival interview with art director Takeo Kimura (11 minutes 36 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), a newly edited archival interview with director Seijun Suzuki (10 minutes 30 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with William Carroll, author of Seijun Suzuki and Postwar Cinema, reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 20-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information, an essay titled Cutting it Close written by Tom Vick, an archival review of Tattooed Life written by Tetsuya Fukasawa, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Seijun Suzuki, a versatile and prolific filmmaker, directed Tattooed Life. He is most remembered for directing Tokyo Drifter and Branded to Kill. The latter of these two films led to him being fired from Nikkatsu.

The narrative revolves around a yakuza hitman named Tetsuo, also known as the Silver Fox, who is betrayed by his own clan after killing the boss of a rival clan. He flees with his brother Keji, and before they reach Manchuria, they are robbed, forcing them to find employment.

Throughout his time working for Nikkatsu, Seijun Suzuki's auteur instincts often kicked into overdrive, causing him problems. And though Tattooed Life was made two years before Branded to Kill, the film was the breaking point for Nikkatsu. The result is actually a straight-forward film that fits right into the program genre films that Nikkatsu were making at that time.

Tattooed Life opens with a stylish sequence where Tetsuo, an assassin, easily deposes his target in the pouring rain. This sequence is quickly followed by an attempt in Tetsuo’s life at the hands of his own clan. And once again, his knack for adapting in difficult situations saves his life. Though these two carnage-filled sequences quickly establish the tone, it is not until the last 10 minutes when another flurry of carnage unfolds.

That said, the bulk of the narrative revolves around Tetsuo and Kenji, looking for work and trying to fit in. These more dramatic moments provide a stark contrast to the moments of carnage that bookend the narrative. Also, these dramatic moments move at a more deliberate momentum that, at times, is slow moving. Fortunately, these moments never lessen the impact of the finale.

Though most of Seijun Suzuki takes place in masculine worlds, Tattooed Life actually has three strong female characters: the boss's wife Masayo, her sister Midori, and Oyuki, who owns a bar that most of the characters frequent. All three of these characters are well-defined, and they all play an integral part in Tetsuo and Kenji’s journey. And when it comes to performances, Hiroko Itô, Masako Izumi, and Kayo Matsuo, the three actresses who portray these characters, are all phenomenal in their respective roles.

Hideki Takahashi’s portrayal of Tetsuo is a solid performance that does a superb job showcasing his character's gentle and brutal sides. Tetsuo shines brightest in the moments that he shares with Kenji; these moments add greater depth to Tetsuo. Hôsei Komatsu's (Lady Snowblood) portrayal of Yamano, a con man thief, is another performance of note. That said, no character or performance is a throwaway; the rest of the cast are all very good in their roles.

Once again, Seijun Suzuki delivered well beyond the resources at his disposal. Seijun Suzuki's direction greatly enhances the well-executed narrative with several visually arresting moments. No moment is more striking than a moment in the finale where the camera looks upward through a glass floor as Tetsuo squares off for a finale showdown. In the House of Blues sequence of Kill Bill, this moment is referred to. Another area the visuals excel at is Seijun Suzuki's use of colors, notably engulfing the frame in red after Kenji’s death. Ultimately, Tattooed Life, Seijun Suzuki’s last “straight” yakuza film made before the abstract Tokyo Drifter and the stylized genre masterwork Branded to Kill, is an accessible and engaging film that fans of Seijun Suzuk should thoroughly enjoy.

Tattooed Life gets an exceptional release from Radiance Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer