Village of Doom – Unearthed Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1983
Director: Noboru Tanaka
Writers: Bo Nishimura, Takuya Nishioka
Cast: Masato Furuoya, Misako Tanaka, Kumiko Ôba, Isao Natsuyagi, Midori Satsuki, Shino Ikenami, Izumi Hara, Renji Ishibashi, Hatsuo Yamaya

Release Date: October 22nd, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 105 Minutes 40 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $39.95

"A classic Japanese true crime story, Village of Doom is a chilling reenactment of the infamous Tsuyama Massacre, a revenge killing spree that occurred on the night of 21 May 1938 in the rural village of Kamo near Tsuyama in Okayama Prefecture. Mutsuo Toi, an emotionally distraught 21-year-old man who had been ostracized by his fellow villagers, went on a violent killing spree that took the lives of 30 people, including his own grandmother. Before finally killing himself, Toi visited his revenge upon the village using a shotgun, Japanese sword and axe. It remains the deadliest mass murder spree in Japanese history." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Village of Doom comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31.9 GB

Feature: 30.1 GB

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction. That said, though black levels generally look solid, there are a few moments they are not as strong.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape; dialog always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a theatrical trailer (1 minute 19 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), Dark Asia with Megan: Case #57 Japan's Darkest Night, Tsuyama Massacre (15 minutes 3 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Asian film experts Arne Venema and Mike Leeder and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Noboru Tanaka, known for directing Nikkatsu romantic pornography films, directed the Village of Doom. He is also known for making A Woman Called Sada Abe, The Watcher in the Attic, and Angel Guts: Nami.

Based on a true story, Village of Doom’s narrative revolves around a young man named Tsugio, who is rejected from military service because of poor health, and he becomes a pariah in his village when they learn he has tuberculosis. He spends his time aimlessly roaming his village and occasionally comforting lonely women whose husbands are away because of war. Most of the women he encounters leave him cold, until one day when he meets a young woman that he becomes fond of, only to be ultimately rejected by her.

From the moment we are introduced to Tsugio, it's clear he’s not an emotionally centered person. When he was young, he lost both his parents, an experience that significantly shaped him. When his illness led to his isolation, it pushed him to the brink. When it comes to time to unleash his rage, instead of killing himself, he must exterminate those who are the source of his pain.

Though there is nothing wrong with any of the performances, they all pale in comparison to Masato Furuoya’s portrayal of Tsugio. He delivers an utterly convincing performance that perfectly captures his character's loneliness and rage. And in a case of art imitating life, he would die tragically, committing suicide like Tsugio in Village of the Doom.

For Noboru Tanaka’s first feature outside of Nikkatsu romantic pornography films, he does a superb job crafting a riveting melodrama. A lengthy, carnage-filled finale is a tour de force example of creating visually arresting moments, but there are a few other striking moments as well. That said, the 20-plus minute finale is a grueling and unflinching exercise in brutality. Another visually striking moment is a man's corpse hanging from a tree. Also, though Village of Doom is a transitional film for Noboru Tanaka, there is still an abundance of soft-core erotica.

From a production standpoint, Village of Doom is a film that exceeds the sum of its parts. Its slow-burn narrative does a superb job holding your attention and building momentum, culminating with a carnage-filled finale. Tsugio is primarily portrayed in a sympathetic light throughout the narrative. This perspective intensifies the impact of his eventual transformation. Also, Village of Doom is a beautifully photographed film that takes full advantage of its scenic surroundings. Ultimately, Village of Doom is a well-crafted drama that hits you like a freight train after slowly drawing you in, and its final image lingers on in your mind.

Village of Doom gets a first-rate release from Unearthed Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer