Cash Calls Hell – Film Movement (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1966
Director: Hideo Gosha
Writers: Yasuko Ôno, Hideo Gosha
Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Ichirô Nakatani, Hisashi Igawa, Kunie Tanaka, Kaneko Iwasaki, Atsuko Kawaguchi, Toshie Kimura, Hideyo Amamoto, Yoshio Inaba, Mikijirô Hira, Miyuki Kuwano

Release Date: December 10th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 2 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $41.98

"Fresh out of prison, a broken man reluctantly takes a job to kill three men, but changes his mind when some gangsters target the same men. He then tries to find out why the men are being targeted in the first place." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New digital restoration".

Cash Calls Hell comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 26.7 GB

Feature: 21.6 GB

The source is in great shape; some minor debris remains. Though black levels are generally strong, there are moments where they are not convincing; image clarity is solid, and compression is very good.

Audio: 3.75

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese, and included are removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, this audio track at times sounds limited.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical teaser (1 minute 24 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 34 seconds, LPCM mono with text in Japanese, no subtitles), a newly created trailer (1 minute 4 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), a video talk by Black Caesars and Foxy Cleopatra's author Odie Henderson titled Bitter Little World (8 minutes 45 seconds, LPCM stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Japanese film clips), a video essay by TokyScope author Patrick Macias titled Fighting Spirit (9 minutes 412 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a spot gloss slipcover (limited to 2,000 units), and a 16-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled Honor at Any Price written Steve Macfarlane.

Summary:

Cash Calls Hell was directed by Hideo Gosha, a filmmaker best known for directing samurai films. His notable films include Goyokin, The Wolves, Violent Streets, and Hunter in the Dark.

A man, having served time in prison for accidentally killing a father and daughter with his car, becomes entangled with criminals.

Cash Calls Hell draws influence from foreign cinema, particularly American and French noir cinema. Where most Japanese crime film protagonists are immoral, Oida is a man who had everything until a fateful event put him on the wrong course. Though his actions led to the death of two people, he never intended to harm them. It is clear that Oida is not a violent man from the moment he is introduced. His former cellmate asks him to do something that goes against his moral code, further reinforcing this.

The crime that is at the center of Cash Calls Hell unfolds during the opening credits in which the images look like X-rays. Though characters involved in this crime reveal details, things do not become clear until the last act. Also, the narrative is very effective in its use of flashbacks not only for the protagonist but for other key characters.

When it comes to the performances the cast are very good in their roles; especially Tatsuya Nakadai (High and Low) who portrays Oida. He reluctantly accepts an offer proposed by his former cellmate, facing the prospect of no opportunities due to his felon status. What makes this character and his performance so great is how he empathizes with each of the three men he’s been hired to kill. This is further solidified when he accepts the responsibility of caring for the daughter of one of these men after their death.

The most compelling aspect of Cash Calls Hell is its premise. The three men that Oida was hired to kill die, but at the hands of other men. Three men stole 30 million yen during a drug deal. Two assassins have been sent to retrieve the money and kill them. Instead of taking the easy way out and collecting the money for killing them, Oida tries to save them from two men who are also looking for them.

Cash Calls Hell's well-executed narrative does a phenomenal job drawing you in. Pacing is never an issue, as it does an excellent job building and maintaining tension. That said, a twist ending that puts everything into focus provides a very satisfying conclusion. Ultimately, Cash Calls Hell is an exemplary story about redemption and never straying from your moral code.

Film Movement gives Cash Calls Hell a first-rate release that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a trio of insightful extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer