The Threat: Limited Edition – Arrow Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1966
Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Writers: Kinji Fukasaku, Ichirô Miyagawa
Cast: Rentarô Mikuni, Kô Nishimura, Masumi Harukawa, Sanae Nakahara, Hideo Murota, Ken Mitsuda, Ryôhei Uchida, Pepe Hozumi, Shôichi Ozawa, Kunie Tanaka

Release Date: September 23rd, 2024 (UK), September 24th, 2024 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 83 Minutes 56 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Misawa (Rentarō Mikuni, Fugitive from the Past, Vengeance is Mine) appears to lead a charmed life, the very model of Japan's post-war economic miracle. His position as the account manager of a prestigious advertising agency is enough to pay the mortgage on the spacious modern house he shares with his wife (Masumi Harukawa, Intentions of Murder) and their two young boys, kitted out with all the latest mod-cons. Then one day, the fragility of his existence is revealed when two violent jail-breakers turn up on his doorstep seeking refuge and threatening to embroil Misawa in their criminal activities." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "The High-Definition master was provided by Toei Company, Ltd. Additional mastering work was completed by The Engine House Media Services, London."

The Threat comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 26.3 GB

Feature: 21.1 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, black levels are strong, image clarity and compression are solid, and there are no issues with 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 sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and range-wise, things sound very good.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an appreciation by critic and Japanese film specialist Mark Schilling Warning Warning Danger Danger (18 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Japanese film expert Tom Mes, reversible cover art, a double-sided foldout poster, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and 20-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Compromise and Complicity, the Costs of the Salaryman Dream written by Hayley Scanlon, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

The Threat is a morality tale by way of a crime film. The protagonist is an account manager of a prestigious advertising agency who has a wife and a child and a life that many would envy. His world is shattered when two escaped prisoners invade his home, hold him and his family hostage. These two men have kidnapped a wealthy businessman’s grandchild, for whom they are demanding a ransom. They force the protagonist to be the ransom pickup person by threatening his family.

As tense as the moments are between the two escaped criminals and the protagonist and his family, some of the most tense moments are the scenes where the protagonist attempts to pick up the ransom. During the first attempt at collecting the ransom, the protagonist notices that the rich businessman is not alone; the police are watching from nearby. Not wanting the exchange to go awry, out of fear his family will be hurt, the protagonist comes up with ways to get the ransom without being caught. The way in which Kinji Fukasaku builds tension is flawlessly executed.

Kinji Fukasaku often worked with up-and-coming actors and whoever was the top star at Toei. With The Threat, he works with Rentarô Mikuni (A Fugitive from the Past), a well-established actor who two years before worked with Kinji Fukasaku on Wolves, Pigs, and People. He delivers an exceptional performance in the role of Misawa, the man who is forced to participate in the ransom pickup. Despite the stress that his character is under, he always manages to remain calm and think rationally.

When it comes to the rest of the cast and their performance, they are all very good. The other performance of note is Kô Nishimura (Intentions of Murder), who portrays Kawanishi, a death row inmate and the mastermind behind the kidnapping. A cast member of note is Hideo Murota, who portrays Kawanishi’s accomplice. He appeared in over 200 films, and he frequently collaborated with Kinji Fukasaku.

Even at this early stage, it was clear that Kinji Fukasaku was ahead of most of his contemporaries. He was a filmmaker who always delivers when it comes to visually arresting moments. This is especially clear with his use of a handheld camera, which perfectly captures the protagonist's anxiety following the ransom pickup. The well-constructed narrative does a phenomenal job building momentum to a finale whose outcome takes you by surprise. Ultimately, The Threat is an exceptional crime film, making it a must-see for fans of Kinji Fukasaku.

The Threat gets a solid release from Arrow Video that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and insightful extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer