A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1977
Director: Seijun Suzuki
Writer: Gan Yamazaki
Cast: Kyôko Enami, Yoshio Harada, Masumi Okada, Shûji Sano, Yoko Shiraki, Jô Shishido

Release Date: April 28th, 2025 (UK), April 29th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 93 Minutes 5 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: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"The editor of a sports magazine grooms fashion model Reiko (Yoko Shiraki) to become a pro golfer, while retaining exclusive rights to her likeness. Reiko’s popularity soars after she wins her first tournament and she becomes a media sensation, but when she and her manager (Yoshio Harada, Zigeunerweisen) cause a hit-and-run accident, the victim begins to blackmail Reiko, intruding further and further into her personal life." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness was transferred in High-Definition by the Shochiku Corporation. The film was supplied to Radiance Films as a High-Definition digital file and is presented in the original aspect ratio."

A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 33.1 GB

Feature: 27 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and compression are solid, contrast and black levels are strong throughout, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

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 comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. That said, when compared to Cinema Epoch’s 2009 DVD release, this new transfer is a substantial upgrade, and it is like seeing A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness for the first time.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 25 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an interview with editor Kunihiko Ukai (19 minutes 54 seconds, LPCm stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with film critic and author Samm Deighan, reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 32-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information, an essay titled Sorrow, Sadness and the Sweet Smell of Excess written by Jasper Sharp, an archival review titled The Realisation of a Seijun Suzuki film written by AAtsushi Yamatoya, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

After directing an incredible forty films over a twelve-year span (1956–1967) for Nikkatsu, director Seijun Suzuki would be unceremoniously fired by Nikkatsu’s president, Hori Kyusaku. He would declare that "Suzuki’s films were incomprehensible, that they did not make any money, and Suzuki might as well give up his career as a director as he would not be making films for any other companies."

Following his exile from Nikkatsu, Seijun Suzuki would retreat to television, directing three projects: Good Evening, Dear Husband: A Duel (1968), There’s a Bird Inside a Man (1969), and A Mummy’s Love (1970), while he awaited the verdict in his court case against Nikkatsu, who terminated his contract after Branded to Kill (1967).

Though Seijun Suzuki would win his case of defamation against Nikkatsu, his career would come to a halt after being blacklisted by all the major studios in Japan. There would be a ten-year gap between Branded to Kill, the last film that he directed for Nikkatsu, and his return to the big screen with 1977’s A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness.

Seijun Suzuki is primarily known for directing flamboyant films about dysfunctional characters who quickly find themselves in over their heads as they try to escape the demons from their past. Seijun Suzuki’s take on the sports and entertainment worlds in A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness is reminiscent of the way that he approached the Yakuza, prostitutes, and samurai that are prominent in the films that he directed for Nikkatsu.

It is fascinating how Seijun Suzuki is able to transform the themes explored in A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness by drawing similarities from the plot and its characters that show that they are not that different from the Yakuza, prostitutes, and samurai that populate his other films. Beneath every surface are layers of reality, and Seijun Suzuki, just like the characters in his films, never reveals their true intentions until this moment of truth arrives in A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness.

The heroine of A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness Reiko is an insecure model. It is her need for acceptance that leads to her manipulation by a character named Mr. Miyake, whose ultimate goal is to make her a dominant golfer. Reiko eventually falls for Mr. Miyake, who is cold and brazen toward her.

Reiko is a determined woman whose desire to please Mr. Miyake leaves her broken and exhausted. She practices at one point so much that her hands start bleeding. During her tournament debut, she faints before her last shot. And lying on the ground, she looks over at Mr. Miyake, who motions for her to get back up. Wanting to please Mr. Miyake, she gets up and sinks the shot, only to collapse again.

The first act of A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness focuses on her training; the middle of the film shifts the focus to her rise as a star; and the last act details her downward spiral.

The femme fatale of A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness is an obsessed fan named Senboh, who, through blackmail, works her way into Reiko’s life. The most disturbing moment and the event that signals Senboh's state of mind is a scene where she cuts up an autograph that she received from Reiko "Ginzu style". Senboh engulfs herself in her new-found power by forcing Reiko to cut her hair in a grotesque fashion. Once again, unable to think for herself, Reiko lets her stalker manipulate her life until chaos reigns supreme. Eventually, Senboh finally reaches her own breaking point when she invites several hanger-ons to Reiko’s house for a party. Reiko is literally eaten alive by the very masses that made her famous. With everyone at the party disregarding Reiko’s boundaries as they mock her and rummage through her belongings.

After this impromptu party reaches its conclusion, it becomes painfully obvious to Senboh that she’s been used and tossed aside. The other key person in Reiko’s life is her younger brother Jun, whom she takes care of. Junis is overly protective of his older sister, and he becomes increasingly jealous the more attention that is paid to her, with whom he once shared an inseparable bond.

Visually, A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness demonstrates that Seijun Suzuki, despite his prolonged break from filmmaking, has not lost a step. With the scene that leaps out as classic Seijun Suzuki being a hit-and-run sequence that uses slow motion to emphasize that tragic event.

During the chaos, Reiko tries to leap from the moving car. She's then reined back in by Mr. Miyake, who stops the car at the edge of a cliff. This scene symbolically shows that they finally went too far and that there are consequences for their actions. The most satisfying moment visually is a montage sequence that shows several closeups of Reiko at the various stages of her evolution.

Yoshio Harada is cast in the role of Mr. Miyake. He had a long and varied career, and some of his notable films include Stray Cat Rock: Wild Measures ’71, Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance, Shogun’s Samurai, Hunter in the Dark, Onini: The Fire Within, Party 7, and 9 Souls. After working with Seijun Suzuki for the first time on A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness, they would collaborate on four more films: The Fang in the Hole, Zigeunerweisen, Kageroza, and Yumeji.

A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness' most remarkable performance is Kyôko Enami's in the role of Senboh, Reiko’s stalker. Other notable films that she has appeared in include The Wolves, The Fall of Ako Castle, and the Gambling Woman series. Cast in this film’s lead role, Reiko, is an actress named Yoko Shiraki, and A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness appears to be her only film. And one of Seijun Suzuki’s frequent collaborators from Nikkatsu, Joe Shinodo, has a brief cameo as a cop. Ultimately, A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness is a decadent tale about obsession and the pitfalls of fame.

A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness gets an excellent release from Radiance Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a trio of informative extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Underworld Beauty: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Japan, 1958 (Underworld Beauty), Japan, 1959 (Love Letter)
Director: Seijun Suzuki (Both Films)
Cast: Michitarô Mizushima, Mari Shiraki, Shinsuke Ashida, Tôru Abe, Hideaki Nitani, Setsuko Amamiya, Tomio Aoki, Shôki Fukae (Underworld Beauty), Kyôsuke Machida, Frank Nagai, Hisako Tsukuba, Keisuke Yukioka (Love Letter)

Release Date: January 27th, 2025 (UK), January 28th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 87 Minutes 9 Seconds (Underworld Beauty), 39 Minutes 28 Seconds (Underworld Beauty)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese (Both Films)
Subtitles: English (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Retrieving the diamonds he stashed before his arrest, thief Miyamoto hopes to help his old partner Mihara, crippled during the heist. Their former boss, crime lord Oyane, offers to mediate with a foreign buyer, but secretly wants the stones for himself. The deal goes awry when gunmen appear on the scene. Mihara swallows the diamonds but dies in the chase, leaving a valuable corpse in the police morgue. Miyamoto forms an uneasy alliance with Mihara's wildcat sister Akiko to keep the gems away from gangsters, cops and even Akiko's greedy boyfriend." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Underworld Beauty), 3.5/5 (Love Letter)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Underworld Beauty was transferred in 4K by the Nikkatsu Corporation and supplied to Radiance Films as a High-Definition digital file."

Underworld Beauty comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 38.4 GB

Feature: 23.6 GB (Underworld Beauty), 10.8 GB (Love Letter)

The source looks great; there is still some minor debris. Image clarity and compression are solid, black levels and contrast are strong, and the image retains an organic look. Love Letter's source is not in as good of shape; it has more noticeable debris.

Audio: 4/5 (Underworld Beauty), 3.5/5 (Love Letter)

Underworld Beauty comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. The source is in great shape; it's a noticeable improvement over this film’s previous home video releases. Dialog comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced, and range-wise, ambient sounds are well represented.

Love Letter comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. Though there is background hiss throughout, dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer for Underworld Beauty (3 minutes 15 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an interview with critic Mizuki Kodama (14 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), a theatrical trailer for Love Letter (2 minutes 54 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), a short film directed by Seijun Suzuki titled Love Letter (39 minutes 28 seconds, 2.35:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Seijun Suzuki biographer William Carroll for Love Letter, 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 for Underworld Beauty, an essay titled The Moth That Flies Too Close to the Flame written by Claudia Siefen-Leitich, an archival review of Underworld Beauty written by Seizo Okada, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Underworld Beauty: Seijun Suzuki worked at a furious pace, making forty-two films in a mere span of eleven years while working for the Nikkatsu Corporation. During these years, he primarily worked in the yakuza genre. Seijun Suzuki would, for the first time with his seventh film, Underworld Beauty, shoot a film in widescreen. 

Underworld Beauty opens with a title card that proceeds the main title that boldly announces "Seijun Suzuki’s Seventh Film", Quentin Tarantino would open Kill Bill in a similar way. In Underworld Beauty, Seijun Suzuki would showcase his western cinema influences with his use of film noir shadows and doo-wop-sounding music.

The narrative revolves around Miyamoto, a man who has just spent three years in prison. He is still in possession of the diamonds that he stole from a heist that led to his going to prison. Miyamoto tries to sell the diamonds and use the money to help a woman who was injured during the heist. From there, a series of double crosses and other betrayals unfold.

Underworld Beauty may not be as flamboyant or chaotic as Seijun Suzuki’s later films, but he still manages to come up with innovative and imaginative shots throughout. Wataro Nakao’s lush black-and-white photography is filled with all the film noir hallmarks, like playing with shadow and light. Every inch of every frame is filled with an amazing amount of style.

The acting is subdued for the most part, including Michitaro Mizushima's performance as Miyamoto, which at times is too one-dimensional as he spends most of the time brooding. Mari Shiraki's performance as Akiko is a more developed one as she transforms from the grieving sister into a femme fatale. 

That said, Underworld Beauty's screenplay is its weakest asset, as it follows the conventions of the film noir genre, playing things by the numbers. The score is one of the most bizarre that I have heard so far from a Suzuki film, and at times it feels oddly out of place when used in the film's noir settings. Also, the happy ending feels tacked on and out of place. Although Underworld Beauty may not contain all the flashy camera work his later work is renowned for, Suzuki, through his inventiveness, manages to show hints of things to come.

Love Letter: A nightclub performer who had a two-day romantic encounter with a forest ranger has kept their relationship alive by writing to each other for the last two years. She becomes concerned when his letters are less frequent; not wanting to lose him, she makes an unannounced trip to see him. Once reunited, will they rekindle their love, or has something happened that will keep them apart?

Love Letter is not the type of film that one thinks of when discussing Seijun Suzuki; he’s a filmmaker known mostly for his crime films. Love Letter is a romantic melodrama in which two lovers who have been apart try to come together after a secret about one of them is revealed. Without giving anything away about Love Letters twist, I will say that the way in which the narrative unfolds leading towards this reveal is perfectly executed.

Though there are some secondary characters, there are only two performances that matter: Hisako Tsukuba (The Golden Bat) in the role of the nightclub performer and Kyôsuke Machida (Outlaw: Gangster VIP) in the role of the forest ranger. Their performances play well off of each other and they have strong onscreen chemistry. That said, the rest of the performances are best described as serviceable.

Despite its short running time of just under 40 minutes, Love Letter has a considerable amount of depth. Nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to the use of flashbacks. Love Letter is beautifully photographed, the bulk of its narrative takes place in snow covered landscapes. Another one of its strengths is its snow-covered landscapes, which reinforce the theme of isolation. Ultimately, Love Letter is a bittersweet melodrama where tragedy leads to new beginnings.

Underworld Beauty gets an excellent release from Radiance Films that comes with a strong audio/presentation, a bonus short film, and a trio of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

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

Branded to Kill – The Criterion Collection (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1967
Director: Seijun Suzuki
Writers: Hachiro Guryu, Takeo Kimura, Chusei Sone, Atsushi Yamatoya
Cast: Jo Shishido, Koji Nambara, Annu Mari, Mariko Ogawa, Isao Tamagawa

Release Date: May 9th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 54 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $49.95

"Branded to Kill (Koroshi no rakuin) tells the ecstatically bent story of a yakuza assassin with a fetish for sniffing steamed rice (the chipmunk-cheeked superstar Joe Shishido) who botches a job and ends up a target himself." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD), 4.5/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "This new 4K restoration was undertaken by Nikkatsu Corporation and the Japan Foundation from the 35mm original camera negative at Imagica Entertainment Media Services, Inc."

Branded to Kill comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 55.9 GB

Feature: 54.9 GB

The source used for this transfer looks amazing. Though there is no HDR10 or Dolby Vision, image clarity, contrast, and shadow detail look exceptional. Also, compression is solid, and the image always looks organic.

Branded to Kill comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 34.9 GB

Feature: 24.8 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 5/5 (LPCM Mono Japanese)

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. This is in great shape; there are no issues with distortion or background hiss. Dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, this audio track often exceeds expectations; ambient sounds are well  represented, and the score sounds robust.

Extras:

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with director Seijun Suzuki from 1997 (14 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Joe Shishido from 2011 (10 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), and an archival interview with Seijun Suzuki and assistant director Masami Kuzuu from 2011 (12 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles).

Other extras include a 12-page booklet with an essay titled Reductio Ad Absurdum: Seijun Suzuki’s Branded to Kill written by Tony Rayns, cast & crew information, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

In 1967, prolific director Seijun Suzuki directed Branded to Kill, a modern-day samurai tale set in a world where everyone is crazy. Just like Jean-Pierre Meville’s masterful Le Samourai, released the same year as Branded to Kill, both films explore surreal landscapes within the crime thriller genre. Though Branded to Kill is the simple story of a Yakuza hitman, in the hands of an auteur like Seijun Suzuki, whose style is so fragmented and whose strange compositions, mixed with his odd editing of scenes, only confused the Nikkatsu studio bosses, After they saw Branded to Kill, they fired director Suzuki for making ‘incomprehensible’ films. In turn, Seijun Suzuki successfully sued Nikkatsu for financial compensation, though his actions resulted in him being blacklisted by the entire film industry.

For many viewers, the first thing about Branded to Kill that immediately grabs them is its nontraditional narrative, which often verges into the surreal. With this being said, it is not as hard to digest the story at hand, especially once you embrace its colorful cast of characters. Also, it is the journey of Branded to Kill’s lead character, Hanada, that resonates the most. Though he is a hitman, his ambitions to be at the top of his field have a universal feel to them that most viewers should identify with. After all, how many people are truly satisfied with their lives? It is human nature to strive for something better than what we have.

And while the outer shell of Branded to Kill’s narrative has many elements that one would associate with the Yakuza film genre, these are nothing more than window dressing that is used to further Seijun Suzuki’s agenda to create something that audiences would find entertaining. In fact, one could easily argue that Branded to Kill is a ‘tongue and cheek’ satire of the Yakuza film genre. There are also moments in which Branded to Kill pokes fun at spy films like the James Bond films, which were also at the height of their popularity at the time Branded to Kill was unleashed on unsuspecting audiences.

From a visual standpoint, Branded to Kill is Seijun Suzuki's tour de force. Some of the choice moments include the scene in which Hanada meets his mistress for the first time on a rainy night (this scene is intercut with a sexual encounter that Hanada has with his wife, which includes sex on a spiral staircase), the scene in which a now wounded Hanada shows up at his mistress place that is covered with wall-to-wall butterflies, and a shootout on a peer, in which Hanada immerges from the water to surprise his assassins.

Performance-wise, none of the cast members disappoint. Branded to Kill is anchored by Jo Shishido (Youth of the Beast) as a hit man who gets aroused when he sniffs rice. Other notable performances include Mariko Ogawa in her one and only film role as Hanada’s wife and Annu Mari (Mini Skirt Lynchers) in the role of Hanada’s mistress.

Ultimately, Branded to Kill is an extraordinary film that was made by a filmmaker who was light years ahead of his contemporaries. And while many have tried to imitate it, none have been able to match its boldness and inventiveness. If ever there was a desert island film, that film would be Branded to Kill.

Branded to Kill gets a definitive release from The Criterion Collection, highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a VLC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer