Japanese DVD / BD News (Don't Expect Subs)

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Toei has found two more Takakura films from their vaults and are putting them out on DVD to celebrate's Takakura's 90th birthday. Out on 2021/11/10.
- The Devil's Ballad (悪é”の手毬唄) (1961)
- The Escape (二・二å…事件 脱出) (1962)
https://www.toei-video.co.jp/special...uraken90th2nd/

I haven't seen The Devil's Ballad, but The Escape is a pretty entertaining military caper based on the Feb. 26 1936 Incident. The incident saw rebel soldiers attempting a coup d'état by committing political assassinations and invading the prime minister's house. However, with no smartphones they committed the fuck-up of the century and accidentally killed the wrong man without realizing the real prime minister was still hiding in the house. Takakura plays a military police in charge of trying to get the prime minister out of the house. Sonny Chiba appears in it briefly as one of the rebel soldiers.

[UN_Owen_Was_Him Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close UN_Owen_Was_Him]

Now that's something I'll definitely be ordering! The 1936 Japanese coup attempt is an event I've always found fascinating, despite a criminal lack of books, resources etc about it if you don't speak Japanese.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

More DVD releases coming from Toei's 70th Anniversary line-up. Jan. 12, 2022:

- Two Bitches (二匹の牝犬) (1964)
- Theater of Life - New Hishakaku Story (人生劇場 新 飛車角) (1964)
- https://www.toei-video.co.jp/special/toei70th-2nd/

Both very good films! I caught both in 35mm some years ago, Two Bitches in a Toei Actresses screening series in Cinema Vera, and New Hishakaku Story in a ninkyo retrospective (also in Cinema Vera). The latter is the 3rd film in Sawashima's thoroughly good Theater of Life trilogy while the former in an excellent Mako Midori film.

Here's a fun story: I was in a group chat with a legendary Finnish film critic years ago and mentioned in passing that I just came back from Tokyo seeing Two Bitches, and he commented and said he knew the film! He had reviewed it for a newspaper in the early 70s when it had played in Finland in midnight screenings! The senior critics had refused to even see the film. The Finnish title was “Yí¶n naiset” (“Women of the Night”).

This DVD release is the first time the film has ever been available on home video: it wasn't even released on VHS.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Even more DVD releases coming from Toei's 70th Anniversary line-up. Feb. 9, 2022:

- Seven Fugitives (お尋ãè€…七人) (1966)
- The Turkish Bathhouses of Japan (æœå¹Œãƒ»æ¨ªæµœãƒ»é›„琴・博多 トルコ渡り鳥) (1975)
https://www.toei-video.co.jp/special/toei70th-2nd/

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Toho is finally releasing some of their remaining Kiyoshi Nishimura films on DVD: the masterful thriller Too Young to Die (死ぬにはまだ早い) (1969), the socio-political actioner Attack on the Sun (白昼の襲撃) (1970) and the excellent Hong Kong set hitman action / romance Target of Roses (薔薇の標) (1972).

There are also re-releases of several other Toho New Action flicks, such as Sun Above, Death Below (狙撃) (1968), Bullet Wound (弾痕) (1969), The Creature Called Man( 豹（ジャガー）は走った) (1970) and Beast Hunt (野獣狩り」(1973).

All coming July 20, and priced at 2750 yen. Shame about no BDs, though.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

As per August Ragone, Daigoro Vs. Goliath and War In Space are coming out on Blu-ray in Japan from Toho.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/dp/B0B5D27RL5

https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/dp/B0B5D3LFZQ

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Finally! Odessa Entertainment, who did the remastered Taifu Club DVD, are releasing it on BD 2022/11/2. And what's even more surprising, Amazon is listing English subtitles for it.
- https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0B87FPC8G
- https://www.allcinema.net/soft/1085910



Here's hoping Odessa will reissue their other Somai films on BD, particularly P.P. Rider!

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Happinet will be releasing Tokyo Bath Harem (女浮世風呂) (1968) on DVD on 2023/09/06!
https://www.allcinema.net/soft/1094692


https://www.nikkatsu.com/movie/21083.html

Let's hope we will also get Hichô: Onna ukiyo jôshi (秘帳　女浮世草紙) (1968) which may be a follow-up of some sort, and which may be called Sadistic Violence to 10 Virgins in English (IMDB lists this English title for both films, so I'm not sure which one is correct if either)
https://www.nikkatsu.com/movie/21094.html

Both films were directed by Motomu Ida for Aoyama Pro, to be purchased and distributed by Nikkatsu, just like the incredible Confessions of a Lovelace: At Lust’s End (ある色魔の告白　色欲の果て) (1968) which came out between these two films, and which caught on TV last year.
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/for...182457#p182457

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

This came a bit out nowhere. Best Field will be releasing Makoto Naito's Neon Jellyfish (ネオンくらげ) (1973) and Kazuhiko Yamaguchi's Neon Jellyfish: Shinjuku Flower Streetcar (ネオンくらげ 新宿花電車) (1973) on Japanese DVD 2024/04/10

https://www.bestfield.com/t78zmer2ge/
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0CR3SXRH3

These two have been extremely hard to see as there are no earlier video releases, no recent TV broadcastings, and no internet streams. I actually travelled to Tokyo just last month to view Shinjuku Flower Streetcar in 35mm. Chris D has also seen that film, which means it probably has been on TV at some point.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

This came a bit out nowhere. Best Field will be releasing Makoto Naito's Neon Jellyfish (ネオンくらげ) (1973) and Kazuhiko Yamaguchi's Neon Jellyfish: Shinjuku Flower Streetcar (ネオンくらげ 新宿花電車) (1973) on Japanese DVD 2024/04/10

https://www.bestfield.com/t78zmer2ge/
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0CR3SXRH3

These two have been extremely hard to see as there are no earlier video releases, no recent TV broadcastings, and no internet streams. I actually travelled to Tokyo just last month to view Shinjuku Flower Streetcar in 35mm. Chris D has also seen that film, which means it probably has been on TV at some point.

DVD art is up at Amazon. HD masters! Great! Hopefully on Toei Channel later this year!

[AngelGuts Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close AngelGuts]

I recall our discussion of CONFESSIONS OF A LOVELACE . Does this have ANYTHING to do with that? I still can't find that ANYWHERE.

Thanks for this Blu update, though. I'll be snapping it up.

But I'm dying to see LOVELACE and your 4/5 review, Takuma.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

No news about Lovelace. If the Japanese ever release it on disc, it's gonna be DVD only. Could maybe try to suggest it to someone like Mondo Macabro.

[AngelGuts Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close AngelGuts]

Good idea. I'll shoot their main man an email.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Good news! Happinet will be releasing four Takashi Ishii films on BD.

May: Original Sin (死んでもいい) (1992) BD debut

with English subs even!
- https://happinet-p.com/jp3/releases/HPXR-2516

June: A Night in Nude (ヌードの夜) 1993) BD

Unclear is this is a new master or not, but I think it is. It says supervised by the DoP.
- https://happinet-p.com/jp3/releases/HPXR-2517

July: Alone in the Night (夜がまた来る) (1994) BD debut
- Link and artwork not available yet

August: Angel Guts: Red Flash (天使のはらわた　赤い閃光) (1994) BD and Disc debut
This was never even released on DVD.
- Link and artwork not available yet