Red Angel - Akai tenshi

(aka 'Red Angel' or 'Akai tenshi')

directed by Yasuzo Masumura
Japan 1966

A shocking and controversial masterpiece, Yasuzo Masumura’s no-bullshit antiwar film tells of an army nurse (Mizoguchi discovery and Masumura regular Ayako Wakao) in the Sino-Japanese war who sexually services an amputee and falls in love with a drug-addicted surgeon. Shot in black-and-white 'Scope, this 1966 feature can’t be recommended to the squeamish or to viewers bound to the politically correct, but neither its nuanced eroticism nor its passionate, unpredictable moral focus can be easily shaken off. Roughly contemporary with M*A*S*H (as in Altman’s film, scenes of war-front surgery provide a corollary to Vietnam), it sometimes suggests a less comic treatment of the same theme--how to preserve one's humanity amid impossible circumstances--but its ethics are considerably more developed.

Excerpt from Jonathan Rosenbaum's review at the Chicago Reader located HERE

Poster

Theatrical Release: October 1st, 1966

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DVD Comparison:

Yume - Region 0 - PAL vs. Fantoma - Region 1 - NTSC

(Yume - Region 0 - PAL LEFT vs. Fantoma - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)

DVD Box Cover
Distribution	Yume Region 0 - PAL	Fantoma Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1:34:45	1:34:39
Video	2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.34 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.7 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate : Yume
Bitrate: Fantoma
Audio	Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
Subtitles	English, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Yume Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1 Edition Details: • Director Biography (text screen) • Director Filmography (text screen) • Theatrical trailer DVD Release Date: August, 2006 Transparent Keep case Chapters 18	Release Information: Studio: Fantoma Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1 Edition Details: • Biography (text screen) • Filmography (text screen) • Theatrical trailer • Photo Gallery DVD Release Date: October 17th, 2006 Keep Case Chapters 16

Comments

The Yume PAL release was taken from an NTSC source and not converted before transferring - hence it suffers from combing (see last capture) and marginal artifacts. Fantoma is one the better DVD production houses when they release in the NTSC standard although in some of the frame grabs their image exhibits a bit more damage and is slightly cropped on top - but this appears to be from removing some of the frayed negative edges that are visible on the Yume. Both exhibit some dirt/grain. Other than that the images are quite comparable IF you are viewing on a CRT (tube) system - on anything superior the Fantoma is best.

Subtitle translation is very different. I can only surmise (as I don't understand Japanese) but it seems as though the Yume is more detailed and the Fantoma more literal. I thought the Fantoma was more coherent to the flow of the narrative - you might feel differently. Extras are about the same - some bio text screens, trailer - but the Fantoma has a photo gallery too.

The film is very impacting - one might say 'harrowing' to some degree. Certainly a very worthwhile viewing experience.

NOTE: The Fantoma is less than half the price at this time and this is what we suggest.

- Gary Tooze

DVD Menus

(Yume - Region 0 - PAL LEFT vs. Fantoma - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)

Screen Captures

(Yume - Region 0 - PAL TOP vs. Fantoma - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
Subtitle Sample: Not exact frame