Street Mobster Blu-ray - Bunta Sugawara

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'Gendai yakuza: hito-kiri yota' or 'Street Mobster')

directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Japan 1972

In the tradition of Takeshi Kitano, Sergio Leone, and George Romero, Japanese action director Kinji Fukasaku (Battle Royale and II, The Yakuza Papers) brings to life Street Mobster, the story of a violent killer who will stop at nothing to satisfy his lust for blood.

Released from prison, gangster Isamu Okita plans to start his own gang and begins a reign of terror using beatings, prostitution, stabbings, and murders to fight his way to the top of the gangland world. Street Mobster is a look into the dark realm of Japan's criminal underworld, where anything can be had for a price.

***

A pivotal work in the yakuza movie genre and in the career of director Kinji Fukasaku (Battle Royale, Doberman Cop), Street Mobster presents an abrasive portrait of the rise and fall of a reckless street punk caught in the crossfire of a bloody turf war raging in the mean streets of Kawazaki. When Okita Isamu (Bunta Sugawara, Cops VS Thugs) re-emerges onto the mean streets of Kawazaki after five years in prison for a string of brutal crimes, he comes face to face with prostitute Kinuyo, who immediately pinpoints him as one of the participants in her brutal sexual assault years earlier that left her shell-shocked and consigned to the life of a sex worker. While the two outcasts form an unlikely bond, Okita returns to his criminal ways. He is approached by veteran gangster Kizaki (Noboru Andô, Graveyard of Honor), who encourages him to round up a group of local chinpira street punks to shake up the uneasy agreement between the two rival yakuza groups, who between them control the citys bars, gambling dens and entertainment areas. However, when the new outfit goes too far into the turf of the big boys, they find themselves caught in the midst of a violent reprisal, before an offer of patronage appears from an unlikely source. Street Mobster is the first film in which Fukasakus vital and exhilarating approach to the contemporary-set gangster picture was paired with the untamed, raw charisma of Japans top screen mobster Sugawara Bunta. The film would change the life of both, paving the way for their subsequent collaborations on the landmark Battles Without Honour and Humanity series that began the following year.

Poster

Theatrical Release: May 6th, 1972

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Comparison:

Home Vision - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Arrow - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Covers
Distribution	Home Vision Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC	Arrow - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:27:39	1:27:45.551
Video	2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.7 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 26,334,083,604 bytes Feature: 23,884,196,736 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.97 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Bitrate: Blu-ray
Audio	Japanese (Dolby Digital 1.0)	LPCM Audio Japanese 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit Commentary: LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles	English, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Home Vision Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 2.35:1 Edition Details: • Interviews with former yakuza • Original theatrical trailers • Kinji Fukasaku filmography DVD Release Date: September 7th, 2004 Keep Case Chapters: 17	Release Information: Studio: Arrow 2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 26,334,083,604 bytes Feature: 23,884,196,736 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.97 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes • Theatrical trailer (2:41) • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Jasper Sharp Blu-ray Release Date: August 6th-7th, 2018 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 12

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: (July 2018) Arrow - Region FREE - Blu-ray: Street Mobster is one of the pivotal Japanese gangster thrillers - noted as a 'Chivalry film' and Arrow have brought it to Blu-ray on both sides of the pond.

NOTE: As Michael Brooke informed us on Facebook about, a similar situation with, Day of Anger, Island of Death: ' and many others ...that the UK and US discs are absolutely identical: ....no matter which package you buy, the discs will play in any Region A or B setup (or Region 1 or 2 for DVD - and in the latter case the video standard is NTSC, to maximise compatibility). The booklets are also identical, but there are minor cosmetic differences on the disc labels and sleeve to do with differing copyright info and barcodes, and the US release doesn't have BBFC logos.'

The image is darker and greener than the 14-year old DVD and as we have seen many times - this is probably more accurate to the original theatrical presentation. Although it can abnormally export a green-blue cast. It looks very thick also authentic for Japanese films of this era) and shows a shade less information on the right edge but the higher resolution provides a far more pleasing presentation in-motion. There is some teal-leaning but it is not extensive.

Arrow use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original Japanese. This flat sound stays authentic to the film's original production. Toshiaki Tsushima (The Green Slime, Three Outlaw Samurai, Sword of the Beast, Battles Without Honor and Humanity). It sounds consistent in the lossless. There are optional English subtitles on the Region FREE Blu-ray disc.

Extras include an audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes who discusses the genre and contemporaries of Japanese cinema quite deeply. It's monotone but informative. There is also a theatrical trailer and the package has a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon and for the first pressings an illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Jasper Sharp.

One of the better of this genre. I liked the DVD but the Blu-ray significantly more. It has the value of the commentary and fans of this genre should be highly pleased. Great cover too! Recommended!

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ON THE DVD: This is image is slightly superior to "Graveyard of Honor" - in that it is tight the frame edge. It still has that forgivable heavy and slightly soft appearance but color and contrast again seem deft. Efficient subtitles and original audio plus a very interesting extra feature in the cloaked interview with a former Yakuza, if only to further the mystique of the films guarded appeal. Genre specific viewing, but it does have another niche cultural draw. out of

Gary W. Tooze

Home Vision - Region 1 - NTSC

Arrow - Region FREE - Blu-ray