Seijun Suzuki Yumeji DVD Review Seijun Suzuki Yumeji DVD Review

Japan 1991

Yumeji is the final film in youth-gone-berserk auteur Seijun Suzuki’s acclaimed Taisho Trilogy. Sensual and absurdist, it spins a ghost story around the character and work of real-life painter and poet Yumeji Takehisa (1884-1934). The eponymous character -- conjured by Suzuki as a chronic philanderer and dreamer played by former rock star Kenji Sawada -- is plagued with ideals of perfect beauty and the terror of his own demise. He falls in love with women, but can never capture their hearts. He is constantly escaping his rivals, but can never face them down.

As the film opens, Yumeji is on a scenic trip to Kanazawa, where he plans to meet Hikono (Masumi Miyazaki), his lover. Instead, he falls for Tomoyo, a recent widow whose husband, Wakiya (Yoshio Harada), was slain by the murderously jealous Onimatsu. Complications ensue when Wakiya returns from the dead; Onimatsu is understandably distraught. Yumeji is not deterred, however, setting out to seduce Tomoyo while avoiding the rages of Wakiya and Onimatsu, as well as a phalanx of ghosts, apparitions, and nightmares.

A Cannes Fortnight Selection in 1991, Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai (2046, Chungking Express) paid homage to Yumeji by borrowing its haunting theme music for his own feverishly romantic masterpiece, In the Mood for Love.

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Theatrical Release: May 31st, 1991

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DVD Review: Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
	Also available in Seijun Suzuki's The Taisho Trilogy which includes Zigeunerweisen, Kagero-za and Yumeji
Distribution	Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	2:19:40
Video	1.66:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.7 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:
Audio	Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles	English (ingrained)
Features	Release Information: Studio: Kino Video Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.66:1 Edition Details: • Suzuki Bio/Filmography • Original theatrical trailer • Promo Materials • Print essay on the Taisho Trilogy DVD Release Date: March 7th, 2006 Transparent Keep Case Chapters: 12

Comments:

I've again had enough of Kino. All three editions in this boxset are improperly labeled on the back cover and this one even claims it is anamorphic... and it is not (the other two claim 1.66 and they are 1.33). The subtitles are again ingrained (not player generated) and are burned onto the image. Overall the transfer is probably the weakest of the three with more signs that it is from a reasonable analog source. Like Zigeunerweisen and Kageroza there is minor color bleeding and chroma is more visible (see below). Audio is consistent but unremarkable. Again no worthy digital extras (only text screens) although the included essays are a nice touch.

DVDBeaver understand that these films may be in great demand by Suzuki fans, but we do not recommend the boxset or any of the individual editions based on the poor transfer quality and the excessive price for what is being offered. Hopefully, a real DVD company will releases these in a more pristine transfer very soon.