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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka 'Tôkyô nagaremono" or "The Man from Tokyo" or "Tokyo Drifter")
In this free-jazz gangster film, reformed killer “Phoenix” Tetsu drifts around Japan, awaiting his own execution until he’s called back to Tokyo to help battle a rival gang. Seijun Suzuki's “barrage of aestheticised violence, visual gags, [and] mind-warping color effects” got him in more trouble with Nikkatsu studio heads, who had ordered him to “play it straight this time.” Instead he gave them equal parts Russ Meyer, Samuel Fuller, and Nagisa Oshima. |
Posters
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Theatrical Release: 1966 - Tokyo
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - RIGHT
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Box Cover |
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Also coming to Blu-ray, by Criterion, in the UK on February 18th, 2019 |
Distribution | Criterion Collection - Spine # 39 - Region 0 - NTSC |
Criterion Collection Spine # 39 Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:22:33 | 1:22:52.550 |
Video |
2.06:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.81 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 34,158,032,586 bytesFeature: 24,284,663,808 bytesVideo Bitrate: 39.07 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate: |
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Bitrate: Blu-ray |
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Audio | Japanese (Dolby Digital 1.0 mono) | LPCM Audio Japanese 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit |
Subtitles | English, None | English, None |
Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: • Seijun Suzuki interview (20:08)
• 2
page liner notes by Manhola Dargis |
Release Information: 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 34,158,032,586 bytesFeature: 24,284,663,808 bytesVideo Bitrate: 39.07 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details:
• Video piece featuring new interviews with
director Seijun Suzuki and assistant director Masami Kuzuu (12:12 in
1080i) |
Comments: |
NOTE: These Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.
ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (November 11'): The opening black-and-white sequences still has issues and I suspect that the source's density is compromised to the extent that not a lot could even be done digitally to improve the contrast. For all I know though this is a style issue.
NOTE: Peter from our ListServ tells us: "What you see is what was intended. The 35mm prints _deliberately_ have this opening section completely blown out and dupey looking, full of weird grain and hot spots."
F laws of the 1999 SD transfer have been 'corrected' including the ratio distortion, extensively more vibrant colors (notable reds and blues), chroma is now non-existent etc. The Blu-ray may be a little cropped in comparison to the DVD but the aspect ratio clocks in at 2.35:1 (as opposed to the DVD at about 2:1). Like Branded to Kill - this is such a wide deviation from the original Criterion SD rendering that it probably seems better than it is. But while imperfect - still looks impressive.
Audio gets the linear PCM, lossless, treatment - remaining faithfully mono and there are optional English subtitles (new translation) on the region 'A'-locked Blu-ray disc. Hajime Kaburagi's funky music has some depth but and is also reproduced far better via the uncompressed track.
Supplements are a bit slim with a HD video piece featuring new (July 2011) interviews with director Seijun Suzuki and assistant director Masami Kuzuu who discuss the production of Tokyo Drifter for about a dozen minutes. There is also a 1997 interview with Suzuki running 30-minutes - recorded during a retrospective of his work by the Japanese Foundation and Los Angeles FilmForum at the Nuart Theater in L.A. Lastly we get a theatrical trailer (2:48 in 1080i) and a liner notes booklet featuring an essay by film critic Howard Hampton included in the package.
Tokyo Drifter is a perfect double-feature companion film to Branded to Kill with more heavy style, crime-drama and kitsch appeal. Suzuki fans are obsessive about these works and most will be thrilled to see it looking and sounding so improved. Absolutely recommended!
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ON THE DVD: This early non-anamorphic Criterion offering has some substantial flaws. The black and white sequences in the very beginning are atrocious. Even if the out-of-whack contrast were meant as a style offering, I am sure the chroma was never intentional by Seijun Suzuki. I also noticed some significant weaknesses - totally uncharacteristic of Criterion. The image also seems vertically stretched. Regardless of painful image quality, this is still a fun ride. I suggest that Criterion re-issue this and Branded to Kill at some point in the future, because when it is done properly it will look fantastic. Although, I'll wager Criterion would like to forget this particular release. |
Menus
1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - RIGHT
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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Subtitle Sample
1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
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Screen Captures
1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
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1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
NOTE: Chroma visible (on both coats) on DVD image.
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1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
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1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
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More Blu-ray Captures
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Recommended Reading (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film by Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp |
Eros Plus Massacre: An Introduction to the Japanese New Wave Cinema (Midland Book, Mb 469) by David Desser |
Kon Ichikawa (Cinematheque Ontario Monographs) by James Quandt, Cinematheque Ontario |
Shohei Imamura (Cinematheque Ontario Monographs, No. 1) by James Quandt |
Silver Screen Samurai: The Best of Japan's Samurai
Movie Posters by Na |
The Films of Akira Kurosawa by Donald Ritchie |
The Yakuza Movie Book : A Guide
to Japanese Gangster Films by Mark Schilling |
Japanese Movie Posters: Yakuza, Monster, Pink, and
Horror by Chuck Stephens, Tetsuya Masuda, Kairakutei Black |
A Hundred Years of Japanese Film by Donald Richie |
Check out more in "The Library"
Box Cover |
|
Also coming to Blu-ray, by Criterion, in the UK on February 18th, 2019 |
Distribution | Criterion Collection - Spine # 39 - Region 0 - NTSC |
Criterion Collection Spine # 39 Region 'A' - Blu-ray |