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

ADDITION: Radiance Films Blu-ray (April 2023): Radiance Films have transferred Kinji Fukasaku's Yakuza Graveyard to Blu-ray. Kino released the film on DVD in 2006. The HD image has the green hue - as we see in many Japanese films of this era. There is heavy texture, and colors are surprisingly intense at times. The overall 1080P image predictably dark, which we presume to be authentic. It looks heavy but absolutely fine on my system.

NOTE: We have added 40 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Radiance Films use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original Japanese language. Yakuza Graveyard has quite a few  scenes with physical conflict - they carry a hollowness that sounds accurate to my ears. Depth is modest. The score was by Toshiaki Tsushima (Big Time Gambling Boss, Street Mobster, The Green Slime, The War in Space, Three Outlaw Samurai, Sword of the Beast, Battles Without Honor and Humanity) heightening tension in many scenes. The lossless offers consistent dialogue sounding clean. Radiance Films offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Radiance Films Blu-ray offers supplements. A new 1/4 hour appreciation by filmmaker Kazuya Shiraishi who discusses Yakuza Graveyard and what makes it unique among the films of Kinji Fukasaku and scriptwriter Kazou Kasahara. The Rage and the Passion is a dozen-minute visual essay by critic Tom Mes who explores the collaborations of Meiko Kaji and Kinji Fukasaku that culminated in Yakuza Graveyard. There is a gallery of promotional imagery, trailer and there is an 'Easter Egg'; 4-minutes of Kazuya Shiraishi discussing Kinji Fukasaku's influence on his film Blood of Wolves. The package has a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow and a limited edition booklet featuring new writing on the film by Mika Ko on the representations of Koreans in the yakuza film, and newly translated re-prints of a contemporary review and writing by screenwriter Kazuo Kasahara.

Kinji Fukasaku directed over 60 films and his Yakuza Graveyard is one of many highlights. It deals with a maverick cop taking on the Nishida gang... with fearless, uncorruptable,  abandon. It gets intense - dead bodies, prostitution, heavy drinking and violent interactions... permeate the 1 1/2 hour ride. The American media and entertainment company for youth culture, 'Complex', named Yakuza Graveyard number 17 on their list of The 25 Best Yakuza Movies. Fans will certainly appreciate Meiko Kaji (Lady Snowblood / Female Prisoner Scorpion as well director of In the Realm of the Senses, Nagisa Ôshima, makes a brief appearance. I enjoyed Yakuza Graveyard and was very pleased with the Radiance Films Blu-ray package.

Gary Tooze