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

ADDITION: 88 Films Blu-ray (March 2025): 88 Films have transferred Noboru Tanaka's Night of the Felines to Blu-ray. It is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. Colors are surprising in their 1080P boldness - warm oranges, soft pinks, and steamy whites dominate the bathhouse interiors, creating a sudsy, almost dreamlike atmosphere. Cinematography was by Kenji Hagiwara (Seijun Suzuki's Fighting Elegy) - voyeuristic peeks through windows or shutters create a sense of layered space and illicit intimacy. Outside, the brief urban shots - rain-slicked streets, neon signs - offer a stark, monochromatic counterpoint to the interior warmth, grounding the film in Shinjuku’s real nightlife. The HD presentation is clean and bright with modest textures. No complaints with the Blu-ray image that occasionally exports depth.

NOTE: We have added 68 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, 88 Films use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original Japanese language. Night of the Felines' sound design shapes the film’s atmosphere, complementing its vivid visuals with an auditory landscape that shifts between playful, sensual, and melancholic tones. The score by Kôichi Sakata (A Woman Called Sada Abe) complements this arty shifts, moving from upbeat to wistful, enhancing the emotional arc. The sound serves both the genre’s erotic requirements and Tanaka’s more poetic ambitions, creating a layered experience that enhances the film’s emotional and thematic depth. Augmenting the score and heard in three lovemaking scenes is Pater Noster - a Latin liturgical prayer from a 9th or 10th century Gregorian chant. It's quite a refreshing shift. Audio is clean and authentically flat in the uncompressed transfer. 88 Films offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The 88 Films Blu-ray offers a new commentary by Irene González-López (Tanaka Kinuyo: Nation, Stardom and Female Subjectivity,) a scholar specializing in Japanese cinema and gender studies - and Jasper Sharp (Behind the Pink Curtain: The Complete History of Japanese Sex Cinema, The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film.) It's a an insightful and scholarly exploration of the film, enhancing its appreciation for both newcomers and seasoned fans of Japanese cinema. They bring a wealth of knowledge to the track with a blend of historical context, cultural analysis, and cinematic critique, tailored to the film’s unique position as an early work by director Noboru Tanaka (Watcher in the Attic, A Woman Called Sada Abe). They delve into the film’s production within the Nikkatsu Roman Porno framework - a studio initiative launched in 1971 to create low-budget, erotically charged films with artistic merit - highlighting how Tanaka’s poetic style sets "Night of the Felines" apart from more exploitative entries in the genre. They also explore the central relationship between Masako (Tomoko Katsura) and her bisexual neighbor Honda (Ken Yoshizawa), offering interpretations of the film’s progressive, if melancholic, take on sexuality and identity. There is also a new 10-minute introduction by Kei Chiba, a Japanese author and critic, providing an accessible entry point to the film. Chiba offers an overview of Noboru Tanaka’s career and the film’s significance within the Roman Porno genre, touching on its narrative and stylistic elements. It's entitled "Pussy Talk". Pink Film vs. Roman Porno is a brand new 1/4 hour interview with actress and director Yumi Yoshiyuki, a prominent figure in pink film as both an actress and director, dives into the distinctions between the independent, low-budget "pink film" tradition and Nikkatsu’s more polished Roman Porno line, of which "Night of the Felines" is a part. The interview offers a rare insider’s take on these genres, touching on Tanaka’s poetic style and the film’s focus on sex workers’ lives, making it a valuable companion for understanding the broader cinematic context. Lastly is a stills gallery and a trailer.

Noboru Tanaka's Night of the Felines blends eroticism, comedy, and melancholy into a visually striking exploration of life in a Shinjuku bathhouse brothel. The bathhouse itself is a microcosm of eccentricities: clients play dice on naked backs, couples are spied on through windows, and the women chatter about dreams (like opening a beauty salon) that feel perpetually out of reach. These vignettes paint a picture of fleeting connections and unspoken loneliness. Tanaka’s poetic approach shines in the film’s surreal detours - like an odd, shaky street shot that zooms in on Masako (Tomoko Katsura - Woman on the Night Train) - or the understated beauty of its finale, where the city awakens as the women’s night ends. While the first half can feel sluggish, focusing heavily on nudity over momentum, the second half rewards patience with its touching exploration of sexuality, money, and identity. The eroticism, though constant, is less sleazy than reflective, a lens on the characters’ trapped lives. Ultimately, "Night of the Felines" is a fascinating paradox: a Roman Porno film that’s tame compared to its peers yet bold in its visual and emotional ambition. It’s a love letter to a bygone Tokyo underbelly, capturing both its vibrancy and its quiet despair, and cementing Tanaka’s reputation as a director who could elevate softcore into something unexpectedly profound. The 88 Films Blu-ray offers an revealing commentary, introduction and interview. Fans should certainly consider.

Gary Tooze