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

ADDITION: Radiance Blu-ray (April 2024): Radiance have transferred Tai Katô's I, the Executioner to Blu-ray. It is on a dual layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate and looks very impressive in 1080P. It looked quite pristine on my system and I only found one lone frame of damage HERE with some fraying at the bottom. Contrast is expertly rendered (there are solarized flashbacks - see sample below), no speckles and detail in the film's many close-ups is sharp. Overall an excellent HD presentation.

NOTE: We have added 82 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Radiance use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original Japanese language. I, the Executioner has violence (often hidden from the camera) and screaming that come through authentically flat but carrying some impactful bass. The score was by Hajime Kaburagi (The Executioner, Horrors of Malformed Men, The Sleeping Beast With, Retaliation, Blind Woman's Curse, Fairy in a Cage, Tokyo Drifter and Kato's By a Man’s Face You Shall Know Him) sounding clean and supportive with an ominous overtones. Radiance offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Radiance Films Blu-ray includes two video pieces. The first is a 1/4 hour visual essay on Japanese serial killer films by Jim Harper (author of Italian Horror) and Tom Mes (co-author of The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film.) It is stated that 'murder' in movies was for a while almost exclusively in period action films. Mentioned are Swords in the Moonlight, Satan's Sword, Sword of Doom but films of the New Wave - notably Nagisa Oshima (1966's Violence at Noon and Death by Hanging) would broach the topic of serial killers. The second video piece is a appreciation by filmmaker and stage director Kenta Fukasaku - the son of film director Kinji Fukasaku  (Battles Without Honor and Humanity) and actress Sanae Nakahara (who stars in "I, the Executioner".) There is also a trailer and the package has a reversible sleeve featuring original newly commissioned artwork by 'Time Tomorrow' as well as a limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Tony Rayns (author of Seoul Stirring: 5 Korean Directors) and a new translation of archival writing on the film.

Where have I been? Tai Katô's I, the Executioner is an incredible piece of cinema. There have been three film viewings that have elated me this year to date: Noboru Nakamura's The Shape of Night, Yoshishige Yoshida's A Story Written With Water and Tai Katô's I, the Executioner. All are 60's Japanese widescreen films and each have been released on Radiance Blu-ray this year. Another strange coincidence is that I could only find two posters for each of the three films making me feel that they were less commercially exposed. I, the Executioner is incredibly dark and brilliantly realized with exquisite mise en scène, use of shadows, camera angles and close-ups. I wouldn't state that this is similar to Shohei Imamura's Vengeance Is Mine, although there is a police-procedural aspect. I, the Executioner has a fascinating mystery element, less focused on the killings, with a shocking conclusion. Thank you to DVDBeaver patron Tristan for encouraging me to review it. I'm very appreciative that Radiance have brought this impressive film to home theatre Blu-ray. It has our highest recommendation.

Gary Tooze