Detective Bureau 2-3 Go To Hell Bastards

(aka "Tantei jimusho 23: Kutabare akuto-domo" or "Detective Bureau 2-3: Go to Hell Bastards")

Japan 1963

Assigned a standard Yakuza film in the hardboiled vein pioneered at Japan s famed Nikkatsu Studios, director Seijun Suzuki (Branded to Kill) and his frequent leading man Jo Shishido used 1963 s Detective Bureau 2-3: Go to Hell Bastards! to flip the Japanese gangster film genre on its ear. A rapid fire gun heist, credits with an infectious jazz pop score, and a wide-screen close-up of a burning car announce Detective Bureau 2-3 as the film that would both lampoon and redefine Asian crime films for an irreverent new decade of garish panache and ultra-violent cool. The story follows police detective Tajima (Shishido), who, tasked with tracking down stolen firearms, turns an underworld grudge into a bloodbath -- while Suzuki transforms a colorful potboiler into an on-target send-up of cultural colonialism and post-war greed. (This isn t an American TV series,) one of Tajima s doubting subordinates tells the sharkskin-suited, super suave sleuth. Anarchic, breakneck paced, darkly comic, and stylish to the extreme, Detective Bureau 2-3: Go to Hell Bastards! was a movie unlike anything audiences had ever seen. It would cement Suzuki s fervent popularity at home and heralded his imminent cult status worldwide.

Poster

Theatrical Release: 27 January 1963 (Japan)

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DVD Review: Kino - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Kino Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:28:19
Video	2.41:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 4.97 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	Dolby Digital 2.0 (Japanese)
Subtitles	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Kino Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.41:1 Edition Details: • Cops Vs Thugs trailer • Yakuza Graveyard trailer • Stills Gallery DVD Release Date: May 19th, 2009 Keep Case Chapters 12

Comments

A very nice anamorphic transfer from Kino for this very fun Suzuki action comedy which unfortunately wasn't flagged for progressive playback. It tends to look fairly thick and a bit hazy. The colors are bold and the visually there is minimal damage . The Japanese mono soundtrack is unremarkable but adequate.

The only extras is a couple of trailers for other Kino releases and a short photo gallery. A recommended film but the Kino price seems unreasonably high although the only other DVD edition of this film, at present, seems to be a French one with no English subtitles.

- Gregory Meshman

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