Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Disc:

Video:

Audio:

DTS-HD Master Audio Japanese 903 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 903 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 512 kbps /
16-bit)

***

With this, his fifth film, Shôhei Imamura finally answered his true calling as Japanese cinema's most dedicated and brilliant chronicler of society's underbelly with the astonishing Pigs and Battleships [Buta to gunkan]. A riotous portrait of sub-Yakuza gangsters battling for control of the local pork business in a U.S. Navy-occupied coastal town (Yokosuka), Imamura conjures a chaotic world of petty thugs, young love, tough-headed women, and underworld hypochondria, with one of the most unforgettable climaxes ever to grace the screen. Featuring dynamic black-and-white 'Scope cinematography, the director's typically sly sense of social commentary, and a host of outstanding performances (including Jitsuko Yoshimura from Onibaba), Pigs and Battleships immediately became a cornerstone of the Japanese New Wave and remains perhaps Imamura's most sheerly entertaining work. Pigs and Battleships is a much-loved, major classic of Japanese cinema, and part of the established canon along with Seven Samurai, Onibaba, Kwaidan, Ugetsu monogatari, and Tokyo Story, etc.

Also included Imamura’s 1958 rarely-seen debut feature, Stolen Desire [Nusumareta yokujô]:

Shohei Imamura's first feature (1958), shot in black-and-white 'Scope, deals with a form of working-class Kabuki that attracted him as a college student, but its story about an itinerant troupe performing a striptease version of the form near Osaka isn't very inspired. Nevertheless, Imamura characteristically finds some vitality in vulgarity—though his more prosaic working title, “Tent Theatre,” was rejected by the production company.

 

 

The Film:

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE

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

For Pigs and Battleships the Masters of Cinema appears lighter than the Criterion rendition in their SD Boxset Pigs, Pimps, & Prostitutes: 3 Films by Shohei Imamura. The Blu-ray contains a thick, heavy looking image that produces a clean and consistent presentation - one that I suspect is accurate to its theatrical roots.  The softness is probably a production factor but there is some notable detail in close-ups. This Blu-ray has an authentic film-like feel without any distinguishing black-marks. Sharing the disc is Imamura's debut feature via the Nikkatsu studio; Stolen Desires. It is less technically robust than the Pigs and Battleships transfer with a smaller bitrate and has some issues of compression. It is darker in comparison, but visually is shares a consistency that easily allows one to settle into the presentation. There is some contrast fluctuation but nothing that deterred my viewing experience. This worked for me as a cool Double-Bill. The image of both is not modern-era sharp - but it would be out of the ordinary if it was. I was very satisfied with the digital look of both films.

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

1) Pigs, Pimps, & Prostitutes: 3 Films by Shohei Imamura - Region 1 - NTSC TOP 2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Pigs, Pimps, & Prostitutes: 3 Films by Shohei Imamura - Region 1 - NTSC TOP 2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) Pigs, Pimps, & Prostitutes: 3 Films by Shohei Imamura - Region 1 - NTSC TOP 2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) Pigs, Pimps, & Prostitutes: 3 Films by Shohei Imamura - Region 1 - NTSC TOP 2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The flatness of the audio reflects the original quality and both films have a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel at 864 kbps in Japanese to help accentuate its authenticity. It has no impressive qualities excepting that, like the video, it supplies a clean, consistent and reasonably trouble-free replication of the film's sound. Hence, there is no range or depth - and few instances in the films that would require it. There are professionally rendered optional English subtitles and my Momitsu has identified it as being a region B-locked.

Extras :

 

BOTTOM LINE:
Imamura's later films can playful and an acquired taste but the earlish Pigs and Battleships is certainly not dense and is highly accessible while still identifying the director's greatness with more readily obvious themes explored. It was a pleasure to see the even older Stolen Desires - an important debut feature. I think this definitely escalates the value of the Blu-ray package. Along with the simultaneously released Coeur Fidele from the MoC gang - I realize how invaluable a region FREE Blu-ray player is. This Imamura set is enthusiastically recommended! 

Gary Tooze

June 29th, 2011