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The Warped World of Koreyoshi Kurahara
Intimidation (1960) The Warped Ones (1960) I Hate But Love (1962)
Black Sun (1964) Thirst for Love (1967)
Over the course of his varied career, Koreyoshi Kurahara made meticulous noirs, jazzy juvenile-delinquency pictures, and even nature films. His free-form approach to moviemaking was perfectly suited to the radical spirit of the 1960s, when he was one of the biggest hit makers working at the razzle-dazzle, youth-oriented Nikkatsu studios. The five films collected here hail from that era of the Japanese New Wave, and encompass breathless teen escapades, cruel crime stories, a Yukio Mishima adaptation, and even a Hollywood-inspired romantic comedy. |
Titles
Intimidation |
Posters
Theatrical Releases: 1960 - 1967
DVD Review: Eclipse 28: The Warped World of Koreyoshi Kurahara (5-disc) - Region 1 - NTSC
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DVD Box Cover |
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Distribution | Eclipse / Criterion Collection - Region 1 - NTSC | |
Time: | Respectively - 1:05:36, 1:15:27, 1:44:48, 1:34:45 and 1:38:57 | |
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Intimidation |
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The Warped Ones |
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I Hate But Love |
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Black Sun |
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Thirst For Love |
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Audio | Japanese (original mono) | |
Subtitles | English, None | |
Features |
Release Information:
Edition Details:
• one page (for each film) of liner notes in the
transparent case
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Comments: |
NOTE: The 5 main features of this boxset are housed in individual slim transparent keep cases (see image above and below) they are not sold separately, by Criterion, at this time. These particular NTSC editions can only be obtained in Criterion's Eclipse Series 28 package at present. I am unaware of any English-friendly editions available elsewhere. All five DVDs are single-layered. Bitrates are reasonably strong. In individual image-quality terms; I Hate But Love, the only color film of the five is pictureboxed and to a lesser degree so is, the sharpest looking film-transfer, Thirst For Love. Intimidation is a bit softer than the others and Black Sun - has the weakest contrast with some green infiltration. They are all progressive, anamorphic and very clean. Hopefully the screen captures below will give you a fair idea of the visual quality. I had no major issues. The sound is original Japanese mono. The dialogue is clear enough and audible - I noted a couple of instances of minor hiss, but overall it is supporting the films well enough - free of distracting flaws. There are optional English subtitles (font sample below). Aside from one page liner notes for each film (visible on the inner case sleeve through the transparent case cover except for Intimidation where it is a separate double-sided sheet) there are no supplements - as typical for Eclipse. Many cinephiles that will appreciate this package as Eclipse are fulfilling their mission statement: "...a selection of lost, forgotten, or overshadowed classics in simple, affordable editions. Each series is a brief cinematheque retrospective for the adventurous home viewer." The bizarre edge to these Koreyoshi Kurahara films certainly help maintain the interest level. There is definitely a kind of French New Wave, running-in-the-streets, stream-of-consciousness, attitude of filmmaking at times - and as little restraint as I can recall in Japanese cinema. I was actually expecting a kind of free-form Seijun Suzuki appeal combined with Hausu (minus the horror) plus a little of what I had been exposed to in Kurahara's debut film, I Am Waiting, that was available in Criterion's Nikkatsu Noir set. Aside from Black Sun and maybe Thirst For Love I'm still not sure that I liked wading through these. I definitely felt the filmmaking was 'maturing' along with my appreciation but this may have been my perception of it becoming more accessible. This was, at its least, unique - but, I think, its appeal will be more dependant on the flexibility of the viewer. If you were unaware before indulging - it would be obvious that these came out of the mimicking brand of Nikkatsu produced cinema. The package itself is at Criterion's impressive level of consistency and this makes for an ideal self-present for Japanese cinema fans open to its... eccentricities. |
DVD Menus
Slim Transparent Keep Case Cover
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Screen Captures
Intimidation (1960) aka 'Aru kyouhaku'
Directed by Koreyoshi Kurahara
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Slim Transparent Keep Case Cover
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Screen Captures
Tormento (1960)
Directed by Koreyoshi Kurahara
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Slim Transparent Keep Case Cover
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Screen Captures
I Hate But Love
(1962) aka 'Nikui anchikusho'
Directed by Koreyoshi Kurahara
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Slim Transparent Keep Case Cover
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Screen Captures
Black Sun (1964) aka 'Kuroi taiyo'
Directed by Koreyoshi Kurahara
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Slim Transparent Keep Case Cover
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Screen Captures
Thirst For Love
(1967) aka 'Ai no kawaki'
Directed by Koreyoshi Kurahara
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