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

NOTE: The audio for Trapped in Lust  has a 'screetchy' higher end, like fingernails across a chalkboard at times. Ughh.

Okay, the extras - aside from the similar interviews - 7-minutes of Seijun Suzuki and another 7-minutes with star Jo Shishido, Arrow have added another feature - Atsushi Yamatoya's 1973 Trapped in Lust - described as "a delirious roman porno re-imagining of Branded to Kill from Atsushi Yamatoya, one of Branded to Kill's screenwriters and Suzuki's regular collaborators". It is in 1080P, runs 1 1/4 hours and is quite raunchy with a lot of nudity, sex and warnings of the use of "Strong Language -true to the director's original intention". It's actually not a bad film but doesn't look very strong with plenty of artifacts visible (we have added captures at the very bottom of this review). Regardless - many will be interested to see it. There are also original trailers for Branded to Kill (3:10) and Trap of Lust (2:07) and a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Ian MacEwan and the package contains a booklet by Japanese film expert Jasper Sharp, illustrated with original stills and new artwork by Ian MacEwan. Being Dual-Format a DVD of the feature is included.

Arrow have done another admirable job - equally the Criterion in the a/v and adding a unique extra feature film and their usual reversible sleeve and booklet. Region 'B'ers should be very pleased. This is quite the keepsake!

***

ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (November 11'): Suzuki fans have been waiting patently for a new, superior, transfer to the 1998 Criterion SD DVD. So, here we are a dozen years later and we get the director's delirious concoction in a spanking new improved 1080P Blu-ray transfer. Actually this makes the original DVD look more awful. The HD transfer visually improves dramatically in every area beside both DVDs. The green tinge of the SDs is gone and the contrast and detail are multiple times superior. Ex. Look at the 'gun being fired' capture and check out the wall on the right side of the frame. The Blu-ray shows the Stucco-like texture where the DVDs - especially the Criterion are simply a white mass. Although stating the obvious - much more information is now visible in the 2.35:1 frame. Some depth creeps in. There is still a small amount of noise and grain is there - albeit a bit clunky at times. Overall though - this is a revelation for fans of the film's extravagant style which is exported in a far more film-like presentation. Wow.

Audio gets the linear PCM, lossless, treatment - remaining faithfully mono and there are optional English subtitles on the region 'A'-locked Blu-ray disc. Naozumi Yamamoto's original music can still sound a bit tinny but is reproduced far better via the uncompressed track.

We get some solid new supplements starting with a new video piece (July 2011) featuring separate interviews with director Seijun Suzuki and assistant director Masami Kuzuu who recall the production and release of Branded to Kill over a dozen minutes in HD. There is also a new 10-minute interview with actor Joe Shishido - star of Branded to Kill - also recorded this year and a March 1997 interview with Suzuki recorded during a retrospective of his work by the Japanese Foundation and Los Angeles FilmForum at the Nuart Theater in L.A. . Lastly we get a 3-minute HD trailer and a booklet featuring an essay by critic and historian Tony Rayns.

Branded to Kill (simultaneously released on Criterion DVD HERE) is one of the most stylistic films of all time and it's wonderful to have it and Tokyo Drifter available in the Blu-ray format. There is an acquired taste factor to these works - but once that is bridged they become absolutely addictive. Strongly recommend!