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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Youth of the Beast" or "Yaju no seishun" or "The Brute" or "The Young Rebel" or "Wild Youth" )

 

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/direct-chair/suzuki.htm
Japan 1963

Right on the heels of the riotous Go to Hell, Bastards: Detective Bureau 2 3, Seijun Suzuki unleashed what would come to be seen as his true breakthrough, the film that would cement "the Suzuki sensibility": Youth of the Beast [Yajū no seishun]. A kaleidoscopic fantasia that contains "youth" and "beast" only insofar as 1963 pop/youth culture was that violently upstart thing, not unlike the yakuza?

And so Youth of the Beast is a yakuza tale with a premise like Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo, but denuded of an easy definition of which side is which. It stars Suzuki's iconic '60s regular Jo Shishido, with his dare-you-to-call-them-out artificial cheek implants like new acting blasphemy. There are drug-addled whores, gunfights in a new colour apocalypse, and at least one alien landscape: the sudden mind-searing eruption of a sulphur yellow desert like an action-figure playset with overspill of unbridled lust...

***

When a mysterious stranger muscles into two rival yakuza gangs, Tokyo's underworld explodes with violence. Youth of the Beast was a breakthrough for director Seijun Suzuki, introducing the flamboyant colors, hallucinatory images, and striking compositions that would become his trademark. The Criterion Collection proudly presents the film that revitalized the yakuza genre and helped define the inimitable style of a legendary cinematic renegade.

Posters

Theatrical Release: Japan 1963

Reviews                                                                    More Reviews                                                             DVD Reviews

 

Comparison: 

Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Adam Lemke for the DVD Review!

 

1) Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT

2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

 
Box Covers

Distribution

Criterion Collection - Spine #268

Region 1 - NTSC

 Masters of Cinema - Spine #96
Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 92 min. 1:31:31.486
Video

2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 35,774,946,837 bytes

Feature: 26,825,369,664 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 35.01 Mbps

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate

Bitrate Blu-ray

Audio Monaurual LPCM Audio Japanese 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles English, none English, none
Features Release Information:
Studio: Criterion

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1

Edition Details:
• Restored high-definition transfer
• Video interviews with Seijun Suzuki and actor Joe Shishido from 2001
• Original theatrical trailer
• Improved English subtitle translation
• Essay by film critic Howard Hampton

DVD Release Date: Jan. 11, 2005
keep case (Amaray Style)

Chapters 21

Release Information:
Studio: Masters of Cinema

 

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 35,774,946,837 bytes

Feature: 26,825,369,664 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 35.01 Mbps

 

Edition Details:
• Tony Rayns on Youth of the Beast (26:03)

• Trailer (4:16)
• 36-PAGE BOOKLET featuring a new essay by Frederick Veith, and rare archival imagery!

• DVD of the feature

Blu-ray Release Date: October 27th, 2014
Transparent Blu-ray Case

Chapters 8

 

Comments

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

ADDITION: Masters of Cinema Blu-ray - October 14': The 1080P Masters of Cinema transfer advances upon the Criterion SD. It's a shade brighter, and shows a smidgeon more information in the frame. It looks quite appealing in-motion with more depth in the rich colors and superior contrast layers. You can see the film textures which remain consistent. The HD is transferred to a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. I doubt it can look any better.

Original Japanese track via a linear PCM mono audio transfer. It sounds clean with some depth in the aggressive moments. There are optional English subtitles on the region 'B'-locked Blu-ray disc.

Masters of Cinema add a new, 26-minute, video piece with Tony Rayns talking about Youth of the Beast. As you might expect - it is filled with valuable information on the film's production and director. There is also a trailer and the package contains a liner notes 36-page booklet featuring a new essay by Frederick Veith, and rare archival imagery. The Dual-Format set includes a DVD of the feature.

This is another of my favorite Seijun Suzuki films. This is intense stuff and the Yojimbo link is undeniable. Ultra cool, very sexy and the exuberant colors mark the wonderful style. This Blu-ray is strongly recommended!

***

ON THE DVD: The four Suzuki releases this year from Criterion have been top notch. Gorgeous progressive transfers, beautifully restored colors, and improved English subtitles are all on display here, making this disc a knockout. The black-and-white cover art on this release is a bit misleading, as this film is really about COLOR! Watching this film will almost certainly make you crave a Criterion re-release of Suzuki's "Tokyo Drifter," which features a similar delirious use of color.





 

A commentary would have been nice, but the liner essay is informative and the interviews with Suzuki and Shishido are an added bonus. An entertaining addition to any collection.  out of  

 - Adam Lemke

Menus

 

1) Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT

2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

 

 

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

 

Screen Captures


Subtitle Sample

 

1) Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

 

1) Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

More Blu-ray Captures

 

Recommended Reading (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

Check out more in "The Library"

 
Box Covers

Distribution

Criterion Collection - Spine #268

Region 1 - NTSC

 Masters of Cinema - Spine #96
Region 'B' - Blu-ray




 

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