Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Disc:

Video:

Audio:

• Specially recorded video discussions with Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp on Diamond Guys Hideaki Nitani (10:21) and Yujiro Ishihara (15:24)
• Original trailers for all three films and trailer preview for Diamond Guys Vol. 2 (Tokyo Mighty Guy, Danger Paws and Murder Unincorporated) (11:46)
• Extensive promotional image galleries for all three films
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys
• Booklet featuring new essays on all three films and director profiles by Stuart Galbraith, Tom Mes and Mark Schilling

Bitrates:

Voice Without a Shadow

 

Red Pier

 

The Rambling Guitarist

 

 

Description: Nikkatsu, the oldest film studio in Japan, inaugurated a star system in the late 1950s, finding talent and contracting to their Diamond Line for a series of wild genre pictures. This collection celebrates these Diamond Guys with three classic films from directors Seijun Suzuki (Branded to Kill), Toshio Masuda (Rusty Knife) and Buichi Saito (Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril).

An old hand at tough guy action roles, Hideaki Nitani (Tokyo Drifter, Massacre Gun) stars in Suzuki's Voice Without a Shadow. Asako, a former telephone operator once heard the voice of a murder suspect which has continued to haunt her. Years later her husband invites his boss, Hamazaki, over for dinner and she realises his voice is suspiciously like that of the killer. Before she can investigate further, Hamazaki is found dead and her husband becomes the prime suspect...

Next, 50s subculture icon Yujiro Ishihara (Crazed Fruit) stars in Masuda's Red Pier as Jiro the Lefty , a killer with a natural talent. Shortly after arriving in Kobe, he witnesses a man die in a crane accident which turns out to be a cover-up for a murder. Jiro soon finds himself on the run, tailed by a determined cop...

Finally, in Saito's The Rambling Guitarist, mega star Akira Koabyashi (Battles Without Honour and Humanity) stars as wandering street musician Shinji, who falls in with mob boss Akitsu after saving one of his henchmen in a bar fight. Tasked by Akitsu with evicting an offshore fishery, Shinji finds himself in the middle of a very unusual domestic dispute...

 

 

 

 

Excerpt from letterboxed.com located HERE

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

Voice Without a Shadow

Red Pier

 

 

 

 

Audio :

Extras include a specially recorded video discussions with Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp on 'Diamond Guys' Hideaki Nitani (10:21) and Yujiro Ishihara (15:24). It's quite interesting and revealing - some nice background. There are also original trailers for all three films and trailer preview for Diamond Guys Vol. 2 plus extensive promotional image galleries for all three films with posters, day-bills and more. The package has a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys and a liner notes booklet featuring new essays on all three films and director profiles by Stuart Galbraith, Tom Mes and Mark Schilling.

BOTTOM LINE:
Nikkatsu Diamond Guys Vol 1 is a fabulous idea by Arrow. These are such infectious films - following right in the mould of Eclipse's Nikkatsu Noir with its late fifties early sixties crime-dramas by the likes of Suzuki - and we get three of them on one Blu-ray! The a/v quality is more modest but that is reflected in the value - and the sources might not deliver stellar quality without some film-level restoration, regardless. I thoroughly enjoyed Suzuki's Voice Without a Shadow as well as Saitô's The Rambling Guitarist (love to see more of The Rambler!.) Red Pier also had the studios charismatic and identifiable style with frequent dockside and small bar locales. Pretty much a must-own for those keen on this wonderful sub-genre of Japanese cinema. I can't wait for Volume 2! (Tokyo Mighty Guy, Danger Paws and Murder Unincorporated) A very strong recommendation! 

Gary Tooze

January 18th, 2016