Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Disc:

Video:

Audio:

• Trailer (1:32)
• BOOKLET featuring new writings on the film

DVD included

Bitrate:

 

 

 

The Film:

In any normal week, Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s almost self-deprecatingly titled film would be a shoo-in for most unnerving watch. But what he concedes to Na Hong-jin’s The Wailing in sheer unrelenting devilry, Kurosawa almost makes up for in virtuosic technique. After a few relatively benign years with the likes of Tokyo Sonata and Journey to the Shore, he makes a return to the goosepimpled values of classic J-horror. Traumatised former homicide detective Hidetoshi Nishijima looks to wipe the slate clean with a new job as a criminology professor and a new home, but when his wife delivers homemade chocolates to the neighbours, there’s something off about Mr Nishino next door. Amazingly attuned to ambience and liminal emotional textures, Kurosawa conveys them with immense subtlety: the soundless crowds, for instance, present behind floor-to-ceiling windows in the backdrops of his interrogation scenes, churning up subconscious unease. Teruyuki Kagawa, superb as Nishino, pupates from leering nuisance to a malignant force in a gripping study of urban isolation and vulnerability: Michael Haneke with a raging migraine.

Excerpt from the NY Times located HERE

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

Creepy arrives on Blu-ray from The Masters of Cinema group in the UK. This is dual-layered with a max'ed out bitrate but the visuals, shot with Arri Alexa XT, are quite dark and green - especially interior shots - which may well be an accurate representation of the production process for all I know. It is neither glossy nor pristinely sharp and can look fairly flat. Exteriors are more impressive and better lit scenes show increased vibrant, lush, colors and the 2.39:1 aspect ratio dampened image actually seems to suit the film. This Blu-ray offers an image quality that matches the film's edgy horror elements.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The audio is transferred via a robust DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround with the option of a linear PCM 2.0 channel track (both 24-bit.) There are screams, guns and other effects that carry significant weight in the surround although the separations weren't always crisp head-turners. The film's music is by Yuri Habuka, who has done a lot of TV work in Japan, and it subtly adds another layer to the film's tension. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles and my Oppo has identified it as being a region 'B'-locked.

Extras :

Extras include a new, 39-minute, interview with director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, entitled Light in a Dark Corner, where he discusses the production (In Japanese with English subtitles.) There is also a Japanese trailer and the package contains a booklet featuring new writings on the film. Being Dual-format a second disc DVD is included.

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
Creepy is another eerie and disturbing horror film by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. It has the weird, threatening characters, serial killer motifs and disturbing images. Kurosawa pulls it together with his own style and it reminded of his previous, excellent, horror films. Nice to see MoC release on Blu-ray - I enjoyed my viewing. Absolutely recommended! 

Gary Tooze

December 20th, 2016