Figured I'd create a post for this one. This is one of those Japanese films I was always surprised didn't get a DVD during the height of that era, but here we are, getting it in HD on Blu-ray.
Those that are fans of Big Time Gambling Boss will probably really enjoy this one, as it's a subtle, yet brutal tale of betrayal. It has Noboru Ando in one of his best roles, and the always great Tomisaburo Wakayama playing mostly against type as a smily prison official. It's a very well made movie, and those that have been getting on the Tai Kato train will love this. I hope it does well for Radiance, as they have been giving us some of the best 60's and 70's Japanese films.
Eighteen Years in Prison (1967) (Radiance Films)
https://diabolikdvd.com/product/eigh...-ray-preorder/
Release Date: July 30th
Quote:
Trying to survive in the ruins of post-war Japan, Kawada (Noboru Ando, By a Man’s Face Shall You Know Him) and Tsukada (Asao Koike, Sympathy for the Underdog) run afoul of the military police after stealing valuable copper wire. Kawada is arrested and sent to prison, but Tsukada uses their gains to start a yakuza gang. Facing violent inmates and a cruel warden (Tomisaburo Wakayama, Big Time Gambling Boss), Kawada vows to escape and stop his former partner. Tai Kato directs this epic prison story with characteristic visual flair, while gangster-turned-actor Ando delivers a stunning performance charged with real-life gravitas. As an examination of the deep scars of wartime, this genre classic is also a clear precursor to Kinji Fukasaku’s epoch-making Battles Without Honour and Humanity series.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
High-Definition digital transfer
Uncompressed mono PCM audio
Appreciation by critic and programmer Tony Rayns (2024)
A visual essay on Japanese prison films by author Tom Mes (2024)
Original trailer
Newly translated English subtitles
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Ivo Smits and an archival interview with Noboru Ando by Mark Schilling
REGION A/B "LOCKED"
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