Kinji Fukasaku's Street Mobster (1972) (Arrow Video) - August 07, 2018

[MifuneFan]

http://www.diabolikdvd.com/product/s...arrow-blu-ray/

A pivotal work in the yakuza movie genre and in the career of director Kinji Fukasaku (Battle Royale, Doberman Cop), Street Mobster presents an abrasive portrait of the rise and fall of a reckless street punk caught in the crossfire of a bloody turf war raging in the mean streets of Kawazaki.

When Okita Isamu (Bunta Sugawara, Cops VS Thugs) re-emerges onto the mean streets of Kawazaki after five years in prison for a string of brutal crimes, he comes face to face with prostitute Kinuyo, who immediately pinpoints him as one of the participants in her brutal sexual assault years earlier that left her shell-shocked and consigned to the life of a sex worker. While the two outcasts form an unlikely bond, Okita returns to his criminal ways. He is approached by veteran gangster Kizaki (Noboru Andô, Graveyard of Honour), who encourages him to round up a group of local chinpira street punks to shake up the uneasy agreement between the two rival yakuza groups, who between them control the city’s bars, gambling dens and entertainment areas. However, when the new outfit goes too far into the turf of the big boys, they find themselves caught in the midst of a violent reprisal, before an offer of patronage appears from an unlikely source.

Street Mobster is the first film in which Fukasaku’s vital and exhilarating approach to the contemporary-set gangster picture was paired with the untamed, raw charisma of Japan’s top screen mobster Sugawara Bunta. The film would change the life of both, paving the way for their subsequent collaborations on the landmark Battles Without Honour and Humanity series that began the following year.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

• High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation

• Original uncompressed PCM mono audio

• Optional English subtitles

• Audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes

• Theatrical trailer

• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writting on the film by Jasper Sharp

[SharkFinfive]

This great news, pretty excited. Now Arrow just needs to put out Sympathy For The Underdog, Yakuza Graveyard and Graveyard of Honor

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by SharkFinfive

This great news, pretty excited. Now Arrow just needs to put out Sympathy For The Underdog, Yakuza Graveyard and Graveyard of Honor

You said it! Love this film.

Wish this was a two-pack with 3 Outlaw Brothers as that is pretty much the companion piece to this film.

Still, I'll take what I can get as this movie rocks!

[agvd]

I'm all over it.

[dwk]

Best film from this month's announcements, but the sparse extras and the, most likely, older master, means I'm gonna wait for a sale before I pick it up.

It really is disappointing how weak Arrow's extras have gotten for their Japanese releases since they stopped having Marc Walkow produce them.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by dwk

Best film from this month's announcements, but the sparse extras and the, most likely, older master, means I'm gonna wait for a sale before I pick it up.

It really is disappointing how weak Arrow's extras have gotten for their Japanese releases since they stopped having Marc Walkow produce them.

Does this film have a blu-ray release in Japan? I really wonder how this one will look, but I'm pretty sure it will look much better than the DVD.

Yeah, Marc Walkow always does great work with special features. He has a lot of connections to the industry over there, and the they seem to like him as well.

A shame that Arrow dropped him. He's a pretty cool dude and does fantastic work.

[Takuma]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Does this film have a blu-ray release in Japan?

No Blu, but Toei has it in HD (like pretty much every Fukasaku film) so that's the master Arrow will be using no doubt.

If you want to know what Toei has and doesn't have in HD, keeping Toei Channel on an eye is a good idea. For example this month and next month they are broadcasting Hokuriku Proxy War, Tattooed Hitman, True Account of Ginza Tortures, Hiroshima Honor: Hostage Rescue Tactics, Sex and Fury, Saburai: Way of the Bohachi, Karate Warriors, Yakuza Wolf, the Sister Street Fighter movies and dozens of others in HD.

[JoeBuck]

Originally Posted by Takuma

No Blu, but Toei has it in HD (like pretty much every Fukasaku film) so that's the master Arrow will be using no doubt.

If you want to know what Toei has and doesn't have in HD, keeping Toei Channel on an eye is a good idea. For example this month and next month they are broadcasting Hokuriku Proxy War, Tattooed Hitman, True Account of Ginza Tortures, Hiroshima Honor: Hostage Rescue Tactics, Sex and Fury, Saburai: Way of the Bohachi, Karate Warriors, Yakuza Wolf, the Sister Street Fighter movies and dozens of others in HD.

Does it look any good?? So far I've been severely disappointed with how a lot of Arrow's Japanese titles look on blu ray, the Battles set being the biggest disappointment (although I still love that set) that I've picked up from them.
Will still get this regardless as its sure to be leaps and bounds better than the terrible dvd that HVE put out. Theres so much ghosting on that POS.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by JoeBuck

Does it look any good?? So far I've been severely disappointed with how a lot of Arrow's Japanese titles look on blu ray, the Battles set being the biggest disappointment (although I still love that set) that I've picked up from them.
Will still get this regardless as its sure to be leaps and bounds better than the terrible dvd that HVE put out. Theres so much ghosting on that POS.

Graveyard of Honor had even more ghosting. That one needs an upgrade real bad.

What's wrong with how the Battle films look? I personally thought they all looked pretty good minus a few shots in Hiroshima Death Match. However, the first film looked fantastic almost all the way through.

[Takuma]

Originally Posted by JoeBuck

Does it look any good?? So far I've been severely disappointed with how a lot of Arrow's Japanese titles look on blu ray, the Battles set being the biggest disappointment (although I still love that set) that I've picked up from them.
Will still get this regardless as its sure to be leaps and bounds better than the terrible dvd that HVE put out. Theres so much ghosting on that POS.

I haven't seen the HD master but I'd assume it to be of similar quality with the other Toei Fukasaku masters.

[abdurahman]

Originally Posted by JoeBuck

Does it look any good?? So far I've been severely disappointed with how a lot of Arrow's Japanese titles look on blu ray, the Battles set being the biggest disappointment (although I still love that set) that I've picked up from them.
Will still get this regardless as its sure to be leaps and bounds better than the terrible dvd that HVE put out. Theres so much ghosting on that POS.

Funny you should say that, as I've seen several comments under Arrow's Facebook announcement saying that this didn't need an upgrade because of the "excellent" HVE dvd!

[dwk]

Originally Posted by Takuma

...Sex and Fury...

This needs a Blu-ray, ASAP.

[mogwai_macabre]

Originally Posted by dwk

This needs a Blu-ray, ASAP.

I want a Norifumi Suzuki box set. Multiple volumes even.

[Bolo Seagull]

Originally Posted by Takuma

Sex and Fury

We need more Reiko Ike in HD. Lindberg, too.

[Takuma]

I recently watched the whole series and actually found the 1st film, Modern Yakuza: Outlaw's Code (1969), the most enjoyable. Great mix of ninkyo romantics and jitsuroku roughness that somehow do not cannibalize each other, with beautiful noirish cinematography.



The 2nd film, Modern Yakuza: Outlaw's Code (1969), is also very stylish and noirish, with great character dynamics between yakuza brothers Sugawara and Ryo Ikebe pitted against each other. Unfortunately the focus of the predictable story is on uninteresting young lovers on the run from yakuza, neither one of whom is Sugawara or Ikebe, hah.



The 3rd film, Modern Yakuza: Loyalty Offering Breakdown (1971) unfortunately bored me to death with its dull, slow moving story. Oddly enough, it's a ninkyo film rather than anything even remotely resembling the modern, soon-to-come jitsuroku films. Should've been called "The Conservative Yakuza" instead.



The 4th film, Modern Yakuza: Three Cherry Blossom Blood Brothers (1971), is better again with more jitsuroku vibe without actually being based on a true story. Groovy score and good performances (especially Ichiro Araki as a shy wanna-be gangster) but ultimately nothing exceptional.



Street Mobster (part 5) is my second favourite in the series, although I don't really consider it one of the very best Fukasaku films.

[Mr. Eddy]

Really looking forward to this as I haven't seen it since the IFC channel showed it back in 2007. Somewhat of a precursor for what Kinji would do with Battles Without Honor and Humanity (brutal realism) and a pretty wild film overall. Hope Sympathy for the Underdog isn't too far off from a Blu-ray release as well as that one is on the shortlist of my favorite Yakuza films.

[dwk]

Don't know if it has had a release in Japan, but no mention of a new 2K or 4K master almost always = older master.

Unfortunately, Marc Walkow has said he is out of the special features business and is now in law school.

[Blu Titan]

I just purchased the DVD a few months ago but I don’t care...awesome news . The

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by dwk

Don't know if it has had a release in Japan, but no mention of a new 2K or 4K master almost always = older master.

Unfortunately, Marc Walkow has said he is out of the special features business and is now in law school.

Interesting. I don't think any of the Fukasaku films released by Arrow have mentioned 2K or 4K masters (I think) and they all have looked pretty good. So hopefully this looks as good as those.

Law school? Interesting. Going to miss him in the special feature business. He was great at his job.

[DukeTogo84]

If you want this now, Diabolik DVD has it in stock. A truly amazing film.