Red Peony Gambler 1-3 (1968-1969) coming from Film Movement Classics

[MifuneFan]

Film Movement Classics will be releasing the the Japanese Yakuza classic Red Peony Gambler (aka Hibotan Bakuto) (1968), and its two follow-up films, Red Peony Gambler: Gambler's Obligation (1968), and Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Match (1969) on Blu-ray as a Vinegar Syndrome Partner Label release:

Limited Edition Slipcover (Exclusive to VS)

https://vinegarsyndrome.com/collecti...-gambler-i-iii



Standard Edition (also being released widely on 11/26/24)

https://vinegarsyndrome.com/products...42093305659434

This special limited edition spot gloss slipcover (designed by Poochamin) is limited to 2,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.

Founded in 2002 as one of the first-ever subscription film services with its DVD-of-the-Month Film Club, Film Movement is now a North American distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films based in New York City. In 2015, Film Movement launched the reissue label Film Movement Classics featuring new restorations released theatrically as well as on home video, with an emphasis on films by auteur directors such as Eric Rohmer, Peter Greenaway and Takeshi Kitano.

Produced during the heyday of ninkyo eiga (chivalrous yakuza films), the seminal Red Peony Gambler series has had a lasting influence on cult cinema. The illustrious Junko Fuji stars as the beautiful and badass Oryu, the eponymous and benevolent female gambler who uses her incredible might for right. In the series’ premiere she rambles into town searching for her father’s killer with a wallet left at the crime scene as her only clue. At a card game she meets a kindred spirit, the noble and handsome yakuza Katagiri (Ken Takakura) and soon they are a force to be reckoned with. Part 2 finds Oryu under the arm of the kind gang boss of a silk farming town. When ruthless loan sharks encroach and their treachery leads to murder, it is Oryu’s sworn duty to exact justice. Maestro of Japanese cinema Tai Kato simultaneously satiates and transcends genre tropes in his masterful direction of the celebrated third film in the series. From its classically melodramatic opening set piece involving an oncoming train, the stage is set for a visually rich tale of good versus evil.

directed by: Kosaku Yamashita, Norifumi Suzuki, Tai Kato
starring: Junko Fuji, Ken Takakura, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Kyosuke Machida, Michitaro Mizushima, Kanjuro Arashi, Teruo Ishiyama, Bunta Sugawara, Koji Tsuruta
1968 - 1970 / 291 min (combined) / 2.35:1 / Japanese DTS-HD MA 1.0

Additional info:

• Region A 3-disc Blu-ray
• New video essays on Red Peony 1 & 2 by TokyoScope author Patrick Macias
• Video introduction to Red Peony 3 by director Alex Cox (Repo Man)
• New audio commentary on Red Peony 3 by Chris Poggiali These Fist Break Bricks) and John Charles (The Hong Kong Filmography, 1977-1997)
• Booklet with new essay by Mark Schilling (The Yakuza Movie Book)
• English subtitles

Red Peony Gambler (1968)

Wandering female gambler Oryu the Red Peony (Junko Fuji), so known for the tattoo on her shoulder, rambles into town searching for her father’s killer with a wallet left at the crime scene as her only clue. At a card game she meets a kindred spirit, the noble and handsome yakuza Katagiri (Ken Takakura), when they team up to foil a cheating player. As their paths continue to cross she befriends a gang boss and other sundry denizens of the underworld who all join forces to guide her on a blood-soaked quest for vengeance. With its fantastic tropes and charismatic stars this inaugural entry in the Red Peony Gambler series proved an influential watershed of the “chivalrous gangster” genre and was so popular that it spawned multiple sequels.

Red Peony Gambler: Gambler's Obligation (1968)

The second installment of the influential Red Peony Gambler series finds the titular heroine Oryu taken under the arm of the benevolent gang boss of a silk farming town. Soon ruthless loan sharks encroach on the business determined to enslave and exploit the workers. When their treachery leads to murder, it is Oryu’s sworn duty to avenge her benefactor and exact justice. Meanwhile she must also deal with a nefarious card hustling couple who have infiltrated the local gambling scene as well as moral conflicts between her allies. Noribumi (aka Norifumi) Suzuki, the screenwriter of the first film and a genre filmmaking stalwart in his own right, takes over the directorial reins with his patented style of taut action and drama inflected with ribald humor. Yakuza genre icons Koji Tsuruta and Bunta Sugawara guest star opposite the series’ incomparable lead, Junko Fuji.

Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Match (1969)

Maestro of Japanese cinema Tai Kato simultaneously satiates and transcends genre tropes in his masterful direction of the celebrated third film in the Red Peony Gambler series. From its classically melodramatic opening set piece involving an oncoming train, the stage is set for a visually rich tale of good versus bad yakuza. While traveling in hopes of reestablishing her own clan, Oryu (Junko Fuji) finds herself in Nagoya, where she takes up residence with the noble Nishinomaru family just as they are preparing to host their traditional gambling competition. Naturally, their dishonest rival gang tries to usurp the event and sabotage its proceedings. It’s up to Oryu to step in on the side of righteousness. Meanwhile, she must also contend with a card shark who is impersonating her, rescue a pair of star-crossed lovers and other quotidian travails of a legendary wandering female yakuza. Ken Takakura returns to the series as a mysterious stranger who allies with Oryu. It is arguably, "the darkest, most complex and ultimately also the best part of the series" (Nippon Cinema).

[whiteberry]

I always wondered why boutique labels avoided this series. It was never released on home video in the west but there were some fansubbed DVDs released by fans. Maybe Toei wasn't willing to license the movies until recently? It can't be because the movies aren't good because they are great and star Toei's stable of yakuza actors.

Red Peony Gambler (1968) Killcount - YouTube

Red Peony Gambler 2: Gambler's Obligation (1968) Killcount - YouTube

Red Peony Gambler 3: The Hanafuda Match (1969) Killcount - YouTube

[DukeTogo84]

Wow. Very exciting news. Hopefully more to follow. Always bugged me that only the first Brutal Tales got a release in the US.

[Gerby]

I've not seen this series of films for years but I remember them being good films. I saw both the Sleepy Eyes Of Death & Shinobi No Mono series around the same time too.

[latehong]

My reaction:

1) OH MY GOD! AT LAST!!
2) Why only the first 3? I know, I know, you'd want to test the water for a relatively unknown & risky series like this, but still...
3) Perhaps I should wait and see if a UK label will release the entire series in one box set.
4) Still, OH MY GOD!!! AT LAST!!!!

[MifuneFan]

Film Movement has added new poster art for each film

[Show spoiler]

[DukeTogo84]

Very nice. Means it's getting closer to becoming a reality.

[Takuma]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

The last time I saw this film was about 10 years ago (in 35mm), but... I don't recall Bunta Sugawara in it! Surely his series debut was in the 2nd film?

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Takuma

The last time I saw this film was about 10 years ago (in 35mm), but... I don't recall Bunta Sugawara in it! Surely his series debut was in the 2nd film?

I wonder if it's meant to be the image for their trilogy cover and they just repurposed it for the first? The style of that one is a little different frm the other two.

[MifuneFan]

Now live at Vinegar Syndrome!

Limited Edition Slipcover (Exclusive to VS)

https://vinegarsyndrome.com/collecti...-gambler-i-iii



Standard Edition (also will be released widely later on)

https://vinegarsyndrome.com/products...42093305659434

This special limited edition spot gloss slipcover (designed by Poochamin) is limited to 2,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.

Founded in 2002 as one of the first-ever subscription film services with its DVD-of-the-Month Film Club, Film Movement is now a North American distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films based in New York City. In 2015, Film Movement launched the reissue label Film Movement Classics featuring new restorations released theatrically as well as on home video, with an emphasis on films by auteur directors such as Eric Rohmer, Peter Greenaway and Takeshi Kitano.

Produced during the heyday of ninkyo eiga (chivalrous yakuza films), the seminal Red Peony Gambler series has had a lasting influence on cult cinema. The illustrious Junko Fuji stars as the beautiful and badass Oryu, the eponymous and benevolent female gambler who uses her incredible might for right. In the series’ premiere she rambles into town searching for her father’s killer with a wallet left at the crime scene as her only clue. At a card game she meets a kindred spirit, the noble and handsome yakuza Katagiri (Ken Takakura) and soon they are a force to be reckoned with. Part 2 finds Oryu under the arm of the kind gang boss of a silk farming town. When ruthless loan sharks encroach and their treachery leads to murder, it is Oryu’s sworn duty to exact justice. Maestro of Japanese cinema Tai Kato simultaneously satiates and transcends genre tropes in his masterful direction of the celebrated third film in the series. From its classically melodramatic opening set piece involving an oncoming train, the stage is set for a visually rich tale of good versus evil.

directed by: Kosaku Yamashita, Norifumi Suzuki, Tai Kato
starring: Junko Fuji, Ken Takakura, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Kyosuke Machida, Michitaro Mizushima, Kanjuro Arashi, Teruo Ishiyama, Bunta Sugawara, Koji Tsuruta
1968 - 1970 / 291 min (combined) / 2.35:1 / Japanese DTS-HD MA 1.0

Additional info:

• Region A 3-disc Blu-ray
• New video essays on Red Peony 1 & 2 by TokyoScope author Patrick Macias
• Video introduction to Red Peony 3 by director Alex Cox (Repo Man)
• New audio commentary on Red Peony 3 by Chris Poggiali These Fist Break Bricks) and John Charles (The Hong Kong Filmography, 1977-1997)
• Booklet with new essay by Mark Schilling (The Yakuza Movie Book)
• English subtitles

[MifuneFan]

Wide release coming November 26th. Amazon placeholder page already up:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJCGSJC2...%2C84&sr=1-521

[BPW2016]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Film Movement Classics will be releasing the the Japanese Yakuza classic Red Peony Gambler (aka Hibotan Bakuto) (1968), and its two follow-up films, Red Peony Gambler: Gambler's Obligation (1968), and Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Match (1969) on Blu-ray as a Vinegar Syndrome Partner Label release:

[Show spoiler]

Limited Edition Slipcover (Exclusive to VS)

https://vinegarsyndrome.com/collecti...-gambler-i-iii



Standard Edition (also being released widely on 11/26/24)

https://vinegarsyndrome.com/products...42093305659434





Red Peony Gambler (1968)





Red Peony Gambler: Gambler's Obligation (1968)





Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Match (1969)

I'd forgotten about this one - thanks for the thread bump MifuneFan!

[BPW2016]

I was not expecting this today!

[DukeTogo84]

Looks nice. Wish VS would ship my October order already.

[DukeTogo84]

Holy moley. Just finished watching the three Red Peony films and man, did I really enjoy these. I've only seen the first and one other which I think was the 8th before, so it was nice to be able to watch the first three in a row.

These films helped inspire Lady Snowblood which in turn helped inspire Kill Bill and others. These are very structured films with a certain formula similar to films like Zatoichi, but boy are they entertaining. The films are meant to slowly build your frustration with the villains so that when the epic bloody conclusion hits, you feel a wave of satisfaction that some sort of justice has been served.

The star of these film are obviously Sumiko Fuji AKA Junko Fuji who plays the part with a wave of confidence, but a deep sense sadness. She does an excellent job with the wave of emotions she feels, often without having to utter a single word. The films aren't too dark thanks to comic relief coming from Tomisaburo Wakayama. Mr. Lone Wolf himself as the comic relief? Yeah, not what you would expect, but he does an excellent job of lightening the mood with his deep affection for Fuji's character.

I love watching yakuza films that take place in the Meji era as we see the old code of the samurai still lingers, but the spread of westernization is quickly making it obsolete.

All three films looked fantastic and really enjoyed hearing Alex Cox talk about the films. I usually associate him with Spaghetti Westerns, but his wealth of knowledge of cinema also seems to include Japanese cinema.

If you haven't bought these see from either Film Movement in the US, or Eureka in the UK, please do, so we can get the rest of the series. I would hate for this series not to finish especially since it's been mentioned that the best films of the series are in the middle.

You can pre-order the Amazon version, or for even less and with a cool slipcover order direct from VS. Please help make this a good seller so we can get even more of Sumiko Fuji kicking butt.

https://vinegarsyndrome.com/products...-gambler-i-iii

https://www.amazon.com/Red-Peony-Gam...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

[moviemaker]

Originally Posted by whiteberry

I always wondered why boutique labels avoided this series. It was never released on home video in the west but there were some fansubbed DVDs released by fans. Maybe Toei wasn't willing to license the movies until recently? It can't be because the movies aren't good because they are great and star Toei's stable of yakuza actors.

Red Peony Gambler (1968) Killcount - YouTube

Red Peony Gambler 2: Gambler's Obligation (1968) Killcount - YouTube

Red Peony Gambler 3: The Hanafuda Match (1969) Killcount - YouTube

As mentioned in the other thread, thank you for this.

I was intrigued but completely in the dark on this series. Obviously it's not about the kills (coming from someone who for example enjoys Tarantino and Bela Tarr in equal measure) but those examples helped to give me a sense of the style and tone --which is everything. Love the singing too. You sold me!