In 1969 future sexploitation specialist Yasuharu Hasebe (Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter) teamed up with the inimitable Jô Shishido (Branded to Kill, Youth of the Beast) for a follow up to their yakuza hit Massacre Gun.
A tale of gang warfare that features a raft of the period’s most iconic stars, Akira Kobayashi (Battles Without Honor and Humanity, The Flowers and the Angry Waves) is a yakuza lieutenant who emerges from jail to find his gang dispersed and his aging boss in his sickbed. Shishido is the rival waiting to kill him and a young Meiko Kaji (Lady Snowblood) is the girl caught in the crossfire.
Gritty and cynical, Retaliation is a hardboiled precursor to Kinji Fukasaku’s revisionist yakuza pictures of the 1970s.
CONTENTS
Limited Edition Blu-ray (3000 copies only)
Restored High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation, on Blu-ray for the first time in the world!
Original uncompressed mono PCM audio
Newly translated English subtitles
Brand new interview with star Jô Shishido
Interview with renowned critic and historian Tony Rayns
Original theatrical trailer
Gallery featuring rare promotional images
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ian MacEwan
Booklet featuring new writing on the film by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp, newly illustrated by Ian MacEwan and featuring original archive stills
This is an incredible film. Stunning camera work, vibrant color, a fatalistic mood deepened by the ambivalent interplay between Shishido and Kobayashi, both excellent. When I saw it a few years ago, my impression was that it must be one of the grimmest, most lucid Yakuza pictures ever made, a perfect midway point between the wild stylistic bravado of the sixties and the grittier, tougher realism introduced by Fukasaku in the seventies. Looking forward to seeing it again.
Retaliation (Arrow Video) Limited Edition Dual Format Blu-ray & DVD
In 1969 future sexploitation specialist Yasuharu Hasebe (Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter) teamed up with the inimitable Jô Shishido (Tokyo Drifter, Branded to Kill) for a follow up to their yakuza hit Massacre Gun.
A tale of gang warfare that features a raft of the period’s most iconic stars, Akira Kobayashi (Battles Without Honor and Humanity, The Flowers and the Angry Waves) is a yakuza lieutenant who emerges from jail to find his gang dispersed and his aging boss in his sickbed. Shishido is the rival waiting to kill him and a young Meiko Kaji (Lady Snowblood) is the girl caught in the crossfire.
Gritty and cynical, Retaliation is a hardboiled precursor to Kinji Fukasaku’s revisionist yakuza pictures of the 1970s.
Special Edition Contents:
Limited Edition Blu-ray (3000 copies only)
Restored High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation, on Blu-ray for the first time in the world!
Original uncompressed mono PCM audio
Newly translated English subtitles
Brand new interview with star Jô Shishido
Interview with renowned critic and historian Tony Rayns
Original theatrical trailer
Gallery featuring rare promotional images
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ian MacEwan
Booklet featuring new writing on the film by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp, newly illustrated by Ian MacEwan and featuring original archive stills
Region: Free
Rating: TBC
Duration: TBC
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audio: Mono
B&W
Discs: 2
Cat No: FCD1104
Barcode: 5027035012728
UK
RRP: £19.99
Release Date: 11 May 2015
USA
MSRP: $39.95
Release Date: 12 May 2015
Going to join the party on the praise on this one. Not a dull moment with lots of exciting framing and camera movement and action. Kind of wish it was more about Jo Shishido than Akira Kobayashi as Shishido's story seems more interesting than Akira's character, but that's a minor complaint in a film a film of this breed that runs at great pacing.
I think Arrow have possibly made a mild print error again on the back though, it says it's made in 1969 on the blurb on the back, but all sources I can find say this was released in 1968?
After a while it can feel like yakuza films from the 60's blend into one another, especially when plots are so similar and the same actors are featuring. But every now and then you find a film that feels fresh and such is the case with "Retaliation".
It was my first Hasebe so I didn't know what to expect. The story was the usual semi-confusing war between gangs and wasn't anything to write home about. But the style was awesome. Great action scenes, with knives and swords favored over guns and bombs, dynamic camerawork and beautiful vivid colors.
Nikkatsu "diamond guys" Akira Kobayashi and Jo Shishido deliver the goods as usual. The only thing that annoyed me was the sexual violence against women which felt completely gratuitous most of the time. Not really a surprise though when you know that Hasebe would go on to direct rape movies later in his career...
Pretty much felt that the same. It's obvious style over substance and not nearly as out there as Branded to Kill, but it's not dull to watch Retaliation.
But yeah, as soon as all the rape scenes come in, I keep thinking "who's the audience?!" when they are making these apparently quickly made films. Anyone here want to enlighten me?
