Gate
Of Flesh (1988/Toei/88
Films*)/The Human Pyramid
(1961) + The
Punishment
(1963/Icarus)/Jakoman &
Tetsu (1964/Toei/88
Films*)/Themroc
(1973/Radiance*)/Wan Pipel
(1976 aka One People/Cult
Epics/*all MVD/all Blu-rays)
Picture:
B- Sound: B-/C+/B-/C+/B- Extras: B-/B/C+/C+/B Films:
B-/B-/B-/C+/B-
The
following foreign films deal with some serious issues and take risks,
so catch them if you can handle the challenge...
Hideo
Gosha's Gate
Of Flesh
(1988) is one of five (so far) feature film versions of the same
story by Taijiro Tamura, of female Japanese sex workers trying to
survive in the beginning of Post-WWII life in Japan. Pulling no
punches, it is able to be more honest about abuse, power plays,
domestic terrorism, bullying, fighting and discrimination while
dealing with local criminals, visiting Allied soldiers, other
opportunists and corrupt government officials.
They
decide to band together and set up a special place for people to
visit where they can control and practice their profession in some
more safety, but it is not easy with so many bad things going on and
the fallout of the war ending. Though qualifying as part of the
'pink film' cycle, this is not just mere sexploitation, but a more
mature and smartly intended work that has never been issued on the
U.S. before (censorship?) with a solid cast that is very good,
ambitious and well done. Those interested will likely not be
disappointed.
Extras
include:
ORIGINAL
AND NEWLY COMMISSIONED ARTWORK BY ILAN SHEADY
STILLS
GALLERY
LIMITED
EDITION BOOKLET
LIMITED
EDITION INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED OBI STRIP
AUDIO
COMMENTARY BY AMBER T. AND JASPER SHARP
BRAND
NEW FILMED INTRODUCTION BY EARL JACKSON
EXCLUSIVE
INTERVIEW WITH TOEI TATTOO ARTIST SEIJI MOURI
TRAILER
and
a TEASER.
Jean
Rouch's The
Human Pyramid
(1961, 93 minutes) and The
Punishment
(1963, a shorter 64 minutes) were made around the same time in some
of the same ways, all including non actors. Shot in color, the
former, a group of white colonial French students and black African
classmates are brought together to do a makeshift drama and the
results are not bad, have some interesting moments and a spirit that
we rarely see in films today. The latter is shot monochrome and has
the last film's lead Nadine Ballot as a 'student' walking the streets
all over Paris when she 'comes across' the new youth culture and
starts to get involved.
That
might be more abstract, but in both cases, the locales become
characters and not at the expense of the people we see. Not as
simple or flat as they might sound, they are ultimately
small-but-effective exercises in pure cinema and make for a great
double feature. Definitely recommended!
The
Punishment
is being counted as an extra, but it plays like its own solid,
separate film just fine and we also get an excellent, high quality,
12-page booklet with an essay by Paul Stoller.
Kinji
Fukasaku's Jakoman
& Tetsu
(1964) is
based on a screenplay co-written by no less than Akira Kurosawa,
plays much like one of his dramas of the time and has the title duo
(Tetsuro Tamba and Ken Takakura) returning home separately, just as
WWII ends at Hokkaido as the latter comes home to help in the herring
food business. The former is no friend and wants to cause the
company as much trouble as possible while terrorizing everyone
around.
However,
as it involves the livelihood of hundreds of people at a time when so
many are so vulnerable, it will be more of a mess than anyone
expects. A remake of a 1949 Toho film with Toshiro Mifune that also
used the Kurosawa script, this is well done, I like how it looks, its
editing, how its shot, framed and has some impact as you watch as the
makers knew how to use the scope frame to best effect. Definitely
interesting and more proof that black and white films shot in a wide
scope frame are like nothing else, it is definitely recommended, even
with slight off moments. Now I want to see the older version.
Extras
include a Feature Length...:
AUDIO
COMMENTARY BY TOM MES & JASPER SHARP
BRAND
NEW FILMED INTRODUCTION BY MARK SCHILLING
STILLS
GALLERY
BOOKLET
ESSAY BY CHRIS D.
and
ORIGINAL AND NEWLY COMMISSIONED ARTWORK BY SEAN LONGMORE.
Claude
Faraldo's
Themroc
(1973) has Michel Piccoli (Contempt,
Belle
du Jour,
The
Day and The Hour,
La
Guerre Est Fin
(aka The
War Is
Over,)
Young
Girls of Rochefort,
Topaz,
Discreet
Charm of the Bourgeoisie)
is the title labor worker/building painter, so sick of his life, work
and world that he starts to loose it and instead of talking, starts
grunting, making other noises and ceases to speak in any language.
An experiment with political intents, it works a little better than
it sounds and has some interesting moments. It also was more of its
time, where it would make even more sense during the counterculture,
effects of the French New Wave and so much more in some ways.
But
it is more than just a time capsule and worth seeing just or
something different, the film goes all the way in what it shows, how
people 'communicate' and the pace works along with the supporting
cast. I had not encountered this in eons and this is its first time
on home video in eons, if that. Definitely worth a look for those
interested.
Extras
include in Radiance's usually fine packaging:
an
interview with critic and filmmaker David Thompson (2025)
Archival
TV interview with actor Michel Piccoli and director Claude Faraldo
(1973)
Interview
with Manuela Lazic on Michel Piccoli (2025)
Gallery
Trailer
Optional
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Reversible
sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sam
Smith
and
a Limited Edition booklet featuring new writing by Alison Smith,
author of French Cinema in the 1970s: The Echoes of May.
Pim
de la Parra's
Wan
Pipel
(1976, aka One
People)
combines a slowly forming love triangle with a character study of
several cultures about to clash as Roy (Borger Breeveld) has a crisis
with him mother and his girlfriend Karina (Willeke van Ammelrooy)
cannot join him. Then he starts to get more involved with things
back home despite study in Amsterdam and falls for another woman
(Diana Gangaram Panday) unexpectedly. Juggling some resentments and
various culture clashes, et al, Karina soon steps back in his life
and madness will soon follow.
Well
shot and cast, I like how the film takes you places you rarely see
and it is well cast and acted, though some of the supporting actors
and extras look like its their first film. The screenplay has some
things to say, some of which we have seen before, but some others new
and some in a new way. Parra
(Obsessions,
My
Nights with Susan, Olga, Albert, Julie, Piet & Sandra,
Lost
In Amsterdam,
Frank
& Eva;
most reviewed elsewhere on this site) once again proves to be a fine
observer of human nature and interaction, resulting in a
one-of-a-kind film that might not be for everyone, but is as timely
as ever. Glad it got restored and saved.
Extras
in a solid slipcase packaging include:
A
Feature Length Audio Commentary Track by film historian Lex Veerkamp
and Bodil de la Parra
Introduction
by Pim de la Parra (2020)
The
Making of Wan Pipel (1976)
Interview
with Willeke van Ammelrooy (2025) by Guido Franken
Bonus
short film Aah… Tamara (1965)
Photo
Gallery
Scorpio
Films Trailers
New
artwork design by Juan Esteban R.
and
a double-sided sleeve with original poster art.
Now
for playback
performance. All the films here look equally good, but all have
their own flaws. The 1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High Definition image on
Gate
Of Flesh,
the newest of the entries, has really fine color and is shot well,
but there are still a few flaws and soft spots that are either from
the way it was made, shot or stored. The Japanese PCM 2.0 Mono sound
is barely the best-sounding film here, but it is narrowly so and the
best the film will ever sound.
The
1080p 1.33 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer on Human
Pyramid
can also show the age of the materials used with some
limited color and definition, but it looks like this is how it was
shot and maybe we have some slight fading as well. The 1080p 1.33 X
1 black & white digital High Definition image transfer on The
Punishment (can
show the age of the materials used, but not as badly and also has
some shots that are nice, sharp, clean, clear and have some fine
depth to them. The French PCM 2.0
Mono sound on both films have been restored as well as possible, but
being they are the oldest films here with the lowest budgets, they
are only so warm, loud, full and clear, so be careful of high
playback levels and volume switching.
The
1080p 2.35 X 1 black & white digital High Definition image
transfer on Jakoman
& Tetsu may not
always be as sharp, but it is from age and using older anamorphic
lenses that limit detail and definition. However, the Video Black is
a plus and can be on the rich, dark side. The Japanese PCM 2.0 Mono
sound can show its age, but the restoration work has paid off and
this is the best this will ever sound as well.
The
1080p 1.66 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer on Themroc
can also show the age of the materials used, but part of it is
its style, ideas of Pop Art and its French New Wave and
documentary-influenced tendencies. A nice 4K restoration, color is
as consistent as can be expected and the mixed images give mixed
colors and the like. The (barely)
French (et al) PCM 2.0 Mono sound as a result, is all over the place
and has its limits and not just because of anything to do with its
budget. Its the best this film will ever sound, but because of its
nature, it is still wise to be careful of high playback levels and
volume switching.
The
1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer on Wan
Pipel
can show
the age of the materials used, with sometimes limited color despite
Technicolor
doing the lab work and it was shot on 35mm Eastman Kodak color
negative film. It is unknown if they issued dye-transfer prints of
this film anywhere, but we're lucky this looks as good as it does.
The lossless Dutch/Suriname PCM 2.0 Mono and slightly better DTS-HD
MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Mono sound have been carefully restored and the
DTS is the best this film will ever sound. Of course, you can
compare for yourself.
-
Nicholas Sheffo
