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Release: October 15, 2024

$6.99

Description

TOMISABURÔ WAKAYAMA STARS IN THIS TRIPTYCH OF VIOLENT SAMURAI SPECTACLES MAKING THEIR DEBUT ON LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY FROM RADIANCE FILMS Before he made his name in 'Lone Wolf' and 'Cub' Tomisaburô Wakayama starred in this triptych of violent samurai spectacles that draw on James Bond and Spaghetti Westerns for inspiration yet feature the familiar style and blood-spattering action of the period. In director Shigehiro Ozawa's (The Streetfighter) "Killer's Mission", Wakayama stars as Doctor (and spy-for-hire) Shikoro Ichibei, who is hired to prevent the sale of firearms to a hostile Shogun. In Eiichi Kudo's (13 Assassins) follow-up, "The Fort of Death", Ichibei is hired on a Seven Samurai-style mission to protect a village of farmers from a ruthless Lord. The final film sees Ozawa return for "Eight Men to Kill", in which Ichibei is hired to recover a cache of stolen gold from the government's mine. Featuring an array of weapons and gadgets that would make Q proud (with Ichibei supported by a band of helpers including fellow spies, Ronin and female ninjas), the Bounty Hunter films deliver action thrills galore and deserve to sit alongside the celebrated action epics that followed. SPECIAL FEATURES: High-Definition digital transfer of each film presented on two discs, made available on Blu-ray (1080p) for the first time in the world Uncompressed mono PCM audio Audio commentary on Killer’s Mission by Tom Mes Interview with film historian and Shigehiro Ozawa expert Akihito Ito about the filmmaker Visual essay on Eiichi Kudo by Japanese cinema expert Robin Gatto Series poster and press image gallery Trailers Optional English subtitles Six postcards of artwork from the films Reversible sleeves featuring artwork based on original posters Top About this item Similar From the Brand Reviews The Bounty Hunter Trilogy (Killer's Mission, The Fort of Death, Eight Men to Kill)

Release: October 15, 2024

$6.99

Description

TOMISABURÔ WAKAYAMA STARS IN THIS TRIPTYCH OF VIOLENT SAMURAI SPECTACLES MAKING THEIR DEBUT ON LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY FROM RADIANCE FILMS Before he made his name in 'Lone Wolf' and 'Cub' Tomisaburô Wakayama starred in this triptych of violent samurai spectacles that draw on James Bond and Spaghetti Westerns for inspiration yet feature the familiar style and blood-spattering action of the period. In director Shigehiro Ozawa's (The Streetfighter) "Killer's Mission", Wakayama stars as Doctor (and spy-for-hire) Shikoro Ichibei, who is hired to prevent the sale of firearms to a hostile Shogun. In Eiichi Kudo's (13 Assassins) follow-up, "The Fort of Death", Ichibei is hired on a Seven Samurai-style mission to protect a village of farmers from a ruthless Lord. The final film sees Ozawa return for "Eight Men to Kill", in which Ichibei is hired to recover a cache of stolen gold from the government's mine. Featuring an array of weapons and gadgets that would make Q proud (with Ichibei supported by a band of helpers including fellow spies, Ronin and female ninjas), the Bounty Hunter films deliver action thrills galore and deserve to sit alongside the celebrated action epics that followed. SPECIAL FEATURES: High-Definition digital transfer of each film presented on two discs, made available on Blu-ray (1080p) for the first time in the world Uncompressed mono PCM audio Audio commentary on Killer’s Mission by Tom Mes Interview with film historian and Shigehiro Ozawa expert Akihito Ito about the filmmaker Visual essay on Eiichi Kudo by Japanese cinema expert Robin Gatto Series poster and press image gallery Trailers Optional English subtitles Six postcards of artwork from the films Reversible sleeves featuring artwork based on original posters Top About this item Similar From the Brand Reviews The Bounty Hunter Trilogy (Killer's Mission, The Fort of Death, Eight Men to Kill)

Release: December 16, 1967

$6.99

Description

The lord of the Oshi fief is killed by his trespassing neighbor, Nariatsu. But when the Oshi clan is blamed for the incident, eleven of their best warriors decide to trade their lives for justice.

Release: March 31, 2026

$6.99

Description

The Samurai Revolution trilogy depicts the rot at the heart of the Tokugawa shogunate. Throughout Japanese cinema, the image of the noble samurai righting wrongs katana in hand remains a fixture of the jidaigeki genre, with the authoritarianism and corruption of the country's medieval past often attenuated for the sake of spectacle and entertainment. But in the 1960s, director Eiichi Kudo's Samurai Revolution trilogy shattered this idealised conception of the samurai, providing an authentic and scathing portrayal of Japan's tyrannical past to question the social and political landscape of his day. Beginning in 1963 with 13 Assassins (remade in 2010 by Takashi Miike), followed by The Great Killing in 1964 and 11 Samurai in 1967, the Samurai Revolution trilogy depicts the rot at the heart of the Tokugawa shogunate: despotic lords oppress their people and abuse their power with impunity, loyalty to the Shogun is valued above compassion and righteousness, and samurai have shed any trace of nobility in favor of their own self-interest, which they pursue with gleeful cruelty. Each film portrays a group of honorable samurai driven to plan the political assassination of a corrupt lord, hoping to light the fuse that will eventually destroy the regime. But the rebels must understand the fatal consequences of their mission. Should the Shogun falter, then their lives and the entire samurai class will be forfeit. Eiichi Kudo masterfully deploys expressive black and white cinematography, spectacular swordfights and compelling performances to paint a rich visual and narrative tapestry, using each film to further explore questions of ethics and morality. Featuring a who's who of iconic jidaigeki actors including Chiezo Kataoka (Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji), Ko Nishimura (Lady Snowblood), Kei Sato (Hara-Kiri) and Toru Abe (Zatoichi and the One-Armed Swordsman), Kudo's Samurai Revolution trilogy rank among the most important samurai films ever made and are a must-have for chanbara connoisseurs. Bonus Materials LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS High-Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of all three films Original lossless Japanese mono audio on all three films Optional newly translated English subtitles for all three films Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tom Fournier Illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the films by Chris D., Earl Jackson and Alain Silver DISC ONE – 13 ASSASSINS Brand new audio commentary by film critic and Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes The Samurai Variations, a brand new video essay by music supervisor and Japanese cinema expert James Balmont on legendary composer Akira Ifukube’s score for the film Samurai Guerilla Part 1, an archival interview where Eiichi Kudo’s former assistant director Misao Arai and filmmaker Dirty Kudo discuss Eiichi Kudo and Toei’s role in the Japanese film landscape of the 1960s Theatrical trailers DISC TWO – THE GREAT KILLING Brand new audio commentary by film critic David West Magician of Light and Shadow, a brand new video essay by film critic and Japanese cinema expert Daisuke Miyao on the cinematography seen in the film Samurai Guerilla Part 2, an archival interview where Misao Arai and Dirty Kudo discuss the jidaigeki genre and expand on the political dimension of The Great Killing Masaaki Ito Remembers Eiichi Kudo, a tribute to the director by his former assistant and brother-in-law DISC THREE – 11 SAMURAI Brand new audio commentary by film critic David West Fighting the Poison, a brand new video essay by film critic and Japanese cinema expert Jonathan Clements on the historical setting and context of the film Samurai Guerilla Part 3, an archival interview where Misao Arai and Dirty Kudo discuss some of the filming techniques seen in the film and the conception of the Samurai as seen in Eiichi Kudo’s jidaigeki films Eiichi Kudo: The Art of Realism, an archival interview with Fabrice Arduini, filmmaker and programmer for the House of Culture of Japan in Paris, where he discusses jidaigeki and the films of Eiichi Kudo Cast & Crew Actors: Takayuki Akutagawa Kotaro Satomi Isao Natsuyagi Chiezô Kataoka Ryôhei Uchida Tetsurô Tanba Yuriko Mishima Michitarô Mizushima Junko Fuji Minoru Ôki Mikijirô Hira Yoshio Inaba Tôru Abe Kôji Nanbara Kei Satô Kyôichi Satô Director: Eiichi Kudo Top About this item Similar From the Brand Reviews Eiichi Kudo's Samurai Revolution Trilogy [Limited Edition] [Blu-ray]

Release: March 31, 2026

$6.99

Description

The Samurai Revolution trilogy depicts the rot at the heart of the Tokugawa shogunate. Throughout Japanese cinema, the image of the noble samurai righting wrongs katana in hand remains a fixture of the jidaigeki genre, with the authoritarianism and corruption of the country's medieval past often attenuated for the sake of spectacle and entertainment. But in the 1960s, director Eiichi Kudo's Samurai Revolution trilogy shattered this idealised conception of the samurai, providing an authentic and scathing portrayal of Japan's tyrannical past to question the social and political landscape of his day. Beginning in 1963 with 13 Assassins (remade in 2010 by Takashi Miike), followed by The Great Killing in 1964 and 11 Samurai in 1967, the Samurai Revolution trilogy depicts the rot at the heart of the Tokugawa shogunate: despotic lords oppress their people and abuse their power with impunity, loyalty to the Shogun is valued above compassion and righteousness, and samurai have shed any trace of nobility in favor of their own self-interest, which they pursue with gleeful cruelty. Each film portrays a group of honorable samurai driven to plan the political assassination of a corrupt lord, hoping to light the fuse that will eventually destroy the regime. But the rebels must understand the fatal consequences of their mission. Should the Shogun falter, then their lives and the entire samurai class will be forfeit. Eiichi Kudo masterfully deploys expressive black and white cinematography, spectacular swordfights and compelling performances to paint a rich visual and narrative tapestry, using each film to further explore questions of ethics and morality. Featuring a who's who of iconic jidaigeki actors including Chiezo Kataoka (Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji), Ko Nishimura (Lady Snowblood), Kei Sato (Hara-Kiri) and Toru Abe (Zatoichi and the One-Armed Swordsman), Kudo's Samurai Revolution trilogy rank among the most important samurai films ever made and are a must-have for chanbara connoisseurs. Bonus Materials LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS High-Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of all three films Original lossless Japanese mono audio on all three films Optional newly translated English subtitles for all three films Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tom Fournier Illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the films by Chris D., Earl Jackson and Alain Silver DISC ONE – 13 ASSASSINS Brand new audio commentary by film critic and Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes The Samurai Variations, a brand new video essay by music supervisor and Japanese cinema expert James Balmont on legendary composer Akira Ifukube’s score for the film Samurai Guerilla Part 1, an archival interview where Eiichi Kudo’s former assistant director Misao Arai and filmmaker Dirty Kudo discuss Eiichi Kudo and Toei’s role in the Japanese film landscape of the 1960s Theatrical trailers DISC TWO – THE GREAT KILLING Brand new audio commentary by film critic David West Magician of Light and Shadow, a brand new video essay by film critic and Japanese cinema expert Daisuke Miyao on the cinematography seen in the film Samurai Guerilla Part 2, an archival interview where Misao Arai and Dirty Kudo discuss the jidaigeki genre and expand on the political dimension of The Great Killing Masaaki Ito Remembers Eiichi Kudo, a tribute to the director by his former assistant and brother-in-law DISC THREE – 11 SAMURAI Brand new audio commentary by film critic David West Fighting the Poison, a brand new video essay by film critic and Japanese cinema expert Jonathan Clements on the historical setting and context of the film Samurai Guerilla Part 3, an archival interview where Misao Arai and Dirty Kudo discuss some of the filming techniques seen in the film and the conception of the Samurai as seen in Eiichi Kudo’s jidaigeki films Eiichi Kudo: The Art of Realism, an archival interview with Fabrice Arduini, filmmaker and programmer for the House of Culture of Japan in Paris, where he discusses jidaigeki and the films of Eiichi Kudo Cast & Crew Actors: Takayuki Akutagawa Kotaro Satomi Isao Natsuyagi Chiezô Kataoka Ryôhei Uchida Tetsurô Tanba Yuriko Mishima Michitarô Mizushima Junko Fuji Minoru Ôki Mikijirô Hira Yoshio Inaba Tôru Abe Kôji Nanbara Kei Satô Kyôichi Satô Director: Eiichi Kudo Top About this item Similar From the Brand Reviews Eiichi Kudo's Samurai Revolution Trilogy [Limited Edition] [Blu-ray]

Release: December 17, 2024

$7.99

Description

When his police detective best friend is killed, down-at-heel private eye and part-time blues singer BJ (Yusaku Matsuda, The Game Trilogy) gets the blame. He must start his own investigation to clear his name, but what he uncovers is a tangled web involving crooked cops, drug-dealing gangsters, the city's underground gay and biker scenes, and even his own past. A loose remake of Robert Altman's The Long Goodbye that also draws from Visconti's Death in Venice, this was Matsuda's break with his action hero image. Samurai movie veteran Eiichi Kudo (The Fort of Death) relishes his chance at directing a neo-noir that captures urban Japan at the height of 1980s decadence. SPECIAL FEATURES High-Definition digital transfer, world premiere on Blu-ray Uncompressed mono PCM audio Interview with star Mari Hemmi Interview with screenwriter Shoichi Maruyama Interview with writer and Yokohama expert Toru Sano on the film and a look at the locations Trailer Newly translated English subtitles Reversible sleeve featuring designs based on original posters Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Dimitri Ianni on Toei Central Film, a subsidiary of Toei studios famed for releasing Pink Films and independent productions such as Yokohama BJ Blues and an archival review of the film Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings Top Similar From the Brand Reviews Yokohama BJ Blues