Prison Walls: Abashiri Prison I-III Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Prison Walls: Abashiri Prison I-III Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman June 19, 2024

There seems to be a general consensus based both upon some supplements included with this release as well as any number of other online data sources that The Defiant Ones* served as an inspiration for at least the first Abashiri Prison film. But as some of those same supplements make clear, that perceived cinematic "connection" really only pertains to the last third or so of the first film in a rather celebrated franchise, and in this case without some of the potent subtext of the well remembered Stanley Kramer film featuring Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier. As tangential as The Defiant Ones may therefore be, evidently the idea of two escaped prisoners shackled to each other and on the run provided some kind of interest for audiences, since this 1965 adaptation of a novel by Hajime Itō led to a glut of sequels (the first two of which are included in this set), while an earlier 1959 adaptation of the novel (which I'm assuming did not feature two escaped prisoners shackled to each other) seems to have been more or less buried by the vagaries of time and tide. The supplements on this set get into the unexpected success of Abashiri Prison, a success which perhaps surprisingly was more abundant with some of the sequels than with the first outing, and not only without that oft mentioned "sophomore slump", but an audience reaction that was evidently more favorably inclined toward both the second and (perhaps especially) third films.

*Note: The link points to a UK Blu-ray release.

For reviews of the films in this set, please click on the following links:

Abashiri Prison Blu-ray review

Another Abashiri Prison Story Blu-ray review

Abashiri Prison: Saga of Homesickness Blu-ray review

Prison Walls: Abashiri Prison I-III Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Video quality is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Prison Walls: Abashiri Prison I-III Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Audio quality is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Prison Walls: Abashiri Prison I-III Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Eureka has packaged this set with the first two films on Disc One and the third film on Disc Two. The supplements, including the commentaries, can be far ranging (i.e., not necessarily limited solely to any given film), and so I'm including the complete array of supplements below.

Disc One ( Abashiri Prison and Abashiri Prison II)

• Abashiri Prison

  Audio Commentary by Tom Mes

  
  

  Original Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:45)

• Abashiri Prison II

  Audio Commentary by Chris Poggiali

  
  

  Original Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:50)

Disc Two (Abashiri Prison III)

• Audio Commentary by Mike Leeder & Arne Venema


• Original Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:21)


• Break Out: Jasper Sharp & Mark Schilling Discuss Abashiri Prison (HD; 29:26) is a really enjoyable conversation between these experts which covers the franchise as well as Ishii.


• Interview with Tony Rayns (HD; 30:41) offers more insight from the always informative Rayns, talking here about elements of the films included in this set, but also in a more wide ranging look at the series and in fact "series" as a concept in the Japanese film industry.

Additionally, a nicely appointed insert booklet contains a good essay by Mark Schilling. Packaging features an O card slicpase.

Prison Walls: Abashiri Prison I-III Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's maybe just a little funny that Teruo Ishii is evidently much better known in Japan for this series than he is for some of the more provocative films that have become sensations in the West. These first three Abashiri Prison films offer generally involving performances, if occasionally trite story lines. There are some passing quality issues with video and audio, but generally speaking Eureka! provides solid technical merits and some outstanding supplements. Recommended.