Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Big Time Gambling Boss Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 13, 2023

Note: Radiance Films has released Big Time Gambling Boss in a UK Region B edition as well.

As some of the supplements on this new release get into, it's helpful to understand that Big Time Gambling Boss was actually part of a long running series of films from Toei which were branded as Bakuchiuci, and in fact this particular film's original title was Bakuchiuci: Sôchô Tobaku. The series, as video essayist Chris D. discusses in his piece on this disc, often featured so-called "gambling dens", though in a more general sense, Big Time Gambling Boss at least tends to hew pretty closely to "crime family succession" dramas which might be argued are exemplified (for American audiences, anyway) by offerings like The Godfather Trilogy. Unlike the Coppola classics, Big Time Gambling Boss doesn't spend much time getting to the death of the head of a crime family, and in fact the bulk of this film deals with the aftermath of the demise of that individual, which then sends his "family" into a somewhat convoluted power struggle. This is definitely more of a character piece than a "slam bang" action spectacle, but it should certainly be appreciated by fans of Yakuza films in general, even if this production has some peculiarities as outlined in the two supplemental video essays that set it apart from the genre.

As is discussed in the Mark Schilling video essay in particular, a (sub?)subgenre of Yakuza films included so-called ninkyo eiga, also known as "chivalry films" which focus on a code of honor and brotherhood, and which are typically set in a pre-World War II Japan (this one takes place in the 1930s). The main conflict here is related to some of the almost insanely byzantine hierarchal structure that is the foundational element of Yakuza clans, though rather interestingly, maybe just a little like how Michael Corleone at least starts out, the focal character in this story does not want to take over when the former leader dies. Shinjirô Nakai (Kôji Tsuruta) is actually overtly appointed to take over from the mortally afflicted head of the Tenryu clan, though Nakai insists that his status as a relative newcomer should eliminate him as an acceptable candidate. Instead, Nakai argues a more senior member named Tetsuo Matsuda (Tomisaburô Wakayama), who is currently imprisoned, should be named head, and, further, Nakai suggests that simply waiting for Matsuda to be released would be the best way going forward.

In one of this film's perhaps just slightly comical feeling elements, there's a frankly goofily scheming character named Senba* (Nobuo Kaneko), who might be twirling his villainous mustache in an old time vaudeville play, were it not more "Hitler" like and therefore too petite for twirling (see screenshot 12, and of course all of this is said in jest). Senba has his own candidate, and therein lies the gist of the inner workings of the plot, one which gets more convoluted when Matsuda is in fact released.

This kind of "family" is contrasted with another kind, namely Matsuda's domestic life upon release from prison with wife Hiroe (Junko Fuji) and young son Minoru (Hideto Kagawa). There's something a bit similar at play with regard to Nakai and his wife Tsuyako (Hiroko Sakuramachi). Suffice it to say that a kind of "code of honor" is at the core of this tale, but how that code ripples out to cause a number of tragedies gives the story an unexpected emotional component. While there is a compelling emotional underpinning to this story, perhaps at least as much with regard to the "actual" families (i.e., wives, et al) as to the criminal cohort, this is not an "action fest" in any really perceptible way, though a couple of scenes offer a bit more brutality. That "slow burn" element may make this story's inexorable march toward death and destruction even more powerful in the long run.

*The IMDb lists this character's name as Tsasburô Sannami.

Big Time Gambling Boss Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Big Time Gambling Boss is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1. Radiance's insert booklet features only the fairly generic following verbiage on the transfer:

Big Time Gambling Boss was transferred in high definition by Toei Company Ltd. The master was supplied to Radiance as a digital file in the original aspect ratio with original mono audio.

This is a generally very nice looking presentation, with a rather heavy grain field at times and some slightly brown, yellow or yellow-green color timing in passing, but which offers secure detail levels and some especially precise looking fine detail in scattered close-ups where elements like the historical costumes can be better seen. The color timing variances tend to be most noticeable when contrasting interior with exterior sequences, and many of the outdoor scenes looked considerably warmer and more natural to me. As with many Japanese scope outings, there can be occasional anamorphic peculiarities along with slight focus variances in parts of the frame. There is some very minor damage on display (if you look closely at some of the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review, you can catch glimpses of tiny blemishes or flecks), but on the whole the element utilized was either in nice shape or restored to appear so.

Big Time Gambling Boss Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Big Time Gambling Boss features an LPCM Mono track in the original Japanese. This is a very dialogue driven film, and as such there often isn't a ton of really busy sound design on tap, with this mono track offering perfectly fine fluidity for some pretty basic soundtrack elements. There is noticeable background hiss in the quieter moments, and just the barest hint of distortion in some of the louder music, but Toshiaki Tsushima's score sounds fine for the most part. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Big Time Gambling Boss Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Ninkyo 101 (HD; 14:35) is an interesting video essay by Mark Schilling, author of The Yakuza Movie Book, which explores the history of Yakuza movies and which gives a nice overview of a number of titles worthy of further exploration.


• Serial Gambling (HD; 25:24) is another interesting video essay, this time by Chris D., who discusses the Toei series that this film was part of, helping to contextualize some of the action and underlying narrative elements.


• Gallery (HD)


• Trailer (HD; 3:07)

Additionally a nicely appointed insert booklet contains an interesting essay by Stuart Galbraith IV, along with some nice detailed biographies of the stars by Haley Scanlon. Stills in both black and white and color are included, along with technical information, cast and crew credits, and thanks.

Big Time Gambling Boss Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

One of the things that set The Godfather and its sequels apart from "typical" gangster films was its emotional gravitas, and I'd argue that much the same aspect is at work in Big Time Gambling Boss. What's rather interesting from a "classical tragedy" standpoint in this story is how "honor" (or at least perceived honor) may not be a "saving grace", but rather a clear pathway to destruction. It will be interesting to see if perhaps Radiance can release more of the Toei Bakuchiuci films, but Big Time Gambling Boss is certainly a good start. Technical merits are generally solid and the supplements very enjoyable. Recommended.