7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
A yakuza assassin with a fetish for sniffing steamed rice botches a job and ends up a target himself.
Starring: Jô Shishido, Kôji Nanbara, Isao Tamagawa, Anne Mari, Mariko OgawaForeign | 100% |
Drama | 77% |
Surreal | 16% |
Crime | 10% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Japanese: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Seijun Suzuki's "Branded to Kill" (1967) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include archival video interview with Seijun Suzuki and assistant director Masami Kuzuu; archival video interview with actor Joe Shishido; vintage trailer; and more. In Japanese, with optional English subtitles. Region-Free.
Criterion's release of Branded to Kill is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray disc is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray disc is Region-A "locked".
The following text appears inside the leaflet that is provided with this release:
"This new 4K restoration was undertaken by Nikkatsu Corporation and the Japan Foundation from the 35mm original camera negative at Imagica Entertainment Media Services, Inc."
All screencaptures that are included with this review were taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray. The native presentation does not have an HDR/Dolby Vision grade.
Branded to Kill made its high-definition debut more than a decade ago with this release which was sourced from a master struck from a fine-grain positive. This release is sourced from a brand new 4K master that was prepared after the film was restored in 4K from the original camera negative.
On my system, Branded to Kill looked absolutely incredible, at times rivaling the quality of Double Indemnity, which is presented with an HDR/Dolby Vision grade. I was enormously impressed by the quality of the visuals. I think that there are two key improvements that are responsible for the jump in quality. First, in native 4K, density levels are clearly superior, so on a big screen the more obvious grain fluctuations from the previous release now appear very nicely balanced. (A good sequence to test is the one with the shootout at the big bunker). Second, the new 4K makeover has a superior grayscale that further enhances the perception of depth. The darker footage looks very attractive now and routinely produces superior ranges of darker nuances/shadows. Also, while viewing the film in native 4K, I never felt that darker areas produced distracting crushing. Fluidity is improved as well. The entire film looks spotless. All in all, I think that the new 4K makeover is fantastic and viewing it in native 4K is quite the treat.
There is only one standard audio track on this release: Japanese LPCM 1.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.
I did a few quick comparisons with the lossless track from the first Blu-ray release of Branded to Kill, which was very good. Some of the action footage seems to be a bit sharper or clearer, so I am going to speculate that some additional work has been done on this LPCM 1.0 track. Elsewhere, however, I think that it is impossible to tell if there is a legit difference between the two tracks.
4K BLU-RAY DISC
Wildly entertaining and seriously atmospheric, Branded to Kill is director Seijun Suzuki's boldest, darkest, and most perverted film. It is rather easy to argue that it is one of the most stylish Japanese films from the 1960s as well. The new 4K restoration of Branded to Kill is absolutely gorgeous and I had a blast viewing it in native 4K very late last night. Hopefully, the folks at Criterion will consider more such 4K Blu-ray releases of classic Japanese yakuza films. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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