Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Execution in Autumn Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 24, 2022

Lee Hsing’s "Execution in Autumn" (1972) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eureka Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include new program with critic Tony Rayns and restoration featurette. In Mandarin, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Lee Hsing’s Execution in Autumn does not need to be remade, but if an influential party determined that a western remake is necessary then Marty Scorsese is the only man that can do it right. Scorsese will turn this fictional remake into a classic gangster drama that will likely rival some of his greatest masterpieces. I will tell you why later on.

Immediately after the opening credits disappear the narrator begins to reconstruct the past of the man in the cage, Pei Gang (Ou Wei). We are told that Pei Gang lost his parents at a very early age and was then raised by his grandmother who treated him like a king. Anything Pei Gang needed his grandmother provided, and when he made mistakes, she never scolded him. It was many, many years later when Pei Gang finally realized that the unconditional love of his grandmother might have prevented him from becoming a good, rational man.

It is why Pei Gang eventually became a killer, too. A beautiful woman told him that he was the father of the baby in her womb, but because he had seen her only a few times he rejected her claim. When the woman attempted to prove to Pei Gang that she was telling the truth, he had to kill her to protect his reputation. He even had to kill the two men that wanted to stop him, too. It is when Pei Gang was thrown in jail and told that he must face the consequences of his actions.

Even after Pei Gang tarnished the reputation of his family, his grandmother refused to give up on him. Just like when he was a little boy, she vowed to help him regain his freedom and then started using her savings to influence the judge who was supposed to hear his case. But this time it was different. Prominent relatives and friends who had agreed to do what was necessary took her money and never lifted a finger, and some even attempted to use Pei Gang’s predicament to acquire a chunk of his family’s property. When the judge eventually sentenced Pei Gang to death, the old woman concluded that she can help only by convincing the young servant Lian (Tang Pao-yun) to become his wife. Pei Gang would die, but his family line would be preserved.

The narrator fractures Pei Gang’s story into multiple uneven episodes whose simplicity is seriously deceiving. Indeed, at the end of each episode, it looks like there is enough information to accurately predict how the main character arcs will be completed, but there is always a crucial new detail that alters them in interesting ways. Some of these details are not surprising, but the context in which they emerge and how they keep redefining the viewer’s perception of right and wrong is definitely unusual.

The other very interesting aspect of Pei Gang’s story is that it becomes a fraction of a much bigger story without abandoning the personal drama. Confused? You won’t be after you are done viewing Execution in Autumn, but I am going to leave a small hint here so that you have a basic idea of what the bigger story is about. There is a point in Execution in Autumn where Pei Gang discovers an old truth, which is that for every action there is a reaction. This old truth then becomes the centerpiece of the bigger story, and even though Pei Gang’s fate is still discussed in it, Execution in Autumn ends up at a place where its significance is very different.

The soundtrack is a bit too dramatic and at times overpowering, but this is the only notable weakness of Execution in Autumn. Apparently, the soundtrack was composed by Ichiro Saito, who scored a couple of the classic Zatoichi films.

Scorsese’s classic gangster films overlap small and bigger stories with timeless truths about the human condition in a very similar manner. Obviously, the period settings of Scorsese’s films are very different, but this is an irrelevant detail because they always end up at the same place Execution in Autumn does.

Execution in Autumn Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Execution in Autumn arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eureka Entertainment.

The release is sourced from a new 2K master that was prepared after the film was fully restored in 2K by the Taiwan Film Institute. I like this restoration a lot. It gives the entire film a very solid organic appearance with a convincing spectrum of colors. There are a few areas with minor density fluctuations that introduce sporadic softness, but it is very easy to conclude that they are inherited. Also, there is period stylization that affects delineation, clarity, and depth. Nevertheless, darker areas look reveal plenty of fine nuances, so the party that graded the 2K master clearly knew how to maintain proper balance. There are no traces of problematic digital tinkering. There are two examples of frame damage that occurs at the bottom end. One is very early into the film, the second appears later on. The damage could have been addressed with modern digital tools, but this isn't a big issue for me. s far as I am concerned, the film looks wonderful after the 2K makeover. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Execution in Autumn Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Mandarin LPCM 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

Aside from a very light buzz that I noticed a few times in the upper register, and usually when the music becomes very prominent, the audio is very good. My guess is that in these areas the original soundtrack hasn't aged well, so this is probably an unavoidable limitation. You don't have to worry about it, though. The effect is barely noticeable. The English translation is very good. Also, I really like the size of the subtitles.

Execution in Autumn Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Tony Rayns on Execution in Autumn - in this new program, critic Tony Rayns discusses Execution in Autumn, its unique qualities, and the era in which the film emerged and placement in the annals of Taiwanese cinema. In English, not subtitled. (45 min).

• Restoration Featurette - a short program with before-and-after comparisons highlighting the improvements that were made during the recent 2K restoration of Execution in Autumn. With music and Mandarin audio. (5 min).

• Booklet - a collector's booklet featuring new and archival writing, as well as technical credits.

Execution in Autumn Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The simplicity of Execution in Autumn is quite deceiving. As the past of the murderer Pei Gang is reconstructed and his fate determined, Execution in Autumn becomes a grand film about the human condition that is impossible not to admire. I had not seen it before and must say that it is an outstanding acquisition for Eureka Entertainment. Execution in Autumn has been beautifully restored in 2K by the Taiwan Film Institute as well. If you decide to pick it up for your library, please keep in mind that it is Region-B "locked". HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.