Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Retaliation Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 29, 2015

Yasuharu Hasebe's "Retaliation" (1968) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment Group. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; collection of black-and-white stills from the film; new video interview with actor Jo Shishido; and new video interview with writer and film historian Tony Rayns. The release also arrives with a booklet featuring new writing on the film by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp, newly illustrated by Ian MacEwan and featuring original archive stills. In Japanese, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Gangsters

Shortly after he is released from prison, Jiro (Akira Kobayashi, Black Tight Killers), a prominent gangster, is approached by Hino (Jô Shishido, Branded to Kill), the brother of another gangster who was killed years ago. The two men clash, but when Jiro’s mistress appears they part ways.

Jiro then heads straight back to the home of his former boss and discovers that he is a shadow of the man he used to be -- the old boss barely makes ends meet thanks to the kindness of a former rival from the respected Hazama family. When Jiro meets its leader, he offers him a lucrative deal -- if Jiro drives away the current rulers of Takagawa City, he can reorganize the local businesses to his liking and take control over the area. Jiro agrees and quickly comes up with a brilliant plan that would trick the two biggest gangs in Takagawa City to destroy each other.

Meanwhile, as Takagawa City continues to expand, the local gangs begin forcing the farmers in the surrounding areas to sell their land to them before the wealthy developers move in. The majority of the farmers reluctantly agree, but a few refuse to cooperate. In the ensuing chaos, Jiro and Hino meet again form an unlikely friendship.

Yasuharu Hasebe completed Retaliation in 1968, a year after the equally violent and flashy Massacre Gun. However, unlike Massacre Gun, Retaliation was shot in color and with a much bigger cast.

The film is broken into multiple uneven episodes which focus on a series of conflicts that emerge after Jiro disrupts the balance of power in Takagawa City. The big ones create various ripple effects that expose internal tensions in the gangs as different sides argue strategies that would help them stay ahead of their opponents. Hasebe takes great interest in these strategies as they highlight the crucial differences between the veterans and their younger and more ambitious partners.

Loyalty is another key element of the narrative that is examined from different points of view. Initially, the film creates the impression that Jiro returns to a world that has been shaped up by a classic Samurai-esque system built around honor and loyalty. But the higher Jiro moves up the ladder, the clearer it becomes that he has actually returned to a violent jungle where no one is to be trusted.

A good portion of the film is also dedicated to the progression of Jiro and Hino’s unorthodox relationship. Indeed, there are some very unusual homosexual overtones that define it and in the process make the entire film far less predictable than it might have initially appeared.

Kobayashi is very good as the loyal gangster who is presented with a number of difficult dilemmas after he is released from prison. Shishido has only a supporting role in this film, but he leaves a lasting impression. There are notable cameos by Tatsuya Fuji, Tamio Kawachi, and Hideaki Nitani. A very young Meiko Kaji quickly steps in front of the camera as well.

The film is complimented by a very edgy retro soundtrack that easily could have been used in an Italian spy parody from the same era. The soundtrack was created by Hajime Kaburagi (Tokyo Drifter, Cobra).

Retaliation Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Yasuharu Hasebe's Retaliation arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment Group.

The film looks rather soft, with much of the indoor footage in particular also appearing quite flat (see screencapture #1). Detail and clarity vary, but there are no traces of recent digital manipulations. This leads me to believe that the master that was accessed was prepared some time ago, quite possibly from an interpositive. Light grain is visible throughout the entire film, but it is not evenly distributed and certainly not as well resolved as it should be. Depth isn't consistently pleasing. In fact, during the darker footage where shadow definition suffers, depth is unconvincing (see screencaptures #13, 14 and 15). There are traces of some light fading and as a result there are some obvious color fluctuations (see screencapture #16), but they can be traced back to the current master. There are no problematic sharpening adjustments. Also, there are no serious stability issues to report in this review. All in all, this is a serviceable presentation of Retaliation, but it is clear that the film can look better in high-definition. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your Blu-ray player regardless of your geographical location).

Retaliation Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Japanese LPCM 1.0. Optional English subtitles have been provided for the main feature.

Clarity is good. Depth is also pleasing, but there are some sporadic fluctuations (light thinning is also noticeable in the high frequencies). During the action sequences and in areas of the film where the music becomes prominent, some very light buzz occasionally makes its presence felt. Nevertheless, these are minor issues that never become distracting. The dialog is stable and easy to follow. There are no audio dropouts.

Retaliation Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original theatrical trailer for Retaliation. In Japanese, with optional English subtitles. (3 min).

• Gallery - a collection of black-and-white stills from the film.

• Interview with Jo Shishido - in this new video interview, actor Jo Shishido discusses his contribution to Retaliation, some of the changes that were made to the original script, the key differences between the characters he played in Retaliation and Massacre Gun as well as the visual styles of the two films, his work with Akira Kobayashi (who his rival, the gangster Kojiro Samukawa), etc. In Japanese, with optional English subtitles. (14 min).

• Interview with Tony Rayns - in this video interview, writer and film historian Tony Rayns discusses Yasuharu Hasebe's work for the Nikkatsu studio and the evolution of his style (with excellent comments about the director's work for TV), some of the key similarities and differences between Retaliation and Massacre Gun (both starring Jô Shishido), Jô Shishido's life and career (as well as the many great actors that inspired him during the years), etc. In English, not subtitled. (32 min).

• Booklet - booklet featuring new writing on the film by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp, newly illustrated by Ian MacEwan and featuring original archive stills.

• Cover - reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ian MacEwan.

Retaliation Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Yasuharu Hasebe's Retaliation is an odd Japanese gangster film with a soft side, but it is certainly a good companion piece to the more straightforward Massacre Gun. Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment Group's Blu-ray has another very informative new piece with writer and film historian Tony Rayns that should delight fans of Japanese cinema. RECOMMENDED.