Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

The Threat Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman September 16, 2024

Arrow typically isn't shy about revisiting previous releases to either offer former "Limited Editions" in less adorned "Standard Editions", or to actually upgrade either video or audio specs, but some might jokingly think of Arrow re-releasing a setup rather than actual film with the The Threat, since at least a "home invasion" scenario in the film may remind some of Arrow's 2023 release of the venerable Humphrey Bogart thriller The Desperate Hours. And in fact much like that domestic 1955 outing, a rather interesting "outlier" in some ways in the equally venerable William Wyler's filmography, Kinji Fukasaku helms a tale that involves a well to do middle class family in a post World War II economic boom who suddenly find their lives torn asunder by the arrival of some bad guys in their domicile. Also contextually somewhat similarly to The Desperate Hours, The Threat crafts a tale where a normal, day to day existence is revealed to be entirely and perhaps troublingly fragile, even if in this case there's less of a "random" aspect in terms of the family enduring the trauma of dealing with nefarious criminals.

While The Threat follows the general outlines of The Desperate Hours in having a family man, in this case advertising executive Mr. Misawa (Rentarô Mikuni), become a veritable pawn forced to do the bidding of two prison escapees. Kind of interestingly in this case, an unlike The Desperate Hours, it's to facilitate an unrelated crime the convicts, Kawanishi (Kô Nishimura) and Sabu (Hideo Murota), have already committed, the kidnapping of a grandchild of prominent Dr. Sakata (Ken Mitsuda). If that part of the story adds a layer to the home invasion conceit, some of the interplay between the bad guys and Misawa's wife (Masumi Harukawa) is even more overtly sexual and violent than anything the Wyler film attempted, and in fact are perhaps just slightly reminiscent of some of the hyperbolic events in another recent "home invasion" release, Door-to-Door Maniac. Misawa himself is shown from the first seen to perhaps not be the sort of guy to stand up to challenges, which adds a certain level of, well, desperation to the proceedings.

The entire emotional ambience of The Threat is fraught from the moment the two bad guys get into the Misawas' apartment (note to self: always lock the front door), and the film excels at keeping things just unbalanced enough (including with some subliminally effective askew framings) that it's never quite clear if anything approaching a happy ending is going to be achieved. If some of Fukasaku's later works like Battles Without Honor and Humanity and/or Battle Royale are arguably better remembered than this lesser seen outing, the same kind of visceral intensity Fukasaku brought to those linked to films is certainly alive and kicking (in more ways than one) in this gripping thriller.

The Threat Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Threat is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1. Arrow's insert booklet contains the following relatively minimal information on the transfer:

The Threat is presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio with uncompressed PCM mono sound. The high definition master was provided by Toei Company, Ltd. Additional mastering work was complete by The Engine House Media Services, London.

I am frankly not always a fan of the "pre delivered" masters Toei tends to offer to Arrow and other labels, but in this case, things look pretty fantastic all around. The black and white cinematography is presented with generally excellent contrast and an appealingly organic look to the grain field. There are some of the occasional anamorphic oddities that can sometimes be spotted in Asian films in particular, though in this case it tends to look more like stretching at the outer edges of the frame rather than the more typical squeezing. Detail levels are excellent throughout, though fine detail can definitely ebb in some of the most dimly lit material. There are some stylistic curiosities, including the use of negative imagery (see screenshot 2). My score is 4.25.

The Threat Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Threat offers an LPCM Mono track in the original Japanese. Lovers of relatively early electronic music may remember after the sensation that Wendy Carlos' Switched On Bach albums created, a bunch of putative imitators followed, probably none better remembered than the mononym Tomita, whose synthesizer recreations of Debussy in Snowflakes are Dancing was itself a sensation. That may make the soundtrack of The Threat quite interesting for some, as it offers Tomita (replete with his first name, Isao) in a more "traditional" film scoring mode, offering a kind of jazzy, at times sinuous, score which sounds generally fine if just slightly thin at times. Dialogue and sound effects are all presented cleanly and clearly. Optional English subtitles are available.

The Threat Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary by Tom Mes


• Warning Warning Danger Danger (HD; 18:42) is an appreciation by Japanese film specialist Mark Shilling.


• Trailer (HD; 2:31)

Additionally, Arrow offers another nicely appointed insert booklet, with an interesting essay by Hayley Scanlon and the traditional cast and crew and transfer information. A double sided fold out poster is enclosed in the keepcase, which has a reversible sleeve as well. Finally, packaging features a slipcover.

The Threat Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Threat may seem like its trafficking in some well worn "home invasion" tropes, and while that may be true, the writing and especially some of the performance and presentational aspects give this film a very distinctive look and feel. Technical merits are generally solid and as usual Arrow provides some compelling on disc supplements and packaging accoutrements. Recommended.