Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Vital Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 8, 2020

Note: This version of this film is available as part of Solid Metal Nightmares: The Films of Shinya Tsukamoto.

There are two names which American film fans may need either outright introductions to or at least reminders about when coming to Solid Metal Nightmares: The Films of Shinya Tsukamoto. The first name is that of Shinya Tsukamoto himself, a fascinating cult figure with a rather long and impressive filmography as a producer, director, actor, writer, editor, cinematographer, production designer and art director (one assumes if the IMDb had a tab for craft services contributions, he'd be listed there, too), but who is still kind of curiously unknown by the general public at large on this side of the pond. The other name that may come into play with regard to this handsome new set released for the North American market by Arrow is Third Window Films, a label that releases Blu-rays in the United Kingdom and which has in fact put out previous editions of several of the Tsukamoto films Arrow has included in this set. For that reason, fans or at least those interested in “comparison studies” are encouraged to visit our listings for the Third Window Films’ releases of Tetsuo: The Iron Man / Tetsuo II: Body Hammer, Tokyo Fist, Bullet Ballet, A Snake of June, and Kotoko, not just for Svet Atanasov’s thoughts about each of the films, but also to be able to do side by side looks at screenshots as well as to size up supplemental features on each release. (A sixth film offered in this set from Arrow, The Adventure of Denchu-Kozo, looks like it's included as a supplement on Third Windows' double feature offering the two Tetsuo films.) The Arrow set does at least offer ten films in one nicely aggregated and designed package which includes a rather beautiful hardback book, which may at least recommend the set to those trying to save a little shelf space, if nothing else.

One of the more moving statements that crossed my desk in my decades long quest to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding the life and institutionalization of Frances Farmer was a question Farmer evidently asked a priest in Indianapolis (where she lived for the last fifteen or so years of her life). “Where did my soul go during electric shock therapy?” Farmer was reported as having wondered, and there’s a very similar question at hand about where the soul may reside during times of trouble in the surprisingly meditative Vital, a film that sees Tsukamoto exploring a somewhat ( somewhat being the operative term, this being Tsukamoto) more traditional narrative form involving arguably more easily understandable characters.

Hiroshi (Tadanobu Asano) awakens in a hospital after having (barely) survived a horrifying car crash, but he's afflicted with near total amnesia. Finding some medical text books, he starts to piece together his past and begins studying medicine, which ultimately brings him into contact with cadaver dissection. He slowly begins to uncover memories of what he thinks must be his former girlfriend Ryôko (Nami Tsukamoto), while another girl named Ikumi (Kiki) seems willing to help Hiroshi get over his traumas, at least until she realizes his obsession with Ryôko may prevent that. There are a couple of surprises along the way, but this is often kind of unexpectedly "literal" in its depiction of grief, memory and the dichotomy between body and soul.

Vital Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Vital is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow's insert book offers only very generic data on all of the transfers in this set, with aspect ratios (at times misstated) and audio data detailed, and with a simple statement that the "high definition masters were provided by Nikkatsu Corporation". While the back cover of the disc that includes Kotoko and Killing mentions Tsukamoto's embrace of digital filmmaking, it looks to me like at least some of Vital may have been digitally captured as well courtesy of some glossy clear shots without any discernable grain, though I haven't been able to track down any authoritative information online as to what cameras may have been utilized. That said, the Making Of featurette shows an Arri camera that looks like it has a film cannister attached, and there is definitely what looks like "real" grain in large swaths of this presentation, so I'm wondering if perhaps this, like the combo platter of metal and flesh in the Tetsuo films, is a hybrid. (In order to get this review out in at least a somewhat timely manner, especially since this arrived considerably past street date, I frankly haven't listened to the entirety of every Tom Mes commentary in this set, including the one for this film. Perhaps he addresses this, and if someone knows for sure, please private message me, as I'd love to know and will happily update the review.) One way or the other, this is one of the sharper and better detailed looking presentations in this set from Arrow, even given some of Tsukamoto's typical grading choices which can bathe selected sequence in blues or a kind of yellow-brown tone. Close-ups offer appealing fine detail at times even in some of these heavily graded scenes, though occasional interior moments look just slightly murky. This film is notable within Tsukamoto's oeuvre for at least at times getting out of a noisy urban environment into more sylvan settings, and some of the imagery in that regard is quite striking. I noticed no issues whatsoever with regard to compression anomalies.

Vital Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Vital features another interesting DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. As tends to be the case in many of Tsukamoto's films, an industrial sounding score offers some intermittent cacophony which offers a contrast to quieter, almost meditative, aspects in both the score and actual overall sound design. Ambient environmental effects frequently dot the surround channels and help to establish immersion. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly throughout this problem free track.

Vital Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

As can be seen in the last screenshot accompanying this review, this disc offers three films. I'm listing all of the supplements on the disc, since while some supplements are ostensibly specific to one feature, there's still a certain amount of spillover.

• Audio Commentary on A Snake of June by Tom Mes


• Audio Commentary on Vital by Tom Mes


• Audio Commentary on Haze by Tom Mes


• Archival Interviews with Shinya Tsukamoto can offer interstitial text questions followed by Tsukamoto's answers. In Japanese with English subtitles:

  A Snake of June (1080p; 25:43)

  
  

  Vital (1080i; 11:06)

  
  

  Haze (1080i; 19:38)

• Shooting A Snake of June (1080p; 19:50) is an archival featurette that offers lots of candid footage and interviews. In Japanese with English subtitles.


• The Making of Vital (1080i; 18:48) offers the same assortment of candid footage and interviews as the above featurette. In Japanese with English subtitles.


• Vital World Premiere (1080i; 10:48) offers footage from the Venice Film Festival. In Japanese with English subtitles.


• Vital Special Effects (1080i; 10:29) is another archival piece offering Tsukamoto collaborator Hisashi Oda.


• Vital Music Video (1080i; 6:23)


• The Making of Haze (1080i; 23:57) is another archival piece with candid footage and interviews.


• Kaori Fuji at Locarno (1080i; 17:03) is an archival piece with Haze's lead actress.


• Trailers

  A Snake of June UK Trailer (1080p; 2:26)

  
  

  Vital Original Japanese Trailer (1080i; 1:35)

  
  Haze Original Japanese Trailers (1080i; 3:43)

• Image Galleries

  A Snake of June (1080p; 4:00)

  
  

  Haze (1080p; 1:00)

Vital Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Asano's somewhat wooden performance in Vital may be a stumbling block for some viewers, but Tsukamoto offers a rather penetrating examination of grief and maybe even potential healing in this film. Those unwilling to tolerate some of Tsukamoto's stylistic excesses will probably find this film potentially laughable at times, but for those used to some of the hyperkinetic aspects of some of Tsukamoto's other films, Vital may actually seem positively calm by comparison. Technical merits are solid, and the supplemental package very well done. Recommended.