Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Wolves, Pigs & Men Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 29, 2024

Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as part of the Ferocious Fukasaku: Two Films by Kinji Fukasaku set from Film Movement.

Jasper Sharp contributes a couple of his informative commentaries on this new "double feature" of Kinji Fukasaku films, and Sharp perhaps expresses just a bit of surprise that Fukasaku's filmography has been so well represented in the Blu-ray era, though to my knowledge, this is the first Film Movement release of any of Fukasaku's oeuvre. Rather interestingly in that regard, as can be seen in screenshots of the menus of the two films in the individual reviews for each title in this set, the menu for Wolves, Pigs and Men actually resembles Eureka! Entertainment outings in terms of design, and it may therefore not be surprising that Wolves, Pigs and Men has indeed had a prior release by Eureka! for its UK market. As of the writing of this review, it doesn't appear that Eureka! has released Violent Panic: The Big Crash for the UK market, though there evidently is a French Blu-ray release from a label I'm frankly unfamiliar with, Roboto Films. The menu for that particular film in this set is in keeping with many other Film Movement releases, including the standard "About Film Movement" pop up informational text.

As mentioned above, this film has had a prior release by Eureka! Entertainment for the UK market, and those interested in a plot summary are encouraged to read Svet Atanasov's Wolves, Pigs & Men Blu-ray review of that edition. Svet's review is also a good source for screenshot comparisons and a listing of supplements, though to cut to the chase, this disc is basically a duplicate of the earlier Eureka! Entertainment release. That said, as tends to be my mantra, "different reviewers means different opinions", and readers may therefore find scoring differences between this review and Svet's.

Wolves, Pigs & Men Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Wolves, Pigs and Men is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Film Movement's Film Movement Classics imprint with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. As usual, Film Movement doesn't provide any meaningful technical information with this release, and in this case, not even their standard "digitally restored" generic blurb that often adorns their packaging. That said, this is a solid looking transfer that preserves the really interesting and at times intentionally chaotic feel of the cinematography, with generally nice looking detail levels throughout, despite a number of odd, askew framing choices, highly variant lighting and other bells and whistles like quasi-montages or quick cut editing. Contrast is generally excellent, and grain resolves naturally. A few minor signs of age related wear and tear may be spotted by eagle eyed viewers.

Wolves, Pigs & Men Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Wolves, Pigs and Men features a bombastic LPCM 2.0 Mono track in the original Japanese. There's a perhaps surprisingly full bodied midrange in this track, and while the overall sound here may be just slightly boxy, there are few if any of the "usual suspects" in terms of some of these vintage Japanese tracks in terms of a thin high end, sibilance, or any distortion or drop outs. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Wolves, Pigs & Men Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Svet provides some more information on these supplements in his review, linked to above. Of no major consequence, but kind of interesting for those who like me pay attention to licensing deals and supplements darting "hither and yon" between labels, the interviews here all have an introductory text card announcing they're from both Eureka and Film Movement.

• Audio Commentary by Jasper Sharp


• Socially Aware Violence (HD; 20:14) is an interview with screenwriter Junya Sato. Subtitled in English.


• Slums, Stars & Studios (HD; 20:36) is an interview with producer Toru Yoshida. Subtitled in English.


• Sadao Yamane on Wolves, Pigs and Men (HD; 12:28) is timestamped and subtitled in English.


• Original Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:53)

Wolves, Pigs & Men Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This "lesser known" Fukasaku film has many, maybe even most, of the visceral elements that made some of his better remembered efforts so celebrated. This Film Movement release basically duplicates Eureka! Entertainment's Region B release, down to an including the menu design, with solid technical merits and some engaging supplements. Recommended.