Yakuza Graveyard Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Yakuza Graveyard Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 2, 2023

Some of the supplements Radiance Films has aggregated for this release get into some rather interesting subtextual aspects to the film that may not be immediately apparent to those not conversant with the ins and outs of Japanese society, not to mention the vagaries of the yakuza. Among these tidbits is the prevalence of Koreans in yakuza gangs, moral shades of gray with regard to supposed criminals and/or cops, as well as a rather unexpectedly powerful position one woman in this story holds, something that's at least a little unusual. But there's a rather curious little bit of "business" in this film which some may find a bit odd, and which comes without much of an explanation. Focal policeman Kuroiwa Ryu (Tetsuya Watari) has been trying to rid his local streets of the scourge of rampant gang activities, but his efforts don't get him anywhere other than transferred. But Kuroiwa has a rather strange response to tense situations, one that recurs throughout the film and which may kind of weirdly remind some of a certain Captain Queeg in The Caine Mutiny. Those familiar with that legendary film may remember the Humphrey Bogart character made a habit out of clanking together two little metal balls which he toyed with in one of his hands. There have been acres of newsprint and/or volumes of bandwidth expended to try to offer some kind of psychological reasoning behind this peculiar behavior, with many coming to the conclusion that the endless fidgeting is a suitable symbol for Queeg's mental instability. In Yakuza Graveyard, Kuroiwa doesn't hold anything, but he repeatedly pummels one of this palms with the fist of the other hand, in an almost trance like condition and often while dialogue is still unfolding. This repeated punching may at least subliminally give rise to the perception that Kuroiwa is obviously dealing with some anger management issues, but also that he's perhaps powerless in a very real way.

Yakuza Graveyard bears certain similarities to as well as some distinct differences from director's Kinji Fukasaku's legendary Battles Without Honor and Humanity and/or Graveyard of Honor. This is less of a cinéma vérité "ripped from the headlines" (literally, in a way) approach like Battles Without Honor and Humanity took, but it still tends to explore intramural and internecine conflicts among various Yakuza clans. Graveyard of Honor supposedly had at least some tethers to "real life", and while some aspects of Yakuza like are depicted somewhat alike in both films, in this entry Tesuya Watari is a cop rather than a gangster, not that it ultimately makes much difference, given the behaviors that both groups engage in. And in fact it may be the police who more regularly visit any so-called "graveyard of honor" than the ostensible criminals, who seem at least occasionally bound to a code of honor.

As with some of the other notable yakuza films made by Fukasaku, while there are "battles without honor and humanity" between warring Yakuza factions, the real narrative thrust here is with regard to the almost noir like trek Kuroiwa takes, which may indeed lead to his demise, albeit without the "aid" of a blonde femme fatale escorting him. In that regard, this film's major focal female character, Matsunaga Keiko (Meiko Kaji) is in her own way kind of a tragic character, the (half Korean) wife of an imprisoned yakuza boss who has assumed some power, even if the males in the clan tend to regard her main ability as being able to "coax" Kuroiwa into helping their yakuza organization, as opposed to the one they're fighting.

Kind of unexpectedly, while the narrative would seem to be setting up a star-crossed romance between Kuroiwa and Keiko (something that arguably kinda sorta eventually does happen), Kuroiwa is already involved with the widow of a man he himself killed, something that ends up causing some tangential drama both personally and professionally. There's an undeniably tragic momentum to this story, even if it offers Kuroiwa a chance at something approaching salvation, though that saving grace turns out to be a pyrrhic victory.

Yakuza Graveyard Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Yakuza Graveyard is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1. Radiance's insert booklet offers only the following minimal information on the transfer:

Yakuza Graveyard was transferred in high definition by Toei Company Ltd and supplied to Radiance Films as a high definition digital master.

This is a somewhat variable looking presentation that has quite a bit of nicely healthy looking footage offering a secure palette and nicely organic grain resolution. There are a number of stylistic bells and whistles that tend to be used for short interstitials (see screenshots 3 for one notable example), and detail levels in those moments understandably ebbs. A lot of the fighting scenes feature out of control groups basically assaulting each other in hand to hand combat, with Fukasaku and cinematographer Toru Nakajima opting to use handheld cameras, with resultant "jiggly" framings and an understandable deficit in being able to perceive fine detail. The color timing can be a bit wonky at times, as can perhaps be gleaned from some of the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review. As stated above, large sections of the transfer look reasonably healthy, but at times things are rather blue or blue-green, which can give flesh tones in particular an odd look. A number of rather dark or dimly lit moments also offer a noticeably more ragged image with less observable fine detail, as can be seen in screenshots 15 through 19.

Yakuza Graveyard Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Yakuza Graveyard features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track in the original Japanese. The track offers no real problems in terms of damage or distortion, but it does sound just slightly bright in the upper registers at times. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Yakuza Graveyard Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Of Wolves and Men (HD; 14:36) is an interesting interview with director Kazuya Shiraishi, who discusses Kinji Fukasaku. Subtitled in English.


• Kinji Fukasaku's Influence on Kazuya Shiraishi's Blood of Wolves (HD; 4:09) is kind of strangely afforded "easter egg" status, which I'll potentially spoil by listing it here and offer a clue by saying those interested should play around with the direction buttons on your remote while on Of Wolves and Men. Subtitled in English.


• The Rage and the Passion (HD; 12:10) is a great visual essay by the reliable Tom Mes concentrating on the three collaborations between Kinji Fukasuku and Meiko Kaji.


• Trailer (HD; 3:12)


• Gallery (HD)

Additionally, Radiance Films provides another nicely appointed insert booklet, this one with a new essay by Mika Ko and some archival pieces by Kazuo Kasahara and Masao Matsuda, along with the typical cast and crew information and transfer notes and credits. Per Radiance's standard operating procedure, there's a quasi Obi strip and on this release the keepcase insert is reversible.

Yakuza Graveyard Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Yakuza Graveyard has moments of the same visceral intensity of some of Fukasaku's other yakuza tales, but it's rather interestingly more of an "interior" character study, documenting the seemingly unavoidable moral degradation of Kuroiwa, even if he seems to be one of the more honorable policemen in the tale. Fans of Battles Without Honor or Humanity or perhaps especially Graveyard of Honor should find Yakuza Graveyard especially compelling. Technical merits are generally solid, and Radiance also provides some appealing supplements. Recommended.