This “Limited Edition” Blu-ray from Radiance Films is now available for purchase.
Seijun Suzuki is a Japanese filmmaker who got his filmmaking start in the late 1950s directing B-movies. While it isn’t unusual to witness a figure work his way up the studio chain this way, in recent years his pictures have slowly been gaining more and more attention from critics. This is because Suzuki had a unique style and, despite telling fairly traditional genre stories (many involving the yakuza), added unique and progressive elements that hadn’t been seen before. Movies like Tattooed Life, Tokyo Drifter and Branded to Kill are now beloved by film aficionados in the modern era.
Underworld Beauty is an earlier effort from the movie-maker, but one that also carries many of his stylistic traits. Perhaps its most notable twist is the female lead, who, while naive, is strong-willed and hates being manipulated by mobsters. Radiance Films is now delivering an impressive “Limited Edition” Blu-ray of the feature from a 4K transfer provided by the Nikkatsu Corporation. Anyone that enjoys Suzuki’s later works will find plenty to enjoy in this tale.
While it doesn’t take a lot of visual cues from the American film-noir genre, the story of this movie certainly has some similarities to those pictures. Miyamoto (Michitaro Mizushima) is an ex-con returning home after his prison sentence involving a diamond heist. He recovers and wants to sell the goods in order to help out Mihara (Toru Abe), a compatriot who lost his leg during the robbery. But the lead’s old yakuza chums, including Oyane (Shinsuke Ashida) want the booty for themselves. When a deal is reached to sell the items, a double-cross results in Mihara swallowing the gems and hurling himself off a rooftop.
In order to recover the diamonds, all the characters get in touch with the deceased figure’s rebellious young sister, Akiko (Mari Siraki). Even her boyfriend Arita (Hiroshi Kondo) learns about the gems and wants them for himself. Miyamoto is the only figure who feels obligated to protect the youngster, even if she is a handful. Arita has no love for the mob and makes their goal extremely difficult. When they become aggressive, Akiko is prone to talking back, leading to a showdown between all the characters.
What makes the movie different is that things don’t play out in the expected manner. Many villainous characters are battling against each other and early scenes involve several trying to get a hold of Mihara’s body in order to cut it open and take the riches. The diamonds move around town a great deal, resulting in some entertaining intrigue. And the extended climactic shootout is entertaining, as all the characters open fire on various floors within the villain’s complex.
For this reviewer, Akiko is less of a femme fatale here than a complete wild card. Young, impulsive and naive, she works as a nude model and drinks heavily. This woman has no fear of the yakuza members early on, and her disagreeable manner with all parties leads to lots of unusual interactions. With the assistance of Miyamoto, she eventually comes around to understanding the danger she is in, but this character is complex and atypical of those in these types of pictures.
This is a good crime film with impressive widescreen photography and a few unique elements that help it stand out. While even more suspense could have been eked out of the diamonds hidden in a dead body scenario (I can actually see a remake of this movie being a worthwhile endeavor), what does occur is still exciting and a lot of fun to watch. And Akiko’s unpredictable behavior adds to the tension.
The disc image looks decent. There is some grain here and there, but a lot of it is very impressive and this is likely as strong as the movie has ever looked. I particularly enjoyed the dark and moody lighting in the sewer tunnels, as well as the lighting in the mannequin manufacturing facility. This is also true of the finale, which is partially set in a building’s coal-filled furnace area.
The bonus features are also impressive. Shortly after Underworld Beauty, Suzuki made a 40-minute short called Love Letter aka Rabu Reta, that is also included. It’s an unusual effort about a nightclub manager who falls for a musician. She’s in love with a ranger in the mountain wilderness and sets out to find him when she stops receiving his letters. For a romantic drama, it has an eerie quality This short features some gorgeous outdoor photography with the camera often moving through uneven, snow-covered areas. The picture is a little spottier here than with the main feature, but the feature is so rare that the filmmaker’s enthusiasts will be forgiving.
A commentary track is included, which talks about how this project came together. It suggests there are many elements here that would be further developed and used in Tokyo Drifter, making it all the more interesting.
There is also an interview with a film historian on Underworld Beauty. She focuses on the character of Akiko and how modern she is compared to other female roles during this era. We see a young woman who drinks, is comfortable with her body and quite pro-active in giving the yakuza (and others) a piece of her mind. She notes some of Akiko’s unique traits, like her inability to stay still within the frame, as more original and progressive elements. The speaker also notes that the film was advertised in a less-than-truthful manner. While the title, poster image and a publicity photo features Akiko holding a tommy-gun and dressed like a dancer, nothing like this actually occurs in the movie. It was simply a way of luring viewers into the theater.
Finally, the disc contains trailers for both projects. And there is an insert booklet with writing on the film and an archival review.
Underworld Beauty is a sort-of film-noir that makes an impression by doing everything just a little differently than it might be in a Hollywood (or even Japanese) studio picture. These little alterations make it compelling and keep viewers guessing over the running time until its memorable finale. The Blu-ray will please the director’s enthusiasts and provides fun extras that cannot be found anywhere else. It’s worth checking out.