4 Star

One Man VS Prostitution

Eureka brings us a double-bill of pure violence, from the early 1970s with Teruo Ishii (Inferno of Torture, PRISON WALLS: ABASHIRI PRISON I-III) and Takashi Harada (Ronin in a Lawless Town, Samurai Wolf) at the helm of these Ero-Guro (erotic-grotesque) films, as syndicates vie for supremacy of the prostitution trade.

A ronin, Shino Asu (Tetsurō Tanba, REVENGE [ADAUCHI], The Happiness of the Katakuris) stands alone on a bridge at night as he is swarmed by assailants. His sword skills sees him dispatch many an enemy before he goes over the edge of the bridge into the icy water. Shino’s reputation is big, his lifeless body is discovered by the Bōhachi clan, they could use a man with his talents for killing. His body is warmed by the naked flesh of the women who serve the clan.

The Bōhachi clan run brothels and have brutal methods for training the women they kidnap from around the country to work in their brothels.

But the clan has a problem, that is that brothels are popping up illegally, and they want Shino to kill the owners and steal the women for their operation.

To live is Hell, and to die is also Hell.

Shino’s actions bring the wrath of rival syndicates and all the way to the governor.

Bōhachi Bushido: The Villain is very similar in style and context of women being forced into prostitution, this time our swordsman is Kyushi-Issho (Gorô Ibuki, Samurai Sentai Shinkenger vs. Go-onger Ginmaku Bang!, Tensou Sentai Goseiger vs. Shinkenger: Epic on Ginmaku) who is saved from the Headsman’s sword. For the same reasons as the first film.

Once again I’m back in the Hell of the living.

Great sword action, and plenty of gouting claret, the premise of the subject-matter may offend the sensibilities of the modern viewer.

This 4K/Blu-ray combo is for the chanbara fans.

CRUEL TALES OF THE BOHACHI (Masters of Cinema) Limited Edition Two-disc is available on (UHD + Blu-ray)

LIMITED EDITION TWO-DISC (UHD + BLU-RAY) SPECIAL FEATURES*:

Limited Edition of 2,000 copies | Limited Edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Poochamin | Limited Edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the Bohachi Bushido films by Jennifer Coates, author of Film Viewing in Postwar Japan, 1945–1968

DISC ONE – 4K ULTRA HD – CODE OF THE FORGOTTEN EIGHT

4K (2160p) UHD presentation of Code of the Forgotten Eight from a 4K digital restoration

DISC TWO – BLU-RAY – CODE OF THE FORGOTTEN EIGHT & THE VILLAIN

1080p HD presentations of Code of the Forgotten Eight and The Villain

Optional English subtitles, newly revised for this release
Original Japanese mono audio tracks
Audio commentary on Code of the Forgotten Eight by East Asian film expert and Midnight Eye co-founder Tom Mes
New audio commentary on The Villain by genre cinema expert Arne Venema and film writer Stefan Hammond
From Codes to Chaos – new video essay on the Bohachi Bushido films and Toei’s evolving production strategies in the 1970s by Japanese cinema expert Joe Hickinbottom
Remembering Teruo Ishii – interview with director Shinya Tsukamoto (Testsuo: The Iron Man) about working with director Teruo Ishii
Archival interview with actress Yuriko Hishimi
Archival audio interview with Japanese filmmakers J-Taro Sugisaki and Takao Nakano
Original theatrical trailer for Code of the Forgotten Eight