4 April 2008

It's a little ironic that in a career spanning over 60 films and 40 years, Japanese director Kinji Fukasaku finally found international acclaim with what was to prove his final film as sole director, the 2000 cause celebre Battle Royale (Batoru rowaiaru), which Fukusaku directed when a mere 70 years old. By this point Fukusaku had proved himself in a number of genres (he first made his mark on the international scene directing the Japanese portion of Tora! Tora! Tora!), but it was his yakuza thriller of the 60s and 70s on which his cult reputation was built.

Now Tartan have announced a 3-disc box set of Fukasaku films for release this June that include one of his most celebrated yakuza films, a psychedelic camp classic and a gritty social drama.

Blackmail is My Life (1968)
A group of young daredevils feel excluded from society, so they decide to exploit the economic boom through blackmail. However, when they are playing the yakuza ganglords off against government officials they know they're treading a very careful line. Tightly paced with a thumping soundtrack, it's a bloody wake-up call for Japan's youth that reaches its climax in Battle Royale.

Black Rose Mansion (1969)
Wealthy Kyohei hires singer Black Rose to perform at his exclusive men's club, but she also proves to be a magnet for homicidal past lovers. Even worse, his own son falls for her fatal charms too. Soon the place is awash with blood and lust in a manic swirl of cinematic effects. Considered a camp classic that plays like a more melodramatic oriental cousin to John Walters and Divine, it's a feverishly perverse tale featuring renowned drag artist Akihiro Maruyama (who as Akirhiro Miwa performed key voice work on anime classics Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle).

If You Were Young (1970)
Despite a booming economy, a group of disenfranchised young men just can't get jobs, so they take the entrepreneurial spirit, buy a dump truck and become their own bosses.  However, that only causes another set of problems where their dreams decay into unfulfilled and ruined lives. Another outburst for frustrated youth, highlighting the emerging generation gap in Japan's post-war economic boom. A stylistic blend of Nouvelle Vague and Film Noir, grounded with the grittiness of Scorsese's Mean Streets.

The transfers will be in their original Academy ratio with Dolby stereo 2.0 and surround 5.1 soundtracks, with extras to ve confirmed.

The Fukasaku Collection Box Set will be released by Tartan on 23rd June 2008 at the RRP of £19.99