One of the most enjoyable things about exploring film, as a medium, are all the little nooks, crannies, estuaries, and cul-de-sacs where sub-genres and micro-genres have thrived with only the barest level of outside recognition. Cinema history is full of little movements. Pockets of artists working with similar aims at similar moments in time, to produce art for a specific audience.
In the case of this collection, put together by Arrow Video, the distributor has turned their attention to the world of ‘v-cinema’. Direct-to-video action movies made in Japan, most notably in the late 80s and early 90s during the home entertainment rental boom. These movies tend to be high-violence, high-energy, low-plot thrillers.
Most notable in this collection is the first in the collection, Crime Hunter: Bullets of Rage. A full throttle revenge actioner featuring an amazingly hirsute Seiji Matano and his nun-turned-assassin sidekick Minako Tanaka. Together the wreak havoc on the criminal underworld of Japan.
Special Features (via arrowvideo.com)
- High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentations of all films
- Original lossless Japanese mono audio on Crime Hunter: Bullets of Rage and original lossless Japanese stereo audio for all other films
- Optional newly translated English subtitles for all films
- Nine postcard-sized artcards
- Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeves featuring newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon
- Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing by Earl Jackson, Daisuke Miyao, and Hayley Scanlon
DISC 1 - CRIME HUNTER: BULLETS OF RAGE / NEO CHINPIRA: ZOOM GOES THE BULLET
- Newly filmed introductions to both films by Japanese film critic Masaki Tanioka
- Loose Cannon, a newly filmed interview with Crime Hunter: Bullets of Rage director Shundo Okawa
- Zooming Out, a newly filmed interview with Neo Chinpira: Zoom Goes the Bullet writer-director Banmei Takahashi
- Crime Hunter and the Dawn of V-Cinema, a brand new video essay on Crime Hunter: Bullets of Rage by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes
- Original trailers for both films
DISC 2 - STRANGER / CARLOS
- Newly filmed introductions to both films by Japanese film critic Masaki Tanioka
- Stranger than Fiction, a newly filmed interview with Stranger writer-director Shunichi Nagasaki
- From Manga to Movies, a newly filmed interview with Carlos writer-director Kazuhiro Kiuchi
- An Extra Round in the Chamber, a brand new video essay on Carlos by critic and Japanese cinema expert Jonathan Clements
DISC 3 - BURNING DOG / FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION: DEATH THREAT
- Newly filmed introductions to both films by Japanese film critic Masaki Tanioka
- Fire and Ice, a brand new video essay on Burning Dog by critic and Japanese cinema expert Mark Schilling
- Toshiharu Ikeda's Beautiful Monster of Vengeance, a brand new video essay on Female Prisoner Scorpion: Death Threat by film historian Samm Deighan
- Original trailers for both films
DISC 4 - THE HITMAN: BLOOD SMELLS LIKE ROSES / DANGER POINT: THE ROAD TO HELL
- Newly filmed introductions to both films by Japanese film critic Masaki Tanioka
- The Versatility of Teruo Ishii, a brand new video essay on The Hitman: Blood Smells Like Roses and its director Teruo Ishii by Japanese cinema expert Frankie Balboa
- The Road to V-Cinema, a brand new video essay on Danger Point: The Road to Hell by critic and Japanese cinema expert James Balmont
- Original trailer for The Hitman: Blood Smells Like Roses
DISC 5 - XX: BEAUTIFUL HUNTER
- Newly filmed introduction by Japanese film critic Masaki Tanioka
- The Sacred and the Profane, a newly filmed interview with screenwriter Hiroshi Takahashi
- They Brought Back the Sleaze, a brand new video essay on XX: Beautiful Hunter by critic and Japanese cinema expert Patrick Macias
- Original trailer
