Radiance Films
Blu-ray Release: November 19, 2024
Video: 2.35:1/1080p/Color
Audio: Japanese LPCM 1.0 Mono
Subtitles: English
Run Time: 96:17
Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Two major yakuza factions from Tokyo and Osaka battle over control of Yokohama, using local gangs as their proxies. Amid this violent struggle, Tsukamoto (Koji Tsuruta), the head of one of the local gangs, is released from an eight-year prison sentence. The feud forces him into action, but he learns that those pulling the strings have political connections and that he is up against overwhelming forces. (From Radiance’s official synopsis)
In the decade before he made the groundbreaking Battles without Honor and Humanity series (1973-74), which led him to be recognized as a yakuza (aka: jitsuroku) genre-redefining maverick, Kinji Fukasaku was a salaryman type workhorse director who was still developing his energetic, vérité-esque style. His studio-dictated schedule led him to direct the sixth film in the Bakuto or Gambler franchise, Gambler’s Farewell (Japanese: Bakuto kaisanshiki; aka: Gambler’s Ceremony of Disbanding, 1968). He then returned to make the ninth entry, Sympathy for the Underdog (Japanese: Bakuto Gaijin Butai; aka: Outlaw Gambler: Foreign Legion, 1971), which is, by all accounts, a fan favorite, as well as a staging ground for what would become Fukasaku’s trademarks.
But Sympathy for the Underdog actually began life as a sequel to a different Fukasaku-directed Toei yakuza film, Japan Organized Crime Boss (Japanese: Nihon boryoku-dan: Kumicho, 1969), before it was retrofitted into Bakuto movie. Japan Organized Crime Boss isn’t a wholly unique entry in Fukasaku’s early crime filmography, but functions as a bit of a dry run for the slightly superior Sympathy for the Underdog. Besides the obvious plot point of an older gangster being recently paroled from a lengthy prison term, the early post-war setting plays an important role in both films, offering thematic weight to an otherwise by-the-numbers screenplay. There are also numerous casting connections, including Gambler series star Kôji Tsuruta, Sympathy for the Underdog’s Noboru Ando (a real-life yakuza-turned-actor) and Tomisaburo Wakayama, and future Battles without Honor or Humanity superstar/muse Bunta Sugawara in a small role.
Like Sympathy for the Underdog, Japan Organized Crime Boss shows a filmmaker in flux between an established studio style and his own spin on conventions and, as such, it’s a more restrained visual exercise than a lot of Fukasaku’s post-Honor or Humanity yakuza output. While I can’t deny the visceral thrill of those later films, I tend to find their incessant handheld look exhausting and am beginning to think I prefer the slightly earlier films recently released by Radiance and Arrow. They feature all the dynamism of Fukasaku’s creative framing and Osamu Tanaka’s energetic editing without quite as many post-viewing dizzy spells (noting that it has been many years since I last saw Battles without Honor or Humanity and may be misremembering how shuddery they are). It’s still quite raw, crowded, and chaotic at times – not to mention shockingly violent for a late ‘60s release – but it also takes time to pause, take stock of the situation, and let the actors shine.
Video
A lot of Fukasaku’s yakuza movies have been released on stateside DVD over the years, but Japan Organized Crime Boss doesn’t appear to have been one of them. The only English-friendly option I can find was a PAL UK disc from Eureka way back in 2003. For this Blu-ray debut, which is premiering in the US, UK, and Canada, Radiance was handed a new 4K restoration directly by Toei themselves. The 2.35:1, 1080p transfer mostly matches the expectations set by Radiance’s other Toei releases with really nice textures and dynamic range bolstered by rich black levels. The colors are largely (and I assume purposefully) muted and cooled, but there are plenty of acrylic and pastel costumes and set pieces to liven up cinematographer Hanjiro Nakazawa’s layered and busy compositions. Print damage is minimal and the only notable compression is the occasional noisy look to the otherwise naturalistic grain.
Audio
Japan Organized Crime Boss is presented in uncompressed LPCM and its original Japanese mono. The tracks are in decent shape and clear enough to discern and separate the important elements, though there is a pretty persistent aspirated hiss on the dialogue. Thankfully, there isn’t a lot of other distortion. Masanobu Higure’s music overloads the soundtrack a couple of times, but not enough to cause buzzing.
Extras
Kinji Fukasaku on Battling Adversity (34:01, SD) – In 1999, the director addressed a group of businessmen to talk about adversity, referencing stories from his post-war childhood, his struggles breaking into filmmaking, and the hardships of developing his career. He goes delightfully off-the-rails early on to tell amusing behind-the-scenes stories.
Akihiko Ito interview (15:06, HD) – The yakuza film historian explores Japan Organized Crime Boss’ production history, its themes, Fukasaku’s directing style and wider career, the careers of major cast members, and the film's place in the larger modern era yakuza canon.
Ceremonies of Male Bonding (23:32, HD) – Critic and yakuza enthusiast Nathan Stuart looks at decades of collaboration between Fukasaku and actor Koji Tsuruta, breaking down Minami taiheiyô nami takashi (1962), Gang vs. G-Men (1962), Dissolution Ceremony (aka: Ceremony of Disbanding, 1967), Gambler's Farewell, Japan Organized Crime Boss, Bloodstained Clan Honor (1970), Sympathy for the Underdog, and The Gate of Youth (co-directed with Koreyoshi Kurahara, 1981).
Trailer
The images on this page are taken from the BDs and sized for the page. Larger versions can be viewed by clicking the images. Note that there will be some JPG compression.