The Yakuza Papers (complete box set)

[Lust del Carrion]

The Yakuza Papers- Battles Without Honor & Humanity

" While The Godfather romanticized the American Mafia in the early 1970s, Kinji Fukasaku's five-film series known as The Yakuza Papers: Battles Without Honor & Humanity revolutionized the Japanese yakuza film with unprecedented intensity. A post-World War II epic that broke Japanese box-office records, this complex, utterly authentic cycle of gangster films replaced the popular ninkyo or "chivalry" films of the '60s with jitsuroku, an entirely new breed of gangster film that rose from the ashes of Hiroshima and post-war reconstruction, depicting a meticulously detailed "alternate history" (as Japanese film expert Tom Mes observes in the accompanying booklet) that had been ignored by the "official" factual record. Beginning with 1973's Battles Without Honor and Humanity and continuing through four hugely popular sequels, these are bracingly intricate studies in shifting loyalties and gangland chaos, tracking the yakuza career of Shozu Hirono (played by charismatic star Bunta Suguwara), who rises from lowly soldier status in 1946 to "sworn brotherhood" and respected retirement in 1970. Across this quarter-century of death, power, and betrayal, Fukasaku orchestrates nearly 50 characters in four major cities, all vying for dominance in a familial structure so complex that a helpful flow-chart is provided to follow the shifting balance of power.

Western viewers may struggle with the social context of these films, but as a gangster epic of escalating scope and power, The Yakuza Papers offers a universally energizing DVD experience. Fukasaku (who died in January 2003 while filming his 62nd film, Battle Royale II) was a master of cinematic pulp, and these films represent the pinnacle of his frenetic, deliberately chaotic hand-held camera style, which strongly influenced American urban crime films of the '70s (as French Connection director William Friedkin notes on the feature-packed supplement disc). Rough-edged and thematically rich, the five films presented here--all in pristine digital transfers and brilliantly translated by ace subtitler Linda Hoaglund--combine to form a sprawling milestone of Japanese cinema. Home Vision's packaging and comprehensive supplements pay honorable tribute to Fukasaku's achievement, with bonus features that provide all the necessary background needed to fully appreciate The Yakuza Papers as a raw, ambitious masterpiece that fully deserves its widespread acclaim. --Jeff Shannon "

DVD Features:

* Available Subtitles: English
* Available Audio Tracks: Japanese (Dolby 2.0 Mono)
* Packaged in Limited Edition Metal Case

- Bonus Supplemental Disc (only available with Boxed Set) Includes:-

* Friedkin on Fukasaku- Director William Friedkin on Fukasaku and The Yakuza Papers
* Translating Fukasaku- An interview with subtitler Linda Hoaglund
* Kantoku: Remembering Fukasaku- A 20-minute group discussion
* Jitsuroku: Reinventing the Yakuza Genre- A 30-minute video essay
* Boryoku: Fukasaku and the Art of Violence- Features interviews and rare archival footage
* Yakuza Papers Family Tree- A comprehensive story guide

[Lust del Carrion]

I watched the first film and it was amazing! After seeing this and Battle Royale, Kinji Fukasaku is easily one of my favorite directors now.

[Zombified Jeremy]

Are they bloody films?

[Lust del Carrion]

Yea there definitely bloodshed in them. The fighting and violence over all is very realistic. The blood is like candy red like in the original Dawn of the Dead, but you seem to forget about it very easily. Its not constantly gorey though. I just got done watching the second film and it was great too! I have only watched the first to films, but I can say that they are way better than movies like The Godfather or Scarface. Those are both great movies, but these Yakuza films are so much better. Atleast I think so.

[Butcher]

I was just commenting on your sig in another thread. Didn't notice this one.


Anyway, love these movies!!! This set is a must have. People these days think of Fukasaku as "the Battle Royale guy" but he was much more than that. One of the greatest series in movie history. They're absolutely packed with action on a level that few movies are. Great, great stuff.

[Lust del Carrion]

I KNOW! I need to watch Vol. 3, 4, and 5 still. I love the first 2. I want to get some of his other Yakuza films like Street Mobster, Graveyard of Honor, and Sympathy For The Underdog to see what those are like. I got The Yakuza Papers box set for $23.99 brand new, but on amazon they charge $89.99 brand new. lol

[Zombified Jeremy]

Which retailer did you get it from?

[Lust del Carrion]

I got it from hastings. They are like a DVD/Bookstore place. I think the store I went to put the wrong price tag on it though, because I just checked the site for the store gohastings.com and they have it listed there for $79.99.

[Butcher]

I got mine from a Hastings too, and I thought it was the wrong price tag as well! 24 bucks. I guess that's all they're charging for it there. Pretty awesome.

[Lust del Carrion]

Yea lol. Im glad I got it so cheap. They also did that with the Make Your Own damn Movie box set from troma. Its a 5 disc DVD set with a book and its supposed to be like $50.00 but I got it at hastings brand new for $13.99. lol

[Zombified Jeremy]

Do you ever shop on DeepDiscountDVD.com?

[Lust del Carrion]

I would if I had a credit card or somthing. I don't have one so I have to use places like ebay.com and stuff where people accept money orders.

[Zombified Jeremy]

Very true.

You are lucky to have found a retailer that offers such ow prices.

[Lust del Carrion]

They don't offer low prices really. They have pretty high prices most of the time. They are just stupid and accidently price some things wrong. Most of my stuff I don't buy there, because they are too expensive.

[Butcher]

Yup, theyre not too cheap usually, but sometimes you'll find an amazing deal there. I got a copy of Seven Samurai that ususally runs for about 25 bucks for $6 one time at Hastings.

[Lust del Carrion]

haha nice.