If our recent review of Japanese maverick director Seijun Suzuki’s Taisho trilogy whetted your appetite and prompted you to seek out a copy of the trio of films in that release, then you will need no further prompting to purchase a copy of what could be equally anticipated when it arrives in your possession.
This writer also wants to reach out to those who were bemused at the prospect of watching that collection and make the time to seek out his new quintet of films, which are available for the first time on Blu-Ray outside of their native Japan.
Made all before the previous release, The Early Years Vol. 1 contains a sterling and stunning mix of youth-oriented tales that hold tremendous cross-over appeal to Western fans who have enjoyed classic Hollywood fare like Rebel Without a Cause and West Side Story. You might also find value in seeing these if you have been fascinated by the likes of Japanese-themed Hollywood dramas like The Yakuza, Rising Sun, and Black Rain.
The collection kicks off with The Boy Who Came Back (1958), the tale of a female probation officer attempting to tame a wayward youth, but whose emotional conflicts begin to affect the objectives set by her superiors.
Fans of recent hits La La Land and Hugh Jackman’s Barnum extravaganza The Greatest Showman will find much to enjoy with The Wind-Of-Youth Crosses The Mountain Pass (1961), the heart-warming and infectious tale of a travelling student in Japan who hooks up with a down-on-their-luck circus troupe – and who is himself desperate to part with and peddle ladies underwear in order to pay his way forward.
Teenage Yakuza (1962) focuses on a teenager who gets drawn into extortion and conflict with mobsters from a neighbouring city and has to face up to the reality of his friendship with a long-term mate. British fans of 1960s cinema will get much appreciation from a film that taps into the coffee shop social culture of the time, which spawned the British musical ‘skiffle’ craze – and unleashed the likes of The Beatles.
Fans of the Taisho trilogy will definitely be drawn to the last two films in the collection, The Incorrigible (1963) and Born Under Crossed Stars (1965), set in the ‘Taisho Period’ but which provide a more narrative-driven and less artistic experience. The Incorrigible is the tale of a recently expelled youth from a prestigious academy who is left with a relative by his mother and has to wake up to his emotional concerns. Born Under Crossed Stars focuses on life in a grammar school and the life of one conflicted individual who clearly feels he is above those he is surrounded with.
We would heartily recommended using this collection as a start-off point of reference for Suzuki’s work and Arrow Academy are to be applauded for bringing a second collection of the director’s work, which may well prove to be even more popular than the earlier release.
SEIJUN SUZUKI: THE EARLY YEARS. VOL.1: SEIJUN RISING: THE YOUTH MOVIES / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: SEIJUN SUZUKI / SCREENPLAY: VARIOUS / STARRING: AKIRA KOBAYASHI, SACHIKO HIDARI / RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 12TH
