Blu-ray Release: Prison Walls: Abashiri Prison I-III

Blu-ray Release Date: May 28, 2024
Price: Blu-ray $45.77
Studio: Eureka!/MVD

Constructed in the late nineteenth century to house political prisoners, Japan’s infamous Abashiri Prison served as the inspiration for a popular and prolific run of yakuza movies released between 1965 and 1972. The Masters of Cinema here present the first three entries in this landmark series, Prison Walls: Abashiri Prison I-III, directed by the “King of Cult” Teruo Ishii (Shogun’s Joy of Torture) and starring a titan of Japanese genre cinema, Ken Takakura (The Bullet Train).

In Abashiri Prison, Takakura stars as Shinichi Tachibana, a yakuza sent to Abashiri as punishment for an attack on a rival gangster. He intends to serve his time as a model prisoner until he is shackled to the bullish Gonzo Gonda (Kōji Nanbara), unwittingly roped into an escape attempt orchestrated by Heizo Yoda (Tōru Abe) and forced to face the frozen wilderness of Hokkaidō. In Another Abashiri Prison Story, Tachibana has just been released when he stumbles across a stash of diamonds recently stolen in a bank heist – and attracts unwanted attention from criminals and cops alike. Finally, in Abashiri Prison: Saga of Homesickness, Tachibana reunites with his former yakuza associates, who are trying to go straight. That is, at least, until old rivals come looking for trouble…

Ken Takakura would reprise the role of Tachibana in another seven films under the Abashiri Prison banner – all of them helmed by Teruo Ishii – before the series was rebooted as New Abashiri Prison in 1968, leading to a further eight instalments with Takakura in the lead. It all began with these early entries, presented here for the first time ever on Blu-ray from brand new restorations of the original film elements by Toei.

BONUS FEATURES:

• 1080p HD presentation of all three films from restorations of the original film elements supplied by Toei
• Optional English subtitles newly translated for this release
• Original Japanese audio (uncompressed LPCM mono)
• Brand new audio commentary tracks by Tom Mes, Chris Poggiali and Mike Leeder & Arne Venema
• Tony Rayns on Abashiri Prison – brand new interview with critic and Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns
• Brand new video appreciation by Jasper Sharp and Mark Schilling
• Trailers