Available now from Radiance Films
A gangster flees with his younger brother after being set up to kill a man.
Written by Kei Hattori, Ai Kennedy, and Kin’ya Naoi, and directed by Seijun Suziki, Tattooed Life is a film that will be of limited interested to general audiences but should be of high interest to those who have an interest in this genre of film. The story here takes a while to really get started and is the definition of slow burn which eventually leads to a big finale. This will work for some and not for others while being very much on par for a 1960 Japanese gangster film. This one is one of the more interesting one even if some elements are more predictable these days. The story is well written, and the direction brings it to the screen nicely.
The cast here is the main attraction as it is filled with talented actors who each give their all to their all to their respective parts. Their work here is fantastic and really solid, showing a strong ensemble cast as well as a passion for their work. The way they each act their part is on point while being something of its era. To modern audiences who may be unused to the style of the period, the way Japanese films were made back then this may come off a little different, but in this case the differences are so small and the acting is so solid that it does not matter much at all. The way the performances are brought together and work as a whole is perfect for the story and the film.
On top of this, the cinematography here is beautiful. The work by Kuratarô Takamura and team here is lovely and brings the film to life in the perfect way. The attention to detail, the lighting, and the framing help the film tell its story, advance, and make the most of each image on the screen. The images here sell the film and its story so well, the become a sort of extra character. Of course, this is greatly helped by the set dressing, costumes, makeup, hair, editing, and everything other departments all coming together to create the right vision for the story.
Tattooed Life is a film that isn’t necessarily for everyone, and it seems to know it, pushing its style and qualities just right to bring the exactly film its target audience is coming to see. This may be an older film, but (besides a few things here and there) it has aged quite well.
The new release of it on Blu-ray by Radiance film looks fantastic in high definition and the sound quality is as good as can be expected from source material that is nearly 60 years old. The extras on the disc are good as well with the archival interview with Seijun Suziki and the archival interview with Takeo Kimura being the high points here. These have been newly editing leading to an easy to digest set of interviews. The disc also comes with an audio commentary by William Carroll and the trailer for the film. The packing here is beautiful as is usually the case from Radiance Films with new art by Time Tomorrow and a new booklet with writing by Tom Vick.