Monday, August 20, 2018

DETECTIVE BUREAU 2-3-GO TO HELL BASTARDS!: STYLISH EARLY YAKUZA FILM


Arrow Video seems to be the only company making certain that the films of Japanese director Seijun Suzuki don’t get lost or forgotten. Having released compilations of his films they now are offering this film, DETECTIVE BUREAU 2-3: GO TO HELL BASTARDS. Strangely enough the 2-3 doesn’t designate a series of films and to my knowledge this was the only film featuring these characters. That doesn’t matter as the one here offers plenty of action and humor.

The movie stars Jô Shishido as Hideo Tajima, a swinging private detective who stumbles into a case he can make money from. The film opens with a shipment of US guns hijacked by a yakuza gang who slaughters the gang they’re stealing them from. Claiming he can go places where the police can’t he gets them to employ him and goes undercover to find the stolen guns and round up the gang.

To get to this point he first must help a captured yakuza member waiting to be transported or released. Unfortunately a rival yakuza gang learns of his whereabouts and is waiting outside the jail armed with samurai swords. Why the police can’t round up enough to take out the gang is beyond me so maybe there’s something lost in translation here. Suffice to say Hideo rescues the man who takes him under his wing as well as to his employers.

While this man is trusting the gang leader is not. Using his own sources inside the police he finds that Hideo is not an officer but that still doesn’t convince him. Hideo doesn’t reveal himself hoping to be led to the top man of the outfit rather than capture those lower on the crime rungs of this crime ladder. Working his way into the group he’s aided by two staff members back in his office, comedy relief for the film and a singer he knows who is working in a club the gang goes to.

Made in 1963 the film switches back and forth from one kind or movie to another with ease. At points it feels like a crime drama, others a police procedural and then suddenly a comedy. The thing is it actually works making the movie an entertainment treat. Even a segment that finds Hideo forced to perform a song in a nightclub comes off well.

Suzuki had an extensive career cut short for time after he sued Nikkatsu studios for wrongful termination. He’s since been rediscovered by fans and Arrow has helped those fans immensely with their releases of his films including this one. The film looks marvelous here with a high definition transfer that’s gorgeous. In addition to that they’ve included several extras for fans to enjoy including an interview with historian and Japanese cinema expert Tony Rayns, a gallery of production stills, the original theatrical trailer and a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly created artwork by Matthew Griffin.

My guess is that this film is not something most in the US have seen or even heard of. For that matter it might be that they’re unaware of Suzuki and his films either. This is a nice spot to jump on board though and discover the cinema of sixties Japan. DVDs and blu-rays have offered movie fans the opportunity to revisit some fantastic films from the past and from other countries. Arrow has made sure that we’re being offered those films in the best way possible. This is one that fans of movies like the Matt Helm films made in the states might find some fun with. I know I did.

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