While the Arthouse was an amazing place with its mix of indie, international and revival films playing, there was a limiting aspect. While you’re multiple might have had a dozen screens, the arthouse in your town maybe had one or two screens. That meant a lot movies that you read about didn’t make it to town. Perfect example is Japanese cinema which didn’t seem to make it over the Pacific Ocean if it didn’t feature the names Akira Kurosawa or Godzilla. Seems like now so many of the films that played to packed houses in Tokyo in the 20th Century are making it to America thanks to passionate home video studios. Teruo Ishii’s films have finally made it to North America over the last few years. Now the start of one of his epic series is making arrives on Blu-ray in May. Prison Walls: Abashiri Prison I-III has the first three films in the series about Ken Takakura as a Yakuza member sent to a remote and frozen prison. Eureka Entertainment! puts out the boxset in May. Here’s the press release with all the details:
EUREKA ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF TERUO ISHII’S ACTION-PACKED PRISON BREAKOUT FILMS
STARRING KEN TAKAKURA
The North American Blu-ray Debut of
PRISON WALLS: ABASHIRI PRISON I-III,
The First Three Entries in the Landmark Series
Eureka Entertainment announces the May 28 release of PRISON WALLS: ABASHIRI PRISON I-III, the first three entries in the landmark series, directed by Teruo Ishii and starring Ken Takakura. Presented for the first time ever on Blu-ray from brand new restorations. Available as part of The Masters of Cinema Series, the first print run of 2000 copies in each territory will feature an O-card slipcase.
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 series is proud to present the first three entries in this landmark series, 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 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 installments 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 Materials
- Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Tony Stella (First Pressing Only)
- 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
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Mark Schilling (First Pressing Only)
PRESS
“an exciting and action-packed prison breakout film, incorporating a few elements of the ninkyo eiga, mainly in the form of Takakura’s stoic yakuza leading character.” – Taste of Cinema
TRAILER
