Overview: Tokyo, 1934. Gang boss Arakawa is too ill and a successor must be named. The choice falls on Nakai, but being an outsider he refuses and suggests senior clansman Matsuda instead. But Matsuda is in jail and the elders won�t wait for his release, so they appoint the younger and more malleable Ishido to take the reins.

Clan honor and loyalties are severely tested when Matsuda is released, resulting in an increasingly violent internal strife. An atmospheric tale of gangland intrigue written by Kazuo Kasahara (Battles Without Honour and Humanity) and starring Tomisaburo Wakayama, (Lone Wolf and Cub, The Bounty Hunter Trilogy) and genre legend Koji Tsuruta, Big Time Gambling Boss is one of the all-time classics of the yakuza genre.

Paul Schrader called it the richest and most complex film of it�s type, while novelist Yukio Mishima hailed it as a masterpiece. Radiance Films is proud to present this crucial re-discovery for the first time ever on Blu-ray.

Blu-ray Verdict: On paper, Big Time Gambling Boss sounds every bit like typical Ninkyo fare, a succession battle of stoic Yakuza torn between the code, obligations and personal relationships. And it�s certainly that, but it�s also so much more.

Kazuo Kasuhara�s writing, perhaps some of his best, under Yamashita�s direction and keen eye for not only detail, but protocol and etiquette, elevates this rich tale far above its simple premise. Surprisingly too, the film defies genre conventions in many ways, with a story told quite differently to what is expected from the genre, even if it still has a familiar feeling as it leads to its terrific, bloody denouement that is both shocking and again eschews the usual trappings of the genre.

Interestingly too, there is no real villain here, so to speak. Sure, Nobuo Kaneko�s backdoor politicking and scheming has ramifications for all involved, but usually with the genre it can be boiled down to Good vs Bad, for lack of a better phrase.

But not so here, as each potential candidate for the role of Oyabun is a man stuck in an impossible position, with each set of personal circumstances and indeed, interpretation of a Yakuza�s honor code ultimately being the central theme, leading to the code itself being the real villain contained within.

Perhaps this is no better summed up than by a line Koji Tsuruta himself growls towards the end of the film when asked what his idea of loyalty is, he declares, Loyalty? To hell with it, I�m just a mean murderer. Nothing more.

The cast is nothing short of spectacular, with the legendary Koji Tsuruta delivering one of his absolute best performances as a man feeling the constant push/pull of duty and obligation, crushing him in the process as he tries to mediate between the crumbling families of the Tenryu group.

I�ve said it before and I�ll say it again, there�s few who could convey emotion quite like him, his facial features and eyes being some of the most expressive ever to grace a screen. There�s a stunning scene about halfway through when he tries to settle a dispute and shares a table with Tomisaburo Wakayama, the two men facing each other and debating how to proceed, Tsuruta gently places his brotherhood cup on the table, eyes welling up as he does so, and Wakayama, a wave of regret washing over his face instantly backs down in the face of such a gesture.

It�s a subtle, but thoughtful moment that packs one hell of a punch emotionally. Wakayama too, is at his peak, he commands the screen with a great power and sense of presence, delivering one of his finest hours as Matsuda.

He exudes an authoritative air that has to be seen to be believed and gets to show off almost his entire range with his characters superb arc, the scene where he walks into a ceremonial meeting and tells Ishido that he�s sitting in the wrong position, throwing a copy of the gamblers code in front of him, is absolutely masterful and further proof of his immense ability to effortlessly command a screen.

It should be said too, that Hiroshi Nawa, an oft overlooked member of the Toei roster is absolutely brilliant here. While he doesn�t get quite as much screen time as Tsuruta or Wakayama, he makes the most of every single second as Ishido, a good man put into conflict with his friend for a job he didn�t really want, but has to accept, while trying to uphold his dignity at the same time.

He gets one of the films very best scenes where he accepts the position formally at the succession ceremony, I won�t spoil it, but it�s probably the best evidence there is of what a talent he was as an actor. Backing up the three leads is a solid showing of Toei regulars, Nobuo Kaneko does his thing, stirring the pot to his own benefit. The magnificent Junko Fuji is excellent as Matsuda�s wife and she is joined by the lovely (and also overlooked) Hiroko Sakuramachi, as Nakai�s wife, delivering a superb performance along the way and getting one of the films most tragically poignant scenes while she�s at it.

I really wish I had the words to do this film proper justice for it�s a hidden masterpiece that deserves to be much better known than it is. It�s a stunning yakuza drama, packed to the gills with characterization and context that tells a complete self contained story in the very best of ways, one that will feel familiar to fans, but consistently surprise them too with its defying of genre conventions and truly memorable scenes.

Not just essential viewing for genre fans, but one that should be seen by any and all that like Japanese film. Simply put, it is a stunning work of visual art.

Special Features:
High Definition digital transfer of the film
Uncompressed mono PCM audio
Visual essay by genre expert Chris D on the film and its place within the period and genre
Ninkyo 101: A masterclass with Mark Schilling, author of The Yakuza Movie Book
Gallery of promotional images
Trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by maarko phntm

www.radiancefilms.co.uk