Revenge of a Kabuki Actor

Starring: Ayako Wakao, Fujiko Yamamoto, Kazuo Hasegawa, Raizo Ichikawa

Directed: Kon Ichikawa

Release Date: 1963

Run Time:  113 Minutes

Format: DVD

Audio:
Japanese / Subtitles: English

Distributor: AnimEigo

Film Synopsis

Master Director Kon Ichikawa’s 1963 classic is considered by many to be one of the finest films ever made in Japan.

Kasuo Hasegawa stars as Yukinojo, a talented kabuki actor who specializes in playing female roles (women were not allowed on the stage during the period of the film). But his success on the stage is but a means to an end; his true goal is to visit vengeance upon the three ruthless and powerful men who destroyed his family’s business and drove his parents to commit suicide.

Yukinojo’s vengeance will be carefully scripted, and skillfully acted. But the price of admission will be high indeed.
– AnimEigo

Audio/Video

Audio

Audio Format(s): Japanese, Dolby Digital 2ch
Subtitles: English

 

Like most of the Japanese Films remastered from the 60’s its in 2ch DD. With only 1 minor glitch around 1 hour in you get some digital noise of some sort when a female actor is talking, and it only happens for about 1 second. This may very on disc but it does occurs on my copy and it’s really nothing to talk about.

 

Rating:

Video

Disc Format: DVD 9
Encoding: MPEG-2
Video Aspect: 2.35:1 Widescreen
Resolution: 720 x 480

The PQ is mixed for me. The Close ups are in good form but the distant shots of faces have less detail compared to other DVDs from AnimEigo. But what shines are the colors as the film carry’s a good amount so the colors are vibrant. The blacks are OK, when there are black Backgrounds the blacks aren’t truly black as its speckled with Noise like most older films. Other than that the PQ is good for DVD but not the best I’ve seen On DVD.


Rating:

 

Theatrical release Date: January 13, 1963

Disc release Date: October 14, 2008

Extras
  • Image Gallery
  • Program Notes
  • Theatrical Trailers
My Thoughts

Revenge of a Kabuki Actor is entertaining throughout the whole film giving you a little bit of every thing from, weird to enjoyment. The Weird would be the main lead actor who is a man playing a female for theater, but remains playing the female throughout the whole film. At first I thought he would break from this but never does and he never fools anyone but for some reason all the ladies love him.

The film itself is a great movie with 5 different stories intertwining throughout but not really breaking off from the main story and that is the revenge the lead actor is trying to commit. The other story’s involve 3 different thieves one female one male who is well-known and anther male who can’t seem to become a well-known thief.The 5th story is a guy who was once a student alongside the Kabuki actor who got jealous and tries to kill him several times in the film.

The Main plot is great as the Kabuki actor takes revenge on 3 guys who turned is parents insane leading them both committing suicide. The Kabuki actor does a Bruce Lee in this film with the 3 guys he is seeking revenge on. By doing a Bruce Lee I mean The art of fighting with out fighting, so the actor never lifts finger but he does have the skill to do so. Does he kill all 3 guys ? and if he doesn’t lift a finger how does he do it? Well You just have to watch.

The great part of the film is that the director covers every thing leaving every character with an ending and having every one at the same place at the end in front of a stage. The very end of the film you are left with a question, not a question you are asking your self but a Question the narrator leaves you with.

Over all I thought this was a great  movie even though at first I didn’t think I will like it due to the movie having not much action. But I was wowed  by the way it plays and the plot keeps you entertained so with that said I give Revenge of a Kabuki Actor a 4 out of 5

Trailer
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh6iHHCEBto]

By Masked Avenger

CEO/Webmaster of soreelflix.com. The Name Is James and I love Film ranging from Silent 20's to highly CGI Blockbusters of today. Westerns, Horror, world film, basically anything that peaks my interest I own it But Asian Films are what I Prize the most and Half of My collection Consists of Asian Films. Thanks to the Film 5 Deadly Venoms I Hail From The US, Maryland Is where The Ninja Studies and views the Scrolls of Film That Shine on his 46" Screen. I own a sword, I can do a thousand upside down situps, and I randomly disappear in smoke when I'm not writing movie news and or reviews.

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