5 Star

A Woman Scorned!

From the pen of writer/director Norifumi Suzuki (Sex & Fury, Truck Rascals) comes the start of an eight film series. This Eureka Blu-ray release sees these three films fully restored to 1080 HD, and they have done a cracking job of all three films as Sumiko Fuji (Summer Wars, Omocha) takes on the lead role as a woman out for revenge. She is the first strong and determined female lead.

Western influence has finally reached Japan. It is Mid-Meiji Period 1868-1912, and Ryuko Yano, who we will come to recognise as Oryu the Red Peony, due to the large tattoo on her right shoulder, introduces herself to the audience. She tells us she is a gambler, as she travels the country, learning her trade.

During her travels, she comes across honourable men and downright cheats. This makes her loyal friends and deadly enemies. These type of people will be the staple of the whole Red Peony series of films.

The thing that really sets off this series is that Ryuko Yano’s father is killed by a mysterious assailant, meaning that she is now the head of the Yakuza Yano clan. Being a woman, an uncle takes the clan away from her, as she swears to avenge her father and restore the Yano clan under her leadership.

Shin is the only one who stays as they set out to find her fathers’ killer, because he was an eyewitness to the murder.

Along the way she comes across an ex-convict Katagiri (Ken Takakura, The Yellow Handkerchief, Black Rain) who has a large sense of chivalry, which leads him to aid Oryu when she needs it most.

No matter how tough you are, a woman is a woman.

With all that she is trying to achieve, she doesn’t need the amorous advances by local Yakuza bosses, in the form of Torakichi Kumasaka (Tomisaburô Wakayama, Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance, Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons) who shows up in the sequels, as we see Oryu get into scrapes with gamblers, imposters and lovers torn apart.

A wrong wife brings a bad life.

THE VALIANT RED PEONY: Red Peony Gambler I-III (Masters of Cinema)is a great release as it brings to light the struggles of a female yakuza boss, in a world run by males.

THE VALIANT RED PEONY: Red Peony Gambler I-III (Masters of Cinema) is available on Blu-ray

 

SPECIAL EDITION TWO-DISC BLU-RAY FEATURES:

Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju) [First print run of 2000 copies only] | 1080p HD presentation of all three films from restorations of the original film elements supplied by Toei | Original Japanese audio tracks (uncompressed LPCM mono) | Brand-new audio commentary tracks on all three films | Tony Rayns on Red Peony Gambler – brand-new interview with critic and Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns | Trailers | PLUS: A collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Jennifer Coates (Making Icons: Repetition and the Female Image in Japanese Cinema, 1945–1964) and Joe Hickinbottom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPECIAL EDITION TWO-DISC BLU-RAY FEATURES:

 

Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju) [First print run of 2000 copies only] | 1080p HD presentation of all three films from restorations of the original film elements supplied by Toei | Original Japanese audio tracks (uncompressed LPCM mono) | Brand-new audio commentary tracks on all three films | Tony Rayns on Red Peony Gambler – brand-new interview with critic and Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns | Trailers | PLUS: A collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Jennifer Coates (Making Icons: Repetition and the Female Image in Japanese Cinema, 1945–1964) and Joe Hickinbottom