DVD When a bomber, a patricide, a mad biker and a pornographer, together with various other forms of social detritus, break free from jail it is not surprising that mayhem follows in their wake.
Details
Michiru is a young man who has spent most of his life shut inside his room with little or no contact with either his brother or father. But one day, after overhearing a particularly nasty argument between them, he finally snaps and murders his father. Found guilty of his crime he is sent to prison and placed in a communal cell along with nine other men. But sharing the cell with yet another person becomes too much for one of the already overcrowded prisoners and, after finding hair in his food, he finally breaks down and begins shouting abuse at both his fellow prisoners and the guards. Before being dragged away he babbles something about a huge cache of money hidden in a time capsule at Mount Fuji Elementary School.
It is not long before the cell's occupants are increased back to ten, although this time it is of the four-legged variety when a mouse finds its way into the cell. Discovering the small hole in the floor through which the mouse entered, the prisoners realise it may provide a means of escape. Somehow the nine remaining inmates manage to squeeze through the opening and make their break for freedom (although quite how they escaped through a mouse hole will forever remain one of the film's more mysterious moments). Rather than splitting up and heading their separate ways, the nine men - whose talents include a bomber, a patricide, a mad biker and a pornographer - decide to stick together. They soon hijack a battered looking camper van and, finally equipped with some transport, set off to retrieve the bounty hidden in the time capsule at Mount Fuji Elementary School.
Following Torakichi, the self-appointed and no-nonsense leader of the group, through the countryside, this band of supposedly vicious criminals turn out to be surprisingly law-abiding. They even worry about who has a valid driving licence. Rather than smashing vending machines or robbing every eatery in sight they actually pay for their meals and treat the people they encounter with surprising respect. Of course, a flock of sheep proves a little too tempting for a group of men who have been deprived of female company for so long. But as the rather unconventional road trip continues both the viewer and the nine men slowly begin to learn more about each other as they embark on their individual journeys of discovery and redemption.
Picture & Sound
Being now accustomed to reviewing Japanese films which have been made on shoestring budgets, often resulting in poor quality and noisy transfers, it is all the more satisfying when you come across a release where the picture quality is vastly improved over previous efforts and even embarrasses some bigger budget Hollywood titles. From the moment the film starts you know you are about to watch something special as not only is the image crisp and sharp, but the initial cityscape fly-past is visually stunning. Both of these point to an impressive director at work and signs of a very good transfer.
Generally the transfer is clean and sharp with a good level of detail throughout. Colours are rich and vibrant whilst there are no real problems with either artefacting or outlining. Still, the transfer is far from problem free. Whilst black levels are generally good, images in some of the darker scenes can become a little indistinct at times and it can be hard to work out exactly what is going on. There is also the occasional problem with print damage, but if you compare this to some other Japanese titles on the Artsmagic label, such as Full Metal Yakuza and Young Thugs : Innocent Blood, then you really cannot have too many complaints about the transfer.
Given that the film originates from Japan you will hardly be surprised to learn that the 448 Kbps Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is presented in its native Japanese. Even though I had to rely on the rather large on-screen subtitles, the dialogue is crisp and clear in the centre and front channels whilst the surround channels are used to a reasonable degree. However that Japanese obsession with over-exciting and overpowering music continues, with a loud rock soundtrack blasting out of the speakers at every opportunity. Still, I am not complaining this time as the score is quite impressive and really adds an extra dimension to the film.
Menu & Extras
The menu system is simply animated and scored with music from the opening section of the film whilst everything is clearly laid out and easy to navigate. Extras wise, considering the rather good packages found on other Artsmagic titles such as Sabu and Young Thugs : Innocent Blood, the collection on offer here is a bit of a disappointment. Still, fans of the film will be able to find something of interest in the director interviews and biographies.
The main extra on the disc is the Full-Length Commentary with Tom Mes, an acclaimed writer on Japanese cinema. However it is easy to forget that it is there as, rather than appearing on the extras menu, you have to select it from the sound Setup menu instead. Once selected Tom provides a reasonable amount of information on the film, the director and the actors, as well as some valuable insight into Japanese culture - particularly the prison system which helps explain why the initial group of characters are together. However it can be a little hard going at times with his rather monotone delivery becoming slightly tiresome. Still, if you can put this minor quibble aside then a second viewing with the commentary enabled is certainly worthwhile.
The thirty-eight minute Interview with director Toshiaki Toyoda is a little hard going at times and it does not take long for the female interviewer to not only confuse herself with her overly elaborate questions but also lose Toyoda in the process. This rather lengthy interview spends more time getting to know the director personally and exploring his influences and working methods. It is certainly interesting, but given its length there are no chapter stops between questions, making it difficult to return to specific points. The second six minute interview with a different interviewer is far more interesting as Toyoda discusses his inspirations for the film, including The Great Escape and a real event in Texas where a group of convicts escaped from prison in a van and remained together throughout their time as fugitives.
As is usual for Artsmagic releases the extras also include a comprehensive selection of textual biographies for the director and some of the cast members. Given that the story revolves around nine characters there is unfortunately only information provided on seven of the actors. Some have numerous pages detailing their previous work whilst others are limited to a few lines on a single page. It may not be the most fascinating material for the casual viewer, but someone has clearly taken the time to research the information and it is interesting to see what the various actors have been involved with during their careers.
The Promotional Material section is a little disappointing. Although there are two pages of interesting looking images related to the film, unless you can read Japanese - and possess extremely good eyesight - they are not going to be of much use here. Past Artsmagic releases allowed viewers to highlight and translate the Japanese text into English, but unfortunately that useful feature has not been included here, rendering this extra somewhat pointless. Things are rounded off with the Theatrical Trailer. Whilst some may consider trailers to be filler material, Japanese trailers often reveal far more about the film than their Hollywood counterparts, so it is still nice to see it included.
Overall
Once in a while a film comes along which manages to blow you away. Whilst Hollywood occasionally produces the odd gem such as The Matrix, it is usually left to smaller independent filmmakers to create something truly special. Now a certain Japanese film called 9 Souls can proudly add itself to that impressive list. What initially appears to be a typical Japanese comedy caper slowly reveals itself to be something far more remarkable - a wonderfully unusual and deeply affecting film that deserves a much wider audience.
There can be few films where characters who have committed such despicable acts of violence, murder and robbery still manage to earn the viewer's sympathy as they search for forgiveness and some form of redemption. Whilst the extras are not quite up to the usual high standards expected from Artsmagic, with a film as rare and original as this it hardly matters. With Blue Spring already under his belt, director Toshiaki Toyoda has created something truly impressive - occasionally strange, but endlessly fascinating.
Do yourself a favour. If you only ever buy one foreign language film, make sure it is 9 Souls. It is remarkable viewing and another impressive release for the adventurous Artsmagic label. Highly recommended.
Special features
- Full-Length Commentary With Tom Mes, Acclaimed Writer On Japanese Cinema
- Interviews with Director Toshiaki Toyoda
- Bio/Filmographies
- Promotional Material
- Theatrical Trailer
