The Shape Of Night Blu-Ray

A young woman from the countryside (Miyuki Kuwano from Oshima's Cruel Story of Youth) falls in love with a handsome gangster (Mikijiro Hira, Sword of the Beast), who forces her into a life of prostitution. When his sleazy superior catches sight of her, she finds herself trapped in the glittering labyrinth of the city's nightlife. The Shape of Night was directed by Noburo Nakamura, a veteran of Shochiku Studio's family dramas from the golden age, and was made as a reaction to the radical film style of the Japanese New Wave. With its lush cinematography full of saturated colors, a lyrical tone, and its story of love leading to inevitable tragedy, it has been compared to the films of Douglas Sirk, while also serves as a precursor to Wong Kar-wai's work. "A lyrical, almost Wong Kar-wai-like counterpart to Oshima's or Imamura's fiery work." - Film Comment "kept me constantly captivated and often surprised" - David Bordwell The camera angles and movements, color scheme, and editing all work brilliantly to illustrate her constant sacrifice and make us emotionally internalize the glittering city as a dazzling parade that always leads her back to her situation. Stylistically, the film anticipates Wong Kar-wai in In the Mood for Love and echoes Douglas Sirk at his most poignant. - Nick James, Sight and Sound

BONUS MATERIAL

High-definition digital transfer

Uncompressed mono PCM audio

Visual essay on the artistic upheavals at Shochiku Studios in the 1960s by Tom Mes

English subtitles