Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition And Torture (DVD)

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While stylistic imagery was an important and visually pleasing aspect of Norifumi Suzuki´s first Elder Sister film, Ishii literally takes a brute force approach to this sequel. Artistic elements are practically non-existent, as some of the sets can be deemed minimalist or even in more crude terms, just bare. Maybe it was the lower budget set aside for this movie when compared to "Sex & Fury" or the short timeframe that he had to shoot, but Ishii could have done better with the choreographing of the fight scenes or the story itself, co-written by Ishii and Masahiro Kakefuda (who also co-wrote "Sex & Fury"). With the watered down material that she had to work with, Reiko Ike herself is considerably less effective in this film. Gone are the intense emotions so clearly reflected in Ike´s face as she exacted revenge on her father´s murderers.

Although largely underwhelming when compared to "Sex & Fury", "Female Yakuza Tale" is yet another great example of Toei´s immense contribution to the 70´s sexploitation genre.

Video:
Like "Sex & Fury", Panik House has done a remarkable job restoring this film to a near pristine condition. Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, the anamorphically enhanced video images on this DVD must certainly look as good as it did when it was released more than thirty years ago. The details are astounding and the vivid colors, just amazingly reproduced. On the flip side, there are very minor issues like some minute traces of dirt and speckles on the print or the softness in some scenes. The only subtitle option available on this DVD is English.

Audio:
The only audio option available here is the original Japanese language Mono track. Even though it is delivered on a single channel (through the center speaker in a 5.1 setup), this Mono track contains almost stereo-like qualities, producing a deep and wide sound field that adds depth to the aural experience. Unlike "Sex & Fury", the soundtrack this time contains some forgettable themes that are made up largely of an electric bass arrangement.

Extras:
The special features on this DVD are in every way similar to the one featured on the "Sex & Fury" DVD. Starting off, we have an audio commentary by Chris D., a film programmer for the American Cinematheque, who is pretty knowledgeable about Japanese cinema. Chris D.´s comments about the film may be sparse and you get some dead air in between but when he gets going on a particular subject, there is good information to be had. Next we have the "Original Theatrical Trailer" (in anamorphic widescreen) and "Posters & Still Galleries", which includes four promotional art stills and ten black and white production stills from the film.

In addition, there are also informational and historical features like "Director & Star Bios", which presents biographical and filmography information for Teruo Ishii and Reiko Ike. Finally, there are two very informational pieces by Chris D., which provides historical background on first, this film in "Production Notes" and then--similar to the one from the "Sex & Fury" DVD--on Toei´s contribution to Japanese exploitation films in "Toei´s Bad Girl Cinema".

Packaging:
Like the packaging for the "Sex & Fury" DVD, the package here is similarly quite unique. The DVD is encased in a minimalist-type translucent keepcase, which is then placed inside a clear transparent plastic jacket that contains the cover art and DVD information.

Film Value:
It is inherently hard to justify the existence of a film genre that demeans its female characters and treats them as simply objects that exist solely to satisfy men in a sexual context. However, the world is not perfect and these types of films do exist. The two Elder Sister films that I have reviewed so far do not stray far from the exploitation formula except for the fact that both films´ main protagonist is a woman who can certainly stand her ground. In fact, many of the Japanese exploitation films do use women in strong roles who often use their sexuality to further their own agenda or to fight for justice. "Female Yakuza Tale" is not the grand sequel to "Sex & Fury" that I had expected. Immediately, you can see the big difference in Teruo Ishii´s almost-rustic vision for this film when compared to Norifumi Suzuki´s stylistic sets and artistic vision that was so prominently on display in "Sex & Fury". But at the end of the day, both films seem to complement one another, creating a fitting tribute to the Elder Sister character, Ocho and to its talented star, Reiko Ike.

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