Violent Streets

Rating: 4/5.

Dark, mean, with a fatalistic streak, Violent Streets (Bôryoku gai) is widely regarded as one of the wildest, and most visually stunning yakuza exploitation movies ever made. And for good reason…

Violent Streets AKA Violent City (Bôryoku gai)
Series: Eureka’s Masters of Cinema.
Format: Special Edition blu-ray.
Cast: Noboru Andô, Akira Kobayashi, Isao Natsuyago, Bunta Sugawara, Tetsurō Tanba.
Certificate 15 (TBC).
Director: Hideo Gosha.
Language: Japanese with optional English subtitles.
Run time: 99 min.

Dark, mean, with a fatalistic streak, Violent Streets (Bôryoku gai) is widely regarded as one of the wildest, and most visually stunning yakuza movies ever made. And for good reason… While it’s true that this isn’t a film that will surprise those familiar with the genre, this classic of ‘70s exploitation movies takes things to a whole new level. Directed by one of Japanese chambara films’ finest directors—Hideo Gosha—Violent Streets’ breathtaking set pieces have to be seen to be believed.

Gosha directed a number of films in the yakuza genre during his career but Violent Streets is undoubtedly his masterpiece—a slick, baroque crime thriller about a retired yakuza who gets pulled into a gang war by his former associates.

Retired yakuza enforcer, Egawa (Noboru Andô) is now a world-weary nightclub owner brooding over his past indiscretions. When his former associates are released from prison, their attempts to regain a foothold in the criminal underworld, ignite a gang war between the local yakuza, and an out-of-town clan led by veteran actor Tetsurō Tanba (Harakiri). The results are loud and extremely violent—with Egawa trapped in the middle of the whole bloody mess. 

Now available as part of Eureka’s Masters of Cinema Series, Violent Streets, makes its worldwide debut on Blu-ray (from a 2K restoration) this month. The first print-run of 2000 copies will feature a Limited-Edition O-card Slipcase.

Special Edition Blu-Ray Features Includes:

• Limited Edition slipcase featuring new artwork by Tony Stella.
• 1080p presentation on Blu-ray from a 2K restoration of the original film elements. Optional English subtitles.
• An introduction to Violent Streets and the works of director Hideo Gosha by film critic Tony Rayns.
• Jasper Sharp on Violent Streets.
• LUS: A collector’s booklet featuring a new essay by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes.