"Actor: Kei Satô"

• Irezumi | Blu Ray | (21/06/2021) from £8.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Drawn from the pen of one of Japan's foremost writers of the 20th century, Junichiro Tanizaki (A Fool's Love, The Makioka Sisters), Irezumi is a stylish tale of lust, betrayal and revenge directed by Yasuzo Masumura (Giants and Toys, Blind Beast). Masumura's muse Ayako Wakao (The Blue Sky Maiden, Red Angel) stars as Otsuya, the daughter of a rich merchant, who is tempted by her lover, Shinsuke, a lowly employee of her father's, to elope. During their flight, Otsuya's beauty attracts the gaze of Seikichi, a mysterious master tattooist who sees her pristine white skin as the perfect canvas for his art. The image of the large demonic spider that he emblazons across Otsuya's back marks her as the property of another man, radically altering her relationships with all around her as her personality transforms under its influence. Available for the first time outside of Japan in a new 4K restoration, Irezumi sports some of Japanese cinema's most respected talent of its day both in front of and behind the camera. The bewitching cinematography by Kazuo Miyagawa (Rashomon, Ugetsu) captures the sensual atmosphere of the period setting, while the script by Kaneto Shindo (Onibaba, Kuroneko) lends a modern twist to this feverish meditation on obsession and the act of creation. Special Features High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation from a new 4K scan Original uncompressed Japanese mono audio Optional English subtitles Brand new audio commentary by Japanese cinema scholar David Desser Newly filmed introduction by Japanese cinema expert Tony Rayns Out of the Darkness, a brand new visual essay by Asian cinema scholar Daisuke Miyao Original Trailer Image Gallery Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collectors' booklet featuring new writing by Thomas Lamarre and Daisuke Miyao

• The Water Margin: Complete Series | Blu Ray | (05/09/2016) from £62.15   |  Saving you £17.84 (28.70%)   |  RRP £79.99

  Finally after years of waiting, The Water Margin finally gets its release on Blu-ray. The Japanese producers made a full HD restoration of the Japanese materials and these were then merged with the UK titles and soundtrack. The restoration includes many deleted and shortened scenes never ever seen before. This is as good as it gets for Water Margin fans! The ancient sages said, Do not despise the snake for having no horns, for who is to say it will not become a dragon? So may one just man become an army. Nearly a thousand years ago in ancient China,at the time of the Song Dynasty, there was a cruel and corrupt government. These men riding are outlaws, heroes who have been driven to live in the water margins of Liang Shan Po, far to the south of the capital city. Each fights tyranny with a priceon his head, in a world very different from our own. The story starts in legend even then, for our heroes, it was said, were perhaps the souls reborn of other, earlier knights.

• Hanzo The Razor (3 DVD Special Edition Box Set) (UNCUT) | DVD | (06/04/2009) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Love samurai films? Wish they were... dirtier? Welcome to Hanzo the Razor'sderanged world of crazy swordplay and sexploitation set to a 1970s funk soundtrack. Uncut for the first time ever in the UK this cult 1970s Japanese pinku trilogy was seemingly influenced by Dirty Harry and Shaft but there's no doubt who has the 'longer arm of the law'! Shintaro Katsu (best known as the blind swordsman in the original Zatoichi) stars as Hanzo - a rebellious yet obsessively moral samurai police officer who slashes his way through the backbone of crime uncovers corruption at higher levels and tortures relentlessly using his own unique techniques. Shocking audiences even today the hardest man in Edo regularly unleashes his special weapon in the form of his oversized penis which he uses to 'interrogate' female suspects into pleasured compliance. Despite the knuckle-biting graphic violence there is an underlying social commentary testifying to the noble honour of the samurai and emphasising Hanzo's status as the people's champion. In Sword of Justice Hanzo overturns his own gutless superiors; in The Snare he breaks into a temple used by local magistrates for the sadistic torture of young girls. In Who's Got the Gold? the shogunate treasury is being looted by its own officials. From the creator of the Lone Wolf and Cub series (used as the basis for Shogun Assassin and a direct influence on Tarantino's Kill Bill) the Hanzo the Razor trilogy is presented here for the first time in the UK complete and uncut.

• The Game Trilogy Blu-ray | Blu Ray | (17/02/2025) from £22.75   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Made at the end of the 1970s, Toru Murakawa's Game Trilogy launched actor Yusaku Matsuda as the Toei tough guy for a new generation. Matsuda was the definitive screen icon of 1980s until his career was tragically cut short by cancer at the age of 40, following his Hollywood debut in Ridley Scott's Black Rain. In this career-defining triptych, Matsuda is Shohei Narumi, an ice cool hitman of few words, a steely trigger finger, and a heart of stone, hired in The Most Dangerous Game by a company bidding for a lucrative government air defence contract to take out the competition. In The Killing Game, Narumi finds himself caught in the midst of violent yakuza gang warfare, while his own brutal past catches up with him in the form of two beautiful women still bearing the emotional scars of his past assignments. In The Execution Game, Narumi falls for a mysterious saloon bar chanteuse who may or may not be part of the same, shadowy underworld organisation as the rival hitmen he is employed to rub out. With cool blue cinematography by Nagisa Oshima collaborator Seizo Sengen and a sultry score by jazz legend Yuji Ohno, Murakawa's masterful set of films raised the bar for the Japanese action movie to new heights. SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS - High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of all films - Original lossless mono Japanese soundtracks - Optional newly translated English subtitles - Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella DISC 1: THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME - Audio commentary by Chris Poggiali and Marc Walkow - The Action Man, a 30-minute interview with director Toru Murakawa - Original Japanese theatrical trailer - Image gallery DISC 2: THE KILLING GAME & THE EXECUTION GAME - Audio commentary on The Killing Game by Earl Jackson and Jasper Sharp - Audio commentary on The Execution Game by Tom Mes - Remembering Yusaku Matsuda, an interview with Yutaka Oki, film critic and personal friend of Yusaku Matsuda - Game Changer, an interview with The Execution Game screenwriter Shoichi Maruyama - Original Japanese theatrical trailers for both films - Image galleries for both films

• The Water Margin: Complete Series | DVD | (22/08/2016) from £45.75   |  Saving you £14.24 (31.13%)   |  RRP £59.99

  Tells the story of the 108 Heroes who stood up against a corrupt government. Each hero has his own unique fighting skill, but they are all willing to die to uphold justice.

• Violence at High Noon | DVD | (28/07/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  One of Oshima's most powerful and controversial films. Telling the brutal story of real-life rapist and serial murderer Eisuke (Kei Sato) and his relationship with his protective schoolteacher wife Matsuko (Akiko Koyama) and his only surviving victim Shino (Saeda Kawagushi) Oshima takes the format of the 'real-life crime' drama and uses it as a canvas to lay bare the lost idealism and decay in postwar Japan. Although the action takes place in a seemingly idyllic rural setting Oshima's portrait of humanity is as dark violent and uncompromising as the urban wastes and hellish ghettos of Naked Youth and The Sun's Burial. Never presenting Eisuke as anything less than a monster Oshima goes further to suggest how such deviancy and (specifically male) violence reflects an amoral and corrupt modern society. Part thriller part reaction against the austere Japanese cinematic tradition with avant-garde experimentation and grim social commentary Violence At High Noon is fresh and as fearsome today as when it was first released.

• The Water Margin - Vol. 1 | DVD | (03/02/2003) from £13.86   |  Saving you £1.13 (8.15%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Nearly a thousand years ago in ancient China at the time of the Sung dynasty there was a cruel and corrupt government. These men riding are outlaws heroes driven to live in the water margins of Liang Shan Po far to the south of the capital. Each fights tyranny with a price on his head in a world very different from our own... Nine Dozen Heroes And One Wicked Man: ""One man can move a people and a wronged people can move the world."" None Will Ever Escape Alive:

• The Sun's Burial | DVD | (26/05/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Set in the post-war slums of Osaka The Sun's Burial follows the lives and fates of the denizens of this hellish ghetto. Pimps prostitutes drug addicts vagrants hustlers and gangsters struggle to survive amidst the poverty and decay of 1950's Japan. Unflinching in it's portrayal of life in these slums the film goes beyond a documentary-style realism to achieve a garish lurid Cinemascope aesthetic that is at once repulsive and yet mesmerising. It's a pitiless and dispassionate portrait of a living hell that lurks behind the facade of a prosperous new Japan a place where everything - food sex even blood - is simply a commodity to be stolen and sold.

• Onibaba | DVD | (22/08/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Deep within the wind-swept marshes of war-torn medieval Japan an impoverished mother and her daughter-in-law eke out a lonely desperate existence. Forced to murder lost Samurai and sell their belongings for grain they dump the corpses down a deep dark hole and live off the meagre spoils. When a bedraggled neighbour the former friend of the woman's son returns from the skirmishes lust jealousy and rage threaten to destroy the trio's tenuous existence before an ominous ill-g

• Irezumi | DVD | (23/07/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  When a young girl is seduced and has a spider tattooed on her back; she herself becomes a predatory monster taking revenge on every man who has shared her bed.

• The Water Margin | DVD | (06/02/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  It is ancient China one thousand years ago the time of the Tsung Dynasty. A cruel and corrupt government has driven many upright law-abiding citizens to rebel becoming outlaws determined to end the tyranny of their unscrupulous and murderous leader Kao Chiu (Kei Sato). A renegade force of nine dozen heroes is forced to hide out in the water margins of Liang Shan Po where steadily growing in strength they plot to overthrow their oppressors. Struggling to maintain his honour and nobility former army officer Lin Chung (Atsuo Nakamura) becomes the reluctant driving force behind the rebellious band of brothers as they embark on their epic and heroic fight for liberty... Adapted from the famous Chinese folk legend The Water Margin was translated and dubbed for the English market by the production team responsible for Monkey and featured the vocal talents of Miriam Margolyes David Collings and as narrator Burt Kwouk. Originally screened to tremendous acclaim on British television by the BBC in 1976 the series combined dazzling Kurosawa-inspired sword fighting action high-flying sorcery and superlative special effects with a compelling blend of imagination mysticism wisdom and philosophy. Features three episodes.

• The Water Margin - Complete | DVD | (07/02/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £99.99

  `Do not despise the snake for having no horns for who is to say it will not become a dragon?' Undoubtedly the ""Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon"" of its day the classic cult TV series 'The Water Margin' is a timeless epic and very much a touchstone for anybody who grew up in the mid-to-late 70s. Now for the first time ever the entire 26-episode serial is being made available on this complete DVD box set. It is ancient China one thousand years ago; the time of the Tsung Dynasty.

• The Water Margin - Vol. 8 | DVD | (12/05/2003) from £6.67   |  Saving you £8.32 (124.74%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Nearly a thousand years ago in ancient China at the time of the Sung dynasty there was a cruel and corrupt government. These men riding are outlaws heroes driven to live in the water margins of Liang Shan Po far to the south of the capital. Each fights tyranny with a price on his head in a world very different from our own... Episodes 15 and 16.

• Marlon Brando Box Set | DVD | (22/11/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £35.99

  A collection of classic and unusual Marlon Brando movies including The Wild One One The Waterfront The Ugly American and The Appaloosa. The Wild One (1954) An angry young Marlon Brando scorches the screen as The Wild One in this powerful 50s cult classic. Brando plays Johnny the leader of a vicious biker gang that involves a small sleepy California town. The leather-jacketed young biker seems hell-bent on destruction until he falls for Kathie (Mary Murphy) a 'good-girl' w

• The Water Margin - Episodes 1-13 | DVD | (15/01/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £34.99

  It is ancient China one thousand years ago; the time of the Tsung Dynasty. A cruel and corrupt government has driven many upright law-abiding citizens to rebel becoming outlaws determined to end the tyranny of their unscrupulous and murderous leader Kao Chiu (Kei Sato). A renegade force of ""nine dozen heroes"" is forced to hide out in the water margins of Liang Shan Po where steadily growing in strength they plot to overthrow their oppressors. Struggling to maintain his honour and nobility former army officer Lin Chung (Atsuo Nakamura) becomes the reluctant driving force behind the rebellious band of brothers as they embark on their epic and heroic fight for liberty.

• The Water Margin - Season 1 - | DVD | (03/02/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £69.99

  The Water Margin is a sprawling Chinese television series from 1977 that tells the story of a group of legendary heroes who battled corruption at the time of the Sung dynasty 1,000 years ago. Made in two seasons of 13 episodes and shown on BBC television in a dubbed version narrated by Burt Kwouk, the central figure is Lin Chung (Atsuo Nakamura), an army officer who comes, Robin Hood-style, to lead a rebellion against the evil Kao Chiu (Kai Satu). The result plays like something somewhere between Seven Samurai and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Though not without humour, this is a much more serious saga than Monkey (1978), adapted by the same team and similarly a hit for the BBC. Bolstered by wirework in the excellent fight scenes, this is traditional Kurosawa-influenced adventure, a saga of rebels against an oppressive empire with as much appeal to Star Wars fans as to martial arts devotees. Each episode tells a self-contained tale within the wider framework and the strong production values and compelling storytelling are not too compromised by the dubbing, which is carefully done to a high standard. This is a lavishly made TV epic that remains hugely entertaining a quarter-century after it first aired. On the DVD: The Water Margin is presented in a beautifully designed fold-out package with a small poster and an episode guide leaflet. The 13 43-minute-long episodes are spread across six DVDs. The extras are identical throughout, apart from episode-specific photo galleries, reflecting the fact that each disc is also sold separately. There are 16 character profiles, synopses of all 26 episodes, production notes and previews of the Monkey DVDs and Blake's Seven videos. Other than the restoration of some violence, the episodes are exactly as they were shown on the BBC; there's no option to watch the original Chinese versions. The sound is unexceptional mono, the picture grainy, a little soft and shows some print damage. Unfortunately the 4:3 transfers also demonstrate obvious pixilation in fast moving and visually complex scenes, the quality being more like digital TV than state-of-the-art DVD. --Gary S Dalkin

• The Water Margin - Season 2 - | DVD | (17/05/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £69.99

  `Do not despise the snake for having no horns for who is to say it will not become a dragon?' Undoubtedly the ""Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon"" of its day the classic cult TV series 'The Water Margin' is a timeless epic and very much a touchstone for anybody who grew up in the mid- to late-70s. Now for the first time ever the entire 26-episode series is being made available on DVD in a choice of two box sets or individual box sets courtesy of Fabulous Films/Fremantle Home Ent

• The Water Margin - Vol. 2 | DVD | (03/02/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Nearly a thousand years ago in ancient China at the time of the Sung dynasty there was a cruel and corrupt government. These men riding are outlaws heroes driven to live in the water margins of Liang Shan Po far to the south of the capital. Each fights tyranny with a price on his head in a world very different from our own... Epsiodes 3 and 4.

• Night And Fog In Japan | DVD | (23/06/2008) from £6.59   |  Saving you £13.40 (203.34%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Nagisa Oshima's most personal film is a reflection by the director on his own disillusionment with the revolutionary student movement of the 1950's and the failure of political radicalism. Taking it's title (as a reference or homage) from Alain Resnais' pivotal 1956 documentary Night and Fog the film has a group of former student revolutionaries who meet again years later at the wedding of one of their classmates. Old feelings rivalaries and grudges gradually erupt to the surface as the one-time friends recall the various treacheries by which their cause was defeated. Cutting between times past and the present and unfolding the action from each of his characters viewpoints Oshima creates an abstract and yet engrossing study of passions past and principles eroded. Controversial upon release - the film's producers pulled the film from distribution after only a few days in cinemas - Night & Fog in Japan retains both its power to shock and its ability to engage the viewer in it's radical form and themes.

• Hitman | DVD | (21/08/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Eric the would-be assassin is such a nice, caring fellow that Hitman has an immediate credibility problem: how could Eric (oriental superstar Jet Li in his follow-up to Lethal Weapon 4) ever believe he could be a cold-blooded murderer? The script tries to get around this by emphasising his poverty, and once he meets conman Norman (Hong Kong comedy star Eric Tsang), the film manages to blend amiable humour with amoral characters and polished action into an entertaining whole. A yakusa crime lord has been murdered by the Angel of Death, a professional hitman who only kills those he believes deserve to die. Getting well out of their depth in the hunt for the assassin, Li and Tsang make an appealing double act, while Gigi Leung is charming as Norman's lawyer daughter. With a moderately involved plot and an emphasis on character, action is limited to five well-staged set-pieces which are stylishly conceived, exciting and don't outstay their welcome. The finale even has a joke at the expense of Die Hard's running across broken glass, while the ending sets up the inevitable sequel. A long way from Li's magnificent Once Upon A Time in China (1991), Hitman is efficient, highly watchable Hong Kong entertainment.On the DVD: The 1.77:1 anamorphically enhanced picture is generally very good, though sometimes slightly grainy. The sound is Dolby Prologic, and far better than many other Hong Kong releases. Even so, the end title notes the film was shown theatrically in Dolby Digital, raising the question as to why the DVD does not also use this system. The film is presented in Cantonese with subtitles, or dubbed in English. Included is a 10-minute interview with Jet Li and a seven-minute interview with Simon Yam (who plays a detective), neither of which are specifically about Hitman. However, a 13-minute interview presented anamorphically enhanced with Keiji Sato (who plays the murdered yakusa's grandson) is specific to the film and ranks as the best extra. A text biography of Jet Li covers many pages and provides an excellent introduction to his career. The "music promo" is Hong Kong Legends' own trailer for Hitman, and is complemented by trailers for five other releases. --Gary S Dalkin