"Actor: Shinji Tanaka"

• The Naked Island (Masters of Cinema) (1960) | DVD | (20/06/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Kaneto Shindo's Naked Island tells the story of a small family unit and their subsistence as the only inhabitants of an arid sun-baked island. Daily chores captured as a series of cyclical events result in a hypnotising moving and beautiful film harkening back to the silent era. With hardly any dialogue Shindo combines the stark 'Scope' cinematography of Kiyoshi Kuroda with the memorable score of his constant collaborator Hikaru Hayashi to make a unique cinematic document. Fil

• NAKED ISLAND, The (Masters of Cinema) (BLU-RAY) | Blu Ray | (24/06/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Filmed on the virtually deserted Setonaikai archipelago in south-west Japan The Naked Island [Hadaka no shima] was made - in the words of its director - as a 'cinematic poem' to try and capture the life of human beings struggling like ants against the forces of nature. Kaneto Shindô (Onibaba Kuroneko) made the film with his own production company Kindaï Eiga Kyôkai who were facing financial ruin at the time. Using one-tenth of the average budget Shindô took one last impassioned risk to make this film. With his small crew they relocated to an inn on the island of Mihari where for two months in early 1960 they would make what they considered to be their last film. The Naked Island tells the story of a small family unit and their subsistence as the only inhabitants of an arid sun-baked island. Daily chores captured as a series of cyclical events result in a hypnotising moving and beautiful film harkening back to the silent era. With hardly any dialogue Shindô combines the stark 'Scope cinematography of Kiyoshi Kuroda with the memorable score of his constant collaborator Hikaru Hayashi to make a unique cinematic document. Shindô who had worked with both Kenji Mizoguchi and Kon Ichikawa shot to international fame in 1952 with the astounding Children of Hiroshima. Eight years later the BAFTA-nominated The Naked Island won the Grand Prix at the Moscow International Film Festival (where Luchino Visconti was a jury member). It is now considered to be one of Shindô’s major works and its success saved his film company from bankruptcy. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to release The Naked Island for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK. Special Features: Newly restored 1080p transfer in its 2.35:1 original aspect ratio Full-length audio commentary by director Kaneto Shindô and composer Hikaru Hayashi Video introduction by Alex Cox Optional English subtitles 24-page booklet with an essay by Acquarello and a reprint of Joan Mellen’s interview with Shindô from Voices from the Japanese Cinema

• Naked Youth | DVD | (25/02/2008) from £11.48   |  Saving you £10.50 (110.64%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Oshima's second feature is a shocking tale of youthful delinquency in post Hiroshima japan. Conveying the pent up sexuality and disillusionment among Japan's post war generation it tells the story of teenage lovers Makato and Kiyoshi. She's a good girl gone bad dropping out of school and out of home; he's a violent hoodlum gambler and hustler. Making a living by performing shakedowns and attempting blackmail on unsuspecting middle aged men the film affords a bleak nihilistic take to the 'taiyo-zako' (Japanese cinema's 'delinquent youth' films). Often billed as Japan's Rebel Without A Cause but whereas Jame Dean's Jim Stark had the proverbial heart of gold Kawazu's Kiyoshi is filled only with rage and disgust. All of life's harsh realities await Makoto and Kiyoshi - this is no morality lesson or cautionary tale just a window into a terrible vision of humanity.