Underworld Beauty [Limited Edition] [Blu-ray]

The Underworld Beauty Blu-ray brings Seijun Suzuki’s early crime noir to collectors in a sharp new 4K restoration from Nikkatsu. After recovering a stash of stolen diamonds hidden before his arrest, thief Miyamoto attempts to help his former partner Mihara, crippled during the heist. But their ex-boss Oyane has his own plans for the gems, arranging a shady deal that quickly collapses into violence. When Mihara swallows the diamonds and dies fleeing the scene, Miyamoto joins forces with Mihara’s reckless sister Akiko to retrieve the stones before gangsters, police and Akiko’s opportunistic boyfriend can claim them. Mixing hard-edged noir with Suzuki’s growing flair for stylised rebellion, Underworld Beauty stands as a fascinating early entry from one of Japan’s most influential genre directors.

directed by: Seijun Suzuki
starring: Michitaro Mizushima, Sachiko Hidari, Misako Tominaga, Tôru Abe
1958 / 87 min / 2.35:1 / Japanese mono