A low-life crook gets a job as a yakuza hit-man and proceeds to pretend to be a big shot. There are, however, things that cannot be faked.
The first thing to clarify for potential viewers when discussing Sadao Nakajima’s 1973 yakuza film “Aesthetics of a Bullet” is the definition of “a bullet.” A “bullet” here is someone the yakuza hires to rile up enemy territory with the intent that they’ll be shot and killed performing the task. The bullet in this movie is street peddler Kiyoshi Koike (Tsunehiko Watase).
Nakajima proves that a film doesn’t need a likable protagonist to be compelling — Kiyoshi is a womanizer, woman-beater, and all-around spineless, arrogant boor. He’s so unlikable, the character played so despicably well by Watase, that as a viewer, you’re rooting for his eventual downfall.
Selected by a yakuza gang, Kiyoshi is sent to enemy territory to stir up trouble. The bosses hope he’ll rile their rivals up enough to kill him, allowing them to start a war. Thanks to some nice clothes, a wad of money, and a gun, Kiyoshi thinks he’s on top of the world. However, when it comes time to actually pull the trigger, he can’t perform.
Nakajima’s film is, overall, a straightforward story. However, it doesn’t feature the usual dynamics of a yakuza film. There’s no outright war or power struggle between the rival gangs. The focus here is on Watase’s Kiyoshi, zeroing in on how this man behaves after getting a perceived taste of power. Gang bosses, who remain an unseen presence, discuss things in voiceover as we watch Kiyoshi.
Nakajima incorporates some avant-garde elements into his film. The opening sequence features close-ups of various people eating and drinking. Some scenes alternate between flashbacks (or perhaps alternate realities) and others feature color-hued sequences. What exactly Nakajima is trying to convey with some of these techniques is lost on me. It does give you something to ponder without taking away from the main narrative.
“Aesthetics of a Bullet” is released on a Limited Edition Blu-ray™ by Radiance Films. Toei Company supplied the high-definition transfer in its original ratio with original mono audio. I have no complaints about this transfer. It looks film-like and has no distracting anomalies to detract from the viewing experience. The audio is clean and comes across clearly.
Extras include an appreciation by filmmaker Robert Schwentke, an interview with filmmaker Kazuyohi Kumakiri, an archival interview with Sadao Nakajima, and the film’s trailer. Schwentke’s extra offers some insight into Nakajima and the film, and highlights how lucky we are to have studios like Radiance willing to release English-friendly titles like this one. A booklet is also included with writing about the film by Olaf Möller, Hayley Scanlon, and Rikiya Tayama.
This limited edition release of “Aesthetics of a Bullet” is another great package from Radiance Films. It offers the film in a nice transfer and has illuminating extra features.
Now available on Limited Edition Blu-ray™ from RADIANCE FILMS
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