house of bamboo

For next generation cinephiles, Samuel Fuller is somewhat of an unknown, despite being the subject of study and praise by the Spielberg and Scorsese set. Likely because his films, while always profitable, were too disconcerting at the time of release to garner the sort of beloved popular attention that ensures multiple re-releases and TV air play. It wasn’t until the auteur theory broke big that Fuller’s films started to separate themselves from the pack. And House of Bamboo (1955) might be the best example of what the director was capable of accomplishing within the studio system, a reengineered remake of 1948’s The Street with No Name transposed to a post-war Japan still reeling from an influx of American GIs and a simmering culture clash.

Charged with infiltrating a gang of ex-enlisted men who’ve staged a series of daring robberies in Tokyo, an army investigator (Robert Stack) takes on the false identity of one Eddie Spanier to earn the trust of the gang’s mastermind, Sandy (Robert Ryan). His cover is almost ruined by Mariko (Shirley Yamaguchi), the secret Japanese wife of his (phony) best friend. But the two soon develop an affection for one another that tests the limits of cultural traditions…and may very well put Mariko in mortal danger.

Much of Fuller’s work explores the essence of America. House of Bamboo, although set in Japan, cleverly pushes the envelope even further, exploring the portrait of Americans through a foreign perspective. And it does so without sacrificing a bit of the expected thrills and violence inherent in the gangster genre. In fact, Fuller pushes the envelope there too with dangerous levels of macho punches and posturing counterposed with an unspoken homosexual relationship.

If it all sounds too pretentious to actually enjoy, rest assured Fuller’s film is first and foremost a Cinemascope action picture. Shot on location with one audacious camera set-up after another, the film looks exactly like what should happen when a maverick director gets put in charge of the Hollywood machine. Even sixty years later, House of Bamboo feels amazingly modern, populated with contradictory ideas that refuse to go down easy. And, despite all the subterfuge and shootouts, it’s a film whose characters ring surprisingly true.

Twilight Time’s 3000-copy limited edition Blu-ray gives Fuller’s film every bit of love it deserves. The transfer is rock-solid and comes with two excellent audio commentaries, an isolated score track, Fox Movietone newsreels and the original theatrical trailer. Another awesome addition to the collection!