Nikkatsu Diamond Guys

Even though over 70% of the Earth is covered in water, we don't know a hell of a lot more about what's going on down there than when we first flopped up on land. Ironically, the same could be said for Japanese cinema, which harbors an almost immeasurable depth of titles that have never seen the light of day in the West. So Arrow Video's release of Nikkatsu Diamond Guys - a three film collection starring Nikkatsu Studio's most marketable leading men - should be of interest to just about anybody with an interest in the evolution of cinema.

After WWII, Nikkatsu, the oldest studio in Japan, shifted its focus from historical productions to a more American-influenced slate of genre films, lifting elements from film noir, gangster and teen-angst films, hoping to create their own homegrown James Dean or Elvis.

The first film in the set, Voice Without A Shadow, adds a Hitchcockian spin to its story of a telephone switchboard operator who overhears a murder in progress. Three years later the crime remains unsolved, but her remarkable memory winds up putting her in jeopardy when she matches the voice of the murderer with one of her husband's shady business associates. Fearing for her life, she leans on a reporter (Hideaki Nitani) who helps her track down a conspiracy of murder and blackmail.

Red Pier (1958) swings things in a more overtly rebellious direction with star Yujiro Ishihara oozing bad boy appeal as "Lefty" Jiro, an up-and-coming Tokyo gangster cooling his heels after a high-profile job. But he begins to question his life of crime after falling for the sister of his latest victim. Just as the pair begins to plan a new life, Jiro's old one comes firing back with a vengeance.

And finally, The Rambling Guitarist blends matinee idol melodrama with yakuza-style action as wandering ex-cop entertainer Shinji (Akira Kobayashi) gets involved in an ugly family squabble with a wild card killer (Jo Shishido) stirring the pot. Just as quick with his fists as he is with a tune, Shinji's moral compass is left spinning as he rises quickly in the criminal world but finds himself fighting for the wrong side.

Although the films all fall under the Nikkatsu banner, there's really no cohesive theme to the Diamond Guys set, which makes it even more appealing. Much like a Turner Classic Movies triple-feature, these are products of a studio system working at the height of its powers, fashioning fast-paced, marketable stories for its biggest stars.

Voice Without a Shadow, directed by Seijun Suzuki - whose later films would push the limits of style and taste - is ironically the most old-fashioned of the three but still gets by on its incredible opening hook. Red Pier is the pick of the litter with its impressive cityscape cinematography, emulating the wet streets and quick violence of American crime films and adding Ishihara's almost inexplicable sex appeal - not to mention his out-of-nowhere rooftop musical performance. While The Rambling Guitarist, the only film in the set shot in color, broadens the scope with its pop sensibility, pulp characters and catchy songs.

The hi-def transfers are very nice overall, with a healthy amount of grain and the usual wear and tear never becoming intrusive. However, splice marks at the top and bottom of the screen on Voice and Red Pier are a bit of an eyesore. Extras include liner notes, trailers, image galleries and a new interview with Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp who spills the dirt on Nikkatsu's movie-star manufacturing process. Volume Two is already on it way so save some shelf space!