After wooing stewardess Yoriko (Chieko Matsubara, Tokyo Drifter), war photographer Hondo (Akira Kobayashi, Battles Without Honor and Humanity) sees her kidnapped by a team of deadly female assassins who use vinyl records as weapons. Investigating her whereabouts, Hondo uncovers a conspiracy to steal a buried stash of WWII-era gold. Soon he must dodge go-go dancing ninjas and chewing-gum bullets to save Yoriko, whose family secret is tied to the hidden treasure. Every bit as stylish and inventive as the wildest works by his mentor Seijun Suzuki, Yasuharu Hasebe’s spy spoof is a gaudy 1960s pop delight that ranks with the likes of Joseph Losey’s Modesty Blaise and Mario Bava’s Danger: Diabolik!

For thoughts on Black Tight Killers, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/aPEnqs3FnYU?si=ZnE8s7VCMoSxXMJQ&t=2931]

Video Quality

Black Tight Killers comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Radiance Films sourced from a lovely high definition master provided by Nikkatsu in the original 2.28:1 with additional restoration carried out by Radiance Films. The film has a consistent natural grain structure that preserves the filmic look of the picture, showcasing rich details in the interiors and unique locations. The color timing appears to be natural to the intention of the filmmaker. Colors pleasantly display on the screen, especially in some of the hues of the costumes and production design. Black levels hold up mostly well with some admirable depth to the image. A handful of shots contain some semblance of softness, but these moments are contained to only a small selection of the shots. There are no egregious signs of damage to be found in this presentation with only minor instances of dirt and specks remaining in the image. Overall, this is a robust transfer from Radiance Films.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track in the original Japanese (with optional English subtitles). The film offers a fairly dynamic presentation, and it presents everything accurately with pleasing fidelity and only minor signs of age such as hiss and distortion in the peaks. Dialogue sounds clear without sound effects or the score impeding pivotal information. The film has some decent action set pieces, and these elements are given the appropriate weight within the mix. The score comes through nicely in relation to the competing sounds. Radiance Films has done a great job of showcasing this one.

Special Features

The first pressing of the Radiance Films Blu-Ray of Black Tight Killers includes a booklet featuring the essay “Yasuharu Hasebe and Black Tight Killers” by film scholar Chris D. This piece provides a great analysis of the film through an exploration of its director and more. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Film Historian Jasper Sharp provides a rich commentary track in which he discusses the work of Yasuharu Hasebe, the influences of Seijun Suzuki, the stylistic flourishes of the feature, where it fits into Japanese cinema, the film’s legacy, and much more.

Yasuharu Hasebe: A nine-minute archival interview with the director is provided in which he discusses his entry into film, how he came to make Black Tight Killers, his interest in providing a new style of action movie, the score of the film, and more.

Trailer: The three-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Black Tight Killers is a tonally dexterous adventure that balances campy comedy with spy intrigue very well. The events are not intended to be taken seriously, and the story is a good amount of fun once you give yourself over to it. Yasuharu Hasebe brings a great amount of style and confidence to the picture, and the performers all handle their roles capably – even if the third act gets a bit one-note and repetitive for the women. This is a welcome discovery. Radiance Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and a couple of worthwhile special features. If you like lighter fare within the crime genre, you should give this a shot. Recommended

Black Tight Killers will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on February 27, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Radiance Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.