In their humble two-room apartment, the Maeda family seem ever so self-effacing – but their modest façade hides another truth. Daughter Tomoko is the mistress of a bestselling author with well-lined pockets. Son Minoru embezzles funds with his lover Yukie (Ayako Wakao, Red Angel), who has her own hidden agenda. And father Tokizo (Yunosuke Ito, Ikiru, Lone Wolf and Cub) is a former military man who swears he will never return to the poverty he knew during the war, no matter what the cost. One after another, those affected by the Maedas’ schemes show up on their doorstep. But these visitors all have their own duplicitous agendas. With each knock on the door, the gamesmanship reaches a whole new level. Elegant Beast was adapted by Kaneto Shindo (Onibaba, Naked Island) from his own stage play. Director Yuzo Kawashima, mentor of Shohei Imamura and a major influence on the Japanese New Wave, makes magnificent widescreen use of the single apartment setting to deliver a ferocious satire on Japan’s post-war economic miracle.

For thoughts on Elegant Beast, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/xWdeP8yLjmQ?si=nlhPNvpXn1oVgSlu&t=1189]

Video Quality

Elegant Beast comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Radiance Films sourced from a terrific 4K restoration by Kadokawa in the original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. This source appears to have been maintained well with no significant damage to be found in this presentation. The film showcases a nice, natural grain structure that preserves the filmic look of the picture, always resolving well while showcasing incredible details in the cramped interiors. The natural hues show up pleasantly, notably in elements of the clothing and production design. The color timing appears to be natural to the original exhibition. Black levels hold up well with admirable depth to the image. The narrative is not too visually ambitious, but it looks great within its creative intentions. This is a really good effort 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 is primarily focused on dialogue, as the closest anything gets to action is a new visitor entering the apartment and stirring up drama. Exchanges come through clearly without any competing element drowning out important information. The track has a bit of texture to it, but do not expect much in the low end. The score comes through favorably in relation to the competing sounds, but there are times when it can sound a bit bright. This track presents everything with pleasing fidelity and only a minor amount of hiss and distortion in the peaks. Radiance Films has done good work with this one.

Special Features

The first-pressing of the Radiance Films Blu-Ray of Elegant Beast includes a booklet featuring new writing on the film by Midori Suiren and contemporary archival writing. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Toshiaki Sato: A new 17-minute piece with film critic Toshiaki Sato in which he discusses the career of director Yuzo Kawashima, his versatility in different genres, recurring motifs in his work, the way he treated his crew, the themes of the film, the filmmaker’s struggles in his own life, how the film was assessed at the time it was released and more.

Toshiaki Toyoda: A new 15-minute analysis of the film by filmmaker Toshiaki Toyoda in which he discusses the impact director Yuzo Kawashima had on his career, the brilliance of Elegant Beast, how the filmmaker tackled framing this intimate tale, the performances, how this comments on post-war attitudes, and much more that is very much worth a watch.

The Age of The Danchi: A 12-minute visual essay in which critic Tom Mes dives into post-war architecture in Japanese cinema as a means to discuss the shifting attitudes in Japanese society.

Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Elegant Beast is a very intimate family drama that keeps tensions simmering throughout as you learn the depths of their schemes and how their actions spiral out to those outside of the family. The dynamics are fascinating, revealing the toxic nature of parental expectations and how post-war anxiety manifests into a tenacious resolve. The performances are pitch-perfect as each character reveals new layers throughout. Yuzo Kawashima created something captivating out of what would appear to be very little. Radiance Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring an excellent A/V presentation and a few great special features. Check this out if you want to engage with some Japanese cinema that does not choose (physical) violence. Recommended

Elegant Beast is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

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.