- Director : Yasuzo Masumura
- Actors : Ayako Wakao, Shinsuke Ashida, Yusuke Kawazu
- Media Format : Anamorphic, NTSC, Widescreen
- Run time : 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Release date : January 18, 2022
- Studio : Arrow Video
- Country of Origin : Japan
I wasn’t prepared for the intensity of Red
Angel, a 1966 Japanese war film told from the perspective of a dedicated young military
nurse. Directed by Yasuzo Masumura (Giants and Toys, Blind Beast), Red Angel may
be artistically shot in black-and-white, but the film is grounded by the
realism in its depiction of the effects of war. Although there are scenes of military
warfare, the action at the center of the film is primarily concerned with the violence
of medical operations carried out on the frontline. The other aspect of the
film is much more psychologically driven, centering on the impact wartime has
on the sexual drives of doomed soldiers.
The film follows
the somewhat unreliable narrator Sakura Nishi (Ayako Wakao), a nurse sent to a
field hospital in Tientsin during the Second Sino-Japanese War. China may have been
the enemy of Japan during this war, but Nishi encounters more villains from her
own side of the conflict, beginning with an assault by a wounded soldier at the
hospital. Despite being the victim, Nishi often holds herself responsible for
the death of those she encounters. In reality, Nishi is a selfless individual who
often sacrifices herself to care for the soldiers and doctors around her.
During her
visits to the frontline, Nishi encounters Dr. Okabe (Shinsuke Ashida), a surgeon
burned out by the endless death surrounding them. After agreeing to do a favor
Nishi, the two develop an unusual relationship. During their time together,
Nishi discovers the doctor is addicted to morphine, and sets out to save him as
well.
Red Angel examines
the effects of wartime drama on men, through the lens of Nishi’s selfless
behavior. Soldiers certain they are going to die abandon all civilized
behavior, often treating the nearby women as nothing more than objects to be
used. Surprisingly, Nishi often accepts this reality, even initiating a few
encounters she believes will be beneficial to the traumatized men. The themes
presented are complex and without clear resolution. One things is clear by the
end of the movie; war is hell, and not just for the soldiers.
The Arrow Video
release of Red Angel gives the film every bit of love this underrated classic deserves,
presented in 1080p with the original uncompressed Japanese mono audio. Along
with the pristine presentation of the movie itself, the disc comes with several
new special features.
-Brand new audio commentary by Japanese cinema scholar David
Desser
-Newly filmed introduction by Japanese cinema expert Tony
Rayns
-Not All Angels Have Wings, a new visual essay by Jonathan
Rosenbaum
-Original Trailer
-Image Gallery
-Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned
artwork by Tony Stella
-Booklet insert, featuring an essay on the film by Irene González-López,
Yasuzo Masumura’s filmography, info on the transfer, the cast and crew list,
and several striking still images from the movie.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 9/10
Historical
Significance: 8/10
Special Features: 7/10
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