BLIND BEAST is a 1969 motion picture from Japanese
New Wave director Yasuzo Masumura. The director has a varied background
ranging from violent Chambara films like RAZOR 2: THE SNARE to
Pink films like MANJI, to Yakuza epics like AFRAID TO DIE. Masumara has
made a name for himself by successfully intertwining the artful with the
exploitative. BLIND BEAST is based on the writings of Edogawa Rampo,
Japan’s answer to Stephen King. Rampo’s original story MOJU, about
a blind serial killer working in the guise of a masseuse, was reworked
by Masumura into something far more abstract and original. BLIND BEAST
only has three cast members, most notable are the two leads--the
gorgeous Mako Midori, (whom Chambara enthusiasts will recognize from
SLEEPY EYES OF DEATH: IN THE SPIDER’S LAIR and RAZOR 3: WHO’S GOT
THE GOLD), who plays the spoiled model, and Eiji Funakoshi (genre fans
have seen him in GOLDEN DEMON and GAMMERA THE INVINCIBLE), who portrays
the tormented blind artist. The motion picture garnered accolades for
Daiei Pictures and Yasuzo Masumura before it was relegated to the art
house circuit in Europe and America in the 1970’s. Today, Asian films
are a hot property, but few of these older Yasuzo Masumura efforts have
shown up on DVD. Fantoma Films is hoping to remedy that with a new
series of DVDs containing Masumura’s best and most controversial
films.
Aki (Mako Midori) is a beautiful model whose form
is forever cast in stone in a Japanese art gallery. She frequents the
gallery quite often to observe her statue, and early one morning she
discovers a man fondling her likeness. Later, tired from all the
traveling from her modeling jobs, she hires a masseuse to help her
relieve stress and strain. A blind masseuse named Michio Eiji Funakoshi
shows up and begins to fondle her inappropriately. Aki is quickly
angered and sends him away, but instead he drugs her, and aided by his
loyal Mother (Noriko Sengoku), he takes her back to his remote sanctum
deep inside a warehouse in the suburbs where the authorities will never
find her. When she awakens, Ari is horrified to find she has been taken
prisoner by this madman. Michio reveals that he is an blind artist who
wants to use her perfect body as a model for his revolutionary freeform
sculpture. He offers her money to stay, but she is repulsed by Michio
and his insane vision so she refuses. Michio warns her that he will
force her to stay and do as he asks. Aki attempts to use her wiles to
escape. First, she offers to model for him of her own free will. Then
Aki plots to manipulate Michio to come between him and his
over-protective Mother. She convinces Michio that she loves him, causing
him to turn against his mother who keeps calling her a slut. Finally,
his mother can bear no more and tries to strangle her. The blind Michio
saves the object of his desire by tossing his Mother aside,
inadvertently killing her when she hits her head. Then Michio goes crazy
when Aki professes that her love for him was a sham. He forces her into
his prison-like art studio and threatens to make her pay for her
indignities. Thus begins a new journey of human development and
spiritual growth for Aki and Michio.
BLIND BEAST has a reputation of bring a cruel and
sadistic Pink film (Japanese softcore), but the violence is minimal.
With cast of only three people, BLIND BEAST delves into the darker
recesses of the inner mind. Yasuzo Masumura explores the human psyche
and sexual excess while presenting the cinematography and production
design firmly with art school trappings. The suspense comes from the
progressing relationship between Aki and Michio. First she tries to con
her captors so she can escape at the appropriate moment. Then when
Michio finally snaps and forces himself on her, Aki professes she’d
rather die than let him soil her. Eventually Aki develops feelings for
her captor. From here, the movie goes straight into a hyper-weird
overdrive, relinquishing the tension of the kidnapper/victim
relationship. The fates of these two play out like those doomed lovers
from BOXING HELENA. Don’t feel bad for the ultimate fate of Aki
because she demanded it. Despite the questionable material, Masumura
presents the movie in a bizarrely unique fashion. He injects elements of
horror into the mix, especially when Aki first realizes she is trapped
with a possible madman amidst a wall of pseudo-human body parts.
Masumura creates a genuine sense of palpable dread that flows throughout
the picture, and together with the tense musical themes, makes us wonder
how the director would fare with more horrific material. Later on BLIND
BEAST loses the constant suspense as we watch just how far these two
will go. But the nudity is never exploitative--it’s always tasteful,
and Eiji Funakoshi’s arms or legs always seem to block Mako Midori’s
private parts. Speaking of these two, they do a great job of convincing
(or shocking) the audience of the situations they are in. Both Funakoshi
and Midori are considered character actors, but their charisma and
chemistry keep BLIND BEAST afloat and always effective.
BLIND BEAST is presented in the original ratio of
2.35.1, with 16x9 enhancement. Fantoma uses a source print that is in
excellent shape, and their restoration techniques for this 1969 film are
worthy of Criterion. The movie is very artfully composed and
photographed, and this transfer certainly does justice to Yasuzo
Masumura’s unique vision. The colors are subliminal at times with some
psychedelic color schemes, especially in the scenes inside Michio’s
studio where the human body is the grand theme. The detail level is very
good, revealing the intricacies of the stone and marble and the flesh of
Mako Midori. Being an allegory about the blind, darkness plays a huge
role in the film. The black levels are perfectly calibrated to take
advantage of this. The white subtitles are very easy to read inside the
lower picture frame. The sound is Dolby Digital Mono 2.0 in Japanese
only. The soundtrack is free of hiss, background noise, or other
anamolies that plague mono soundtracks. The dialog is undistorted and
easily audible. BLIND BEAST at times reverberates with horror movie
ambiance courtesy of mood music provided by Hikaru Hayashi. From the
Special Features menu, you can read the detailed Biography and
Filmography for Yasuzo Masumura and view the Photo Gallery with behind
the scenes shots of the film. Also on this menu you can view the
original theatrical trailer also in widescreen with 16x9 enhancement.
The trailer runs 2:24 with mono sound and English subtitles.
BLIND BEAST is a true testament to Yasuzo Masumura
and his ability to meld the exploitative with the artistic. With a truly
limited budget, only three cast members, and shot in one location, BLIND
BEAST mesmerizes the audience with primeval sexuality and artistic
imagery. The two protagonists are searching for the ultimate physical
and spiritual transcendence, and they take the viewer along on their
twisted journey. Fantoma continues their obsession with truly exotic
films from around the world and their efforts to present these films
with such polish is commendable. We are looking forward to the next
entry in their Yasuzo Masumura DVD collection
BLIND
BEAST is available from DVDEmpire.com
