Blind Woman's Curse: Technical Notes

I was surprised to find that the copy of the film I've long had was roughly a minute and a half shorter than this 85 minute version. Surprised, because there is actually quite a bit of violence, the films most violent moments, left in tact on my old copy. Yet I compared the two and found there are some slight trims, a snatch of dialogue, a sword slash, and mainly a sequence where Tani is searching Dobashi's compound and goes through an opium den, room of the damned, littered with a bunch of naked, drugged out women. All I can say is, thank your diety of choice for Discotek.

Picture: Anamorphic Widescreen. Top to bottom, from capturing Meiko Kaji's killer stare to the henchman hunchback's drooling mouth, it looks great. A scene or two exhibits some softness, but overall it is quite sharp and crisp. Contrast is nice and deep with excellent black levels. Colors are strong and vivid. The print is nice and clean, and I didn't notice much wear except in a scene or two, very scant, at the bottom of the frame.

Sound: Mono, Japanese language with optional English subtitles. Good considering the era's limitations. The audio is well-presented, clear, with no severe age wear and tear.

I've suffered through so many garbled, unreadable subs, I am very forgiving. Having said that, the subs on this disc showcase one of my personal peeves when it comes to subtitles. The subtitles on this disc frequently use all caps for stressed words. Some examples are, "I'll fucking KILL you!" and "THAT is what a handsome man looks like." I am NOT a fan because vocal inflections are universal. No matter what the language, a dog or an infant can understand them, so spelling them out is, in my opinion, totally unnecessary and distracting. Less bothersome on the disc are a few instances of text-expressed slurring/purring like, "Oh dearrr."

Extras: Trailer. --- Photo Gallery. --- About the film text essay. --- Audio commentary by Chris D. The author of "Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film," provides another decent commentary. Early on he gives some good basic info on the particulars, from the stars, director, and the state of Jpn cinema at the time. I did find the track loses some steam about the midway point where Chris comes across as pretty indifferent and bored with film. His opinions about Teruo Ishii I do not totally agree with, be it Teruo Ishii's penchant for injecting silly humor or Blind Woman's Curse's superiority to Female Yakuza Tale. Luckily by the end, the track picks up again, and overall it is worth a listen.

Conclusion: ...Discotek delivers with an eye-popping transfer and decent round of extras, making it well worth a purchase for foreign exploitation film lovers.