Why So Blu?

Underworld Beauty (Blu-ray Review)

This Underworld Beauty Blu-ray review kicks off with Seijun Suzuki’s stylish 1958 noir, now available in a new transfer from Radiance Films that brings this cult classic to Region A & B audiences. Region A & B compatible, this disc makes it easier than ever to experience one of Suzuki’s earliest directorial efforts. Shot in crisp black and white CinemaScope, Underworld Beauty blends crime, pulp, and a dash of sex appeal into a lean, 87-minute thrill ride. It’s not as wild as his later films, but the style is already there — and it pops beautifully on this new Blu-ray edition.

 

Film

Underworld Beauty kicks off with a killer opening shot and doesn’t let up. There’s something about the atmosphere that feels rich right out of the gate — like you could scoop it up with a spoon. It’s soaked in shadows, alleyways, and desperation. Coming off of watching A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness, this one felt like a jolt of noir energy. Same director, completely different vibe. Suzuki dials into the genre here with precision, but you can already tell he’s not playing it totally straight. This is Japanese noir at its finest, and this Underworld Beauty Blu-ray Review will help spotlight how early Suzuki was already experimenting with form.

The story centers around Miyamoto, a thief just out of prison trying to recover a stash of diamonds he buried before getting locked up. His old partner Mihara is paralyzed from their last job, and things spiral fast once gangsters, cops, and sleazy boyfriends get wind of the loot. When Mihara swallows the diamonds and dies, it leaves Miyamoto and Mihara’s sister Akiko stuck with a very complicated problem — and even more complicated enemies. It’s noir chaos, but Suzuki keeps the plot tight and the pace brisk.

There’s a lot of classic genre setup — backroom deals, double-crosses, smokey bars — but Suzuki adds in his own twist. Akiko is a standout. She’s not a damsel or a femme fatale in the traditional sense. She’s wild, unpredictable, and just as tangled up in the underworld mess as any of the men. The film also messes with expectations in little ways, like its quiet emotional moments or the decision to shoot in CinemaScope, which gives the whole thing a slick, wide look you don’t usually get in these types of films.

It may not have the totally unhinged energy of Suzuki’s later films, but Underworld Beauty is still a bold piece of genre filmmaking. It’s got grit, style, and more personality than a lot of crime films from this period. Radiance Films bringing it to Blu-ray gives new life to a title that might’ve been overlooked by casual viewers. Noir fans and Suzuki diehards should absolutely give it a spin.

 

Video

NOTE: Stills are provided for promotional use only and are not from the Blu-ray.

Encoding: MPEG-4 AVC

Resolution: 1080p

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

Region: A, B

HDR: N/A

Layers: BD-50

Clarity and Detail: The black-and-white image looks sharp, with fine detail present in both faces and background textures. Hair strands, trench coats, and cigarette smoke all come through clearly without looking overly processed.

Depth: For a film from 1958, the depth here is really impressive. There’s a solid sense of space in alleyways, interiors, and city streets. Foreground and background separation gives the film a layered, lived-in look.

Black Levels: Inky and consistent. Shadows are deep without crushing detail, and the contrast never gets blown out. This is a noir film that lives and dies by its black levels, and they nailed it.

Color: N/A

Flesh Tones: Not applicable in the traditional sense, but faces have natural gradation and don’t get lost in the grayscale. Highlights and skin texture still look solid.

Noise and Artifacts: The image is clean with no major signs of damage, DNR, or compression issues. A faint bit of grain remains, which is appropriate for the age and source. No banding or macro-blocking was spotted.

 

Audio

Audio Format(s): Japanese LPCM 1.0 Mono (listed as 1.0, but plays back in 2.0 mono)

Subtitles: English

Dynamics: Pretty solid for a mono track from the late ’50s. The score and effects don’t overpower the dialogue, and there’s a nice natural range, even if it’s limited by the original mix.

Height: N/A

Low Frequency Extension: N/A

Surround Sound: N/A

Dialogue: Dialogue is clean and mostly well-balanced, sitting comfortably in the mix. No distortion or hiss to worry about. Everything sounds stable from scene to scene, and the English subtitles are easy to follow without weird phrasing.

 

Extras

Radiance Films gives Underworld Beauty a clean 4K restoration from Nikkatsu, and while the bonus features aren’t loaded with hours of extras, what’s here is genuinely worthwhile. You get a new interview with critic Mizuki Kodama, trailers, and improved English subtitles. The reversible sleeve features artwork by Time Tomorrow, and there’s a limited-edition booklet with new writing by Claudia Siefen-Leitich and an archival review. It’s all packaged in Radiance’s usual full-height Scanavo case with a removable OBI strip — limited to 3,000 copies.

The big extra is Suzuki’s 1959 short film Love Letter, running just over 40 minutes. It’s included as a bonus feature and comes with an audio commentary by Suzuki biographer William Carroll. Getting this early work alongside Underworld Beauty makes the disc feel more substantial, especially for fans tracking Suzuki’s growth as a filmmaker. It’s a welcome deep cut that makes this release more than just a one-film package.

 

LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

 

• New 4K restoration of the film by Nikkatsu Corporation
• Uncompressed mono PCM audio
• New interview with critic Mizuki Kodama (2024, 15 mins)
• Bonus feature: Seijun Suzuki’s Love Letter (1959, 40 mins)
• Audio commentary on Love Letter by Suzuki biographer William Carroll (2024)
• Trailers
• Newly improved English subtitle translation
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
• Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by critic Claudia Siefen-Leitich and an archival review of the film
• Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

Summary

Our Underworld Beauty Blu-ray Review ends on a high note for fans of classic Japanese crime films and early Suzuki. It may not have the full madness of his later work, but the style and tone are already cooking. Radiance Films gives the movie a clean transfer, solid audio, and a strong bonus in the form of Love Letter, making this a great addition to any noir or Japanese cinema collection. If you want to check out a radically different Seijun Suzuki feature from Radiance Films, you might also want to check out our A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness Blu-ray Review, another standout release from their recent lineup. Altogether, this Underworld Beauty Blu-ray Review makes the case for why even Suzuki’s early films deserve this kind of treatment.

 

 

Underworld Beauty is available on Blu-ray!

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