Written by: Michael Den Boer on June 9th, 2005
Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1979
Director: Norifumi Suzuki
Writers: Masaaki Sato, Jiku Yamatoya
Cast: Shun Domon, Hiromi Namino, Asami Ogawa, Natsuko Yagi
DVD Released: 2004
Approximate Running Time: 100 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 2.00:1 Non-Anamorphic Widescreen
Rating: 16
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono
DVD Release: Japan Shock
Region Coding: Region 0 PAL
Retail Price: $19.95
Synopsis: Escaped rapist Genpei Hirukawa holds a man and woman hostage. He ties the man up and forces him to watch as he rapes his wife. Later after the terrifying ordeal she reveals to her husband that she is pregnant and that the father of her unborn child is the man who raped her. Flash Forward twenty years Tatsuya child conceived on the fateful night is about to celebrate his twenty first birthday. He is about to gain full control of his families estate since the man he had known as his father died during a fishing trip and his mother several years before that committed suicide. With his new found financial freedom Tatsuya a child of rape decides to dedicate his to follow in the footsteps of his rapist father Genpei Hirukawa.
The films director Norifumi Suzuki is most known for a trio of films he did with Sonny Chiba including the Killing Machine, Shogun’s Ninja and Roaring Fire. Norifumi Suzuki is no stranger when it comes to directing exploitation films with his perverse masterpiece being the infamous Nunsploitation film Convent of the Sacred Beast. Star of David: Beauty Hunting is based on Manga created by Masaaki Sato which is also the basis for a five animated series based on the same Manga. Japanese film icon and one of Norifumi Suzuki’s most frequent collaborators Bunta Sugawara has a brief cameo in Star of David: Beauty Hunting as truck driver who gets advice about women from a rapist. Star of David: Beauty Hunting is filled with all the perverse imagery we have come to expect from these Roman Porno’s released by Nikkatsu Corporation.
The main focus of these films is firmly placed the degradation of the women characters and there ultimate submission to the more dominate male characters. Most of the acting in these type of films also rely on the actors facial expressions since there is very little dialog or plot development. Norifumi Suzuki beautifully directs his sadistic tapestry of pleasure and pain as he frames every image as though they were precious works of art. Event though these films often contain images that are shocking and even disgusting there is one scene involving a dog that licks one of the women who is being held prisoner that I found to be in bad taste. The use of classical music through out the film adds an air of elegance to a film that is filled with nastiness. There are many themes that are prominent in Roman Porno and Japanese cinema in general like rape and incest that are also explored once again in this film. The films concept of a father and son rapists has to be one of the most original in film history. Despite the lack of story and character development Star of David: Beauty Hunting holds up really well for its entire 100 minutes in length. The film is filled with just the right amount of peaks and valleys that help keep things moving at a brisk pace.
Ultimately Star of David Beauty Hunting is the most perverse and demented film ever to emerge out of the fertile mind of director Norifumi Suzuki.
The DVD:
Japan Shock’s Star of David Beauty Hunting release is presented in a non-anamorphic letterboxed format that frames the image around 2.00:1 instead of the films original 2.35:1 aspect which is the ratio the films trailer is in. Despite the image being cropped there are no noticeable instances in which action is missing of screen or looks to cramp. Colors are in good shape and flesh tones look natural through out. Black levels are average at best with the amount of detail present in each frame varies through out the film. There is some minor edge enhancement and grain is kept to a minimum. There is also some minor print damage in the form of specks of dirt and cigarette burns. Like many of Japan Shock’s previous releases Star of David Beauty Hunting would have benefited from an anamorphic enhancement, still the end product is more then watch able.
This release comes with one audio option the films original Japanese language track that is presented in a Dolby Digital mono. The dialog sounds thin at times and there are no problems with hiss or distortion. Overall this mono mix is nothing exceptional and it more then gets the job done. English and German subtitles have been included that are easy to read and follow.
Extras for this release are minor as they include the films original trailer and a photo gallery that contains ten pictures. While it would have been nice if Japan’s Shock had included some meatier extras for their Star of David Beauty Hunting DVD like an audio commentary with a roman porno expert. It is still amazing that a movie a filled to the brim with controversial subjects has even been given a DVD release. Star of David Beauty Hunting is one of Nikkatsu’s strangest and most perverse entries into their Roman Porno genre, highly recommended.