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Special Features
New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
New video interview with director Masahiro Shinoda
Selected-scene audio commentary by film scholar Peter Grilli, coproducer of Music for the Movies: Toru Takemitsu
Original theatrical trailer
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A new essay by film critic Chuck Stephens
Editorial Reviews
In this cool, seductive jewel of the Japanese New Wave, a yakuza, fresh out of prison, becomes entangled with a beautiful yet enigmatic gambling addict; what at first seems a redemptive relationship ends up leading him further down the criminal path. Bewitchingly shot and edited and laced with a fever-dream-like score by Toru Takemitsu (Woman in the Dunes, Ran), this breakthrough gangster romance from Masahiro Shinoda (Samurai Spy, Double Suicide) announced an idiosyncratic major filmmaking talent. The pitch-black Pale Flower (Kawaita hana) is an unforgettable excursion into the underworld.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 35 people found the following review helpful
By ZombieTongue
Format:DVD
This is an absolutely beautiful yakuza film by Masahiro Shinoda. It is much deeper and thought-provoking than typical yakuza b-movies, which glorify violence and the gangster lifestyle. However, this is not a b-movie, but more of a poetic and artistic yakuza noir. It was films like this, and the famous yakuza films by Kinji Fukasaku - such as the 'Battles without Honor' series, and 'Graveyard of Honor' - that redefined the yakuza genre into morality plays that were highly critical of the criminal aspects of Japanese society. Thus, the film is not action-packed, but much slower in pace, which actually makes it much stronger.
This edition, released by Home Vision Entertainment, has a good transfer and picture quality, and the film also boasts a very good score. The music is especially powerful near the end of the film. Overall, it is a must for anyone who likes yakuza films, film noir, or Japanese cinema.
This edition, released by Home Vision Entertainment, has a good transfer and picture quality, and the film also boasts a very good score. The music is especially powerful near the end of the film. Overall, it is a must for anyone who likes yakuza films, film noir, or Japanese cinema.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stark black and white mildly twisted Japanese yakuza netherworld....
January 28, 2012
By Dr. Morbius
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
What can I say about a blu-ray Criterion black and white Japanese yakuza film so well executed that I have to watch it over and over? What can I say about purposely semi-overblown whites melting into grays and the blackest of blacks to create an magnificently incredible viewing experience? Nothing. Of course one has to appreciate film to appreciate this type of film....the score sounds like Lalo Schifrin meets Forbidden Planet. Don't get this one if you enjoy vhs or have ADD- it's not very long, but you just won't get it. If you are new to this type of film and you can handle subtitles you need to see this....
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By A customer
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
(4 1/2) stars. "Pale Flower" is the complete movie package, with a strong primary story but also good looks in terms of how it takes advantage of its black & white, retro-style, and eye-catching lead characters. Unlike many other Japanese films of this genre and time period, the music was also a good fit and didn't suffer from trying to sound too "western".
The movie explores two people, a criminal and a criminal wannabe, who both seek a fast life they know is meaningless, who want to find something more even as their gut tells them there is nothing more to be found. The power of the film shows how easily people can be fooled by, and try to fill their live's with, superficial actions that provide only a temporary rush and escape. The characters know this, but feel life's other options are just as pointless or beyond their reach. Ryo Ikebe puts in a strong performance and oozes cool, I'm not sure why I haven't seen him in more leading man roles.
It is easy for the viewer to get seduced by the superficial highs as well, as you find yourself rooting for two very charismatic people who, while not outright evil, are certainly not trying to leave any meaningful mark on the world (being a killer doesn't help much of course). They know it is all a facade however, on the one hand feeling they should try to live the "decent life", but not enough to run the risk of being mired in the tedium of everyday catchings.
The 1960's Japanese gangster world of gambling is interesting, including playing some games I had never seen before, but serves mostly as a convenient backdrop to a movie that is primarilly about the human condition. Don't expect any happy endings here. While the climax of the movie is abrupt and ultimately feels unsatisfactory, it is never the less probably an appropriate ending that just comes too soon for a movie you don't want to stop watching, and for characters you care about even when you know their is little worth admiring. What sometimes looks like an attempt at heroism or honor might have just as much to do with a willingness to trade one bad set of circumstances for another. In the case of Ikebe's character, perhaps the best thing he can do is to remove himself from other people's lives before the corrupting influence of his presence can have its full effect.
Compared to some of Criterion's other Japanese movies from this era, this one is more of a "gritty" noir style despite its parallel retro good looks. While most of the characters dress like they could be out of a Japanese 007 Jame Bond, this is not a "pop" movie like Suzuki's "Branded to Kill". The closest I have seen to this is some of the material in Eclipse Series 17: Nikkatsu Noir (The Criterion Collection), but all of those suffer from some minor problems. "Pale Flower" is clearly the best of the bunch.
If you've already seen this and want to see a different film that also focuses on two people addicted to gambling, albeit with a totally different backdrop and with character's you can root for, also see Oscar & Lucinda Oscar & Lucinda. It's an English movie and in color, so if you're looking for more asian films by Criterion it may not be your cup of tea. And if you haven't seen "Pale Flower" yet, it is an excellent movie and definitely worth adding to your foreign film collection.
The movie explores two people, a criminal and a criminal wannabe, who both seek a fast life they know is meaningless, who want to find something more even as their gut tells them there is nothing more to be found. The power of the film shows how easily people can be fooled by, and try to fill their live's with, superficial actions that provide only a temporary rush and escape. The characters know this, but feel life's other options are just as pointless or beyond their reach. Ryo Ikebe puts in a strong performance and oozes cool, I'm not sure why I haven't seen him in more leading man roles.
It is easy for the viewer to get seduced by the superficial highs as well, as you find yourself rooting for two very charismatic people who, while not outright evil, are certainly not trying to leave any meaningful mark on the world (being a killer doesn't help much of course). They know it is all a facade however, on the one hand feeling they should try to live the "decent life", but not enough to run the risk of being mired in the tedium of everyday catchings.
The 1960's Japanese gangster world of gambling is interesting, including playing some games I had never seen before, but serves mostly as a convenient backdrop to a movie that is primarilly about the human condition. Don't expect any happy endings here. While the climax of the movie is abrupt and ultimately feels unsatisfactory, it is never the less probably an appropriate ending that just comes too soon for a movie you don't want to stop watching, and for characters you care about even when you know their is little worth admiring. What sometimes looks like an attempt at heroism or honor might have just as much to do with a willingness to trade one bad set of circumstances for another. In the case of Ikebe's character, perhaps the best thing he can do is to remove himself from other people's lives before the corrupting influence of his presence can have its full effect.
Compared to some of Criterion's other Japanese movies from this era, this one is more of a "gritty" noir style despite its parallel retro good looks. While most of the characters dress like they could be out of a Japanese 007 Jame Bond, this is not a "pop" movie like Suzuki's "Branded to Kill". The closest I have seen to this is some of the material in Eclipse Series 17: Nikkatsu Noir (The Criterion Collection), but all of those suffer from some minor problems. "Pale Flower" is clearly the best of the bunch.
If you've already seen this and want to see a different film that also focuses on two people addicted to gambling, albeit with a totally different backdrop and with character's you can root for, also see Oscar & Lucinda Oscar & Lucinda. It's an English movie and in color, so if you're looking for more asian films by Criterion it may not be your cup of tea. And if you haven't seen "Pale Flower" yet, it is an excellent movie and definitely worth adding to your foreign film collection.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Beautiful work of art.
I won't go into detail about what this movie is about, cause you can read that anywhere, but will say to see it on Blu Ray is an incredible experience. Read more
Published 4 months ago by oscar alcoser
5.0 out of 5 stars
Japanese Film noir
Most Yakuza films that are known to The West (and available on DVD) are Kinji Fukasaku's violent ones (Yakuza Papers, Graveyard of Honor and Violent Mobster) and they are enjoyable... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Joseph
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pale Flower
Pale Flower tells the story of a lonely Yakuza who has just been paroled from a three year bit for murder. Read more
Published 17 months ago by monty70
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hot Shots
The shots of Tokyo that open up Pale Flower are fairly stunning. Pale Flower has great musical score and several nice set pieces set in the Japanese Underworld of the early... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Paul
3.0 out of 5 stars
YAKUZA NOIR
Tokyo's underworld of drugs, drag-racing, gambling and the doomed love of an ex con and a mysterious woman collide in PALE FLOWER (Home Vision Entertainment). Read more
Published on November 21, 2003 by Robin Simmons
