Plot: What’s it about?
The year is 1969 and a young man named Riichi is about to enter a new phase in his life, as he is starting to become a man instead of a boy. His childhood is almost over, but that is no mind, as what he has had isn’t that terrific. Even though he is getting older, Riichi has the sense of a child inside himself, as if some part of him refuses to become an adult. This is probably because his childhood wasn’t a positive one, but no matter what the cause, his mind remains stunted, at least to some degre. He isn’t able to make normal connections with his own family, which limits his normal process of emotions. This leads to some negative behavior, as if Riichi wasn’t able to put all of his emotions in proper places before. So the lapses allow his emotions to boil over and in some cases, that can be dangerous. Riichi finds himself going into anger tantrums, yelling for little to no reason, and even getting very violent in some wicked outbursts. This jagged transition lands him in all kinds of trouble, some at school, some at home, and some that place him in immense danger, with his very life in peril. Can Riichi find an outlet through with to vent his newfound emotions, or will he let them control him and continue to risk his life?
Takashi Miike (Audition, Full Metal Yakuza) burst upon the scene with a run of sadistic, off the wall motion pictures. But these weren’t his first works, as he has crafted numerous projects, both before and after his best known movies. These films aren’t as violent and chaotic as his better known pictures, but that doesn’t mean they’re not worthwhile. In fact, Miike himself holds this film as his personal favorite and it isn’t an all out bloodbath. Nostalgia is one of two films in Miike’s Young Thugs series, with the other titled Innocent Blood. Both are available on DVD from Artsmagic and if you want one, you’ll be probably end up with both in your collection. Back to the task at hand, Miike’s passion for this film comes from how personal the project was, which is evident if you’ve ever heard him discuss the Young Thugs movies. Nostalgia is fueled by storyline and characters, so the focus is less on mayhem and madness. This yields a great result however, as the story is immersive and quite effective. Miike adds in a few touches of his sudden violence, but more often than not, he remains trained on the more traditional elements. If you just want sick, twisted content, then Nostalgia isn’t what you want, but it is a terrific movie. Artsmagic’s DVD is solid as always, so if you’re even a tad interested, give Nostalgia a spin.
Video: How does it look?
Nostalgia is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. I haven’t seen all the different import discs on this title, but I’ve seen a few and all of those pale by comparison to this visual presentation. The print used is in perfect condition, with no grain, debris, or marks to be seen, a stunning start, to be sure. Then we have the streaming colors, which look as vibrant as possible, from the pastels to the deeper shades. Some scenes call for more vivid hues than others, but they look as intended. Just as impressive is the contrast, which supplies well balanced black levels and accurate detail throughout. This is simply a stunning transfer and of course, fans will be nothing short of thrilled with this treatment.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original Japanese soundtrack is preserved here, through a solid, but unmemorable Dolby Digital 5.1 surround option. This movie uses a natural scope for audio design, so you can’t expect over the top surround presence or some such. A few scenes do call for enhanced presence, but even then, this is not action movie type audio, just ramped up a tad. A solid amount of surround use is present in other scenes, but for the most part, its music or atmospheric effects. The dialogue is loud & clear also, which leaves me to score this one well. In case you need them, optional English subtitles are also included.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a featurette about Osaka’s culture, an interview with Miike, some talent files, and the film’s original trailer.
