Earl J.
@dzigaflitcraft.bsky.social
Cinephile, Japanese film researcher, grateful immigrant.
Happy to report that Radiance Films is releasing the Bluray of 明治侠客伝 三代目襲名 [Blood of Revenge] (Tai Kato 1965). My thanks to Tom Mes for commisioning my essay, "Passion Plays in a Brave New World."
October 8, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Happy to report that Radiance Films is releasing the Bluray of 明治侠客伝 三代目襲名 [Blood of Revenge] (Tai Kato 1965). My thanks to Tom Mes for commisioning my essay, "Passion Plays in a Brave New World."
Arrived yesterday. I would like to thank all our dazzling contributors, everyone at Edinburgh University Press who saw us through the stages, Aaron Gerow for his generous endorsement, and most of all, David Desser for his guidance, generosity and commitment.
September 4, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Arrived yesterday. I would like to thank all our dazzling contributors, everyone at Edinburgh University Press who saw us through the stages, Aaron Gerow for his generous endorsement, and most of all, David Desser for his guidance, generosity and commitment.
Apologies for the double posting. EUP just sent me this banner for the 30percent discount, with the very generous words of Professor Aaron Gerow, for which David and I are deeply grateful
July 9, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Apologies for the double posting. EUP just sent me this banner for the 30percent discount, with the very generous words of Professor Aaron Gerow, for which David and I are deeply grateful
The Cinema of Kinoshita Keisuke. Films of Joy and Sorrow, coedited by David Desser and myself. 30% off with NEW30 code. Link to the order page below. Please ask your libraries to consider ordering, the first book in English on this major director.
edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-the-cin...
edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-the-cin...
July 9, 2025 at 1:06 PM
The Cinema of Kinoshita Keisuke. Films of Joy and Sorrow, coedited by David Desser and myself. 30% off with NEW30 code. Link to the order page below. Please ask your libraries to consider ordering, the first book in English on this major director.
edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-the-cin...
edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-the-cin...
![Very happy to see Arrow's September release, Proof of the Man (Sato Jun'ya 1977) that includes my video introduction to the film (Thank you to Jasper Sharp and Sarah Appleton for filming and editing it). The film stars Matsuda Yusaku and Okada Mariko. It is a rare look at issues of race in Japanese films of this time. Both in terms of people of color in Japan and US attitudes to the Japanese. I point out that this film about racial secrets had its own secret - Matsuda's Korean heritage. I discuss that in my Asian Movie Pulse essay on Matsuda. Sato is one of the most important Yakuza directors at Toei and is responsible for one of the best Jitsuroku films ever, 実録 私設銀座警察 [Private Ginza Police].
In the comments I provide a link to the Arrow official full description of the bluray and a link to my Matsuda Yusaku essay.
A big thank you to Jasper Sharp for giving me this opportunity.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:emcerxvp7sw2cvx7hihmu4ag/bafkreid4dr5n74u6sdeaigflfrgjca6qgf3x7j3drsdvfhqz5org3jsj6q@jpeg)
Kurahara Koreyoshi's younger brother Kurahara Koretsugu was a pioneer in the Nikkatsu Roman Porno form. Jasper Sharp and I did a joint commentary on one of his early works, Sex Rider Wet Highway, for 88 Films, to be released in July. Link to full details in comments.
May 8, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Kurahara Koreyoshi's younger brother Kurahara Koretsugu was a pioneer in the Nikkatsu Roman Porno form. Jasper Sharp and I did a joint commentary on one of his early works, Sex Rider Wet Highway, for 88 Films, to be released in July. Link to full details in comments.
Sounding smarter in Vietnamese
March 20, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Sounding smarter in Vietnamese
88 Films is releasing Gate of Flesh (Gosha Hideo 1988) in June. I filmed a video introduction to the film while I was in London. My thanks to Jasper Sharp, producer, Sarah Appleton, cinematography, and Hugo Wu for styling.
February 26, 2025 at 2:22 PM
88 Films is releasing Gate of Flesh (Gosha Hideo 1988) in June. I filmed a video introduction to the film while I was in London. My thanks to Jasper Sharp, producer, Sarah Appleton, cinematography, and Hugo Wu for styling.
Happy to reveal the cover of David Desser's and my co-edited volume, The Cinema of Kinoshita Keisuke. Films of Joy and Sorrow. Link in comments to the University of Edinburgh Press website with the details on Table of Contents.
February 15, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Happy to reveal the cover of David Desser's and my co-edited volume, The Cinema of Kinoshita Keisuke. Films of Joy and Sorrow. Link in comments to the University of Edinburgh Press website with the details on Table of Contents.
I thank Jasper Sharp for the invitation to contribute this essay and for his beautiful design of the booklet.
![My contributor's copy of The Watcher in the Attic (Tanaka Noboru) for 88 Films arrived. I thank Jasper Sharp for the invitation and for his skillful editing and artistic design. Please click on the first image to see my two epigraphs for the essay. I'm proud of the combination of philosophy and public indecency. [My essay ended up being a 13-page booklet - I don't remember it feeling that long when writing it.]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:emcerxvp7sw2cvx7hihmu4ag/bafkreied2zhuwmmsscxme7kispsdrpnncbc27q34apnqu33mnxlafrb57u@jpeg)
February 10, 2025 at 7:04 AM
I thank Jasper Sharp for the invitation to contribute this essay and for his beautiful design of the booklet.
Happy to relay the announcement of the coming release of The Rapacious Jailbreaker (Nakajima Sadao 1974). My booklet essay, "Escape as Vocation" is my first for Radiance Films. My thanks to Tom Mes for including me. Also featuring Nathan Stuart's commentary! Link to detailed ad in the comments.
February 5, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Happy to relay the announcement of the coming release of The Rapacious Jailbreaker (Nakajima Sadao 1974). My booklet essay, "Escape as Vocation" is my first for Radiance Films. My thanks to Tom Mes for including me. Also featuring Nathan Stuart's commentary! Link to detailed ad in the comments.
V-CINEMA ESSENTIALS: BULLETS AND BETRAYAL (LIMITED EDITION) BLU-RAY
FEATURES:
Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeves featuring newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Earl Jackson, Daisuke Miyao, and Hayley Scanlon.
FEATURES:
Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeves featuring newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Earl Jackson, Daisuke Miyao, and Hayley Scanlon.
January 31, 2025 at 9:24 PM
V-CINEMA ESSENTIALS: BULLETS AND BETRAYAL (LIMITED EDITION) BLU-RAY
FEATURES:
Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeves featuring newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Earl Jackson, Daisuke Miyao, and Hayley Scanlon.
FEATURES:
Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeves featuring newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Earl Jackson, Daisuke Miyao, and Hayley Scanlon.
Three years ago today, the online Symposium on Taiwanese crime films, as part of the symposium-series based on Thirty-Two New Takes on Taiwan Cinema, Eds. Emilie Yueh-yu Yeh, Darrell William Davis, and Wenchi Lin.
December 17, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Three years ago today, the online Symposium on Taiwanese crime films, as part of the symposium-series based on Thirty-Two New Takes on Taiwan Cinema, Eds. Emilie Yueh-yu Yeh, Darrell William Davis, and Wenchi Lin.
In February Arrow releases A Certain Killer and A Killer's Key. I'm grateful to Jasper Sharp for asking me to write a booklet essay. My essay: "Detachment and Charisma: the Seductive Refusal of Ichikawa Raizo.
November 29, 2024 at 3:16 PM
In February Arrow releases A Certain Killer and A Killer's Key. I'm grateful to Jasper Sharp for asking me to write a booklet essay. My essay: "Detachment and Charisma: the Seductive Refusal of Ichikawa Raizo.
My essay, "Serial and Palimpsest: Landscape in Vietnamese Cinema" has just appeared in Landscape Research 49.8 special Issue, Narratives of Vietnamese landscapes: from post-colonial to post-socialist perspectives, Edited by Professor Hoang Cam Giang and Professor Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy..
November 27, 2024 at 10:47 PM
My essay, "Serial and Palimpsest: Landscape in Vietnamese Cinema" has just appeared in Landscape Research 49.8 special Issue, Narratives of Vietnamese landscapes: from post-colonial to post-socialist perspectives, Edited by Professor Hoang Cam Giang and Professor Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy..
Masumura constructed shots so intimately in this one.
November 23, 2024 at 7:18 AM
Masumura constructed shots so intimately in this one.
My Masumura Yasuzo chapter includes a sizable analysis of this under-seen gem.
November 23, 2024 at 6:43 AM
My Masumura Yasuzo chapter includes a sizable analysis of this under-seen gem.
How to look sinister on a short-wave radio.
November 21, 2024 at 12:37 PM
How to look sinister on a short-wave radio.
火野正平 (Hino Shohei) R. I.P. h/t Aaron Gerow
November 21, 2024 at 12:36 PM
火野正平 (Hino Shohei) R. I.P. h/t Aaron Gerow
Yoshimura Kozaburo's decision to film Kawabata Yasunari's Thousand Cranes as a gothic mystery was a stroke of genius. More examples from this exquisite adaptation soon.
November 16, 2024 at 1:52 AM
Yoshimura Kozaburo's decision to film Kawabata Yasunari's Thousand Cranes as a gothic mystery was a stroke of genius. More examples from this exquisite adaptation soon.
Look how young Riki Takeuchi was in 1989
November 14, 2024 at 7:25 AM
Look how young Riki Takeuchi was in 1989