Deciding to hold a "Auteurs in 1964" week of viewing for a ICM poll on the best films from the year,whilst taking part in a Cinema of Japan viewing challenge, I took a look at the listings of Japanese film makers. Checking the titles on Arrow box set,I was happy to find that I had found online (and in listings) a film by auteur Seijun Suzuki not in the sets,which led to me discovering whose blood will not forgive.

View on the film:

View on the film:

Glancing from outside at the last happy moments the family share together before a murder ignites the fuse of revenge down the line, directing auteur Seijun Suzuki & cinematographer Shigeyoshi Mine take the leap years into the future to immaculately de-construct the Yakuza/revenge Noir genre.

Dividing the brothers between one who works at a ad agency and one who has become a down and out Noir loner Ronin-like figure, Suzuki binds them together with his impeccable Japanese New Wave stylisation fanning obscured framing of shots, slick panning camera moves and exaggerated zoom-ins. Sitting in a car together discussing revenge, Suzuki takes the classical film making of Hollywood,and twists it into a surrealist delight splashing the ad agency in lush, vibrant colours, which seep into a excellent use of rear screen projection in driving sequences where pelts of rain hit the windows as waves of oceans float in the background, bringing out a three dimensional quality.

Decades before the Heroic Bloodshed sub-genre set the city on fire, Suzuki and Mine compose a breathtaking Bullet Ballet final, sweeping the rugged terrain real location as gangsters fall to the ground, hitting a beautiful, blood- drench, tragic heroism final shot landing.

Coming face to face with the murderer of their dad when he knocks on the front door of the family home years later, the screenplay by Takeo Matsuura cleverly studies the divide between brothers Shinji and Ryota in how to advantage the killing and display the force of their Yakuza gang within a modern society backdrop. Poured from Ryota having a cosmopolitan outlook which blends Yakuza traditions with the smooth professionalism of being the head of a business, counted by the red hot blooded temper of Shinji, whose devil may care attitude for life and revenge, causes him to get entangled on the wrong side of other gangs.

Calling out for each other in the haunting final, Hideki Takahashi and Akira Kobayashi give excellent turns as brothers Shinji and Ryota, thanks to the youthful, hot-wire grit Takahashi gives Shinji being matched by Kobayashi rubbing off Ryota's professionalism as the family loyalty sends his life into a tailspin of revenge as their blood ties will not forgive.