Radical Japan! Radiance to release an early Imamura boxset

Another day, another Shohei Imamura news item. This is a good series of events and perhaps no surprise considering the recent ICA announcement of an Imamura season from October to December. Add to this Radiance's November slate of films which includes their second Radical Japan boxset of six early Shohei Imamura films.

Some of these were released by Eureka but are long out of print, so a welcome release, and inclusive of 4K versions of Pigs and Battleships, The Insect Woman and Intentions of Murder, and Blu-rays for Stolen Desire, Nishi Ginza Station and Endless Desire.

Want to know more? Well, first let's direct you to Radiance's own webshop so that you can pre-order directly with them.

This collection presents three classics in 4K: Pigs and Battleships vividly portrays life around a U.S. naval base; The Insect Woman establishes the characteristically resilient Imamura heroine, which broke every rule for portraying women in Japanese film; and Intentions of Murder continues and perfects this portrayal in epic form. Also included are Imamura’s rarely-seen first three features: Stolen Desire follows the travails of a vivacious theatre troupe; Nishi Ginza Station is a tale of infidelity executed as a musical; and Endless Desire sees ex-soldiers digging for wartime loot.

4K UHD & BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION BOX SET SPECIAL FEATURES

• 4K restorations of Pigs and Battleships, The Insect Woman and Intentions of Murder
• High-Definition digital transfers of Stolen Desire, Nishi Ginza Station and Endless Desire
• 4K UHD and Blu-ray presentation of the features Pigs and Battleships, The Insect Woman and Intentions of Murder
• Blu-ray presentation of all features and extras
• Introduction to Pigs and Battleships by screenwriter and Imamura’s son Daisuke Tengan
• Visual essay by author Jasper Sharp on class in Imamura’s films
• Introduction to The Insect Woman by scholar Dolores Martinez
• Conversation between Shohei Imamura and Tadao Sato about The Insect Woman
• Introduction to Intentions of Murder by programmer and Imamura biographer Bastian Meiresonne
• Conversation between Shohei Imamura and Tadao Sato about Intentions of Murder
• Visual essay by Samm Deighan on desire in Imamura’s films
• Interview with scholar Jennifer Coates on Stolen Desire and Nishi Ginza Station
• Introduction to Endless Desire by filmmaker and stage director Kenta FukasakuOptional English subtitles for each film
• Reversible sleeves featuring original and new artwork
• 120-page book featuring archival writing by and interviews with Shohei Imamura, as well by Ian Buruma, Richard Phillips, Nelson Kim, Hiroshi Kitamura, Michael Raine, Adam Bingham and more
• Limited Edition of 5000 copies, presented in a rigid box with full-height Scanavo cases and removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and marking