Eureka Video Blu-ray Synopsis: They said it could never happen... But for 1500 passengers Hikari 109 became a nightmare journey that just couldn't be stopped! In an incredibly nuanced and sympathetic performance, Ken Takakura is Tetsuo Okita – a former business owner who plans to extort money from the government by planting an explosive device on a high-speed Japanese train, programmed to detonate if its speed drops below 80 kilometres per hour. The train's conductor (Sonny Chiba)must keep it moving whilst the authorities (led by the fantastic Ken Utsui) attempt to locate Okita before the bomb explodes. Most well-known for inspiring the 1994 Hollywood blockbuster Speed, The Bullet Train is a remarkably tense thriller from director Junya Sato, and Eureka Classics is proud to present it in this definitive edition for its UK debut on Blu-ray from a new restoration completed by Toei Company, Ltd. (152 Mins)

 

Optimum Asia UK DVD Synopsis: In the film that inspired the Hollywood blockbuster Speed, terrorists plant a bomb on a bullet train which will detonate if the train slows below 80km/h. It's up to the train operator, played by Chiba, to save the hundreds of passengers onboard. A group of bombers announce that they have placed speed-triggered bombs aboard a Japanese Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to Hakata, the Hikari 109. If the train slows below a certain speed, it will destroyed. When the terrorists demand five million dollars, the police find themselves in a frantic race against time to find the bombers, defuse the bomb and save scores of innocent passengers. Pre-dating Speed by almost two decades, The Bullet Train is gripping, edge of your seat thriller that as well as boasting blistering action sequences also focuses on the simmering political tensions between the civilians, the government and the surprisingly sympathetic bombers. Cult action star Sonny 'Street Fighter' Chiba features as the train operator who must find the device and there's a characteristically stirring performance from Ken Takakura (dubbed the Japanese Clint Eastwood) asa bomber with a serious grudge. (152 Mins)

 

Views: Having had a run of bad luck in losing his manufacturing company to bankruptcy as well as his wife and son in a separation, businessman Tetsuo Okita teeters on desperation to turn his life around. His only ray of hope is through Masaru Koga, an an extreme activist who hatches a plan to extort money from the government. Along with an old employee, Hiroshi, the trio plant a bomb on the Hikari 109 – a high-speed bullet train that is travelling from Tokyo to Hakata with 1,500 passengers. After the train departs, Okita notifies the railway's Head of Security about the bomb and explains how it will explode should the train slow down below 80km per hour. To prove that their threat is real, the terrorists plant the same type of bomb on a freight train elsewhere in Japan. Now knowing that everyone on-board is in serious danger, the Shinkansen staff set out to find the bomb while the police in Tokyo try to find the bombers. While panic and fear tears through the passengers on the train and government officials prepare the ransom for Okita, everyone must pull together to find the bomb and bring the train to a stop before it reaches its final destination!

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Up until now, thanks to this gorgeous 2K restored Blu-ray release from Eureka Video, this classic film has only ever been released in the west as a re-edited home video edition, or as part of a Sonny Chiba pack – both by Crash Cinema and BCI Eclipse in North America, and by Optimum Asia here in the UK. While the Japanese version saw a limited Blu-ray release in the States courtesy of boutique label, Twilight Time, Eureka's newly restored edition allows this Japanese classic to be seen at it was meant to be, and I loved it! Although it has always been referred to as the film that inspired Speed (with Keanu Reeves), it's worth noting that The Bullet Train was also remade, to some degree, twice in India with The Burning Train (1980) and Tezz (2012), and had shades of its story used in the South Korean action-thriller, Tube (2003), respectively. Of course, neither of them had as great a cast as this one, nor did they have the wonderful direction of the great Junya Sato – one of Japanese cinema's finest film-makers who only passed in February 2019 at the ripe old age of 86. Although he made 40 titles since making his debut in 1963, Sato would cover a wide range of genres including many with Ken Takakura to others such as Thirst For Love, The Private Police, The Last Kamikaze, Proof Of The Man, The Go Masters, Tonko, and Sakurada Gate Incident in 2010, which would also be his final movie. The Bullet Train would be one of my favourite Junya Sato movies; a slow burning, beautifully directed piece with plenty of thrills and dramatic tension, with everyone involved delivering some fantastic performances.

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The Bullet Train boasts a wonderful main cast including Ken Takakura, Sonny Chiba, Kei Yamamoto, and Ken Utsui among many others, and although this has more-often-than-not been sold as a Sonny Chiba movie to his western fans, it's only fair to say the The Bullet Train is most definitely a Ken Takakura movie. With over 200 credits to his name, the wonderful Ken Takakura made his debut in the acting world way back in the mid-50s. Throughout his career, the star worked with most of Japan's finest directors as well as Hollywood directors Robert Aldrich in Too Late The Hero, Sidney Pollack's The Yakuza, and Ridley Scott's thriller Black Rain alongside Michael Douglas, as well as Chinese director Zhang Yimou in his family drama, Riding Alone For Thousands Of Miles. This wouldn't be the first time either that Ken had worked with director Sato, with The Drifting Avenger (from 1968) being their first project together – often described as a Japanese Western shot in Australia. Ken would appear in Sato's horse-racing drama, Nippon Dabi Katsukyu, before Golgo 13 came about which was probably their biggest joint project to date. Of course, the wonderful Bullet Train would be next quickly followed by The Last Kamikaze, Manhunt and Never Give Up in 1978, which would also be their last film together. I really loved Ken's performance here as Tetsuo Okita – an honest man who is pushed to his limit and, although sympathetic to the problem that he has caused, soon finds himself in too deep and running for his life. The late, great Shin'ichi 'Sonny' Chiba stars as train driver Aoki; the man in charge of keeping the train on the tracks as well as being tasked with disarming the bomb once it's found. Discovered by Toei Studios during a talent search in 1960, the much loved star went on to appear in a number of films over the next decade before gaining global notoriety for his role in The Bodyguard series and The Street Fighter; a film that was heavily criticised for its (then) excessive violence, yet quickly went on to become a firm favourite and cult classic for many over the years. From there, Sonny would become one of Japan's most bankable names and would go on to star in films such as the Sister Street Fighter series, The Executioner, Wolf Guy, The Killing Machine, Karate Warriors, Doberman Cop, Ninja Wars, and Roaring Fire, as well as international hits like Storm Riders, Born To Be King, Kill Bill 1 & 2, and Tokyo Drift, among many other film and television shows.

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The handsome Kei Yamamoto plays Masaru Koga, the activist who convinces Tetsuo to go through with his plan. Although I've not seen him in anything else apart from The Bullet Train, I feel Kei did a damn good job in the role and delivered one of the most surprising scenes of the film, in my opinion. Before his move into television in the early 90s, Kei Yamamoto would work with Ken Takakura and Junya Sato once again, in Never Give Up. Popular actor Ken Utsui, who career spanned 6 decades between film, television, and the stage, does a fantastic job as Kuramochi – the director of the Shinkansen. Before this production, Utsui had appeared in Japanese 60s sci-fi classics, Evil Brain From Outer Space, Attack From Space, Invaders From Space, and Atomic Rulers Of The World. As Kuramochi, Ken delivers a dramatic piece while keeping Aoki composed as the driver, going live on television to convince Okita to disable the bomb for the sake of all on board. As expected, the pressures of such an event lead to his recognition once the day has been saved. Although she had already proven herself as a kick-ass leading actress and martial artist, it was still nice to see Etsuko 'Sue' Shihomi cameo as a telephone operator in The Bullet Train, and good to learn that Sonny's younger brother, Jiro Chibo, appeared as the rescue train driver, respectively...

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It's worth noting that The Bullet Train comes in at a whopping 152 minutes in running time, and I guess – considering today's output of epic movies such as those in the MCU and otherwise – that's not as 'long' a movie these days as it would have been back then; but then again, The Bullet Train isn't drenched in vibrant colours, quick-fire editing, and lots of glorious Hollywood style action to make that running time fly by like, well, a high-speed locomotive! Instead, this is an old-school edge-of-your-seat thriller, with great writing and acting that calls for your attention. A mix of that infamous Japanese film model work, and real explosive action bring the right amount of excitement (without the cheese of its inspired Hollywood counterpart), and I feel like I have to mention how that final scene of Ken Takakura's left a lasting impression on me for a long time after I first watched this. This would be down to cinematographer Masahiko Iimura, the man responsible for capturing many of Junya Sato's movies (among other titles), including his wonderful Golgo 13 which also starred Ken Takakura. Composer Hachiro Aoyama lends his talents to compliment Iimura's visuals, and had also scored Sato's wonderful thriller, Manhunt, just a year later. I must praise Eureka for not only delivering a gorgeous package in their release, but for putting it out there at a time when Brad Pitt's Bullet Train was also being promoted on physical media. Truth be told, part of me was really hoping that a good number of people would be daft enough to end up with this classic version instead – of course, I mean no disrespect to the recent action hit. It was actually a hugely enjoyable film after all! But I've always championed this era of Japanese cinema, and hope that this re-release gains The Bullet Train a whole new audience as well as keeping its old fans extremely happy; much like it has done for me!

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Overall: A well made thriller and classic piece of Japanese cinema, The Bullet Train is one of Junya Sato's finest, backed by a fantastic cast!

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Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Optional Export Version, Audio Commentary by Jasper Sharp & Tom Mes (Theatrical Version), Off The Rails: Interview with Junya Sato's Biographers, Tony Rayns on The Bullet Train, Kim Newman on Mad Bombers In Cinema, Big Movie, Big Panic Archival Featurette, Trailers

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Optimum Asia DVD Extras: Posters, Trailers, Biographies

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Watch my unboxing video for this Eureka Blu-ray release HERE