Now available is Radiance Film’s Blu-ray for The Betrayal, a 1966 Japanese actioner from director Tokuzo Tanaka (Zatoichi’s Vengeance, Zatoichi the Fugitive).
To protect his clan, an honourable samurai (Raizo Ichikawa, Shinobi) takes the blame for a murder committed by one of his fellows. He is promised a safe return after one year in exile, but this vow is broken and he becomes a fugitive chased by his own clansmen. Disillusioned by the bushido code of honour, he realises there are only two ways out: vengeance or death.
From director Tokuzo Tanaka (The Snow Woman), a former assistant to Akira Kurosawa, this cruel jidaigeki stands alongside such notable works of the genre as Harakiri and Sword of Doom with its classic mix of honour codes and samurai action. Beautifully filmed in black and white ‘scope with thrilling set pieces, The Betrayal features one of the most breathtaking finales in all of samurai cinema.
Features:
- High-Definition digital transfer by Kadokawa
- Uncompressed mono PCM audio
- Select-scene audio commentary by Japanese film historian Tom Mes (2025)
- Visual essay by film critic Philip Kemp, comparing The Betrayal with the original Orochi the Serpent (2025)
- Visual essay on director Tokuzo Tanaka by Tom Mes (2025)
- New English subtitle translation
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
- Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Alain Silver
- Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings
This title is now available at The Goodie Emporium, a U.S.-based online store that currently has many Import Shaw Brothers/Golden Harvest/martial arts DVD/Blu-ray movies in-stock – with New titles being added regularly!
Nice! This sounds like the plot to “Flags of Iron”. I’ll check this out.
AMAZING FILM. Incredible final scene!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Finally a Radiance Blu-Ray for me, it’s been a long time!
Congratulations to Radiance for their classy covers! Really.
I’m thrilled to have this film on Blu-ray finally. Raizo Ichikawa is excellent as usual. The entire third act is one big climactic action scene!
Radiance did a fantastic job on this film, and the extras are great too. Tom Mes on the scene-specific audio commentary and an additional feature. Plus, a visual essay by Philip Kemp comparing this to the silent film it was based on, OROCHI, THE SERPENT, and a booklet with samurai cinema expert Alain Silver. This is a top-notch release!
I keep on reading about that insane final fight. Sounds like it meets expectations.