Director: Teruo Ishii (Code of the Forgotten Eight), Takashi Harada (The Villain)
Screenplay: San Kaji, Takeo Kaneko, Sadao Nakajima
Based on a Manga by: Kazuo Koike, Goseki Kojima
Starring: Tetsurō Tanba, Gorô Ibuki, Tatsuo Endô, Ryōhei Uchida, Yuriko Hishimi, Reiko Ike, Bin Amatsu, Keiko Aikawa
Country: Japan
Running Time: 81 min (Code of the Forgotten Eight), 83 min (The Villain)
Year: 1973, 1974
Eureka are turning their attention to some prime Japanese exploitation in releasing a set entitled ‘Cruel Tales Of The Bohachi’. This includes the two Bohachi Bushido films, Bohachi Bushido: Code of the Forgotten Eight and Bohachi Bushido: The Villain. The first of the films, surprisingly, is even being treated to a 4K UHD presentation.
I got hold of a copy to take a look. I’m going to review the two films together, as The Villain is basically a remake of the earlier film (with one of the antagonists of Code of the Forgotten Eight now playing the lead).
To sum up the plots of the two films, let me quote from Eureka’s press blurb: “Code of the Forgotten Eight sees a nihilistic ronin, Shino Ashita (Tetsuro Tanba, Three Outlaw Samurai), join the sadistic Bohachi clan, a group of corrupt samurai who operate a prostitution ring. With nothing else to live for, he acts as their assassin in a war with a rival clan that poses a threat to their business. Then, in The Villain, the condemned criminal Kyushi Issho (Goro Ibuki, Hokuriku Proxy War) falls in with the infamous Bohachi samurai – and he too is drawn into a world of wanton violence and sexual sadism.”
Both films are based on a manga by Lone Wolf and Cub creators Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima, and Code of the Forgotten Eight is directed by the “king of cult”, Teruo Ishii. So, you can probably guess what you’re in for if you know the minds behind the films.
Indeed, if you’re after a healthy dose of sex and violence, you’ve come to the right place. Toei were trying everything they could to attract audiences at the time, particularly leaning into the more extreme avenues of genre filmmaking, showing things you couldn’t see on TV, to draw audiences away from their homes and into theatres.
What’s quite interesting in the Bohachi Bushido films is that they combine genres, blending chanbara with pinky violence and the jitsuroku (true record) Yakuza films that were becoming popular at the time.
What’s particularly special about Code of the Forgotten Eight is its visuals. Rarely has ‘trash’ cinema looked this good. Colours are bold, lighting is strikingly stylised, and compositions are immaculate. It’s an incredibly classy affair in terms of visuals, even if the content is supremely exploitative.
The Villain isn’t quite as beautiful-looking, but it’s not far off. Takashi Harada has a good go at crafting a stunning slice of sleeze, but it’s perhaps a touch less artful. I also couldn’t shake off a sense of deja vu, as the second film follows far too many of the story beats of its predecessor. Reiko Ike’s Monkumatsu character adds an interesting new dimension and a strong female protagonist, but this still wasn’t enough to stop it from feeling like a rehash.
Most of this suggests that I adored both the Bohachi Bushido films, but something held me back. All the ingredients were there, but I was left wanting a little more. I think the sexualised violence put me off, for starters. I’m all for on-screen nudity and blood-splattered swordplay, but this put a little too much emphasis on rape and torture for my liking.
Also, whilst the performances are strong, the lead characters in both films are pretty reprehensible, making for a sadistic set of films with no one to root for. Whereas ninkyo eiga and even a lot of jitsuroku would have their heroes/anti-heroes following a code of honour, the Bohachi replace this with a code of depravity.
So, if you like your exploitation to be particularly nasty, you’ll be in high heaven, because the Bohachi films are hyper-stylised explosions of sex and violence. I may not have warmed to them myself, but I can’t deny that both films are stunningly well made and loaded with what most look for in an exploitation movie.
Bohachi Bushido: Code of the Forgotten Eight: 
Bohachi Bushido: The Villain:
Cruel Tales Of The Bohachi is out now on 4K UHD & Blu-Ray in the UK, released by Eureka. Both films look fantastic, with rich colours and clean yet natural images. Code of the Forgotten Eight looks particularly good, as you might imagine, with its 4K restoration and presentation. I had no issues with the audio, either.
SPECIAL FEATURES
– DISC ONE : 4K UHD – CODE OF THE FORGOTTEN EIGHT – 4K (2160p) UHD from a 4K digital restoration
– DISC TWO : BLU-RAY – CODE OF THE FORGOTTEN EIGHT & THE VILLAIN – 1080p HD presentations
– Limited Edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Poochamin [2000 copies]
– Limited Edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the Bohachi Bushido films by Jennifer Coates, author of Film Viewing in Postwar Japan, 1945–1968 [2000 copies]
– Optional English subtitles, newly revised for this release
– Original Japanese mono audio tracks
– Audio commentary on Code of the Forgotten Eight by East Asian film expert and Midnight Eye co-founder Tom Mes
– New audio commentary on The Villain by genre cinema expert Arne Venema
– From Codes to Chaos – new video essay on the Bohachi Bushido films and Toei’s evolving production strategies in the 1970s by Japanese cinema expert Joe Hickinbottom
– What is Pinky Violence – interview with J-Taro Sugisaki
– Remembering Teruo Ishii – interview with director Shinya Tsukamoto (Testsuo: The Iron Man) about working with director Teruo Ishii
– Archival interview with actress Yuriko Hishimi
– Archival audio interview with Japanese filmmakers J-Taro Sugisaki and Takao Nakano
– Original theatrical trailer for Code of the Forgotten Eight
Tom Mes provides a commentary over the first film in the series. He delves into the history behind its setting as well as its makers. It’s a rich and well-informed track.
Arne Venema provides a commentary for The Villain, solo rather than with Stefan Hammond, as originally advertised. It’s an incredibly enthusiastic track, full of energy and passion for the subject. It even contains a number of album recommendations!
Joe Hickinbottom provides a visual essay about the output of Toei at the time and how the Bohachi films fit within it. It’s a rather academic piece, but it’s informative and engaging.
There’s also an interview with actress Yuriko Hishimi. This is enjoyably frank, as she discusses her career. Some elements are quite eye-opening, particularly when discussing the first semi-nude work she did.
There’s also a lo-tech but interesting interview with J-Taro Sugisaki about Toei and their ‘pinky violence’ movies.
Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to watch the other two pieces – the interview with director Shinya Tsukamoto or the audio interview with J-Taro Sugisaki and Takao Nakano (which is feature-length and runs over the film like a commentary). I tend to listen to extras rather than sit and watch them, so I struggle to work my way through all the foreign-language pieces. Plus, I hadn’t originally planned to review this set, and only just managed to squeeze it into my busy schedule.
I didn’t receive a booklet to comment on that, either, I’m afraid. Eureka’s booklets are usually good, though.
Regardless, it’s clear that Eureka have put together a well-stocked package for a pair of exploitation classics that fans of Japanese genre cinema should certainly check out.
Disc/Package: