The Shape of Night (1964) is a limited edition Blu-ray release from Radiance, and, as I’ve said in a few reviews now, I only have a promo disc but am happy to guarantee that the release proper will look great: Radiance really are one of the best in the game now. So, the full release comes adorned with stylish packaging, accompanied by a booklet featuring new writing by Chuck Stephens.

The briefest, no spoilers, synopsis of The Shape of Night concerns a young woman from the countryside, Yoshie, who meets and falls in love with a smartly dressed man, Kitami, who then seduces and tricks her into sex work; Kitami turns out to be in the employment of the Yakuza, and as the film develops the organisation becomes the catalyst for Yoshie and Kitami’s spiralling problems. ‘Problems’ is too polite a word, as the film contains some very heavy scenes and narratives, but these are not presented overly graphically, really relying on the emotional weight that is generated and maintained throughout the film. The Shape of Night is just short of two hours in length and very nicely paced, with the film exploring in depth when it needs to, and advancing through narrative developments as it needs to. The early sections are marked by several flashback passages, but not in any way that convolutes the narrative. The film is really a melodrama driven by the relationship between Yoshie and Kitami, which is tempestuous, largely through Kitami who switches back and forth from bully to helpless victim, lover to pimp; Yoshie is perhaps, unfortunately, his perfect partner, always returning to him despite his obvious flaws and abuse. Therein lie the main themes of the film: love, belonging, imprisonment, escape, and freedom; and these are all explored rigorously in an ultimately tragic tale.

The most obvious and striking visual aspect of the film is the director Noboru Nakamura’s use of colour, which is quite breathtaking. Alongside the gaudy lights of the city’s nightlife, there are regular and effective uses of coloured lighting, giving The Shape of Night a distinctive, heightened, even hallucinatory, look: some scenes are like hyper-coloured noir. There are also some very effective passages of music, particularly when scenes take a darker turn. However, it’s really the unwavering strength of the characters and their development that takes centre stage. The opening title sequence is a good example of this and quite stunning, depicting Yoshie standing and reacting to unseen people off camera, as she loiters and waits for clients, contrasted immediately in her complete disinterest with the man who does then take her for a drink. It’s smart and effective as a device. At the other end of the film, there are two powerful closing scenes involving internal monologues, spoken repetitively like a mantra; these are both genuinely affecting, and bring the film to an emotional climax.

This is not my usual kind of film, but I think that only added to my enjoyment; there’s an interesting tension between the content, which leans towards an older, melodramatic, style of cinema, and the saturated visual style, which makes it feel much more modern. Truth be told, the extras are somewhat slim: an interview with Yoshio Nakamura, son of the director, detailing his father’s history and work - and indeed referring to The Shape of Night’s accomplished tempo - and a visual essay about Shochiku studios (which produced the film) during the 1960s, which cuts a path through Japanese film history, including directors like Ozu, and films like the excellent I, the Executioner. There’s also a sweet Easter egg revealing the Nakamura love of baseball. It’s all useful context and background but perhaps not mind-blowing. However, you’ll be buying this for the main feature, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed there.