The Pinky Violence Collection | Digital Retribution DVD Review

The Pinky Violence Collection (1971 - 1973)
By: J.R. McNamara June 19, 2006.

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Panik House (USA). Region 1, NTSC. 2.35:1 (16:9 enhanced). Japanese DD 2.0 Mono. English Subtitles. 342 minutes

The Movie

Cover Art

Credits

Director: Atsushi Mihori, Kazuhiko Yamaguchi, Norifumi Suzuki, Norifumi Suzuki
Starring: Reiko Ike, Miki Sugimoto, Ryoji Hayama, Junzaburo Ba, Yoko Ichiji, Yuki Kagawa, Linda Kimoto, Emi Jo, Reiko Oshida
Screenplay: Fumio Kunami, Hiro Matsuda, Norio Miyashita, Takayuki Minigwa, Tatsuhiko Kamoi
Country: Japan

In 1970, many of the Japanese movie studios were moving out of entertainment and were taking their fortunes from investments in real estate. Some studios continued to make films, but of the 'Pink' variety, softcore porno with touches of either tenderness, S and M, or both! Television was taking a huge bite out of the movie producer's wallet, so some studios decided it was time to make cinema where you could see things that were not able to be made for television. These films were like the American gang films of the sixties and seventies, and with their combination of violence and soft porn, were nicknamed Pinky Violence. These 'Pinky Violence' films featured bad girls, 'sukeban', who used violence and sex to get what they wanted, and what they wanted was money and power…and to be free of the bindings of men. Panik House have pulled out all the stops with this spectacularly packaged 4 disc set of films in The Pinky Violence Collection, which features four of Toei Studios entries into the genre.

Delinquent Girl Boss: Worthless to Confess aka Zubeko Bancho: Zange No Neuchi Mo Nai, directed by Kazuhiko Yamaguchi is about Rika (Reiko Oshida) who, after leaving a Reform School, visits the father of a school mate who owns a garage that the local Yakuza are trying to take over. After a chance encounter with another ex-classmate, this wanna be girl gangster ends up on a collision course with the Yakuza…and a violent outcome.

Girl Boss Guerilla aka Sukeban Gerira, directed by cult movie legend Norifumi Suzuki tells the tale of the all girl biker gang, The Red Helmet Gang, led by Sachiko (Miko Sugimoto) who move into Kyoto to take over all the girl gangs there. Once that mission is accomplished they take on various money making schemes until they fall afoul of a local Yakuza, and with help from local girl gang legend, Nami (Reiko Ike) they do whatever they can to take him and his henchmen down.

Terrifying Girl's High School: Lynch Law Classroom aka Kyofu Joshikoko: Boko Rinchi Kyoshitsu, again directed by Norifumi Suzuki is the story of new student, Noriko (Miki Sugimoto) and her friends trying to survive in a tough all girls school controlled by a gang of mask wearing bullies and a dishonest administration, all being overseen by a corrupt politician. When they are approached by a blackmailer to bring down the politician, they get help from local Yakuza girl, Maki (Reiko Ike).

Criminal Woman: Killing Melody aka Zenka Onna: Koroshi-bushi directed by Atsushi Mihori, has us watching Maki (Reiko Ike), who's father, after faithfully serving the local Yakuza, is murdered and she herself raped when he is deemed useless to the gang. She tries to kill the Yakuza leader, but is caught and thrown into prison, where she forms a gang (including Miki Sugimoto) who will help her bring down the Yakuza by setting up a gang war, and when the two gangs start to pick each other off, she will be able to get closer to her victim.

If they keep the sort of quality in this package, and with the Elder Sister Series releases, America's Panik House is looking like a future leader of Japanese cult films on DVD. This sort of collection is the stuff that would give Quentin Tarantino, and his love of seventies exploitation cinema, a wet dream. Many parallels can be made with these films and those of the blaxploitation genre, specifically Pam Grier's entries, and the Russ Meyer influence (with men being dumb and strong but the women holding all the power), especially Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! are obvious. These films are full of beautiful girls, baring their breasts and beating the crap out of each other… what else could you want from exploitation films?

Video

Considering the fact that these films are over 30 years old, the transfers are stunning…I would even go so far as to say flawless. Anamorphic widescreen, the colors are all bright and vibrant, and the shadows never become muddy, pixellated or soft edged. Panik House has taken a lot of care with the reproduction of these films, and it shows.

Audio

The Dolby Digital 2.0 audio is fantastic, all the Japanese dialogue is clear and crisp, and the music soundtrack is as funky as funky can be, and are a huge reflection of the time in which these films were made.

Extra Features

The packaging of this set from Panik House is so unique; it should be classed as a special feature itself. The four films are collected in an unusual, fluorescent vinyl package with a knife wielding Sukeban on the cover, who, with the current interest in kogal fashions, wouldn't look out of place in a Gwen Stefani film clip. In actual fact, the influence of the fashions these girls wore is apparent in many other genres, from pop music to cartoon characters.

There is an excellent 24 page booklet in this set, written by the author of Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film, Chris D, which gives a brief, but complete history of the origins of Pinky Violence.

Each disc has a commentary by an aficionado of Asian cinema: Girl Boss Guerilla is done by Panik House President Matt Kennedy and Asian Cult Cinema magazine columnist Wyatt Doyle, Criminal Woman: Killing Melody is by film critics Andy Klein and Wade Major, which leaves Chris D to do the commentary for Terrifying Girls High School: Lynch Law Classroom and Delinquent Girl Boss: Worthless to Confess.

All the discs have a variety of smaller extras such as picture and poster galleries, trailers, production notes and cast and crew biographies.

This collection also features a CD with songs performed by Pinky Violence star Reiko Ike. It is basically lounge music with lyrics provided by a singer who has been recorded at the peak of orgasm. It's funky, and occasionally amusing.

There is a sticker feature the image from the front of the packaging.

The Verdict

Arse kicking, ear biting, motorbike riding, tit flashing, delinquent guerilla girls from Japan. The directors of these films took the template made in film like She Devils on Wheels and their ilk and came up with an explosive exploitation sub genre that goes from thrilling with the violence to a cool seventies kitsch that reflects the times they were made in. The movies themselves may not all be five star fare, but this package certainly is. Well done, Panik House!

The Rating