Blue Spring

"A compelling and bleak tale of disillusioned youth coming of age in modern-day Japan, director Toshiaki Toyoda's Blue Spring arrives on DVD courtesy of Artsmagic. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, the image is clean and free of digital artifacting or edge enhancement, with solid blacks and even skin tones. Though colors appear slightly muted and the presentation occasionally appears slightly dark, the overall presentation is commendable and satisfying. Audio, rendered in Japanese Dolby Digital Stereo and fueled by the rebellious riffs of Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, is crisp and free of distortion throughout. Since his feature directorial debut with the 1998 drama Pornostar, many have hailed Toyoda as one of Japan's most promising young talents. A commentary track with Japanese cinema writer Tom Mes offers much background info on the young director, touching on everything from his reputation as a chess prodigy in his youth, his semi-delinquent teenage years, and his ultimate discovery of cinema in the 1980s. Mes also discusses in detail Toyoda's unique method of storytelling and offers viewers a detailed look at the Japanese educational system, which will no doubt help Western viewers appreciate the youthful malaise that drives the film to its tragic conclusion. A pair of interviews with the director himself offers even more information on his career and stylistic choices, and with both adding up to about 15 minutes, they are a real treat for fans of modern Japanese cinema. Though the included biographies and filmographies mainly offer only a brief glimpse into the careers of the young actors, a detailed biography for Toyoda goes a little more in-depth, rounding out the presentation nicely and offering a solid stateside release for this important but relatively obscure Japanese gem."