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Story of Yonosuke (The) AKA Yokomichi Yonosuke (Blu-ray)
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray B - United Kingdom - Third Window Films Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (5th April 2014). |
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The Film
 ***This is a technical review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** It's 1987 and eighteen-year-old Yonosuke has moved to Tokyo where he finds himself out of step with his more worldly counterparts at university. Despite showing little talent, Yonosuke joins the samba club and takes to dancing with wild abandon. Soon after, he meets Shoko, an eccentric rich girl who shows interest in Yonosuke. But Yonosuke is infatuated with a mysterious older woman named Chiharu. Juxtaposed against Yonosuke's life are his friends sixteen years later. However, missing is the affable Yonosuke, who is said to have become a cameraman after college. Little do they know of the selfless tragedy that has befallen their “ordinary” friend.
Video
Independent niche British distributor Third Window Films brings "The Story of Yonosuke" onto Blu-ray to British shores in the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The transfer uses an AVC MPEG-4 encode, and is 1080p. As far as low budget 35mm films go, it looks good, but is far from reference quality. One of the first things that may strike people familiar with Blu-ray, is the unfortunate lack of detail in many of the darker mid to long range shots. Sometimes shadow detail in close range shots is also lacking basic details such as hair and clothing intricacies. However, the lighter shots can look pretty good, a highlight being at the 57-58 minute mark, where the rippling water of the swimming pool looks fantastic. The detail in some of the other locations also has the ability to impress, such as leaves in hedges, and minor grime on walls. Facial details are of various quality; sometimes good, sometimes disappointing, but generally okay, and certainly passable. Colours are a little bit of a mixed bag. Whilst skin tones look fine, some of the colours feel overly-muted (likely a stylistic choice though) and warm. On occasion though, colours can really pop and shades are well defined - again I point you towards the swimming pool scene at the 57-58 minute point. There's a little aliasing here and there, but no damage to the print such as scratches or dirt. Note, at 149:11, the movement of the pink dress away from screen gives off a false impression of minor break-up, but frame-by-frame analysis shows this is just the awkward movement of the dress, and in no way an issue with the transfer. The disc is region B locked, and the feature runs 160:16.
Audio
Third Window Films have provided a single audio option in the original language; Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. It's not a bad track at all, and although it is very much focused on the front speakers (it is a dialogue driven film after all), we do get plenty of subtle touches to the surrounds, and the score utilises the entire sound field. Volume levels are fairly consistent, and dialogue is clear at all times. There was one minor issue in the track early on at 7:59, where there is some minor distortion from the rear speakers for roughly one second. I did listen to it several times, and to my ears, it is not an out-of-place effect from the scene at the time, where someone is speaking on a microphone. Apart from that, the track is clear of damage, and has no issues. The English subtitles are optional.
Extras
Just a theatrical trailer (1:56). Third Window Films have informed us the reason for such a small extras package is due to the producer being unwilling to license such material out. Shame on the producer.
Overall
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