Blu-ray Release: The Mad Fox

Blu-ray Release Date: June 23, 2020
Price: Blu-ray $27.99
Studio: Arrow/MVD

In stark contrast to the monochrome naturalism of his earlier masterwork Bloody Spear (1955) at Mount Fuji, visionary Japanese director Tomu Uchida took inspiration from Bunraku and kabuki theater for arguably his strangest and most lavishly cinematic film, the fantasy-drama The Mad Fox.

Amidst a mythically-depicted medieval Japan, a court astrologer foretells a great disturbance that threatens to split the realm in two. His bitter and treacherous wife conspires to have the astrologer killed, as well as their adopted daughter, Sakaki. The astrologer’s master apprentice, Yasuna, who was in love with Sakaki, is driven mad with grief and escapes to the countryside. There, he encounters Sakaki’s long-lost twin, Kuzunoha, and the pair meet a pack of ancient fox spirits in the woods, whose presence may be the key to restoring Yasuna’s sanity, and in turn bringing peace to the fracturing nation.

Finally available outside Japan for the first time, Uchida’s stunning, wildly stylized widescreen tableaux – using expressionist sets and color schemes – are highlighted in a world premiere Blu-ray release.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Brand new restoration by Toei
• High Definition Blu-ray™ (1080p) presentation
• Original uncompressed mono Japanese audio
• Optional newly translated English subtitles
• Brand new audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp, recorded exclusively for this release
• Original theatrical trailer
• Image gallery
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin
• FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Ronald Cavaye and Hayley Scanlon