Young Thugs – Nostalgia is a film well deserving of its title.
6th grade student Riichi lives a tough life. Between the endless battles with a gang of local punks, and his less than functional home life, it is safe to say the poor kid got a raw deal. Despite his hand in life though, Riichi manages to make the best of things with the help of some thick skin, a few good friends, and a true sense of resilience.
In an interview located on the Artsmagic DVD, Takashi Miike is translated as saying that Young Thugs – Nostalgia is his most favourite cinematic creation. When one takes into consideration the scope and intensity of Miike’s canon, it becomes easy to appreciate the true weight of that statement. Much like the director himself, those who follow Miike’s work undoubtedly have a personal favourite and a reason behind that decision. Whether it be Audition for its unsettling atmosphere, Ichi The Killer with its over the top characters and cartoon-like gore, or any of the dozens of other films that comprise the man’s filmography; if you like his style you more than likely have a favourite that strikes a chord with you, for better or for worse.
After seeing Young Thugs – Nostalgia (the second in the series, though not directly related to the first), I find myself evaluating my own personal Miike favorite, and coming up with a very similar answer. It is rare to see a V-Cinema production (Japanese straight-to-video) with so much heart, especially one of Miike’s. That is not to say that any of Miike’s films lack passion, quite the contrary in fact, but often it seems that style or circumstance overtakes that necessary aspect of character development, leaving a slight void which only manages to hinder the overall product. On the other hand, we find in this particular production just what happens when the plot does not lend itself to excessive expressions of style. The characters can take a minute to breath and the result is rewarding, and particularly in Miike’s case, refreshing.
Now for those who revel in Miike’s typical insanity, fear not. While there is not the overabundance of something like Dead or Alive, there still exists a strange quirk at times that shows all the distinguishing marks of its maker. Naoto Takenaka in particular shows us his Miike alumni roots as he manages to be both the bastard and the charmer all at once. As useless as he is crazy, this street-punk-turned-father manages to beat his wife, son, and his son’s teacher all within a few seconds, only to wrap the scene by having an unforgettable altercation with a broomstick.
Another slight calamity that often befalls Miike’s earlier works is that of the cinematography of the film reflecting the budget. While Young Thugs – Nostalgia is not exactly the type of film that would require a slick look, it still manages to have been photographed in a clean yet artistically sound way that complements the story perfectly.
As for the premise, there is not much that can be said without running the risk of over complicating what most of us know as the family unit. Riichi’s a young boy who lives with a comically strange grandfather, an over stressed and terribly underappreciated mother, and a father who does not seem to realize the typical obligations that usually come with being a human being, much less a husband and a parent. Riichi manages to cope with his home life without turning the plot into a pity party, and the rest is just life. Most of us live it to some degree or another and it is this common thread that the average viewer will connect with and relate to.
Artsmagic keeps the ball rolling with another great release of a lesser known Miike gem. With one of the better transfers I’ve seen on an Artsmagic DVD to date, we get a fairly sharp, anamorphic widescreen presentation, with a 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack (with a 2.0 Stereo option as well). The highlight of the special features portion comes in the form of an interview with Miike concerning his reflections on the film, its actors, and Nostalgia in general. Another noteworthy special feature is the inclusion of the original V-Cinema cover in a gallery of sorts, complete with a detailed translation of the entire box’s text.