Voice Without a Shadow

Newly released by Arrow Video, in the Nikkatsu Diamond Guys, vol. 1 set, this mystery by Suzuki was made a few years before he became the experimenter he is best known as today. Still, his talent is quite evident. The direction and cinematography are excellent throughout. I wasn't especially interested in the story of this one, though, and I grew a little bit bored. Hideaki Nitani stars as a newspaper reporter trying to unravel a convoluted murder scheme. Yoko Minamida plays a woman who was a witness - over the phone - to a murder. The main action takes place 3 years later, when that murder comes back to haunt her. Jo Shishido also co-stars.

This film was surprisingly phenomenal. With firm roots in Noir, I would nonetheless classify this as a 'proto giallo' along with other films like Les Diaboliques, The Girl who Knew too Much, and The Possessed. There isn't a ton of atmosphere but the plot is really engaging and well done. The concept itself is original and very 'Edgar Wallace', and the photography is really pretty. Something about this is really very giallo, although there's no nudity or sensuality at all to speak of, nor rich and textured sets or outfits. I guess it's all in the plot; themes and plot modes that seem unique to giallo and krimi. I'm not saying that this film influenced any giallo film makers at all, in fact it was shelved for years and so it didn't, but I think it shows that giallo didn't spring up out of nowhere, nor is there even a clear line of succession from director to director that led to the advent of giallo; advances in technology along with globally changing social codes and the evolution of the mystery novel as well as its further mutation brought about by the film industry (and as noir started to expand and change) led to similar styles being realized all around the world and in every culture.

Ishikawa, a newspaper journalist, unexpectedly meets Asako, a woman who used to work for his company some time ago as a phone operator. Three years ago, she accidentally heard the voice of a suspect who committed a still-unresolved homicide. Since then, the suspect's voice has remained lodged in her mind as a terrifying memory.

What might strike you about the plot is how it seems to have the same setup as the Italian giallo: someone sees, hears or smells something just for an instant and it lurks in their mind for a while until it finally helps them solve a murder. What makes this plot particularly interesting is how it actually predates the giallo film -- did Japan beat Italy to the punch? "Voice Without a Shadow" is available from Arrow Video on their set Nikkatsu Diamond Guys Vol 1, along with "Red Pier" and "The Rambling Guitarist". Seemingly, no one has seen these films since their theatrical release decades ago, which completely baffles the mind. "Voice" is worthy of Argento or Hitchcock, and how it languished in obscurity is a real tragedy.

I strongly encourage people to pick this set up. Classic Japanese cinema is more than giant monsters (kaiju) and samurai films, more than Toho, Ozu and Kurosawa. They were on the cutting edge of many of the greatest genre scenes, but for one reason or another just never got their due. Thank you, Arrow Video.