Door Blu-ray

Door

Door Blu-ray Review

Door is a horror-thriller which will creep under the skin and not let go of audiences. Produced by Kôsuke Kuri (Autumn Moon, A Wind Named Amnesia), Door is a disturbing horror film and one that manages something distinct and remarkable in the genre. Executive produced by Fumio Takahashi, Door stars Keiko Takahashi in the leading role.

Yasuko Honda (Keiko Takahashi) lives in a quiet apartment with her son and her husband. Yasuko's husband is frequently away from the apartment. One quiet day, Yasuko receives a knock on her apartment door. An unexpected salesman is at the door. The salesman is increasingly someone aggressive and he makes several phone calls to the apartment as well. As a result, Yasuko soon becomes increasingly afraid to answer her door because of the sinister presence of the salesman.

As the salesman visits to the apartment continue on, the salesman finds his hand gets partly crushed by the door as she tries to prevent him from entering. The salesman won't leave Yasuko alone and the incidents continue until both are in the apartment together. Now that the salesman is inside, Yasuko and her child's life are endangered, as a psychosexual encounter unfolds with the salesman attempting to control her every move. Can Yasuko survive the encounter and put an end to the horrifying visits?

Keiko Takahashi delivers an exceptional lead performance. Takahashi has a lot of weight on her shoulder in the lead role. The performance is one that has to show duality to her role – part of her character is disturbed beyond belief by the stalker salesman, part of her is intrigued by his obsession with her. It certainly creates an interesting contrast as the story develops. On the one hand, Yasuko is a quiet character who wants nothing more than peace for herself, her son, and her husband. Yet as the disturbing encounters with the salesman stalker continue – and she meets him – there lingers a psychosexual energy between the two even as she aims to escape. Even as disgusted by her stalker as she is, one can sense an unspoken sexual energy that is disturbing even to herself. As the stalker grows increasingly violent and her life and her son's life become endangered, the stakes become higher and Yasuko must do whatever she can to survive.

The supporting cast does a solid job with the production, too. The cast includes Yamakawa (Daijirô Tsutsumi), Satoru Honda (Shirô Shimomoto), Takuto Honda (Takuto Yonezu), The Man Next Door (Masao Ishida), Policeman (Hiroshi Noguchi), and Delivery Man (Yoshihiro Shimada). The cast is excellent. The supporting players add to the filmmaking and the quiet horrors of the story. An impressive ensemble – with the son adding a notable role in the production. The mother-son bond between the leading characters remains an important aspect of the film.

The score composed by Gôji Tsuno (Zenki, Strange Love) is incredible and adds a lot of depth to the filmmaking. The score is engaging and well-done throughout. The film often uses silence and quiet elements for horror as well. Nonetheless, the score is exquisite and adds a haunting element, too. Incredible music for the production.

The cinematography by Yasushi Sasakibara (Original Sin, A Legend of Turmoil) is incredible and one of the best aspects of the production. The visuals add to the language and poetry of the filmmaking. A beautiful looking film and one that creates a quiet majesty that cannot be understated. Beautiful.

The art direction by Terumi Hosoishi (Original Sin, The Crazy Family) adds to the production strengths with beautiful design work for the film. Hosoishi did a solid job with the production. The realistic production looks believable while creating an eerie atmosphere. The style is exquisitely done. Impressive design work for Japanese cinema.

Edited by Jun'ichi Kikuchi (Pulse, Shall We Dance?), Door is edited well and the rhythm and flow of the filmmaking is noteworthy. The editing handles the quiet moments and the sharp horror that follows. Well-done and gripping throughout, the editing handles the pace perfectly. An example of how the perfect genre notes of slow-burn Japanese horror are unlike anything else.

Directed by Banmei Takahashi (Victimized Woman, Door II: Tokyo Diary), with the script by Takahashi and co- screenwriter Ataru Oikawa (Tomie, Lovers' Kiss), Door is a fantastic horror-thriller with dark undertones throughout the slow-burn filmmaking. Yasuko is a character tossed into an incredible situation of unrelenting terror – she does whatever she can to stop a stalker obsessed with her – recognizing his obsession – and trying to survive no matter the cost. Despite the terror of her determined stalker, Takahashi directs a psychosexual fever game between the two characters. Yasuko recognizes the dangers of her stalker and that her life is at risk by his psychotic determination and that killing her might be the end of the road yet she struggles with her own unspoken sexual fears and her desires, the obsessive stalker a contrast to the banality of her husband and ordinary apartment life. A great thriller and one that has a gripping conclusion, Door is a perfect example of slow-burn Japanese horror at its finest.

Released on Blu-ray by Terror Vision, Door is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The high-definition presentation features excellent clarity and detail. The high-definition presentation features a 2K transfer from the original camera negative. The transfer is remarkably crisp, detailed, and engaging. The cinematography looks outstanding on the release. The naturally filmic presentation shines and there is much to appreciate about the visual quality of the 2K scan.

The release is presented in Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The lossless, high-resolution audio is exquisite sounding. The soundstage is well preserved. The original score is crisp and well-reproduced. The film often has moments of silence and bursts of music, providing a compelling soundstage that is memorable. The English subtitles are well-done – free of egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

The first print run of the release comes with a beautifully designed o-card slipcover. The slipcover art is exceptional. The artwork offers a traditional Japanese-style poster art. The artwork is top-notch and is mesmerizing. The artwork underneath the slipcover is similarly impressive and adds to the packaging presentation.

Terror Vision continues to provide some of the highest quality slipcovers in boutique Blu-ray releases. The collectability of the Terror Vision slipcovers is top-notch and the high-print quality is undeniable. The heft and weight of the slipcover provides a more premium packaging design and it manages to look great in hand and on the shelf.

On disc supplements include:

Interview with Director Banmei Takahashi (HD, 24:44) provides insights from the filmmaker of Door.

Film Critic Ren Scateni on Door (HD, 9:09) explores the feature-film with a discussion and personal insights.

Trailer (HD, 2:45)

Door is understated and quietly brilliant slow-burn Japanese horror. With inspiration by Kubrick and a psychosexual fever, the horror- thriller is far more compelling than first meets the eye. The performance by lead actress Keiko Takahashi is incredible. The eerie horror buildup offers plenty of dread and sheer suspense.

The Blu-ray release provides an exceptional 2K restoration from the original camera negative, lossless audio, and absorbing supplements – including an interview with Director Banmei Takahashi and interview with film critic Ren Scateni. The release also comes with a high-quality, premium- grade o-card slipcover on the first print run. Highly recommended.

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