[The Pinky Violence Collection] Delinquent Girl Boss: Worthless to Confess movie review

by Chris   ⋅   April 10, 2006   ⋅   Comment now   ⋅    RSS

The fourth entry in the Delinquent Girl Boss series, Delinquent Girl Boss: Worthless to Confess (aka:Zubekô banchô: zange no neuchi mo nai) is widely considered the best of the series. The film sees Reiko (Reiko Oshida), the gang boss from the previous film, freshly released from prison and back on the mean streets of Shinjuku. Her previous crimes are never discussed, and as she is trying to move on with her life, this is perfectly understandable. Reiko finds work at a small garage, Muraki’s, run by the father of one of her old cellmates. Muraki(Junzaburo Bun)’s is not without his problems. His daughter, Midori (Yumiko Katayama, Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion), is no longer speaking to him, having run off with a young yakuza whose organization is hell-bent on taking M’s land. The little money his business does receive goes toward protection and debt payments to these local thugs. Seeking to help, Reiko gets in touch with the rest of her gang, only to find they are not much better off. Most work Sisyphus-like at degrading jobs to handle interest on debts acquired due to circumstances beyond their control. The thrust of the film concerns the girls’ efforts to make do and better their lives, and the lives of the people around them, despite the criminal element intent on keeping them down.

Though the title certainly smacks of pinky, the genre elements are treated as fringe with regards to the rest of the story. Sure, there are scenes of bare breasts, groping, and very brief sequence of implied lesbianism, but director Kazuhiko Yamaguchi was far more interested in relating a dramatic tale of courage, honor, and determination in the face of oppression. Ex-cons though the girls may be, near all prove exemplary in their virtuous and altruistic nature. Reiko seeks to reunite Midori and her Father, while Mari (Yukie Kagawa) seeks to raise enough money to take care of her ailing husband, afflicted with Tuberculosis. Yamaguchi’s skilled direction lends gravity to these issues, prompting a genuine emotional concern from the audience. Yamaguchi also displays a deft hand at humor, evidenced in scenes involving Reiko’s relationship with Tsunehiko Watase and the opening prison “riot” during a screening of an Abashiri Prison film.

The film itself has a bold, vibrant, near garish color scheme typical of 1970’s Japanese pop cinema. Stage lighting, silhouette action on primary color backdrops, everything is here. Cinematographer, Hanjirô Nakazawa, primarily uses static shots to capture the bulk of the narrative action, pulling out all the stops for the film’s blood soaked finale, itself a nod to the gang-land sword battles of old Yakuza films. Every possible angle for coverage is used, including various shots up through the glass floor of the cabaret, similar to those used in Suzuki’s Tattooed Life, and the first Sasori film, and dynamic steady cam shots, such as the retreating hallway shot as Reiko chases down a yakuza with sword raised, creating an immensely entertaining altercation.

Lead actress Reiko Oshida brings the proper blend of tough and sweet to the role, making the character of Reiko both immediately endearing and demanding of respect, with just a hint of vulnerability. Interestingly, the production notes reveal that Toei pressured Yamaguchi to create a nude scene for lead Reiko Oshida, but Yamaguchi refused, adamant in his stance that as the lead in his film Reiko had to remain a paragon of purity. The studio let him have this victory, so long as he compensate by adding scenes for another character; thus resulting in the various nude scenes for pouty lipped Bratz doll/Chara look-alike, Yumiko Katayama.

Delinquent Girl Boss: Worthless to Confess is a surprisingly well put together film. Equally balancing fantasy, absurd humor, and serious, tragic drama, the film is as entertaining as it is emotionally engaging. Peppered with just the right amount of violence and t&a, this film will satisfy both the pinky violence enthusiast and general drama audience alike.

The Disc:
As mentioned in the Pinky Violence Collection hub article, San Francisco’s own Panik House Entertainment has painstakingly restored this film to its original glory. Colors are vibrant and crisp, with no discernable bleed. The film is presented with its original mono soundtrack, representing the awesome soundtrack in its true, unadulterated form; a nice bonus for genre purists.

The disc provides an endlessly informative commentary by Chris D, director of programming at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles. Though his voice may seem to drone at first, stick around, you’ll find out more history, trivia, and genre insights about the film then you ever thought existed. Furthermore, the production notes and star bios will allow even the most verdant genre newcomer to walk away with some excellent party trivia.

Lastly the theatrical trailer, production still, and poster galleries are an excellent addition, and are standard for all films in the Pinky Violence Collection.

About the Author:

Chris Nelson is a Technical writer in the Silicon Valley. He is currently studying for a Software Engineering degree at San Jose State University. He has been a film fanatic since Age six.

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