The Naked Island

Presented in a restored transfer, the film looks pristine on this DVD from Eureka!'s The Masters of Cinema Series. It is accompanied by a nine-minute video introduction by Alex Cox, covering Shindo's communist beliefs, his dedication to the film's production, and his subsequent marriage to the star Nobuko Otawa (who also features in his 1964 film 'Onibaba').

There is also a full audio commentary (Japanese, with optional English subtitles) in which writer/director Kaneto Shindo and composer Hikaru Hayashi discuss the arduous but fulfilling process of making the film, how virtually all the cast (besides the two leads) were local non-actors, and how the music captures the spirit and mood of the place.

The 28-page accompanying illustrated booklet includes a new essay by critic Acquarello and an interview with Shindo by Joan Mellen.