Masaki Kobayashi Against the System (Criterion Collection - Eclipse Series 38)

Deemed controversial enough for director Masaki Kobayashi to voluntarily shelve for years, the Japanese helmer's "The Thick-Walled Room" (1953)─his first major film─crafts a blistering narrative from the authentic prison diaries of soldiers imprisoned for war crimes. Kô Mishima, Torahiko Hamada star. Next, Kobayashi exposes corruption in sports with "I Will Buy You" (1956), his striking attack on professional baseball. Keiji Sada, Keiko Kishi. Then, a salacious love triangle takes center stage at a U.S. military base, post-World War II, in "Black River" (1957). Fumio Watanabe, Ineko Arima star. Finally, a dying tycoon's attorneys scheme to steal "The Inheritance" (1964) he wants to leave his illegitimate children. Tôru Abe, Minoru Chiaki star. 7 1/3 hrs. total on four discs. Standard/Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: Japanese PCM mono; Subtitles: English. In Japanese with English subtitles.