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Blu-ray cover of 'The Betrayal' with two samurai figures and smoke on a white background.
Betrayal, The (BLU-RAY) Pre-Order Deadline June 16/26 Release July 21/26

Betrayal, The (BLU-RAY) Pre-Order Deadline June 16/26 Release July 21/26

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To protect his clan, an honourable samurai (Raizo Ichikawa, Shinobi) takes the blame for a murder committed by one of his fellows. He is promised a safe return after one year in exile, but this vow is broken and he becomes a fugitive chased by his own clansmen. Disillusioned by the bushido code of honour, he realises there are only two ways out: vengeance or death. From director Tokuzo Tanaka (The Snow Woman), a former assistant to Akira Kurosawa, this cruel jidaigeki stands alongside such notable works of the genre as Harakiri and Sword of Doom with its classic mix of honour codes and samurai action. Beautifully filmed in black and white ‘scope with thrilling set pieces, The Betrayal features one of the most breathtaking finales in all of samurai cinema.

BLU-RAY FEATURES

  • High-Definition digital transfer by Kadokawa
  • Uncompressed mono PCM audio
  • Select-scene audio commentary by Japanese film historian Tom Mes (2025)
  • The Path to Betrayal - Visual essay by film critic Philip Kemp, comparing The Betrayal with the original Orochi [The Serpent] (2025, 10 mins)
  • Visual essay on director Tokuzo Tanaka by Tom Mes (2025, 9 mins)
  • New English subtitle translation