Always mentioned alongside the words 'criminally' and 'underrated' or 'ignored' (just checked the play.com listing : yep, that's what they say, clear as day) - here's a Masumura movie that hasn't seen a USA DVD or a subtitled anywhere else that I know of. Fan of 'Blind Beast' (also out here in the UK on the same label, May 22nd 2006), 'Afraid to Die', 'Giants & Toys or 'Manji' amongst other USA releases for these very odd movies? Look out for this one then, nice little title that could have slipped by so easily. Looks like something truly special,hope that others from Masumura make it out soon : there was a mini Festival of hist work last year here in the U.K, so this could be their outlet on DVD via Yume Pictures. Nice. I await 100% confirmation that it's uncut though, looks like a rough film and his work is ahead of it' time in its extreme nature, at least it often feels that way.
Synopsis at ICO says, "One of Japan's most notorious and internationally criminally under-exposed films. Shocking, beautiful and moving in equal measure, this is one of Masumura's very finest achievements. Set against the Sino-Japanese war in 1939, a young angelic military nurse is raped by her patients and sent to the front line for daring to register a complaint. Posted to a rag-tag demoralised unit, she falls in love with an impotent morphine-addicted surgeon. Together the pair seek solace in each other, as all around, disease, brutality and carnage threaten to sweep their humanity away."
'Red Angel' Review at Midnight Eye, Review at Guardian Unlimited. Piece on Masumura at Chicago Reader.