Cruel Story of Youth (Criterion Collection)

After teenager Kiyoshi (Yusuke Kawazu) rescued young hitchhiker Makoto (Miyuki Kuwano) from rape at the hands of her pickup, a torrid if toxic amour fou ensued. The lovers hit on an effective means of supporting themselves-she'd thumb rides from middle-aged men, he'd extort them after they made a move-but the con might lead to a tragic end. Sobering look at postwar adolescence, an early triumph for Nagisa Oshima. RUNTIME: 96 minutes. Japanese with Subtitles; English; bonus film "A Town of Love and Hope" (1959); bonus short "Tomorrow's Sun" (1959); featurette; theatrical trailer. In Japanese with English subtitles.