s/d: yakuza/japanese gangster movies

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paging alex in sf.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 12 March 2007 02:03 (nineteen years ago)

Search: Gozu

― the next grozart, Monday, 12 March 2007 02:18 (nineteen years ago)

destroy: infernal affairs II

― the next grozart, Monday, 12 March 2007 02:18 (nineteen years ago)

"Search: Gozu"
Yes.

― Windy G Moisture, Monday, 12 March 2007 02:29 (nineteen years ago)

s: http://www.odditycinema.com/images/blackmail_life.jpg

― milo z, Monday, 12 March 2007 02:31 (nineteen years ago)

search for a tiny tiny box?

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 12 March 2007 03:06 (nineteen years ago)

Search: Tokyo Drifter and Branded to Kill.

― Gukbe, Monday, 12 March 2007 03:16 (nineteen years ago)

My answer is
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t315/TheGZeus/terrible/NO.jpg

― Windy G Moisture, Monday, 12 March 2007 03:17 (nineteen years ago)

DAMMIT xpost

― Windy G Moisture, Monday, 12 March 2007 03:17 (nineteen years ago)

Yakuza Papers!

― Alex in SF, Monday, 12 March 2007 03:33 (nineteen years ago)

Just rented Cops vs. Thugs, will be watching it this evening. WTF at eyeless dog, dude.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 12 March 2007 03:37 (nineteen years ago)

Okay here are some must sees:

Beat Takashi:
Fireworks
Sonantine
Violent Cop

Kinji Fukasaku (all good, they do get slightly redundant so start with the first two OR just rent the third in its entirety for pure overkill):
Street Mobster
Blackmail Is My Life
Yakuza Papers
Cops vs. Thugs
Graveyard of Honor
Sympathy for the Underdog
Yakuza Graveyard

Seijin Suzuki (first two are best, but they are all good):
Branded to Kill
Tokyo Drifter
Fighting Elegy
Tattooed Life
Youth of the Beast

Yasuharu Hasebe did a bunch of weird movies which are well worth picking up, but only one straight Yakuza film that's been released, the very worthwhile Bloody Territories.

Let me know if you want me to do a samurai recommendation list. There was a huge amount of crazy good shit getting released in Japan in the 50s, 60s and 70s. A lot of it might seem generic as hell, I guess, but the scripts are tight, the actions intense and the actor is often excellent (the Yakuza Papers is SO long and so many people get killed that by the third episode they've had to recycle actors into different roles!)

― Alex in SF, Monday, 12 March 2007 04:41 (nineteen years ago)

I kind of lost command of the english language at the end there, but you get the picture.

― Alex in SF, Monday, 12 March 2007 04:46 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not a huge Miike fan by the way, but he does have a couple of interesting Yakuza flicks, including Yakuza Demon. His Black Mask Society stuff is very straight, but pales in comparison to the 60s/70s flicks I've listed above IMO. Ichi The Killer is the one everyone talks about (makes Gozu seem positively tame by comparison) but it's not that great, just over-the-top. Much much better in the same sort of OTT cartoon-y way (even based on an anime IIRC) is Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl also starring Asano (even better than that is Last Life in the Universe but that's not really Yakuza.)

― Alex in SF, Monday, 12 March 2007 04:57 (nineteen years ago)

Oh here's another great one: Masahiro Shinoda's Pale Flower. There are also a ton of Pink Violence/Sexploitation type Yakuza films which I really should get on watching! I will return with recommendations!

― Alex in SF, Monday, 12 March 2007 05:26 (nineteen years ago)

destroy: all of them.

that's not fair, actually search that one with Tadanobu Asano where he goes to Thailand and falls in love with the girl in the library and you don't even know it's a yazuka movie until the end. i think chris doyle did the cinematography.

also, the scenes in Tanpopo with Koji Yakusho as the pimped yazuza are pretty classic.

but yeah sorry not a fan at all. HI ALEX!

― Steve Shasta, Monday, 12 March 2007 06:22 (nineteen years ago)

Haha well to each his own. BTW that's Last Life In The Universe.

― Alex in SF, Monday, 12 March 2007 06:24 (nineteen years ago)

Oh and HI STEVE!

― Alex in SF, Monday, 12 March 2007 06:25 (nineteen years ago)

Search: Masato Harada's Jubaku: Spellbound. A rare film in that it's about salarymen who go against (mostly non-violent) gangsters who try to blackmail their firm. It's realistic and low-key, and stars the great Koji Yakusho.

― Tuomas, Monday, 12 March 2007 08:05 (nineteen years ago)

So did you like Cops Vs. Thugs?

― Alex in SF, Monday, 12 March 2007 15:17 (nineteen years ago)

I loved the first act (brilliantly shot chase scene [crashing into an empty car!]! brutal interrogation! random-ass beheading!) and was pleasantly surprised when the third act detoured into a damn taut hostage drama, but the middle forty minutes or so kinda had me lost and bored.

I saw Tokyo Drifter back inna day and thought it was visually incredible, but I'm sorta with consensus in not being able to make sense of the plot. It seemed like the kind of thing I'd love to leave muted w/subtitles during a party. Since I wasn't able to make any sense out of TD's plot I've avoided Branded to Kill, but I guess its multiple rec's here mean it's worth seeing.

So next on the list are probably Branded, Gozu, and maybe Fireworks. I'll report back!

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 20:39 (nineteen years ago)

haven't seen as much of this as I should but I love love LOVE Takeshi. Fireworks is probably my favorite. Violent Cop is one of those movies I own but rarely watch cuz its, uh, kinda too harrowing (but GREAT!) Also his yakuza-adopts-a-child movie was a lot better than it had any right to be.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 20:46 (nineteen years ago)

Alex no love for Takeshi's Boiling Point?

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 20:48 (nineteen years ago)

I liked it, but I don't remember thinking as much of it as the other three (I gave it three Netflix stars.) Even the crazy American one with Omar Epps was pretty good though, so you can't go wrong with Takeshi and yakuza really.

― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 20:52 (nineteen years ago)

Branded To Kill is darker, weirder and slightly more sensible than Tokyo Drifter.

― dan selzer, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 20:55 (nineteen years ago)

yeh, Brother - I need to watch that one again

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 20:56 (nineteen years ago)

(xpost)

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 20:56 (nineteen years ago)

they just had a yakuza papers marathon on IFC this week. but i had to work. Parts 1-5. Or maybe last week. i can't remember. anyway, i missed it.

― scott seward, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 20:58 (nineteen years ago)

BLACK RAIN

(ducks worm-eaten produce, shuriken)

― Oilyrags, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 22:41 (nineteen years ago)

I'm watching the end of Blackmail is My Life right now (the other three I'd planned on renting were out, I guess somebody else is on a yakuza trip). I was a little reluctant only because after Cops v. Thugs I wanted something a little more stylized & fun. Imagine my surprise when Blackmail turned out to be just that. Great stuff, even though the middle third drags a bit. Might have to buy this one.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Friday, 16 March 2007 18:52 (nineteen years ago)

Anyone know about this (Fonk Juk/Exiled)? Is it worth seeing at an inconvenient time at a local film festival?

― Jordan, Friday, 16 March 2007 18:57 (nineteen years ago)

yes! only if you like your movies offbeat though

― fies, Friday, 16 March 2007 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

if you can find graveyard of honor, that one is highly stylized and beserk. numerous film stocks, whiplash editing, hypernihilistic.

― Edward III, Friday, 16 March 2007 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

Fuck yes:

Branded to Kill (an all-time favorite movie of any kind -- didn't much care for Tokyo Drifter, though it's certainly got its moments)
Sonatine (head and shoulders above Fireworks/Hana-Bi, but start with these two)
Graveyard of Honor (confusing, but worth it -- never seen Yakuza Papers)
Gozu (and, if you want: Dead or Alive I, Ichii the Killer, Fudoh: The New Generation, etc.)
A Taxing Woman (Juzo Itami: if you can handle the cuteness -- sequel's pretty good too)
Gonin (Takashi Ishii: again, the sequel's worthwhile)

― Pye Poudre, Friday, 16 March 2007 20:04 (nineteen years ago)

Was Otoki whistling the theme to Tokyo Drifter??

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Friday, 16 March 2007 20:49 (nineteen years ago)

Gotta be honest, Gozu looked a little too weird for my taste. What little I've seen of Miike makes me wary.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Friday, 16 March 2007 21:00 (nineteen years ago)

I watched Sex & Fury last night and if you want softcore porn, Christina Lindberg, bad acting, weird fight scenes (there is a snow fight scene which Kill Bill might have liberally borrowed from--minus completely nudity and 20 fully clothed men) and a great soundtrack then it'll be your bag.

― Alex in SF, Friday, 16 March 2007 21:05 (nineteen years ago)

not sure why people keep recommending gozu as a yakuza movie. yeah, it's got yakuza characters in it, but that's like somebody asks for a good medical drama and you recommend dead ringers.

― Edward III, Friday, 16 March 2007 23:24 (nineteen years ago)

BUT that's a great recommendation!

― Alex in SF, Friday, 16 March 2007 23:25 (nineteen years ago)

Of course, Gozu's not as good as Dead Ringers, but still!

― Alex in SF, Friday, 16 March 2007 23:26 (nineteen years ago)

miike does have some straight-up yakuza films though. his remake of graveyard of honor not as good as the original, but it is good.

― Edward III, Friday, 16 March 2007 23:26 (nineteen years ago)

regardless of dead ringers worth, somebody's looking for e.r. and you're giving them gynecology from mars.

― Edward III, Friday, 16 March 2007 23:28 (nineteen years ago)

EXACTLY!

Frankly I tend to prefer Miike's straight films. I've not seen the Graveyard of Honor remake though.

― Alex in SF, Friday, 16 March 2007 23:31 (nineteen years ago)

Honestly the guy makes way way too many movies.

― Alex in SF, Friday, 16 March 2007 23:32 (nineteen years ago)

graveyard of honor remake is one of my favorite miike flicks. great performance by the lead. when I first saw it, it kind of reminded me of raging bull, both films are joyless yet poignant films about one man's quest to poison and destroy every relationship around him, unable to express his emotions except through acts of violence. much later it occurred to me that schrader had almost certainly seen the original. makes me wonder how much it influenced his take on lamotta, and it's funny how the reverb can still be felt in miike's remake.

iirc it's supposed to come out this year on dvd in the us.

― Edward III, Sunday, 18 March 2007 04:59 (nineteen years ago)

I picked up Youth of the Beast tonight, but was unable to sustain interest in it; probably because it's 2:30 in the am and I've already watched Piranha 2: The Spawning and a couple episodes of The Wire. I'll give it another go tomorrow.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Sunday, 18 March 2007 07:41 (nineteen years ago)

I just watched Tokyo Drifter again for the fuck of it. Was fun. Gonna try picking up Branded To Kill tonight.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Saturday, 31 March 2007 22:26 (nineteen years ago)

two years pass...

So did you like Cops Vs. Thugs?
― Alex in SF, Monday, March 12, 2007 3:17 PM (2 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
I loved the first act (brilliantly shot chase scene [crashing into an empty car!]! brutal interrogation! random-ass beheading!) and was pleasantly surprised when the third act detoured into a damn taut hostage drama, but the middle forty minutes or so kinda had me lost and bored.
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Tuesday, March 13, 2007 8:39 PM (2 years ago) Bookmark

I picked up Youth of the Beast tonight, but was unable to sustain interest in it
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Sunday, March 18, 2007 7:41 AM (2 years ago) Bookmark

I rented both of these last night totally forgetting I'd already seen them. My opinion on Cops vs.Thugs is basically the same, but I did a total 180 on Youth of the Beast. Fuckin incredible, really really loved it. The one way mirror in the nightclub was so dope and the weird yellow dust storm was cool and the big rumble in the field with the red muzzle flashes had me making a big :D face the whole time. I totally didn't see the plot twist coming.

Also watched Vol 1 of the Yakuza Papers over breakfast this morning and am definitely gonna watch the other 4. In that very first scene I totally thought the guy had a bat and they were about to nastily break dude's arm. I actually spit out cereal when his arm was bloodily severed--"Oh, that's a sword."

I also thought it was hilarious that anyone doing any shooting insisted on emptying a full clip into their target. I MUST SHOOT HIM 30 TIMES!!

― BIG HOOS's wacky crack variety hour (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Monday, 27 July 2009 20:27 (sixteen years ago)

Yeah it's amazing how just insane and unprofessional all the killers in these movies come off as. I'll fire blindly at you and if I hit you and you die hah I am a badass!

― He was only 21 years old when he 16 (Alex in SF), Monday, 27 July 2009 20:40 (sixteen years ago)

I love the copy on all the trailers too

GENIUS DIRECTOR FUKASAKU DEIPCTS

A WORLD OF BLOOD!

CRAZY VIOLENCE!

DRUGS!

SEXUAL DEPRAVITY!

YOU CANNOT PREPARE FOR

BATTLES WITHOUT HONOR AND HUMANITY!!!

― BIG HOOS's wacky crack variety hour (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Tuesday, 28 July 2009 06:53 (sixteen years ago)

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