Production: Daiei
Color / Length: Color, 200 minutes
Director: Takashi Miike
Actors: Mickey Curtis, Yoshyuki Daichi, Naoto Takenaka
Review:
This is another Takashi Miike Yakuza Eiga (YE) I eagerly waited to see. I was fortunate enough to purchase the uncut version of this movie (~3 hours). Three hours of crazy YE action from Japan’s latest directing stud seemed like a dream. My hopes were super high with anticipation (they always are when it comes to top-notch directors and the YE genre). Although, the last Miike YE I watched was “Deadly Outlaw: Rekka” and I wasn’t impressed. I have faith that Miike is capable of producing intense, dynamic, F**k You Up, quality YE’s as he’s done in the past. Unfortunately, my most recent opinions of his movies have been a coin toss, good or bad. Agitator came in two parts (Part I: War Ensemble & Part II: Bloody War). What do you expect when the film is 3+ hours long? So, at least that’s something to look forward too if you’re a fan of the genre and the film is good. The movies star some fresh and old faces to Miike yakuza eiga. Again, the director himself makes a cameo appearance (the other I know of was “Graveyard of Honor”). The YE great Hiroki Matsukata plays the role of Kaido of the Tensei group. I love seeing this guy since his great YE 70’s flicks. He is easily becoming my second favorite YE actor (after Bunta of course).
So, the story goes… Part One: War EnsembleThe Yokomizo & Shirane gangs are the powers of the underworld in this Japanese city (Tokyo?). They are sworn enemies who live in relative peace. One day, a hired Shirane drug-addict (Miike) is sent into Yokomizo territory to stir up trouble and loses his life in the process by members of the Higuchi gang (who are under the Yokomizo umbrella). While both groups prepare for war or mediation, a hired assassin is sent to kill Yokomizo himself. Higuchi, sworn brother to Yokomizo, and his extreme Higuchi group are devastated. Kensaki, an erratic yakuza in the Higuchi group, is sent to kill Boss Shirane in revenge. Behind the scenes, the leader of the Tensei Association (a large yakuza group) has died and their executive members are vying for leadership. Kaido (Matsukata), a Tensei executive member wants to merge the Yokomizo & Shirane gangs and have them unite under his Tensei group, making him strongest of the other executive groups. He sets a plan of deceit and backstabbing and ignites a war with the Yokomizo outcasts, Higuchi Gang.
Part Two: Bloody WarWith both bosses of the Shirane & Yokomizo groups dead, next generation leaders are appointed. With Kaido’s mediation, both new bosses exchange the cup of bonding. Higuchi becomes suspicious of his peers and severs ties with Yokomizo. Which leads to Kenzaki rampaging against any who stand in the way of his boss, Higuchi. In the meantime, Kensaki and crew kidnap the second in command Shirane and extract information about what is really going on behind the scenes. Yokomizo and Shirane gang are set to merge under Kaido and his Tensei Association. In the exchange for the kidnapped, Higuchi is assassinated. Higuchi group has a newly appointed second generation boss, who goes back under the Yokomizo Group. Kenzaki dismantles his crew and sends them packing. Finally, the Kaido jig is up, but Kenzaki is bent on revenge, he sets a path of death and destruction against, Yokomizo, Shirane and Kaido.
I liked it. That’s all I can say. It wasn’t an orgasmic experience, nor was I wanting to stick my thumbs in my eyes. It was what it was, a straight up yakuza film. Maybe for the “shocked” Miike fan, there will be disappointment. Nothing shocking in this film. Lots of non-chalant shootouts though. The acting was decent and the story flowed well. The only thing I didn’t like/understand was the whole kaleidoscope thing and Kenzaki’s chick flashbacks. Made no sense at all and I got the feeling Miike wanted it to have a Bladerunner like feel to those out of place scenes. But, this was definitely a step up from “Deadly Outlaw: Rekka”. I recommend it for those Miike Yakuza fans, but the perverse sex starved gore fanatics will be disappointed. This film didn’t “WOW” me, but it was a good way to waste 3 hours of my life. A must for Miike dorks.
Guest Reviewer: Steven McVey
3 1/2 Katanas
Montag, 5. November 2007
Afraid to Die (1960)
Production: Daiei
Color / Length: Color, 97 minutes
Director: Yasuzo Masumara
Actors: Yukio Mishima, Ayako Wakao, Eiji Funakoshi, Jun Negami
Review:
"You call yourself a Man?"
"No, I’m a Yakuza."
Outside of Japan, director Yasuzo Masumura is more known for his New Wave-influenced movies “Manji” and “Blind Beast” or his socio-critical comedies like “Giants and Toys” and “Black Test Car”. Little is known about his efforts in Yakuza-Eiga, although he created some of the most interesting genre bending examples of Yakuza-Eiga. Not only did he foreshadow the No-good-for-nothing Yakuza-Loner with “Afraid to die”, he also was responsible for the first (and the last) Part of the long-lasting Shintaro Katsu-Vehicle “Yakuza-Soldier”. Most of Masumuras movies transport some kind of criticism, be it about consumer- (Giants and Toys) or faux heroism (Yakuza Soldier). Mostly he manages to deliver the message packed in humour, black humour, that is. But please keep in mind; an interesting movie isn’t automatically an entertaining movie.
On his release-day, a substitute for Takeo Asahina (Yukio Mishima) get’s killed by a hitman of the Sagara-Group. Sagara (Jun Negami) wants to get revenge for an attempted Hit that sent Asahina into Prison in the first place. Not wholly believing that Asahina got taken out, Sagara follows Asahinas Uncle (Takashi Shimura) and Gangbrother Aikawa (Eiji Funakoshi) to the Tokyo Prison, where the wait for Asahina to be released. But since Asahina obviously is in danger, the Prison Director granted Asahinas wish to sneak out without being seen. Through this trick he manages to get into his turf without being noticed by anybody. He calls his Girlfriend Miasako (Yoshie Mizutani… no idea if she’s related to sexpot and “Weatherwoman” Kei Mizutani) who works as a singer in a sleazy cabaret (Listen closely to her Banana-Song, remember: 1960!). He manages to get a message through to her, before Sagaras men listen into the phone call. Miasako doesn’t seem too happy with meeting up with Asahina again, though she still is in love with him, she’s also having an affair with her manager. Both meet at the cinema run by the Asahina-Group, where Asahina also runs into Yoshie (Ayako Wakao) who works as an Usher in the cinema and at first doesn’t know who he is. After some wild sex, Asahina ditches Miasako, because it’s too dangerous for him to have someone he could be blackmailed with. Miasakos feelings are ambivalent, but she doesn’t throw a big fuss aobut it either.
Later on Asahina meets up with his Uncle and Gangbrother to celebrate his release. While Aikawa seems to have thoughts about quitting Ganglife, Uncle urges Asahina to take out Sagara once and forever. He still lives strongly after the Yakuzarules. Asahinas hesitation doesn’t please his Uncle, so he promises to try and kill Sagara. In the meantime Sagaras second introduces Masa “the asthmatic” (Shigeru Koyama), a Professional Killer from Hokkaido, to his Boss. “The asthmatic” isn’t just a nickname with no meaning, Masa has to rely heavily on medicine to keep going and his coughing and wheezing gives him away, everytime he’s near. For Yoshie, the Usher, things turn bad, when she visits her brother Shoichi (Keizo Kawasaki), who is heading a strike. Some of Sagaras men, camouflaged as strikebreakers, start a fight with the workers and in the chaos Yoshie gets thrown in Jail as well. Even worse, when she’s back out again, she finds that Asahina has already replaced her and shes without a job. But that’s not all; he rapes her and then declares that he actually likes her a lot. Hmmm….. Anyway. Aikawas Girlfriend who runs a little drugstore, tells him about a cancermedecin that had to be taken from the market because it had deadly sideeffects. A shipment of this medecin has gone missing and the Manufactorer would be ready to pay anything to get the medicine back. Aikawa sees this as the chance, to get to some money and make more out of the petty Asahina-Gang. After escaping another attempt on killing him, Asahina gets the chance to get to the medicine, which is in Sagaras hands, when he kidnaps Sagaras daughter. Everything seems to work the way he planned, when suddenly the Über-Godfather interfears.Though the Asahinas get their share of money and through Aikawas clever investment manag to grow bigger, there is lots of trouble around the corner for the Gang. A Pregnancy and another Kidnapping put Asahina into a spot, where he has to decide, what life he wants to live and whom he is loyal to. But can a man who always was a Yakuza suddenly change sides?
“Afraid to die” follows a rather classic storyline, only the characters are drawn out refreshingly new. Takeo Asahina is not the chivalrous Yakuza of the Ninkyo-Eiga (dont forget, this movie was made in 1960), he is an egoistic, cowardly Gangster, who’s not to bright and couldnt give shit about honour or morals. He treats his women like cheap whores and the thought of becoming a father drives him to do things (forced abortions f.e.), not even the worst of the Anti-Heroes of the Jitsuroku-Eiga would’ve done. But none of the Gangsters portrayed in “Afraid to die” is really brave, nor does anyone of them live “Jingi” (Asahinas Uncle being the sole exception). Even Asahinas bloodbrother Aikawa, who at first seems to be the real chivalrous hero, is more of a clever businessman than anything else. “Afraid to die” foreshadows the Anti-Hero of the seventies ten years before they would be peronalized by Bunta Sugawara, Tetsuya Watari or Hiroki Matsukata. But still, “Afraid to die” wasn’t an overwhelming experience; all in all it’s only a showcase for Poet-Actor-Politician Mishima and the distinctive style of director Yasuzo Masumura . “Afraid to die” is an interesting and maybe even an influential Yakuza-Eiga, but in my opinion no Masterpiece, there are just a little too many flaws for that.
3 1/2 Katanas
Color / Length: Color, 97 minutes
Director: Yasuzo Masumara
Actors: Yukio Mishima, Ayako Wakao, Eiji Funakoshi, Jun Negami
Review:
"You call yourself a Man?"
"No, I’m a Yakuza."
Outside of Japan, director Yasuzo Masumura is more known for his New Wave-influenced movies “Manji” and “Blind Beast” or his socio-critical comedies like “Giants and Toys” and “Black Test Car”. Little is known about his efforts in Yakuza-Eiga, although he created some of the most interesting genre bending examples of Yakuza-Eiga. Not only did he foreshadow the No-good-for-nothing Yakuza-Loner with “Afraid to die”, he also was responsible for the first (and the last) Part of the long-lasting Shintaro Katsu-Vehicle “Yakuza-Soldier”. Most of Masumuras movies transport some kind of criticism, be it about consumer- (Giants and Toys) or faux heroism (Yakuza Soldier). Mostly he manages to deliver the message packed in humour, black humour, that is. But please keep in mind; an interesting movie isn’t automatically an entertaining movie.
On his release-day, a substitute for Takeo Asahina (Yukio Mishima) get’s killed by a hitman of the Sagara-Group. Sagara (Jun Negami) wants to get revenge for an attempted Hit that sent Asahina into Prison in the first place. Not wholly believing that Asahina got taken out, Sagara follows Asahinas Uncle (Takashi Shimura) and Gangbrother Aikawa (Eiji Funakoshi) to the Tokyo Prison, where the wait for Asahina to be released. But since Asahina obviously is in danger, the Prison Director granted Asahinas wish to sneak out without being seen. Through this trick he manages to get into his turf without being noticed by anybody. He calls his Girlfriend Miasako (Yoshie Mizutani… no idea if she’s related to sexpot and “Weatherwoman” Kei Mizutani) who works as a singer in a sleazy cabaret (Listen closely to her Banana-Song, remember: 1960!). He manages to get a message through to her, before Sagaras men listen into the phone call. Miasako doesn’t seem too happy with meeting up with Asahina again, though she still is in love with him, she’s also having an affair with her manager. Both meet at the cinema run by the Asahina-Group, where Asahina also runs into Yoshie (Ayako Wakao) who works as an Usher in the cinema and at first doesn’t know who he is. After some wild sex, Asahina ditches Miasako, because it’s too dangerous for him to have someone he could be blackmailed with. Miasakos feelings are ambivalent, but she doesn’t throw a big fuss aobut it either.
Later on Asahina meets up with his Uncle and Gangbrother to celebrate his release. While Aikawa seems to have thoughts about quitting Ganglife, Uncle urges Asahina to take out Sagara once and forever. He still lives strongly after the Yakuzarules. Asahinas hesitation doesn’t please his Uncle, so he promises to try and kill Sagara. In the meantime Sagaras second introduces Masa “the asthmatic” (Shigeru Koyama), a Professional Killer from Hokkaido, to his Boss. “The asthmatic” isn’t just a nickname with no meaning, Masa has to rely heavily on medicine to keep going and his coughing and wheezing gives him away, everytime he’s near. For Yoshie, the Usher, things turn bad, when she visits her brother Shoichi (Keizo Kawasaki), who is heading a strike. Some of Sagaras men, camouflaged as strikebreakers, start a fight with the workers and in the chaos Yoshie gets thrown in Jail as well. Even worse, when she’s back out again, she finds that Asahina has already replaced her and shes without a job. But that’s not all; he rapes her and then declares that he actually likes her a lot. Hmmm….. Anyway. Aikawas Girlfriend who runs a little drugstore, tells him about a cancermedecin that had to be taken from the market because it had deadly sideeffects. A shipment of this medecin has gone missing and the Manufactorer would be ready to pay anything to get the medicine back. Aikawa sees this as the chance, to get to some money and make more out of the petty Asahina-Gang. After escaping another attempt on killing him, Asahina gets the chance to get to the medicine, which is in Sagaras hands, when he kidnaps Sagaras daughter. Everything seems to work the way he planned, when suddenly the Über-Godfather interfears.Though the Asahinas get their share of money and through Aikawas clever investment manag to grow bigger, there is lots of trouble around the corner for the Gang. A Pregnancy and another Kidnapping put Asahina into a spot, where he has to decide, what life he wants to live and whom he is loyal to. But can a man who always was a Yakuza suddenly change sides?
“Afraid to die” follows a rather classic storyline, only the characters are drawn out refreshingly new. Takeo Asahina is not the chivalrous Yakuza of the Ninkyo-Eiga (dont forget, this movie was made in 1960), he is an egoistic, cowardly Gangster, who’s not to bright and couldnt give shit about honour or morals. He treats his women like cheap whores and the thought of becoming a father drives him to do things (forced abortions f.e.), not even the worst of the Anti-Heroes of the Jitsuroku-Eiga would’ve done. But none of the Gangsters portrayed in “Afraid to die” is really brave, nor does anyone of them live “Jingi” (Asahinas Uncle being the sole exception). Even Asahinas bloodbrother Aikawa, who at first seems to be the real chivalrous hero, is more of a clever businessman than anything else. “Afraid to die” foreshadows the Anti-Hero of the seventies ten years before they would be peronalized by Bunta Sugawara, Tetsuya Watari or Hiroki Matsukata. But still, “Afraid to die” wasn’t an overwhelming experience; all in all it’s only a showcase for Poet-Actor-Politician Mishima and the distinctive style of director Yasuzo Masumura . “Afraid to die” is an interesting and maybe even an influential Yakuza-Eiga, but in my opinion no Masterpiece, there are just a little too many flaws for that.
3 1/2 Katanas
Abashiri Prison: Duel at the Wharf (1965) (Pt. 3)
Production: Toei
Color / Length: Color, 88 minutes
Director: Teruo Ishii
Actors: Ken Takakura, Naoki Sugiura, Kanjuro Arashi, Toru Abe
Review:
This part of the long lasting “Abashiri Prison”-Series is generally considered the best part of them all (at least, that’s what I read), which makes me wonder if I want to see any of the other parts, because this one was such a disappointment for me. “Duel at the wharf” (also known as “Abashiri Prison: going home”) is a rather melodramatic, talky and very badly edited Yakuza-Eiga.. There’s not a lot of action and even the last fight is sub par compared to other Yakuza-Eigas of that time.
Shin’Ichi returns to his hometown to become a better man and to go straight. Out of obligation he helps out the Oyabun of the Asahi-gumi (Kanjuro Arashi reprising his role of wise, old Oyabun) to keep his men, who work at the wharf, out of trouble with the rivalling Yasui-gumi, led by Yasui (Toru Abe, once again in the role as the evil, corrupt Yakuza). At the wharf he befriends the little half-blood Girl Emi (annoying; a little Japanese girl with black make-up and curly wig) which leads to some soppy “I’m gonna take care of you”-scenes. Yasui tries to provoke Asahi’s men into doing something which would give him the right to strike against the Yasui. He sends in white-clad Killer Joe (Naoki Sugiura) to build up the tension and get the wanted reactions. At first Shin’Ichi can keep the men out of trouble, even burning his Tattoo as a sign that he isn’t Yakuza anymore and that he has chosen a way without ….
Though Joe seems to watch this with respect, it is clear, that the final confrontation between the two men, will be a deadly one. When the head of the Asahi-gumi gets killed, Shin’Ichi goes into action, he grabs his Katana and takes on the whole Yasui-gumi alone. In the end there’s only Joe left, both are already covered in blood, Shin’Ichi from a wound and Joe from his bloody coughs of tuberculoses.
Ah… I really wanted to like it, but I just didn’t get into it. The little girl was so silly, the editing sloppy and the whole thing to… blah. Maybe I’ll give it another chance, but for now it’s only…
3 Katanas
Color / Length: Color, 88 minutes
Director: Teruo Ishii
Actors: Ken Takakura, Naoki Sugiura, Kanjuro Arashi, Toru Abe
Review:
This part of the long lasting “Abashiri Prison”-Series is generally considered the best part of them all (at least, that’s what I read), which makes me wonder if I want to see any of the other parts, because this one was such a disappointment for me. “Duel at the wharf” (also known as “Abashiri Prison: going home”) is a rather melodramatic, talky and very badly edited Yakuza-Eiga.. There’s not a lot of action and even the last fight is sub par compared to other Yakuza-Eigas of that time.
Shin’Ichi returns to his hometown to become a better man and to go straight. Out of obligation he helps out the Oyabun of the Asahi-gumi (Kanjuro Arashi reprising his role of wise, old Oyabun) to keep his men, who work at the wharf, out of trouble with the rivalling Yasui-gumi, led by Yasui (Toru Abe, once again in the role as the evil, corrupt Yakuza). At the wharf he befriends the little half-blood Girl Emi (annoying; a little Japanese girl with black make-up and curly wig) which leads to some soppy “I’m gonna take care of you”-scenes. Yasui tries to provoke Asahi’s men into doing something which would give him the right to strike against the Yasui. He sends in white-clad Killer Joe (Naoki Sugiura) to build up the tension and get the wanted reactions. At first Shin’Ichi can keep the men out of trouble, even burning his Tattoo as a sign that he isn’t Yakuza anymore and that he has chosen a way without ….
Though Joe seems to watch this with respect, it is clear, that the final confrontation between the two men, will be a deadly one. When the head of the Asahi-gumi gets killed, Shin’Ichi goes into action, he grabs his Katana and takes on the whole Yasui-gumi alone. In the end there’s only Joe left, both are already covered in blood, Shin’Ichi from a wound and Joe from his bloody coughs of tuberculoses.
Ah… I really wanted to like it, but I just didn’t get into it. The little girl was so silly, the editing sloppy and the whole thing to… blah. Maybe I’ll give it another chance, but for now it’s only…
3 Katanas
Abashiri Prison: Continuation (1965) (Pt. 2)
Production: Toei
Color, Length: Color, 87 minutes
Director: Teruo Ishii
Actors: Ken Takakura, Kanjuro Arashi, Toru Abe, George Ai, Kunie Tanake
Review:
The first Abashiri Prison was such a huge success, Toei gave green light to series status the same year and Teruo Ishii got together with practically the same crew of Part 1 to shoot the first of totally 17 sequels. Ken Takakura was back as Shin’Ichi Tachibana, Kanjuro Arashi as Onitora, Toru Abe as the evil Yoda and even Kunie Tanake has a small stand in as the likeable wannabe Playboy-Gangster. Part 2 was shot in colour instead of the black and white of Part 1 and the location shifted from the Walls and Surroundings of the Abashiri Prison, to the not so glamorous cities of Hokkaido-District. There is also a change of tone in the story, which took a turn to broader humour. Something, that would be changed again in Part 3 (Abashiri Prison: Return to the wharf), that has a more melodramatic approach.
Abashiri Prison: Continuation should carry the subtitle “who’s got the loot?”, because the whole story concentrates on some diamonds stolen from a bank safe and smuggled in a replica algae. By mistake Shin’Ichi (Ken Takakura) gets his hands on a part of the loot, but somehow the Police seem to believe he has something to do with the robbery and the involved murder of a Policeman (which of course he hasn’t), what doesn’t make it easy for him to return the diamonds. Together with his bumbling Underling and a female Pickpocket, Jumi, he tries to get the man who is responsible for the Robbery and the Murders (besides the Policeman, a thief involved in the robbery and a woman working as a smuggler got murdered by the scrupulous Killer). To get things a little complicated a bunch of Strippers gets pulled into the story as well, which leads to even more confusion to all the parties involved. On his way to find out who pulled the strings behind the robbery, Shin’Ichi gets unexpected help from Onitora (Kanjuro Arashi), an Oyabun whom he already had met in Abashiri Prison and though Onitora (or Tora as friends call him) may be old, he still knows how to throw a good punch. But Onitora is not the only familiar face Shin’Ichi meets. As it turns out, the man behind it all is Yoda (Toru Abe), the evil Yakuza, who already had tried to break Shin’Ichi in Abashiri Prison. When Yoda captures Jumi, he tries to exchange her for the diamonds that are in Shin’Ichi’s care. And although Shin’Ichi is ready to put his own life on risk for her, the story takes another unexpected turn when a stranger comes to the rescue, which leads to a crazy rugby-like chase after the replica algae in the midst of a fire festival and ends in a mud fight between Shin’Ichi and Yoda.
The Abashiri Prison-Series hasn’t yet managed to spark the fire in me. But to be honest, Part 2 had me entertained non-stop. Probably my expectations were so low, that it couldn’t have disappointed me any more. And this charming little story about some stolen diamonds and the ensuing chaos reminded me of some of the better Gangster B-Movies from sixties I liked to watch on Sunday afternoons. And there were some scenes that really had some visual flair or at least interesting ideas behind them. Probably I’m too good to this movie, because the Plot had more holes, than the socks I wore when I still was a bachelor and there was some very bad acting. Not one for the Fukasaku-Crew and not necessary mandatory viewing, but if you don’t know what to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon, give this bugger a chance.
3 1/2 Katanas
Color, Length: Color, 87 minutes
Director: Teruo Ishii
Actors: Ken Takakura, Kanjuro Arashi, Toru Abe, George Ai, Kunie Tanake
Review:
The first Abashiri Prison was such a huge success, Toei gave green light to series status the same year and Teruo Ishii got together with practically the same crew of Part 1 to shoot the first of totally 17 sequels. Ken Takakura was back as Shin’Ichi Tachibana, Kanjuro Arashi as Onitora, Toru Abe as the evil Yoda and even Kunie Tanake has a small stand in as the likeable wannabe Playboy-Gangster. Part 2 was shot in colour instead of the black and white of Part 1 and the location shifted from the Walls and Surroundings of the Abashiri Prison, to the not so glamorous cities of Hokkaido-District. There is also a change of tone in the story, which took a turn to broader humour. Something, that would be changed again in Part 3 (Abashiri Prison: Return to the wharf), that has a more melodramatic approach.
Abashiri Prison: Continuation should carry the subtitle “who’s got the loot?”, because the whole story concentrates on some diamonds stolen from a bank safe and smuggled in a replica algae. By mistake Shin’Ichi (Ken Takakura) gets his hands on a part of the loot, but somehow the Police seem to believe he has something to do with the robbery and the involved murder of a Policeman (which of course he hasn’t), what doesn’t make it easy for him to return the diamonds. Together with his bumbling Underling and a female Pickpocket, Jumi, he tries to get the man who is responsible for the Robbery and the Murders (besides the Policeman, a thief involved in the robbery and a woman working as a smuggler got murdered by the scrupulous Killer). To get things a little complicated a bunch of Strippers gets pulled into the story as well, which leads to even more confusion to all the parties involved. On his way to find out who pulled the strings behind the robbery, Shin’Ichi gets unexpected help from Onitora (Kanjuro Arashi), an Oyabun whom he already had met in Abashiri Prison and though Onitora (or Tora as friends call him) may be old, he still knows how to throw a good punch. But Onitora is not the only familiar face Shin’Ichi meets. As it turns out, the man behind it all is Yoda (Toru Abe), the evil Yakuza, who already had tried to break Shin’Ichi in Abashiri Prison. When Yoda captures Jumi, he tries to exchange her for the diamonds that are in Shin’Ichi’s care. And although Shin’Ichi is ready to put his own life on risk for her, the story takes another unexpected turn when a stranger comes to the rescue, which leads to a crazy rugby-like chase after the replica algae in the midst of a fire festival and ends in a mud fight between Shin’Ichi and Yoda.
The Abashiri Prison-Series hasn’t yet managed to spark the fire in me. But to be honest, Part 2 had me entertained non-stop. Probably my expectations were so low, that it couldn’t have disappointed me any more. And this charming little story about some stolen diamonds and the ensuing chaos reminded me of some of the better Gangster B-Movies from sixties I liked to watch on Sunday afternoons. And there were some scenes that really had some visual flair or at least interesting ideas behind them. Probably I’m too good to this movie, because the Plot had more holes, than the socks I wore when I still was a bachelor and there was some very bad acting. Not one for the Fukasaku-Crew and not necessary mandatory viewing, but if you don’t know what to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon, give this bugger a chance.
3 1/2 Katanas
Abashiri Prison aka Walls of Abashiri (1965) (Pt. 1)
Production: Toei
Color / Length: b/w, 92 minutes
Director: Teruo Ishii
Actors: Ken Takakura, Tetsuro Tanba, Toru Abe, Kanjuro Arashi
Review:
Abashiri Bangaichi/Abashiri Prison (also known as Walls of Abashiri) was the breakthrough role for Ken Takakura and the first Part of a long lasting series. Ken Takakura had already starred in a few movies that could be considered Yakuza-Eiga, but with Abashiri Prison he hit Gold. With the “Showa Zankyo-Den”-Series and the “Chivalrous Story of Japan”-Series he would later cement his status as leading man of Yakuza-Eiga.
The man behind the first batch of the Abshiri-Series was none other than Teruo Ishii, known in the west more for his Erotic-Grotesque movies, he made in the late sixties and early seventies. In the sixties, he was one of the leading directors if it came to Yakuza-Eiga, working with such talent as Takakura and Tsuruta regularly.
Ken Takakura plays a lone Wolf Yakuza who hasn’t yet given in to an absolute cynical view of life, values like honour and friendship still rank high with him and he lives for this code as he would die for it. In the first Part we meet Shin’Ichi (Ken Takakura) as he starts serving his prison sentence in the famous title-giving Abashiri Prison. The Abashiri Prison (which actually exists) lies deep in Hokkaido a part of Japan also known as the Japanese Siberia. But the cold weather is not the only problem, Shin’Ichi has to face. There are some shifty characters, who try to corrupt the rather serious and good hearted Shin’Ichi. Especially Gonda, a blueprint of a despicable ganster shit, who is chained to Shin’Ichi when they’re on outdoor labour, tries to provoke him every time he gets the chance to. But not all are bad in Abashiri. There is a wise old Oyabun (Kanjuro Arashi), who keeps to himself until he has to break into action and show the young ones, that he still can be a mean bastard, even in his old age. When Gonda makes for an escape, Shin’Ichi reluctantly has to join him, as he is still chained to the miserable psycho. The escape comes halfway through the movie and what was a male version of “Female Convict Scorpion” first, turns into a Japanese rip-off of “The defiant ones” (Tony Curtis/Sidney Portier).
Shot in b/w, the stark landscape of Hokkaido and the deep snow everywhere, seem like a nightmare of an arctic hell. Whoever built the Abashiri Prison there knew what effect the surrounding would have on the inmates. Strange, that a movie, that had such an unfriendly décor would be such a big hit (in Japan). But it works good for the movie, especially for the second part, when Shin’Ichi and Gonda are on the run. Though one can not really speak of running, as they more or less have to wade through the white stuff. And when they find other means of transport, it is by railway (watch for an extraordinary chase on the railways).
Half Prison drama, half Escape movie, Abashiri Prison is a hodgepodge of genres and in my opinion it doesn’t always work for its favour. Ishii’s direction is as always straight forward; you cant expect any visual gimmicks from him. So it’s down to the actors and here you really get the goods. Takakura gives a performance that would stick with him for the next decade, good hearted and calm but still rough enough if he would have to. Tetsuro Tanba (as a lawyer who puts his trust into Shin’Ichi) for once isn’t as stiff as in other movies and gives a believable portrayal of a man pushed into extremes, while Hiroshi Nanbara (as Gonda) is a perfect (if sometimes a little OTT) evil slime ball who rapes for fun and knows no boundaries for his immorality. Oh, and of course there’s good old “funny face” Kunie Tanake, who graced many a Yakuza-Eiga in the sixties and seventies by his presence.Over all not really a masterpiece, even though it has this iconic status, but a MUST for the Yakuza-Eiga enthusiast.
4 Katanas
Color / Length: b/w, 92 minutes
Director: Teruo Ishii
Actors: Ken Takakura, Tetsuro Tanba, Toru Abe, Kanjuro Arashi
Review:
Abashiri Bangaichi/Abashiri Prison (also known as Walls of Abashiri) was the breakthrough role for Ken Takakura and the first Part of a long lasting series. Ken Takakura had already starred in a few movies that could be considered Yakuza-Eiga, but with Abashiri Prison he hit Gold. With the “Showa Zankyo-Den”-Series and the “Chivalrous Story of Japan”-Series he would later cement his status as leading man of Yakuza-Eiga.
The man behind the first batch of the Abshiri-Series was none other than Teruo Ishii, known in the west more for his Erotic-Grotesque movies, he made in the late sixties and early seventies. In the sixties, he was one of the leading directors if it came to Yakuza-Eiga, working with such talent as Takakura and Tsuruta regularly.
Ken Takakura plays a lone Wolf Yakuza who hasn’t yet given in to an absolute cynical view of life, values like honour and friendship still rank high with him and he lives for this code as he would die for it. In the first Part we meet Shin’Ichi (Ken Takakura) as he starts serving his prison sentence in the famous title-giving Abashiri Prison. The Abashiri Prison (which actually exists) lies deep in Hokkaido a part of Japan also known as the Japanese Siberia. But the cold weather is not the only problem, Shin’Ichi has to face. There are some shifty characters, who try to corrupt the rather serious and good hearted Shin’Ichi. Especially Gonda, a blueprint of a despicable ganster shit, who is chained to Shin’Ichi when they’re on outdoor labour, tries to provoke him every time he gets the chance to. But not all are bad in Abashiri. There is a wise old Oyabun (Kanjuro Arashi), who keeps to himself until he has to break into action and show the young ones, that he still can be a mean bastard, even in his old age. When Gonda makes for an escape, Shin’Ichi reluctantly has to join him, as he is still chained to the miserable psycho. The escape comes halfway through the movie and what was a male version of “Female Convict Scorpion” first, turns into a Japanese rip-off of “The defiant ones” (Tony Curtis/Sidney Portier).
Shot in b/w, the stark landscape of Hokkaido and the deep snow everywhere, seem like a nightmare of an arctic hell. Whoever built the Abashiri Prison there knew what effect the surrounding would have on the inmates. Strange, that a movie, that had such an unfriendly décor would be such a big hit (in Japan). But it works good for the movie, especially for the second part, when Shin’Ichi and Gonda are on the run. Though one can not really speak of running, as they more or less have to wade through the white stuff. And when they find other means of transport, it is by railway (watch for an extraordinary chase on the railways).
Half Prison drama, half Escape movie, Abashiri Prison is a hodgepodge of genres and in my opinion it doesn’t always work for its favour. Ishii’s direction is as always straight forward; you cant expect any visual gimmicks from him. So it’s down to the actors and here you really get the goods. Takakura gives a performance that would stick with him for the next decade, good hearted and calm but still rough enough if he would have to. Tetsuro Tanba (as a lawyer who puts his trust into Shin’Ichi) for once isn’t as stiff as in other movies and gives a believable portrayal of a man pushed into extremes, while Hiroshi Nanbara (as Gonda) is a perfect (if sometimes a little OTT) evil slime ball who rapes for fun and knows no boundaries for his immorality. Oh, and of course there’s good old “funny face” Kunie Tanake, who graced many a Yakuza-Eiga in the sixties and seventies by his presence.Over all not really a masterpiece, even though it has this iconic status, but a MUST for the Yakuza-Eiga enthusiast.
4 Katanas
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