Branded to Kill (1967)

Production: Nikkatsu
Color / Length: b/w, 91 minutes
Director: Seijun Suzuki
Actors: Joe Shishido, Mariko Ogawa, Annu Mari, Koji Nanbara

Huh? What was that? I wasn’t really looking forward to this movie, after the disappointment that Tokyo Drifter was (see separate review). So I wasn’t really prepared for what was coming my way. After having seen Branded to Kill I wonder why people consider this to be similar to Tokyo Drifter. No way! Though it shares the same quirky approach to Yakuza-Eiga, Suzuki obviously isn’t interested in the classic formula of the genre; it is a baby of a different kind.

Branded to Kill definitely is majorly influenced by the New Wave of French Cinema, but it takes it’s styles (and mannerisms) to other heights. Beautifully shot, this must be one of the best photographed b/w movies I’ve ever seen. The lightning, the sets, the mood – absolutely magnificent! And Suzuki doesn’t shy away from some pretty cool shoot-out scenes (the one at the seaside is awesome, with some ideas that shame many movies with ten times higher budgets, even nowadays). Mostly they aren’t played out totally serious, but even I who usually like my Yakuza-Eiga straight faced couldn’t be anything else but overwhelmed.

The high amount of nude flesh visible in the movie probably would surprise many a viewer, considering the movie was made in 1967. But the Japanese Film industry never was too coy as long as you didn’t see pubic hair or genitalia. As for the Actors... Jo Shishido is something to be seen. Though he at first looks ridiculous with his hamster-cheekbones, he comes over pretty cool. Not in his role, but as an actor. I guess it needed a lot of chutzpah to go along with Suzukis way of filming. Annu Mari however is a beauty very similar to Meiko Kaji (a bigger nose...), with her mysterious role she fits into a long line of fascinating femme fatales. Well, that is until you see her bandaged up like a mummy...

What about the story then? Not much, though it isn’t all bollocks. Killer No 3 (Jo Shishido) fails to hit a foreign business man because of a Butterfly which landed on his rifle. His nympho Girlfriend tries to kill him and he flees to the Woman who ordered the kill (Annu Mari). A woman with a taste for Butterflies, dead birds and some bad suicidal tendencies. But she gets captured, tortured and seemingly killed. Something No 3 can’t take, so he goes of to face Killer No 1 the mysterious Best of them all Killers. But who is No 1, is Misako still alive and will No 3 manage to become the new No 1????

Not really a Yakuza-Eiga as we all know it, but a wonderful movie!

5 Kitanos