ICHI THE KILLER reviewed; available today from Well Go USA

Well Go USA

Entertainment

presents

Ichi the Killer / Koroshiya 1

Directed by Takashi Miike

Japan,  2001, 130 minutes

Takashi Miike’s classic yakuza gore-fest Ichi the Killer becomes available today in a gorgeous all-new 4K digital transfer special edition approved by Miike himself. The film can also be seen on big screens in select cities across the country. (Visit http://wellgousa.com/theatrical/ichi-the-killer for theater and ticket information.)

Based on Hideo Yamamoto’s manga series of the same name, Ichi the Killer stars Tadanobu Asano (47 Ronin, The Taste of Tea, Party 7) as Kakihara, a sado-masochistic yakuza who is manipulated into fighting other gangs in the wake of his boss's disappearance. The titular character, Ichi, is played by Nao Ômori (R100). The film also features actor/directors Shin'ya Tsukamoto (Tetsuo, the Iron Man and Tetsuo II: Body Hammer, Gemini, Nightmare Detective), and SABU (Non-Stop, Postman Blues, Monday).

I first saw Ichi at the Film Society of Lincoln Center's "Focus on New Japanese Cinema" film series early in 2002. In my review in Asian Cult Cinema (number 35, second quarter 2002, page 62), I likened watching it to "having a powerful multi-stage rocket shoved up your ass and ignited. Imagine an incredibly gory yakuza splatterfest, done with the exuberant energy of Hong Kong Cinema at its finest and state of the art special effects; you'll begin to have an idea of what Ichi the Killer is like."

Well, the special effects still hold up and my high opinion of the film hasn't changed after subsequent viewings, including Well Go's new Blu-ray edition.

In the 15th Anniversary Issue of Asian Cult Cinema magazine (1st quarter 2008), Ichi ranked #1 in the "ACC Readers' Poll of Guilty Pleasures" (page 62). In my column in that issue (page 34) I ranked it a very close 2nd to Aachi and Ssipak, the also fabulous and mind-blowing South Korean animated feature film.

The bottom line is that Ichi the Killer is a must have and this 4K Blu-ray really does the film justice.

Bonus content:
-- Audio Commentary with director Takashi Miike & manga artist/writer Hideo Yamamoto
-- Still gallery
-- Trailer

AsianCineFest Rating: 4 out of 4 stars; most highly recommended

[Note: This new release from Well Go USA has the title in black letters, as seen in the image at the top of this review. Previously the film was available from Tokyo Shock, with the title in white letters and a slightly different image of Tadanobu Asano.]

All-new digitally restored special edition of ICHI THE KILLER will debut on Blu-ray™ March 20

Well Go USA

Entertainment

presents

Ichi the Killer / Koroshiya 1

Directed by Takashi Miike

Japan,  2001, 130 minutes

The Definitive Remastered Edition of the Cult Horror Classic

Kills It on Blu-ray™ March 20th

Takashi Miike’s ICHI THE KILLER has endured as one of the most influential pieces of genre filmmaking of the last two decades, and now it returns in a stunning all-new digitally restored special edition approved by Miike himself. It will be debuting on Blu-ray™ March 20 from Well Go USA Entertainment. ICHI THE KILLER will also be on big screens in select cities across the country. Visit http://wellgousa.com/theatrical/ichi-the-killer for the nearest theater and ticket information.

Based on Hideo Yamamoto’s manga series of the same name, the controversial and graphic tale of feuding yakuza gangs is seen primarily through the actions of a scarred and psychologically damaged man, who is manipulated into killing rival faction members.

Digitally remastered in 4k and approved by director Takashi Miike (13 Assassins), ICHI THE KILLER stars Tadanobu Asano, Nao Omori, Shinya Tsukamoto, Alien Sun and SABU.

Bonus content includes Audio Commentary with Director Takashi Miike & Manga Artist/Writer Hideo Yamamoto and a still gallery.

Synopsis:
This visceral, bloody, and often hilarious film follows Kakihara (Tadanobu Asano), a notoriously sadistic yakuza enforcer whose search for his boss’ killer brings him into the orbit of a demented costumed assassin known as Ichi (Nao Ohmori).

THE HAPPINESS OF THE KATAKURIS reviewed; at Japan Society NY this afternoon

Japan Society NY

Presents

The Happiness of the Katakuris © 2001 THE HAPPINESS OF THE KATAKURIS PRODUCTION COMMITTEE.

  The Happiness of the Katakuris / Katakuri-ke no Kofuku

Directed by Takashi Miike

With Kenji Sawada, Keiko Matsuzaka, Shinji Takeda,

Naomi Nishida, and Kiyoshiro Imawano

Japan, 2001, 113 minutes, 35mm, color

In Japanese with English subtitles

When: Saturday, April 23rd, 2016 at 4:00 pm

Where: Japan Society

333 East 47th Street, NYC

Map
Tickets 

Synopsis (courtesy Japan Society):
Based on a non-musical Korean film—The Quiet Family by another genre-mixing filmmaker, Jae Woon Kim—Takashi Miike uses the increasing absurdity of this comedy-horror-musical to explore the state of the Japanese family after the collapse of the economic boom that underpinned the popular song film. The film's claymation opening sequence and bleak narrative of a downsized salaryman opening a B&B in the country presents contemporary life as a hopeless cycle of exploitation, but the performance of the film's lo-fi musical numbers by a cast that includes Kenji Sawada, star of several "group sounds" musical films in the 1960s, highlights a nostalgia for intimacy and optimism. Rated R.

AsianCineFest Comments:
The incredibly prolific director Takashi Miike has been one of my favorite Japanese directors since I first saw Ichii the Killer (which came out in 2001, the same year as Happiness) years ago at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Since then I've seen Ichi several times on disc, and have watched numerous other Miike films (13 Assassins, Yatterman, Sukiyaki Western Django, Zebraman, Audition, etc.) either onscreen or on home video. All those that I've seen have been entertaining and worth watching, some exceedingly so. The Happiness of the Katakuris is one of the top Miike films I've watched.

It's the tale of of what the Katakuri family (I see no need for the "s" that makes the family name plural in the English title) experiences one summer. The story is narrated by Yurie, a young girl. She lives with her divorced mother Shizue, her uncle Masayuki, Grandpa Masao, Grandma Terue, and Great-Grandpa Jinpei at the White Lover's Guest House. After being laid off, Masao had bought the land and built the guest house because he had heard that a road would be built nearby and would bring many tourists.

Unfortunately, the guests are slow to materialize, and when they do, they have a habit of inconveniently dying on the premises. The family decides these deaths must be kept secret, lest they ruin any chance the guest house has of ever succeeding.

Hilarity ensues. And musical numbers, including one that brazenly recalls Julie Andres singing in a mountain meadow in The Sound of Music. (See the image at the top of this post.)

The Happiness of the Katakuris is further proof that Miike can probably make any kind of film and make it well.

AsianiCineFest Rating:
3.5 out of 4 stars; this fun romp is highly recommended

This afternoon's screening of The Happiness of the Katakuris is part of the 2016 Globus Film Series Japan Sings! The Japanese Musical Film.

JAPAN SINGS! film series concludes this Saturday, April 23rd

Japan Society NY's wonderful film series Japan Sings! The Japanese Musical Film concludes this Saturday, April 23rd with two separate screenings.

Takashi Miike's The Happiness of the Katakuris will be shown at 4:00 pm and Memories of Matsuko will screen at 7:00 pm.

The Happiness of the Katakuris / Katakuri-ke no Kofuku

Directed by Takashi Miike

Jap;an 2001, 113 minutes, 35 mm, color

In Japanese with English subtitles
Info and Tickets

Memories of Matsuko / Kiraware Matsuko no Issho

Directed by Tetsuya Nakashima

Japan, 2006, 130 min., 35mm, color

In Japanese with English subtitles
Info and tickets

THE MOLE SONG: UNDERCOVER AGENT REIJI screening July 10th

The Mole Song - Undercover Agent Reiji

(Mogura no uta - sennyû sôsakan: Reiji)

Directed by Takashi MIIKE

Written by Kankuro KUDO

Japan, 2014, 130 minutes

When: Thursday, July 10, 2014 at 6:00pm

Where: Japan Society

333 East 47th Street, NYC

(Between 1st and 2nd Avenues)

U.S. Premiere

Buy tickets

The Mole Song: Undercover Agent Reiji is the latest offering from Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer, 13 Assassins, and about 90 other titles), Japan's enfant terrible director. Co-presented by the New York Asian Film Festival, it will be the opening film of this year's JAPAN CUTS: The New York Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema.

Reiji Kikukawa (Toma Ikuta, The Brain Man) is a conscientious cop but totally ineffectual. This is not surprising since he graduated with the lowest score in police academy history. However, his superiors come to believe that his ineptness makes him perfect as an undercover agent, a.k.a., a mole. His assignment: get the goods on and bring down the Sukiya-kai, Japan's most nefarious criminal organization.

Reiji receives training from Kazumi Akagiri and some other police officers, part of which consists of a series of tests. After he finally passes, his instructors sing "The Mole Song" (yes, there actually is a song!).  From it Reiji learns the "Rules of a Mole": never reveal your identity, beware of female pheromones, etc.

Reiji begins his assignment by befriending Masaya Hiura, a.k.a. "Crazy Papillon" (Shinichi Tsutsumi, Why Don’t You Play in Hell?). Papillon is the boss of an illegal casino run by the Akogi-gumi, an arm of Sukiya-kai. He's also fond of butterflies and detests drugs. The bond between the two of them becomes stronger when they come in conflict with Issei Nekozawa (Takashi Okamura, The Great Yokai War).

Bald and with diamond teeth, Nekozawa is a boss of the Hachinosu-kai, the biggest yakuza clan in Kansai. A fragile peaceful co-existence between it and the Sukiya-kai is on the verge of ending because of the ambitions of Aiko, the new director and 5th generation boss of Hachinosu-kai.

Reiji's assignment to penetrate the Sukiya-kai, which has its own perils, is thus further endangered by the threat of an all out war between rival yakuza gangs. The situation could well be more than this mole is able to handle, even if he is "the ultimate non-existent undercover agent"!

The film is a combination of outrageous comedy, all-out action and garish costumes. For me, at 130 minutes, it's a tad on the long side. Some of the fight scenes, for example, might have been trimmed a bit. It's somewhat lesser Miike, but certainly still quite enjoyable.

AsianCineFest Rating: 3 out of 4 stars, recommended. It may not be a great film, but it's a good one and definitely entertaining.

Oh, be sure to stay though the credits for the film's coda.

The full schedule for NYAFF 2014 can be found here; the Japan Cuts schedule, here.

ACF 1600: Happy Birthday Wishes to Japanese Film Director Takashi Miike!

Prolific Japanese film director Takashi Miike was born in the town of Yao near Osaka, Japan on August 24th, 1960. His filmography at IMDb lists 88 movies from 1991 to the present. Many of his early films were made for the direct-to-video market, which is, or at least was, respectable in Japan, unlike here in the U.S. where its reputation has always been rather  disreputable.

The first film directed by Miike that I saw (years and year ago on a VHS tape from Tokyo Shock!) was Fudoh: The New Generation (1996), but I didn't really note his name until I saw Ichi the Killer (2001) when it screened at the Focus on New Japanese Cinema film series at the Walter Reade Theater of the Society of Lincoln Center early in 2002. Ichi totally blew me away, as I wrote in my review in Asian Cult Cinema magazine, Issue 35 (2nd Quarter 2002).

Since then I've seen many other films by Miike. Among my favorites are Audition and Dead or Alive (both 1999). While initially known for hard-hitting adult fare, Miike has recently branched out, producing such child-friendly films as Zebraman (2004) and Ninja Kids!!! (2011).

Most impressively, he's done terrific new versions of two classic Japanese films: 13 Assassins (2010), based on Eiichi Kudo's The Thirteen Assassins (1963), and Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011), based on Masaki Kobayashi's Harakiri (1962).

So happy 52nd birthday, director Miike. Keep 'em comin'!

ACF 994: Miike's 13 Assassins to open in selected cities on April 29th, 2011

13 Assassins / Jûsan-nin no shikaku
Directed by Takashi Miike
Japan, 2010, 126 minutes
Japanese with English Subtitles

Numbers have featured prominently, at least in the English versions, of several Japanese sworplay films. Most notable of course is Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (1954). Eiichi Kudo's The Thirteen Assassins came out in 1963, and was followed the next year by Hideo Gosha's Three Outlaw Samurai. Starting this coming Friday, in select cities, comes prolific Japanese director Takashi Miike's 13 Assassins, his version of Kudo's original. For the complete schedule of cities and opening dates, click here.

Sir Doi (Mikijiro Hira, left) and
Shinzaemon Shimada (Koji Yakusho, right)

Set in 1844 the year after Commodore Matthew Perry anchored his four black ships at Tokyo Bay and "opened" Japan to the West, the film centers on the need for Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira (Goro Inagaki), the shogun's half-brother, to be assassinated. Such words as sick, sadistic and depraved don't quite suffice to describe him. His mad behavior is totally off the charts.

Sir Doi (Mikijiro Hira), a top shogun official, entrusts leading this mission, which must be done as what would today be called a "black op," to Shinzaemon Shimada (Koji Yakusho). A group of twelve set off to ambush Matsudaira and his nearly 300 men. On the way, the group is enlarged by a vagabond named Koyata (Yusuke Iseya), who guides them through a forest and brings their number up to thirteen.

With the odds highly stacked against them, the group decides to attack their target in a village along the route he must take. They employ the villagers, who leave as the confrontation is about to begin, to construct various sliding barricades that will keep the enemy trapped within. The result is a fantastic and protracted set-piece that has the vastly outnumbered assassins set about whittling down their opposition.

The international release time is 126 minutes, 15 minutes shorter than the 141 minute length of the original Japanese release. Although I've only seen the slightly shorter version, I don't think the film has at all suffered from the edits. Must say, though, that I do hope that when the DVD is issued that it will include both versions.

Miike's 13 Assassins is a terrific watch , a definite must see if slicin' 'n' dicin' are at all your thing. It gets a 3.5 out of 4 star ACF rating, very highly recommended.

13 ASSASSINS is a Magnet Release.
All photos courtesy of Magnet Releasing.

ACF 916: Takashi Miike film series coming to Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater

A scene from Takashi Miike's 13 Assassins
Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing

Shinjuku Outlaw: 13 From Takashi Miike
When: Mar. 16 - Mar. 20
Tickets go on sale Thursday, March 3!
Where: The Film Society of Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater
65th Street near Amsterdam Avenue
West of the 66th Street #1 Subway stop at Broadway

On the eve of the release of his all-star samurai epic 13 Assassins, The Film Society and Subway Cinema are proud to present New York’s first major, in-person retrospective of genre-hopping master of cinema Takashi Miike.

The prolific Japanese filmmaker first smashed his way into the American consciousness in 2001 with Audition and Ichi the Killer, heralding a wave of “Asian Extreme” sex- and violence-crammed titles. But over 80 films later, Miike has outlasted all attempts to pigeonhole him as a cult director. Featuring everything from major hits to legendary rarities never before screened here.

Miike in person for rare U.S. appearance at multiple screenings!

For more info at the Film Society of Lincoln Center website, click here.

ACF 597: Let The 'Fest Begin!!!!!

A scene from Takashi Miike's Yatterman

The ninth New York Asian Film Festival begins today at 3:00 PM with a screening of Yatterman at The Film Society of Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater.

Complete NYAFF 2010 schedule here.

ACF 217: Takashi Miike at Japan Society on Saturday, February 7th, 2009

Tadanobu Asano as Kakihara in Takashi Miike's Ichi the Killer

In conjunction with the screening of Yatterman, his newest film, at this coming weekend's NY Comic-Con, prolific Japanese director Takashi Miike will be talking about his filmmaking at Japan Society this Saturday. The talk, which will be translated into English, will take place at 2:00 PM.

I've been a big fan ever since I saw Ichi the Killer, Miike's 2001 Yakuza splatter-fest, at Lincoln Center several years ago. (Previously I had seen his Fudoh: The New Generation, 1996, on VHS, but hadn't noted his name.)

In the 15th Anniversary Issue of Asian Cult Cinema magazine (1st quarter 2008), Ichi ranked #1 in the ACC Readers' Poll of Guilty Pleasures. Here's the Japan Society info about Miike's upcoming appearance:

From the gory horror of Audition (1999) to the spaghetti western parody Sukiyaki Western Django (2007) to the musical comedy The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001), Japan’s busiest film director Takashi Miike has made over 50 films in the widest range of possible genres. His razor-sharp, most absurd and yet entertaining style of filmmaking makes him one of the most distinctive directors working today, and this has brought a whole new type of international, enthusiastic, young followers to contemporary Japanese films. In this incisive afternoon, Miike will speak in depth on his filmmaking behind-the scenes.

A reception will follow.

Born in Osaka in 1960, Takashi Miike graduated from the Japan Academy of Moving Images in Yokohama. After assisting directors such as Shohei Imamura and Hideo Onchi, he directed a number of Yakuza movies on video and made a theatrical feature debut with Shinjuku Triad Society in 1995. His filmography includes more than 50 films to date, and the latest film Yatterman is being released in Japan in March.

Tickets:$11/$7 Japan Society members, seniors & students.

Purchase tickets online or call the box office at 212.715.1258.

Japan Society is located 333 East 47th Street at First Avenue, NYC.

ACF 207: Takashi Miike's Yatterman to have World Premiere at NY Comic-Con

Takashi Miike's newest film will have it's world premiere at the upcoming New York Comic Convention, February 6-8, 2009, at the Jacob Javits Center. Yatterman is based on Tatsuo Yoshida's '70s anime´ series. Like two of Miike's previous movies, The Great Yokai War and Zebraman, it is intended as entertainment for the whole family.

Miike will be a Guest of Honor at the event and Sho Sakurai, the film's star, will be a Special Guest. The film will be shown twice (once Friday and once Saturday), there will be a Red Carpet walk, an onstage discussion about their careers, and a Q&A.

Kyoko Fukada, who stars as Doronjo, is said to have had input into the design of her costume. Whoever is responsible, she sure looks fine! In the shot below she's pictured with her co-villains Boyacky (Katsushisa Namase) and Tonzra (Kendo Kobayashi), though I'm not sure which one is which in the foto. The trio seek a clue to the location of the world's largest gold deposit.

I'm already registered for Comic-Con and am so totally looking forward to seeing Miike in person and checking out Yatterman. It's his biggest and most expensive movie yet, and it's got robots & mecha, & a babe in a bondage outfit! How can it miss! Look here for coverage during the weekend of the fete and/or shortly thereafter.

Read about Miike and Yatterman @ Subway Cinema News. (Look for the January 21st, 2009 entry.)

Read about the upcoming Yatterman Premiere in NYC @ Grady Hendrix's Kaiju Shakedown.

Read about Miike's interest in bondage costumes for female characters, including Kyoko Fukada @ Grady Hendrix's Kaiju Shakedown.

Read about Kyoko Fukada and her Yatterman costume @ japantoday.com.