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Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 30 Dec 2017, 17:14
by HungFist
That looks pretty cool. Need to add that to my rental list.

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 25 Mar 2018, 09:53
by Guro Taku
Arguably one of the few anime titles to deserve inclusion in this thread, Toyoo Ashida's FIST OF THE NORTH STAR 劇場版 世紀末救世主伝説 北斗の拳 (1986) is getting its world premiere on BD from Discotek Media May 29th.

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As expected, this will be the exact same master that Toei prepared for their own DVD release 10 years ago, so the gore will still be partially obscured by pixels and soft focus.

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 15 May 2018, 07:04
by HungFist
I extracted all the TV and VoD reviews to a new thread: Rare Japanese Cult Cinema reviews (No DVD / BD).

The rationale was that some of you guys might get frustrated with me posting so many Japanese TV / VoD reviews of films that can't be purchased from abroad in the JP Cult thread, and I didn't want that to happen. Hence I created a new thread.

There's no strict rules, though. Discussion of rare films is just fine in both thread. But the idea was that this thread would focus on films that are or might become available for purchase, while reviews of films only available on Japanese TV broadcastings and streams that are next to impossible for anyone outside Japan to access could go in the new thread.

(Classic Japanese Exploitation thread still covers both films available and not available on DVD/BD).

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 15 May 2018, 08:08
by HungFist
I thought I had posted this already...

True Account of Hishakaku - A Wolf's Honor and Humanity (実録飛車角 狼どもの仁義) (1974)
Interesting although not especially visceral de-romantization of the Theatre of Life saga for the jitsuroku era. Bunta Sugawara portrays "Hishakaku" as a short tempered, violent yakuza and thief who falls in love with prostitute Rie Nakagawa. Tsunehiko Watase and Kyosuke Machida are his pals, Akira Kobayashi an enemy. Mostly unexceptional but entertaining and relatively slick late film by director Shinji Murayama who was more of a 60s filmmaker. It's also one of the few jitsuroku style films set in Taisho and early Showa era as opposed to post WWII. Curiously, this was probably the first and only Theatre of Life film that was indeed a true account to an extent. It is a little known fact that the original novel was based on a real life yakuza called Hikoichi Ishiguro, whose account however was fictionalized and romanticized to no end in the novel and film adaptations. This film goes back to the real Ishiguro, as depicted in the grittier 1974 novel "Okami domo no jingi", rather than the Theatre of Life novel from the 1930s.

The screencaps are from a TV broadcasting but Toei also released this on DVD recently.

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Rie Nakagawa
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Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 26 May 2018, 12:03
by Guro Taku
Arrow Video have finally announced a new Toei/Fukasaku release and it's not the much-speculated upon Hokuriku Proxy War or Wolves, Pigs & Men but rather STREET MOBSTER 現代やくざ 人斬り与太 (1972).

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Release date is August 7th.

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 19 Jun 2018, 14:10
by HungFist
Daredevil Drivers (マッハ'78) (1978)

A minor carsploitation classic with nonexistent artistic achievements partly out-weighted by some of the most insane car stunts ever committed to film. The storyline is about Japanese and American stuntmen competing each other in a tournament in USA where they perform death defying car and crash stunts. What's interesting is that while the story is fictional, the film essentially plays out as a documentary since the stunts are real, often shot in a single take, even showing the real medical personnel pulling the poor driver out of the wreck. Nearly all cast members are stuntmen and it's difficult to believe many of the outcomes could've been scripted. Some of the stunts are impossible to witness without going all "holy shit!" Cinematically the film is amateurish with a ridiculously thin romantic side story (with "Hollywood Star" Linda Stayer who appeared in a total of two films!) and dull sequences documenting a real car museum and race event. Nevertheless, with achievements like "word record car jump" (158 metres) and "359 demolished vehicles" the film found relatively wide international distribution in the early 80, mainly on video, and still manages to astonish in places.

The film is available on a 2017 BD and DVD by Pony Canyon. No subs, but half of the film is in English and there isn't that much talk in the first place. Be careful not to pick up the older (possibly non-remastered and full screen... amazon says 1.33:1) 2006 DVD edition by Jet Link. The caps below are from a Hulu stream.

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Stuntman Chiaki Otomo in his only starruing role (he's Japanese although he looks Western)
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Linda Stayer
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The film was produced by manga writer Ikki Kajiwara (Karate Bullfighter, Bodyguard Kiba) via his own company, btw.
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Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI8Qb6z0B9I

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 24 Jun 2018, 15:58
by HungFist
The Beast Must Die: Mechanic of Revenge (野獣死すべし 復讐のメカニック) (1974)

A thematic follow-up to The Beast Must Die (1959) with sex and violence upped to the 70s standards. Once again the protagonist (Hiroshi Fujioka) is a devil is disguise, a literature teacher also working as an assassin but betraying his employers. The film's nihilist and action packed final reel is especially memorable, and would make modern mainstream audiences shake their heads in disbelief. It is too bad the film is not always as captivating, with the antihero surrounded by boring corporate bosses and desperate women (one of them played by Mako Midori) whose worries aren't too interesting. Sugawa was a director whose coldness and relative minimalism was well suited for tensely written thrillers (e.g. Beast Hunt, 1973); this movie serves that need intermittently.

Available on Toho DVD, which I had but sold. If I remember correctly, the extras were trailer, photo gallery and a very brief featurette (about 3 or 5 min I think) about weapons used in the film.

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Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 06 Jul 2018, 13:57
by HungFist
Toei will release Junya Sato's Organized Crime (組織暴力) trilogy on DVD 2018/11/02.

組織暴力 (1967)
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http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... id=1025968

続組織暴力 (1967)
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http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... id=1025969

組織暴力 兄弟盃 (1969)
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http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... id=1025970

https://www.toei-video.co.jp/special/soshiki/

And no, Sato hasn't died (as far as I know).

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 06 Jul 2018, 19:32
by Guro Taku
HungFist wrote: 06 Jul 2018, 13:57And no, Sato hasn't died (as far as I know).
A lot can happen in the 5 months before the DVDs come out. Maybe Toei's higher ups know something we don't.

Morbid jokes aside, it's good to finally see some more catalogue releases from Toei. It's certainly been a while since the last batch!

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 01 Aug 2018, 14:18
by HungFist
Happinet will release Tatsumi Kumashiro's debut film Front Row Life (かぶりつき人生, Kaburitsuki jinsei) (1968) on DVD 2018/9/4

- http://www.happinet-p.com/jp3/releases/digs-1055
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaFt93q9v04

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Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 08 Aug 2018, 06:12
by HungFist
The Four Roughnecks (あばよダチ公) (1974)
Four young slackers (three incels and one Yusaku Matsuda) with total disregard for honesty and other people's property retreat to a isolate, riverside hut with a girl (Sayoko Kato) who hooks up with them. This 70s neo-taiyozoku film is stacked with constant cheap sex jokes (Gajiro Sato groping anything that moves, and even trying to rape a goat) but the cast is so good and director Yukihiro Sawada helms with such energetic swing that the film easily wins over. There's surprisingly much sex and nudity, as if Sawada forgot the Roman Porno gear on (this was one of Nikkatsu's few non-Roman Porno films of the 70s) but it's all cheerful and fun rather than pervy and dull.

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The caps above are from the old 2002 Nikkatsu dvd. There is a 2012 Happinet release also which may or may not utilize the same interlaced, anamorphic transfer.

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Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 19 Aug 2018, 14:16
by HungFist
Takuzo Kawatani x 3 ! I've warmed up to this fella over the years.

Song of Ossan of Kawachi (河内のオッサンの唄) (Japan)
Takuzo Kawatani, Toei's loud mouth punk bit player and comic relief, somehow landed starring a role in this short running series. This first film is a countryside drama/comedy with a yakuza undercurrent. Kawatani is fun to watch as good hearted village ossan (middle aged man) with no patience at all for anything, but the film doesn't utilize his talent for loud mouthing and tragicomedy as much as it should. There's too much non-eventful drama with supporting characters (young trucker guy Koichi Iwaki, his gal Emi Shimizu, and even a grumpy grandma) in what is a family friendly affair on top of all (light violence and brief boobs only). The film only becomes genuinely entertaining when Kawatani goes against Tokyo yakuza Kenji Imai at the end... largely because in spite of his overly optimistic attempts he nearly always gets his own ass kicked.

Song of Ossan of Kawachi: Yokita no ware (河内のオッサンの唄 よう来たのワレ) (1976)
Now we're talking! This is the Takuzo Kawatani show the first film should've been! The ossan runs into a sympathetic conman (excellent Kunie Tanaka) whom he mistakes as a gambling genius. He agrees to shelter his gal (spunky Hiroko Isayama) which sends all kinds of sparks flying with his wife, the other piranhas and gangsters. And then there's Hideo Murota taking the piss out of Kawatani at every turn! This is a very enjoyable sequel that omits the dull drama of the first film and replaces it with fast pace and likeable characters. Also included is a cool soundtrack, a gambling duel that makes most proper gambler movies pale in comparison, and lots of hilarious moments with the short tempered Kawatani haunted by objects that are destined to land on his face. For a comparison especially apt for this film, Kawatani was the Donald Duck of Toei!

Hiroko Isayama
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Kunie Tanaka
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Hideo Murota
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Osman Yusuf!
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Piranha Corps (ピラニア軍団 ダボシャツの天) (1977)
The third and final mid 70s Takuzo Kawatani starring vehicle, unrelated to the two Ossan of Kawachi films. Kawatani is a small time Osaka thug hanging out with his scarred aniki Isao Natsuyagi. There's a wonderfully pathetic fight at the end with Kawatani and fellow piranha just scratching each other's faces and crying their eyes out, but other than that there's not much truly outrageous stuff in the film, nor as much piranhas as the title would have you expect. The film is neither very funny nor too violent, which was perhaps to be expected from director Kosaku Yamashita. In the 60s his name served as automatic recommendation for any film he made. In the 70s he somehow lost his touch, perhaps not keen on the modern yakuza mayhem, and his films became lifeless. Note: this was a standalone film with no follow-ups. The other Piranha Corps film listed by Chris D. and IMDb does not exist.

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Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 24 Aug 2018, 15:29
by HungFist
Happinet will release Chusei Sone's “BLOW THE NIGHT!” 夜をぶっとばせ (1983) on DVD on 2018/12/04

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- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... id=1028289

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Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 07 Sep 2018, 19:25
by Guro Taku
Speaking of Sone, Happinet will also re-release his 元祖大四畳半大物語 (1980) on October 2nd. This is a slice-of-life comedy based on a manga by Leiji Matsumoto about a country bumpkin moving into a tiny apartment (the 4 and a half tatami mats of the title) in Tokyo and the wacky shenenigans that ensue. It was previously available on DVD from Pioneer but that release is long OOP.

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Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 07 Oct 2018, 06:50
by HungFist
Modern Yakuza: Outlaw's Code (現代やくざ 与太者の掟) (1969)
Surprisingly good transitional ninkyo / jitsuroku film sparks nicely in both genres, unlike most similar 'halfway-there' efforts. Bunta Sugawara is a jailbird back on the streets, a rough and violent but also chivalrous man who makes friends with a fellow yakuza (Kyosuke Machida). Perhaps better than any other yakuza film, this movie captures the psyche of a man just out of prison with no friends, no home, nothing to go back to. It's also beautifully filmed with ninkyo romantics and jitsuroku roughness somehow co-existing without cannibalizing each other. Add a bit of noirish atmosphere, a great Tomisaburo Wakayama supporting role (he sings also!) and an ultra bloody ending, and the film successfully overcomes its unexceptional story and the comedy-resembling Shingo Yamashiro stuff inserted in the middle. Fine effort from Yasuo Furuhata, whose films often strike as dull to me.

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Junko Fuji
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Wakayam
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Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 07 Oct 2018, 06:51
by HungFist
Modern Yakuza: Outlaw's Honor and Humanity (現代やくざ 与太者仁義) (1969)
Noirish but not especially moving tale makes Sugawara play the second fiddle to young lovers (Masakazu Tamura, Ai Sasaki) on the run from the yakuza. Sugawara is the loyal yakuza brother trying to protect them, Ryo Ikebe an older brother obliged to bring the runaways to his boss. Violent and stylish, with some excellent character dynamics between Sugawara and Ikebe, it's a shame the central story about the young lovers is superficial and predictable, giving the viewer little reason to care.

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Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 07 Oct 2018, 06:53
by HungFist
Modern Yakuza: Loyalty Offering Breakdown (現代やくざ 盃返します) (1971)
Slow moving and quite frankly boring part 3. Dodgy boss Koike orders loyal and clueless Sugawara to stab another boss, who is actually a pretty decent man with a rational son (Hiroki Matsukata). Sugawara eventually comes to realize this. Oddly enough, this is a ninkyo film rather than anything even remotely resembling the modern, soon-to-come jitsuroku films. Should've been called "The Conservative Yakuza" instead.

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Note: this is part 3, not part 4 like Chris D claims (he mistakenly included Outlaw of Shinjuku in the series). The series then continued with Sadao Nakajima's Three Cherry Blossom Blood Brothers (1971) and what is the best known film in the series, Fukasaku's Street Mobster (1972).

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 07 Oct 2018, 07:08
by HungFist
HungFist wrote: 24 Aug 2018, 15:29 Happinet will release Chusei Sone's “BLOW THE NIGHT!” 夜をぶっとばせ (1983) on DVD on 2018/12/04
Guro Taku wrote: 07 Sep 2018, 19:25 Speaking of Sone, Happinet will also re-release his 元祖大四畳半大物語 (1980) on October 2nd.
Happinet is also releasing Sone's thriller Demon's Room (悪魔の部屋) (Akuma no heya) (1982) on on DVD on January 9th.

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- https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B07HGFBWNF

This was a Roman Porno film, but the DVD release is not part of Happinet's ongoing Roman Porno release series.

I've tried watching the film, but gave up after 25 minutes after being bored to death.

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 06 Nov 2018, 16:30
by HungFist
More Sugawara & Nakajima DVDs from Toei 2019/02/06

Cold Wind Monjiro (木枯し紋次郎) (1972)
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... id=1032276

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Cold Wind Monjiro: None of My Business (木枯し紋次郎 関わりござんせん) (1972)
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... id=1032277

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The Scoundler vs. The Viper Brothers (極道VSまむし) (1975)
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... id=1032278

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Good to see The Scoundler vs. The Viper Brothers coming out. I`ve been watching the Viper Brothers films recently and this crossover film (with Wakayama`s Scoundrel series) was previously unavailable on dvd.

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 16 Dec 2018, 15:55
by Guro Taku
Speaking of the Viper Brothers..
HungFist wrote: 29 Jul 2018, 15:40 The Viper Brothers: Just Out of Jail (懲役太郎 まむしの兄弟) (Japan, 1971) [DVD] - 2/5
Part 1 in a long running (8+1 films) action/comedy/melodrama series about a pair of short tempered, amoral, but not evil chinpira (Bunta Sugawara and Tamio Kawaji) thinking too big of themselves. Cinematically unspectacular, save for the fine chemistry between Kawaji and Sugawara, it is nevertheless interesting to place this film in the cinematic cannon. Made just prior to the jitsuroku era, before Sugawara established his image as the bad boy of gangster cinema, the direction Japanese cinema was heading to was already evident in how this film frequently portrays its "heroes" in unflattering light. Sugawara and Kawaji may have their comedy moments and emerge as heroes at the end, but only after bullying innocent people, making fools of themselves and even trying to rape a woman.

The Viper Brothers: Cruel Gratitude (まむしの兄弟 お礼参り) (Japan, 1971) [DVD] - 2/5
Part 2. More of the same with a bit less edge to the main characters who behave better this time. There are some energetic club scenes and Noboru Ando has a decent if familiar silent tough guy supporting role, though. The director is Tatsuo Honda, a long time assistant director who only ever directed two films. This was the first, followed by one pink film in 1975. He'd go on to work as writer and producer.

The Viper Brothers: Prison Gang 13 (まむしの兄弟 懲役十三回) (Japan, 1972) [DVD] - 1.5/5
Part 3. This one is set in 1935, continuity be damned (the first two were post WWII). Sugawara and Kawaji nevertheless seemingly portray the same characters. Such disregard to continuity is actually beautiful! That's about as far as this film's excitement goes, unfortunately. Routine chinpira comedy lacks the grittiness of the first film. Instead it features Sugawara becoming a babysitter.

The Viper Brothers: 18 Extortion Threats (まむしの兄弟 傷害恐喝十八犯) (Japan, 1972) [DVD] - 2/5
Part 4. Sugawara tries to overcome a traumatic experience of getting in bed blindfolded with a girl who turned out to be an old granny. Later he and Kawaji try to settle down in a neighbourhood harassed by businessman yakuza Bin Amatsu. Very little to remember here. Like many of the Abashiri Prison sequels, this series seemed to be running on the fumes of its star power - which the audience did not mind. Four plus one more films were to come.

The Viper Brothers: Jail - Living for 4 1/2 Years (まむしの兄弟 刑務所暮し四年半) (Japan, 1973) [DVD] - 3/5
Part 5. Delightful start with Tatsuo Endo as a nice guy prison guard! How many times have you seen that? He does mention he's a former inmate for having killed 4 men but oh well. The rest of the film isn't half bad either. Kosaku Yamashita, well past his prime by 1973, manages some characterization that reminds of his 60s films and come with surprisingly moving results. Sugawara and Kawaji's chemistry is even more evident here than usual, the storyline is alright if melodramatic, and we got Kyosuke Machida (henchman) with cool beard and the always good Tsunehiko Watase (young hood) on board as well. One of the best films in the series.

The Viper Brothers: Extortion Plot for 3,000,000 Yen (まむしの兄弟 恐喝三億円) (Japan, 1973) [DVD] - 3/5
Part 6. Another really funny opening with Sugawara just out of prison (every film in the series starts this way) and having to hitch hike a ride with a group of vacationing grannies. This was Norifumi Suzuki's entry in the series, and it shows. The humour is lowbrow, women fall in love with their rapists, and the film is uneven with several early scenes directed on auto pilot. There's also great action, good laughs, more boobs than in any other film in the series, and just when you least expect it Suzuki pulls out genuinely touching characterization with gangster's subordinate Hiroki Matsukata, a discriminated man of Chinese ethnicity, always reminded that he's no better than a dog. There's great sadness behind his superficially cool sunglassed look, skilfully conveyed by Matsukata.
All 6 of the above plus the 7th part are getting priced-down ¥2800 reissues from Toei on February 6th, probably to coincide with the release of The Scoundler vs. The Viper Brothers (極道VSまむし) (1975) and to replace the out-of-print original releases.

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Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 17 Dec 2018, 12:19
by HungFist
Cool. Thanks. Small correction, though: it's parts 3-8 that are getting low priced in February. 1&2 already went low before, I think.

In addition to the parts 1-6 above, I've also seen part 8 (not very good). Got part 7 in the digital pile waiting for viewing.

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 06 Jan 2019, 13:18
by HungFist
Holy shit! I just found out via Mr. Mike Haack that Nikkatsu's Cat Girl Gambling (1965-1966) trilogy came out on BD in France last year.

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- https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B07DQ99FLQ/

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 06 Jan 2019, 15:08
by DenPryan
They have released a number of other Nikkatsu films on Blu-Ray.
And that was a year ago, you learned it too long :)
The films are really cool.

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 06 Jan 2019, 15:22
by HungFist
Cool to hear. I just ordered the set.

It seems the Cat Girls are the only ones that are world premieres on home video... am I right?

Re: Japanese cult cinema thread

Posted: 06 Jan 2019, 16:13
by DenPryan
Another Black Tight Killers, Yasuharu Hasebe, was previously released only on DVD