Japanese cult cinema thread

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 15 Aug 2007, 18:51

This thread is for miscellaneous Japanese cult films. Individual threads exist for:
Sonny Chiba
Classic Exploitation (mainly pinky violence and roman porno
Hideo Gosha
JP Cult TV shows
Japanese Car Action movies
Rare Japanese Cult Cinema reviews (No DVD / BD)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS: DVD REVIEWS (links broken, will fix when I find time)
Brutal Tales of Chivalry (1965) (Toei dvd)
Brutal Tales of Chivalry 2 (1966) (Toei dvd)
Brutal Tales of Chivalry 3 (1966) (Toei dvd)
Dokaben (1977) (Toei dvd)
Golgo 13 (1973) (Toei dvd)
Killer's Mission (1969) (Eye Catcher dvd)
Man Who Stole the Sun, The (1979) (Toshiba dvd)
Red Peony Gambler (1968) (Toei dvd)
Red Peony Gambler 2 (1968) (Toei dvd)
Red Peony Gambler 3 (1969) (Toei dvd)
Red Peony Gambler 4 (1969) (Toei dvd)
Red Peony Gambler 5 (1969) (Toei dvd)
Red Peony Gambler 6 (1970) (Toei dvd)
Red Peony Gambler 7 (1971) (Toei dvd)
Red Peony Gambler 8 (1972) (Toei dvd)
Saigo no tokkotai (1970) (Toei dvd)
Tarao Bannai (1978) (Toei dvd)
Youth Killer, The (1976) (Geneon dvd)

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Lets start

Linn, any chance you could get Kinji Fukasaku's Bôsô panikku: Daigekitotsu (暴走パニック　大激突) (1976) into some distributor's release list?

Haven't seen the film, don't even know the genre for sure, but with Fukasaku, Sugimoto, Watase and Murota this looks like a must see.

Linn · Post by **Linn** » 16 Aug 2007, 07:32

Bank Heist/Crime films are a hard sell right now. I can try. A friend's got that tape, so it would make it easier with a little background ie I need to watch it.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 16 Aug 2007, 08:22

Linn wrote:Bank Heist/Crime films are a hard sell right now. I can try. A friend's got that tape, so it would make it easier with a little background ie I need to watch it.

Try name dropping Tarantino some how.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 17 Aug 2007, 16:30

Toei's August 3rd releases consisted of 5 Furyo Bancho films (parts 6-10)

不良番長　王手飛車 (1970)
不良番長　一獲千金 (1970)
不良番長　出たとこ勝負 (1970)
不良番長　暴走バギー団 (1970)
不良番長　口から出まかせ (1970)

September is a Norifumi Suzuki month

Oosaka Dokonjo Monogatari Doerai Yatsu (大阪ど根性物語　どえらい奴) (1965)
Ero Shogun to Nijuichi-nin no Aisho (エロ将軍と二十一人の愛妾 ) (1972)
Sex & Fury (不良姐御伝　猪の鹿お蝶) (1973)
The Great Chase (Karei-naru tsuiseki) (華麗なる追跡) (1975)
Dokaben (ドカベン) (1977)

October is a Sonny Chiba month

Return of the Street Fighter (殺人拳2) (1974)
Karate Inferno: The Executioner 2 (直撃地獄拳大逆転 ) (1974)
The Killing Machine (少林寺拳法 ) (1975)
Karate Bearfighter (けんか空手　極真無頼拳 ) (1977)

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 19 Aug 2007, 10:46

Shinichi in his hayday certain bared a striking resemblance to the British action figure, Action Man.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 03 Sep 2007, 16:39

Upcoming Toei releases

November

Big Magnum Kuroiwa (ビッグ・マグナム　黒岩先生) (1985)
http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1985/di000980.htm
http://blog.livedoor.jp/textsite/archives/18434144.html
Dir: Kazuhiko Yamaguchi, star: Yasushi Yokoyama

Kyofu-no yacchan (恐怖のヤッちゃん) (1987)
http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1987/dk001550.htm
Dir: Shusuke Kaneko, star: Yoichi Yamamoto

名門！多古西応援団 (1987)
http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1987/dk001990.htm
Dir: Izou Hashimoto, star 我王銀次

下落合焼とりムービー (1979)
http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1979/dc001800.htm
Dir: Shinya Yamamoto, star: Joji Tokoro, music: Down Town Boogie-Woogie band

December (Yasuo Furuhata month)

非行少女ヨーコ (1966)
http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1966/cp001020.htm
dir:Yasuo Furuhata, star Mako Midori

地獄の掟に明日はない (1966)
http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1966/cp003950.htm
dir:Yasuo Furuhata, star Ken Takakura

獄中の顔役 (1968)
http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1968/cr000860.htm
dir:Yasuo Furuhata, star Ken Takakura

任侠興亡史組長と代貸 (1970)
http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1970/ct000410.htm
dir:Yasuo Furuhata, star Ken Takakura

捨て身のならず者 (1970)
http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1970/ct001180.htm
dir:Yasuo Furuhata, stars Koji Tsuruta and Tetsuro Tamba

遺産相続 (1990)
http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1990/dn002460.htm
dir:Yasuo Furuhata, stars Yoshiko Sakuma

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 05 Nov 2007, 21:46

Lets see what's up with Animeigo. They may not be a great company, but they have great titles. Seems like they've acquired rights to some Shinobi no mono films. Love this banner:

The first film was released last month. Parts 2-4 are also listed at their website as upcoming titles.

The Mikogami trilogy (The Trail of Blood, The Fearless Avenger, Slaughter in the Snow), directed by Kazuo Ikehiro and starring Yoshio Harada, will be re-released in box set. The price is notably more affordable than the single releases put together. Reviews suggest that the first film has a terrible transfer, but the second is fine.

Hideo Gosha's The Wolves should be coming in May 2008. That's not available on R2J, but Wild Side Video may have the rights in France. Speaking of Gosha, HK Video third box set should finally be out in December, and Wild Side's Hitokiri (Tenchu) is scheduled for the same month (never been released on dvd before). Finally, some R2J Gosha's will be re-released as low priced editions later this month.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 10 Nov 2007, 14:53

I forgot to mention that Toei’s December releases also include 'Toei Tokusatsu Hero: The Movie Box'. Since I don’t know anything about the subject I’m gonna quote someone who does:

Muldoon / [url=http://adg.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=522&st=48]asiandvdguide[/url] wrote: This box set contains most of the tokusatsu films made by Toei from 1966 to 1995 (excluding the Kamen Rider, Super Sentai, and Spiderman films). It will contain 32 films total (19 of which have never been released on DVD). These short films were made at the same time as the corresponding TV series.

The bonus disc will include the three tokusatsu films that were made in 3D (Red Shadow, Kikaider, and Inazuman). 3D glasses will be included with the box set.

Tokusatsu fans have been mad at Toei for not always including the films with the DVDs of the TV series but Toei has now made up for their mistakes. Needless to day, this is an essential purchase for tokusatsu maniacs. Start saving now!

The street price is set to 30 000 yen (that’s typical from Toei, I’m afraid... the reason why I don’t own their Sukeban Deka series on dvd...) but amazon is taking pre-orders for 23 000 yen at the moment. Their DHL only policy may still make it unaffordable, though.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 18 Dec 2007, 16:56

Toei january

殺陣師段平 (Fencing Master) (1950)
江戸の悪太郎 (Bad Guy of Edo) (1959)
雪之丞変化 (1959)
弥太郎笠 (Yataro's Sedge Hat) (1960)
江戸っ子繁昌記 (1961)
九ちゃん刀を抜いて (1963)

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 20 Dec 2007, 16:42

The Youth Killer (Seishun no satsujin sha) (1976)

Kazuhiko Hasegawa is a hugely interesting screenwriter / film maker with only two directorial credits to his name; this and The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979). That’s why it’s such a shame The Youth Killer fails partly. Although based on true story, Hasegawa’s film doesn’t feel entirely believable. The way the characters act in some situations seems a bit unfit, and some of the performances are less than natural. Nevertheless, the cast also features interesting choices like Ryohei Uchida as the main character’s father, and Mieko Harada (who also made a memorable appearance in the 7th Truck Yaro film, one of my favourite film series from the 70’s) in the female lead. Some single scenes here and there are very impressive. Last but not least, the nostalgic soundtrack filled with english language songs by Godiego is brilliant.

Not a bad transfer, the muddiness and scratches work to the benefit of the film (to some extent at least). Nevertheless, the original trailer has a sharper and less muddy appearance (and also 1.85:1 aspect ratio, but it only seems to be missing image from top and bottom). I would provide a comparison cap but I can't find matching frames. I tried with four different scenes and always the same thing; the film and the trailer use different takes.

Extras include a 16 page booklet, original trailer (with clips of deleted scenes and behind the scenes footage), biographies and a 64 min documentary. The documentary is also loaded with great stills, from which I, to my big surprise, spotted Shinji Somai. Turned out he worked as one of the assistant directors in this film (and also in The Man Who Stole the Sun).

Hasegawa's both films seem to be going out of print. Apparently The Youth Killer was re-released earlier this year, but cdjapan isn't listing it at all, the only have the original release with is of course unavailable. They also list all R2J editions of The Man Who Stole the Sun out of print. I got both films recently from yesasia, but it may be better to hurry if you want to add these films to your collection.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 23 Dec 2007, 18:06

A few caps from the making of

Director Kazuhiko Hasegawa

The band that performed the soundtrack, Godiego

Hasegawa and Mieko Harada

Shinji Somai, the greatest japanese director of the 80's, on the left

Cinematographer Tatsuo Suzuki

Supporting actor Ruohei Uchida

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 04 Jan 2008, 14:00

The Man Who Stole the Sun (Taiyo o nusunda otoko) (1979)

Kazuhiko Hasegawa, the screenwriter of the masterful cop film Retreat Through the Wet Wasteland, takes the directing duties in the most interesting film of the 70’s. Kenji Sawada plays a high school science teacher who decides to build an atomic bomb of his own. The film begins as a masterpiece but unfortunately, and for a reason that I couldn’t quite figure out, the director takes the film so over the top at the end, that it loses all its credibility. Perhaps Hasegawa wanted to further underline the fact that the film is indeed a black comedy, although a somewhat restrained one most of the time, but the outcome is nevertheless wrong. Still, even with the flaws the film is amazingly fascinating and memorable.

The R2J calls itself "Ultimate Premium Edition", which translates as remastered transfer, 2.0 and 5.1 audio and original trailer...* And yes, english subtitles are included. There's also a cheap HK dvd but it's supposed to be crap. They even gave the characters new, chinese names. Finally, as one last warning, regardless of the edition this movie may cause deep depression when you realize you ain't gonna find anything as interesting within the next 10 years.

EDIT: I was not aware an oop 2 disc edition existed. I have it now, will review some day but not anytime soon. It comes with a couple of hours worth of new and old interviews (also loads of behind the scenes stills) and a booklet.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 20 Jan 2008, 16:38

Lone Wolf and Cub TV Vol. 1 April 29, 2008 according to amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Lone-Wolf-Cub-TV- ... 431&sr=1-1

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 20 Jan 2008, 22:27

Iron King looks like something out of Power Rangers

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 20 Jan 2008, 22:31

HungFist wrote:Lone Wolf and Cub TV Vol. 1 April 29, 2008 according to amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Lone-Wolf-Cub-TV- ... 431&sr=1-1

It was released in Germany last year I think.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 07 Feb 2008, 13:46

- http://www.dvdmaniacs.net/forums/showth ... post552142
- http://www.hkflix.com/xq/asp/filmID.545 ... etails.htm

- http://www.hkflix.com/xq/asp/filmID.545 ... etails.htm

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 07 Feb 2008, 17:20

They've done a great job with that Lone Wolf cover.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 10 Feb 2008, 18:54

Toei February 2008: Furyo Bancho 11-16 (the end, as far as I know).

不良番長やらずぶったくり
不良番長手八丁口八丁
不良番長　突撃一番
不良番長　のら犬機動隊
不良番長一網打尽
不良番長骨までしゃぶれ

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 10 Feb 2008, 19:26

Toei March 2008.

早稲田大学 (1953)
空海 (1984)
オーロラの下で (1990)
福沢諭吉 (1991)
わが愛の譜　滝廉太郎物語 (1993)
わが心の銀河鉄道　宮沢賢治物語 (1996)
BE-BOP-HIGHSCHOOL ビー・バップ・ハイスクール (1994)

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 10 Feb 2008, 19:29

Toei’s April 2008 theme is writer Eiji Yoshikawa

江戸三国志 (1956)
江戸三国志　疾風篇 (1956)
江戸三国志　完結迅雷篇 (1956)
神州天馬侠 (1958)
神州天馬侠完結篇 (1958)
恋山彦 (1959)
鳴門秘帖 (1961)
鳴門秘帖完結篇 (1961)

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 14 Feb 2008, 12:19

Toei May, a kick ass Norifumi Suzuki month:

シルクハットの大親分 (Shiruku hatto no ô-oyabun) (1970)

シルクハットの大親分　ちょび髭の熊 (Shiruku hatto no ô-oyabun: chobi-hige no kuma) (1970)

現代ポルノ伝先天性淫婦 (Modern Porno Tale: Inherited Sex Mania) (1971)

徳川セックス禁止令色情大名 (Tokugawa Sex Ban: Lustful Lord) (1972)

多羅尾伴内 (Tarao Bannai) (1978)

Thanks for Kemushi at asiandvdguide for heads up

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 16 Mar 2008, 15:25

Saigo no tokkotai (1970)

Toei Studios’s b/w war film about the Japanese kamikaze pilots in WWII is perhaps the most touching movie I have ever seen. There’s a bit of sentimentialism, but director Junya Sato handles the tragic subject masterfully. The cast is filled with major stars such as Ken Takakura, Bunta Sugawara, Tatsuo Umemiya, Asao Koike and Junko Fuji but they all play their roles extremely well. Especially the lead actor Koji Tsuruta is amazing. Tomisaburo Wakayama and his humoristic character are the only ones that feel slightly out of place. His appearence takes place mostly during the film’s middle third, which is the weakest and least engaging part of the movie. However, the film being this heavy themed it may actually work to the benefit of the film in the end. The last third is even more gripping than the first. Simply one of the best war movies ever made.

The film is available on Toei's unsubbed dvd. The quality is the dvd varies a bit. Some scenes look a bit messy while others look good. It's perfectly watchable and in my opinion the genre (realistic b&w war movie, and very "rare" on the top of that) made it even less of a problem. But while I was never distacted by any of the dvds shortcomings, this does not always look like a film made in 1970.

Koji Tsuruta

Ken Takakura

Tatsuo Umemiya

Junko Fuji

Asao Koike

Shinichi Chiba

Tomisaburo Wakayama

Bunta Sugawara

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 22 Mar 2008, 21:07

Next week there will be a R2J re-release for Yasuhare Hasebe's Fossilized Wilderness (Kaseki no kouya) (化石の荒野) (1982). I don't know anything about the film except that it stars Tsunehiko Watase, Isao Natsuyagi, Eiji Go, Hideo Murota and Jo Shishido, and what cdjapan says about it: "5000 kilos worth of gold disappears at the end of WWII. 36 years later, one man's career reveals the hidden secrets behind the conspiracy."

Here's the VHS cover art (stolen from yahoo)

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 27 Mar 2008, 14:10

6/17/2008
Episodes 6-9
180 min

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 27 Mar 2008, 16:03

Would I enjoy the LW+C TV show if I like the films Hung?

(I have the Thai box set).