A lot of praise for this series of films from many posters, I see, but let me say that I can't recommend it for all of you. Yes, there's a bunch of good stuff here for the Yakuza film fans and the action film fans. The violence in this set of films would make the Droogs of the Ken Russell world very happy.
Yet, let me emphasize that this movie and the sequels cannot stand up to all tastes. Don't cook your popcorn and sit down to see the entire series -- unless you have great tolerance for repetition of story lines over the course of five films averaging a hour and three quarters each. Or unless you have a very effective fast forward button.
Not everyone one is going to appreciate the continual return of the same basic themes over and over again through the course of five films which seem to share the same internal rhythms of action and talk. When you think about what you see, you realize you see the action/violence scenes are crafted the same way and the consultation scenes too.
A bunch of guys sitting down and making plans, or a couple of guys talking under the influence of alcohol again and again. Then, the explosion of violence with what seems a hand held camera, shuttling here and there in frenzied fashion. Yes, it is effective in terms of visceral response, but it's done again and again. So you wonder after awhile how many shots does it take to kill a guy. None of these bad guys seem to know how to shoot an enemy in the head. Or, they are the poorest marksmen in the world. The director just keeps repeating the same techniques.
After awhile, it all gets a little tiresome. These guys spend a lot of time repeating themselves. Yes, there is one central character whose fate you might be compelled to follow since he is there from the end of WW2 to 1970 or so (when the series ends) despite the fact that he is off scene for many parts of this series because he is serving time in prison.
The lead actor is named Bunta S., and he does a good job. Not quite like Mifune, of course, but why did Japanese actors in this era have to act like Dick Tracy's Blowtop (remember him from the comic strips?) Was this the ideal image of Manly Bossdom? Oh, forget about any meaningful female character. This is a man's world here.
Anyway, lots of Yakuza lore in this movie, including the tattoos, and if you like that, fine. But consider that the new ranks of the gangsters are depicted as thugs with little brains for the present and no respect for past traditions.
At the end, we get no real resolution. Retirement? You really think?
Yet, let me emphasize that this movie and the sequels cannot stand up to all tastes. Don't cook your popcorn and sit down to see the entire series -- unless you have great tolerance for repetition of story lines over the course of five films averaging a hour and three quarters each. Or unless you have a very effective fast forward button.
Not everyone one is going to appreciate the continual return of the same basic themes over and over again through the course of five films which seem to share the same internal rhythms of action and talk. When you think about what you see, you realize you see the action/violence scenes are crafted the same way and the consultation scenes too.
A bunch of guys sitting down and making plans, or a couple of guys talking under the influence of alcohol again and again. Then, the explosion of violence with what seems a hand held camera, shuttling here and there in frenzied fashion. Yes, it is effective in terms of visceral response, but it's done again and again. So you wonder after awhile how many shots does it take to kill a guy. None of these bad guys seem to know how to shoot an enemy in the head. Or, they are the poorest marksmen in the world. The director just keeps repeating the same techniques.
After awhile, it all gets a little tiresome. These guys spend a lot of time repeating themselves. Yes, there is one central character whose fate you might be compelled to follow since he is there from the end of WW2 to 1970 or so (when the series ends) despite the fact that he is off scene for many parts of this series because he is serving time in prison.
The lead actor is named Bunta S., and he does a good job. Not quite like Mifune, of course, but why did Japanese actors in this era have to act like Dick Tracy's Blowtop (remember him from the comic strips?) Was this the ideal image of Manly Bossdom? Oh, forget about any meaningful female character. This is a man's world here.
Anyway, lots of Yakuza lore in this movie, including the tattoos, and if you like that, fine. But consider that the new ranks of the gangsters are depicted as thugs with little brains for the present and no respect for past traditions.
At the end, we get no real resolution. Retirement? You really think?