Unhinged and unpredictable renegade yakuza gang member Rikio Ishikawa (an excellent and intimidating portrayal by Tetsuya Watari) gets banished to Osaka because of his crazy and violent conduct. Only young courtesan Chieko (a fine and sympathetic performance by the lovely Yumi Takigawa) gives Rikio any shelter and support as his self-destructive behavior compounds the severity of his situation. Director Kinji Fukasaku relates the gripping story at a brisk pace, offers a fascinating and illuminating exploration of the Japanese mobster criminal underground and their strict code of honor, deftly uses a mock documentary newsreel style to give the narrative a strong sense of historical accuracy and authenticity, stages the exciting action with rip-roaring brio, and maintains a tough gritty tone throughout. The startling moments of savage violence pack a ferocious punch. However, it's the stark and unwavering way this film presents the main character as a real nasty and irredeemable bastard whose raging temper and fierce nature make him a constant threat to everyone around him including and especially himself that gives the plot its an extra potent nihilistic edge; Rikio is the sort of horrible person who just couldn't get out of his own way and thus was doomed to meet a harsh untimely end. Hanjiro Nakazawa's wild widescreen cinematography boasts loads of insane tilted camera angles and funky occasional use of sepia and freeze frames. Toshiaki Tsushima's rousing score hits the stirring spot. A blistering portrait of a dangerous psycho.
Review of Graveyard of Honor
