Recently seen movies #122

Golgo 13 (Japan, 1973) – 3,5/5

Takao Saito’s Golgo 13 comics aren’t very easy to adapt into live action features due to their international nature, but Toei went all the way with this first attempt. Junya Sato shot the film on location in Iran with mostly foreign cast. The lead role is played by the heavenly cool Ken Takakura, whose combination of charisma, black sunglasses and M16 assault rifle makes him one of the coolest asssassins in film history. Both execution and storywise the film could be better – and it would’ve been a good to opt for local languages istead of having the entire Iran speak Japanese – but with its rare international setting, superb leading man and some exciting action Golgo 13 easily ranks more interesting than Toei’s average action thrillers of the era. Due to the high expenses the studio didn’t allow Golgo 13 to return to the big screen until in 1977 in a slightly inferior Shinichi Chiba film Golgo 13: Kowloon Assignment.

Recently seen TV shows #3

Iron King (26 episodes) (1972) – 2/5

Gentaro (Shoji Ishibashi) and Goro (Mitsuo Hamada) aka Iron King fight martians and giant monsters in a TBS tokusatsu series that doesn’t hold till the end. The first 10 episodes are quite enjoyable, partly thanks to Chieko Morikawa and the main villain Shinzo Hotta (whom most probably remember as Fumio Watanabe’s right hand man in Female Prisoner Scorpion). Shunsuke Kikuchi’s score works alright, too. Later the show unfortunately stars repeating itself too much and also makes a couple of unwelcome plot turns. Almost every episode follows the exact same patterns; Iron Kingu loses the first fight, but comes back during the second half and finishes the giant monster with the help of Gentaro who doesn’t know that Iron King and Goro are the one and same person.

Recently seen movies #121

Sukeban – Crazy Ball Game (Japan, 1974) – 3/5

The final showdown. Ike and Sugimoto are both missing but Yuko Kano does surprisingly good gob as the new delinquent girl boss. After 6 instalments it’s nice to see a new face in the lead role. Concept-wise director Sekimoto’s second try follows the same functional patters as the earlier films; Kano and her gang draw up a diamond heist plan, but Toru Abe (again) fights back. The nasty villain is backed up by Ema Ryoko, whose biggest star moment comes in the beginning when she and her girls – all dressed in white school uniforms – confront Kano’s gang. Another memorable moment is the silly and sunny ’running topless on the beach’ scene. Like the previous film, Crazy Ball Game a fun girl gang action film with a couple of more graphic violent scenes. A good way to end a long running series.

Recently seen movies #120

Sukeban: Diamond Showdown (Japan, 1974) – 3/5

Ikuo Sekimoto grabs the director’s wheel in the sixth girl boss film. Reiko Ike is back, but Miki Sugimoto didn’t return to the series anymore. Tsunehiko Watase (antihero with sunglasses) and Toru Abe (slimy villain, as usual) play the primary male roles. Sekimoto later helmed some miserable pinky dramas but this film is solid girl gang fun with catfights every 15 minutes and Ike’s girls putting holes into the male yakuzas. There’s one rather strong torture scene but the overall tone is easy going… especially when the bad girls go for a picnic with Funky Monkey Baby by Carol rocking the soundtrack.

Recently seen movies #119

Sukeban: Escape From Reform School (Japan, 1973) – 3/5

The fifth Sukeban film changes some key players; Norifumi Suzuki is gone for good, replaced by Sadao Nakajima, and Reiko Ike is taking her first day off. In the opening scene Miki Sugimoto tries to run from the officials, but is captured and thrown to a dark cell with her hands tied and shirt removed (of course). After some 30 minutes of passable women in reform school entertainment the film kicks off when the girls escape. Sugimoto meets a man running from the law (Tsunehiko Watase), while the other girls have their own adventures. Escape From Reform School isn’t a classic film, however, it’s an enjoyable representative of a classic genre. A bit surprisingly yakuza-director Nakajima gives even more room to erotic content than his predecessor, and does quite successfully. There isn’t too much violence, but the action packed ending is very satisfying. Good soundtrack as well.

Recently seen movies #118

Ijo seai kiroku, harenchi (Japan, 1969) – 2,5/5

Teruo Ishii’s psycho-drama opens like an Italian giallo – with extreme close-ups of a madman’s eyes, quick shots of blood splattered on white feathers, and animal roaring serving as the soundtrack. Cut to upbeat 60’s romance imagery with Teruo Yoshida and Masumi Tachibana kissing at sunset and the perfect contrast is ready. Unfortunately, this project seems to have been a routine effort for Ishii – the same patterns are repeated too many times during the films course, and the screenplay is too thin, falling somewhere between a 30 min episode and a 90 minute feature film. But unlike most of Ishii’s late 60’s films, this is a single storyline without episodic structure. The film is clumsy at times, effective at others, and features an enjoyable if not entirely convincing leading performance by Eiji Wakasuki as a stalker who won’t let one of his girlfriends go. Fans of the director will find enough satisfaction to warrant a viewing or two, but others can move on to Ishii’s more accomplished – and gorier – works from the same era.

Recently seen movies #117

Never Give Up (Japan, 1978) – 3/5

Ken Takakura and Hiroko Yakushimaru together, what more could you ask for? Well, a thoroughly good movie. Producer Haruki Kadokawa spent millions on equipment borrowed from the US army to create a modern action epic. Yet both the action and storytelling are clumsy. The the original storyline – adapted from a novel by Seiichi Morimura – is, however, rather well constructed and remains interesting till the end. But the main attraction is of course seeing the greatest idol of the 80’s – in her very first movie role even – and one of the most legendary Japanese actors of all time in one movie. That’s no small merit for a film, even if the rest isn’t as good as it ought to be.

Recently seen movies #116

Bullet Train (Japan, 1975) – 3/5

Junya Sato helms an entertaining all star cast in a thriller that preceeded Speed (1994) by nearly 20 years. A group of criminals (lead by Ken Takakura) insert a bomb into a bullet train. If the speed falls under 80 km/h the bomb will explode. The train company staff (Takashi Shimura, Fumio Watanabe) give guidance to the train captain (Shinichi Chiba) while the police (Tetsuro Tamba) are trying to capture the criminals before it’s too late. Clocking at 150 minutes Sato’s film is more of a character driven thriller-drama than a fast paced action film. Most of the movie takes place outside the bullet train. Keep your eyes open open for brief appearances by numerous stars like Etsuko Shihomi, Yumiko Katayama and Yumi Takigawa.

Recently seen movies #115

Burst City (Japan, 1982) – 1/5

Sogo Ishii and Toei first collaborated in 1980, when Toei distributed Ishii’s brilliant graduation work Crazy Thunder Road. Two years later the studio hired Ishii to make another film for them. What Ishii did, basically, was take the money and shoot a post apocalyptic, 2 hour punk rock concert. Traditional narrative is almost completely lost and rock, riots and real life bands take over. A hugely influential piece that no doubt features a lot to enjoy to those who share Ishii’s state of mind. To casual viewers, however, Ishii’s self-righteous freak show played in fast motion is likely to be an unbearable experience.

Recently seen movies #114

Panic in High School (Japan, 1978) – 2,5/5

Sogo Ishii was given a chance to remake his original student film as a feature length movie for Nikkatsu. No doubt it sounded like a good deal for both parties; a 21 year old director getting an experienced studio to back him up, and Nikkatsu, now mostly stuck with their pink film production, investing on a rising talent. But Ishii, who shot the film together with co-director Yukihiro Sawada, was not pleased with the results. Although the film does feature many reconizable scenes and elements Ishii’s input appears to have been toned down to some extent. The storyline of a student who goes mad and attacks his school also can’t quite carry a 94 minute film. However, a failure Panic in High School is not. The first and especially the last third are quite effective. And, unfortunately, the film has only become more timely 30 years after its release.