Battle Royale

 

(2000) Directed by Kinji Fukasaku; Written by Kenta Fukasaku; Based on the novel by  Koushun Takami; Starring: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, Taro Yamamoto, Chiaki Kuriyama, Takashi Tsukamoto, and Takeshi Kitano; Available on Blu-ray and DVD 

Rating: ****

“I had a horrible experience escaping air bombing and helping to pick up dismembered limbs of people who were killed. I realized later that I was told lies by the Japanese military government that told us we have to fight to save our country from the enemy. I felt cheated and isolated. This is what I wanted to portray in the movie.” – Kinji Fukusaku 

“Basically, the person who is outside the battlefield or someone who can calmly observe the whole situation has the most power. Below that level are the people who actually fight. That’s the nature of violence. The most frightening person is the one who is quiet and lets others be violent.” – Takeshi Kitano

Where does influence end and originality begin? Or perhaps this is the wrong question to ask. Film fans and critics alike often look for the mythical “first” movie that started it all, but that’s not as easy as it seems. The more movies I see, the more I realize it’s just one big continuum, with ideas constantly being recycled, regurgitated, and re-formed to fit the moment. Consider Battle Royale, one film that’s engendered the cinematic equivalent of the “chicken or the egg” debate since its release, and the subsequent franchises that drew upon it for inspiration (whether intended or not). The Hunger Games (2012), Ready or Not (2019), and Squid Games could arguably be considered direct descendants of Battle Royale, but Battle Royale didn’t exist in a vacuum, with the many books and films that preceded it encoded in its DNA (The Most Dangerous Game, Lord of the Flies, and The 10^th Victim, to name only a few). Veteran director Kinji Fukasaku,*/** best known for his controversial Yakuza films of the ‘60s and ‘70s*** prompted more controversy with his adaptation of Koushun Takami’s 1999 novel. 

* Fun Fact #1: Fukasaku celebrated two milestones with Battle Royale: His 60^th feature film and his 70^th birthday. 

** Not-So-Fun fact: Sadly, Battle Royale would prove to be his last completed project. Fukasaku died of cancer only a couple of years later, while filming Battle Royale II: Requiem (which was finished by his son, Kenta). 

*** Fun Fact #2: Kinji Fukasaku is probably best-known on these shores, however, for the kitschy space epic The Green Slime (1968).

Set in a dystopian near-future, Japanese society has eroded to the point where unemployment has reached 15%, youth violence has run rampant, and public schools can no longer manage their students. In response to these changes, the “BR Act” was created, to keep the young people in line. In the film, a classroom of 42 middle school students (traveling under the auspices of an end-of-year field trip) are brought to a remote island.* They soon learn they’re about to embark on a three-day life-or-death competition, with the object of killing each other off, until the last boy or girl is standing. Each student is subsequently provided with supplies (including a random weapon), and sent out meet his or her fate. To discourage any thoughts of escape, each student is equipped with necklaces that will explode if they disobey or attempt to tamper with the devices. Beyond the constraints of the island and necklaces, there are no rules. 

* Fun Fact #3: The island used for filming was Hachijō-kojima, a small island that has remained uninhabited (except for a population of goats) since the late 1960s.

Much like Lord of the Flies, some of the students form alliances, in the hopes that they will get through this together, but it’s merely delaying the inevitable. When “kill or be killed” is the only imperative, most of them do away with the pretense of friendship or teamwork. One such alliance is between “transfer student” Shôgo Kawada - Boy #5 (Tarô Yamamoto), who survived the game before, but at the expense of his girlfriend. He initiates a shaky truce with Shuya Nanahara - Boy #15 and Noriko Nakagawa - Girl #15 (Tatsuya Fujiwara and Aki Maeda, respectively). Kawada casts a shadow on his credibility when he continually changes his back-story (claiming at different times to be the son of a doctor, chef, and fisherman), leaving Shuya and Noriko to question his motives. While some choose to team up, others prefer to act alone. Another transfer student, Kazuo Kiriyama - Boy #6 (Masanobu Andô), operates on his own, mercilessly killing off the other students with maniacal glee. But at least everyone knows where they stand with Kiriyama. Less predictable is Mitsuko Sôma - Girl #11 (Kô Shibasaki), using every trick she knows to lull her fellow students into a false sense of security. A brief flashback to her early childhood provides a sympathetic view of an otherwise unsympathetic character, who vowed never to become a victim.

As disturbing as the students’ behavior may be, it pales in comparison to their teacher Kitano, played by comic actor Takeshi Kitano (aka: “Beat” Kitano). Kitano steals the show whenever he’s onscreen, with his deadpan delivery. In the opening scene, set a couple years before the government-ordained bloodbath, he’s stabbed by a student, resulting in his departure from the school. Now, bitter and estranged from his family, he returns to see his old class kill each other. Whatever status quo he’s preserving has done nothing to improve his life or set a model example for the younger generation. One nice little touch, illustrating Kitano’s amorality, is his munching on a bag of cookies (while he tracks the carnage from a control room) that was being shared by his students a only few hours earlier. One aspect that’s never fully explored is his soft spot for Noriko, who seems to fill the void (at least in his mind) of his broken relationship with his own daughter.

It would be a gross understatement to say that Battle Royale must have been a tough sell to any potential distributors (including its delay in getting a theatrical release in the States). It’s easy to see how it would be unpalatable to most audiences to depict a bunch of 9^th grade kids (most of whom were played by actors in their mid to late teens) murdering each other. Battle Royale was a lightning rod for its detractors, who focused on the content rather than the subtext. The satire was lost on members of Japanese parliament who decried the film as depicting violence for violence’s sake. When it was screened for the politicians, it evoked a knee-jerk reaction without analyzing what the film was attempting to say (Illustrated by the following selected quotes from two lawmakers on opposite ends of the political spectrum: “The movie is crude and it is tasteless.”; and “This movie is anti-social. It shows distinct acts of violence that have no place on the screen.”). In the context of the film, violence isn’t an end to itself, but a symptom of one of the main underlying themes – the breakdown in communications between the older and younger generations. Although Fukasaku’s interview quote referred to one of his earlier Yakuza films, it applies to his raison d'être for Battle Royale: “… I became interested in violence itself, its contagious, chaotic purposeless character.” When friends (or at least individuals that harbored no former animosity) are forced to fight for their survival, humanity is reduced to its most primitive state, where relationships in the outside world have no meaning. The adults’ answer, meeting the students’ violence with violence, is nothing but a dead end.

Battle Royale keeps many plates spinning as it follows the students’ individual personalities, and for the most part, it succeeds admirably. The message flew over the heads of well-intentioned, but misguided critics, politicians and concerned parents, but managed to reach audiences who appreciated its sardonic tone. The social commentary isn’t subtle, but then again that’s the point. Kinji Fukasaku’s film is at once a pitch-dark comedy, and a cautionary tale about what might happen if we ever grew accustomed to the wholesale slaughter of our fellow human beings. In its own way, Battle Royale recalls Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal,” taking a cartoonishly extreme stance, but with a wink and a heaping helping of stage blood. 

 

Sources for this article: “Kinji Fukasaku: An Introduction,” by Keiko McDonald, Film Criticism (Fall 1983, volume 8, issue 1); “Japanese Pols Taking Aim at ‘Battle’ Over Violence,” by Jon Herskovitz, Variety (December 4-10, 2000); “More to Him than ‘Green Slime,’” by Mark Magnier, Los Angeles Times (January 17, 2001); “A Battle Royal Over Movie Violence,” by Suvendrini Kakuchi, World Press Review (March 2001); Interview with Takeshi Kitano (included in 2014 Arrow Blu-ray) 

 

Japan-uary XV Quick Picks and Pans

 

The Red Angel (1966) Set during the second Sino-Japanese War in 1939, The Red Angel follows Sakura (Ayako Wakao), a young Japanese army nurse stationed in China. The soldiers who end up in the military hospital are regarded as nothing but expendable components of the machinery of war, while nurses are told to look the other way and not become attached to the sick and dying. In spite of everything, she does her best to keep the injured troops happy before they die or return to the front lines. Ultimately, she falls in love with a disillusioned, morphine-addicted doctor (Shinsuke Ashida), who spends most of his time deciding who lives and who dies. While Yasuzō Masumura’s bleak, unflinching film isn’t an easy watch, it’s superbly acted, and its theme of retaining one’s humanity in the most inhumane of circumstances resonates just as strongly today. 

Rating: ****. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Kanopy

Tokyo Chorus (1931) When salaryman Shinji Okajima (Tokihiko Okada) stands up for a fired co-worker, he’s let go as well. Thus begins his search for a new job in a time when work is scarce. Contending with various financial setbacks (including a sick daughter and a son who wants a new bike), he struggles to keep his chin up. Shinji finds renewed purpose when he has a chance encounter with an old college professor, forcing him to reassess what’s most important. This early silent film by Yasujirô Ozu hits all the right notes, with moments of drama tempered by gentle humor - a bittersweet, albeit life-affirming portrait of family life in pre-war Japan. 

Rating: ****. Available on DVD (Included in Eclipse Series 10: Silent Ozu - Three Family Comedies)

Daimajin (1966) The first in a trilogy by Daiei (followed by Return of Daimajin and Wrath of Daimajin), set in ancient Japan, is a bit of an anomaly in the world of kaiju that somehow got lost in the shuffle over the years. A benevolent feudal lord is murdered by an outsider who covets his position. When the new despot takes over, enslaving the villagers, he endeavors to wipe out any remaining heirs to the former leader. Still loyal to the Hanabusa clan, Kogenta (Jun Fujimaki) takes the surviving son and daughter (Tadafumi and Kozasa) for refuge in an enchanted mountain nearby. Ten years later, they’re back to recapture the village, with the help of a giant statue/god, Daimajin. The movie takes a while to get going, but it’s worth the wait for the ensuing kaiju mayhem. The Daimajin itself is a sight to behold, with its stern face and all-too-human eyes, making it a unique and terrifying creation. 

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray (The Daimajin Trilogy Arrow box set) 

Inflatable Sex Doll of the Wastelands (1967) Don’t let the lurid title (the eponymous doll only has a cameo) mislead you. Writer/director Atsushi Yamatoya’s surreal neo noir about Shô, a hitman (Yûichi Minato) seeking revenge against those who murdered his girlfriend, is full of surprises. This unconventional film switches between reality and fantasy, depicting the hitman’s imagined revenge, versus the reality of the situation. Minato does a great job as the diminutive and unassuming cold-blooded killer Shô, who’s no better than his nemesis, Kô (Shôhei Yamamoto).   

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray and Kanopy

Undertaker (2012) Writer/director Naoyoshi Kawamatsu’s low-budget, shot-on-video flick is set in an unspecified number of years after a zombie outbreak has devastated Japan. Ryouichi (Yoshito Kobashigawa) performs a service for family members grieving over their loved ones who have turned into zombies. He hunts down and dispatches the infected, so the families can experience a modicum of closure. His latest clients are parents whose grown daughter has succumbed to the zombie-creating virus. Undertaker makes the most of its brief running time, with animated butterflies representing the souls of those who have passed on (I think), and some appropriately gruesome practical effects. 

Rating ***. Available on Blu-ray and DVD

A Haunted Turkish Bathhouse (1975) In 1958 when brothels were officially outlawed in Japan, sex workers resorted to a workaround, the so-called Turkish bathhouse. One such worker, Yukino (Naomi Tani), is eager to leave her former life behind, with the promise of marriage to her boyfriend, Yûzô (Hideo Murota). Unfortunately for Yukino, her fiancé owes a large sum of money to a group of gangsters, forcing her to return to her previous profession. To add insult to injury, Yûzô’s not who he seems to be, running with criminals and scheming with the bathhouse madame. When deception turns to murder, Yukino’s younger sister, Mayumi (Misa Ohara) seeks revenge with the help of a cat demon. This (very) loose re-telling of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat,” told through a traditional bakeneko mono (monster cat) lens features an entertaining mix of sex and violence with a supernatural twist. It’s probably not to everyone’s taste, but I’ll leave that to you to decide. 

Rating: ***. Available on Blu-ray

The Box Man (2024) A reclusive man known only as “Myself” (Masatoshi Nagase) experiences the world from the perspective of his cardboard box. He photographs the people who pass by, logging notes and observing, but never interacting. He’s under surveillance by a doctor (Tadanobu Asano) who’s not really a doctor, and is assisted by a nurse (Ayana Shiramoto) who’s not really a nurse. As we eventually discover, whoever obsesses about the Box Man becomes the Box Man. The film might have worked better if it had been more succinct (it’s probably 30 minutes too long for its own good), starting off on a promising note, but becoming more muddled as it ambles on. 

Rating: **½. Available on Prime Video and Midnight Pulp

Short Take: The Bride from Hades

(1968) Directed by Satsuo Yamamoto; Written by Yoshikata Yoda and Enchô San'yûtei; Starring: Kôjirô Hongô, Miyoko Akaza, Kô Nishimura, Mayumi Ogawa, Takashi Shimura, and Michiko Ôtsuka; Available on Blu-ray (included in Daiei Gothic, Volume 1) and DVD

Rating: ****

“I’m being asked to do something immoral, so my family will prosper. If I refuse, they will disown me. Your father was cast out by a capricious lord. Why must we yield to their inhumanity? Abusing their power to get their own way like my father and that lord, I’ve lost all respect for the samurai…” – Shinzaburô Hagiwara (Kôjirô Hongô)

Love, at times, is a fickle, unfathomable beast that can just as surely lead one to contentment as it can end in ruin. According to Emily Dickinson, “The heart wants what it wants, or else it does not care.” Who or why we love reminds us that affairs of the heart have no mathematical formula or logic. The Bride from Hades, a classic tale of love gone awry, was based on the popular 17^th-century Yurei (ghost) story “Botan-dôrô” (or “The Tale of the Peony Lantern”),  

In the opening scene, set on the eve of the Obon Festival (a celebration of the spirits of the beloved who have passed on), Shinzaburô Hagiwara (Kôjirô Hongô) sits with the surviving members of his family of samurai. A year after the death of his older brother, Shinzaburô is offered his deceased brother’s wife. Despite Shinzaburô’s obligation to accept her hand in marriage, he refuses, much to the dismay of his family. That evening, during the village’s celebration, he and the villagers release dozens of floating lanterns in the local pond. When he frees two lanterns that were stuck in the weeds, two women, Otsuyu (Miyoko Akaza) and her servant Oyone (Michiko Ôtsuka), express their appreciation for his kind gesture. We soon learn that Otsuyu, once was a member of a samurai clan, but forced into a life as a concubine. She only has a few days of freedom, during the remaining course of the festival, before she must marry an older man she doesn’t love. Touched by her emotional appeal. Shinzaburô takes pity upon Otsuyu, but all is not as it seems. He soon discovers that both women met an untimely death, presenting him with a difficult decision: choosing between his commitment to the betterment of the village, which will only hasten his estrangement to his family, or his new love for Otsuyu, which means certain death. The villagers rally for his protection, but will it be too late? 

* Fun Fact #1: Although he made a name for himself in Daiei costume dramas, Hongô never aspired to be an actor, preferring the practice of judo.

Kôjirô Hongô does a terrific job as the conflicted young samurai Shinzaburô, who only wants justice in a society that rewards the wealthy and punishes the downtrodden. Unlike the rest of his family, Shinzaburô prefers to live among the poor craftsmen in the village, teaching their children how to read (this is frowned upon by the rest of his family, who think he shouldn’t concern himself with the affairs of people beneath his station). His patience and sympathy is constantly tested by his ne’er-do-well servant, Banzô (Kô Nishimura), who enjoys women and drink more than being a productive member of the community. Nishimura,* who made a career playing characters of questionable morality, provides some much-needed levity to the otherwise somber story as Banzô. Along with his equally scheming wife, Omine (Mayumi Ogawa), Banzô conspires to betray his master for 100 Ryo – his price for helping the ghostly Otsuyu and Oyone gain entry to Shinzaburô’s home, blocked by paper talismans.**   

* Fun Fact #2: Nishimura’s father Makoto was an early pioneer in Japanese robotics, having created an early example, Gakutensoku, in the 1920s. 

** Fun Fact #3: The talismans, known as ofuda, are consecrated slips of paper from Shinto shrines, used to ward off evil spirits or prevent harm.

While The Bride from Hades wasn’t typical fare for the politically charged director Satsuo Yamamoto, the film’s themes of social inequity in a society dictated by rigid class structure shines through. Beautifully shot by cinematographer Chikashi Makiura, with dreamlike art direction by Yoshinobu Nishioka, the film is a delight for the eyes. The story, based on a classic Japanese folk tale, proves the time-worn adage that no good deed goes unpunished (at least in Shinzaburô’s case), and neither the virtuous nor the unscrupulous prevail.

 

Sources for this article: Blu-ray commentary by Jasper Sharp; Yurei Attack: The Japanese Ghost Survival Guide, by Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt

Animated August Quick Picks and Pans

 

Harvie Krumpet (2003) Writer/director Adam Elliot’s stop-motion-animated short film introduces us to the bittersweet world of Harvie Krumpet, a Polish immigrant with Tourette’s Syndrome living in Australia (Geoffrey Rush provides the droll narration). Like many of Elliot’s other films, it’s a celebration of the outsider and their uniquely skewed perspective. Despite his struggles connecting with others, Harvie manages to carve his own niche in society. This brief but affecting portrait pushes all the right buttons, and is well worth a look (or two or three). 

Rating: ****. Available on Blu-ray (included in The Adam Elliot Collection), DVD, Kanopy and Tubi

 

 

The Tune (1992) Bill Plympton’s musical film celebrates the creative process as it intersects and clashes with commercialism. When he experiences the songwriter’s version of writer’s block, Del journeys to the musical town of Flooby Nooby to find inspiration and learn to sing from the heart. Plympton’s unique hand-drawn animation, takes the viewer in unexpected directions, with byzantine gags that build on each other. Will Del find his inspiration in time to please his demanding boss, and win the woman of his dreams? Watch and find out. 

Rating: ****. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Tubi 

Blood Tea and Red String (2006) Christiane Cegavske’s exquisitely detailed stop-motion-animated film plays like a waking dream, skirting the barriers of consciousness. A group of birdlike people clash with mice over a life-size doll, while a frog shaman works his special brand of conjuring. Blood Tea and Red String uses fairy tale tropes to tell its unique story about infatuation, greed and togetherness.   

Rating: ***½. Available on

Phantom Boy (2015) Alex, an 11-year-old boy undergoing chemotherapy, becomes an unlikely partner for an injured police detective when he discovers the ability to leave his body. When a super criminal vows to take control of New York City, Alex scours the streets for clues that might break the case. Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol’s French-animated feature is about summoning your inner strength, even when you feel powerless. 

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Kanopy

 

The Murder Case of Hana and Alice (2015) After her parents’ divorce, Tetsuko Arisugawa (“Alice”) moves to a small town with her mother. As the new kid at her middle school, she arrives to a mystery, under the watchful eye of a shut-in former student, Hana. Shunji Iwai’s gentle tale of friendship separates myth from reality, as Alice contends with bullying classmates and reticent locals to learn the truth about a classmate’s alleged death.   

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Tubi 

Bubble Bath (aka: Habfürdö) (1980) In this fun, if slight, Hungarian musical oddity, Zsolt gets cold feet over his impending marriage to Klára, taking refuge in his friend Anna’s apartment. Complications ensue when Klára pays Anna a visit, and memories and feelings are brought to the surface. Will Zsolt marry the capricious Klára or run off with amiable Anna? Looking a bit like a lost sequel to Yellow Submarine, Bubble Bath features silly songs and hallucinogenic animation that makes me wonder what kind of substances they were smuggling behind the Iron Curtain during that time.   

Rating: ***. Available on Blu-ray and Tubi

“Attack of the…” Month Quick Picks and Pans

 

Attack the Gas Station (1999) A group of aimless Korean youths hold up a gas station for kicks, taking the employees hostage. They get more than they bargained for, however, when they inadvertently escalate a gang war. Attack the Gas Station approaches its subject with sly humor and unexpected depth, delving into the histories of the disenchanted anti-heroes. Fasten your seatbelts, and get ready for some anarchic fun. 

Rating: ***½. Available on DVD 

Attack of the Beast Creatures (1985) What do you do when you set out to make your own monster movie, but the estimate to have the monsters fabricated costs far more than the entire budget? You make your own. The results are (ahem)… well, they tried. The survivors of a doomed ocean liner in the North Atlantic, circa May 1920, end up on a seemingly uninhabited island. They soon discover deadly acid pools and a bunch of vicious little red humanoid creatures with glowing eyes and sharp teeth. Soon, they have to fight their way through a hostile forest to get back to the lifeboat. Director Michael Stanley’s no-budget made-in-Connecticut wonder is nothing, if not ambitious. It’s not good, but never fails to entertain, with bad acting, laughable effects, and unintentional humor. 

Rating: ***. Available on Blu-ray 

Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack (2012) Takayuki Hirao’s anime adaptation of Junji Ito’s bleak manga Gyo cuts many corners, blending cell art with less effective computer-generated animation. While it’s not the best Ito adaptation, it’s far from the worst. A young woman on vacation with her friends, falls into a nightmare situation when they’re overrun by foul-smelling sea creatures with mechanical legs. She returns to an apocalyptic version of Tokyo on a quest to find her boyfriend. Gyo tries to be more “adult” with excessive fan service, which detracts from the plot. Nevertheless, the horror of Ito’s original story shines through, as humanity, paying for the sins of the fathers, is brought to the brink of extinction. 

Rating: ***. Available on DVD 

Attack of the Robots (1966) This somewhat deceptively titled spy spoof from director Jesús Franco is surprisingly competent, if a bit generic. Eddie Constantine (Alphaville) stars as retired Interpol agent Al Pereira, who’s enlisted to foil a plot to turn people into zombie assassins (controlled by a pair of special horn-rimmed glasses). Sophie Hardy provides some sizzle as Pereira’s Interpol counterpart, Cynthia Lewis, but there’s little chemistry between the two leads. There’s also some uncomfortable “Chinese” stereotypes portrayed by Spanish actor Vicente Roca as counter-spy, Lee-Wee. Look for Franco in a cameo as a nightclub pianist.   

Rating: **½. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Tubi 

Attack of the Giant Teacher (2019) Kenzo Miyazawa (Makoto Kojima) is a night school teacher at a career crossroads, lacking energy or enthusiasm for his job. When he learns that the school is being closed down at the end of the year, he encourages his confused students to plan one final event: an Edo-period musical. Oh, and there just happens to be an insatiably hungry alien who wants to put Earth’s residents on its dinner plate. Attack of the Giant Teacher features some surprisingly colorful characters. Unfortunately, its reach far exceeds its grasp, with dreadful CGI effects and the giant teacher vs. kaiju action implied by the title doesn’t occur until the final five minutes. It probably would have been better to scrap the tokusatsu plot in favor of focusing on the dynamic of teacher and students alone, but the film has its moments. 

Rating: **½. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Tubi

Ski Troop Attack (1960) Filmed in South Dakota with most of the same cast and crew as Beast from Haunted Cave (1959), Roger Corman’s cut-rate World War II “epic” runs just over an hour (including a heap of stock footage). A small ragtag bunch of American soldiers led by the gung-ho Lt. Factor (Michael Forest) attempt to destroy a bridge, deep inside enemy territory. It’s pretty standard stuff, down to the soldier who can’t wait to get back home (Guess what happens to him?). For Corman completists only. 

Rating: **. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Tubi

 

Attack of the Killer Refrigerator (1990) Shot on VHS for what looks like $50 (folks, this isn’t the movie to showcase your 4K TV), this horror spoof takes place during the course of one evening in a suburban house. After partying young people scrape the ice out of a refrigerator, the (wounded?) kitchen appliance is out for revenge, picking off the residents and guests one by one – and that’s about it. The short film only runs 16 minutes, so you don’t have much time to be bored. 

Rating: *½. Available on Blu-ray

Japan-uary XIV Quick Picks and Pans

 

Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald (1997) Writer/director Kôki Mitani’s nutty comedy (based on a play by Mitani and Tokyo Sunshine Boys) takes place over one night in a Japanese radio station where everything can and does go wrong. After winning a contest to have her radio play performed, a young housewife’s elation gives way to regret. Small edits devolve to big changes (including changing the main character at the behest of an-over-the-hill diva), until her original script is unrecognizable. The eccentric characters are brought to life, thanks to the excellent cast’s delightfully manic performances. Watch it if you can find it. 

Rating: ****. Available on DVD (Out of Print) 

The Snow Woman (1968) Based on the same tale (“The Yuki Onna,” by Lafcaido Hearn) that served as the source material for the “Yuki-Onna” segment in Kwaidan (1964), The Snow Woman expands upon the story and provides some genuine chills (pun intended). While two woodcutters take shelter from a brutal snowstorm, something lurks in the darkness. A beautiful supernatural snow woman kills the elder woodcutter, but spares his apprentice, with the warning that she’ll kill the younger man if he ever tells anyone about what occurred. The apprentice reluctantly becomes the master when he’s commissioned to carve a statue of Buddha for his village, but he faces adversity from an arrogant rival. His new wife is loving and supportive, but there’s something off about her. Creepy in parts and surprisingly touching, The Snow Woman is not to be missed. 

Rating: ****. Available on Blu-ray (part of the Daiei Gothic box set)

We Are Little Zombies (2019) Four kids in their early teens meet by chance at their parents’ respective cremations. The freshly minted orphans form a friendship, based on their shared lack of emotion for their recent tragedies, and disdain for society’s expectations. They become surprise celebrities when their impromptu band becomes a hit. Told through the youths’ perspective (and a handheld video game), writer/director Makoto Nagahisa’s unique tragi-comedy explores performative parenthood, processing childhood grief, and the ephemeral nature of fame. 

Rating: ****. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Kanopy 

Caterpillar (2010) Set in 1940, a Japanese soldier (Shima Ônishi) arrives home to a hero’s welcome, but he’s horribly disfigured. With a scarred face, inability to speak, and missing all four limbs, the burden falls upon his wife (Shinobu Terajima) to tend to his every need. Despite his status as a “War God,” however, he’s reduced to a miserable empty shell. While his suffering wife immerses herself in his care, she loses more and more of her identity. Kôji Wakamatsu’s film (based on a Rampo Edogawa tale) is well-made and well-acted, but if you’re not depressed before you see, you’ll likely be afterwards. You might want to watch this with a My Neighbor Totoro chaser, just to clear the palate.   

Rating: ****s. Available on DVD (Region 2) 

Before We Vanish (2017) Director/co-writer Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s meditation (based on a play by Tomohiro Maekawa) on what it is to be human is told through the warped lens of three extraterrestrial visitors, inhabiting the bodies of earthlings. Their mission is to collect concepts (such as “family,” “property,” etc…) to better understand the human species before they launch a full-scale invasion. One of the aliens, assuming the body of an estranged husband (Ryûhei Matsuda), enlists the aid of his wife (Masami Nagasawa) as a “guide” to help navigate the complexities of interactions and relationships. Thoughtful and decidedly low-key, Before We Vanish celebrates what it means to be human. 

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray (Region B), DVD and Tubi

Mind Game (2004) After his life is snuffed out by a trigger-happy Yakuza enforcer, 20-year-old slacker Nishi (voiced by Kôji Imada) is given the opportunity to relive the fateful event, albeit with a different outcome. The next time around, he endeavors to establish a meaningful relationship with his childhood sweetheart, Myon (Sayaka Maeda). Filled with unique visuals (thanks in part to the use of mixed media), Masaaki Yuasa and Kôji Morimoto seem to be playing by their own rules, with an anime film that’s a treat for the eyes and the intellect. 

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD   

The Great Yokai War: Guardians (2021) Takashi Miike’s belated follow-up to his enjoyable The Great Yokai War (2005) is a big disappointment – a stale rehash without the heart. It shows promise in the early scenes, as we’re introduced to young brothers Kei and Dai (Kokoro Terada and Rei Inomata), who share some nice scenes with various yokai. Unfortunately, it runs out of steam long before it hits the midpoint, due to mediocre CGI effects (including a lackluster CGI villain). If you need your yokai fix, you’re much better served by Miike’s original film or the Daiei yokai trilogy that inspired it. 

Rating: **½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD

Warning from Space

 

(1956) Directed by Kôji Shima; Written by Hideo Oguni; Story by Gentaro Nakajima; Starring: Keizô Kawasaki, Toyomi Karita, Bin Yagisawa, Shôzô Nanbu, Bontarô Miake, Mieko Nagai and Isao Yamagata; Available on Blu-ray and DVD

Rating: **½

“It’s a distant planet, lying way beyond the scope of your observatories. From our planet, we saw many atomic clouds on Earth, so we destroyed our research into Urium. Our physicists developed a much safer form of energy, and Paira’s culture has greatly benefited from the resulting peace. But the misuse of nuclear weapons now threatens the very existence of Earth. Centuries ago, the Pairans came close to nuclear catastrophe themselves, but we were wise. And with unlimited safe power, our culture progressed rapidly. Only one country on Earth has experienced the terror and destruction of atomic war, and that country is Japan.” – Ginko (Toyomi Karita) 

Japanese film has become such an integral part of the American pop culture landscape, it’s difficult to imagine there was a time, not so long ago, when this wasn’t the case. Godzilla (aka: Gojira) (1954) opened the floodgates for Japanese genre movies in the U.S., albeit dubbed and re-edited a couple of years later as Godzilla: King of the Monsters. While the rest is history, some movies got lost in the shuffle. Warning from Space (aka: Uchûjin Tôkyô ni arawaru, or Spacemen Appear in Tokyo) (1956), the first full-color science fiction film from Japan,*/**enjoyed a successful run in its native country, but only saw a limited theatrical release elsewhere in the world. By the time it eventually debuted in the United States in the early ‘60s, it was unceremoniously dumped on television. 

* Fun Fact #1: Daiei Studios’ Warning from Space preceded rival studio Toho’s Rodan by nearly a year (which premiered in December 1956). 

** Fun Fact #2: Nijiotoko (aka: Rainbow Man) (1949), considered one of the first Japanese sci-fi films, included a color sequence, which is now thought to be lost.

Japanese scientists are baffled by reports of flying saucers and their crew – a race of beings known as the Pairans.* While they continue to debate their existence with overeager reporters, Planet R hurtles through the cosmos, on a collision course with Earth. Japanese authorities eventually convince multiple nations to combine their nuclear might to destroy the threat. When that fails, humanity’s last hope lies with one researcher, Dr. Matsuda (Isao Yamagata) possesses the formula for “Urium,” a substance with the potential to be a virtually limitless power source or a devastating weapon. As the threat looms closer, causing catastrophic changes to the environment, can humanity get its act together in time? Perhaps with a little help from its new friends, the Pairans… 

* Fun Fact #3: The unworldly sound effect heralding the appearance of the Pairans was later recycled by Daiei for Gamera’s flying scenes.

Considering writer Hideo Oguni’s impressive filmography,* the story is surprisingly messy, filled with paper-thin characters and plot threads that don’t go anywhere. Instead of one protagonist, we have three elderly scientists. There’s a weird subplot about Dr. Matsuda being kidnapped by thugs for his secret formula (never mind that the world is about to end), until the Pairans arbitrarily reveal that they have the ability to track his whereabouts. Another weird thread, introduced early on, then dropped, is whether Dr. Kamura’s daughter Taeko (Mieko Nagai) will settle down and marry her boyfriend (Spoiler Alert: Nope, but it never becomes a significant plot point). Even the all-powerful substance, Urium, seems to be a lackluster plot device. Pairans have traveled vast distances to arrive on Earth, suggesting a civilization far in advance of their human counterparts. They supposedly abandoned research in Urium so they could carry on more peaceful pursuits, but it only makes me wonder why they weren’t capable of developing some other means of deflecting an errant celestial body (On a side note, did James Cameron get the idea for his own MacGuffin, “Unobtanium” from this film? The world may never know…). 

* Fun Fact #4: Oguni is probably best known today for his many collaborations with Akira Kurosawa, including the scripts for Ikiru (1952), Seven Samurai (1954) and Ran (1985).

If nothing else, Warning from Space’s claim to fame is a distinctive one: the starfish-shaped beings, the Pairans.* Whether you think they’re unique or profoundly silly (judging by the awkward look of the costumes, mobility isn’t a priority), they leave an indelible impression. After making a big splash (literally) in Tokyo Bay and a nearby lake,** freaking out half the population of Japan in the process, the Pairans wise up and assume the appearance of two humans: an attractive singer, Hikari Aozora (Toyomi Karita) and a man (Bin Yagisawa). Concluding that perhaps their visage is a little too unsettling for humans and their feeble brains to comprehend, two of the extraterrestrials have the following exchange: 

Pairan #1: As soon as they see us, they scatter in fear, as if they had seen something monstrous. 

Pairan #2: What? Are we considered hideous? Are they more beautiful than us? 

Pairan #1: No. Examine this. This is what they consider a beautiful woman (Pairans view image of Hikari Aozora). 

Pairan #2: This is their concept of beauty? It has a very large lump in the center of its face. 

* Fun Fact #5: The funky, fanciful design of the Pairans can be attributed to Japanese surrealist Taro Okamoto. 

** Fun Fact #6: Look for future director Noriaki Yuasa (who helmed many of Daiei’s Gamera films) in a bit part as an onlooker by a lake.

Warning from Space provides ample evidence that “first” doesn’t necessarily mean best, but if nothing else, it’s a painfully earnest sci-fi disaster film. As the Rodney Dangerfield of Japanese science fiction movies, it doesn’t get much respect these days, although that doesn’t mean it doesn’t merit at least a watch. The film’s “Earth in crisis” theme, likely influenced by When Worlds Collide (1951), became a popular motif for subsequent Japanese science fiction movies, including Gorath (1962) and The Green Slime (1968). If you’re a disaster freak like me, it’s a trope that never gets old.

 

Sources for this article: Blu-ray commentary by Stuart Galbraith IV

  

 

Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell

(1968) Directed by Hajime Satô; Written by Kyûzô Kobayashi and Susumu Takaku; Starring: Teruo Yoshida, Tomomi Satô, Hideo Kô, Masaya Takahashi, Nobuo Kaneko, Eizô Kitamura, Yûko Kusunoki, Kazuo Katô and Kathy Horan; Available on DVD (included in the Criterion Eclipse set, “When Horror Came to Shochiku”) 

Rating: ***½ 

“There’s a theory that aliens actually exist… That somewhere, in this vast universe, there are creatures far more advanced than human beings. According to this theory, it’s only a matter of time before these highly intelligent beings set their sights on planet Earth. The flying saucers sighted around the world have been reconnaissance missions before an attack, yet people refuse to believe an attack is on the way. They deny the existence of extraterrestrials. They’d rather fight their wretched wars, hating and killing one another. We’re so busy killing each other that aliens have a golden opportunity to attack. Mankind is foolishly oblivious to the danger. The Gokemidoro are right. With things as they are, humanity’s annihilation is inevitable.” – Toshiyuki Saga, the scientist (Masaya Takahashi)

If we were attacked by a hostile alien intelligence, would humanity band together to face the threat, or would we succumb to our petty squabbles and differences? Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell suggests the latter, in its portrayal of a microcosm of society under duress. Director Hajime Satô* (probably best known for 1966’s The Golden Bat), along with writers Kyûzô Kobayashi and Susumu Takaku, crafted a profoundly bleak, discomforting vision of humanity in a pressure cooker. 

Fun Fact #1: Before he became a filmmaker, Satô prepared for a career in economics.

A small airliner enroute to Osaka receives a bomb threat, forcing its crew to return to their point of origin. Once again, however, they are made to change course by a hijacker (Hideo Kô) (Yes, friends, there’s a bomber and a hijacker). Things turn from bad to worse when the crew encounter a UFO, which causes one of the engines to flame out, while the instruments go haywire. The plane crashes in a remote region, but the survivors are unable to call for help, due to a smashed radio. Among the survivors thrown into the mix are Japanese senator Gôzô Mano (Eizô Kitamura), arms dealer Tokuyasu (Nobuo Kaneko), a teen, would-be bomber, and Mrs. Neal (Kathy Horan),* an American woman traveling to a U.S. air base, to retrieve her husband’s remains. First officer Sugisaka (Teruo Yoshida) and flight attendant Kazumi Asakura (Tomomi Satô) try to help the survivors and restore order to the ensuing chaos. Their problems are compounded by the realization they have no idea where they are, with no means of contacting the outside world. Meanwhile, outside the wreckage, a sinister extraterrestrial force, the Gokemidoro, take control of the hijacker’s body, transforming him into a bloodsucking fiend.   

* Fun Fact #2: American-born Kathy Horan was an ex-Air Force brat who worked as a model and actress in Japan. She enjoyed a brief film and television career from 1966 to 1969, before returning to the States. In addition to Goke, Horan appeared in genre favorites King Kong Escapes (1967), Genocide (1968), and Latitude Zero (1969).

Goke illustrates how people’s true natures are revealed through adversity. Senator Mano is only interested in his re-election, no matter the cost, while the obsequious war profiteer Tokuyasu, attempts to curry the senator’s favor by offering his wife Noriko (Yûko Kusunoki) in the bargain. When asked why he initiated a threat, the teen bomber replies simply, “‘Cause the world’s a boring place.” All this aberrant behavior is a petri dish for the psychiatrist. Rather than regarding himself as an unwitting participant, he views the ensuing drama with clinical detachment. No one emerges unscathed. The film suggests that Japan itself is a victim of the current state of affairs. Its residents witnessed nuclear devastation first-hand (one character links the bombing of Hiroshima to the appearance of flying saucers), only to be caught in the crosshairs of a global cold war between two superpowers. The omnipresent threat of widespread nuclear annihilation is further compounded by the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam war (represented by the Mrs. Neal character).  

During the 1960s, there was a brief period when Japanese genre films, particularly those from Shochiku, purveyed an especially dark, apocalyptic vision. While all the films in the Criterion Eclipse box set are well worth seeking out, despite a condescending write-up by Sight and Sound’s Michael Atkinson, Goke, the crown jewel of the collection, is not so easily dismissed. Despite its unrelentingly bleak vision, you’re unable to take your eyes away. Generally overlooked by mainstream critics, it’s remained only a footnote in Japanese cinema (if it's mentioned at all), but it’s long overdue for reassessment by modern audiences. Hajime Satô’s film takes a dim view of humanity and how a group of disparate individuals would deal with a crisis (Spoiler: not well). Because of hatred, widespread violence, and self-serving behavior, society is being torn apart bit by bit, leaving us vulnerable to attack. Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell reminds us that we are our worst enemy – to borrow an insightful line from Walt Kelly’s classic Pogo comic strip, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.” 

 

Sources for this article: “Apocalypse Wow!” by Chuck Stephens (essay in the Eclipse box set, “When Horror Came to Shochiku”); “Shochiku’s Schlock Wave,” by Michael Atkinson, Sight and Sound (January 2013); “Reflections of Miss Airlifter! Kathy Horan Remembers Her Acting andModeling Career in Japan!” by Brett Homenick, Vantage Point Interviews (2006)