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genre CLoseT
of power-ups and street fighter Killer (2001, Miike’s previous those remakes. Well, not quite. it’s near unwatchable half the
style special powers seem like Manga adaptation) and Fudoh: Obviously it is referencing the time. As the Japanese cast are
skilful genre busting rather The Next Generation title (and the Luis Bacalov speaking phonetic English,
than groan-inducing genre (1996, another Manga theme tune), but it is more of a with little or no natural grasp
slavery. Ultimately, Like a adaptation and Miike’s other remake of A Fistful of of the language, many scenes
Dragon is a stylish, if slightly delinquent high-schooler). The Dollars (1964), which are rendered next to
confusing, film that heralds blatant cartoon nature of Ichi inspired Corbucci’s Django unintelligible. To be fair, I don’t
Miike’s movement toward has been toned down. The and itself is a remake of Akira really mind as the film is
mainstream acceptability. masochistic fighting is still Kurosawa’s YoJimbo (1961). beautiful and kinetic and I will
Crows: Episode 0 (2007) is there, and the glossy, comic So, has the entire thing gone watch anything by Miike, but
an adaptation of a different production design too, but the full circle and back to samurai an average audience might not
kind. Based on the Manga by characters are more human. swords? No. This is still a be so understanding.
Hiroshi Takahashi it follows I am reminded of the poor
the new students of all-boy reception Crouching Tiger,
Sukiyaki Western Django
school Suzuran High—the Hidden Dragon received in
toughest school in Japan. It’s a Mainland China after Ang Lee
great accolade to be ruler of the had much of the Mandarin
school and Genji Takaya, who dialogue spoken phonetically
has just been transferred, wants by non-native speakers.
to climb the ranks to prove Audience reaction to much of
himself to his father, a high- the English in Miike’s Masters
ranking Yakuza who almost of Horror TV series’ episode
ruled the school in his time at Imprint (2006) would indicate
Suzuran. His main opponent is that American and English
Tamao Serizawa, an older boy public will take badly to it here
who is currently most powerful as well, although I enjoyed
in the school. One by one Sukiyaki Western Django
Takaya takes over classes, more than Imprint.
pulling more and more students There is no jaw unhinging, no western. It is just set in Japan So there it is: busy busy
under his control until Serizawa severed faces grinning as they just after the Genpei Wars, as Miike, already doubling up the
must finally take him on. slip down walls and only a Quentin Tarantino explains in pre-production to Crows Zero
Strangely, it is not the power slight amount of superhuman his (somewhat annoying) cameo 2 with the shooting of another
struggle that is the main point strength. Obviously the budget at the beginning of the film. Manga adaptation, Yattaman.
of interest in the film, but helps add the gloss that has Tarantino explains the split of the The individualist powerhouse
Takaya’s relationship with Ken arrived since Fudoh, but the town of Yuda into two warring of Asian cinema continues to do
Katagiri: a posturing Yakuza content has remained largely factions, the Minamoto and Taira his own thing while the west
(from a different clan than unchanged: the kids still live as gangs. Like in YoJimbo and tries to pull him over here.
Takaya’s father) and fellow adults, making do without the Fistful the central character, Maybe they will manage; as the
Suzuran alum. older generation—people they this time played by Hideaki US poster for Oldboy said,
Miike has often explored the see as outsiders, although Ito, plays them off one another “Comes with the Quentin
need to be part of a group but maybe not as enemies the way for his own ends. There are hints Tarantino seal of approval.” n
his filmic themes of late have they did in Fudoh. of childhood abandonment,
matured into an examination of Crows: Episode 0 is at the honour codes and such but the
mentor status. As with Kiryu more accessible end of Miike’s focus here is on violence,
Sukiyaki Western Django
and Haruka’s relationship in cannon, but is let down by an manipulation and greed.
Like a Dragon, the study of incredibly overlong and, You would think this could
Takaya and Katagiri’s ultimately, dull battle in the last be a massive film for Miike,
relationship is rather tender, act, tipping what could have shot in English, championed by
contrasting the father son been an excellent 90-minute Tarantino, stylish, expensive
relationship in Visitor Q film into an OK two-hour flick. and lavish. However,
(2001), where the mentor was To a lesser extent the mentor
useless, unsympathetic and theme is used in Sukiyaki
whose climactic allegiance with Western Django (2007) but
his son was born of violence. the comic aesthetic is there in
In Crows: Episode 0, although spades, which is odd as this is not
Katagiri starts as self-serving; a comic adaptation: it’s a remake.
merely reliving his youth In 1966 Sergio Corbucci made
through Takaya, he eventually Django, an excellent spaghetti
develops, making sacrifices for western, which has had more
and respecting his ward. than 40 sequels, spin offs,
The most obvious basis for rip offs, etc. Sukiyaki
comparison are Ichi the Western Django is not one of
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