Underworld Chronicles: Three Yakuza Fables by Takashi Miike
Details by Film
Fudoh: The New Generation
Streaming Options
Agitator
Streaming Options
Agitator
Extended VersionStreaming Options
Deadly Outlaw: Rekka
Streaming Options
Fudoh: The New Generation
Riki Fudoh (Shosuke Tanihara) is a high school student juggling academic work with a secret life operating as an underworld boss. As the leader of a group of larger than life, school-age assassins, Fudoh is waging a campaign of violence against the entire criminal underworld, as part of a revenge plot against his own father (Toru Minegishi), a high-ranking Yakuza in his own right who was forced to murder Fudoh’s brother. Originally planned for release as a direct-to-video V-cinema title, Fudoh was granted a theatrical release after producers viewed the film, leading to it becoming a festival favourite around the world, and establishing Miike on the world stage as one of film’s great provocateurs and a key figure in ‘extreme’ cinema.
Agitator
A yakuza (played by Miike himself in a cameo) is murdered after violently assaulting a hostess on rival turf, providing the catalyst for a gang war between a number of factions seeking a redistribution of power. In this densely-layered gangland drama , the backroom manoeuvring of the senior figures in the yakuza, overseen by Mr. Kaito (Hiroki Matsukata, Rapacious Jailbreaker), are juxtaposed against the actions of the street-level mobsters, as the two sides head towards an inevitable collision. Written by Graveyard of Honor scribe Shigenori Takechi, Miike directed Agitator in arguably the most productive year of his career in 2001, alongside Ichi the Killer, Visitor Q, and The Happiness of the Katakuris. Epic in scope, the film is presented here in its original theatrical version, and in a two-part 200 minute extended version, until now only available on Japanese VHS.
Deadly Outlaw: Rekka
Kunisada (played by V-cinema legend Riki Takeuchi) has his world turned upside down after learning of the death of his mentor Sanada (Yuya Uchida, founder of the Flower Travellin’ Band, who also provide the film’s hard-rocking psychedelic soundtrack). Pairing up with his best friend Shimatani (Kenichi Endo, Visitor Q), Kunisada embarks on a rampaging road trip to avenge his fallen father figure, leaving a trail of bullets, blood spatters, and bazooka fire in his wake. A typically bizarre and extreme take on the Yakuza genre, Deadly Outlaw: Rekka is Miike at his most deliriously entertaining.
Release Information:
Technical Specifications
Supplements
- Standard definition transfer of 200 minute extended version of Agitator, presented in its original two-part form for the first time outside of Japan
- Newly filmed interviews with Takashi Miike
- Audio commentary by Tom Mes
- Limited edition 80 page bound book featuring new writing by Tom Mes and Colin Geddes, and archival writing from Tony Rayns
- Newly filmed interview with Takashi Miike
- Audio commentary with Takashi Miike and Shosuke Tanihara
- Newly filmed interviews with Takashi Miike
- Audio commentary by Tom Mes