Customer Reviews

The Yakuza Movie Book: A Guide to Japanese Gangster Films

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A follow up to his previous work "Japanese Contemporary Movies", Mark Schilling has yet again come up with the most definitive cinema book devoted to Japanese cinema, this time focusing on the Yakuza and Japanese gangster film genre. This book not only gives a grand overview of the development of the Yakuza films over the years but also has numerous director and actor biographies and reviews to almost 123 films. Everything is covered from Seijun Suzuki's "Koroshi No Rakuin" (AKA Branded To Kill), to Kitano "Beat" Takeshi's "Sonatine" to Miike Takashi's "Koroshiya No Ichi" (AKA Ichi The Killer). Even films that are unknown outside of Japan such as "Abashiri Bangaichi" and "Yaju No Seishun" are reviewed. Unlike similar works where it is plainly obvious that the author knows next to little Japanese or has not even seen the films being reviewed, Schilling's background, experience, and command of the Japanese language is very much in evidence and appreciated. This is a must for any cinema fan and is essential reading for those interested in Japanese cinema. My only gripe is that Schilling does not reference any of Toei's similar "Sukeban" (Female Juvenile Boss) movies. It would have been interesting to hear his impressions on movies such as "Zubeko Bancho", "Sukeban Blues" and "Zero Ka No Onna: Akai No"(Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs).

The book is a cultist dream and the info's on the genre is just terrific.However,I was dismayed that there was no review of the mind-blowing "Branded to Kill"by Seijun Suzuki.It's a film that challenged the conventional(thus having unfortunate circumstances for director's Suzuki's career)and haunting film-noir at it's best.I'm also disapointed that there was no interview from my personal favorite actor,Takekura Ken who embodies the genre at it's finest.But aside from this minor oversights,the book is a fast read and detailed at the same time.I am amazed on the author's knowledge of the genre and it was written with both affection and fascination on the subject.A dream book for cultist like me and one that will be read and browsed for many years to come."Domo arigato,Mark-san".

A resident of Japan and a teacher of Japanese film at Tokyo International University, Mark Schilling has also been reviewing films for the "Japan Times" since 1989. He brings that special expertise to bear in The Yakuza Movie Book: A Guide To Japanese Gangster Films. Filled with director profiles and interviews, actor profiles and interviews, 123 film reviews, and black-and-white photographs, The Yakuza Movie Book is an absolute "must-have" for anyone enthusiastically interested in Japan's underworld as depicted on the cinema screen. A guide to finding films on video and DVD as well as a bibliography and glossary round out this excellent and literate guide written by a connoisseur, for connoisseurs.

This is a very concise book of the yuakuza genre. It has descriptions, critiques, and information on all aspects of these films

This is a dangerous book. Not dangerous because it is filled with bad men (it is) doing bad things (they are), but dangerous because after you are done reading it, you will probably find yourself scouring the shelves of your local video store or hunting rabidly online for copies of these fantastic films that you will now desperately want to watch.

I have never been a huge fan of Yakuza movies, but after seeing Fukasaku Kinji's "Battles Without Honor or Humanity" and discovering Seijun Suzuki via the Criterion Collection, I became interested in seeing more of what the genre had to offer. "The Yakuza Movie Book" is exactly what I was looking for. Mark Shilling knows his movies, having been writing on Japanese cinema for just about every major publication for the last 20 years. On top of this, he has contacts in the industry that give him access to every major player, arranging in-depth interviews that simply cannot be matched.

Here he has interviewed or profiled pretty much everyone of note in the Yakuza genre. Grand Masters like Fukasaku Kinji and Seijun Suzuki along with the new wave fronted by Kitano "Beat" Takeshi and Miike Takashi give Shilling the past and future of Yakuza films, and how they have changed over the years. As well as directors, actors like Shishido Jo ("Tokyo Drifter"), Sugawara Bunta ("Battles Without Honor and Humanity"), the dangerous beauty Fuji Junko ("Hibotan Bakuto") and the classic Takakura Ken (Just about everything) contribute their side to the genre and its development.

The half of the book dedicated to the interviews and profiles is excellent. Well-written, totally informed, one comes out the other side with a passion for Yakuza films and a new understanding of the genre. The rest of the book is devoted to film reviews, and it is absolutely packed, over 150 pages of films. Unfortunately, this section is a little weak.

As with Shilling's other Japanese film book, "Contemporary Japanese Film," the reviews are packed in and organized only alphabetically, which is overwhelming. If one is interested in a particular director, or actor, or era, then they must dig through all of the reviews to find what they are looking for. It makes it very difficult to discover new gems, and would seriously benefit from sub-categorization. Stone Bridge Press's other Japanese film books, "The Midnight Eye Guide to Japanese Film" and "Stray Dogs and Lone Wolves: The Samurai Film Handbook" are much better organized and allow for more discovery.

I bought this book in hopes of finding out more about a genre of film I love intensely. But alas I started read on some of my favorite films and discovered glaring errors and omissions in the synopsis of some of the films. The interviews and profiles are alright and the films that were rounded up is fine. But the details are what ruin this book for me. I don't feel a need to return it but knowing what I know now I wouldn't have bought it in the first place.