Once again the Criterion Collection makes the baffling decision to number this earlier Seijun Suzuki film before a later one, this film coming a year before Branded to Kill. While not as off-the-wall insane as Branded, this one is still plenty bonkers on its own, and I'm becoming increasingly fascinated by Suzuki and wanting to explore more of his filmography.
Tokyo Drifter is another film about the yakuza, this one about a hitman named Tetsu who has decided to go straight. A rival gang boss named Otsuka tries to recruit him, but Testu tells him that he's not about that life anymore. Otsuka, being reasonable, understands his decision and decides to leave him in peace. Well, not really. He basically spends the entire film sending various people after Tetsu to kill him due to him thinking that Tetsu would screw up a real estate scam that he'd been working on. Tetsu heads out and becomes a drifter, and is hunted by both Otsuka and his previous boss Kurata. They send a hitman called the Viper to take him out, and we're led on a series of adventures through nightclubs, a saloon filled with stereotypical Americans, and various other wonderfully decorated locations. The film ends on a sparse set with a piano, two pillars, one of the most bizarre shoot outs you'll ever seen, vivid colors, and an ending that's expected but still kind of weak.
What I like about Suzuki, again, is how strange his films are, if I'm going by this and Branded to Kill. This is a pretty simple gangster story, but Tetsu is given almost superheroic abilities, being able to fire his gun in ways that aren't humanly possible, and hit his targets perfectly. Some of the scenes feel like they're out of an Edgar Wright film, especially the shoot out between two thin pillars. The film doesn't load up on the grotesque as much as Branded to Kill did, but it's still jam-packed with lurid scenes, some decent bloody violence, and a straightforward plot that doesn't going into the psychedelic transgressions that we experienced in Branded. Not having seen any of his previous work, this film almost feels like a warm up for the insanity to come.
The soundtrack here is very good, with a number of catchy songs, particularly the theme (which you'll heard over and over again) and some of the rock numbers you hear at the night club. I loved the standard 1960's color palate here, where everything seems to pop off the screen. This film feels more fun than Branded, and the color is a big reason. The color helps the playful tone of this film, where a madcap scene like the saloon feels straight out of Looney Tunes. You don't get any Page of Madness-style scenes here.
I try not to do this but I jumped ahead and saw that Suzuki has a few more films in the Collection. I can't wait to get to those because this guy is hitting all the right buttons for my tastes. His films (so far) are visually intoxicating, truly unique and make the most out of their svelte runtimes. I can't peg him as a favorite just yet, but I'm definitely excited about seeing his name pop up again later. It's something to look forward to, especially given what I have coming up next.
I loved this film, but again I'm in a position where I don't want to rank it too high because I don't know how much of my enjoyment is going to last on a further viewing. Based on first impressions I can't put this over Branded to Kill, because the film was concentrated, white-hot weirdness the likes of which I rarely see. Moving down further, I can't say this was better than Les Diaboliques or The Killer. In a battle between this and This Is Spinal Tap, I have to remember how amazing Tap was, and that I was consistently entertained throughout it. Sadly, I'm going to have to place this one above Picnic at Hanging Rock, a film that I like but not one that thrilled me to the extent that this one did. Go ahead and call me a philistine. This one's going at #21.
The List
Next time: My enthusiasm for this project turns to dust in my mouth as I sit through Michael Bay's maggot-infested shitpile Armageddon. This film is consistently called the worst thing in the Criterion Collection. I saw it in the theater when it came out and instantly developed a life-long hatred of Bay's aesthetics. Will I like it more now that I'm older and wiser? Well, he prides himself on making films for teenage boys, and now that I'm not one, I'm going to wager "no."
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