|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tokyo
Drifter |
|
|
| |
|
review | notes | availability | |
|
|
|
Tetsuya Watari bullies the elderly in Tokyo Drifter. |
|
|
AKA: |
Tokyo Nagaremono |
|
|
|
Year: |
1966 |
|
|
|
Director: |
Seijun
Suzuki |
|
|
| |
Producer: |
Tetsuro Nakagawa |
|
|
| |
Cast: |
Tetsuya Watari, Chieko Matsubara, Hideaki Nitani, Tamio
Kawachi, Tsuyoshi Yoshida, Ryuji Kita |
|
| |
The
Skinny: |
It may be a critical darling, but Tokyo Drifter,
with its inane emphasis on style over substance, lacks
the heart of a true cult classic. |
|
|
Review by
Calvin
McMillin: |
I wanted to like Tokyo
Drifter; really I did. At first glance, the
film appeared to have all the ingredients: a rebellious
director, a cool title, a catchy theme song, and a distinctive
visual style. The plot is simple enough: caught between
his old boss and a rival gang, former yakuza hitman
Tetsuya Hondo (Tetsuya Watari) goes into an exile of
sorts, trailed by another professional killer. Also,
critics everywhere seem love it, and the film even received
the prestigious Criterion Collection treatment on DVD.
But upon viewing Tokyo Drifter
not once, but twice, I must admit my bewilderment at
the critical praise lavished onto Seijun Suzuki's alleged
masterpiece. Is Tokyo Drifter really the thrilling,
jaw-dropping example of bravura filmmaking that critics
would have you believe? Hardly. I'm certainly guilty
of turning out an overly gushing review every now and
then, but this is ridiculous.
To its credit, Tokyo Drifter
does look good. There's a Wild West barroom brawl,
some minimalistic sets, plenty of gaudy colors, and
a complete lack of respect for plausibility, but that's
about all the film has going for it. If that sounds
like exciting, "edgy" filmmaking, well, I'm
sorry to report that it isn't. Time and time again,
Hollywood films are bashed (and rightly so) for the
same style over substance mentality, and that criticism
should be extended to Tokyo Drifter. Unlike the
charmingly gonzo, yet admittedly bad flicks of the era
like 1967's Casino Royale, Tokyo Drifter
lacks a heart beneath its stylish veneer. (Calvin McMillin, 2002) |
|
|
Notes: |
Though his singing ability was questionable, Tetsuya
Watari warbles the film's theme song. To make the tune
passable, the producers lifted his best tracks and cobbled
them together for the song. |
|
|
Availability: |
DVD (USA)
Region 1 NTSC
Criterion Collection
Widescreen
Japanese Dolby Digital Mono
English Subtitles
Interview with Seijun Suzuki |
|
|
|
image
courtesy of Voyager
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| LoveHKFilm.com
Copyright ©2002-2017 Ross Chen
|
|
|
