Message from jluesse

[Anonymous]

Battles Without Honor and Humanity begins with characters, in blood red, stylishly arranged over intense black and white photos in the opening credits. The movie is visceral and relentless, from the opening scene depicting an attempted rape of a woman by an American GI to the final funeral scene. Scenes are composed of grim off-colors: grays, muted browns, dark blues and bland tones, that is until bright red blood sears through the celluloid. Many cuts are sharp, causing some jarring sequences. There are portions where the plot is developed and dialogue dominates, however violence is looming above and around, always quick to step in for a bit. The editing never allows any shot to become stagnant and there are plenty of stylish shots.

The movie is a crime drama, a gritty look at the yakuza underworld. Fukasaku was one of the early filmmakers to portray the world of crime in Japan with some realism. The line between good and evil seems to be blurred in the film-there is a protagonist, but he is a criminal who engages in a bloody street war against a rival gang. There are moments of dark humor, for example when the chopped off finger is lost resulting in the yakuzas' comical search under the tables. It is an engaging movie and one I would never show to a class due to the violent nature.

It is clear that Fukasaku's legacy will not rest simply on the more recent success of the controversial Battle Royale movies or the novelty of picking up legend Kurosawa's Tora!Tora!Tora! but also on a series of important crime movies, which 1973's Battles Without Honor and Humanity would be prominantly included.[Edit by="jluesse on Jul 30, 2:30:28 PM"][/Edit]
[Edit by="jluesse on Jul 31, 3:33:53 PM"][/Edit]