Takeshi defends grisly gangster flick

Still have to watch Outrage, looks good.

"The more vehement a scene, often the greater the laugh. That is what I wanted. Even I started laughing while filming!"

I'd settle for a clever one-liner.

Ba doop bop.

He said "Outrage Beyond", which has death scenes involving a drill and a baseball throwing machine, would have been even more violent if he had had his way.

"There are extreme things that I would like to do, but then I'm stopped. If we overdo it, we would not have viewers," he said.

"The more vehement a scene, often the greater the laugh. That is what I wanted. Even I started laughing while filming!"

This guy is sick.

Really.

“I’m not a director who is appreciated in Japan a great deal, but I thought abroad I could get greater visibility with a sequel,”

To get respect you have to earn it. If people outside of Japan saw how mean and cruel this guy is to people on his not so funny stupid comic shows, they would ignore his films overseas too.

Because in Japan he is known as a silly comedian, while in the west the people can see his movies unbiased, his other gangster movies are also very good sonatine, boiling point, violent cop and others Dolls , Zatoichi.

I think Beat Takeshi is a total IDIOT! He is nothing more than a sexist, high school sadistic bully. Just look at every program you see him on and his movies.... violence and more violence. He is rarely seen without his Red Plastic Hammer. His earlier shows featured submerging people in piping hot water. If anyone perpetuates the bullying mentality in Japan this guy does.

Kitano also conceded that his film—a complex tale of warring yakuza families that is a sequel to his 2009 film “Outrage”—was aimed at a wider foreign audience since his Japan fan base was dwindling

In other words the only people who see his movies are foreign Japanophiles (who will watch a test pattern if its called "Japanese"). Kitano is a poseur who has been trying his best to rip off Reservoir Dogs for years now.

Horse, you cracked me up with the test pattern thing

Horsey, for once in full agreement. A Tarantino-and-Coppola wannabe.

Tarantino and Coppola have both expressed their respect for Kitano. It was in fact Tarantino who pushed for Miramax to wide release Zatoichi. Using Reservoir Dogs as an example of originality, haha nice one try again.

One of the movies you might be thinking of その男凶暴につき was made 3 years before Tarantino had made anything. Could well be that Reservoir Dogs was influenced by Kitano. It's no secret Tarantino stole the whole plot from City on Fire, another asian movie made within the same time period.

I never liked this guy, oftened wondered what he was popular for...he is as sick as he looks...

ben4short: Takeshi has been around longer than Tarentino, for one, and he's not at all like them, for two. His films are widely respected and have won awards in the past. It's true he's not widely respected in Japan, probably in part due to his character, but also because most Japanese I talk to about his movies say they can't understand them.

Anyway, much as I loathe some of the things this man says and does, I'll be sure to check out the movie at some point.

Wow, why so much resentment towards Kitano here?

I like his movies and can't wait to see this new one.

Wow, minus three on my previous post for saying I want to see the guy's movie. No bias here at all, eh? :) It's a shame people who criticize the man for whatever will act just like they criticize the man for doing by thumbing down someone's personal opinion.

I stand by what I said, and don't care about the thumbs down one bit -- just wanted to point out the hypocrisy. I'm still going to watch the movie, and still respect Kitano Takeshi as a writer, director, and actor (though not for his views on homosexuality, and his comments on variety shows).

I wonder how many zany wigs, plastic-mallets-on-the-head and pie-in-the-face type scenes feature in this cutting-edge movie?

I saw the previews to this film at a theater last week. Looked too silly to me. Doubt if I'll waste time seeing it.

edojin: "I saw the previews to this film at a theater last week. Looked too silly to me. Doubt if I'll waste time seeing it."

I definitely won't pay to see it in theatres, but rent it I may.

Smitty:

a) I find it peculiar that an "artist" of Takeshi's stature still walks around with such a large chip on his shoulder, the pathetic need for approval and acceptance from foreign audiences and filmmakers;

b) His overuse of violence, unlike Taratino and Coppola, is gratuitous and sensationalistic.

This can't possibly be as grisly as Koji Shiraishi's Grotesque.

ben4short: a) He doesn't need approval -- he has it. As for his character, I agree he's a bit of a scumbag.

b) Lots of people use gratuitous violence. That does not mean he is copying them. Again, it's a fact that he was producing films before Tarantino was, a fact you missed when you made your comment. Can't you admit you are wrong? Kinji Fukasaku used EXTREMELY gratuitous violence when making the movie Battle Royale. Does that mean he was copying Tarantino and Coppola as well?

He said “Outrage Beyond”, which has death scenes involving a drill and a baseball throwing machine, would have been even more violent if he had had his way.

“There are extreme things that I would like to do, but then I’m stopped. If we overdo it, we would not have viewers,” he said

Not everyone likes to see violence... you can have thrillers without resorting to mindless violence.

@horsefella

In other words the only people who see his movies are foreign Japanophiles (who will watch a test pattern if its called "Japanese").

Don't be such a bloody snob. I enjoy Japanese cinema and TV, but I don't lap it all up. I am selective about what I watch and buy on DVD. Stop pidgeon-holing people.

I have two Kitano films in my collection: "Hana-bi" and "Boiling Point". I have no intention of seeing any others.

Thunderbird2: "Not everyone likes to see violence... you can have thrillers without resorting to mindless violence."

And those who don't wish to see it need not. If we resorted to pleasing everyone with McArthy-like black-listing for people who didn't wrap things up with golden Hollywood happy endings it would be a boring world indeed. Violence exists in the world, not because of movies, but it can be reflected in movies. Hopefully it provides a message.

"I have two Kitano films in my collection: "Hana-bi" and "Boiling Point". I have no intention of seeing any others."

The one where Kitano plays a blind masseuse in the samurai era is a decent one. Violence, for sure, but perhaps not the 'mindless' violence you refer to.

@Smithinjapan: when I refer to mindless violence I mean acts of random nastiness like, for example, in "Boiling Point" where Takeshi's character smashes a bottle over someone's head, then rapes the woman who hangs around with them (he appears to be bisexual in this film)... these are just pointless, random acts of violence in an otherwise interesting (if far fetched) film about revenge.

I wish this sexist, homophobic git would disappear. He was great for Takeshi's Castle but recently? Nope. An old guy clinging to his glory days who will do anything and say anything for media attention.

Thunderbird: And I'm not saying I disagree with you, I'm just saying the viewer has a choice whether to watch or not.

tmarie: "An old guy clinging to his glory days who will do anything and say anything for media attention."

Agree with the sexist and homophobic part, and again, that they guy is scum, but I'd hardly say he's "clinging to his glory days" or "will do anything and say anything for media attention"; the fact that the guy just wrote, directed, produced, and starred in another movie indicates he's hardly flailing. And more than I think this guy wants media attention its the media that wants him. Any time a Japanese national is successful overseas, as Kitano is, the J-media don't stop pounding at the door.

He's made some good films, and some so-so films, but since coming to live in Japan, I haven't watched any of his films because I simply can't reconcile him as a reasonably respected director with the clown I see on JTV.

For people who find Takeshi's films too violent they should watch some Miike Takahashi movies like Ichi the killer or films like Machine Girl or Tokyo Gore police compared to that, takeshi's films are tame. And saying Kitano stole from Tarantino, Hillarious, Tarantino openly admits that lots of his "insparation" comes from Asian movies.

Can't wait for it to hit New York!-we need a little uplifting around here!

Hoser (as in garden-, not work-) wrote

Kitano is a poseur who has been trying his best to rip off Reservoir Dogs for years now.

"Reservoir Dogs" was itself inspired by a Hong Kong film, "City of Fire" and "True Romance" is almost a remake of Malick's "Badlands". So what? Kitano has made some good films too (E.g. "Kid's Return"). Here is an Outrage Beyond trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48MRAcjBmq8

Dennis... I've seen some Miike films too, but I prefer his light-hearted ones, such as Zebraman.

For the People that haven't seen "Outrage" it is on tonight at 21:00 (09:00pm for the mericans).

Check your local TV-Guides, myself will be watching "Van Helsing" on another Channel.

As for ripping and copying movies it happens in all countries, How many movies were spoofed in Kill Bill, Hot Shots, etc. Many western are based on asian movies and vice-versa.

Kitano is also a prolific Painter and Writer.

ah, explicit violence ... imagine that in a gangster movie ... what will they think of next? "excuse me sir, would you terribly mind if i kicked your teeth in just a little bit since you just won't answer where you hid it, pretty please with sugar on top?"

wouldnt sound right

Too bad Kippei Siina's not on this sequel. He was brilliant in the first one.

From a production and story standpoint, the "Outrage" series is hardly original. But what makes it interesting is the lineup of well known actors who, for the first time, gets to play real bad guys.

"the cult director"

ewww....

I can do without extreme violence, regardless of director, but i generally really enjoy his movies. The clown act on TV was a bit of a surprise when i came to Japan. The other day went to his art exhibit in Tokyo Opera City. Very cool, original stuff! Interesting guy, many sides to him. He just dreams it up and makes it happen.

Can't wait to see this film. I love his movies. Btw, I heard he was planning to shoot a movie in Yerevan, if someone knows more about this....