Wednesday, July 08 5:30PM to 7PM
Walter Reade Theater
Lincoln Performing Arts Center, 165 W 65th St, New York, NY 10023
Kinji Fukasaku’s early career yakuza masterpiece is just as gritty and angry as his later work. The film follows lone wolf Ken Takakura plotting with his girlfriend (Sanae Nakahara) to trick his younger brother’s (Kinya Kitaoji) delinquent gang to help them rip off a money courier at the airport. Kitaoji’s crew returns to the hideout with the bag of yakuza cash and discovers just how much money is really involved. Reeling from the double-cross and trying to hide the loot, the kids get caught by Takakura and Ebara, imprisoned in a warehouse, and tortured. Meanwhile, Takakura and Kitaoji’s big brother (Rentaro Mikuni), a member of the rival gang that has been ripped off, has to find his brothers and recover the cash and his honor. Weighing cold hard yen against filial bonds, no holds are barred as the three brothers rip up the streets to Isao Tomita’s amazing jazz/surf rock hybrid soundtrack. Shot on the real life mean streets of Japanese slums, Fukasaku’s blood soaked yakuza debut mixes social criticism, American noir, French New Wave sensibilities and hard men with a penchant for violence.
For tickets and information: subwaycinema.com