Miike Takashi

[alan nagsworth]

Basically the most prolific director in Japan today, and easily one of the greatest film makers I've ever come across. If not for his occasionally brilliant films, then definitely for his unflinching approach to the art, and his endless, not-giving-a-fuck attitude towards how his films are made, released and received. He's had mainstream success in the west with films premiering at film festivals and getting him mentioned in discussions alongside some of the other most western-successful Japanese films (Audition, Ichi The Killer) and simultaneously released countless straight-to-DVD pieces filmed on tight budgets with handheld cameras (Dead Or Alive, Visitor Q)... but no matter the film, Miike's techniques are prevalent in even his most serious, outlandish or underrated works. He's released over 50 films in around 15 years of directing and doesn't seem to care if the low-key ones fall under the radar or not. He's just enjoying himself and to be honest, I'm yet to see a film from him that I actively disliked.

His unconventional approach to film making sees him using the cheapest methods of CGI not simply because of his low budgets, but also (in the case of Ichi, at least) to give the element of a deliberately comicbook animated feel. The scene in which the rapist is sliced directly in half is, he says, intended to look false to retain an element of black humour. And it works. No one does serious/gruesome comedy like Miike in my opinion, and it comes through in droves in films like The City Of Lost Souls (wherein a man eating noodles is shot in the stomach and we see more noodles than blood explode from his torso) and Gozu (in which a gang member loses his mind and thinks there is a dog trained to kill Yakuza, before calmly stepping outside and savagely beating the dog to death).

But even in his most outlandish films there are elements of seriousness incorporating recurring themes and philosophical intonations that polish off his work into something really rather specatcular. Gozu incorporates, among other things, theories of rebirth and platonic love. Many of his other films, especially the majority of his Yakuza/Triad-based films, carry a deep sense of surrogate familyhood which is also a lot more obvious in actual family-based plots in such films as Visitor Q and The Happiness Of The Katakuris. Ichi The Killer is, again, the most well-known example of this, where we find the masochistic Kakihara missing his boss solely because of the pain he inflicted on him. It is these unconventional approaches to love that scares a lot of first time viewers, but I find myself increasingly captivated with his distorted and phenomenally imaginative views on such themes, and am constantly refreshed after watching his films. Quite simply put, I think he is something of a genius.

With regards to his more serious films, I've only managed to see Dead Or Alive 2: Birds, but am very soon to dig deeper into Ley Lines, Rainy Dog and Bird People Of China. As It happens, I've only really seen the more obvious and edgy titles mentioned throughout this opening post, but DOA2 had a very wonderfully long-lasting impression which differed greatly from his other films, and I'm very interested to see more like this. I even found myself quite misty-eyed by the end of it.

Provocative and controversial maybe, but beyond this lies a director who is very much firmly rooted in traditional values, and it often doesn't take a genius to see that he is very much one-of-a-kind. I love this guy!

Zebraman 2 is his latest (2010) title and I'm very eager to catch it after enjoying the first instalment a lot.

Let's talk Miike, dudes.

[EddyWhore]

I enjoy his films, to the extent that I found Visitor Q to have quite a touching story at it's core. Once you get past all the lactation, etc. However, I found Sukiyaki Western Django a complete turd of a movie, made only more odiferous by a cameo from Quentin Tarantino (stay away from the nasty Gaijin, Miike, he only comes to steal your style).
Gozu is by far my favourite Takashi movie, in terms of plot and atmosphere. It's like a nightmare decorated by David Lynch. On Acid. (sorry. Couldn't resist.)

[EddyWhore]

Park Chan Wook's vengeance trilogy does take a big steaming dump over everything Miike's ever done, mind. Every aspect of those films, from the cinematography and sets down to the score are pieces of art in their own right.

[alan nagsworth]

I enjoy his films, to the extent that I found Visitor Q to have quite a touching story at it's core. Once you get past all the lactation, etc. However, I found Sukiyaki Western Django a complete turd of a movie, made only more odiferous by a cameo from Quentin Tarantino (stay away from the nasty Gaijin, Miike, he only comes to steal your style).
Gozu is by far my favourite Takashi movie, in terms of plot and atmosphere. It's like a nightmare decorated by David Lynch. On Acid. (sorry. Couldn't resist.)

Yeah, Visitor Q is a wonderful film. The underlying sense of family values is very touching and, as I mentioned before, probably the most appealing aspect of almost all of his films.

Spoiler alert

Underneath the disturbing violence and depravity lies a family in desperate need of reconciliation, when the solution to your misery and anguish can sometimes be right under your nose. And the family unit knows best when it sticks together. It's beautiful stuff. By the end of the film, I feel extremely warm and comforted by that.

[close]

I've just finished watching The Bird People In China and I have to say it's one of the most well-constructed and equally amusing and beautiful films I've seen by him. There is extremely little in the way of weird depravity or anything, and it's definitely a serious film despite the first half of it being very funny. I just found myself in floods of tears at the end, I was deeply moved by its simplistic beauty. I too am a huge fan of Gozu and Ichi, but bloody hell did this bring me back down to earth or what! Miike is a serious fucking talent to be reckoned with when you find yourself at the end of TBPIC and thinking, 'bloody hell, that same mind cooked up the warped madness of Visitor Q, how is that possible?'

Seriously, go and find that film on a torrent site (you know, the most popular, free one, it's on there) or shell out £18.99 for it on Amazon. Believe me, it's worth the money. The last time I spent that much on a DVD was for Eraserhead, and neither will be a choice you are ever likely to regret.

[Ignatius_S]

... and his endless, not-giving-a-fuck attitude towards how his films are made, released and received...

Can't say that's been my impression from every interview I've read with him. There was one in particular when he didn't defend Ichi The Killer when some of the criticism was discussed, he essentially said 'if a significant proportion of the audience react in a certain way, then it's irrelevant what the filmmaker was intending' and didn't seem he was too pleased with the film.

Personally, I found that one to be one of the worst films I've seen at the cinema and can't believe how tedious it was.

Imprint, his contribution to Masters of Horror was another disappointment – one of the worst instalments in the series and that's saying something. On the other hand, quite a few rate do rate it but the vast majority of those who praise it say they don't really get the story.

Park Chan Wook's vengeance trilogy does take a big steaming dump over everything Miike's ever done, mind. Every aspect of those films, from the cinematography and sets down to the score are pieces of art in their own right.

This isn't to denigrate those three, but his contribution to Three... Extremes was something of a messy, worth a watch, but messy, Just a personal preference, but preferred Takashi's segment – although the first was by far the most the more interesting in my opinion.

[Ignatius_S]

...However, I found Sukiyaki Western Django a complete turd of a movie, made only more odiferous by a cameo from Quentin Tarantino (stay away from the nasty Gaijin, Miike, he only comes to steal your style)....

Oh, I found it quite fun in places - but I did watch with very low expectations. Totally agree with your Tarantino comment and personally, thought it he had been stripped away, it would have been better.

[alan nagsworth]

Can't say that's been my impression from every interview I've read with him. There was one in particular when he didn't defend Ichi The Killer when some of the criticism was discussed, he essentially said 'if a significant proportion of the audience react in a certain way, then it's irrelevant what the filmmaker was intending' and didn't seem he was too pleased with the film.

Hmm that's a fair point, and it's a strange attitude to have. All the interviews in which I've seen him, he seems pretty sharp in his intentions for the film and discussing how pleased he was with the way the film was made, especially the various little contributions made by staff and actors alike and how making a film for him is solely about how the end product is perceived by himself, as opposed to deconstructing it scene by scene as it is made. That's a very confident approach, and one which I really admire, but perhaps this interview (it's the one on the second disc of the DVD) was filmed shortly after the film was finished and before much criticism has came in.

I guess with Ichi it's difficult because, in contrast to his other 'big' success Audition, it doesn't come across in the same dark, brooding art-house drama fashion but simply a wacky and deliberately awkward film which wears its heart on its sleeve, when in reality I find it to be a deep and touching story of platonic love within a gang of thugs which is constantly saught to be reconciled throughout, to seemingly no avail. Kakihara might come across as just some violent nutter but underneath it, it's clear that he's very sad and lonely, and Asano Tadanobu is an actor who is abundantly excellent at playing such a role, as is displayed in his other leading roles such as Vital and Bright future.

Personally, I found that one to be one of the worst films I've seen at the cinema and can't believe how tedious it was.

Imprint, his contribution to Masters of Horror was another disappointment – one of the worst instalments in the series and that's saying something. On the other hand, quite a few rate do rate it but the vast majority of those who praise it say they don't really get the story.

Whilst I admit there's still a little bit of Imprint I don't understand - I know it's Japanese folklore and all that - I still think Ichi and Imprint and poles apart in terms of credibility, as Imprint is shockingly dismal stuff in my opinion. Is there much else by Miike you've seen, might I ask? Only, I noticed you mentioned these two in the 'unpleasant scenes' thread also and am just wondering how much more of his work you've seen.

Something I enjoy about Miike's films is that they are often hard to describe to anyone who isn't already a fan. This is especially true with films like Audition and The Bird People In China; It's hard to tell someone Audition is at first glance 'a wonderful romantic drama and remains so to the very end, but oh yeah there's also one or two grim cut-aways and then a horrendous torture scene, but don't let that bother you!' I feel like I'm taking a fresh risk with every one of his films I watch, which is something I've never experienced before and which keeps me constantly excited when I dig out another title of his.

I'd like to big up The Bird People In China again if I may. I went to sleep thinking about it and woke up doing the same. Absolutely stunning film.

[Ignatius_S]

Hmm that's a fair point, and it's a strange attitude to have. All the interviews in which I've seen him, he seems pretty sharp in his intentions for the film and discussing how pleased he was with the way the film was made, especially the various little contributions made by staff and actors alike and how making a film for him is solely about how the end product is perceived by himself, as opposed to deconstructing it scene by scene as it is made. That's a very confident approach, and one which I really admire, but perhaps this interview (it's the one on the second disc of the DVD) was filmed shortly after the film was finished and before much criticism has came in....

When I read the interview, I really respected Takashi for taking that stance – and I should make clear, I already had a lot of respect for him. I find such an attitude more attractive than 'I am the author, I outrank you' – and it's not as if he was saying 'yeah, they're right... it was awful, what was I doing?'

I can understand why he might say that how he views the end product is all important – and there are more than a few favourite artists (particularly in music) of mine that I would say produce great work through individual vision, rather than worrying how it might be perceived. In fact, I would say the committee style of filmmaking in Hollywood can really hamper artistic merit.

However, there is that argument of the artist's intentions being less important than how the audience reacts.

Going back to the interview, I'm pretty sure it was a little while after the film came out but I couldn't say when. As I say, I liked the attitude and I thought it was a good way of shutting down that line of interviewing – I don't think it's too likely that whatever he said would have made anyone who was critical suddenly be converted and he's smart enough to know just because he made it, the audience shouldn't have a mind of its own.

When I said he didn't seem to be too pleased with the film, there did seem to be some disappointment about it but my feeling was that he was more happy than not, although it wouldn't be in one of his top films. One thing I would say Takashi strikes me as the type of artist who's looking forward, rather than back – that's just my take – and if he was circumspect about this film, it could be the case of having some distance for it after it was made and re-evaluating it, rather than reaction to it.f

....Whilst I admit there's still a little bit of Imprint I don't understand - I know it's Japanese folklore and all that - I still think Ichi and Imprint and poles apart in terms of credibility, as Imprint is shockingly dismal stuff in my opinion. Is there much else by Miike you've seen, might I ask? Only, I noticed you mentioned these two in the 'unpleasant scenes' thread also and am just wondering how much more of his work you've seen....

Although I didn't get much from Imprint, I did think it stylish and liked the scenery – the Masters series was rather patchy and although I thought this one was one of the worse, it did have a little going for it, unlike others.

Although there were some fine details that I don't think made sense, the overall story wasn't exactly complicated – so for people to say how great it was (some saying it was the best of the series) but didn't really understand it, I thought was rather funny.

You're quite right I did mention them in that other thread, but that was in reaction to them being brought up. I guess I see them more shockingly bad than shocking – that isn't to say that I didn't think they had dubious elements.  I suspect that one reason I'm so down on Ichi is that I felt there was an element of the Emperor's new clothes about how it was be cited as an instant classic – if I remember rightly, Asian cinema was generally being very favourable received and in my opinion, some were getting a free pass.

Other than Three Extremes and Sukiyaki Western Djangothat I've mentioned, I've seen:

Audition – I picked up the novel cheap the other weekend, so I'm looking forward to comparing it
Family
A couple of the Dead or Alive films.
Izo
Sabu

I think there's one more, but for the life of me can't remember. There's been a few more I want to check out, so will have a look for the ones mentioned – one thing I wanted to investigate was that detective police miniseries as it sounded like good, clean family fun.

[Paaaaul]

More love for Bird People here. A beautiful film.

[BlodwynPig]

A bit hit and miss, but I have loved every one. Gozu being the pinnacle, Visitor Q being another pinnacle, Django was fun as I am not a Tarantino fan.

The Vengeance Trilogy is far superior yes, but Gozu does touch that level.

[BlodwynPig]

Audition – I picked up the novel cheap the other weekend, so I'm looking forward to comparing it

The weakest of Ryu Murakami's books.

[alan nagsworth]

Do people really rate the Vengeance trilogy as a whole so often? I don't really like Lady Vengeance that much, compared to the dark and haunting grit of Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance, and the ... wait this is going a bit off-topic isn't it. Suffice to say, I think the diversity of Miike's work is in itself something that surpasses the greatness of Park's, despite Oldboy still being my favourite film... I just get so much more of a kick out of Miike's stuff, I guess.

MPD-Psycho came in the post today, looking forward to getting stuck into that.

[Glebe]

The only Takashi film I've seen is Audition, but that's bloomin' great. "Kiri kiri kiri..."

[Ignatius_S]

The weakest of Ryu Murakami's books.

So would that make it good, bad or indifferent as a work in its own right? As I haven't read any of his works, that statement lacks context.

I only got it on a whim as it's a nice hardback edition remaindered to £3 and thought it would be interested to compare it with the film, so far I'm getting my monies worth.