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In its uncut form ‘Ichi the Killer’ is one of Takashi Miike’s most intelligent and provocative films. Miike has a knack for challenging cinema in the literal sense; movies that make the viewer question his own motives. And the complete ‘Ichi’ sure does that. For most of its length it hurtles along a twisted yakuza fantasy tale, admittedly graphic and perverse, but broadly comic and so cartoonish in its violence that it’s impossible to take seriously. Every now and again, though, there’s a scene of such offputting nastiness that you wonder why you find any of it enjoyable. It’s highly disturbing watching, and Miike just keeps rubbing your nose in the dirt.
Unfortunately, it’s these most extreme scenes that the censor has snipped (over 3 minutes of them, an almost unprecedented amount of cuts). So you’re allowed to coast through — comparatively speaking, of course; it’s still not for the faint of heart — with little more than an awkward giggle or uncomfortable squirm. The edited Ichi does really feel like a violence fetishist’s jack-off material, and it also feels like a largely vacuous exercise. Cutting those crucial minutes where Miike really does go too far — quite deliberately — not only removes the point of the movie, it turns it into exactly what the censors were afraid of in the first place.
Oh well, plus ça change. See the uncut ‘Ichi’ if you can. Even the animé version has more of the intended spirit of the material.
Rating: 2 / 5
A slick and sick piece of live action Manga from Takashi Miike, the sort of guy you wouldn’t employ to video a baptism.
I first saw Ichi at the London Film Festival a few years ago, having been a fan of Audition and Dead or Alive, and couldn’t believe my senses. Leaving the cinema I made a beline for the bar. On DVD, the film looks tamer, and having been cut by three minutes or so, it’s not too surprising. Various scenes are shorter than before (beatings, torture, rape etc.), and the most notorious scene (which, for prudence sake, I won’t describe here, but comes near the end just before the detective dons his dog-ears – fans of the film will know what I mean), actually this last scene made me feel pretty queasy when I saw it in full, so I confess I don’t really miss it that much, although it does screw with the continutiy. Confusingly, the commentary track refers to the uncut version and seems to have been edited slightly to account for the gaps. This is particularly odd when the protagonists are discussing a scene which ‘a lot of people had problems with’ and you’re watching a pair of gangsters standing by a door.
Having said all of that, Premiere Asia have done a stirling job with the DVD, after all, it’s not their fault that the BBFC took the scissors to the movie and it’s obvious that they have made a effort to compensate for this. This two disc set is well presented and features plenty of bits and bobs to keep you occupied. The commentary is quite entertaining, although Bey Logan’s knowlege of Japanese cinema isn’t a patch on his knowlege of Hong Kong movies and he makes up the lost time by flirting with Alien Sun. More amusing than informative (unless you want to flirt with Alien Sun, of course).
Summing up: fun film, good disc, shame about the cuts, but I’d probably be covering my eyes at those scenes anyway…
Rating: 4 / 5
just to clarify im not rating the excellent ‘ichi the killer’ a 1 star but im rating the DVD package a 1.
ichi the killer is an excellent movie that has to be viewed in its full uncut version.we see how far Takashi Miike goes with strong and dark voilent,sexual,and gory humour.it pushes the boundries of filmmaking,and you need a strong stomach to watch a few scenes.
but its not just that the BBFC have cut a lot of scenes(in full about 5 minuites are cut)
but its the fact that its been cut so badly that if you watch this version im surprised you will know whats going on.the uk version was the first i saw of this film and i honestly didnt know what the hell was going on towards the end in some scenes,and it was only after watching a full uncut version i understood more.
and whats worse is that there is no uncut version for sale in the uk.so you may have to search online for a foreign version(which is what i did)
so this dvd,as well as the 3 disc set are all cut versions of the film,so if possible,avoid and get a foreign uncut version of the film.
Rating: 1 / 5
At the Toronto premiere of Ichi The Killer, sick bags were handed out to the audience as part of the promotion. And for the weak of stomach – sick bags may be warranted. This is a frenetic film packed with images of rape, violence and gore that could be distressing for some people. However, it is important to remember that this is based on a manga comic, and the entire film is made in a very comedic way. Ichi The Killer is a great movie with an absolutley brilliant cast and some of the best direction and editing Miike has done yet. The film is shot magnificently: the stark contrast between the purple suits of Kakihara and the black raiment of the Yakuza, or the beautiful interiors of the Yakuza apartment all make it aesthetically breathtaking, before showering the audience with insane images of blood and violence. “Audition” is the only Miike film that is superior to this film, in my opinion, and they are so different in style and theme that they are impossible to compare. But when it comes to yakuza films, Ichi beats DOA, City of Lost Souls, and the Shinjuku Triad movies. This is extreme cinema at its very best.
Rating: 5 / 5
**** warning; spoilers ****
Surely the blackest comedy of all time, Ichi the Killer is a hugely entertaining adaptation of ultra-violent manga Koroshiya ichi (killer no.1). The main plot is a simple one – the Anjo gang’s boss disappears and all attempts by the hideously disfigured and unremittingly brutal Kakahari to find the leader he holds in such esteem leaves a trail of screaming agony, dismembered limbs and entrails! A seemingly meek little man – Jiiji drops hints as to who kidnapped Anjo, but this leads Kakihara to skewer and then deep-fat fry the wrong man. In an act of perverted remorse, Kakihara cuts half of his tongue off, the solemnity of this act of contrition interrupted by his mobile phone going off. He then has a garbled phone conversation whilst spitting mouthfuls of blood! This typifies the movie; moments of the most gross and explicit horror are tempered by moments of laugh-out-loud black humour. Gang members are despatched in great number and in inventively gory manner, as revelation follows revelation about the bizarre nature of the truly psychotic Ichi. Not having read the manga, I’m not convinced I fully appreciated all nuances of the sub-plot about the implanted memories of bullying and rape that allowed Jiiji to manipulate Ichi, but this didn’t really detract from my enjoyment. I’ll give it a second viewing in a month or so and see if it all clicks into place.
Much of the violence is ultra-realistic (the commentary option lets you in on some of the CGI and body-prosthetics secrets), whereas some scenes – bodies cleaved neatly in two and victims hopping around having had a leg severed, is very surreal with more than a hint of Monty Python about it!
With the inevitability of the Titanic meeting the iceberg, Kakihara finally has his long anticipated showdown with Ichi – and very strange it is too! Sure I spotted a glaring continuity error at the end but, with a movie as delirious as this, who knows if it was intended or not? See what you think…
Despite criticism by some reviewers of the censor having wielded his knife to a significant degree, the commentary by Alien Sun suggests that this 2-hour version already contains the more extreme scenes that had been cut in previous releases (the extended torture of boss Suzuki and the infamous tongue-cutting scene). I certainly had no problem following the main plot and found that the two hours really flew past, with me wincing and laughing in equal measure. Whilst not easy to categorise a movie such as this, it should appeal to those of you who enjoyed Sin City, the Evil Dead series or Peter Jackson’s Braindead. Keep it well away from your maiden aunt though!
Rating: 4 / 5