Yakuza Movies?

[Dyna Moe]

Is anyone on here an Asian cinema buff who could recommend some good Yakuza (live action) titles?

I'm primarily looking for Japanese mafia stuff but if there's any good Chinese (Hong Kong, Taiwan) mafia flicks you absolutely love, I'll take those recommendations too.

Thanks.
Dyna

 

[Matt Himes]

Is anyone on here an Asian cinema buff who could recommend some good Yakuza (live action) titles?

I'm primarily looking for Japanese mafia stuff but if there's any good Chinese (Hong Kong, Taiwan) mafia flicks you absolutely love, I'll take those recommendations too.

Thanks.
Dyna

Ichi the Killer (disgusting and funny)
highly recommend. . .this just showed up on DVD in my local video store

from imdb.com:
Yakuza boss Anjo disappears with 100 million yens. His loyal gang members, lead by the masochist Kakihara, start a search, but their aggressive and gory methods worry the other yakuza gangs. Kakiharas most scary counterpart is the mysterious Ichi, a psychopathic killer with a dark childhood secret, who is controlled by a retired yakuza boss.


Brother (Beat Takeshi. . .yakuza goes to America, meets Omar Epps)

 

[ChrisGrace]

I'll second Ichi the Killer but it is not for the faint of heart.

Also: Sonatine and Fireworks (Hana-Bi) by Takeshi Kitano, and if you are feeling light, Kikujiro for what happens to a yakuza later on down the line.

 

[Resnik]

Beat Takeshi (Takeshi Kitano) has more 28,000 Yakuza movies. You should look him up on imdb.com.

 

[Dyna Moe]

I know Beat Takashi has 28,000 movies... And Takashi Miike releases 9 movies a year...

Yakuza genre directors are unusually prolific, that's why I'm asking for recommendations rather than picking at random

 

[Matt Himes]

Ichi!

I know Beat Takashi has 28,000 movies... And Takashi Miike releases 9 movies a year...

Yakuza genre directors are unusually prolific, that's why I'm asking for recommendations rather than picking at random

makes the crazy 88s look like something you'd see at Epcot Center!

 

[dkois]

Juzo Itami's film Minbo no onna was apparently so good that the Yakuza attacked him for it.

Tampopo is funnier though.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0104874/

xoxo
Dan

 

['licious]

Ichi the Killer (disgusting and funny)

What Matt said.

Tarantino has cited Miike's "Audition," but I'm not sure if it's yakuza-related.
The imdb.com summary doesn't lead me to think it is.

 

[El Jefe]

I really liked Sonatine.