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Sukiyaki Western Django (2007)

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15 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
Very good film that swings from the dramatic to the ridiculous, 13 septiembre 2007

Author: kyussisgod de Canada

If you've seen "High Plains Drifter", "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" any other Leone films or "spaghetti westerns" you will appreciate this film. (I guess this is an "udon western"? Sorry, I had to throw that in there.) For those who have not, you may not understand why the film goes to such extremes throughout the scene sequences. Everything from the bumbling sheriff to the mindless and spineless random gang characters as well as the leader of the 'reds', offer comedic escapades that are quite hysterical. Then we swing to the very dramatic and tragic scenes of loss, murder, pillaging and revenge. Japanese themes and references are inherent because the director is well...Japanese! The dialogue is all English and purposely so. I'm not sure if this was for comedic reasons or to reach out to a larger audience, but it is effective and an interesting choice on Miike's part. It is subtitled which, depending on how you view it, either detracts or adds to the film. It does help in some cases, but in my opinion, I think it would have been better to leave it out altogether. Overall, its a very fun film but expect to be taken up and down emotionally. Production, cinematography, scenery, costumes, art direction and sound design aren't even worth mentioning because they're all done so well, you don't notice them. Its about as close as you can get to a Western-Samurai Japanese-Western!

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12 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Gunslinger poetry, 18 febrero 2008

Author: K_Todorov de Bulgaria

If Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time is considered an ode to the American Western with all it's fundamental elements all packed neatly in an 3 and a half hour package of visual splendor than Takashi Miike's Sukiyaki Western Django is an ode to the Italian Western through and through with all the style, violence and sound that Leone brought to the art of cinema and Sergio Corbucci used to create his most famous work "Django". A visual feast, Miike's tribute to Corbucci's work is the poetic equivalent of Tarantino's own tribute to the Italian Western (and some other cult genres) Kill Bill.

Set around, in a strikingly offbeat way to, the 12th century Heike/Genji clan wars Sukiyaki Western Django is the tale of a mysterious gunman (played by Hideoki Ito) who comes into a nearly deserted once prospering town now controlled by the two rival groups. In a sense this is the Italian West going back to its roots, it's no secret Leone was greatly inspired by the works of Akira Kurosawa with Yojimbo serving as the blueprints for the maestro's own breakthrough with A Fistful of Dollars. Corbucci's own Django used the same basic premise and now Miike follows. After some flashy display of skill, and some attempts from the two clans to persuade him to join one of them the Gunman is persuaded by Ruriko one of the few residents who remain to help the townspeople. A series of flashbacks reveal much of the background and motives behind the two clans arrival. They also open the pathway to a subplot revolving around a tragically destroyed Genji/Heike family which plays a major part in the main plot. For those of you who deem themselves Tarantino fans will have much to be happy about as Tarantino plays a bad-ass, poncho-wearing gunslinger named Ringo who introduces us to the Heike/Genji conflict and plays a important part later on.

Style is of the essence and style is what Sukiyaki has. Though a tribute to Django this is nevertheless pure Miike cinema, expect that same weird humor, surreal kinetic action, with some sexual cues (although much restrained compared to some of his previous endeavors) he's become renowned for. It's a non stop joy ride beautifully shot, the impressive set design and backgrounds, the great costumes and yes a machine gun in coffin scene, pure poetry. This is not about realism, it is not about creating a believable world but about a world that responds to the mood that adapts according to it. The final showdown represents a collision of two worlds, two genres it is the ultimate fusion of samurai and western films, the duel between the gun and the sword. There are some lovely little references only noticeable to the more vigorous Django fans, and a truly awesome ending.

What might be my only gripe with Sukiayki is the choice of language. Having the Japanese cast speak in broken-down English does sort of lessen the experience not by much comparing to some of the horrendous English dubs in some Italian Westerns but still it would have been preferable using a Japanese language track with an optional English one. That's to say the dialogue itself is a pastiche of noticeable one-liner clichés, over the top silly yet listening to entire dialogues stitched together from over used lines has a remarkably refreshing effect on those lines.

Koji Endo composes the soundtrack, it is not his first time working with Miike and hopefully won't be the last. For the film he combined, the typical Morricone-sque western music with that of the Japanese samurai flick in a modern just lightly rock adaptation.

Sukiyaki Western Django pays homage to what is now a dead genre. Dead but not forgotten. Not by Takashi Miike who uses the tools of the Italian Western to bring forth his own vision, his own take on a story well known and loved and it is a true gem.

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6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Cowboy Miike, 13 septiembre 2007

Author: doug-697 de Canada

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

You can always be guaranteed in a Takashi Miike movie of seeing things that you've never seen before. I just saw Sukiyaki Western Django at the Toronto Film Festival and it continues that tradition.

This is Miike's take on the American Cowboy Western and it was fun to see what he does with it. It appears to take place in the middle of a war, but I could not tell if this was a real historical war and whether it is a Japanese war. But it's fought with guns not swords and dressed as cowboys instead of samurai. He's taken the essence of the western, takes it to extremes and adds his own unique Miike humour.

All the actors were speaking English. Only the female actress spoke perfect English; the others spoke it with an accent, although I could understand what they were all saying. It was also accompanied by sub-titles in English. When it comes out on DVD, I would probably turn off the sub-titles. Also I hope they don't consider dubbing with American actors. It would ruin the movie. I quite enjoyed listening to them speak English in their own voices even with (or maybe because of) the accent.

Quentin Tarantino makes a significant appearance and is quite funny and at times unrecognizable. It mixes in with the rest of movie and doesn't feel like just a "guest appearance".

I quite enjoyed this movie. When will Miike do a Hollywood musical?

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6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Lone ranger rides into the town, where two gangs wedged war against each other over a secret treasure. Which side will he choose?, 12 septiembre 2007

Author: azzy-2000 de Canada

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

"SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO" is the ideal cure against western of any kind. It has it all - including even queer cowboys and Gatling machine gun (hello, "3:10 to Yuma"!). And much more than that: war of White and Red Roses, Gollum for a sheriff, chest, full of gold, old lady - gunfighter (who happened to be also animated eight-handed woman and Quentin Tarantino's lover), Tarantino himself, rather weather-beaten and riding steampunk-crafted wheelchair, raining bullets, Japanese mountains in the autumn, fight in the snow and so on. Just imagine "Kill Bill" cut to 2 hours, without all the dull stuff but with all the goods delivered straight to the point. Everything funny, hysterical, strange and enchanting you can squeeze out of old good Westerns plus amazing Japanese aesthetics (watch the leader of Whites. The Red is fun too, but, my gosh, White is amazing!) plus non-stopping action plus brilliant choreography - in short, it's your regular must see. 12 out of 10.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Miike's fusion of cowboy westerns and Samurai drama is a delicious treat..., 17 marzo 2008

Author: jmaruyama de Honolulu, HI

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

When one thinks of the cowboy Western names like John Ford, Sam Peckinpah, Howard Hawks and John Huston might come to mind but Japanese new wave and cult director Miike Takashi would probably be the last person you would think of being on that list, that is until now. With his recent "Sukiyaki Western Django" Miike pays loving tribute to the western genre and infuses it with his own unique spin and a decidedly Japanese flair.

Set in what appears to be a dusty post-apocalyptic wasteland, the story deals with a bitter rivalry between two vicious clans - the brutal Heike (whose color emblem is a bloody scarlet red) and the flashy Genji (whose banners are a snow colored white). They have taken over a remote mountain village in a region oddly called "Nevada" (using Japanese Kanji equivalents).

Both factions have learned of a mythic gold depository in the surrounding area and have torn the village apart to find it but to no avail. The local inhabitants have long since fled and those that have stayed behind have been living in terror ever since.

A mysterious gun fighter with no name (Ito Hideaki) rides into town and offers his services to the clan who offers to pay him the most. While both clans make tempting bids, the gun fighter rejects both offers and is instead swayed to hold off joining either faction by the town's salon madam, Ruriko (Momoi Kaori).

Ruriko tells the stranger of how the town was taken over by the clans and how her son, Akira was killed by them. Akira was a former Heike clan member who had fallen in love with the beautiful Shizuka (Yoshino Kimura), a member of the rival clan. They had hoped that their union would help encourage peace between the two clans but instead Akira is murdered by the Heike's ruthless leader Kiyomori (Sato Koichi).

Devasted she returns to her clan with her young child Heihachi, where she is forced to become a harlot to the clan's charismatic and mercurial leader Yoshitsune.

As the conflict comes to an impasse both sides scheme at how to gain the upper-hand. Kiyomori tells his clansmen that it is divine destiny that they will win the conflict and sites Shakespeare's "Henry VI" and the English conflict of the "War of the Roses" (where the red side wins) as his bible. He is so sure of this that he adopts the name "Henry".

On the Genji side, Yoshitsune has found the location of a hidden cache of weapons including a functioning Gatling gun which he hopes will give his clan the advantage. He sends his chief henchman, Benkei (Ishibashi Takaaki) to retrieve the weapon.

The gun fighter learns of this plan from Shizuka and relays the information to the Heike clan.

For her betrayal Shizuka is brutally murdered by the Genji clan and the gun fighter is severely injured. Nursed back to health the gun fighter teams up with Ruriko, who reveals herself to be the legendary gun fighter "B.B." who was a protégé of one of the first western gunmen in Japan, "Bingo" (cameo by Quentin Tarantino) to destroy the clans and bring peace to the town.

Miike and screenwriter NAKA(Masa)MURA borrow liberally from other westerns particularly the landmark "Italiano-Westerns" of Sergio Leone (Fist Full of Dollars, The Good, The Bad & The Ugly") and Sergio Corbucci (Django) as well as the so-called "Acid-Westerns" of Alejandro Jodorowsky (El Topo) but adds in his own unique aspects and New Wave flourishes to create a Japanese version of the classic western albeit with a decidedly Japanese look and feel. The name is both a play on "spaghetti" (Italian) westerns and an anecdote where "sukiyaki" (Japanese nabemono or "stew") combines various elements in a pot.

Much has been said of Miike's decision to script the dialog entirely in English but I think the cast should be commended for actually pulling off what might have turned into a comical disaster. It also helped that Miike had the good fortune of hiring actors who have either lived or studied extensively abroad.

Ito Hideaki (Crossfire, Limit of Love-Umizaru) plays the titular Clint Eastwood role as the "man with no name"/gun fighter. His performance is good but one note as he doesn't really have much range and his lines are minimal. Sato Koichi (Cheerful Gang Turns The Earth, Tennen Kokekko) is pure evil as "Taira No Kiyomori" who fancies himself after Shakespeare's "Henry VI". His performance brings to mind Mifune Toshiro's Kikuchiyo in "Seven Samurai" (manic, bestial, and cocksure of himself).

Fashion model turned actor Iseya Yusuke (Casshern, Memories of Matsuko) turns in another fantastic performance as the vicious yet wickedly handsome "Minamoto No Yoshitsune", a man who fancies himself as the embodiment of the Japanese "Samurai spirit". Iseya is quickly making a name for himself playing quirky roles and whose intensity and presence reminds me a lot of the late Heath Ledger.

London born Yoshino Kimura (Sakuran, The Backdancers) brings much passion, dignity and raw sexuality to her part as the tragic Shizuka. Momoi Kaori (Bounce No Ko Gal, Memoirs of a Geisha), who was also educated in London, is clearly at home with the English dialog and turns in a terrific performance as Ruriko.

Ishibashi Takaaki (one half of 80s comedy duo "Tunnels")steals the spotlight as Yoshitsune's sexually ambiguous henchman as does Kagawa Teruyuki (HERO, Tokyo.Sora) as the cowardly and opportunistic sheriff who seems almost possessed at times.

Following the heals of great modern western-themed movies and remakes of late like "No Country for Old Men" and "3:10 To Yuma", Miike's "Sukiyaki Western Django" is a fun and unique take on the western and as it's name suggests offers a clever take with a Japanese bent. Like trendy Asian "fusion" cuisine, "Sukiyaki" takes the best of both worlds and offers up something new yet oddly familiar. Bon appetite!

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Mostly brilliant merging of samurai and gunfighters as Takashi Miike takes back the genre Sergio Leone took to Italy, 30 marzo 2008

Author: dbborroughs de Glen Cove, New York

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Takashi Miike makes a samurai movie as a western. The Japanese cast speaks in English, the music is eclectic with strong spaghetti western influences, and the material is referential and full of homage and send up.

It begins with a Quentin Tarantino cameo, then switches to the story of two clans fighting over the supposed treasure in a small town. Into the stand off rides a stranger with no name.

Forgive the brevity, but if you've seen any number of spaghetti westerns then you've probably seen something like this story that spins out here. The tale of gold lust and warring factions isn't anything new. What is new is how Miike dresses it up. Clearly the Japanese could make a western if the wanted to. Its a clever re-imagining of the genre and is interesting enough to warrant at least a brief look see.

The problem with the film is that its 30 to 45 minutes too long. A very good first half hour gives way to long exposition in the middle hour, and while there are some genuinely nice moments its a little too plodding as it tries to cover one cliché too many. The film then picks up in the final 40 minutes with a huge shoot out. Its a schizo movie at times as things just go on and on. However when the film works- which it does at the ends and for a chunk of the middle, this is some of the best film making I've seen this year so far. The characters, the action, some set pieces are simply stunning, not to mention touching, there are several moments of real emotion.

And make no mistake, this is a spaghetti western, and the film is a bit more fun if you know the genre. For example the Django in the title will alert anyone who's seen the Franco Nero film of Django what is inside the coffin that is dragged around. You don't need the know the genre but it will help you identify what they are stealing from.

7 out of 10 for the mixed up and down nature of the film.

Probably the only one who could have pulled this off was Miike and he did it wonderfully.

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4 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Gempei War meets Yojimbo, 17 septiembre 2007

Author: moond0g de Ashiya, Japan

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Spoiler Note: as this movie is a remake, the spoiler here will not be a surprise to anyone who has seen Yojimbo or any of the earlier remakes.

I saw Sukiyaki Western Django (SWD) opening night in Kobe. It wasn't really my cup of ocha, as movies go, but I was impressed by the look of the movie, especially the opening sequence with Tarantino which has a bit of a manga feel, as mentioned in a thread on the board for this movie. I especially liked the sky right at the start. My biggest criticism is for the dialog. I'm not sure it was what they said or just how it was delivered, but it came off very stilted.

It's a very ambitious movie and is interesting in that it's more than just a Japanese remake of the Italian movies "Django" and "A Fistful of Dollars" (AFOD) which were remakes of the Japanese movie "Yojimbo." It's a conflation of Yojimbo/Django/AFOD story and and Gempei War which ended with the battle of Dan no Ura in 1160.

That war was between the Taira (or Heike), whose color was red, and the Minamoto (or Genji), whose color was white and those colors also figure predominately in SWD. Characters in the movie also share names with the leading figures in that War (Yoshitsune, Kiyomori, Benkei, etc.) although not in any logical way that could be discerned in a single viewing other than their association with either the White or Red sides.

The two colors are represented by roses though I cannot say that that comes from the War of the Roses as suggested by an earlier poster. Perhaps they did--I won't dispute it.

The Gempei War ended in a victory for the Whites (uniting all of Japan under one central power for the first time) unlike the movie where it seems to be a draw (or, more precisely, both sides lost).

I wondered if the (mostly) red rose at the end of the movie with the white background of snow was supposed to represent the flag of Japan which is also red and white--colors that have been used to represent Japan ever since the Gempei War.

Is it a 'good' movie? If the dialog were better, I'd say yes. However, as it is, I have to say I cannot recommend it to anyone other than hardcore fans of the spaghetti western & samurai genres or "Kill Bill" fans. Among those groups, I'm sure it will find fans.

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Give Takashi Miike a decent budget and just tell him to do whatever he wants., 15 mayo 2008

Author: Nate Rainey de United States

I've sat through several Miike garbage-fests. For years he's been on a schedule of straight-to-DVD tripe, bumbling franchise revival, and standard fare Japanese horror. The gems (of which there are plenty; Izo, Happiness of the Katakuris, Gozu, Dead Or Alive 2, 4.6 Billion Years of Love...etc.) don't outweigh the crap in quantity, but Miike's best films are masterpieces, if perhaps not all instant classics.

Add to that Sukiyaki Western Django, (someone who called it an 'udon western' seemed to have missed the point of the title) a film which seeks to tell an important story in Japanese history, but with a twist. Although this takes place in 1100 in Japan, these warriors are packing old west style guns, cowboy hats, and....hoodies and brightly dyed hair extensions? Yeah, that's right. It may come as a shock to some, but when a film maker's already laid down a premise that crosses time, space, and culture, I'd say he's free to sacrifice historical accuracy for visual flair.

Because the script is written in English, and the actors clearly aren't fluent, this film can be difficult. Japanese inflection applied to the English language can be easily mistaken for bad acting or a failure to grasp the meaning of the lines being spoken. But if you're willing to listen and excuse some crippling mispronunciations, you should find this very enjoyable....more on that.

The actors in this film are all people I'm largely unfamiliar with, which was nice. I'm used to the superstars: your Tadanobu Asano, your Masatoshi Nagase, etc. So new faces are refreshing. Hideaki Ito is very low key in his role of the Gunman; a nod to Clint Eastwood in every way. He is respectable, but with all that's going on around him, it's clear to see he's not so much the central character as the catalyst. I found it hard to care about him, and given Ito's top billing, I was expecting more. However, as the film progresses, you are able to forgive this and appreciate what screen time he has.

This story is really about the town. It's about the few who stuck around after their home was overtaken; a family of musicians and the Gollum-like schitzo sheriff, the latter of which is played brilliantly. I admit his part is somewhat shallow. Imagine that, someone with a split personality trying to play both sides! But as he is punished throughout the film, his delusions of grandeur become very entertaining.

Most important are the mother-daughter pair of Ruriko and Shizuka. Kaori Momoi proves herself a near perfect match for the battle-hardened Ruriko, a stumbling drunk older (but beautiful) woman, steaming edamame and smoking cigars until....well, you'll see. As the young mother and widow Shizuka, Yoshino Kimura is entrancing. Momoi was educated in London, and has a firm grasp on the English language, though ironically her part is not dictated by a delivery of lines, but rather by her ingenious body language. She scowls, slumps and mourns, carrying herself as a symbol of despair and emptiness, a despair best expressed by way of a haunting interpretive dance that is worth an award on its own.

This film also weighs heavily about the leaders of two rival gangs, both of whom are despicable yet somehow likable. Anytime I find myself pulling for someone who commits murder and rape in the same scene, I'm impressed. Tackling the role of the gang leader Kiyomori, (or 'Henry') Koichi Sato pulls off dense and idealistic very convincingly, and it's that which begs for our sympathy. Meanwhile Yusuke Iseya plays Yoshitsune, leader of the 'white' Genji clan, with a quiet and powerful dignity that would make him frightening, were he not a small skinny dude with a labret piercing. Both deliver short speeches summarizing their group's belief system, and while I was more occupied with rooting for them to pump out more than a line or two in English at a time than anything else, these scenes are both very memorable.

Finally, I must touch upon Mister Quentin Tarantino. Yes, he's in this film, and as much as I hate to admit it, his scenes are very enjoyable. I've heard many complaints, but anyone with even the most basic grasp of Tarantino's and/or Miike's sense of humor has to laugh. He is a welcome addition. His part is also later played by Christian Storms....you'll find out why you should care when you watch.

Other interesting characters pepper this film but they are usually forgettable at best, or set pieces at worst. The best example of this is the child, Heihachi, played by...I don't know who. He is supposedly a precious asset to the story, but delivers nothing. You can't blame the kid, but it is what it is.

In all, this film has no boundaries, but treats that freedom with respect. It is fun as hell, epic yet light, and by far the most original take on 12th century Japan's Heiji War you're gonna find. Despite some accessibility issues, is a masterpiece in every sense of the word.

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McCheesy's take on "Sukiyaki Western Django", 10 mayo 2008

Author: McCheesy de Philippines

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

The weirdest western film I have seen. Actually, its the only weird western film there is! Takashi Miike (I don't know the guy's previous works) is apparently a big shot director in Japan and his latest film "Sukiyaki Western Django" is an ode to Italian spaghetti Westerns and directors like Corbucci, Leone and Kurosawa. The film is about a gunslinger who is thrust in the middle of a town where two warring clans, the White Genjis and the Red Heikes, duke it out for the rumored treasure hidden deep in the town.

When I first heard about the film, I expected a lot of good old shootouts, above awesome dialogs and really, really cool characters. Upon watching it I only ended up with the really cool characters. The dialogs and script was not that bad but it would be really cool if the characters aren't stuttering with their "engrish". I honestly cannot understand what they're saying, I found it really hard to keep track with the flow of the story. The action is a complete zero. Its like hunting down the Loch Ness and you end up with a tadpole. The big showdown in the end wasn't really that cool and the supposed climax was a quick 5 second fight scene between the Gunman and the Genji leader.

Halfway through the film you'll find yourself painfully listen to the engrish these characters speak and you'd rather just get on with the ending than endure the carabao language, bad dialog and bizarre scenarios. On a positive note, the characters in the film looked really cool even though they were drenched in either white or red. Was there a dress code back in the 1100's? The Genji leader, sporting a frizzy windblown hairstyle, is a skilled gunman and swordsman. His coolness factor went off the roof when he shot his gun sideways and the bullet went straight to the poor guy with red highlights. The Heike leader's coolness factor went off the charts when he shot the white boys with a Gatling gun. Quentin Tarantino makes an appearance as Bloody Benten's husband, Ringo. Bloody Benten is a skilled marksman with eight hands, figuratively speaking. She helps the Gunman in the end but is soon killed by a conniving Gollum-like Sheriff.

"Sukiyaki" is style over substance. It had so much style that it affected the substance. 5/10

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Ree-diculous!, 1 abril 2008

Author: Olexei Tolchev (TurkishStain@yahoo.com) de Turkey

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Takashi Miike produced a film about a crybaby in a superhero costume who cut people in half with blades in his shoes, a guy who blew smoke out of his cheeks and somehow this movie is even more absurd than that. However, the film I'm talking about ICHI THE KILLER was a funny good time and I'm not exactly sure where to put this one. Obviously you cannot go wrong with Tarantino's brilliant performance, the most original man in all of cinema delights and surprises with his scene stealing and ability to just get lost in his characters. He even played an old man in this one! CRAZY! On the other hand you've got the broken English and I'll say quickly and quietly that I wasn't much a fan of this. It was enjoyable the first few minutes and DIFFERENT but as it reached the dragging portion of the film (ala the first hour), it got on my nerves and lost whatever little charm it had going for it. I was kinda sad not to see some of Miike's regulars not throw on the cowboy attire and pick up some revolvers and go at it. Riki Takeuchi and Sho Aikawa as gunmen? Yeah baby. As I've stated before, the first hour or so drags along quite slowly, putting down the typical story before all HELLS break loose. I liked the few nods to the LEONE westerns and DJANGO of course (diggin' the Japanese version of the DJANGO theme song in the credits). But let's face it, the movie is just so ridiculous, I couldn't help but laugh at some of the cheesy comedy moments and enjoy the last half hour which was some good ol' fashioned gunplay and carnage. Everybody basically dies, the Eastwood-like character rides out of town and the deed is done. Plus you get to see Tarantino show the Japanese how to act as he dons some very believable make-up that looks very familiar to the EMPEROR from the Star Wars films and just completely made me forget I was sorta not into the whole thing. So you've got a cheesy and mostly well done homage to Spaghetti Westerns with broken English and the greatest filmmaker of all time (and most original) with an excellent performance, you can't really complain.

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