Stylish with dramatic b/w photography at the start and near b/w in the later snow scenes but bright and colourful sequences along the way with great use made of neon signs and the pop colours of the late 60s design. The yakuza tale told is, as usual, rather confusing. its partly all the unfamiliar names that we find difficulty in remembering or differentiating from each other and partly because there are certain taken for granted bits and bobs that are not so obvious to western audiences. Not least do we find the 'honour' concept hard to comprehend, 'giri' being rather different to our pretty basic comprehension of the US TV representations of their own mafia. But never mind, here we have the ultimate 'Mr Cool' treading a difficult path, this way and that, indeed becoming the 'Tokyo Drifter' and we just have to stop fighting it and accept what is presented and enjoy.
Review of Tokyo Drifter
