Review of Tokyo Drifter (1966) by Chris B — 16 Jan 2012

Criterion have finally made an essential upgrade from their old DVD version and have realized a beautiful and faithful representation of Seijun Suzuki's "Tokyo Drifter"! This along with the film "Branded to Kill" released the following year, and ultimately getting Suzuki fired, are his most acclaimed and well known films of the renegade Director.

The B&W opening with the overblown contrast is captured beautifully and really is poetic in it's image and being. The film then progresses into color and into the lives of various men and women both in and involved in some way to the Yakuza.

Tetsuya Watari plays Hondo Tetsuya who is a skilled yakuza trying to go straight along with his boss and beat their old habits of the gang. This dream is torn apart as another rival syndicate enters the picture and threatens everything.

The film is what I would consider an artistic action film that explodes with every gun fight and set piece with style to spare! The film is disjointed and crosscuts are used right as we are about to see something happen and then we are hours away and in a different area then before.

It isn't until we realize that even though we didn't see the kill or other action, it was done and we have already moved on in the story in order to fit such a film into 82 minutes. This film is a fun and artsy adventure film that uses it's plot to advance the film to and from set pieces that the heart of the stylish film resides and is a blast to watch knowing the intention of the Director.