Dead Or Alive [DVD] [1999]

Fine stuff from Japanese director Takashi. Dead or alive is a gangster style flick that revolves around a turf tussle between the chinese triads and the japanese yakuza. At the front of the film is a tough cop intent on putting and end to the reign of terror...yeah sounds boringly familiar doesn't it. In truth this film has a fairly thin story but the set pieces and shock value it incorperates make it an enjoyable view.

The paddling pool scene is particularly memorable as is the much hyped but still excellent opening scene. My favourite section from the film must be the crazy party shootout though which has seen many isolated viewings in my player. Definitely one for the boys.

In the interview for the region 2, Tartan DVD of Dead or Alive, filmmaker Takashi Miike relates the details of the film's haphazard conception; proudly stating that the film was made in reaction to the money hungry producers who approached the gonzo filmmaker with the two male leads and the basic outline of a plot - and then told him to base whatever he wanted around them - safe in the knowledge that the star power alone would be enough to make it a hit. Thus, Miike's idea of for the film was to purposely go against this notion and to fill the film with enough jaw-dropping scenes and situations as to make it incredibly difficult for the film to play to any kind of mainstream audience. In doing so, he managed to create a lucrative three-film franchise that seems to parody the kind of Yakuza-based crime stories that the director was initially known for; whilst simultaneously deconstructing the entire language of the film in a way that is both satirical and highly subversive.

Of course, this kind of cinematic excess is easy to appreciate on paper, but perhaps not so exciting for those of us looking for a "proper film"... and, if the second half of this statement relates to you, then most probably Dead or Alive is something you might want to miss (if you do want to see Miike handle a more routine crime story, then I suggest his Triad Society trilogy, including the films Shinjuku Triad Society, Lay Lines and Rainy Dog). Dead or Alive shares certain similarities to those films, but takes it to an extreme level, in which the story is heightened to an almost preposterous level; characterised by that crashing introduction which plays like the opening credits of some hard-hitting TV cop show (only featuring topless pole dancers, excessive shoot outs, high-street assassinations and kinky homosexual sex) right the way through to that jaw-dropping final; which will no doubt have the majority of viewers scratching their heads and staring blankly at the screen in shocked disbelief. Oh no, he didn't!!! Oh, but he did!!!

So, we have a film that will certainly appeal to Miike's core audience of devoted followers who will try desperate to track down all of the 586 films he directs per year, but perhaps won't appeal to those unfamiliar with the broader aspects of the director's work. As other reviewers have pointed out, the film's main flaw is that it's incredibly lightweight; the kind of film made for the hell of it by a director undoubtedly having a ball trying to out do him self scene after scene after scene; as the story escalates into literally life-changing dimensions. Yes, it's often quite shocking and yes, it's often hilarious, but for me, it lacks the intellectual depth and broader artistic strokes of social satire that mark out Miike's greatest works; films such as The Bird People in China, Audition, Gozu, Visitor Q, Shinjuku Triad Society and The Happiness of the Katakuris.

Still, with that said, it is an enormous amount of fun for those in the mood, as Sho Aikawa's beleagured detective goes head to head with Riki Takeuchi's deflected Yakuza turned Triad against a backdrop of armed-robbery, drug trafficking, deceit, honour, family and revenge. The film's main talking points are obviously the opening and closing scenes, but between that, we have more controversial Miike-touches including a number of hyper-kinetic shoot-outs, a meeting with a sleazy pornographer (including an extremely graphic bestiality joke) and the sight of one character drowned in a paddling pool of their own excrement. There's also solid performances from the two main leads, in particular Sho Aikawa - one of my favourite Japanese cult-actors - as well as a typically manic supporting role from Miike regular Renji Ishibashi, as well as the usual imaginative cinematography, evocative soundtrack (including that thumping main theme) and a complete disregard for all notions of cinematic logic.

Dead or Alive isn't classic Takashi Miike, but it's certainly typical of his style. My advice to those new to Miike would be to try films like Audition, Ichi the Killer, The Happiness of the Katakuris and the Triad Society/Black Society trilogy first before progressing onto the warped brilliance of the three Dead or Alive projects. If, however, you're already fairly familiar with Miike's work, then I'd say give this one a try. You might not love it, but you'll certainly never forget it.

The beggining and the end of this film are extreme stuff, it's crazy, punk-rock, way-over-the-top action, it's quite insane. However, the rest of it is completely different in tone, being a more serious story about gangs and a cop trying to pay for his daughters operation. Maybe it's just me, but I found the plot quite hard to follow, and there are some cultural references that we westerners don't generally know about. It's easier if you read the film notes that are on the DVD, but they kind of give away the ending.

This film wasn't as extreme as had been made out, but it's still pretty hardcore. The two or three scenes people have made most reference to were not at all how I expected, but may be more surprising if you don't know they're there. However, the bit where the man fries his own hand was quite silly and not believable enough to be either funny or shocking.

After the trailer, and the beggining of the film (the two are actually quite similar), I was hoping and expecting the rest of the film to be at least somewhat similar, but it's almost like a different film, and after the ultra-violent black humour of the opening sequence, you're not really prepared to take the characters seriously, so any attempt to care for them doesn't really work. The director seems to like playing with peoples expectations, but in this case so what if it doesn't really work?

This film is worth a watch, and may improve with repeat viewings, although it does rely on shock tactics.

The DVD is fine, no problems with picture or sound, and there's some fairly interesting extras.