Tokyo Nagaremono (Tokyo Drifter)
Suzuki Seijun1966
83 minutes
Class Notes
Week 11
Yakuza
Tokyo Nagaremono (Tokyo Drifter)
Suzuki Seijun
1966
83 minutes
Characters
Gangs
Kurata (now disbanded)
South
Umetami runs Western Saloon in Sasebo
Otsuka
North
Minato
People
Tetsu(ya): Young yakuza from Kurata gang which has gone honest
Kurata: his oyabun
Yoshii: holds mortgage on Kurata Building
Chiharu:singer,
Kumamoto A member of Kurata's group
Shimada a friend of Kurata in Shonai
Sasebo: Town where there is a US military base
Saloon Western
Otsuka: Oyabun for rival group
Tanaka Member of gang
Viper Tetsu: gang member
Mutsuko: Works for Yoshii, girl friend of Otsuka member
Fujimura: gang member
Ken(ji): (Shooting Star) now with Kurata's pal Umetani in Sasebo
former gang member now a loner
Umetani: runs Western Cabaret
Tamura Another oyabun
South Group:
Oyabun
Senzo
North Group:
Oyabun is friend of Otsuka
Sakai Detective
Places
Kurata building
Club Aruru: where Chiharu works
Manhole Music Tea Room: Rival's club
Western Saloon in Sasebo
Terms
Yakuza: member of the underworld; gangster
Kyokyaku: "macho leader"
Oya: - group leader also "parent"
Ko: follower in a group or "parent"
Nihirizumu: nihilism
Nihirisuto: nihilist
mizu shobai: Water business: trades often with Yakuza involvement. Bars, clubs etc.
Bijutsu: visual arts
Iki: "in" "hep" "with a flair"
Kakko ii: "Bella figura" (good figure)
Chi no matsuri: blood ritual. Describes films with lots of blood flow
Mujo: A Buddhist term meaning the transience of life
Wa: social harmony
Giri: Social obligation
Ninjoo: feelings
Jingi: ethical concept. Jin: beneficence, brotherly love; gi: righteousness
Bushidoo: The Way of the Warrior. Samurai code of ethics. Appears about the time of Edo period: martial spirit, loyalty to lord, sense of personal honor, devotion to duty, courage to sacrifice one's life in battle or ritual suicide.
Irezumi: tattoos
dokata Day laborer
homoerotic/homosocial: A distinction made now between male bonding which is "erotically charged" (homoerotic) or social - men prefer company of other men, not for sexual reasons (homosocial)
BEFORE THE FILM
The Director Suzuki - bad boy made "unintelligible" films. He made two more, including Branded to Kill before being fired from Nikkatsu film company. In very atypical move, he sued the company and won. His harassment by the studio makes some wonder if the Yakuza films aren't somewhat "autobiographical"
Some writers claim that the film is like a masochistic cartoon in which violence is unreal. The Yakuza - in film and reality.
Yakuza comes from the words for 8 9 and 3 which add up to 20 - a losing number in a card game, hence the term means, in a sense, "losers"
Historically they appear in the Edo period and they are gamblers, thieves, petty criminals who drifted around the larger cities in those days They do not constitute a social class like the Eta
Traditionally the government had appointed people to help control districts who had some respect in order to keep order and were traditionally construction workers (day laborers, dokata) or fireman and other "blue collar" type of workers of the day In those days in the popular imagination, these local "macho men" called kyokyaku or became larger than life figures somewhat akin to Robin Hood robbing the rich to help the needy, with a strong sense of honor based on the Way of the Samurai. Kunisada Chuji and Shimizu no Jirocho were popular local heroes who became popular subjects of their day.
Film
Yakuza films start pre war (earliest is 1927 - Ito Daisuke's Chuji Tabi Nikki (Chiji's Travel Diary), but enjoyed an enormous popularity in the 1960's
Early films person becomes a Yakuza going from inside society to outside society. After fighting off bad official disappears as a loner and a fighter against the feudal system.
Some feel that the Yakuza films continue the Chushingura tradition of the samurai. The super samurai who move from town to town, helping locals out of trouble, punishing evil and rewarding good Super samurai are the film precursors. The yakuza are seen as fighting a rear guard battle against a corrupting age.
In many of the early fims, and to some degree in modern ones, women symbolize family and desire for that state
Some films have the Yakuza distressed by his outsider status; others rejoice in it.
Later films allow for girl friends but they are often parts of mizu shobai: night clubs, bars, etc.
1952 new approach: hero yakuza is Wakaki hi no Jirochoo: Hero is outsider but not outcast. Jingi/ninjoo opposition is muted since Yakuza are positive. Problem becomes bad rival Yakuza groups violate jingi for selfish gains. Conflict is not hero vs. bad guy (eg boss henchman), but gang war which puts antagonist on more equal footing). Notice this is just as US pulls out and there is a new society that requires charismatic leadership, group loyalty and social harmony. Also action moves from country to city
1. situation which is like "paradise" or idyllic.
2. arrival of fat man (often foreign - Chinese, Korean or Japanese American) dressed in western clothes, cigar smoking in big car often American. The villain! Paradise is invaded.
3. Attack of the "bad gang"
4. Help from good gang
Bad guys tend to be "bad gang" and corrupt politicians both influenced by foreign ways
The head of the gang is called oya Good ones are benevolent, an idol to protect. Often thought of as both indulgently maternal as well as paternal in keeping children happy. Admonishes ko to be patient, not to rock the boat, hold feelings in check.
Bad oyabun are strong, vigorous and healthy - a real leader than a symbol - more like Bogart or Cagney.
In the course of the story, provocation becomes worse. More attacks, girl friend prostitute with heart of gold is killed; one of the brothers in the good gang is beaten up, and finally the good oyabun is shot in the back. Cowardly. Guns are symbolically western (read foreign) and true Japanese fight with swords.
Oyabun days arguing for restraint.. members start wailing and crying and finally want to avenge the act. Hero then takes over and chastises them for behaving like that in front of the oyabun. Takes off his coat with gang symbol on it (symbolically removing himself from the group) and, acting alone goes to deal with bad guys, (often with title song in the background) which he does, usually mortally wounded. He returns to the gang where he usually dies in the arms of his best friend.
Group identity
Wa and consensus vs. individual
Giri vs. Ninjo Duty vs. feeling
Irizumi: tattoos - marker of commitment among Yakuza (and often construction workers, etc.)
Yakuza songs Kyodai Jingi. Titles often contain "ethical name"
Sake cup presentation as acceptance of position with group
All male group solidarity has led to films having a kind of "homoerotic" component to them which is revealed in same sexed best friend; rejection of women, etc. More recent thought has developed a concept of "homosocial" which characterizes a non erotic bond between people. Japanese sexual mores (customs, beliefs) are tolerant in some ways than American ones. Sexual proclivities are not generally frowned on, as long as proper proticol is kept. People should be married to opposite sexed partners, etc.
There appears to be a kind of misogyny in these films - a hostility to or outright violence against women, who are often seen as threats to loyalty to other men which is the greater obligation
Violence, Humor and Aesthetics (Beauty)
There is little doubt that humor and violence are often closely related and perhaps in some ways both cathartic. All three of these have cultural interpretations and are hard to deal with on a cross cultural level. What one individual sees as funny, another may not. What one generation sees as funny, the next may not. What one culture sees as funny another may not. (Consider in the U.S. what has been called "bathroom humor" or vulgarity.)
The nature of humor is quite complex. Some humor is thought of as "inappropriate" which indicates a kind of context in which humor is acceptable. Scenes of violence, death and so on may be thought of as inappropriate by some and offensive to their sensibilities. What is the role of humor relative to violence in this film? Tokyo Nagaremono (Tokyo Drifter)
Suzuki is known for his off beat films. In this film there are many things to watch for. The first is how the film fits, fails to fit, or modifies the Yakuza genre.
How are Suzuki's relationship with nihilistic philosophy and Buddhist concepts of mujo (or transience in life are apparent in the film?
How does Suzuki deal with violence as humorous? How is violence handled in the film
What kind of theatricality is involved in the film? Does it, like Ikiru have Brechtian overtones?
Questions: Things to watch for in the film:
What kind of oyabun are there?
What is relationship with his oyabun?
Does this place the film in the genre?
Sartorial code?
clothing
tattoos?
concept of iki
Editing
Watch scene in which Kurata is saved
AFTER FILM
Pre-war Japan had been steeped in feudal morals and ethics. Up until and through the war, outside writers were ignored, banned and seen as bad. After the war Japanese people became enamoured of Marxism, and many of the films we have seen reflect this - the idea of social justice, empathy for the underdog which still permeates much of academia. The generations which followed, like Suzuki, were exposed to more philosophies and witnessed Marxism degenerate into Stalinism.
Theatricality (histrionics) Lighting (use of color), editing, main character singing his "title song"; do these things make you consciously aware of the film as film? Consider especially the "pose". What effect does that have on the viewer? The idea of striking a pose seems to be common in certain aspects of Japanese culture. It has been reported for example for "geisha entrances" into public spaces. Suzuki usually uses this moment to play the "theme song" in the background. They become (according to some) moments of transient beauty. Since all things are seen as transient, Suzuki holds that only humor can serve as "salvation". Brecht uses these kinds of moments to reject empathy, Suzuki uses them to enforce a kind of "pathetic beauty" and hence induce empathy. This is an interesting situation where the same technique is producing absolutely opposite results. The beauty is also transient, like fireworks, and full of pathos therefore. They are also mildly funny because they allow a kind of recognition that things will pass and whatever is going on can not be taken too seriously.
Editing
Watch scene in which Kurata is saved. Can you tell where each scene is or how it is connected to the next?
Can you tell who is who? Faces are not shown
Violence and Humor
Suzuki says that the power to construct is not very great. The power to destroy is. He sites as an example Hiraizumi a Buddhist temple which was destroyed. He says no one really paid much attention to it while it stood, only after it was destroyed did it begin to form in the mind. Cultures and civilizations likewise become more "real" after they are gone. The idea of "image" resurfaces here once again.
If the world is mor or less meaningless and transient does anything matter? Hence humor can be almost anywhere, especially in places where people do "meaningful acts" which are ultimately meaningless. IN THE FILM
Is the film about a loner or a member of a group? Is the problem between groups or between an individual and the group?
Film deals with a yakuza group gone honest and one that hasn't. This is typical of the situation of the later yakuza films
What kind of oyabun are there?
The two oyabun conforms to the normal pattern. Testu's oyabun Kurata is elderly, not too functional. Has no wife and is lost without one. Plays both motherly and fatherly role
What is relationship with his oyabun?
Traditional and very proper. Won't work for an oyabun he doesn't like. He's s like a father to him.
Is willing to pay Yoshii "with his life" if debt fails. Very typical willingness to die for proper reason
Says beating was nothing, oyabun is suffering too
Happy and sad to see oyabun puttering around like that
Tetsu is off women
Ignores girlfriend on passing train
Carries gun (not too proper)
Giri - ninjo
Occurs later when asks I've reformed but it it all right to let them down
I'm reformed but is it right to leave
Building was someone else's then yours, now mine. Transitory nature
Sartorial code:
Bad yakuza boss - sun glasses, sting tie
Good one
Reversal of event - bad guys girl friend is killed
Sake cup presentations with South group oyabun
Attack between North and South Group. Swords vs guns
Country more traditional
Ken left Otsuka "lost sense of obligation"
Does this place the film
Film is clearly later
Develops close friend in Ken
Humor
Fall in elevator
Death without sound of Yoshii employee
Hero sings own theme song to announce his coming
Gun fight
Arrival of Viper through wall - shot in mirror
Getting tripped by tree
Fight in bar
Final shootout in night club. Very theatrical sets
Editing
Temporal and spatial distortions. Hard to tell where and when you are.
Scene where Kurata and Otsuko plot to get rid of Tetsu and exchange Chiharu. Intercuts with things happening that haven't yet
Color
Appearance of red around violence: train track tie, lantern, lamp in club
Final transitory change - boss is not loyal or with a sense of giri.
Leaves woman to be "drifter"
Boss has some "honor" slits wrists
Not really calling for return to old values
Ultimately, even though Testu does hold on to the values - what is the point? Will be become jaded like Ken? Excesses do what in the film?
The film produces a great deal of "artifical violence" - that is to say one can not take the violence as realistic. By abstracting it in that way it is viewable, and removed from any real characters who have already been distanced from the audience by the strong "theatrical" quality of the film which constantly calls attentin to itself, as did Ikiru for other reasons.
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