SA Interview with Patrick Galloway

[Obenjo Kusanosuke]

Recently, I sat down for a fun-filled email interview with Patrick Galloway, author of Stray Dogs & Lone Wolves: The Samurai Film Handbook and Asia Shock: Horror and Dark Cinema from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong & Thailand . We are honored to inaugurate the Samurai Archives’ Author Interview Series with such a distinguished guest and valued forum member. This is the first part of our on-going discussion and once the interview is finished, the thread will be unlocked so people can post comments and a few additional questions for Patrick. So without further ado, let’s get on with the interview!

OK: Tell us, what got you interested in samurai films? What was the first one you saw?

PG: Way back when I first discovered the Criterion Collection -- that's where I found Yojimbo and Seven Samurai. So like many others, I entered the world of the samurai through the doorway of Akira Kurosawa. I had also been a student of Eastern philosophy for many years, and the Zen aesthetic was attractive to me. Later I found Zatoichi and began to develop an awareness of chambara in terms of the different studios (Toho, Daiei, Shochiku, etc.)

OK: What motivated you to write Stray Dogs and Lone Wolves? I thought this was one heck of a book and it was ‘love at first read’. You really take the reader by the hand on a grand tour of samurai cinema in a way that entertains and educates at the same time.

PG: At the time I wrote the book, there was only one other text wholly devoted to the samurai film genre, Alain Silver's then-out-of-print The Samurai Film. While I've gotten much from Silver's book, there's no denying it's written in a dry, academic style. I wanted to create a book that was informative and fun to read, expressing my personal enthusiasm for the genre. In this way I could offer an alternative to Silver and establish my own style.

OK: How did you come up with the idea of Takuan, "the know-it-all priest"? This was quite a clever idea.

PG: This was a Q&A device to help people new to Japanese film/culture get a handle on some of the more bewildering cultural traditions they're bound to encounter watching the films. I appropriated the irascible yet wise Takuan from the Musashi Miyamoto saga, one of the first stops on many a journey through samurai film.

OK: Is there a specific period of Japanese history you have become interested in because of samurai films?

PG: Since the majority of samurai films take place during the Tokugawa period, that was, of course, my initial fascination. But many films are set during the Sengoku, and a few in the Heian, and these periods have definitely caught my interest as well. The Meiji era is technically no longer jidai geki, but there have been great films set then as well, such as Kenji Misumi's The Last Samurai and the Lady Snowblood films. I think the Meiji is of particular interest to Westerners, as it was a period of rapid westernization, a time when, almost overnight, topknots and kimonos gave way to top hats and frock coats.

OK: How did you find the Samurai Archives? What was it that led you here?

PG: Initially it was my own curiosity, inspired by the films. Once the samurai film obsession had taken hold, I wanted to learn as much as I could about the history and real personages portrayed in the pictures I was discovering. Later I came to rely on the SA as a valuable resource for my research, both with SD&LW and my upcoming Warring Clans, Flashing Blades: A Samurai Film Companion (out Fall '09).

OK: Has the study of Japanese history helped give you any additional insights into the samurai films you view?

PG: I'm always interested in distinguishing samurai fact from samurai fiction. A deeper understanding of the history serves to enhance one's enjoyment of the films. You get a kick out of seeing an historical figure or event faithfully represented, but it's also fun to know when things are getting changed around for dramatic effect (which is more often the case).

OK: Who are your favorite jidai geki stars and what is that you specifically like about these actors/actresses?

PG: Good lord, where to begin? Big name stars I particularly like include Tatsuya Nakadai, Raizo Ichikawa, Shintaro Katsu, Kinnosuke Nakamura and Toshiro Mifune. However, I'm also quite fond of a whole range of character actors and second-tier stars like Tomisaburo Wakayama, Tetsuro Tamba, Eijiro Tono, Makoto Sato, Yoshio Harada, Shigeru Amachi, Kamatari Fujiwara, Kunie Tanaka, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Rentaro Mikuni, Etsushi Takahashi, Mikio Narita, Yoshio Inaba -- and that's just the guys. As for the ladies, there's Isuzu Yamada, Yoko Kagawa, Yoshiko Kuga, Machiko Kyo, Nobuko Otowa, Kinuyo Tanaka, Meiko Kaji and of course the girls of Daiei: Masayo Banri, Shiho Fujimura and Miwa Takada.

OK: I noticed Brick McBurly didn’t make your list. Why? I’m struggling to understand this. I thought he was brilliant in his jidai geki debut The Dog Style Shogun. Even though we couldn’t see his face throughout the movie, his portrayal of Hattori Hanzo left me speechless.

PG: Brick who? Is that the white guy who plays a samurai in Kiss makeup? Otherwise I don't know who you're talking about. Why would you bring up some silly-named nobody in an interview like this? You were doing pretty good until this last question...

OK: Umm... that’s me who wears the KABUKI, not KISS makeup! Well, fine. Brick didn’t make your list, but I think he deserves some credit for his portrayal of Hanzo. Speaking of ninjas, there are a lot of folks out there who are fans of ninja films. There are some highly entertaining films out there, but it is really easy to fall into the trap of believing that ninja existed as they are portrayed in so many of the schlockier films. Did you fall into this ninja trap? I know I did!

PG: Actually, I took this issue to heart in my research and discussions of ninja films in my upcoming book. Although there were real, historical ninja, they were essentially just spies, and operated in much the same way spies do in all eras i.e. gathering intelligence, creating political instability, carrying out assassinations, etc. The black pajamas and super powers are the stuff of kabuki theater.

OK: Can you tell us which ninja movies you’d recommend? Are there any we should avoid?

PG: The ninja films I review in the new book run the gamut from classics like Shinobi no Mono and Samurai Spy to fun stuff like Watari, Ninja Boy. I think the worst thing I ever saw was something called Master Ninja with Lee Van Cleef and Timothy Van Patten.

OK: Yeah, that Lee Van Cleef and Timothy Van Patten thing was actually also a TV show. As a kid, I was surprised to see that ‘Salami’ (Van Patten’s character in the TV show ‘White Shadow’) became a ninja after graduating from Carver High School! I hate to get philosophical on you, but I’ve got to ask this. Do you consider chambara and jidai geki to be distinctly different film categories, or do you consider chambara to be a sub-genre of jidai geki?

PG: I'd say the latter. The term jidai geki, "period drama," covers historical periods up to 1868 (gendai geki picks it up from there to the present). So any film set before 1868 is technically jidai geki. It could be a chambara, an art film or a melodrama -- it's all jidai geki, at least as I understand it.

OK: The reason why I asked the above question is because some people turn their noses up at chambara, thinking that they are too low-brow. But I think it could be said that some chambara films rank as some of the best jidai geki films ever made. Would you agree with this statement? If so, what films come to mind?

PG: My feelings on this can be summed up by two words on page 12 of SD&LW, "chambara rocks!" As you know, chambara is an onomatopoetic term, referring to the sound of clashing swords. So any jidai geki film that has a fair amount of swordplay qualifies, I suppose, although some critics reserve the term for what they consider cheap, forgettable program pictures. Frankly, I've never seen such a picture. Even the most routine chambara film, at least among the ones I've seen, has a certain character, a certain intensity borne of bushido and the giri/ninjo conflict. And, as you mention, there are scores of chambara films that are true masterworks of cinema. Take any of the chambara films of Hideo Gosha, Kihachi Okamoto or Kenji Misumi, filmmakers who are to their genre what John Ford, Anthony Mann and Budd Boetticher are to the American western. Even such luminaries as Akira Kurosawa and Masaki Kobayashi have worked in the genre, creating landmark films like Harakiri, Sanjuro, Samurai Rebellion and Seven Samurai. So I think it's safe to say that, far from some derogatory term, chambara encompasses a wide range of fabulous films that continue to enrich and entertain year after year.

END OF PART ONE


Pat Galloway says: “Be sure to check back here for part two of my interview!”
_________________

Heee heee! Shita iro! Shita iro! Here comes his lordship, Baka Tono!
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[Obenjo Kusanosuke]

OK: Hi Pat! Welcome back for part two of our interview. We left off part one with you mentioning some fabulous films that were directed by some of Japan’s all-time great jidai geki directors. I know from past discussions that you are fan of Mizoguchi Kenji’s films. Mizoguchi was a master filmmaker in his own right but never found the kind of overseas commercial success that Kurosawa enjoyed. Can you tell us what it is about Mizoguchi’s directorial style that is so appealing to you? Why do you think that Mizuguchi remained relatively unknown in some key overseas markets such as America?

PG: Kenji Mizoguchi is considered one of the Big Three Japanese auteurs, along with Ozu and Kurosawa (a triumvirate demarcated decades ago by film critics here and abroad). His style is fluid, graceful and magnificent. There are three reasons why Mizoguchi's profile in the US has never been as high as Kurosawa's: 1) Kurosawa was at Toho, a studio with distribution deals and a chain of theaters in the US (as opposed to Mizoguchi's studio, Daiei, which had neither); 2) Kurosawa's style is far more influenced by American film (he idolized John Ford), and is thus more accessible to American audiences than Mizoguchi's; and 3) Mizoguchi's choice of subject matter was a bit dark for American audiences -- cruelty and prostitution were two big themes for him, not the kind of topics that are going to sell a lot of popcorn. Mizoguchi was much bigger in Europe, particularly in France. Andre Bazin, François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard lauded him in Cahiers du cinéma during the 50's, considering him greater than Kurosawa. Style-wise, the fundamental difference between Kurosawa and Mizoguchi is that, as Mizoguchi himself famously stated, his films unfurl like a scroll, rather than moving from cut to cut like the turning pages of a book. Mizoguchi's takes are longer, the camera often moving from scene to scene, rather than cutting like Kurosawa.

OK: And it’s a little strange, but while Mizoguchi got the credit he deserved in Japan, Kurosawa was often panned. Why was that?

PG: Ironically, it was due to Kurosawa's early success in Europe and America. Rashomon won the Grand Prix at the Venice International Film Festival and the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1951. Japanese critics, in a stunningly xenophobic turn, assumed that if Western critics liked his films, there must be something wrong with his work, that it couldn't be authentically Japanese (for then, surely it would be incomprehensible to the West). Bear in mind this was just a few short years after Japan's defeat in World War II, and some measure of antipathy towards the West is understandable. Plus his films did exhibit a Western influence. Nevertheless, he was ill-served by these early critiques, and they disturbed him deeply.

OK: Staying on the subject of directors, some have had an incredible ability to make their stars shine brighter than usual on the silver screen resulting in some very special director - actor collaborations. We all know about Kurosawa and Mifune, but take an incredible actor like Nakadai Tatsuya—who possesses an unbelievable range of talent. But is there one director, whom in your opinion made Nakadai’s star burn brighter than it normally does?

PG: Well my first thought is Masaki Kobayashi who gave Nakadai his start, introducing him to the world in profound and disturbing films likeBlack River and the Human Condition trilogy. But Tatsuya Nakadai had already been acting on the stage prior to his screen debut with Kobayashi, and his particular star tends to burn quite brightly no matter which director he's working with. Take a look at his performances in Satsuo Yamamoto's Blood End, Hideo Gosha's Goyokin, Kihachi Okamoto's Sword of Doom, Kurosawa's Ran, Kon Ichikawa's The Key, Kenji Misumi's Zatoichi -- The Festival of Fire, Masahiro Shinoda's Buraikan, Shiro Toyoda's Portrait of Hell, Mikio Naruse's When a Woman Ascends the Stairs, hell, even Tonino Cervi's spaghetti western Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die (Nakadai plays a psychotic Mexican bandit in that one). He's always brilliant, always gives 100% and is, in my opinion, the greatest Japanese actor of the 20th century (and beyond ... ).



OK: Do you think Shinoda Masahiro brought out the best in Iwashita Shima? By the way, I was surprised she didn’t make your list of favorite actresses! But seriously, she has an unnerving beauty and sensuality that when combined with her on-screen intelligence, is enchanting to the point of lethality! I intend to rest my case by mentioning her collaboration with Shinoda, who is also her husband, in his amazing Under the Blossoming Cherry Trees. You wrote a very good piece about this film in your book, Asia Shock. Would you agree that this film is a perfect marriage of the jidai geki and horror genres? The film is violent, sexually charged and downright spooky!

PG: I would put Shima Iwashita in the same class as Nakadai, a consummate professional and transcendently gifted performer who tends to shine no matter who she's working for. I think it's the lesser talents that need a director to "bring out the best" in them (like, say, Brad PItt needs David Fincher -- I've never seen Pitt top his performance in Fight Club). So yes, Iwashita's terrific. Having said that, she's not one of my favorites. You mentioned the term unnerving, and that's what I get from her, an ice queen vibe that makes a performance like that in Under the Blossoming Cherry Trees all the more disturbing. The scene where she suckles a severed head -- not for a minute did I doubt her sincerity, and that's pretty shocking! Incidentally, I give her her props in the new book, Warring Clans, Flashing Blades.

OK: What other jidai geki horror films would you recommend?

PG: Well there's Kobayashi's Kwaidan for starters. That's four films in one, so you definitely get your money's worth there, plus a great cast: Rentaro Mikuni, Tatsuya Nakadai, Tetsuro Tamba, and Katsuo Nakamura as Hoichi the Earless! Then there are a number of film versions of the classic The Ghost of Yotsuya to check out; I'd particularly recommend the 1959 version directed by King of Japanese Horror Nobuo Nakagawa. Teruo Ishii's The Joy of Torture is fairly horrendous, cataloging heinous acts of cruelty down through the ages. In the new book I discuss freaky jidai geki films like the bloody revenge thriller Shura, the supernatural, Heian era drama Kuroneko and the gruesome Toei exploitation flick Quick-Draw Okatsu (all highly recommended).

OK: Yes, those are indeed very good films. I do think that one of the great things about jidai geki, is that as period pieces, you can drop any kind of genre into them, such as musicals and comedies and make them work quite well. And regarding comedies, I really think that Okamoto Kihachi was able to bring a very sharp and witty sense of humor to his jidai geki directorial efforts. Which of his films make you laugh?

PG: I think Kill! and Warring Clans are two of his funniest, most uproarious films. But what's amazing about Okamoto is his ability to blend comedy with drama, action and violence, often in the same scene! Okamoto fought in World War II and experienced his share of carnage. The dark absurdities of war instilled in him a gallows humor that shows up in many of his films, particularly the ones in which he had the most creative control. Unfortunately, he was often at odds with the Toho brass, and some of his films clearly show a stifled Okamoto phoning it in (see Battle of Okinawa).

OK: Sadly East Meets West , Okamoto’s 1995 “samurai in the Wild West” comedy, hasn’t been legitimately released on DVD in the US or other overseas markets. It’s a shame as nearly half the movie is in English and I thought Takenaka Naoto was a real treat to watch. He kept me in stitches! Have you managed to see it?

PG: No, that's yet another film on my ever-lengthening wish list.

OK: And what about another samurai western, Red Sun, featuring the fearsome threesome of Mifune Toshiro, Charles Bronson and Alain Deon? What do you think of this movie?

PG: Not bad. But take Mifune out of the equation and it's a pretty routine affair. There are some great set pieces, though, with Mifune and Bronson fighting together against hordes of attackers -- the sword 'n pistol combo is exciting and unique. And as always, Alain Delon is super cool and Ursula Andress is smoking hot!

OK: Ah, yes, I see what you mean. And thanks for bringing up the fact that Ursula Andress starred in that movie as well. It seems that after this film, she went on to star in some not-so-great soft-core Italian exploitation films. And speaking of exploitation movies, this is also a genre that has shown up under the guise of jidai geki to give us some surprisingly entertaining B-style films during the 1970s and early 80s. One such series of films were the Hanzo the Razor movies starring the late and great Katsu Shintaro, of Zatoichi fame. You wrote about this series in Stray Dogs and Lone Wolves and this convinced me to plop down the cash to buy the set, even though I’m not the biggest fan of exploitation jidai geki. I actually really enjoyed these films! What’s your take on the Hanzo the Razor series?

PG: It's all in the book, Obenjo. The fact that I wrote reviews for all three movies, rather than a blanket review of the trilogy, speaks to my enthusiasm for this short-lived, severely twisted, boisterously priapic series. As you may know, the films were based on a manga by Kazuo Koike (of Lone Wolf & Cub fame). I have a particular passion for manga movies, as they tend to occupy most outrageous corner of Japanese cinema.

OK: But I do have to say, I thought Brick McBurly, in Samurai Sexecutioner put Katsu’s “Hanzo” to shame in oh so many ways. The “enormity” of it all was quite funny! What did you think of this film? I thought it was another McBurly masterpiece!

PG: Since our last interview, I took it upon myself to screen a film starring this McBurly guy you seem so keen on, the very film you mention in fact. It didn't merit more than a two-word review so I guess I'll go with "pond scum," or better, "shit sandwich."

OK: What’s up with you and Brick? I guess it is fair to say that none of Brick’s films will make your desert isle top ten list! So, if you were on a deserted island all to yourself with a TV, DVD player and a power source, what would be the top 10 samurai movies you’d want with you?

PG: Well Yojimbo and Sanjuro, I couldn't really live without those. Gosha's Hunter In the Dark, that's one you can watch over and over. I'd need a Nemuri Kyoshiro picture, so I'd take my favorite, Sleepy Eyes of Death: Sword of Seduction (no wait, that's only on VHS ... ). A Bloody Spear on Mt. Fuji, now there's a great film! And Kenji Misumi's The Last Samurai is incredible. What are we up to? Six? Hmm. Oh hell, this is ridiculous. There are so many great samurai films, there's no way I can pick ten without it being a random sampling. But to honor your question and round out the list, let's say Harakiri, Lone Wolf & Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx, The Ceiling at Utsunomiya and Ran.

OK: Excellent list! I think you and I could talk about samurai films all night—as our wives can attest to! Therefore, why don’t we give some other people here the chance to ask you some questions? How does that sound to you?

PG: Fine by me, so long as they don't involve someone named "Brick."

OK: Alright, so if you have a question for Pat Galloway, please PM me with it by September 10th and I’ll submit them to Pat. Answers will be posted soon after that. Also, don't forget to check out Pat's website at http://www.cyberpat.com



Pat Galloway says: Oh oh, I think I just saw Brick McBurly...I did!!! They are filming an episode of "Abarenbo Gaijin" here!
_________________

Heee heee! Shita iro! Shita iro! Here comes his lordship, Baka Tono!
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[Obenjo Kusanosuke]

Well forum members, you’re asking and Pat is answering!

Here's a couple of the questions that have come in and Pat's answers.
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Kitsuno: How have samurai films changed in the last 50 years, and how do you think they will evolve going forward?

PG: While I try to avoid the somewhat tired comparison of Japanese samurai films and Hollywood westerns, in this case it's helpful, as both genres have seen similar mutations over the decades (popular and fairly conventional in the 50s and 60s, more experimental in the 70s, declining popularity during the 80s, 90s and 00s yet more post-modern and/or sentimental). Culturally, the two genres have become increasingly "old fashioned" in the minds of modern pop culture consumers, and have thus become less popular with these audiences. Politically, the samurai and the cowboy can be seen as right-wing icons, an issue that has affected their relative popularity over the years. And of course television has had its impact, particularly in Japan, where jidai-geki found a new home during the 70s and has remained in the form of series and annual taiga dramas.

Looking at a recent example of what I call the neo-samurai film, something like When the Last Sword is Drawn, Love and Honor or Hana, one notices a softening, a feminization if you will. There's less emphasis on the sword and more on human drama and human relationships. This is not to denigrate these films, (they're all quite good), but it points to yet another development in the genre. And, once again, this shift is mirrored in a western like 3:10 to Yuma, a recent remake of Delmer Daves' 1957 classic: While the original film was stripped down, basic, primal, the remake added loads of additional character development and personal drama.

Looking forward, I think it's safe to say the samurai, like the cowboy, is such a cultural fixture that he will never fully fade from view. However, barring another big fascist turn in Japan, I doubt the samurai film will ever regain its former glory as a film genre.


Ashigaru: I'm a big fan of older Japanese cinema and bemoan the fact that (apart from Fujita Makoto and a handful of survivors from the glory days) there don't seem to be any modern leading men with the presence and charisma of Mifune Toshiro, Katsu Shintaro, Wakayama Tomisaburo, and Shimura Takashi. (Maybe Takenaka Naoto, but he also accepts so many parts unworthy of his talents that it's kind of a stretch, IMO.) In your opinion, who are the best modern jidai geki/chambara actors and actresses? Who do you think will stand the test of time and be talked about decades from now? Are SMAP members really the best the Japanese film and TV industry can come up with?

PG: Oh c'mon, Kimutaku wasn't so bad! But your point is well-taken. Frankly, my area of expertise lies further back in the 20th century, for the simple reason that I find samurai cinema of the 50s, 60s and early 70s to be the most compelling, exciting, and well-made. The old saw "they just don't make 'em like that anymore" is particularly apt in this regard. So I can't really address your question about who the best modern jidai-geki actors are -- I'm afraid I'm just not that interested. I've enjoyed the contemporary samurai films I've seen, like Yoji Yamada's Twilight Samurai/Hidden Blade/Love & Honor trilogy, but these films featured stunt casting and thus don't really address your question.

It is gratifying to hear you're with me in your appreciation of actors like Takashi Shimura, Japan's answer to Spencer Tracy in gravitas and quiet dignity. You know, before I became interested in samurai films, I was heavy into Hollywood films of the 30s and 40s, so perhaps that explains something about my tastes -- rather than keeping up with what's current, hip and happening, I'm perfectly happy to spend my time with William Powell and Myrna Loy in the 30s or Toshiro Mifune in the Sengoku period -- you can't get much further away from today, and I must admit the escapist value is important to me as well.

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Don’t forget, if you’ve got a question for Pat, PM it to me! Keep ‘em coming!!!
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Heee heee! Shita iro! Shita iro! Here comes his lordship, Baka Tono!
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[Obenjo Kusanosuke]

Kitsuno: It seems that jidai-geki tend to overwhelmingly revolve around the one lone wolf-- the rebel or the reject, whereas Japanese society is very "group-oriented”. And since in Japanese society the nail that sticks up usually gets hammered down, many jidai geki seem to run contrary to the very nature of Japanese society, where the norm would be to expect a samurai to go down fighting for his lord. Yet in the case of the American Western, the lone gunman fits almost perfectly with the American ideal of the rugged individual. Why is it that Japanese seem so fascinated with the lone wolf figure in their samurai films when it is so far away from their cultural ideal? Is it purely the influence of Westerns on Japanese film-making, or what?

PG: The story of an individual who stands up against an oppressive group, institution or society is a universally compelling narrative. It's not surprising that this narrative would resonate with the Japanese, whose rigidly group-oriented society has, at times in its history, plumbed the depths of personal subjugation. What you are observing is the dichotomy between creative culture and maintainer culture. Creative culture (poets, painters, musicians) is traditionally at odds with the more powerful maintainer culture (government, industry, the military), each group embracing a very different set of values. When the latter co-opts the former, you get propaganda. Sure, the US has traditionally championed the so-called "rugged individual," but this is more a matter of propaganda than genuine policy. The fact is, the state, any state, has a vested interest in keeping its citizens in line, regardless of whether that state has endorsed some romantic notion to the contrary. Japan just happens to be more up front about it. In response, over the centuries, the Japanese have adopted a healthy cynicism in regards to their leaders and institutions, as seen in a sentiment known as hoganbiiki, essentially "sympathy for the loser." Etymologically, the term refers to the tragic fate of Yoshitsune Minamoto, and with it comes the understanding that such heroic figures are ultimately crushed by a system more concerned with maintaining the status quo.

It's worth mentioning that not all samurai films involve a straight-up lone wolf. The Japanese have found ingenious ways of merging rebellious narratives with a line-toeing obedience to the state. Take for example, the Chushingura, the Loyal 47 Ronin defy the state in exacting their revenge, but so fully embody the ideals of bushido that they serve a larger propaganda purpose (plus they were all sentenced to an "honorable and face-saving, samurai's" death by committing seppuku, rather than having to endure the humiliation of being executed like common criminals via crucifixion or beheading ... ). Tales of unflagging loyalty to an unscrupulous lord provide another way around the issue; the samurai's tragic demise comes wholly out of his devotion to his lord, however misguided, and thus all is forgiven. Examples of this can be seen in Raizo Ichikawa's character in The Betrayal and Mikijiro Hira's ronin in Sword of the Beast.

At the end of the day, fiction is about conflict. Nobody wants to hear a story about a man who knuckled under and did what he was told. Tension and conflict are the engine of any narrative, no matter the genre, no matter the nation. It's in us. It's primal. So it's no surprise that the giri/ninjo conflict occupies such a pivotal position in the jidai-geki canon.
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Heee heee! Shita iro! Shita iro! Here comes his lordship, Baka Tono!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rekishinotabi

[Obenjo Kusanosuke]

Usagigoya: You previously mentioned an enthusiasm for manga based chambara, stuff like Lone Wolf & Cub, Hanzo the Razor, Bohachi Bushido and Lady Snowblood (all written Kozue Koike and reviewed in Stray Dogs and Lone Wolves). What other manga adaptations have you discovered? Do you (or have you) read much manga, either older stuff like the Koike material or anything which is currently being released? If yes, what would be your recommendations for worth-while manga reading? What manga titles would you personally like to see released in an English language edition? Which could have been made into a great film but never was?

PG: In my book Asia Shock, you'll find plenty more manga movie reviews, as well as a sidebar discussing the genre. Stuff like The Story of Ricky, Female Prisoner Scorpion, Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl, Oldboy, MPD Psycho Detective--all manga adaptations.

As for me and manga: I used to have all the Akira trade paperbacks; I was a subscriber to sadly-now-defunct Pulp magazine, where I got exposed to great stuff like Strain (written by Buronson, art by Ryoichi Ikegami), Toyokazu Matsunaga's Bakune Young and Junji Ito's Uzumaki (the movie version of which didn't hold a candle to the manga -- how could it?); I still have a big stack of Takehiko Inoue's Vagabond; and looking at my bookshelf, I see the compilations Comics Underground Japan and Secret Comics Japan, Fred Schodt's classic overview Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics, Osamu Tezuka's The Phoenix, and, on the dark side of the shelf, Yoshihiro Tatsumi's The Push Man, Suehiro Maruo's oh-so-wicked Mr. Arashi's Amazing Freak Show and Ultra-Gash Inferno and, last but not least, Panorama of Hell by Hideshi Hino (who was also responsible for the second and fourth Guinea Pig movies). Oh, and I subscribed to Shonen Jump the first couple of years but found it a bit too middle school-y for my taste (although I did like Hikaru no Go and Shaman King).

As for live-action adaptations of any of this stuff, I'm all for it! Can you imagine a live-action Akira? I know Kon Ichikawa shot The Phoenix back in the 70s (in fact I know where to get it, just haven't gotten around to it yet). I suppose I could be really transgressive and suggest a film adaptation of some of Suehiro Maruo's stuff, but that's not going to happen -- he's way too beyond the pale. Ero-guro guru Edogawa Rampo is a big influence on his work, so I guess you could substitute something like Horrors of Malformed Men or Blind Beast. Hideshi Hino's manga is gruesome good fun and ripe for film, but for godsake, don't let him direct!
_________________

Heee heee! Shita iro! Shita iro! Here comes his lordship, Baka Tono!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rekishinotabi

[Obenjo Kusanosuke]

Sickly Bug: How has your writing style changed from the time of writing Lone Wolves and Stray Dogs to the writing of Warring Clans and Flashing Blades? Is there any drastic differences between Lone Wolves and Warring Clans? What exactly can we expect from the new book and when is it supposed to be released?

PG: I've noticed a slight change in my writing style, namely it's become a little more serious, not as kooky and flip as it was in the first book. If you've read Asia Shock, you'll see what I mean. The first book was an explosion of pent-up enthusiasm, and getting that out of my system was a step in the direction of a more refined style. Not that I'm disowning SD&LW -- it's still very near and dear to my heart. And I'm not about to become some dour critic, dispensing pompous pronouncements. I've got a sense of humor and an irreverent world view, and that's going to come across in whatever I write.

Format-wise, Warring Clans, Flashing Blades is a synthesis of the first two books. I've included new biographical sketches, cultural background and Takuan the Know-It-All Priest sidebars, but the reviews are longer and I've included capsule reviews as well.

For the record, WCFB is set for a Fall '09 release. It was originally slated for Fall '08 (the manuscript has been finished since February), but unfortunately the vicissitudes of the publishing industry, combined with the global credit crunch and the machinations of my publisher's Japanese parent company, have all combined to create certain cash flow issues that have delayed release of my book (along with a dozen other titles). It's frustrating, but what can I do? I already spent the advance!
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[Obenjo Kusanosuke]

Kitsuno: Jidai-geki and chambara seem to deal with similar themes as the Japanese yakuza film genre (honor, redemption, revenge, and failure/self destruction). Do you see any influence on jidai-geki and chambara from the Japanese Yakuza film genre, or vice versa? And, have you considered writing a book on the Yakuza genre?

It's important to distinguish between sub-genres when discussing yakuza films. It sounds to me like you are referring to ninkyo-eiga, the traditional "chivalrous" yakuza picture (think Ken Takakura wielding a short sword), as opposed to matatabi-eiga, "wandering gambler" films (Zatoichi springs immediately to mind) or the grittier jitsuroku-eiga, the "true story" yakuza film popularized by Kinji Fukasaku during the 70s in the ground-breaking Battles Without Honor and Humanity (Jingi Naki Tatakai) series and numerous one-offs like the Bunta Sugawara classic Modern Yakuza, Outlaw Killer.

As for the whole samurai/yakuza genre overlap, it was inevitable, as the history of the two groups overlap, leading to a certain measure of cross-pollination (both culturally and, later, in film). The codes and rituals of the yakuza originated during the Tokugawa period. Although influenced by the samurai class, the yakuza developed in very different directions, concerning themselves with gambling, prostitution, and other activities of the demimonde.

Since the majority of samurai films are set during the Tokugawa period, you've got yakuza popping up in them and, conversely, plenty of samurai populating the landscape of yakuza pictures set during this period. (And, of course, directors working in one genre often made pictures in the other.) The big difference is that while the samurai class (and the feudal system in general) went kaput early in the Meiji era, the yakuza have continued to thrive to the present day, bringing the yakuza film genre along with them. Modern yakuza culture has provided fodder for experimental filmmakers like Beat Takeshi, Takashi Miike, Sabu and others, providing a plethora of innovative, off-kilter films.

Oh, and as for me writing a book on yakuza films, don't look for that one any time soon. I enjoy the genre, but the passion level isn't sufficient to warrant the amount of time and energy required. Other authors like Patrick Macias and Mark Schilling have done good work in this area, so I can move on to something else.

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Well, that brings this interview to a close. On behalf of the S-A, I'd like to thank Pat for taking the time to chat with us. It's been a lot of fun and very interesting. My "must watch" film list just got longer!

If you do have any additional questions for Pat, please feel free to visit his website at http://www.cyberpat.com and drop him a line.

Thank you once again, Pat. It's been a pleasure!
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Heee heee! Shita iro! Shita iro! Here comes his lordship, Baka Tono!
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