Dead or Alive (1999)
"Dead or Alive: Hanzaisha" (original title)

A yakuza of Chinese descent and a Japanese cop each wage their own war against the Japanese mafia. But they are destined to meet. Their encounter will change the world.

Director:

Takashi Miike

Writer:

Ichiro Ryu

Stars:

Shô Aikawa, Riki Takeuchi, Renji Ishibashi

2 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Riki Takeuchi	...	Ryuuichi
Shô Aikawa	...	Det. Jojima
Renji Ishibashi	...	Aoki
Hitoshi Ozawa	...	Satake
Shingo Tsurumi	...	Chen
Kaoru Sugita	...	Mrs. Jojima
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dankan	...	Tanaka
Hirotarô Honda
Michisuke Kashiwaya	...	Toji
Mizuho Koga
Ryûshi Mizukami
Manzô Shinra	...	Addict
Tokitoshi Shiota	...	Sakurai
Tomorowo Taguchi	...	Man running along rails
Susumu Terajima	...	Inoue

Storyline

Without a home and feeling no obligation to Japanese society or Yakuza, Ryuichi (Takeuchi Riki) and his small group decide to make their own place by trying to take over the Shinjuku underworld and the drug trade from Taiwan. As they plan an all-out-assault on the remaining Chinese and Japanese mafia kings, only Detective Jojima (Aikawa Sho) stands between them and complete domination.

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Plot Keywords:

mafia | detective | yakuza | taiwan | massacre | 

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Taglines:

WARNING: This motion picture contains explicit portrayals of violence; sex; violent sex; sexual violence; clowns and violent scenes of violent excess, which are definitely not suitable for all audiences.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, sexuality, language and drug use

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Mandarin Japanese

Release Date:

27 November 1999 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Dead or Alive

Box Office

Budget:

JPY 500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$3,783 (USA) (8 June 2001)

Gross:

$1,841 (USA) (27 November 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Daiei Motion Picture Company, Toei Video Company, Excellent Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Detective Jojima: My father was a small-village cop in a town where nothing ever happened. He just hung around like a scarecrow, until he died. But like they say - even a scarecrow keeps away the sparrows.

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Connections

Followed by Dead or Alive: Final (2002)

User Reviews

In the Miike Of Time

What a different Yakuza film. I don't care what anyone says. takashi Miike is a new force to be reckoned with. This is an in your face movie if I ever did see one. The opening five minutes lets you know that there is NO safe haven here at all. Not to mention you will NOT want to be eating spaghetti while watching it. Just take my word for it. Eat your dinner after you watch this film. The movie plays as a typical Yakuza film until the very end and then it switches to "what the heck just happened her?". That is why you must also see Dead or Alive 2 and Dead or Alive 3:Final to get the gist of it. Also recommended are Takashi Miike's Fudoh The New Generation, Ichi The Killer, and City Of Lost Souls.