Gozu (2003) Gokudô kyôfu dai-gekijô: Gozu (original title)

Director:

Takashi Miike

Writer:

Sakichi Satô (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 July 2004 (France)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

A yakuza enforcer is ordered to secretly drive his beloved colleague to be assassinated. But when the colleague unceremoniously disappears en route, the trip that follows is a twisted, surreal and horrifying experience.

Plot Keywords:

Violence | Yakuza | Milk | Dog | Identity

Awards:

5 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Yûta Sone	...	Minami (as Hideki Sone)
Shô Aikawa	...	Ozaki
Kimika Yoshino	...	Female Ozaki
Shôhei Hino	...	Nose
Keiko Tomita	...	Innkeeper
Harumi Sone	...	Innkeeper's Brother
Renji Ishibashi	...	Boss
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ken'ichi Endô
Kanpei Hazama
Masaya Katô
Tamio Kawaji		(as Tamio Kawachi)
Susumu Kimura
Hiroyuki Nagato
Hitoshi Ozawa
Kazuyoshi Ozawa
Sakichi Satô	...	Coffee Shop Manager
Tokitoshi Shiota	...	Gozu
Tetsurô Tanba
Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi

Directed by
Takashi Miike

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sakichi Satô		screenplay

Produced by
Kanako Koido	....	producer
Harumi Sone	....	producer

Original Music by
Kôji Endô

Cinematography by
Kazunari Tanaka

Film Editing by
Yasushi Shimamura

Production Design by
Akira Ishige

Set Decoration by
Akira Sakamoto

Makeup Department
Yûichi Matsui	....	special makeup effects artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Masato Tanno	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Akira Nakano	....	sound recordist
Hitoshi Tsurumaki	....	sound designer

Other crew
Winston Emano	....	publicist
David Magdael	....	publicist
Christian Storms	....	subtitler: English

Production Companies

• Klock Worx Co.
• Rakuei-sha

Distributors

• Pathfinder Pictures (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Pretty Pictures (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Tartan (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cinema Epoch (2009) (USA) (all media)
• I-On New Media (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Siren Visual Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (DVD)
• Tartan Video (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Versus Entertainment (2005) (Spain) (all media)

Other Companies

• Arquebuse  sound effects
• Filmcraft  post-production facilities

Also Known As:

"Gokudô kyôfu dai-gekijô: Gozu" - Japan (original title)
"Yakuza Horror Theater: Gozu" - USA

MPAA:

Rated R for aberrant sexual and violent content, and for language

Runtime:

France:130 min (Cannes Film Festival) | USA:129 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

UK:18 | Australia:R | Australia:R (2008) | New Zealand:R18 | France:-16 | Japan:R-15 | Hong Kong:III | USA:Unrated | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

Company:

Klock Worx Co.

Quotes:

Innkeeper:Ooh...
[Minami hides his privates between his legs]
Innkeeper:There's no need to hide something as fine and dandy as that!

Movie Connections:

References Visitor Q (2001) (V)

Insane, Funny, Horrific, and Awesome

This is perhaps the first movie I've ever seen that's had me consistently laughing out loud and then nearly creeping me out to the point of p**sing my pants. Don't get me wrong... this movie won't have you shrieking because of frights... but it will quietly nestle itself in the back of your brain and set shop in your nightmares. Did I mention it's also hilarious?

Where to start... Gozu starts somewhat normal (compared to the rest of the movie): Ozaki, a member of the Azumawari Yakuza clan, is starting to go crazy, even paranoid. So it's up to his successor and admirer, Minami, to get rid of him. Now just when you think the movie's going to be a heartbreaker about duty and brotherhood, the s**t hits the fan. Ozaki dies before he's supposed to. His corpse disappears. The dead seem to walk in more than one incident.

Breastmilk is being sold to everyone. Cow demons are handing out pornography in the middle of the night. WHAT THE HELL DOES IT ALL MEAN!?!?

I'm not totally sure. Without spoiling anything, the themes tend to lean towards rebirth, motherhood, and homosexuality, all at once. I've seen the movie three times now, and each time I've got something different out of it. That, my friends, is mastery. I'm not quite sure if Gozu is one for the ages, but even in a year with such movies as Fahrenheit 9/11, Garden State, Ju-on, The Corporation, and

Coffee and Cigarettes, this has to be my favorite so far.

The Final Cut:

Direction: A

Well, gosh, it's Takashi Miike. Do you expect any less?

Style: A+++

Once again, Miike delivers head-on with the style. This movie is so fudged-up, you will probably go somewhat crazy.

Acting: A-

Hideki Sone, who plays Minami, is absolutely fantastic in this movie, as is Sho Aikawa, who has a supporting role in Ozaki. Just plain brilliance.

Script: B

A little janky at some parts, but it compliments Miike's insane outlook quite nicely.

Music: A

Koji Endo's creepy cello / nails on chalkboard score scared the crap out of me, while the bizarre ending song broke my heart in a way like no other.

Overall: A

Don't miss this! You probably aren't going to get another chance to see Gozu on the big screen for a LONG time.

Best quote: "You weener looks just like Frankenstein's!"