Branded to Kill

Original title: Koroshi no rakuin

19671967
Not RatedNot Rated
1h 31min

Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Action Crime Drama

After a badly done assignment, a hitman finds himself in conflict with his organisation, and one mysterious and dangerous fellow-hitman in particular.After a badly done assignment, a hitman finds himself in conflict with his organisation, and one mysterious and dangerous fellow-hitman in particular.After a badly done assignment, a hitman finds himself in conflict with his organisation, and one mysterious and dangerous fellow-hitman in particular.

Director
- Seijun Suzuki
Writers
- Hachiro Guryu(screenplay)
- Mitsutoshi Ishigami(screenplay)
- Takeo Kimura(screenplay)
Stars

See production, box office & company info

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination

Jô Shishido in Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Mariko Ogawa and Jô Shishido in Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Annu Mari, Mariko Ogawa, and Jô Shishido in Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Tokyo Drifter

7.2

Youth of the Beast

7.4

Youth of the Beast

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7.4

A Colt Is My Passport

Gate of Flesh

7.4

Pisutoru opera

6.3

Pale Flower

7.7

Zigeunerweisen

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Fighting Elegy

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Cruel Gun Story

7.2

Cruel Gun Story

Kagero-za

6.9

Story of a Prostitute

7.3

Story of a Prostitute

Take Aim at the Police Van

6.6

Take Aim at the Police Van

The number-three-ranked hit-man, with a fetish for sniffing boiling rice, fumbles his latest job, which puts him into conflict with a mysterious woman whose death wish inspires her to surround herself with dead butterflies and dead birds. Worse danger comes from his own treacherous wife and finally with the number-one-ranked hit-man, known only as a phantom to those who fear his unseen presence. —J. Spurlin

surrealism yakuza controversy murder of a nude woman misandry 205 more

Trivia
When Nikkatsu studio executives saw the finished product, they thought it was too terrible to be released, so they shelved it. Seijun Suzuki along with others in the film business, film critics, and students protested in unfairness since, by contract, Nikkatsu was supposed to release the finished film theatrically. It went to court, with a ruling in favor of the director. Nikkatsu had to pay for damages and have the film released. Suzuki's contract with Nikkatsu was terminated, and with the bad reputation, was unable to work on a feature film for the next 10 years.

Quotes
Misako Nakajô: My dream is to die.

Connections
Followed by Pisutoru opera (2001)

Top review

9/10

A work of art by master director Seijun Suzuki

Branded to Kill is by far Suzuki's best film. It is my personal favorite crime film. Joe Shishido in his role as Hanada Goro, with his dark black sunglasses and Mauser M712 is one of the coolest characters ever created. The movie has everything, violence, shootouts, car chases, sex, and much much more. The film would likely have been shot in color, however Seijun Suzuki was prohibited from shooting in color due his wild use of colors in past films. The film is still a work of art, and looks beautiful in black and white. The best way I can describe this film is maybe a cross between Alfred Hitchcock and Sergio Leone. An excellent crime thriller not to be missed.

helpful•20

7

Pycal
Jun 22, 2005

Release date
- June 15, 1967 (Japan)
Country of origin
- Japan
Languages
- Japanese
- English
Also known as
- Öldürme Arzusu
Filming locations
- Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
Production company
- Nikkatsu
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Runtime
- 1h 31min
Color
- Black and White
Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1

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Koroshi no rakuin (1967)

Top Gap

By what name was Koroshi no rakuin (1967) officially released in Canada in English?

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