Dead or Alive (1999)

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:
Duncan	...	Tanaka (as Dankan)
Shû Ehara	...	Rapist in restroom
Sei Hiraizumi	...	Police Chief
Hirotarô Honda
Michisuke Kashiwaya	...	Toji
Kazuki Kitamura
Mizuho Koga
Ryûshi Mizukami
Ren Osugi	...	Yan (as Ren Ôsugi)

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.

---

Plot Keywords:

sexual perversion | yakuza | massacre | violence | gore | 

---

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.

---

Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

---

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:

JPY500,000 (estimated)

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

Psychotic Beggar: I choose you, Pikachu!
[the beggar proceeds to beat the crap out of the policemen]

---

Alternate Versions

Seven minutes is cut in the R-rated version including:

• Much of the sodomy in the opening.
• The fat spraying from the fat man as he is shot.
• Jojima and the "porn guy" walking through his apartment misses the part with the woman and the dog.
• The infamous feces-drowning.
• The fellatio of the Yakuza member is completely cut.
• Much of the restaurant shoot-out.
• The ending chase/battle cuts several violent shots.

---

Connections

Followed by Dead or Alive: Final (2002)

User Reviews

Wild Japanese action!

Takashi Miike's "Dead or Alive:Hanzaisha" left me speechless.The opening sequence is incredible in its style-we have strippers at work,several bloody shoot-outs,a gangster getting his throat slashed while sodomizing a young man in a public toilet etc.The finale is also amazing-I was literally blown away!The film is strangely amoral-check out especially the scene in which two punks making animal porn try feverishly to excite an Alsatian dog so it can mount naked girl in their presence.The film is not as violent and sadistic as the other Miike's works like "Visitor Q",but there are some really strong images that will surely linger in the memory.The acting is very good,the direction is well-handled and the film is hallucinogenic at times.All in all if you're fed up with predictable Hollywood's action trash check this one out!