The Guard from the Underground (1992)

A woman begins working at the same company as a security guard that she believes might be a former sumo wrestling serial killer.

Director:

Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Writer:

Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Stars:

Makiko Kuno, Yutaka Matsushige, Hatsunori Hasegawa

Cast

Credited cast:
Makiko Kuno	...	Akiko Narushima
Yutaka Matsushige	...	Fujimaru
Hatsunori Hasegawa	...	Hyodo
Ren Osugi	...	Kurume (as Ren Ôsugi)
Tarô Suwa	...	Yoshioka
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kanta Ogata
Yoshiko Yura	...	Hanabe Takada

Storyline

A woman begins working at the same company as a security guard that she believes might be a former sumo wrestling serial killer.

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Plot Keywords:

crib | father son relationship | sunglasses | mistaken identity | donut shop | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

13 June 1992 (Japan)

Also Known As:

The Guard from the Underground

Box Office

Budget:

$90,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Directors Company, Nichiei Agency

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

User Reviews

A real Japanese B-movie

The female main character, Akiko, works in a corporation for a Department 12 that apparently doesn't officially exists. She's a newcomer to the company, an art historian it seems. The story takes place in the building where Akiko is working. The building, even though there are people working there just like in any other company, has a very empty and desolate feel to it, which really sets the mood.

She is stalked by an huge-murderer-sumo-wrestler-declared-insane, working as the new security guard in the same building on the same day as Akiko.

The whole Department 12 thing is a funny affair. The newly formed Department itself is not really recognized as an official department of the company. The people that work there don't really seem to...belong the company. Neither do the head security guard and the new recruit.

Nothing really exciting happens until halfway into the movie. Until then it's mostly chilling suspense. The last 25 minutes or so really remind me of the ending in Night of the Demon (1980), albeit more stretched out of course. There's a scene with a locker that was so brutal and original I had to watch it twice. And I don't do that often. That scene was easily THE best scene in the movie.

A real Japanese B-movie. I loved the cheap, low-budget feel and atmosphere. The camera angles were just how I like them. The suspense was great. Soundtrack is just right. It's a cheap flick, but I happen to like a good ol' cheap flick as much as (and sometimes more than) high-budget films.

As a (huge) bonus, the girl playing Akiko was very cute. 9*