Yakuza Law

In the violent world of the Yakuza, if you break the rules then you must pay the price. Since this usually involves the removal of a body part with a sharp knife or sword, or even a hideous death, members of these bloodthirsty Japanese crime families had better think twice before screwing over their pals.

Spanning several centuries, starting in feudal japan and ending in the present day (ie. the late 1960s), Yakuza's Law:Lynching consists of three stories all dealing with betrayal and punishment within the Yakuza system. These tales are rather mundane in nature but are lifted by some wonderfully gruesome acts of brutality.

In the first two segments, fingers are removed, eyeballs and tongues are cut out, and sword slashes result in fountains of blood. In the last segment, the modern day Yakuza get creative, dragging victims along by helicopter, encasing them in cement, and crushing them in car compactors.

I consider the jazz-scored groovy last section to be the best of the stories, since it also has a rather sleazy feel to it, with sexy babes also involved in the nasty goings on. On the whole, I certainly wouldn't class this movie as essential viewing, but it should be of interest to fans of Japanese cinema, crime films, and, of course, gory exploitation flicks.

YAKUZA LAW: LYNCHING! is one of the latter films in Teruo Ishii's JOYS OF TORTURE series, and is honestly the only one I've had the chance to see as of this writing. It is a strong entry that deals with the subject of Yakuza principles, and the penalties for not abiding by their codes.

The film is divided into three parts - the first two taking place in feudal Japan, the last segment being more "modern" and set in the late 1960's. All three deal with those that have broken the Yakuza code, and their subsequent torture and dispatch. The last part is played more like a 70's style crime film, and feels somewhat mis-matched against the other two segments - but is still an enjoyable addition to the film.

There's plenty of violence in this one for those that are looking for that - a good bit happening before the opening credits are over. I think that this one will be of interest to most who enjoy the 60's/70's era samurai/pinky films. Strangely enough - there's no actual lynching taking place. There is a scene where a guy is hung (by his torso) from a helicopter and dragged around a beach - but I don't think that really qualifies as "lynching". Not as strong as the "unofficial sequel" to Ishii's first JOYS OF TORTURE film - SHOGUN'S SADISM (aka OXEN SPLIT TORTURE) - but definitely in the same vain. LYNCHING! is definitely worth a look to Japanese exploit fans. 8/10

Yakuza Law is an anthology that portrays three different stories abot organized crime in Japan. The three stories are presented in chronological order as they take place during the Edo period, followed by the Meiji period and finally present-day Japan when the movie was released. The title is quite ironic since the three tales portray that the common laws don't matter to organized crime syndicates and that they even break with their own conventions when conflicts are at hand.

This movie has aged quite well since the three tales portray their respective periods in authentic fashion. The cinematography is quite vibrant with dynamic cuts and zooms. The film's pace is frantic without lacking depth. The three different tales offer suprisingly profound conspiracies with a few intersting twists and turns. This movie is also quite violent as all tales end in sinister confrontations. This shouldn't come as a surprise as the opening credits already portray grisly torture sequences.

In the end, Yakuza Law finds a surprisingly timeless balance between brutal special effects, intelligent plots and dynamic cinematography. Veteran director Ishii Teruo offers one of his most concise films that features numerous skilled veterans such as prolific actor Sugawara Bunta and television star Miyauchi Hiroshi. If you like brutal gangster movie without wanting to sit through the extensive length of contemporary Western cinema, then you should certainly give this overlooked gem a try.

Three stories for the price of one all concerning Yakuza and their laws. Just watch the opening credits that is full with torture and gore. Looked great from the start and it did for the first two stories taking place in old Japan. the last story takes place in the time being, the sixties.

But was I surprised for such an old movie that it contained so much blood and gore and even a bit of nudity. As I said, the first two parts are the best with a lot of fights going on and torture. Of course there are a few editing effects used but still the removal of an ear and the eye poking are gruesome to watch. In the last part we don't have katana's but guns so the torture is a bit different but the helicopter scene is still horrible.

Overall the acting was also good and for such an old flick the use of lighting was also well done. One of the earlier Japanese violence flicks and surely one to pick up. It also gives you an inside look into the Japanese way of living and traditions. Available on Shock DVD full uncut and uncensored.

Gore 3,5/5 Nudity 1/5 Effects 3/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5

Whatever other labels one may append to this feature, "exploitation" may be the most fitting of all as we're greeted even over the opening credits with scenes of the extreme violence to come. In a title telling three stories across three time periods, that violence is more of a unifying factor than the overarching notion of strict rules among yakuza, and the way that lives are governed and destroyed by those rules. Mind you, even with that tenor in mind, this is quite well made, meeting the production standards of its contemporaries - production standards which, truthfully, tend to be more vibrant than their modern equivalent. It won't appeal to all, and it's definitely flawed in the first place, but for those who are open to what 'Yakuza law' has to offer, it's good enough to warrant checking out if one has the chance.

Fast-paced and fairly chaotic as the picture is, Ishii Teruo's direction is more firm and focused than his writing. Vivid stunts, effects, and action sequences (including that major blood and gore), invariably intense and spirited performances, Furuya Osamu's lush, dynamic cinematography, and indeed the orchestration of shots and scenes can all be broadly credited to that direction. Ishii is also responsible, in turn, for the narrative looseness of the first segment, set during the Edo period, in which a boss' rigid adherence to rules effectively leads to the implosion of an entire organization. The second segment, set following the Meiji restoration, shows that same split in its own way between fine craftsmanship and less polished conception; we're thrown headlong into the plot, and are greeted with an abrupt time skip, in writing that feels somewhat harried. I do think that the screenplay is at least more careful in the second portion, with characters, scene writing, and plot that is more well defined as scheming family members exploit the yakuza code for their own ends. Incredibly, the third segment set in contemporary Japan is even more forthright with its action-oriented crime thriller thrust, and the violence is still more extreme. Now, it rather seems to me that the overarching notion of the yakuza code altogether gets lost in this last third alongside any particular details of the story - though in fairness, the movie at large finds success in the general much more than the specific.

Meanwhile, the flick really is splendidly made in every other capacity. The techniques and technology of the 60s with regards to cinematography, and film and color processing, are frankly tend to be more rich and flavorful, and look better, than what has been developed in all the subsequent years; the flawlessness of modern sensibilities portends sterility, artificiality, and drab imagery. Such considerations only make the beautiful filming locations, exquisite production design and art direction, and fetching costume design, hair, and makeup all the more welcome. 'Yakuza law' even demonstrates a keen mind for mind for lighting, and robust sound design. Yagi Masao's dynamic music, adopting different instrumentation and vibes for each segment, provides adept complement for every scene in turn. Even the editing comes across as being fairly sharp in my opinion.

Across each segment the overall strength varies, and taken as a whole this isn't something that especially demands viewership. It is grimly entertaining, however, just as it is, and smartly made more than not. I wish only that Ishii had devoted more energy to his screenplay, because the most consistent aspect of these ninety-seven minutes - more than even the graphic, often difficult violence - is the weakness of storytelling that struggles to ever impart a cogent, cohesive, coherent narrative. A scattershot sense of "violence among yakuza" only gets us so far, and the violence would be far more meaningful if there were a solid, compelling plot to provide structure. Maybe that's not what Ishii ever intended in the first place, but if so, that doesn't make the result any better. I still think this is duly worthwhile on its own merits, but with that big problem staring down the entire runtime, 'Yakuza law' is perhaps best left for something to fill time on a quiet day.