A Colt Is My Passport

Imagine, if you will, that instead of making westerns, Sergio Leone had decided to make crime thrillers on the model of RIFIFI, but set in Japan. That's something like what you get here. Jô Shishido is a hit man hired to kill a rival crime boss muscling in on other territory. While waiting for his flight out of town, the dead man's son shows up and offers to make a deal for the assassin's head. Jules Dassin might want us to think there is honor among thieves, but Leone never would, and neither does the director of this movie, Takashi Nomura.

It had a deliberately 1950s 'B' movie look, with its b&w photography and "stolen shot" camerawork, but the constantly moving camerawork and stunt gags are clear signs that this is serious film making.... and talented, too; Nomura is not that well known, but this is a good flick. Harumi Ibe's soundtrack starts out sounding like Morricone, but then switches to jazz arrangements for the crime story.

An uber-cool crime flick from the 1960's. The story is quite straight-forward, and I don't want to spoil any of it, just that it contains murder, betrayal, and a femme fatale.

As an action film, it is smart, well-paced and full of twists and "he got 'em!" moments. But it could also be read as a character study of a stoic, and nihilistic gangster facing a probable death-sentence.

There's not much else to say. It's a joyride, right up until the final shot - that made me at least - want to cheer out loud.

CHIPMUNK. The lead actor looks like a chipmunk. It needs too be said because that's all you see initially. Apparently it was a result of cheek surgery.

Once you get past that this movie is a little treat. A Noir/Yakuza/Spaghetti Western mash-up that actually works.

Like "The Killers" we are in the company of a two-man hit team. With a tricked-out car complete with a massive two-way radio they are much in demand from the Yakuza. Then the job goes wrong and it's time to get out of town. However there's a gal at the motel who complicates matters.

The music is a combination of cool jazz (which could be in a contemporary Caine movie ) and a touch of the Morricones for the cowboy-like action sequences. It shouldn't work but it is really effective.

(1967) A Colt is My Passport/ Koruto wa ore no pasupooto (In Japanese with English subtitles) ACTION THRILLER

Consist of remnants of "Yojimbo" and "For A Few Dollars More" Japanese gangland style. Adapted from a crime novel by Shinji Fujiwara, starring Jo Shishido as hired hit man Shûji ordered along with his partner, Shun (Jerry Fujio) to take out a former rival of another syndicate. And upon leaving, they are then get themselves double crossed for the purpose of money to capture and then execute the hit man responsible. Who are then stranded in a seedy hotel until further orders. It is their he builds a rapport with a young female worker of the Nagisakan hotel, Mina (Chitose Kobayashi). The last of 5 of the Nakkatsu Noir Criterion box set.

Rarely we see Japanese pictures have been swayed by Westerns cinema, due they would rather its own style, nonetheless sometimes someone dares broke such guideline as the filmmaker Takashi Nomura enforcing a spaghetti guidance regarding on farfetched narrative and soundtrack as well, it became a hybrid picture on Yakusa's mobster allied an Italian's accent, the final results is plenty enjoyable for Japanese taste and Western marketplace.

When a hitman (Joe Shishido) and his faithful sidekick (Jerry Fujio) were hired to kill a powerful and untouchable Yakusa's chief a hard task to be accomplished, although the smooth killer did it in plenty way, then came up an unflagging chase carried out by the own mastermind by a sudden new deal prearranged by the successors of the late boss, wherever Shishido goes there are their captors in advance, aid by a jinxed woman (Chitose Kobayashi) they envisage an escape by sea.

Meanwhile a truce is settle a so awaited showdown in a forsaken spot, then show up the spaghetti duel in whimsical Italian standard, to make it strong the own title has Western influence, worthwhile a look for every cinephile turned on Yakusa-crime genre, highly recommended!!

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First watch: 2024 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.