Blackmail Is My Life

Rating:
Summary: A brilliant early piece from Battle Royale's Kinji Fukasaku!
Review: Blackmail Is My Life is, unquestionably, one of the best yakuza films ever made. From it's visuals to its performances to its ingenious script, there's really no area where this film will leave you wanting. It's chock-full of snap zooms, freeze frames, and voice over, but all of it is handled so well that any cheese factor goes unnoticed (except where Fukasaku wanted a bit of cheese). There really isn't much more to say about this film, as it's certainly one of those that you must see to come to any understanding of its brilliance. It might not be for everyone, but any fans of old school Japanese yakuza films or film noir in general is likely to be blown away.

I hope we get more of Fukasaku's films on dvd!