Takashi Miike

[Spaceghost]

Miike Takashi has made some excellent films too. And some really, REALLY wierd ones. Audition is probably my favourite, it's gruesome, scary and filled with ever building tension but it's also one of his most straightforward.

If you're in the mood for 'jaw-on-the-floor' fucked-uppness, watch Visitor Q.

[HOO-HAA]

Miike Takashi has made some excellent films too. And some really, REALLY wierd ones. Audition is probably my favourite, it's gruesome, scary and filled with ever building tension but it's also one of his most straightforward.

Oh yes. AUDITION's creepy as hell.

[SmallBlueThing]

Miike Takashi has made some excellent films too. And some really, REALLY wierd ones. Audition is probably my favourite, it's gruesome, scary and filled with ever building tension but it's also one of his most straightforward.

Oh yes. AUDITION's creepy as hell.

And so's IMPRINT, his episode of 'Masters of Horror'- which I STRONGLY URGE anyone interested in such things to get ahold of immediately.

SBT

[Van Dom]

Miike Takashi has made some excellent films too. And some really, REALLY wierd ones. Audition is probably my favourite, it's gruesome, scary and filled with ever building tension but it's also one of his most straightforward.

Oh yes. AUDITION's creepy as hell.

And so's IMPRINT, his episode of 'Masters of Horror'- which I STRONGLY URGE anyone interested in such things to get ahold of immediately.

SBT

Don't think I saw Imprint but agree about Audition. It's one of those ones where it is a bit of a slow build, but so worth it for the pay off.

[Emperor]

Miike Takashi has made some excellent films too. And some really, REALLY wierd ones. Audition is probably my favourite, it's gruesome, scary and filled with ever building tension but it's also one of his most straightforward.

Oh yes. AUDITION's creepy as hell.

And so's IMPRINT, his episode of 'Masters of Horror'- which I STRONGLY URGE anyone interested in such things to get ahold of immediately.

SBT

Don't think I saw Imprint but agree about Audition. It's one of those ones where it is a bit of a slow build, but so worth it for the pay off.

Ichi the Killer for wildly over-the top violence and I agree Visitor Q is quite something, you keep thinking there is nowhere else it can go and he manages to keep ramping it up well passed 11 before inventing his own numbering system. You can't beat Happiness of the Katakuris if you are looking for a zombie musical and who isn't?

I also see Yatterman is due out on DVD here in May, I've added it to my LoveFilm - it is supposed to be bonkers.

There is also quite a handy review site here, with links to his genre film reviews at the end:

http://moria.co.nz/horror/audition-1999-odishon.htm

Perhaps we can make this into a separate thread?

[I, Cosh]

Don't think I saw Imprint but agree about Audition. It's one of those ones where it is a bit of a slow build, but so worth it for the pay off.

Ichi the Killer for wildly over-the top violence and I agree Visitor Q is quite something, you keep thinking there is nowhere else it can go and he manages to keep ramping it up well passed 11 before inventing his own numbering system. You can't beat Happiness of the Katakuris if you are looking for a zombie musical and who isn't?

Another vote for Audition. Brilliantly unsettling film and probably still my favourite Miike. "Kiri kiri kiri" will stay with me for a long time.

Perhaps a strange criticism to make about any of his films but I found Ichi a bit too absurd. I also desperately wanted to like Katakuris but didn't. On the other hand both Dead or Alive and Gozu are worth a look for anyone interested in hideous violence and barminess, while last year's 13 Assassins is a great take on a relatively straight samurai film.

The one I keep forgetting that I want to see is The Great Yokai War, his kids film which I've heard nothing but good things about.

[Emperor]

Perhaps we can make this into a separate thread?

And... done.

[Link Prime]

I'll second Smalls recommendation of 'Imprint' from Masters of Horror. I read it was pulled from transmission in the states (due to extreme content) yet strangely enough aired in UK/Eire (on FX I think).
The torture scenes are disturbingly unwatchable, but overall its a very original short horror film.

[judgefloyd]

The one I keep forgetting that I want to see is The Great Yokai War, his kids film which I've heard nothing but good things about.

Yokai War is the only one I've seen.  I didn't know the guy was a genius.  I enjoyed it - weird special effects, a babeaceous vampire lady, lots of impossible zooming around - I loved the town at the heart of the story - this town in which absolutely everyone is a ninja and they spend all day sharpening shuriken and all the rest - kind of like Harry Potter's 'everyone is magical' bit only much much more interesting.

[Spaceghost]

Well that's weird. I thought I'd blacked out and created a thread without realising it.

I loved 13 Assassins too. Brilliant film with some spectacular choreography.

I remember going to see Ichi the Killer at the cinema and loving the sheer mentalness of it. Several people walked out during one of the bloodier scenes.

If you haven't seen it, I would definitely recommend Visitor Q. It features such delights as - Father/daughter incest! Extreme lactation! Unexplained beatings! Excrement-lubricated necrophilia! Mass murder! Heroin abuse!

Something for the whole family in there.

[Dark Jimbo]

If you haven't seen it, I would definitely recommend Visitor Q. It features such delights as - Father/daughter incest! Extreme lactation! Unexplained beatings! Excrement-lubricated necrophilia! Mass murder! Heroin abuse!

Something for the whole family in there.

Put that like, it sounds a completely different film to what it actually is. It's worth pointing out - it's hilarious, too.

Katakuris is a personal favourite, but as with every remake I suspect it's even better if you've also seen the original, the korean Quiet Family, if only to marvel at how gloriously far Miike deviated from the source material*. He tells a hilarious story on the Katakuris DVD commentary wherein he once met Kim Jee Woon, director of Quiet Family, and asked him what he'd thought of his remake. Apparently Jee Woon simply sighed and walked away, which is as glowing an endorsment of Miike as you need!

*Though it also stars Oldboy's Choi Min Sik as the crazy uncle and is a brilliant, and very funny, film in its own right.

[Link Prime]

Well that's weird. I thought I'd blacked out and created a thread without realising it.


If you haven't seen it, I would definitely recommend Visitor Q. It features such delights as - Father/daughter incest! Extreme lactation! Unexplained beatings! Excrement-lubricated necrophilia! Mass murder! Heroin abuse!

Something for the whole family in there.

I'm buying this!

Any decent Miike DVD / BD collections out there?

[GordyM]

Loved Audition - it's in my horror top ten. The scene where she's waiting for the phone to ring and the bag in the background jerks to life gets me every time.

Visitor Q - how can a film so disturbing also be so funny? The bit where the father is doing You Know What in the bath is hysterical and yet so, so sick. This is the film that confirmed I'm going to Hell.

[Emperor]

Any decent Miike DVD / BD collections out there?

There is a general one:

www.amazon.co.uk/Takashi-Miike-DVD/dp/B000EMSQBE/

Which seems identical to this:

www.amazon.co.uk/Miike-Collection-Region-Import-NTSC/dp/B002OMIKRC/
www.amazon.com/Miike-Collection-4pc-Dub-Sub/dp/B002OMIKRC/

And there is a second volume of that:
www.amazon.co.uk/Miike-Collection-II-Family-Region/dp/B000Z6GT7W/

And a collection of MPD Psycho that I have:

www.amazon.co.uk/MPD-Psycho-DVD-Mpd-Psycho/dp/B0009ZCPCW/

There is an R1 Dead or Alive trilogy, I enjoyed them but perhaps not enough to buy the boxset:

www.amazon.com/Takashi-Miikes-Dead-Alive-Trilogy/dp/B0000E6FNU/

There is an 8 disc omnibus which might be worth it:

www.amazon.co.uk/Takashi-Miike-Omnibus-Region-Import/dp/B001B187JI/
www.amazon.com/The-Takashi-Miike-Omnibus-8-Disc/dp/B001B187JI/

The Black Society Trilogy contains 3 films from the Omnibus, so if you only wanted them it might be an option:

www.amazon.com/Black-Society-Trilogy-Takashi-Miike/dp/B0002LE9NQ/

You can get a Fudoh: the New Generation/Full Metal Yakuza set which might not be a bad bet (the latter is cheap but bonkers):

www.amazon.co.uk/Fudoh-Generation-Full-Metal-Yakuza/dp/B000AYQJG0/

Although they don't do an Audition/Ichi/Visitor Q set which would be an ideal Christmas present for an aged auntie, there is an Audition/City of Lost Souls/Happiness of the Katakuris:

www.amazon.co.uk/Takashi-Miike-Collection-Region-Import/dp/B0000C52K0/
www.amazon.com/Takashi-Collection-Audition-Happiness-Katakuris/dp/B0000C52K0/

The most comprehensive set of boxsets seems to be this one although it appears to be Italian, so is probably not much use:

www.amazon.co.uk/Takashi-Miike-Collection-Box-Collectors/dp/B00423BE06/
www.amazon.co.uk/Takashi-Miike-Collection-Box-02/dp/B00423BDYI/
www.amazon.co.uk/Takashi-Miike-Collection-Box-03/dp/B00423BDYS/
www.amazon.co.uk/Takashi-Miike-Collection-Box-04/dp/B00423BDZ2/

The problem is that he produces so many films, in such a wide range of genres that I reckon your best bet is to read up on them and watch the ones you fancy - LoveFilm have quite a few so I am working through what they have there for now.

[Link Prime]

Cheers for that comprehensive list Emperor, despite the 3 double ports currently working their way through my liver, I think I'll pass on the Amazon collection...£79 is about half a trillion Euro at current exchange rates!
You're right though, better (and cheaper) to build a collection; I've got Imprint, Ichi, Audition, Three Extremes and One Missed Call...buying Visitor Q & Dead or Alive next.