Cruel Gun Story
Directed by Takumi Furukawa
Written by Hisatoshi Kai and Haruhiko Oyabu
1964/Japan
Nikkatsu
First viewing/FilmStruck
[box] “It’s a fine line between a stray dog and a lone wolf.”[/box]
This Japanese noir is a darker, more violent version of Kubrick’s The Killing.
Togawa (chipmunk-cheeked Jo Shishido) is sprung from prison where he has been incarcerated for killing the guy who paralyzed his little sister. The mob boss doing the springing wants Togawa to head up an intricate operation to rob an armored car carrying proceeds from a race track. The boss supplies accomplices. Naturally nothing goes as planned and nobody can be trusted. That is except our anti-hero, who can be trusted to shoot straight.
This is OK but not too different from your average Nikkatsu noir and I doubt that I will be remember it specifically in a few days. It features an above average body-count and an unexpectedly bloody ending.
Clip of Jo Shishido smoking in slow motion with extraneous musical background
