Interesting re footage from The Yakuza (1974)

[mickey]

Greetings,

While I was looking for a free and complete upload of The Yakuza, I found an upload of the tattoo shots shown in the movie. And somewhere therein, I got distracted over how the music interacted with the silence in what was shown. It was if the music highlighted the energy of the moments while allowing the silence to stand strong, undisturbed, and full of dialogue. It was a nice trip!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-KoebXfESM


mickey

[Featherstone]

interesting!

[boxerbilly]

interesting!

It was a good movie.

[mickey]

Greetings,

The Yakuza was my favorite Japanese/American collaboration because the character played by Robert Mitchum left Japan knowing that there more to understand about Japanese culture. He did not leave a hero; he left somewhat illumined by it all. And it was a great intro to Ken Takakura. I made sure I remembered his name.

mickey

[Jimbo]

I haven't seen The Yakuza since probably the late '70s. I agree, mickey, that it's a very good Japanese/American collaboration. IMO, decades ahead of its time and still unmatched in its respect of the native culture for an American collaboration. To this day, AFAIK, there has not been any other American movie or series filmed in any Asian country, action or non-action, with that level of respect. Certainly not The Last Samurai, Lost in Translation, that movie about the European survivors of the Indonesian tsunami, any James Clavell adaptation, or any of countless others, where only American or European characters have any importance and depth of character, and the Asians and Asian cultures are mostly props; or often requiring the white main character to 'show them the way' regarding their own culture. It sends a very insidious and not-so-subtle message about how Asians and Asian cultures are viewed in Hollywood. It's quite amazing that over 40 years later The Yakuza still stands out as unique in this regard.

[mickey]

Greetings,

Jimbo, it is like you took the thoughts right out of my head. YES to all you wrote.

This is how I sum up the European Asian viewpoints: (typed with a smile)

Asians view Europeans as an Asian subculture; Europeans see Asians as a European subculture.

I had a really good howling laugh when Ang Lee received the Oscar for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. He described it as a collaboration between "high and low cultures". I just knew he was not referring to the USA as "high culture".

mickey