Kamikaze Taxi
| Kamikaze Taxi | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Masato Harada |
| Written by | Masato Harada |
| Produced by | Akio Nanjo Kazunori Okada Narihiko Yoshida Susumu Tanaka Yoshinori Moniwa |
| Starring | Kōji Yakusho Kazuya Takahashi Reiko Kataoka Takeshi Caesar Mickey Curtis Taketoshi Naito |
| Edited by | Hirohide Abe |
| Music by | Masahiro Kawasaki |
Release date |
|
Running time | 134 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
Kamikaze Taxi(stylized asKAMIKAZE TAXIin Japan) is a 1995 Japanese action and crime film by directorMasato Harada.The film is about Tatsuo (Kazuya Takahashi), a gangster and pimp who sends out his only prostitute (Reiko Kataoka) to service a politician. When she returns beaten, Tatsuo's girlfriend complains but is killed by crime boss Animaru (Mickey Curtis). Tatsuo seeks revenge as he and his gang vandalize the politician's house and steal money. In retaliation, Tatsuo's bosses put a hit out on them. He flees, riding in the taxi driven by aPeruvian Japanesenamed Kantake (Kōji Yakusho). The film was shown at the 1995London Film Festivaland actor Mickey Curtis won theKinema Junpo Awardfor best supporting actor in 1996 for his work in the film.
Production
[edit]The soundtrack forKamikaze Taxiwas composed byMasahiro Kawasaki,who used Peruvian pipes. To deal with the Peruvian-Japanese taxi driver character in the film, directorMasato Haradahad Kawasaki listen to tapes ofPeruvian musicto come up with a similar sound.[1]
Release
[edit]Kamikaze Taxiwas released in Japan on April 25, 1995.[2] The film was shown at the 1995London Film Festival.[3]
Reception
[edit]Mickey Curtiswon theKinema Junpo Awardfor best supporting actor in 1996 for his work in the film.[2]Timemagazine stated that "the narrative is overly long (160 minutes) and lacks cohesion. But the film has an epic lunacy, a satiric darkness. Its neon-lit nightscapes and vivid brutality dance, shock--and leave the viewer both riveted and repulsed."[4]Varietyalso commented on the films length, noting "Though the film could easily lose a quarter of an hour from a self-indulgent sequence in a group-therapy clinic, there's actually very little slackness during the 170-minute running time."[5]
Cast
[edit]- Kōji Yakushoas Kantake
- Kazuya Takahashias Tatsuo
- Reiko Kataokaas Tama
- Kenichi Yajimaas Ishida
- Takeshi Caesar
- Mickey Curtisas Animaru
- Taketoshi Naitoas Domon
Notes
[edit]- ^Gatto, Robin."Masato Harada".Midnight Eye.RetrievedMarch 12,2012.
- ^ab"ＫＡＭＩＫＡＺＥ ＴＡＸＩ( bang họa )".Kinema Junpo.RetrievedMarch 12,2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^"Kamikaze Taxi (1995)".Time Out.RetrievedMarch 12,2012.
- ^Short, Stephen (November 16, 1998)."The Cab Ride From Hell".Time.Archived fromthe originalon December 21, 2011.RetrievedMarch 12,2012.
- ^Elley, Derek (December 18, 1995)."Kamikaze Taxi".Variety.RetrievedMarch 12,2012.