The Yakuza cuts?

bump...

wondering the same thing myself....

any ideas?

This 112 minute version IS Pollack's director's cut! The few extra scenes that can be found on the Japanese cut were expositional scenes felt to be superfluous by Pollack when he came to make his general release cut for the American and European market.

These scenes are elaborations detailing Japanese rituals and motifs that would only have been of significance to audiences closely familiar with the precepts of Shinto, ie- Japanese and Asian audiences. At the time (1974), it was felt that American audiences would be confused (or worse, bored!) by too much emphasis on religious and philosophical detail that was completely alien to them.

The scenes were left intact for Japanese audiences because such moments were suited to their cultural and generic expectations.

One deleted scene involves Kilmer, Eiko and Ken at a Shinto burial ground. In the final cut there are already two other scenes at burial grounds. This extra scene was felt to be superfluous for the American market. To the Japanese these Shinto scenes have great religious and cultural significance.

Eiko has taken Kilmer for a walk. They discuss Ken, and Kilmer asks her to speak to Ken on his behalf and to try and persuade him that Kilmer is not under an obligation to him. Ken appears (which would have made this his first meeting with Eiko in twenty years if this scene had been left in the finished film). He asks Kilmer if he knows what Tanner's plans/intentions are.

There is a bit more to Ken's scene in the gambling arcade. This is a very Japanese scene, the ritual and significance of these arcades being unfamiliar to American audiences. For that reason it was trimmed in Pollack's final cut.

A brief scene showing Ken ritually putting the Yakuza binding cloth around his midsection before the final showdown. This traditional binding shows that a Yakuza is ready to go into battle. Again, this is a ritual moment that only Japanese audiences would have immediately undersood. To avoid confusing western viewers and/or holding up the pace of the movie with long explanations, the moment was cut from the western release print.

People who think they understand the complexities of Japanese society itt