Well, this film has no style, really, there's not much to it, the "anti style" IS the style, and aside from two Ozu-ian long shots, I didn't see much art to the film, which makes it all the more interesting that the film actually WORKS for its 2 hour length -- despite being a bit too long.
But yeah, Miike's somewhat of a hack, sure he has made quite a few varied films, but that's because he accepts lots of interesting, varied scripts. It really has nothing to do with any style he has, in particular; he just films what fits for the script he's basing his film on. That's about it. He's a director for hire. He's not Kitano, or Tsukamoto, or Ishii, etc etc etc. He's just a guy who makes films for money. That being said, he's made plenty of great films, like the Black Society Trilogy and Izo. Gozu would probably be somewhere in the middle, though in a lot of ways it's a perfect example of a Miike film, in that it's often boring, occasionally genius, but usually just mildly entertaining. Also, I think it's misunderstood. People calling it "Horror" or "SO WEIRD!!!!!!!!!!!!!" kinda miss the point. It's just a simple story about a guy who's afraid of sexuality. That's what most of the imagery/objects -- the cum-drooling cow, the crotchless panty stuff -- seems to suggest.
It reminded you of Argento? I don't see that at all. A lot of Argento films have a real artfulness to them. This was mostly just "point and shoot", without much movement, or anything interesting really happening beyond what you see in front of you.
I think if Miike took all his best scenes -- this film's American-reading Russian woman, City of Lost Souls' chicken fight -- and put them all in one film, he'd be the best director in the world. As it stands, the only films I really love by him anymore are films like Izo, where every shot IS a money shot.
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pre·ten·tious: characterized by assumption of dignity or importance.
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baygerbieger
13 years ago
"That being said, he's made plenty of great films, like the Black Society Trilogy and Izo"
Fake artfag you say? Yeah, I hear you.
You should read the dudes interviews and see his behind the scenes stuff. As I've said you have two camps, those that underrate him and those that overrate him and for the same reasons nonetheless.
http://japanesemovies.homestead.com/Miike.html
While I do like Kitano. You are saying Miike is a director for hire, while in the follow sentence bring up the dude that did Tetsuo: The Bullet Man and the guy from Takeshi's castle right?
Wrong to say that I am giving up, right to say that I ain't showing up.
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polysicsarebest
13 years ago
I'm not fan of BULLET MAN but Tsukamoto brought us Snake of June, Iron Man, Tokyo Fist, Vital... haunting, interesing works.
Also I'm not talking about Kitano the PERSON, I'm talking about the director, who wrote/produced/edited/directed all his films.
And yes Miike is a director for hire. As I said in my post, he adds his own little spin to scripts, and even collaborates on them, but he has written, like, 3 of his own movies.
I don't see how it's "Artfag" to have an opinion, and most of my post was littered with facts. BLACK SOCIETY TRILOGY isn't really comprised of "art" films anyway, though I can understand the beef with Izo.
I like Miike in general, but he gets far too much credit -- and blame -- for the narratives of his work. He doesn't write most of em. And I've seen nearly everything he's done. I'm a fan, but he doesn't compare to some Japanese directors, imo.
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Shuji Terayama forever.
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baygerbieger
13 years ago
And he made Bullet Man for an American audience. A movie made solely for money. He also came out in Ichi The Killer, which going on your logic was made solely for money.
That doesn't make any sense. Kitano isn't a sell out because he writes and produces his own movies along with directing them? However Miike is because he never stops working? While clearly being the driving force behind his films. I mean going on your logic, directors only exist to do exactly what screen writers, write. Gozu was originally going to be a straight forward Yakuza story but Miike completely changed it and made it a more modest production in order for it to be a success for the first time producer/screen writer that talked to Miike about making a movie for his son.
What facts? There are no facts in your post. Just plain ignorance. Miike is not a director for hire. If he was, he'd only work in America. His name can easily sell enough for him to retire in the states and live a very comfortable life. However he is the type of man that loves working nonstop. He has a clear vision and makes movies to the best of their abilities. Seriously read his interviews and watch his behind the scenes stuff. Outside of One Missed Call, all of his films have his clear vision and focus as the driving force.
I mean really in short, I called you an artfag cause of this logic.
"If they don't say or are credited as doing everything in the movie. I.E. writing, producing, directing, etc. Then clearly they just exist as tools while others do the real hard work!"
Going on that logic James Cameron has more "cred" than Miike. Some effin tarded logic there, mang.
Peach, Plum, Pear
Peach, Plum....
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