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REVIEW: Sympathy for the Underdog

Sympathy for the Underdog

Director: Kinji Fukasaku

Year 1971

Sympathy for the Underdog, AKA Gamblers in Okinawa, is an epic yakuza tale about treachery, lost love, and revenge. Directed by the legendary Japanese filmmaker Kinji Fukasaku, the film is stark with blood and violence as it depicts the harsh life of a fallen yakuza gang that must brutally claim a new piece of territory for themselves or never see their betrayal avenged. With an outstanding visual style and a penchant for dramatic detail, Sympathy for the Underdog is truly a brutal masterpiece.

This bloody tale follows a yakuza member named Gunji, who has just been released from prison after a ten year long sentence. The life that Gunji has come back to is a shadow of its former self. After his arrest, the gang was disbanded and their territory was taken over by a rival gang, the same one that set up their downfall. Instead of directly seeking out revenge, Gunji plans to reunite the surviving members of his defunct gang and start over in Okinawa, steadily regaining their status and eventually taking down those responsible for his ten year stay in the slammer. With the odds against them and their numbers few, can they retake those old glory days or will their end be met by a bloody massacre? Perhaps both outcomes will be met?

Koji Tsuruta plays the role of Gunji, the sunglasses wearing bad ass with a heavy heart of gold. His reintroduction into the world, after his prison stay, is somewhat of a shock and Tsuruta pours on the sulk for everything its worth. You can see the wear and tear from having to carry the burden of this gang on his broad shoulders, and the reflective moments when he looks back on what has occurred in the past and onto the events that are sure to unfold in the future, he does this in a mesmerizing and contemplative way. His character is an interesting specimen, because he never loses his cool or shows any kind of emotion aside from his cold thought-provoking stare.

 

What’s most compelling about this character is that he is a violent man, but Tsuruta plays him with restraint, only bringing out his viscous side when it is absolutely necessary. This semi-pacifist approach is engaging, helping us side with the kinder side of the character, while allowing the viewer to understand the need for violence later on when Gunji is given no other choice. I also enjoyed how Tsuruta took on the sorrow of Gunji’s long lost love. He allowed the feelings that his character had for her, to infect itself into his performance, giving him the mournful appearance of a hallow man lost to the past. Tsuruta gives an outstanding performance in general, leaving the trademarks of an accomplished actor in his wake while gifting the audience with a lasting impression of his brilliance.

The style of Sympathy for the Underdog is also quite remarkable, allowing for the violence and bloodletting to be expressively splashed across its kinetic frame. A great example of this technique comes into play during the final blood soaked moments of the film. A large scale battle takes place, with Gunji and his small crew going up against a powerful yakuza gang. The camera tilts back and forth as it struggles to keep up with the action, swaying here and there as if mimicking the struggle of the fight. It’s a furious exchange of movement and pace and the director captures the chaotic anarchy of it all. The same detailed technique can be seen in the more tender moments of the film also, where the color and the placement of the actors are more intimate and static. We get a number of these instances, but most prominently it is more than prevalent in the low key moments between Gunji and the prostitute that resembles his long lost love. In these scenes, the pace of the film slows down to appreciate the tenderness of the moment, while at the same time making for a stark contrast to the more blood filled moments that surround it.

 

Speaking of the blood filled moments, this movie has plenty of that. Throughout the course of the film, we are witness to gory car accidents, nasty knife slashes, viscous shotgun blasts, crimson splattering gun shot wounds, and a plethora of stabbings that never seem to end. The movie is a smorgasbord of cruelty and it looks absolutely beautiful. The visceral nature of the picture illustrates perfectly the violent nature of this criminal world and no one does it better then Kinji Fukasaku. With this entry in the yakuza genre of films and his amazing Yakuza Papers series of movies, Fukasaku really made his mark on gritty violent stories during this age of cinema. Sympathy for the Underdog is just one of his many bloody calling cards that stated his effectiveness as a director of the brutal side of life.

Sympathy for the Underdog is a highly enjoyable showcase on the brutal world of the yakuza. Its visceral approach and heightened sense of reality, is at its core, top notch and highly engaging. Koji Tsuruta is mesmerizing as the leader of the underdog crew of fallen yakuza and his portrayal of the hardened and cool Gunji is inspirational.

 

With the film’s frantic depictions of gang wars and the tolls that they take on their participants, you’re presented with a stark recreation of brutal violence that never really lets up. Finding a film this genuine is a rare breed indeed and you definitely won’t find a more desperate and intimate portrayal of a dog-eat-dog lifestyle then you will with Sympathy for the Underdog. Kinji Fukasaku gives us a……

Gunji has one hell of a poker face.

No one likes it when the old man farts. No one.

What's the matter boys? Never seen one this big?

This is the shit that's supposed to knock my socks off?

We're about to put a hurting on this fool. You want in?

Waiter... there's a dead man in my soup.

I know you're making faces behind me.

They said your uni-brow looks stupid.

Try not to looks so guilty guys.

Gunji takes a little porno break.

You insult my uni-brow, i bring the posse.

This is my happy face.

I think he's dead guys. Ever hear of overkill?

The pool party was a bust after everyone forgot to bring their swimsuits.

This is my sad face.

Hello! Is anyone there?!?!?!

Get the fuck out of the way cameraman!

Looks like someone found a snuggle buddy.

REVIEW: Death Walks on High Heels

Death Walks on High Heels
Director: Luciano Ercoli
Year 1971
 
Death Walks on High Heels is a tremendously low key and highly underrated Giallo entry by director Luciano Ercoli. With a heavy dose of sleaze yet a surprisingly low amount of violence and bloodletting, this movie defies the conventions of the genre in its pursuit to create a straight forward and serious take on the Italian thriller. If you’re looking for a well crafted and unknown Giallo, then look no further because Death Walks on High Heels has what you’re looking for.
 
The film follows a Paris striptease performer named Nicole Rochard, who after her famous jewel thief father’s murder, begins to receive death threats from an unnamed assassin, demanding that she hand over the diamonds from her father’s heist. Clueless on the location of the diamonds and fearing for her life, she hooks up with an infatuated fan named Robert Matthews and flies to England to stay with him at his secluded lakeside cottage. Hopeful that she will finally find peace in this quaint little country town, Nicole settles in to a life with Robert and slowly begins to forget her troubled past. Has she escaped from the killer’s grasp or is the killer closer than she first feared? Death Walks on High Heels is a rather accomplished Giallo film that keeps the scale of this thrilling story intimate, while at the same time creating an epic mystery full of twists and turns.

Nieves Navarro takes on the role of Nicole Rochard, the sexy strip artist caught up in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Like her role in Death Walks at Midnight, Navarro looks absolutely amazing while parading around in some of the most outlandish get-ups the era could muster and often baring it all for the titillation of the audience. Though there are similarities, the character of Nicole Rochard is a more complex role then Navarro’s Valentina in Death Walks at Midnight, and she combines sex appeal, sleaze, and a surprisingly good amount of compassion, to bring her role to life. Navarro presents Nicole in a more sympathetic light, as a woman who is just doing what she can to support herself while struggling to feel safe in both love and life. When the killer first lets his presence be known, Nicole reaches out for help from her boyfriend Michel, played by Simon Andreu, who at first ignores her pleas for help but then eventually stands by her side. It wasn’t until the killer plants a damning piece of evidence that makes Nicole flee her live-in boyfriend and jump into the arms of another, more sympathetic, gentleman. It’s the vulnerability of Navarro’s portrayal of Nicole that really catches the audiences’ attention, and to contrast this timid trait of her character with the wild and outgoing nature of her strip performance is especially interesting. All in all, Navarro has developed a character that is as engaging as she is beautiful, and it’s this aspect of her role that makes the film so damn enjoyable to watch.    
 
Mirroring that same contrasting quality, the film does a unique bit of balancing with the tone of the movie. Being a Giallo film, we get our fare share of moments that are taken from the formulaic blue prints of the genre, like the masked killer with the switchblade knife, the large cast of red herrings, and the high body count, but there is also another side to this movie that is unconventional to say the least. For a good majority of the middle portions of this film, we are given a sort of love story between the two main characters of Nicole Rochard and Dr. Robert Matthews, played by Frank Wolff. These moments take a strange turn from the earlier segments of the film, and they seem to let the movie as a whole breath a bit until the twisted later half which is filled with betrayal, suspicion, mystery, and multiple murders. It’s a great technique that establishes a core element of the story, while at the same time it sets up the audience for a heartbreaking finale that really sweeps the rug out from under their feet.

As the mystery of this movie reaches an unparalleled pitch, the plot really does begin to thicken as suspects start creeping from out of the woodwork. These characters are all perfectly suspicious in their own right and make for a wonderful cast of likely killers. First there is of course the jaded ex-boyfriend Michel Aumont, played by Simon Andreu. His surprising appearance at the same town that his ex is staying at with her newfound lover is more than a little questionable. Then there is Captain Lenny, played by George Rigaud, a local boat captain who seems to be a little too nosy for his own good. Then there is Hallory, played by Luciano Rossi, whose strange tendencies and peculiar false hand give him one hell of a high creep factor. Then finally there is Vanessa Matthews, the bitter wife of Robert Matthews, played by the sultry Claudie Lange. She, more than anyone else, has the motive to threaten the life of Nicole. All of these characters are wonderfully diverse and they each add a great deal of intrigue to the overall plot of the film, and on top of that they are a joy to watch interact together. Some of the most entertaining moments of the film can be found when Inspector Baxter, the detective assigned to the case in England, has to narrow down who he thinks the killer is among these ambiguous group of shady characters.
 
Carlo Gentili plays the role of Inspector Baxter, and his character is just a whole hell of a lot of fun. His detective style is best described as lackadaisical, as he makes bland smart remarks and genuinely stumbles his way through the case. In all his effortless glory, he often comes up with some astonishingly correct assumptions of what the killer was thinking or how he was able to accomplish what he had done, but to only follow up that poignant conclusion with a dim witted quip that totally diminishes his credibility and his own personal view on how valuable of a cop he really is. Carlo actually played the detective in the other Luciano Ercoli Giallo, Death Walks at Midnight, which was made around the same time, but in Death Walks on High Heels he is able to show a lighter side of his acting abilities. His character in this film isn’t as wacky as his ridiculously silly portrayal as the antler wearing buffoon in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, but it’s more like a mix of the two, played a lot less whimsical. I really enjoyed his approach for the role and felt that he absolutely stole the scenes in which he was featured in, and in the process, brought a more playful side of the film to light. In the end, the cast is what really sells this movie as a respectable Giallo and the diverse cast that they were able to assemble is just rich with talent.

Death Walks on High Heels is a highly enjoyable Giallo entry that features some of the trademarks of the genre, yet the filmmakers allow the film’s narrative to wander into uncharted territories, making for an interesting watch. Nieves Navarro is at her most watchable best, looking absolutely stunning in every single scene she appears in. The fact that her character has a substantial amount of depth to her only enhances the already outstanding quality of her alluring presence.
 
As with most Giallo films, the characters are key in bringing about an enthralling experience and Death Walks on High Heels is no exception to this rule. The cast across the board is more than up for the challenge in delivering engaging individual performances, and the amount of double crossings and suspicious dealings that occur in this film will leave you second guessing yourself at every turn. If you happen to enjoy Giallo films that think outside of the box, in terms of pacing and presentation, then check this one out as soon as you can. This is one Italian thriller that is……

Did it hurt? Did what hurt? When you fell from Heaven, did it hurt?

Check out this professional perv.

Check out this professional creep.

She hates it when you throw knives at her.

Hubba Hubba!

Looks like Robert's glasses are about to fog up from the sexiness.

These boots are made for sexin and that's just what they'll do.

Sweet sassafras!

Now that's just plain silly.

You want my professional opinion? Your eyes are fucked up.

Damn! You got me right in my bum ticker!

Get that dirty mustache out of my face.

Thanks for letting us admire your dinghy.

God I hate you.

Now try getting yourself out of that you slippery shit.

Up yours!

Looks like you dropped your wig madam.

So the killer turned out to be the pet rock. Genius!

REVIEW: Dirty Harry

Dirty Harry
Director: Don Siegel
Year 1971

Dirty Harry is probably one of the most entertaining films that I've seen in a long time. I feel ashamed that I have only just now seen this 70's gem and its equally satisfying sequels. These films are chuck full off bad ass moments provided by the cool as shit antics of San Francisco cop Harry Callahan, otherwise known as Dirty Harry. Oh and he is a dirty son of a bitch. Harry's motto seems to be to obtain his suspect by any means necessary, even if he has to bend the law a bit in his relentless effort to bring the bad guy down. Bring them down he does and in the most brutal fashion. Harry does everything in his power to try to clean up the streets of San Francisco, all the while leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. Harry you're a maniac, but I love you for it.

I spy with my little eye, a woman swimming in a pool.

In the particular case of this film, Dirty Harry, we are introduced to a completely despicable man who delights in sniping random people from afar, be it men, women, or children. As the film opens we are shown a man high atop a skyscraper, focusing in on a women as she swims on the roof of a building far below. The stillness of this scene is quite breathtaking and the visuals of being that high up, present a great sense of vertigo that compliments well with the nauseating idea of a cowardly person taking life from an unseen distance.

The effects of Harry on the city of San Francisco.

The main pull of the Dirty Harry films, for me at least, is to see what Police Inspector Harry Callahan will do next as he tries to solve the many crimes that thrive within the city limits. His approach to solving the case is so unorthodox compared to the rest of the police force, that over the years Harry has earned quite a reputation among the precinct. Not only has this garnered respect from his fellow officers, but it's also provided Harry with some frightening opposition in the form of the seedy underbelly of San Francisco's finest scum and also in the eyes of his supervisors who have to deal with the backlash and endless reports over Harry's latest lead filled escapade. 

Harry asks the audience if they feel lucky. Well do ya?

The dynamics of the love and hate relationship between Harry and his higher ranking counterparts are a kind of running gag that presents itself throughout the series, as Harry must fight with both the criminals of the city and the ever changing rules of conduct and politic figureheads of the time as they enforce their politically correct beliefs on his police work. As the films progress in the series, this plot point gets more and more prevalent as indeed times do change and the idea of an out of control cop seems more of a throwback to more uncivilized times.

Harry hates back seat drivers.

Especially when they're sitting next to him.

The seemingly simple story of a cop who does anything in his power to bring criminals to justice, is brought into a more complex realm by the capable acting chops of the legendary Clint Eastwood. He brings such a restrained approach in his acting, yet is able to convey such a large range of emotions and create an array of exhilarating action scenes, that he indeed is what makes Dirty Harry that much more of an accomplished film. He plays Dirty Harry with a gritty realism that never compromises the story's integrity or washes over the audience with flashy presentation that lacks any kind of substance. Every action that Eastwood makes seems fused within the character of Harry Callahan, until you can't tell the difference between the two. That is what true acting is able to accomplish and Eastwood takes everyone to school in this aspect.

Dirty Harry is a dirty pervert.

The world of Dirty Harry is a dangerous one, filled with dark alleys, evil men, and zero remorse, but cinematographer Bruce Surtees has done a wonderful job in making the world look beautiful in that gritty and filth covered way. The lighting of the stake out scene is one in particular that really packs a punch in the visual department, while also setting the mood for what is to come. In this scene, Harry and his partner are standing watch atop a building, waiting for the killer to appear from across the street. They are given a moment to reflect on things as they lay in wait. Harry is even given an interesting little segment, where he spies in on a small orgy in one of the apartments and mentally compares how different his life is to their care free existence. It's a nice intimate touch accompanied by the brooding lighting scheme that Surtees has set up.

Mr. Dirty as he aims for the kill.

This entire brilliant scene is vibrantly lit by a large rotating overhead sign that reads Jesus Saves. As the neon sign rotates, our characters are caked in harsh reds and then subtle blues, continuing this colorful trend until the killer finally reveals himself. The scene just feels heavy with atmosphere and it brings you right to the moment at hand, as if you're waiting there with the two inspectors. It's a beautifully surreal scene that feels perfectly at home within the world of Dirty Harry.

Can you believe it folks! He's down on the 10 yard line!

The violence is also beautifully surreal in its reddish abundance as Harry pulls the trigger and lets the bullets fly. Bad guys fall in great numbers and in cleverly diverse ways while Harry rids the city of some unwanted vermin. This is 70's cinema violence in a nut shell, inspiring future films like 1974's Death Wish with Charles Bronson and basically any action crime thriller to come out that had a rogue cop out for justice. The violence was influential because it was able to tread that fine balance of keeping it visceral, yet obtaining the relevance for its existence. No death is for the sake of showing a kill on the screen. Even though the violence is plentiful and sometimes surprisingly sprung from out of nowhere, nothing happens without a reason and nothing delves so far that it starts to represent an italian splatterfest. Dirty Harry has the violence, but it has a restrained enough grip that it keeps it well within the realm of good taste.

A pretty nice shot of Harry overlooking the city.

Now, Harry isn't alone in his pursuit of finding the rooftop sniper killer. He is given a partner named Chico Gonzalez, in the form of Reni Santoni. You might remember Reni from one of the more memorable Seinfeld characters, Poppie, where he accidently pees on Jerry's couch. Santoni does a great job in somewhat reigning in Harry's explosive personality and grounding him on his actions and what they mean to everyone surrounded by him. Harry admits that everyone who has ever been his partner have reached a bloody end and after saying that, we get a clear view at what Inspector Gonzalez is up against. Later on in the film we get a moment where Gonzalez makes an important choice that highly impacts the severity that Harry is up against and helps make the world that much more real.

You did what to my grandma?

Without the character of Chico Gonzalez, the film might have felt like a contrived action movie where consequences to Harry's actions never seem to drive home or result in any kind of negative effects to the people around him. Santoni does a great job with his character, and though he serves as a pivotal role in bringing this film into a more realized realm, he still is able to infuse his performance with a pinch of charm while engaging in some entertaining banter with Eastwood's Harry.

Mister, I just crapped my pants!

There's also a large dose of comedy thrown into this film in the form of Harry's hilariously sarcastic wit. This guy has got some of the best quotes in the history of sarcastic film that the world has ever seen. Just one of many memorable moments happens when Harry is trying to explain to the mayor why he had to shoot the suspect. The mayor asks him why and Harry responds with, "Well, when an adult male is chasing a female with the intent to commit rape, I shoot the bastard. That's my policy." The mayor asks him how he established that the man intended to rape the victim. Harry responds, "When a naked man is chasing a woman through an alley with a butcher's knife and a hard-on, I figure he isn't out collecting for the Red Cross." Now that's just bad ass and he says this to the Mayor of the city. There are so many moments like this that come out of nowhere in this film and each one of them are natural and feel inherent with what Harry's character would say. Nothing feels out of place or stuck in for comedic value and that's a credit to the writers efforts and Eastwood's handling of Harry.

Hanging around on top of bridges again. That Harry.

There is also some brilliant musical compositions and stylistic choices for the music in this film. Naturally you have your high octane pieces for the action scenes, but what struck me off guard was the horror elements that kept creeping up in the soundtrack. I don't know if that was what composer Lalo Schifrin had in mind, but the end result is perfect and fits the gritty setting of this picture with fantastic results. Lalo has a diverse portfolio of films that he has composed for over the years, delving into all sorts of genres and it's no surprise to see because the music that he has created for Dirty Harry is quite a motley assortment, yet so so effective. His first attempt with the Dirty Harry soundtrack went so well that he went on to score the entire series, adding his special flare for creating a marvelous soundscape.

That's one pissed off Eastwood!

Dirty Harry is a classic that, for this reviewer, has been able to stand the test of time even though it is so rooted in the era that it was created in. The concept of political correctness and the restraints that Harry has to overcome in able to make his arrest is compelling and interesting to watch no matter what year it is. The amazing action set pieces and the remarkable smart ass lines that spout from the mouth of Clint Eastwood are just great in their sarcastic splendor and blunt delivery, that you can't help but grin along with the film. I'm so glad that I finally sat down to visit this great series and got to view a character as enigmatic as Harry Callahan, the dirtiest son of a bitch in cinema history. This film is highly recommended for Clint Eastwood fans and for anyone who craves 70's cinema and the hard nosed content that comes out of it.

5 out of 5 stars      A Clint Eastwood Kick Ass Classic!