Kaizokuban Bootleg Film (1999) User Reviews

Yakuza Bites Dog

[ninjaalexs · 7/10 · 27 August 2010]

Kaizokuban Bootleg Film is a black and white, black comedy, about a retiring Yakuza member and a cop who are best friends. They embark on a road trip to attend the funeral of a mutual female friend.

The film reminded me a bit of "Man Bites Dog" - the monochrome photography, the humour and the hit-man theme bore similarities. However, "Man Bites Dog" is far superior both in terms of comedy and as a whole. Tarrantino was also clearly an influence with many references to "Reservoir Dogs" as well as stylistic similarities; once again, "Reservoir Dogs" is also superior. It also has the nihilistic edge you would find in a Kitano film. His films are also superior.

Despite being not as good as the films which inspired it, there are some plus points. The acting is good throughout, if a little over-the-top. Not all the humour works (for me anyway) but the gags which do work made me laugh out loud. the cinematography is bleak and cold which fits the film perfectly. Despite being an independent and low-budget film, it does not show too much, due to the production values being polished.

Summary: Not as good as the film it was influenced by. It may interest fans of dark Japanese comedies and Yakuza films. It's worth watching but do not expect anything extraordinary.

Through a Windshield Darkly (with humor)

[michaelmcgrinder · 7/10 · 24 September 2012]

In England the trunk of a car is referred to as the boot. There is a body in the boot here and so that may account for the title. It may also have to do with references, verbal and cinematic, to Quentin Tarantino. Most of the movie takes place in a car and much of that through the windshield. The characters are a low-level Yakuza member and a low-level police officer. They are on the way to the funeral of the woman they both loved and who at the time of her death was carrying the child of one of them. Nothing is ever really clear in this dark comedy. Guns are pointed, sometimes fired, sometimes not, sometimes with blanks, at other times with real bullets. There are very long road shots, and for the entire trip there is only one other car on the road. The climactic scene involves a long walk through the snow. It seemed to go on forever. I fast-forwarded and it still took a long time. It was followed by an anti-climactic scene.