KIBAKICHI (2003) - Wow, this low budget Japanese film about humans and monsters might have made my top 10 all time favorite list. Unbelievably great film about a Samurai werewolf who helps out some other monsters. This is truely worth seeing if you love B-movies. All the great monster action was done old style without CGI as far as I can tell. This film is really over the top entertainment. Check it out you will not be dissappointed !
(http://www.jttk.zaq.ne.jp/mujinto-2000/gazou/preview/kibakichi.jpg)
Will definately purchase this film when I get the chance. The copy I saw I rented from Blockbuster. Anybody see this film?
I had not heard of it before now Scott, but I'll certainly check it out. I just put it in my Netflix queue.
Thanks for the heads up Scott.
Damn, I wanted to put it in my queue as well but couldn't find it. Mustn't be available here yet...
Well anyway, Samurai Werewolves sounds like just my cup of tea. I also thank you for the heads up!
I'll keep an eye out for it...
Put in my Neflix queue too...
-------------------------------------------------
Most of all I hate dancing then work, exercise, people,stupid people
I reviewed this back at the end of June. I'm not quite as high on it as the other Scott but I did enjoy it.
KIBAKICHI review (http://www.horrorchannel.com/dread/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=402)
There's also a sequel that has yet to be released in the US but can be purchased off ebay. I got it but have yet to sit down and watch it.
The images and type of dialogue have stayed with me all day. This hasn't happened in a long time. I think you all will really appreciate the whole film especially the finale. The fight scenes have a real TOHO sound quality when they crash into things and the music works. This is how movies should be made in my opinion. It was like a Toho production mixed with some Spaghetti Western elements.
I really believe you will all find this film extremely interesting and unique in it's own way. Again I say you won't be dissappointed. Foywonders review is fair, but for me it all works. Yes, you could speed up the middle like most of todays films and create some typical dialogue, but then it wouldn't be the film that it is.
The filmmakers did a great job on this one. Enjoy........................
Post Edited (09-24-05 22:30)
Well, I just watched KIBAKICHI again tonight with my dauthter this time. She is a very big fan of Japanese cinema and Anime. She said it is definately great and had a lot of Anime type parts. She said it's a horror/fantasy film with a chaotic insane world like in many Japanese films and Anime. She also said it is different than the other films like BATTLE ROYALE, VERSUS, and WILD ZERO.
As for me, I personally think this will become a cult type film. The dialogue is strangely repetitive and the whole idea is just refreshing.
Actually the opening fight scene is a little weak, but good. The final 20 minutes are the best. The bad dubbing can be very funny at moments.
On the DVD the cast and crew were interviewed and they said they didn't have a script and filmed our Samurai Werewolf running around. Some how they got a great film out of it all. I think you will enjoy it also.
Post Edited (09-24-05 22:45)
Wait, your daughter sits with you and watches movies like Battle Royale? That's pretty cool! Though with all the recent births some members have experienced on this board [and squirrel fights] I've just got this mental picture of a five year old daughter sitting down with you and discussing the finer points of Japanese violence effects: whether the blood spurting through the hose is the way to go, or the old school samurai standard slash-and-stand-still-for-five-seconds.
Don't ask me why I thought that, it just popped in my head...
My daughter is 17 and rarely watches movies with me unless at the theater. She liked THE STORY OF RICKY (Hong Kong) and the Japanese films mentioned before, so I showed her the trailer to KIBAKICHI and she decided to view it.
By the way Dean the blood spurting through the hose is much better than than any films that use CGI. : )
Post Edited (09-28-05 10:29)
I rented this from a local store. I was... disappointed. I can't say I completely disliked it, as there were parts of it that I liked (the last 20 minutes, the opening). But most of the film was boring, with some confusing motivations and one completely unexplained plot development (I'll mention that below in the spoiler bit). Big chunks of the movie consisted of people walking around then talking to others about stuff that didn't seem to really matter. Then other stuff happened. I dunno. I can't even really remember that well, which is a bad sign as most movies I remember VERY well. I watched it less than a month ago.
I have major problems with a lot of more modern live action Japanese films, I find the style of most of them boring (I have enjoyed the Miike films I've seen though). The way they're made, you could cut the length of the films in half and it wouldn't really matter (probably the best example of this I have seen is Kitano's Boiling Point). Scenes pointlessly go overboard in length, with long periods of nothingness or effectively nothing. Wild Zero was like this. It kind of made me sad that the movie was this way, as I love werewolf movies. Oh well. I'd still probably rent the sequel if I got the chance, as I love werewolf action, and I can tolerate mostly boring movies to get it.
***SPOILERS****
The other survivor from Kibakichi's village says it was his fault the village was killed off because he trusted the humans. She never goes any more in detail than that. It made no sense to me. Also, considering how incredibly tough Kibakichi is when transformed, HOW exactly did the humans beat them? He beat a LOT of people with guns and cannons and bombs, and they couldn't fight off a handful of humans with arrows and swords?
***END SPOILER***
Well, those "slow moments" they where strangely trying to establish that the monsters where just trying to live normal lives, but the humans interfere.
And the gaming hall scenes where kinda neat and yes the Geisha spider scenes where dark and not as effective, but still weird enough.
I'm just waiting for Skaboi, Andrini, and Deans thoughts when they get the chance to view it. I know Skaboi really enjoys his Japanese films and he will set the record straight. : ) The verdict hangs in the balance Skaboi...................................
I think think its strangeness and the wild last 20 minutes completely sold me on this film. The middle stuff was ok also.
Post Edited (09-28-05 20:26)
LOL Scott.
The balance is going to hang for a while since Netflix apparently hates me. I'll post a review as soon as I catch the flick.
Yeah, Scott, pretty much the same situation here too: my internet DVD Netflix equivalent doesn't even stock it so I'll have to [shock horror] actually go to a video store and see if they have it. Methinks it'll take a bit of time.
Well my Netflix loves me and I got the movie on Wed. and just watched it right now. I have to say it was a mixed flim. I understand that they tired to show that the Yokai (sp?) were trying live normal lives but man the whole middle part I found boring and I didn't really care about half the cast when the villiage was attacked. The best part was the end and the begining with spots here in there in the middle. The werewolf did kick alot of ass and put the flim over from being total trash.
And on a personal note I could not stand those bastard turtles that were in the lake. The could have helped out when the village was being attack like deflecting bullets with their shells ( I think they had shell well the could have helped anyway)
-------------------------------------------------
Most of all I hate dancing then work, exercise, people,stupid people
Ah those turtle creatures were weird. I remember the leader of the Yokai said he didn't like them turtle guys because visitors to the gaming hall stayed away.
Well, this film isn't getting the reviews I thought it deserved. I did see GHOST LAKE just before KIBAKICHI. Maybe that had something to do with it.
Rich Andrini you had to love the Werewolf running across the courtyard with bombs exploding and the sound effects of them crashing into walls.
Post Edited (09-30-05 22:23)
Probably my favorite part was when the one bad guy is totally freaking out towards the end as Kibakichi fights him and his men. I really like it because he's what I call a Zach-character. Friend of a friend of that name loves the type - the icy cool, always in control, I'm-so-much-better-than-you-and-above-it-all type characters who are INCREDIBLY common in Japanese film and anime. Just always fun to see them totally freak out against a superior opponent who's going to eat them.
It was a "cool" scene Jim H. They shot the Werewolf running through the courtyard from about 3 different angles as the bombs exploded around the Werewolf Kibakichi. The fight sound effects and music were exceptional in my opinion. Mix that with the Anime human character you mentioned and you have one wild ending.