An interesting aspect of Yakuza Graveyard is that it is also an attack on Japanese cultural and ethnic xenophobia: Kuroiwa himself is Japanese but born in Japanese-occupied Manchuria, Keiko is half-Korean, Kuroiwa's Yakut's friend is Korean, one of Kuroiwa's street-thug followers is is half-black. All of them, it is made plain, were bullied in childhood for their differences and that is what has made them what they are. Kuroiwa and his friend are also differentiated by the way they dress- from the start Kurowaiwa is dressed in street clothes, his friend changes from the formal suit and tie of a senior yakuza's in the course of the film. Police and yakuzas are portrayed as representatives of business, dressed in salary-man suits and following strict codes of behaviour.
12 Reviews
Interesting, but rough....very, very rough.
planktonrules8 February 2011
Warning: Spoilers
This is a frustrating film to watch, as some of it is quite interesting and some of it is awfully rough and certainly could have used improvement. With A LOT of polish, this could have been a much better film.
Kuriowa is an insane cop. This is the only way to understand the guy. He is full of rage and angry at the world. While the rest of the police force doesn't seem very interested in doing anything other than accommodate the Yakuza (Japanese mobsters), Kuroiwa wants actions--and it means beating prisoners to get it, it's fine with him. Oddly, his superiors don't mind a little of his mindless violence...to a point. The bottom line is that the cops are happy to keep the status quo--to allow their friends to run their 'business' as they like as long as they follow some guidelines (i.e., don't make waves).
Although it's obvious that the cops are in league with the mob, it's clear that they favor one of the Yakuza families more than the other. Here, it gets pretty weird. Although Kuriowa hate the mob, he begins to hate the cops even more. So, because the cops favor one family, suddenly Kuriowa pals up to their rival gang. Now, he goes from angry cop to loyal follower of this clan. Where all this goes next, you'll have to see for yourself.
This is a film aching to be remade. While the basic story idea is good (especially the part about Kuriowa finding himself drawn to the one Yakuza leader), the way the film is made isn't. Too much of the film just looks amateurish--with shaky camera-work and MANY scenes where people are just screaming and look like they are ad libbing it. It looks very rough and the acting, at times, is pretty goofy. And, because the style is so rough, I could see the film alienating many viewers. An interesting failure that is worth seeing but far from a must-see.
Kuriowa is an insane cop. This is the only way to understand the guy. He is full of rage and angry at the world. While the rest of the police force doesn't seem very interested in doing anything other than accommodate the Yakuza (Japanese mobsters), Kuroiwa wants actions--and it means beating prisoners to get it, it's fine with him. Oddly, his superiors don't mind a little of his mindless violence...to a point. The bottom line is that the cops are happy to keep the status quo--to allow their friends to run their 'business' as they like as long as they follow some guidelines (i.e., don't make waves).
Although it's obvious that the cops are in league with the mob, it's clear that they favor one of the Yakuza families more than the other. Here, it gets pretty weird. Although Kuriowa hate the mob, he begins to hate the cops even more. So, because the cops favor one family, suddenly Kuriowa pals up to their rival gang. Now, he goes from angry cop to loyal follower of this clan. Where all this goes next, you'll have to see for yourself.
This is a film aching to be remade. While the basic story idea is good (especially the part about Kuriowa finding himself drawn to the one Yakuza leader), the way the film is made isn't. Too much of the film just looks amateurish--with shaky camera-work and MANY scenes where people are just screaming and look like they are ad libbing it. It looks very rough and the acting, at times, is pretty goofy. And, because the style is so rough, I could see the film alienating many viewers. An interesting failure that is worth seeing but far from a must-see.
Technical aspects are great, but I think the writing let it down a bit
Jeremy_Urquhart23 September 2022
Watched this fairly late on a Friday night, so I'll keep this review brief, because bed is calling out to me.
I've been really into yakuza films lately, as I like crime films and I really dig Japanese cinema, and the yakuza sub-genre quite naturally combines the two. The thing I liked most about this particular one was its unique take on the "undercover cop infiltrating a criminal gang" premise.
In it, the central protagonist (the undercover cop) gets friendly with a gang, and they know pretty quickly where he's from. So the conflict isn't about whether or not he'll get found out; it's more about finding out on which side of the law his intentions truly lie (if he has any strong feelings one way or the other), and later, conflict arises when the police get angry at him for seeming to enjoy his interactions with the yakuza too much.
It's got a great premise and a strong opening half-hour. It's also really well-filmed throughout, with some great, frantic camerawork, and all the performances are solid. But it did get a bit too messy for my liking, with a plot that could have gone in numerous interesting directions, but didn't really seem to commit to one solidly enough. Maybe this was intended to mirror the feelings of the main character... or it could've been that the writing of the screenplay was just a bit rushed. I guess I'll never know for sure...
I've been really into yakuza films lately, as I like crime films and I really dig Japanese cinema, and the yakuza sub-genre quite naturally combines the two. The thing I liked most about this particular one was its unique take on the "undercover cop infiltrating a criminal gang" premise.
In it, the central protagonist (the undercover cop) gets friendly with a gang, and they know pretty quickly where he's from. So the conflict isn't about whether or not he'll get found out; it's more about finding out on which side of the law his intentions truly lie (if he has any strong feelings one way or the other), and later, conflict arises when the police get angry at him for seeming to enjoy his interactions with the yakuza too much.
It's got a great premise and a strong opening half-hour. It's also really well-filmed throughout, with some great, frantic camerawork, and all the performances are solid. But it did get a bit too messy for my liking, with a plot that could have gone in numerous interesting directions, but didn't really seem to commit to one solidly enough. Maybe this was intended to mirror the feelings of the main character... or it could've been that the writing of the screenplay was just a bit rushed. I guess I'll never know for sure...
Excellent crime drama which will appeal to Beat Takeshi fans.
Infofreak17 September 2003
How ironic that director Kinji Fukasaku began to get a LOT of attention for his final movie (the amazing 'Battle Royale' - watch it today!) after a career spanning some forty years and sixty movies in many genres! How many other directors are unfairly languishing in obscurity because they aren't Anglo-American or talked up by Quentin Tarantino? 'Yakuza Graveyard' is a fascinating and brutal crime thriller that really impressed me. Along with Oshima's 'In The Realm Of The Senses' and Imamura's 'Vengeance Is Mine' it shows that there was some amazing films being made in mid-70s Japan. Films that are only now getting the attention they deserve! Tetsuya Watari (star of the extraordinary 1960s cult movie 'Tokyo Drifter') plays a cop who forms a friendship with a local criminal and eventually falls for the man's sister. Yes, it's the old "what side am I on?" plot we've seen many times, but it's done very well. Watari later had a small role in Beat Takeshi's 'Brother', and fans of Takeshi's yakuza movies would do well to track 'Yakuza Graveyard' down as it no doubt was a strong influence on Takeshi's movies like 'Violent Cop' and 'Hana-bi'. I really enjoyed watching 'Yakuza Graveyard' and highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates intelligent and uncompromised crime dramas, Japanese or otherwise.
The cops are worse that those the protect you from
BandSAboutMovies8 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Directed by Kinji Fukasaku with screenplay by Kazuo Kasahara based on a concept by Norimichi Matsudaira, Naoyuki Sugimoto and Kyo Namura, Yakuza Graveyard is the story of Detective Kuroiwa (Tetsuya Watari, Graveyard of Honor) and his investigations into the Yamashiro and Nishida organized crime syndicates. He soon learns that his police bosses are just as corrupt as the criminals they face. They may as well be the criminals, as they are working with the Yamashiro.
Kuroiwa becomes close with Nishida executive Iwata (Tatsuo Umemiya) and soon finds himself falling in love with Matsunaga Keiko (Meiko Kaji!), the wife of an imprisoned gang member. Swearing allegiance to a criminal instead of his fellow cops and being in love with a woman used to the wrong side of the law puts Kuroiwa into a downward spiral of gun, blood and crime.
Yet how far from being a criminal is Kuroiwa? He drinks non-stop, sleeps with sex workers, embraces Western rock and roll and punches so many cops in the face. He's as much of an outcast as the Korean characters in this film, people with a heritage that will never allow them to rise to the levels they may deserve.
How much is this movie on the side of the bad guys? I mean, the cops use Nazi truth serum at one point. Japanese yakuza films are a deep well to explore and this is a great start, all filled with frantic action, moments that transform into monochromatic psychedelia and the idea that a death bleeding out in the dirty street is the best almost any of these characters will get.
Kuroiwa becomes close with Nishida executive Iwata (Tatsuo Umemiya) and soon finds himself falling in love with Matsunaga Keiko (Meiko Kaji!), the wife of an imprisoned gang member. Swearing allegiance to a criminal instead of his fellow cops and being in love with a woman used to the wrong side of the law puts Kuroiwa into a downward spiral of gun, blood and crime.
Yet how far from being a criminal is Kuroiwa? He drinks non-stop, sleeps with sex workers, embraces Western rock and roll and punches so many cops in the face. He's as much of an outcast as the Korean characters in this film, people with a heritage that will never allow them to rise to the levels they may deserve.
How much is this movie on the side of the bad guys? I mean, the cops use Nazi truth serum at one point. Japanese yakuza films are a deep well to explore and this is a great start, all filled with frantic action, moments that transform into monochromatic psychedelia and the idea that a death bleeding out in the dirty street is the best almost any of these characters will get.
Yakuza fun
Minority_Report24 January 2003
This is a good movie. It's directed by Kinji Fukasaku who's a top director. There's lashings of style and substance to the film with a pace that never lets up throughout the film. It's like a gritty Pulp Fiction, but with the characters more low-key and more attention paid to the story line. Anyway, a good score, great acting and plenty of fights makes this a must see for anyone keen on the Yakuza or stories like The Limey. The story centers around an undercover cop, who is reassigned to a new precinct and sets out to put the mobsters behind bars. Along the way he gets involved with the people he is trying to put away, finding them to be the victims of fate rather than the villains they appear to be. This part of the story is offset around a larger picture of police corruption with the Yakuza pulling their strings. A cinematic masterpiece by a fascinating director.
Cop/Yakuza movie with themes of romance, brotherhood, and allegiance
jimniexperience30 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Violent cop Kuroiwa is on an investigation on the rising tension between the Yamashiro and Nishida clans. After a couple run-ins with the local Nishida gangsters he begins to make his alliances. He discovers a secret police force posing as loan agents whom are watchdogs for the Yamashiro clan.
He falls in love with Keiko, a mistress within the Nishida clan, and after proving his toughness in a 1-vs-20 man fight he becomes cool with the underboss Iwaki and swears brotherhood. His relations with the Nishida clan gets him expelled from the force (whom are secretly in Yamashiro's pockets), and the cops blackmail Nishida to sell out Iwaki and ally with Yamashiro.
The secret task force kidnaps Kuroiwa and injects him with truth serum so he'll squeal on Iwaki whereabouts. When Kuroiwa snaps into reality he shoots up the cop station
He falls in love with Keiko, a mistress within the Nishida clan, and after proving his toughness in a 1-vs-20 man fight he becomes cool with the underboss Iwaki and swears brotherhood. His relations with the Nishida clan gets him expelled from the force (whom are secretly in Yamashiro's pockets), and the cops blackmail Nishida to sell out Iwaki and ally with Yamashiro.
The secret task force kidnaps Kuroiwa and injects him with truth serum so he'll squeal on Iwaki whereabouts. When Kuroiwa snaps into reality he shoots up the cop station
Fukasaku style Yakuza Cinema
aleksandarsarkic8 January 2017
Kinji Fukasaku, in my opinion one of the best directors in history of Japanese cinema, most known in the west for his movie Battle Royale (2000), but not many people know of his earlier work. In the 70's Fukasaku directed many movies which main theme is Japanese Mafia more known as The Yakuza. Every movie in that decade is pure gem. Yakuza Graveyard is also one of them. Everything in this movie is superb, directing, shaky camera work, acting and music, it is very moving and fast pace which is unique to Fukasaku, he was really ahead of his time. The most i love about his movies are main protagonists/antagonists and their rebellious attitude which is totally different from expectations in Japanese society. This time main character is played by fantastic Tatsuya Watari, also seen in Graveyard of Honor, even he is better in this one, such a great performance, also worth mentioning beautiful Meiko Kaji, only you can see such natural beauty in the east. Like previous movies, it is full of action, violence, sex, rebellion in Fukasaku's way. I also like how he portrayed police force, and their lack of honor and corruption and ties to organized crime. Definitely a gem in history of Yakuza cinema and Japanese cinema, must see if you are fan.
A formula perfected
DanTheMan2150AD9 January 2024
Even with its sombre and bleak tone that puts many of his other works to shame, once the smoke clears, there are more than enough corpses to fill this graveyard. Yakuza Graveyard is one of Kinji Fukasaku's more psychological approaches to his Yakuza films, dripping with nihilism and crammed full of energy, the film has all the hallmarks of Fukasaku's other movies. Here, he chooses to focus on the complicated and damaged psyche of Tetsuya Watari's investigator Kuroiwa with the chemistry he shares with Meiko Kaji's Keiko adding some beautiful tenderness to this gripping tale of violence and interpersonal deception. The camera tilts, dives and chases after the exceptional action, at no point becoming lost in the haze of bloody knuckles and muzzle flashes; combining this with Toshiaki Tsushima's prog rock style score and Yakuza Graveyard remains just as emotional, hard-hitting and badass as Fukasaku's other works, maintaining a standard of quality few could rival.
camerawork is wonderful
christopher-underwood15 August 2023
Very good and not over long, this is a splendid violent Yakusa action film, although not bloody. There is rather much shouting and screaming but the camerawork is wonderful with many tricks, freezes and hand held work. I seem not to have seen much of the director Kinji Fukasaku expect of course of Battle Royale (2000). I loved seeing Meiko Kaji here and with before so much more like Lady Snowblood (1973) and the fantastic, Female Prisoner:701 Scorpion (1972). Cinematic all the way, a little confusing now and again but it is great with that stunning camera always going on and magnificent as thrilling all the time.
A compelling story of police corruption and a cop on the edge
mcyifrh38 December 2002
Fukasaku's film, also known as "Yakuza Graveyard," is a compelling Japanese crime drama, from the director of "Battle Royale."
The plot centres on a 'cop on the edge,' played by Tetsuya Watari, a character far more disturbed than, say, Dirty Harry or Popeye Doyle from "The French Connection." Indeed, Watari's rebelliousness seems far more shocking in the context of Japanese society, where respect for authority and conformity are supposedly ingrained.
Equally interesting is the portrayal of the Yakuza. It is a crime family in the mould of "The Godfather," but more prosaic and less self-important than the clan created by Francis Ford Coppola. Above all, the film's theme is the lack of honour in Japanese society. The police are corrupt, and in many respects indistinguishable from the Yakuza. The central character develops a close relationship with one of the mobsters, whom he discovers is far more honourable and trustworthy than his police colleagues.
All in all, a fascinating and fast-paced movie.
The plot centres on a 'cop on the edge,' played by Tetsuya Watari, a character far more disturbed than, say, Dirty Harry or Popeye Doyle from "The French Connection." Indeed, Watari's rebelliousness seems far more shocking in the context of Japanese society, where respect for authority and conformity are supposedly ingrained.
Equally interesting is the portrayal of the Yakuza. It is a crime family in the mould of "The Godfather," but more prosaic and less self-important than the clan created by Francis Ford Coppola. Above all, the film's theme is the lack of honour in Japanese society. The police are corrupt, and in many respects indistinguishable from the Yakuza. The central character develops a close relationship with one of the mobsters, whom he discovers is far more honourable and trustworthy than his police colleagues.
All in all, a fascinating and fast-paced movie.
Blistering, no-nonsense crime action by the undisputed master of the genre
chaos-rampant26 October 2008
There's not much to say really about YAKUZA GRAVEYARD perhaps other than it is a Kinji Fukasaku movie that finds the unsung master of the crime genre firing on all cylinders, his cinematic craft honed to stultifying perfection. Narrative use of montages and stills, hyperkinetic camera-work, relentless action, groovy score, convoluted plot, all the stylistic hallmarks of his yakuza directorial output are present and I'm sure he knew them so well by this point I bet he could knock one out of the park with his eyes closed. All in all an orgasmic smorgasbord of no-nonsense seventies crime cinema that takes no prisoners and that will have every last one of the genre's enthusiasts raising fists in the air with excitement. If you've perused any of Fukasaku's back catalogue from the early seventies you know exactly what I'm talking about YG is not particularly original in that aspect but it shows the great Japanese director doing what he does best and doing it better than everybody else, then and now.
The cast is spearheaded by the always enjoyable and charismatic Tetsuya Watari (worked with Fukasaku in GRAVEYARD OF HONOUR - which Takashi Miike remade in 2002) and the fragile but determined Meiko Kaji, and is also populated by lots of familiar faces like Nagashi Oshima. Watari starts out as abusive cop strongarming yakuza thugs for information and the movie seems to be heading to a general cops vs thugs direction, that is until Fukasaku pulls an inverted Dirty Harry and has Watari siding with one of two yakuza gangs duking it out in the Tokyo underworld, pledging blood oaths with one of the underbosses and becoming romantically entangled with the wife of the boss who's away, doing time in prison. Kaji is said wife, a Korean half-breed and ex-hooker, running the gang in her husband's stead, emotionally vulnerable and leading an unfulfilled life. In the end Watari arrives to the same conclusions regarding the police as Clint Eastwood did in Dirty Harry, only the police he's renouncing is in bed with the yakuzas, doing political deals under the table, and his way of renouncing it is a lot harder and more violent than symbolically tossing a badge in a lake a suitable, excellent ending to a grim and gritty piece. His transition from one end to the other is a bit abrupt but what the heck, this is a genre piece and not a character study so I'm not picky.
What easily stands out about YG is its breakneck, furious pace. The viewer will be forgiven for scratching his head in several occasions, wondering how the movie got where it is, and the convoluted plot doesn't really help orientation. It's basically plot-plot-plot only with torrents of mean asskicking, relentless and blistering as only Fukasaku knows how to shoot it. Every five minutes someone's getting his ass kicked it's as simple as that and no exaggeration. It makes Steven Seagal flicks look like romantic comedies. Overall a top notch crime action flick that hasn't dated one bit in the places that matter and a definitive must-see for Fukasaku and yakuza fans.
The cast is spearheaded by the always enjoyable and charismatic Tetsuya Watari (worked with Fukasaku in GRAVEYARD OF HONOUR - which Takashi Miike remade in 2002) and the fragile but determined Meiko Kaji, and is also populated by lots of familiar faces like Nagashi Oshima. Watari starts out as abusive cop strongarming yakuza thugs for information and the movie seems to be heading to a general cops vs thugs direction, that is until Fukasaku pulls an inverted Dirty Harry and has Watari siding with one of two yakuza gangs duking it out in the Tokyo underworld, pledging blood oaths with one of the underbosses and becoming romantically entangled with the wife of the boss who's away, doing time in prison. Kaji is said wife, a Korean half-breed and ex-hooker, running the gang in her husband's stead, emotionally vulnerable and leading an unfulfilled life. In the end Watari arrives to the same conclusions regarding the police as Clint Eastwood did in Dirty Harry, only the police he's renouncing is in bed with the yakuzas, doing political deals under the table, and his way of renouncing it is a lot harder and more violent than symbolically tossing a badge in a lake a suitable, excellent ending to a grim and gritty piece. His transition from one end to the other is a bit abrupt but what the heck, this is a genre piece and not a character study so I'm not picky.
What easily stands out about YG is its breakneck, furious pace. The viewer will be forgiven for scratching his head in several occasions, wondering how the movie got where it is, and the convoluted plot doesn't really help orientation. It's basically plot-plot-plot only with torrents of mean asskicking, relentless and blistering as only Fukasaku knows how to shoot it. Every five minutes someone's getting his ass kicked it's as simple as that and no exaggeration. It makes Steven Seagal flicks look like romantic comedies. Overall a top notch crime action flick that hasn't dated one bit in the places that matter and a definitive must-see for Fukasaku and yakuza fans.
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