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THURSDAY 2 - No Love in Your Violence: A Takashi Miike Retrospective

Programmed by: Eric-Antonio Guzman

A father getting a broom shoved up his butt. A sadist cutting off his tongue as penitence. A sumo wrestler smashing his girlfriend to death, figuratively and literally. These are just some of the sights you can expect to see in this series dedicated to the one and only Takashi Miike. Known for his extremely graphic and shocking images, Miike has been continuously pushing the boundaries of taste and decency throughout his prolific career.

Since his early days making direct-to-video films in 1990s Japan, Miike has been directing with seemingly reckless abandon in both his output and content. From 1998–2003 alone, he directed an average of 5 films per year, including the road drama The Bird People in China [1998] and the controversial splatter-fest Ichi the Killer [2001]. With over 100 directorial credits to his name, Miike is the embodiment of what author Anthony Williams calls a “cinema of excess and outrage.”

And yet, underneath the shock and gore, Miike’s films tackle deeply personal issues, like the marginalization of immigrants in Ley Lines [1999], and the dangers of childhood violence in Dead or Alive 2: Birds [2000]. His films are certainly extremely violent and taboo, but they are also extremely political and human. And it is in that spirit that we present the very best of Miike through films that are as much about their excess and outrage as they are about us.

9:30PM Thursday, January 27th

Audition (1999) still

Audition (1999)

Takashi Miike · 113m · 35mm

Considered a “true masterpiece” by Quentin Tarantino and a personal favorite by Eli Roth, Audition is Miike’s horrifying portrayal of what happens when two people fall in love for all the wrong reasons. When widower Aoyama decides he’s ready to remarry, he sets up a fake casting call to meet prospective partners. When he realizes that the woman he meets is not the perfect wife he envisioned, the romance turns into an ultra-violent revenge thriller.

9:30PM Thursday, February 3rd

Ichi the Killer (2001) still

Ichi the Killer (2001)

Takashi Miike · 129m · Digital

Banned in multiple countries upon its release, Ichi the Killer is violence at its most maniacal. This manga adaptation tells of a sadomasochistic gangster who seeks to battle an infamous assassin known for his gruesomeness. Little does he know that the assassin, the titular Ichi, is actually a brainwashed crybaby who can only kill when forced into a panic attack. Equal parts comedy and horror, this film tests an audience’s capacity for violence.

9:30PM Thursday, February 10th

Ley Lines (1999) still

Ley Lines (1999)

Takashi Miike · 105m · DCP

One of Takashi Miike’s best character-driven films, Ley Lines is an exploration the underbelly of Japanese society via an outsider’s perspective. The film follows three Japanese teenagers who are ostracized due to their Chinese heritage. They try to earn money selling drugs in hopes of running away to Brazil, but after making little progress, they must risk it all and steal big from a local crime boss if they hope to have any chance of leaving Japan.

9:30PM Thursday, February 24th

The Bird People in China (1998) still

The Bird People in China (1998)

Takashi Miike · 118m · 35mm

Blending fantasy with poetic realism, The Bird People in China is a modern fable about two men who travel to a remote Chinese village in search of jade. Upon arrival, they meet a blue-eyed woman who tells of an ancient myth about her flying ancestors. Enraptured, the two men stay to try to discover the village’s mysterious history. Shot on location in Yunnan, China, this is one of Miike’s most beautiful films, and a prime example of his dramatic prowess.

9:30PM Thursday, March 3rd

Dead or Alive 2: Birds (2000) still

Dead or Alive 2: Birds (2000)

Takashi Miike · 97m · DCP

A spiritual sequel to Dead or Alive, this film begins with two hitmen realizing that they’re not only after the same target, but they are also long-lost childhood friends. Returning to their home island, they reconnect and reminisce on simpler days—but their respite ends when they learn they have unfinished Yakuza business. Mixing frenzied carnage with nostalgic tranquility, this film is an ode to the innocence of youth and the violence of adulthood.

9:30PM Thursday, March 10th

The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001) still

The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001)

Takashi Miike · 113m · 35mm

A family of innkeepers struggling to attract customers suddenly find it hard to keep their new guests alive. Hoping to save face, they bury the bodies in the backyard, but as more bodies pile up, the family’s increasing guilt manifests into a zombie apocalypse. Incorporating stop-motion animation sequences with exuberant song and dance numbers, The Happiness of the Katakuris is a farcical musical about a family of losers trying to live their best lives.