Takashi Miike’s works are not average, and if you think they are, you might need help. Miike is the kind of filmmaker who is less interested in how you feel than in making sure you feel something. Not disturbed in a “geez, that’s icky” kind of way, but more in a “what kind of twisted mind can come up with this stuff” or “the world is more screwed up than I ever imagined” kind of way.
Miike’s films are all about death, and if you don’t believe there is still a lot of room in the movies-about-death category for exploration and creativity, you’re dead wrong. Each of the films presented in this series is brutally violent. The true beauty of these films is that the over-the-top bloodshed and explicit sex allow the satire and commentary on modern life to travel directly into your mind. On the other hand, if you really dig gore and sex, musicals, crime movies or surrealism, then there’s bound to be something here for you to enjoy.
“Fudoh: The New Generation,” 8 p.m. Wednesday.
“Fudoh” is the story of Riki, a young, up-and-coming yakuza leader whose father is the prize in his crosshairs. After killing Riki’s brother 10 years earlier, his father has been unknowingly approaching his doom.
This film is not Miike’s most violent, but that does not mean it is a snoozer; there is plenty going on and your gore plate will be more than full. This movie depicts children in a way that I would lay strong odds you have not yet seen – third-grade hit men and strippers help Riki’s gang become one of the strongest around. Packed with shocks of all kinds, this won’t be soon forgotten by those brave enough to go out and see it.
“The Happiness of the Katakuris,” 8 p.m. June 5.
This is a strange blend of musical and horror genres into something new and insane. Singing merrily while chopping up the mysteriously dying guests at their country inn, this movie blends things that were maybe less than meant to be together, and even includes clay animation. More than a few laughs, gasps and head-scratches are likely to be yours at this quirky case of Disney live-action meets Sam Raimi.
“Visitor Q,” 8 p.m. Friday.
After this movie, Miike was compared to John Waters and Luis Buñuel. Many agreed, however, he left even their fantastic visions in the dust. This movie is extremely explicit, and twists family values so hard they burst into a horrific blizzard of sex, guts and social chaos.
The commentary on family is quite beautiful after the disemboweled corpses float away on the rivers of blood. Some people consider this to be Miike’s most offensive film, which seems like nit-picking, given that the others are not exactly treacle.
“Ichi the Killer,” 8 p.m. June 11.
Based on Hideo Yamamoto’s manga, this is a story for anyone who loved “Revenge of the Nerds” but wished that the “revenge” was a bit more, you know, revenge-y. Nobody is spared when Ichi goes off in the most psychotic rage since “Tetsuo: Ironman.”
But as his revenge nears what should be completion, the exploration of revenge as a pointless endeavor kicks in and Ichi becomes just another symptom of the modern world. His inability to find any meaning in his actions leaves him a morally bankrupt piece of human flotsam washed ashore on an unknown beach.
Tokyo Underground: Takashi Miike’s Mad Bad World will be playing at the Walker Art Center Auditorium and is $7 ($5 for members). For information call (612) 375-7622.
