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DIRECTOR: Kinji Fukasaku (Virus, Battle Royale)
STARS: Akihiro Miwa, Isao Kimura (Seven Samurai), Kikko Matsuoka, Yukio Mishima
SYNOPSIS: Entertaining crime / action / melodrama / comedy(!) / cult film from the director of Battle Royale. The main characters here are a police detective named “Akechi” investing a series of crimes and his nemesis - a flamboyant female jewel thief know as “Black Lizard”. This villain is equal to cinema figures such as Kriminal, Diabolik and Shadowman. The detective and master criminal play cat and mouse throughout the film as they keep “one-upping” each other. It’s clear Black Lizard respects, and falls in love with, the (equally brilliant) detective but she still tries to repeatedly kill him. The Black Lizard is desperate to get the priceless “Star of Egypt” diamond and kidnaps the owner’s daughter as ransom. It all ends on a private island where Black Lizard has human statues made from her previous victims on display (including the infamous Japanese figure, and co-writer, Yukio Mishima). This film is packed with memorable images, great performances, eye-popping color & fashions and plenty of surprises. At times it has the feel of early James Bond films. Black Lizard is played by Japanese actor Akhiro Miwa. It’s never revealed in the film, and it’s not a plot point, so he’s simply accepted as a woman in this role. Miwa later voiced a number of animated films by Miyazaki. Highly recommended. Never released in widescreen for home media. In Japanese language with English subtitles. WIDESCREEN
Widescreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
DIRECTOR: Kinji Fukasaku (Virus, Battle Royale)
STARS: Akihiro Miwa, Isao Kimura (Seven Samurai), Kikko Matsuoka, Yukio Mishima
SYNOPSIS: Entertaining crime / action / melodrama / comedy(!) / cult film from the director of Battle Royale. The main characters here are a police detective named “Akechi” investing a series of crimes and his nemesis - a flamboyant female jewel thief know as “Black Lizard”. This villain is equal to cinema figures such as Kriminal, Diabolik and Shadowman. The detective and master criminal play cat and mouse throughout the film as they keep “one-upping” each other. It’s clear Black Lizard respects, and falls in love with, the (equally brilliant) detective but she still tries to repeatedly kill him. The Black Lizard is desperate to get the priceless “Star of Egypt” diamond and kidnaps the owner’s daughter as ransom. It all ends on a private island where Black Lizard has human statues made from her previous victims on display (including the infamous Japanese figure, and co-writer, Yukio Mishima). This film is packed with memorable images, great performances, eye-popping color & fashions and plenty of surprises. At times it has the feel of early James Bond films. Black Lizard is played by Japanese actor Akhiro Miwa. It’s never revealed in the film, and it’s not a plot point, so he’s simply accepted as a woman in this role. Miwa later voiced a number of animated films by Miyazaki. Highly recommended. Never released in widescreen for home media. In Japanese language with English subtitles. WIDESCREEN
Widescreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
