Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl Most people know Asano Tadanobu from his roles in
Ichi the Killer,
Electric Dragon 80,000V and other cult favorites. But even back in 1998, this actor was already on the cutting edge of Japanese film thanks to his role as Samehada (Shark Skin) in Ishii Katsuhito's
Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl, based on the comic of the same name. After stealing a pile of money from the yakuza, Samehada is on the run when he runs into another fugitive named Toshiko, otherwise known as Momojiri (Peach Hip). Momojiri, played by Kohinata Shie, has run away from the custody of her creepy uncle who has a problem keeping his hands off her. The two fugitives attempt to flee, but are cornered on all sides, and must eventually face their pursuers. Not just your run of the mill yakuza movie,
Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl is also heavy on the comedy, and of course on style, making it a must see for fans of Asano, as well as anybody who likes Quentin Tarantino-style bad guy flicks.
Party 7
Japanese manga and live-action hyperactivity combine in Party 7, a deliriously creative and bizarre motion picture from Ishii Katsuhito, the director of the cult favorite Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl! Ishii's ridiculous film kicks off with the arrival of seven oddball characters at the flamboyantly kitschy Hotel New Mexico. The must-be-seen-to-be-believed Captain Banana (Harada Yoshio) leads the way as the seven individuals proceed to screech, shout, and spew pages of bizarre dialogue that's both perverse and entertaining! Meanwhile, there's a suitcase full of stolen mob money up for grabs, and the various characters vie for its possession. All the while, Captain Banana and his apprentice, The Mister Yellow, peep at the various happenings through their voyeur-equipped hotel room. Who will get the money? And will any of this make sense? Probably not, but Party 7 makes up for its lack of complete coherence with a breathless creativity that's both commendable and utterly hilarious! Featuring a cast of Japanese Cinema regulars, including Asano Tadanobu and Nagase Masatoshi, Party 7 is an unexpected comedy that pushes the already mystifiying boundaries of Japanese Cinema to the limit!
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