This film is a gritty; low budget title portraying the lives; profits and perils of 5 young youths searching for their way of life. The film follows five outcasts whom have little education (middle school at best) and a tough upbringing. Plot so frequent with Fukasaku's Yakuza films of the 70's and a definite signature blue print for his other films.
The film is also a great perspective of hard tough life of working class young men in Japan. They end up in jail early on and decide to form an alliance to acquire a truck. They will use the truck and their skills at building sites for manual labour gain and profit. They have an aid at the site who acts like a semi business man semi control freak hence workers' union coming into play later in the film in vengeance of their workers' rights.
The film is a great example of the techniques Fukasaku is a master at. Lots of close up camera angles; excellent drawbacks-pausing and movements mimicking the object-person in question. For instance the last scenes is of one of the young men running on the beach. Fukasaku employs a shaky control of the camera on the man running. Far more realistic impression as someone following from close by instead of the smooth track usage which gets boring in my opinion.
For those of you into Yakuza films yet wonder what many mobsters may face from early in life this film is an ideal acquisition to discover a master in his pre film rich era of the 70's. The film is also an early form of Takashi Miike's Young Thugs double bill which is ever so interesting. I can see why Miike got the concept form.
The film is a great show of young men coming from the bottom trying in vain with extremes to make a better life. It is an interesting critical analysis of the economic structure of Japan and a thoroughly engaging and entertaining piece at that. The casting is good and the violence is as ever extremely authentic.
I recommend this film as a must for anyone eager to see a signature yakuza Fukasaku film or just a great straight up youth gangsta-tough guy life-style document of an unhealthy aspect of Japan's social past. Great watch.
The film is also a great perspective of hard tough life of working class young men in Japan. They end up in jail early on and decide to form an alliance to acquire a truck. They will use the truck and their skills at building sites for manual labour gain and profit. They have an aid at the site who acts like a semi business man semi control freak hence workers' union coming into play later in the film in vengeance of their workers' rights.
The film is a great example of the techniques Fukasaku is a master at. Lots of close up camera angles; excellent drawbacks-pausing and movements mimicking the object-person in question. For instance the last scenes is of one of the young men running on the beach. Fukasaku employs a shaky control of the camera on the man running. Far more realistic impression as someone following from close by instead of the smooth track usage which gets boring in my opinion.
For those of you into Yakuza films yet wonder what many mobsters may face from early in life this film is an ideal acquisition to discover a master in his pre film rich era of the 70's. The film is also an early form of Takashi Miike's Young Thugs double bill which is ever so interesting. I can see why Miike got the concept form.
The film is a great show of young men coming from the bottom trying in vain with extremes to make a better life. It is an interesting critical analysis of the economic structure of Japan and a thoroughly engaging and entertaining piece at that. The casting is good and the violence is as ever extremely authentic.
I recommend this film as a must for anyone eager to see a signature yakuza Fukasaku film or just a great straight up youth gangsta-tough guy life-style document of an unhealthy aspect of Japan's social past. Great watch.