black society trilogy

Like most foreign film industries, Japan has struggled to find its place in the world against the Hollywood juggernaut. But inevitably, independent filmmakers fill the nooks and crannies bigger studios leave behind. Instead of competing against Hollywood head-to-head, they embrace what makes their culture unique. And, in director Takashi Miike's case, throwing in some shock appeal only adds to the international attention.

Kicking off his career in the seedy, over-the-top "V-Cinema" arena (direct-to-video features that peaked in Japan in the mid-80s), Miike's work took a big leap forward with what's come to be known as The Black Society Trilogy. Set amongst the grim, gritty but sometimes-ridiculous world of the yakuza (Japanese gangsters), the three films balance intense moments of sex and violence with introspective lead characters and social-political commentary. That might sound like a typical indie cinema roadmap, but Miike, who's garnered just as much outrage as acclaim, is the sort of director you just can't predict once he gets behind the wheel.

Shinjuku Triad Society (1995) follows an equally unpredictable cop on the trail of a criminal trafficking in human organs. Rainy Dog (1997) is the sad profile of a yakuza hitman who's saddled with a son he didn't know he had. And, finally, Ley Lines (1999) circles around a quartet of criminal misfits trying to make a new start. That theme of escape and fragile emotional connections runs through each film, centered on a Chinese immigrant experience that doesn't paint a pretty picture. Miike's characters grab pleasure when they can; because life isn't just cheap...it's unpredictably short.

Bouncing between Scorsese-style gang warfare with a distinctly Japanese bent, Shinjuku Triad Society is the most schizophrenic of the trilogy. The script follows an ostensibly standard cop formula, but interrupts the investigation with in-your-face perversions (anal sex is used an interrogation device not once but twice) and a virulent strain of black humor. Rainy Dog is the most "American" of the bunch, often feeling like a macho take on the work of Walter Hill (The Warriors) complete with Ry Cooder sound-alike score. But it's also the most visually polished, with quick, dirty and effective action scenes that match anything in Hill's oeuvre. Ley Lines seems inspired by the freedom of the French New Wave, finding a genuine innocence amongst its desperately naive cast of characters.

Miike's skill as a director lies in his adaptability. Cranking out a minimum of three films a year, his career mirrors that of an old Hollywood craftsmen working in the studio system. While not always responsible for the films' content, he almost inevitably makes them better, working in the sort of genres that get little to no respect. The Black Society Trilogy is still unique in the way it drills down into the hearts and souls of characters who many would suspect didn't have either to begin with.

Arrow Video USA's set contains HD transfers of all three films along with audio commentaries for each by Miike biographer Tom Mes. Those tracks probably provide the most scene specific info, but Miike himself chimes in with a 45-minute interview discussing the start of his career and the Trilogy specifically (the director is humble, self-effacing and happy to give credit where it's due). Star Show Aikawa pops up for a new interview as well along with trailers and an illustrated collector's booklet.