Vengeance Is Mine (Fukushū Suru wa Ware ni Ari) 1979

This is the true story of Enokizu Iwao and his murderous rampage which sparked a 78-day nationwide manhunt. Enokizu is a day-laborer and small time con-artist who, after abandoning his devout Catholic family, kills two of his co-workers and embarks on a psychopathic spree of rape and murder. Eluding the police and public, Japan's infamous "King of Criminals" passes himself off as a Kyoto University professor, only to become entangled with an innkeeper and her perverted mother. Enokizu, is a violent, remorseless serial killer who somehow manages to escape capture at every turn. He is so despicable, in fact, that he becomes a pointed representation of the dregs of modern society while simultaneously disarming those unfortunate enough to cross his path with devious charm and humor.

Director: Imamura Shohei

Stars: Ogata Ken, Mikuni Rentaro, Baisho Mitsuko

JDramaMama's Rating: B

This film is hard to watch for two main reasons: one, because we all know that in society, these sorts of people really exist, and two, Ogata plays the role so convincingly, he is really scary! His, "I don't give a damn about anyone or anything" persona jumps off the screen in his body language, menancing sneer and guttural profanity. Dude is convincing. Everyone he crosses ends up broken, beaten or murdered. He is a violent rapist, cold blooded, vicious killer and con man. He gets a "good girl" hooked on drugs, manages to con a woman out of bail money that she had for her son and ends up killing the woman and her mother, tricks a professor into letting him live in his apartment and ends up killing the elderly man and stuffing him in a closet. When he is finally caught and executed, all of Japan society breathes a sigh of relief.

This film will leave an impression on you and it won't be a good one (unless you are a serial-killer-in the-making!) But, Ogata gives a bravura performance and it's worth a watch.

#Japan #classic #violence #fear #crime