Audiences and cinephiles have slightly different experiences when it comes to specific kinds offilms that are seen or should be seen more. Casual viewers think of Japanese cinema and mostly recall the films of Akira Kurosawa, who made some of the most epic samurai films of all time. Furthermore, some casual audiences might not even be aware of Kurosawa. Cinephiles take into account a lot of different kinds of movies, and this could mean that casual audiences will become more aware of films they should see because of the discoveries that cinephiles make. Kurosawa is the greatest director in Japan's history, but this also means that filmmakers like Kinji Fukasaku or Hideo Gosha often get overshadowed by many. While Kurosawa was making great films, Hideo Gosha was probably his greatest rival, and the masterful director made more of a name for himself as his career progressed.
Gosha madeepic samurai films as well, includingSamurai Wolf andThree Outlaw Samurai. However, some fans prefer Gosha's later films, which include stylish crime classics and gangster gems. While the films of Kinji Fukasaku were even more defined by the crime genre in Japan, Gosha's films were epic and likely a precursor to modern Yakuza-based gangster movies such asIchi the Killer andOutrage. The evolution of the gangster genre is interesting and doesn't just pertain to Hollywood films. Pulling from various influences, Hideo Gosha had an authentic voice and vision for genre filmmaking and has even made some of the most underrated gangster hits in cinema history. One that still stands out is his 1974 sleeper hit,Violent Streets, which feels like a combination of different films that fans of various genres, like the Western, will love.
Violent Streets Is One of the Best Yakuza-Themed Gangster Movies Ever
With an obvious authenticity and personal identity,Violent Streets sees Japanese filmmaker Hideo Gosha pulling from many of his own influences to bring audiences anincredibly thrilling gangster film. Throughout his career, Gosha captured the cultural elements and social themes of Japan's evolving landscape, and he always did it through specific genre films and hard-hitting dramas. While his samurai films rivaled Akira Kurosawa's, so did his incredibly vibrant and moving dramas such asOnimasa, The Geisha andKita no hotaru. A common trend in his films was exploring criminality and specific urban themes that captured the social climate of Japan in certain periods.
His gangster films are either thematically transcendent or intentionally focused on spectacle and an entertainment factor. When it comes to his 1974 classicViolent Streets, the latter is the case. Portraying the very real-life street violence that took place in specific Japanese cities,Violent Streets chronicles a Yakuza power struggle that sees a retired gangster suddenly targeted by opposing factions after a kidnapping scheme falls apart. The most consistent thematic elements involve jealousy and greed as protagonist Egawa feels the pressures of other Yakuza families who want to take more and more away from the aging mob boss. While it's clear that strong emotions and gestating desires have consumed Egawa, he continues to serve the other Yakuza families for as long as he can.
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The plot thickens when it is revealed that Egawa is involved in schemes that move against the other families. However, Egawa's motivations shift when his underlings take things further than he planned. With boiling tensions and various attempts to demean Egawa, the other families soon unleash a full-blown war against Egawa and his supporters. While there are a lot of thematic undertones that explore the state of changing social situations and generational progress that often disregard previous constitutions,Violent Streets is mainly focused on being a spectacle. As the story unfolds, Egawa takes matters into his own hands and deals with various debts and obligations while battling his enemies.
Audiences become invested in the inner-personal relationships, paralleling characters and stylish action sequences. Gosha utilizes techniques such as slow motion and heightened musical cues that bring a specific vibrancy to each scenario. More specifically, fans of the gangster genre will greatly appreciate the hyper-stylized violence, satirical humor and thrilling action that is common in the greatest Hollywood gangster hits. Gosha's work is highly regarded by those who have seen his films, but there's no denying the lack of appreciation for his gangster cinema. The Yakuza's cultural distinctions, traditions and dynamics are on full display in what is one of themost underrated gangster movies of the '70s.
Violent Streets Is Heavily Influenced By the Greatest Westerns
WhileViolent Streets is a stellar gangster movie that embodies Japan's street-level landscape, it is also perfect for fans of Westerns. While Kurosawa certainly inspired the genre with his samurai films and was equally inspired by classical Westerns that came before his work, the same can be said for Hideo Gosha. This is evident inViolent Streets, which pulls specific thematic elements and aesthetics from the Western genre. Fans can often find similarities between samurai films and Westerns because of certain themes, characters and social backdrops that are similar.
However, there are more common similarities between gangster movies and Westerns because of the exploration of criminality and all that comes with it. Gosha's 1974 gem takes contemporary depictions of criminality and infuses it with various mythic elements seen in American Westerns. This applies mainly to the way Japan's streets are portrayed and how certain characters evolve into almost archetypal figures. Gosha's distinct depiction of Japan is evocative of a lawless society on par with the American Wild West. This is evident from the deep-rooted corruption that seems to control these communities. The title "violent streets" really embodies the unrelenting criminality that permeates the landscape. This will feel familiar to fans of Westerns.
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What's even more interesting is that Gosha tries to heighten this aspect even more by completely excluding a law enforcement presence from the story. In the violent world that is depicted in the film, the law is determined by whichever gangs have the most power. This is Gosha's Japanese Western in a lot of ways, and even in the way his protagonist evolves over the course of the film. Starting out as a low-level bar owner, Egawa is forced to return to his old habits when his life is on the line. However, his enemies couldn't have predicted the presence they unleashed by coming after him. Once Egawa takes the fight to the other Yakuza families, he's like a one-man army capable of taking down anyone. Armed with a pistol and a rifle, Egawa guns down men with an almost fantastical speed and style that mirrorsthe greatest Western gunslingers.
Another cool parallel is the main adversary Egawa faces, who is an old friend and equal to him. There is a mutual respect that transcends the current conflict. This mutual respect and understanding is what ultimately separates them from the current generation. It proves to be overwhelming and truly signifies a discouraging evolution of the social landscape. Honor and loyalty are dying, and the old ways seem lost, leading to a fateful end for Egawa's story. This is not unlike Westerns in the '70s, which were exploring the death of the West and the changing social climate that post-modern gunslingers had to contend with. If there was ever a Western that didn't take place in the West, it's Hideo Gosha's riveting crime classic,Violent Streets.
Hideo Gosha Would End Up Making a Ton of Epic Crime Hits
For fans of gangster movies and Westerns,Violent Streets will be a fun discovery. With that in mind, their exploration should end there as Hideo Gosha, as well as other Japanese filmmakers would continue to capitalize on a gangster movie trend that was going around in the '60s and '70s.Violent Streets might be Gosha's best pure gangster film, but other worthy titles from the acclaimed director includeThe Wolves, Cash Calls Hell andYakuza Ladies. Fans would appreciate seeing not just the evolution of crime cinema in Japan but also the evolution of Gosha's voice as a director.
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Searching for a specific approach each time, Gosha will either aim to entertain or enlighten. As his career progressed, many of his best films were thematically complex dramas and stunning character studies. Still, his best work came when he combined street-level backdrops with deeper thematic and personal character arcs.Onimasa is a film that comes to mind in this regard. Still, of all the films he made, Gosha proved to be a versatile director and storyteller, andViolent Streets is still one of his greatest endeavors.
