I couldn't possibly say enough positive things about this film.

This is a MUST-SEE for any film lover. Creative, brilliant use of color & characters - laced into interweaving stories that entertain, amuse & amaze. Rich costumes and sets, excellent acting and well crafted themes..this is a piece to be studied.

Full of detail, laughs, & heart.

My only wish is that these fellas (who've pretty much only done commercials & other nonsense) keep creating such inspiring works. I could watch this on loop & generate a countless number of flavorful pieces of art. ::love::


it is simply funny, amusing, watchable movie, full of colours, commercial and video - clip aesthetic but definitely one of the best movies I've seen lately. Doesn't let you bored for a single minute as it presents amazing characters of a teenage homoerotic gang, a man who is trying to kill his wife who is ever more powerful and beautiful coming back from the grave, a daddy who becomes a bird in hypnosis, his hypnotiser who gets killed on stage by a British professional murderer whose ideal answer to a question "What is your function in life?" is "Nothing". Five separate faiths are suddenly connected by a murderer, each in its own way, all the stories which are not connected at the first glance suddenly make sense. Absurd, surrealistic, glam comedy:)))))


Well what can you say... just witnessed this spectacle ... completely crazy...yet still manages to have depth. Not everything works , its a little too long but hey !! who cares when you have plot lines which includes a dysfunctional couple (played to the extreme), repressed homosexuality which blossoms at the end, amazing soundtrack (even the cake song was relevant), a man who is mentally a bird due to hypnotism gone wrong, later taught by his his son to fly due to the son's admiration of his father, Vinnie Jones !? who constantly is interpreted by a Japanese sidekick who never once utters a word of English, the worlds greatest actor (T.Asano), set designs that will blow your mind, spoofs of J-horror/game shows/anything really !! ... i could go on and on... not for everyone but why is this not released in the UK. There is so much more than Ghost stories and Miike takashi (he is still amazing mind)... invest in Survival Style 5+... it makes Tarantino look like Renny Harlin


There are 5 stories that somehow connect but not really intertwine (this is the deceptive part), however, I liked all of them, the movie puts a especial emphasis in bizarreness, but it doesn't go too far.

Wife and Husband- This is in fact the fantastic part of the movie, the silentness of the wife is the main tool for getting you into that sweet vacillation of whether things are real or not, but there are lot more, as the costumes she wears every time (Which reminds me to a movie knows as "héroe" by this latitudes) and the phase-shifts. Here we also have the sweet dose of violence.

Killers - I got pretty surprised when I ran into "Big Chris"! The contrast between Jones and the translator was way bizarre. There's not much going on here, since both of them are like a lone functional character.

Birdman- The "strange" vector of the film, yet the cutest, Keiichi's perspective keeps the frankness of children accurately. I LOVED the teacher scene.

Yoko the Creative- Oh god, Yoko's ideas for commercials are so unfunny they become funny, and Yoko is funny herself. Really laugh with the way she laughs and with the wild winking when she's having her "afflati". Here I may mark two characters I would had LOVED to see a little bit more of = The café girls. The accident girl was so funnily pathetic, and that were really strengthened by the uncaring friend. I wonder what would have happened to her if she'd got a third scene!!

The Housebreakers = And again we find a bizarre contrast, this time between the "ugly" and the "sexy" burglars. This story takes little of the film's length and it is also the most disconnected one, but adds a funky "sexuality" note.

And to finish, I liked the music.


The weirdest thing about this very weird film is how naturally it all unfolds on screen. Silliness become sensible and madness maybe not so mad. First, the set design and use of colour is as you have never seen before, lots of primary colours and wild, child like shapes and patterns, bit like a gingerbread house lit with neon. This crazy unreal colour scheme should alienate but instead like some drug pulls you in. Second, the soundtrack is inspired, not knowing enough about the current music scene I don't know whether these were original tracks or inspired retreads but it works a treat. When the family sing along in the car, to the obscene heavy metal track I am open mouthed. Third, the acting, in virtually surreal situations is perfect, Vinnie Jones is a bit of an exception but I think we have to assume that him performing a cliché of himself and being so rude is a joke itself to the Japanese. I have never and you will have never seen a film like this before and I smiled happily through most of it. Just once or twice where I was wondering just what was happening and the silliness was to the fore I began to wonder whether it was worth the effort but then the fun begins again and the seriousness simmers. It may not prove to be the best film you have ever seen but you really have to see it once, twice or three times.


First of all, you must know I'm not a big fan of comedies. Dull stuff like American Pie, Road Trip, etc. simply gives me the yawns. After I had the luck to get my hands on SS5+ and watched it, my turn-away from US comedies was complete; it might be that the Japanese sense of humor suits me more. Watching a hypnotized family dad acting like a bird is much more funny to me than seeing someone banging an apple-pie....

The flick follows 4 different stories which are sewn together in perfect timing: 1. A husband tries to get rid of his wife - unsuccessfully. 2. A family father is able to follow his animal instincts. 3. A woman working in the commercial business tries to sell her ideas, which are shown as real commercials - some of the most funny parts. 4. A trio of sexually-not-clearly-oriented burglars is getting in trouble.

From my point of view Vinnie Jones, playing a hit-man (what else ?), is the main character because he connects the different story-lines and he is very interested in people's purpose in life.... see it and you know what I mean.

The Director's (Gen Sekiguchi) origins are obvious. He made highly successful commercials before, SS5+ is his debut film. So the movie is colorful, fast-paced, but not cut too hysterically, extremely funny but sometimes with a sad under-tone.

Watching it gave me a really good time. Highly recommended !


Although my initial cause to sought this movie out was because of Asano and the variety of comments proclaiming how this film excels over other successful features, I ended up enjoying this film simple for the reason that it was nothing like I've ever seen before.

As the grimy first five minutes of the film rolled by, served with Tadanobu Asano's ever ethereal facial expressions, my mind automatically started processing and investigating the odd display of family oriented affection between a man and a woman. But before wandering off, next fifteen minutes got right to the business of introducing me to more sane and insane characters and their functions in life.

This basically starts the merry-go-round of scenes involving these very different individuals doing what they oh so normally do. By the second time I got through this carousel of events, my mind, now pleasantly anesthetized, stopped trying to find out what's going on and just started enjoying and craving more from each situation. This whole experience of course was topped with stylish camera work and great array of colors and locations. Music for the most part hit all the right notes and further enriched the bizarreness of certain characters.

Although the aftermath of this film might not leave everyone with a great dramatic impingement, the story dealing with the family had a lot of heart within its realm of silliness. Ultimately the entire procedure of the film and its acting was a (sur)real treat that kept me entertained all the way through with a smile on my face. What does seem like an even better outcome is the possibility of Gen Sekiguchi tapping more deeply into this genre and pulling out more tricks than anyone could ever ask for.

Side note: If you enjoyed this film, then I suggest that you also watch Mind Game. It's an award winning experimental animation feature, that's somewhat similar to SS5+ in a way that it expertly fuses stories of life in a most imaginative and fascinating way.


The title really does say it all. The film is about survival, has style, and is well worth 5+ (I gave it 5 + 4 here).

There is always a question when you watch any film from a different culture as to how well it will communicate its themes, an issue particularly associated with Japanese films, fairly or not. This is compounded when it comes to comedies, which are notorious for travelling badly. SS5+ cuts across the boundaries effortlessly.

It looks vivid and gorgeous, it's fast paced and filled with strange, near random story lines, but somehow easy to follow. It put me in mind of Trainspotting, if Shallow Grave had been one of its stories and there was more life after death. It has quality action scenes, weirdly solemn moments and crazed characters. Okay, Vinnie Jones isn't that great, but his interpreter makes up for it. Because of the humour.

SS5+ is hilarious. No other word will do. I wouldn't dream of spoiling it for future viewers, so I will say only this: J's expression as the music rises. Daddy's look of horror at the thought of selling. Milk, Internet, Headache, and Monkey Records. I guarantee anyone who's seen SS5+ and just read that is curled up on the floor wiping their eyes right now. Catch it if you can.


Wow. Cynics who think that cinematic storytelling has reached a dead end should sit themselves down in front of the mind-blowing and imaginative Survive Style 5+, a Japanese crime comedy that  despite some post-Tarantino story elements  actually has more in common with the inventive American comedies of the Kaufman/Gondry/Jonze camp. Initially the five paralleling story lines seem disparate, yet watching them ultimately intersect in inspired ways is one of the film's innumerable pleasures: a husband tries to repeatedly kill and bury his wife, but she keeps returning, even more indestructible; three young burglars break into houses and get into trouble; a London hit-man travels through Japan with his interpreter/employer, continually asking people what function they serve in life; attending a hypnotist's performance with his family, a salary man becomes permanently convinced he's actually a bird; and a driven advertising director has to reexamine her life after her increasingly hysterical ideas for television commercials are rejected. First-time feature director Gen Sekiguchi actually was Japan's leading (and award-winning) director of commercials, and he brings a stunning visual style to the film as well as a completely boundless, anarchic approach to cinema's possibilities: you never have any idea where Survive Style 5+ is headed from minute to minute, and the trip is as riotously funny as it is unpredictable. Like most wholly original films, Survive is a bit difficult to summarize, so just take my word for it and see it.


Maybe that's not quite the right description but it's the first thing that came to mind while watching it. Several stories, all comic and surreal, intertwine until the very end where something is resolved. What, who knows?

The art direction is spectacular especially in the main protagonist's mansion. It's unexplained how this mope and his girlfriend came to live in it. The pace of the film is wonderful and the soundtrack is very well designed.

This film is a real treat if you don't need linear story telling or a rational plot line. While there is no nudity, there is a lot of crude sex talk. The violence is very modest except for a couple of scenes but it's cartoony bloodletting. Unfortunately, the film does starts with the customary Japanese male violence against women but at least it turns into something interesting as the film progresses.

Very recommended.


This is by far the best movie I have ever seen, and I think anyone that has seen it agrees with me. Basically, the movie tells 5 different stories,which interact with each other, but still follow their own story. The movie is about the basic principles you learned in life; people come closer during danger or despair, we should accept people who as they are and learn to live with them etc. I beg of you who has not seen this movie, PLEASE go and buy it from ebay or anywhere else, you wont regret it. This movie is the most vibrant and mindblowing experience you wont find anywhere else, it is simply amazing. There are not anough words to diplay the beauty of this movie.


By now we have grown accustomed to multiple story lines. Not only that, we seem to be expecting a bit more from these type of movies. Whenever a director starts on such a project, he knows it is going to be compared with the likes of PULP FICTION or 21 GRAMS. Unfair perhaps, but a challenge. SURVIVE STYLE 5+ is unique in the fact that it does not give the viewer time to compare. It is a roller-coaster ride from start to finish and there are only a few moments to catch your breath. Central figure is a man who is trying to kill his wife, but fails miserably and hires a foreign hit-man (Vinnie Jones). Then there's a happy family that visits a show from an arrogant hypnotist, a woman that has crazy commercial ideas and a bunch of friends that cause disaster wherever they go. They all cross paths off course, but not in a genius kind of way. Sekiguchi clearly made this film to entertain and in that it succeeds brilliantly. It is the most hilarious movie since THE BIG LEBOWSKY.


Everything said is an opinion so it might help you decide or it may give you the wrong impressions. Be aware of this.

I read a few opinions on this website before watching Survive Style 5 and they were mostly misleading. I am not bitter but this is simply what I think. The film had it's moments which were mostly good comedy and some romance(or maybe that's just me being attracted to beautiful women), but overall the film was drawn out, the story was too difficult to comprehend, and I can endure long silences with no action or movement, but only when there is a purpose, and in this film I saw no purpose and lost interest through the film a few times.

There was a review here on IMDb that described the silent character's role as amazing, but I just did not feel his amazing performance. In comparison, I watched Musa The Warrior the following night where the leading role is a silent one and I was truly awe struck by his performance, which had just as little dialog and I know it's a completely different story and setting, but writing and acting and directing created the most mesmerizing silent performance I have ever witnessed, and it ranks highly among all other characters I have seen. Musa's character was an amazing performance and like someone on IMDb already mentioned about Korean films in relation to SS5, there are better quality films out there with better writing, acting, directing, and which come together to make quality films that have a lasting impression because they are so compelling. Musa was one of these films that is so absorbing that after two hours when the film had ended, it seemed like on an hour and a half.

So watch and enjoy what films you will, opinions are for the individual and should be cautiously observed. I hope you enjoy the film and many more Korean films to come.


I remember seeing "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" back in the 80s when I was just a child. Every Thanksgiving they would show this at night time, since I was around 6-9 years old I couldn't stay up late to watch cartoons. But my parents made exceptions in these cases. Heck, I even recorded this on BETA! Thats right those tapes that are half the size of VHS tapes! Now that I'm older I wonder where time went, one day I'm a kid sitting on the living room rug watching Charlie Brown the next day I'm in my room hearing the advertisement on TV for the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving holiday special. Since I saw this when I was a kid I must say I was scared of the last portion of this presentation, the part where Charlie Brown camps out of a house. Damn that scared me! All I can say is that this is a classic for anyone who saw this as a kid. What's wrong with those people that gave this a 1 rating?!?! Some people just have problems.


In my opinion, this is an excellent holiday special which is very appetizing. However, I couldn't bear seeing Snoopy and Woodstock having to endure all that torture. In addition, the thing that really makes this special worth watching is the score, especially "Little Birdie and "Linus And Lucy." When those songs are performed, I always get warm and tingly. I would have to say that's my favorite song of this special. If you ask me, Charles M. Schulz was a really good artist. In conclusion, I highly recommend this excellent holiday special which is very appetizing to everyone, especially all you fans of the comic strip who have not seen it. When you see it, prepare to smile, have a good time, and bon appetit.


I have watched A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving for many years and of all the Peanuts specials that I have watched and reviewed for this website, this is my favorite. The opening scene where Lucy pulls the football away from Charlie Brown always cracks me up. If you watch it on DVD or tape it off the TV, play back the football scene in slow motion to see Charlie Brown in mid air.

As for the rest of the cartoon, I thought Peppermint Patty was bossy and rude to Charlie Brown, inviting herself, Marcie and Franklin to Charlie Brown's for Thanksgiving dinner, monopolizing their phone conversations and even worse, complaining about the nontraditional cuisine. She was also flirtatious toward Charlie Brown. There were also outstanding sight gags involving Snoopy and Woodstock and the scene where they get the food ready for the feast that's set to "Linus and Lucy." It proves that cartoon scenes can work well without dialogue.

I also liked the scene near the end when the kids are in the car and they sing "Over the River and Through the Woods" en route to the Brown's Grandma's condo for a real Thanksgiving dinner. Before or after you go over the river and through the woods for your holiday feast, watch this cartoon. You'll even learn about the holiday in Linus' Thanksgiving prayer.


SPOILERS

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is one of the many Holiday specials for the Peanuts. It is my third favorite. It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is my favorite.

The show begins with Lucy doing her usual football trick to poor Charlie Brown.

Charlie Brown gets a phone call on Thanksgiving. It is Peppermint Patty. She heard about Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving dinner. She invites herself over to his Thanksgiving dinner. The only problem is that the Thanksgiving dinner is at his Grandma's house. She also invites Marcie and Franklin. Charlie thinks he is doomed. Linus explains that if he is going to his Grandmother's house at 4:30, Charlie Brown could have two dinners. His first dinner could be for his friends, the second could be at his Grandma's. Charlie says he can't cook.

Snoopy and Woodstock set up tables in the backyard. After some mishaps they mange to get a ping-pong table set up.

Franklin explains to Marcie and Peppermint Patty that dinner at Charlie Brown's will be a little earlier. Peppermint Patty says that they are ready.

Snoopy spreads out a tablecloth on the ping-pong table. Then Linus, Charlie Brown, and Snoopy make dinner. It's basically buttered toast, pretzels, candy, and popcorn.

Snoopy puts plates and napkins on the ping-pong table. Snoopy and Woodstock go back into Charlie Brown's house dressed as Pilgrims. Charlie Brown explains that they can't serve dinner dressed like that.

Marcie, Franklin, and Peppermint Patty come to Charlie Brown's house. He takes them to the backyard and seat them. Before they eat Peppermint Patty says that they should say Grace. They sort of do. Snoopy then puts all the food on plates. While they are eating Peppermint Patty is outraged. She explains that a Thanksgiving dinner is made up of turkey, gravy, and cranberries. She says that it is not made up of popcorn and toast. Charlie Brown goes back into the house. Marcie says that Charlie Brown didn't even invite Peppermint Patty over. Patty tells Marcie to patch things up for her and tell him that she likes the dinner. Marcie does just that. Charlie Brown says that he feels guilty that he ruined everyone's Thanksgiving. Marcie says that Thanksgiving is not just about eating, it's about giving thanks. Patty comes and asks if he accepts her apology. He does. Then he finds out that he is late to go to his Grandma's. He calls her and says that he will be a little late. Grandma says that his friends could come with him.

They get into the back of Charlie Brown's car. They sing Over the River and Through the Woods to Grandmother's House We Go. Charlie say that the only problem with that song is that his Grandma lives in a condominium.

Overall, this is a great special.

8/10


Thanksgiving is not really something that is acknowledged and certainly not something that is celebrated in Scotland, but I watch this TV special every year in the run up to Xmas just to get me in the mood. The cartoon begins with the usual gag where Lucy yanks the football away from Chuck. I guess he'll never learn to distrust women, eh.

But his main grief in this one is the fact that all of his friends invite themselves over to his place for Thanksgiving despite the fact he's going to his grandmother's for the celebration. Snoopy and Woodstock work together (and against each other) to prepare a slapdash dinner including toast, jelly beans and popcorn. Needless to say the rest of the Peanuts gang are far from impressed with the menu, though that doesn't stop Peppermint Patty putting the moves on Chuck.

All this talk of food has made me hungry.


My fave Charlie Brown holiday film. Chuck is a cluck again, but Snoppy and Woodstock save the day - and Thanksgiving - when they prepare a beautiful gourmet meal.... for a beagle and a birdie, that is.

After Charlie Brown gets himself into hot water for the zillionth time by inviting too many kids over for the festive holiday, it's up to his pet doggie and Snoopy's best friend Woodstock to pull a rabbit out of a hat, or in this case, a turkey.

Super-fun movie with the beautiful fall atmosphere all around in the form of colorful leaves on the ground and the smell of hot food in the air. Happy Thanksgiving!!! :)


Charlie Brown and his little sister Sally are planning to go to Grandmother's place for Thanksgiving dinner but Peppermint Patty invites herself, Marcie, and Franklin to the Browns expecting one themselves. Linus suggests making one before going to Grandma's so Snoopy and Woodstock start getting the table and chairs. As Peppermint Patty and friends arrive, she's disappointed at getting popcorn, toast, pretzels, and jellybeans instead of turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. Marcie apologizes on her friend's behalf before Patty also says she's sorry. Chuck's grandmother then calls and invites everyone over...Another great Peanuts holiday special that's as much a classic as the Great Pumpkin and Christmas one. I especially liked the "Little Birdie" song sung by the late great Peanuts score musician Vince Guaraldi. Snoopy's battle with a lawn chair during this number is the most hilarious scene in the special. As with the Christmas special, Linus recites a wonderful story of Thanksgiving's beginnings with great heart and sincerity. Unfortunately, ABC cut the scene of Snoopy and Woodstock walking to Charlie Brown's house in Pilgrim outfits and the tag of Snoopy and Woodstock pulling the wishbone with the bird falling backwards with the broken wishbone. So my rating of 10 here is based on the original unedited broadcast.


Throughout the years I have see the film a few times during the holidays. I would rank it as one of the top ten Peanuts films that Charles Schulz did. As a child I could relate to Charlie Brown whose cooking skills only include making toast and popcorn. After reading the comment about Woodstock eating the turkey, I noticed some thing else slightly distrubting. In this film short Charlie Brown invites all his friends for dinner. Yet Charlie Brown's only ethnic friend is Franklin, who is African American. Franklin does not say more than two lines in the film. Yet considering the film is nearly 30 years old this limited inclusion of multi-ethinic persons is understandable.


Ever since the holiday special "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving",first aired on CBS-TV in November of 1973,this was one of many "Peanuts" inspired specials that brings out the kid in all of us,but at the same time have a message in between the lines. For years,from 1965 until 1998,the CBS Television Network has been televising these classic Charlie Brown specials every year including the titles based on the characters created by Charles M. Schultz. If you remember the specials that aired once annually which included the entire gang and the misadventures they encountered along the way. If not to mention the first four installments of the classic "Charlie Brown" theatrical features as well,which sometimes CBS would show on special holidays which included the first-ever 1969 feature,"A Boy Named Charlie Brown",then in 1972,with "Snoopy Come Home",and from there with "Race For Your Life,Charlie Brown",in 1977,and finally the last theatrical installment "Bon Voyage,Charlie Brown,And Don't Come Back",which was released in 1980. CBS would show these features on special occasions and around the holiday seasons as well,especially during Thanksgiving,Christmas,and Easter time. Not to mention,CBS also gave Charlie Brown and his faithful dog Snoopy their own Saturday Morning cartoon show as well which lasted for five years running and they would put out new specials based on this series. This would last on the Tiffany network for more than four decades. During the end of the 1990's,the change would come at a hard blow to the rest of Peanuts gang,which for certain end Charlie Brown's long association with CBS entirely.

All that would change drastically in 1998,when CBS stopped airing these classic "Peanuts" specials along with the rest of the entire Charlie Brown stuff. From there the specials switched networks too,this time from their years at CBS over to ABC,where the specials would aired annually on a yearly basis,not to mention ABC took over the entire production of the Charles M. Schultz's "Peanuts" specials which some new material was added with the already classic masterpieces. This phase took place after the untimely death of one of the greatest animators of all time when Charles M. Schultz,the creative force behind Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang,passed away. However,ABC still aires these classics to this day,on a annual basis. But getting back to "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving",there is one thing that I got to say about this special presentation....it is a bonafide classic that still holds up some 30 years later. I remember seeing this special for the first time back in the early 1970's,when I was small,but today I get a kick out of enjoying every minute of it when it comes on. It involves the story of Charlie Brown,who invites to Thanksgiving dinner the rest of the gang which includes Peppermint Patty,her best friend Marcy,Franklin (the only African-American character on the show),Linus and his sister Lucy,and others to Charlie's house for Thanksgiving dinner even though the Brown family has other plans. However,Charlie's faithful and resourceful dog Snoopy lends a helping hand and pitches in to help along with his sidekick Woodstock for support. But the funniest and probably the hilarious part is when the Thanksgiving dinner is not about turkey and mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce,but turns out to be buttered toast,popcorn and cold cereal---junk food!

This is when Peppermint Patty goes off on Charlie Brown and his guests about the service of the dinner which was supposed to be about Thanksgiving and not junk food! However,Peppermint Patty felt really bad about saying the awful things the made Charlie feel real low,and gets Marcy to apologize to him for her. This is when his faithful dog,Snoopy really saves the day. However he calls his grandma and really invites his friends over to his grandma's house for Thanksgiving dinner. The moral of the story has a very important message for everyone. In this one the moral is that we are thankful for what we have and not to be concerned about what other people don't have. In other words,be thankful for what you got and sharing it with others during the Thanksgiving holiday. Also to boot in this classic special is the football kicking episode where Charlie Brown goes to kick the football while Lucy plays him every time for a sucker,which was always entertaining to boot. Watch it sometime!


Scrappy and willful tomboy Peppermint Patty invites herself and several of her friends over for a Thanksgiving feast at Charlie Brown's house. Worried about being unable to provide a decent meal because of his lackluster cooking skills, Charlie Brown receives some much-needed help from the precocious Linus, the ever-exuberant Snoopy, and Snoopy's jolly pal Woodstock to whip up the best possible food for the grand occasion. Director Bill Melendez and Phil Roman, working from a very warm and witty script by Charles M. Schulz, expertly craft a sensationally breezy and snappy 25-minute cartoon romp that brims over with engaging characters (Linus in particular really shines as he explains the historical significance of Thanksgiving in fascinatingly thorough detail), deliciously dry humor, and a spot-on relevant message about the true meaning of Thanksgiving (it's all about friends and family instead of food). Hilarious highlights include Lucy van Pelt pulling the old football trick on hapless Charlie Brown for the umpteenth time, Snoopy's battle with a pesky uncooperative folding chair, Snoopy tossing plates of food at everybody, and Peppermint Patty blowing up at Charlie Brown at the unacceptable meal of junk food. Moreover, there's a cool jazz ditty called "Little Birdie" and a marvelously spirited music montage sequence depicting Snoopy and company preparing the food for the gala event. The whole thing ultimately culminates in a truly uplifting happy ending. The bright and colorful animation holds up pretty well. Vince Guaraldi's fabulously jaunty score further enhances the infectious merriment. Done with genuine heart and a certain sweet charm, this baby sizes up as a total treat that's essential annual viewing on Thanksgiving day.


A decent movie about the Russian crime structures and gang wars to come in power and take control. It could have been better. What I didn't like was some poorly executed action sequences. Others were quite good though. The music during the fights wasn't very suitable IMO - lack of music would be better... What I like was the acting - over the top for some characters as it should have been as they obviously had some issues) and subtle for others ( considered their positions and need to be in control and carefully reconsider every move they make). The presence of Viktor Sukhorukov (Brat 1 and 2) and Aleksandr Baluyev (Oligarkh) was a pleasant surprise. Vyacheslav Razbegayev is also very good as Metis. I liked how the story was telling itself - no needless explanations offending the audience... I was quite confused myself the first half an hour but later everything came clear. It is a macho film, definitely, each one of the characters is pretty tough and wouldn't bend for anybody. By the way - a very strong beginning - it may be rose up my expectations a bit. Overall pretty good, could have been better though.


I've been seeing this movie around the local DVD-stores and thought, what the heck... I'll try it.

The cover and DVD-menu promises a slick and stylish crime-triller. What I saw in the actual movie was something completely different.

Only plus was the Valhalla-gang that made me think a little on the tracks of Guy Ritchie. Rest of the movie just felt sloppy and I had trouble even knowing WHY they where shooting at each other... What's Lis' motivation? The major downside was the actual action... horribly mish-mach-cut and often at the point of unwatchable... never seen a action-flick where the action was the tiresome parts...

I have no problem with foreign films, subs I consider as the only thing remotely workable... dubbing is a sin... but if this is the highpoint of Russian action, well... I'll skip it...

My advice? don't spend more than the couple of bucks for renting it...


What's not to like? A gritty crime movie with lashings of the old ultraviolence all round! I like the way the film makers portray the desperation of life on Moscow's streets, i.e the Granny that steals food from a corpse, the banker who has to hire maniacs to protect him from gangsters.

It seems the Russians love their action movies too - but in many ways it's more like a Japanese anime film with it's convoluted intra-gang politics and cartoon violence.

True, they could have done with more money - but what the hell, CGI looks crap anyway compared to real stunts. Another gripe is the way things would explode for no reason - like that visual gag in The Simpsons where even if a pram crashes it blows up. But these shouldn't bother anyone who really likes their gangster movies. Korolev is like the Man With No Name, he bludgeons his way through Moscow lowlife until the job is over.

This film r0x0rs! (oh and apparently there is a PC game of it too)


This type of criminal(or gang-star)films have been made from 1920s, at first,probably in America, then everywhere in the world. There are some classics(as "God Father"),excellent postmodern variations(as "Pulp fiction")and also good Russian films in this genre("Assa" and "Brother").

Egor Konchalovsky added nothing new to this genre because of inconsistency of style and lack of orientation in dramaturgy.

As for style,plenty of video-effects simply make the film like serial of music clips with no serious contents, or some kind of parody of gangster films.If one wants to show drama,tell some story,then he must select only minimum needed effects which will not irritate viewers.The first half of the film is especially bad,the second half is better(less effects), but even this fact is only an another evidence of inconsistency.

Then dramaturgy itself is inconsistent. I can't understand who represents what kind of world views or who has what kind of credo, and the meanings of all killing and shooting,including the revenge of Lis. Story is told, but it doesn't make me feel or think something. This same story could be told in another way, so that the viewers will begin to think something,to feel compassion for some character even they have little in common with him. Apparently director didn't care about it.


One comment to "nightingale": You saw 30min of a two hour movie and judge it as "script is terrible" ? I say, see the whole movie and your "comment will change"!

I found this movie to be a real fresh piece of work. I found some similaritys with Dobermann but all and all, this feels very different from anything i've seen so far.

And as far as terrible script goes i have to say that this is one of the few movies in the last 3-4 months that actually kept me interested throughout the movie. And the ending was one of the better in years.

One thing that is very annoying though is that when i rented it today the cover said "1:a på biotoppen" (number one at the boxoffice (which almost maid me NOT rent it)) which is funny as the movie has only 86 votes here. That makes me wonder; WHAT boxoffice :)

Summary: This is definitely a movie that i recommend you spend a few bucks on renting (that is if you looking for something different from the mainstream hollywood tv dinner).

PS: Any speling errors can be blamed on the fact that im not english or american.


***SLIGHT SPOILERS*** The movie is based on the famous in Russia novel of Daniil Koretskiy, who is trustworthy in everything that concerns Russian mob, as he worked in Police. I'd like to recommend this movie to non-Russian watchers as they could see the realities of modern Russia and almost real Russian criminals(it would be hard to translate Russian slang of convicted in English or other language), who don't sing songs about Mother-Russia, don't play chess a lot and aren't so fool as foreign movie-makers try to show. Still movie depicts Russian temper, people who act fast and don't talk much, hard choice between revenge and law - "is punishment equal to crime?" and how close are they? - these dilemmas has the main character Fox. And in the end he's waiting for the death or life,he's standing by the window and knows that there the sniper's waiting for him and boss of mob, Krest, drops the coin to define Fox's end.


I must say, that I liked this movie. Of course, there are some flaws, but they are minor, so I don`t even want to mention them. But Antikiller rocks! I liked the book, and the screenplay was also a very fine job. Fast paced, with good performances all around. Honest and breathtaking action sequences. If you do want to see a good russian action movie, see Antikiller. My vote: 7 from 10.


The russian movie about russian policeman which struggles againist racketeers. Very cool movie! Must to see, IMO


This movie is DA MAD ONE!!!!!!!! The best russian crime-ralate flick since Banditskij Piter! of course, Lis is not as stylish as Celishev, and Otec ist as good as villain as Antibiotik was, but movie has a piece of our mysterious soul:) And the "power-to-the-beats" or "valhalla" scene? No comments, folks, just watch it yourself!


This is an extremely good film - highly recommended. It will not be to everyone's taste, but if you are not afraid of thinking during a film then you should find plenty to take away from this one.

Bad Guy is a film based on the central premise of a relationship built between what is effectively a hostage-taker and his hostage. What transpires is a stream of abuses, power-shifts, emotional turmoil, love, hate, violence, sex, and almost every other aspect of life. This is an extremely original story, well told, with fascinating characters that are extremely human... both the good and bad sides of humanity.

The production values are very high, great acting, direction, cinematography, script, music, everything is top notch.

Typically, Korean films are very much based in real characters, social issues, and have an earthy approach that humanises their films beyond those of most countries. Bad Guy is no exception... while it is violent, confrontational, and decidedly dark, it bristles with underlying emotion and shows life without the rose coloured glasses.

The characters are at times extremely emotional, and at others almost entirely emotionally void as they struggle constantly to keep their balance in circumstances that are spiraling around them.

This is not an 'easy' film, in that it does not hand feed the viewer, there are no 'Jaws' style music queues to let you know when to be scared. You will need to work out how to feel for yourself with this one, which is fairly rare in this day and age.

As said earlier, this movie is not for everyone, however if the concept sounds like something that interests you, then you should enjoy this film. If on the other hand you don't like the idea of watching a film based on the idea of a man forcing a woman into a life of sexual servitude, then stay well away from this film.


"Bad Guy (Nabbeun namja)" is an earlier film of Ki-duk Kim that is probably being released now in the U.S. due to the success of "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (Bom yeoreum gaeul gyeoul geurigo bom)," but fans of that visually entrancing parable should be warned how very different this exploration of the depths of human nature is.

The style has some similarity in that there is no exposition and we have to connect images that tell a tale of two very different people over time. Context is everything as voyeurism keeps repeating along a sexual spectrum of men and women together -- to romantic or erotic or degrading or lustful or violent, full of obsession or love or hate or longing or disgust, whether in prostitution, a relationship, or rape.

A key context is emotions and degrees, whether by the man or woman, or mutual, or drained of feeling such that I'm not sure love has any meaning in this film. There's a recurring use of Egon Schiele's erotic art to make some kind of comparative point about a continuum of sexual images and their effect on the viewer.

The titular character is reminiscent of Quasimodo of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" fixating on Esmeralda if he were a psychopathic pimp in, I presume, Seoul's lurid red light district and played by the charismatic Jae-hyeon Jo, like an apolitical "Romper Stomper." I did get a little lost where he fit into the hierarchy of the yakuza-like gangster organization that controls the district, how much authority he has, and who was on top of whom to interpret their obsessions. Some of the encounters we see are presumably his limited fantasies as he miraculously recovers from various violently noble efforts to protect and reach out to the object of his affection that reminded me of the ambiguous ending of Jane Campion's "The Piano."

The film explores some of the same territory as the work of Catherine Breillat, but the context seems uneasily different when I'm the only woman in the theater and the director is male, perhaps because the central woman is always an object, even as she pitifully adapts to her various degradations, and even resists being freed from them. All the women in the film treat each other like the men treat them.


I saw this film shortly after seeing the same director's The Isle and was much more affected by this production, although they are both striking works. Like the earlier film, Bad Guy is a tale of obsession between lovers who exist on the edge of human relations, and features some disturbing scenes. There's a sado-masochistic thread common in those Ki-duk Kim's films I have seen which some viewers will, understandably, find controversial. The major characters are isolated, one is tempted to say insulated, from humanity, and develop their own fiercely peculiar interactions. There's the exploited lake girl (also a whore) who tends the pontoon huts in The Isle, miles from civilisation, and the murderer who seeks his hideout on the water. There's the student held as prostitute, imprisoned in her booth, and the largely mute brothel thug who falls for her, frequently stuck admiringly behind his viewing glass. These are people apart from the rest of the world by reason of misfortune or status, who hold our attention as they eventually come together.

Unlike the animal cruelty and fish hook fetishism exhibited in The Isle, Bad Guy's principal talking point lies in the changing relationship between an unwilling whore and her abductors. Bad Guy's victim is 'hooked' against her will just as securely as are the fish in The Isle. Inveigled into prostitution after a tough guy develops a romantic fixation on her in the street, she gradually comes to accept her new condition in life, the advances of her captor and even grows to 'like' being in the arms of her customers. I use inverted commas for this word as the idea that a woman can gradually enjoy her forced acquiescence into moral degradation, and enter into a voluntary relationship with a tormentor, is debatable to say the least.

There's a scene in the film which neatly describes the dilemma. The thug spends his first night with his love, an unconsummated encounter after which she sleeps on the floor beside him. She has been intimidated, then reassured, he ardent yet constrained by his feelings. First thing next morning he rises, studies her room, and spends a moment on straightening a nail in her wall. Through his one way mirror set in the wall, he has previously seen her at her most pathetic trying, unsuccessfully, to hang up a garment. Clearly this brief DIY is a moment of loving thought, out of place in any black and white view of their peculiar relationship. In fact Bad Guy is full of moments of tenderness, aided greatly by the plaintive melody of the score and the intense chemistry between the two leads. One superbly staged scene is where the two kiss through the one-way glass, she unaware of his secret response to her longing, at least until his lighter flame belatedly flickers his visage into view later. Another is as she resignedly dons a trashy wig and applies thick lipstick. He looks on again in secret, aghast at her depression, unable  or unwilling - to interfere. Far from being a vicious peeping tom, by this stage he is practically a protector, transfixed by an obsession, as a couple of times he even dashes in to rescue her from unwanted advances. Fresh from a brutal world, the mute is not violent to his ward, nor does he rape her, and by the end of the film his possession is less physical than it is emotional. Add to this on the one occasion he speaks the sudden sound of his high pitched voice, (vocal chords presumably damaged by a conspicuous throat injury) so aptly suggestive of a eunuch's speech, and the nature of his character can be seen quite differently.

Outside of this central relationship, one might nit-pick at less than satisfactory plot points. How the thug recovers so abruptly from life-threatening wounds for instance, or his spell in prison, during which legal processes seems to take no time at all (by reference to an extended fantasy is the usual answer, an occurrence which further undermines the allegations of misogyny). Or the girl's prompt location of the missing parts of the photograph, itself symbolic of her fractured relationships, beneath a considerable expanse of anonymous sand at the beach, and so on. (Ki-duk Kim's use of the shore line as an emotional 'no-man's zone' incidentally reminds one of the importance of such moments in Takeshi Kitano's oeuvre.) The overall impression however is of quite an achievement, and one which is perhaps more mature about the unpredictable nature of love and attraction than the director has been earlier. In short, Bad Guy is no bad film, and despite some misgivings about the moral premise of the piece, is well worth seeing.


This is what might be called postmodern naturalism. Director Ki-duk Kim tells a brutal story without comment and without mercy. He reminds us of some human truths that will make some viewers uncomfortable, and he invites controversy.

First, two things: Spoilers to come, so if you haven't seen this movie you might want to stop reading now.

Second, if you've seen the movie only once and are scratching your head, you're not alone.

Here's what happens: Han-ki (Jae-hyeon Jo), a street tough pimp walking along in a South Korean city spies this very pretty and privileged college girl, Sun-hwa (Won Seo), sitting on a bench waiting for her boyfriend. The girl is everything Han-ki desires. He sits down next to her. She pretends not to notice him while she talks on her cell phone to her boyfriend. When she does deign to notice him (and his desire for her) she shirks back in horror at his dirty, lower-class presumption and gets up. Her boyfriend arrives while she throws ugly glances at Han-ki. Han-ki can't take it anymore and grabs her and forcefully kisses her as the boyfriend beats him about the head. Some soldiers arrive on the scene and beat the tar out of Han-ki. As a parting gesture, pretty girl spits on Han-ki as he is held by the soldiers.

That's "the setup." It's the kind of setup that cries out for revenge or at least a comeuppance, which is what I expected. Or perhaps pretty college girl and the bad guy will find true love and overcome their social differences. What actually happens is beyond expectation in a way that is likely to stun and totally engage the viewer.

Pretty girl is at a book store. She compromises herself (in the viewer's eyes) by tearing a page out of an art book and putting it in her purse. This can be seen as the fatal moral flaw that leads to her degeneration. Han-ki sees this. (He has been following her.) He is playing out a trap. Near her on the book display is a fat wallet. Pretty college girl grabs it, looks both ways, and puts it in her purse. This is the fatal moral flaw leading to entrapment and a descent into hell. She hurries to the bathroom and in the stall opens the wallet and takes out the money. Meanwhile the guy who lost the wallet is told (presumably by the bad guy) that she has the wallet and is in the bathroom. By the time he gets there she is gone. He chases after her and finally catches her. He roughs her up, calls her a pickpocket, and then forces her to go to a loan shark and sign an agreement (with her body as collateral) for money that he says was in the wallet.

This might be called "the turn" as the setup takes on a startling twist.

Next Sun-hwa is forced into prostitution by Han-ki She makes some feeble attempts to get away, but mysteriously has nowhere to go it seems, and anyway is too afraid to run. She realizes that she is going to lose her 21-year-old virginity so she begs her captors to let her lose it to her boyfriend. Han-ki and his fellow thugs mysteriously oblige. However, the boyfriend is confused and doesn't get the job done. They pull him out of the car, slap him around, dump him, and Sun-hwa is back at the showcase on the street. Through a two-way mirror Han-ki watches her lose her virginity to a forceful client.

Question number one: why doesn't Han-ki ever speak? Question number two: why does he watch her behind the two-way mirror instead of taking her himself? The answer comes later in the film when we do hear him speak for the first time. His voice is a high shriek. Guess what his unique problem is.

And then comes the resolution. Yes, this is a love story of sorts and yes they do fall in love in a way that is debased and seemingly fated. He's a pimp and she's now a prostitute. This works out since he is able to vicariously experience her sexually and she is able to thereby serve the man she loves. And together they can make a living.

There is also a supernatural element in the film that suggests that the story is part wish-fulfillment fantasy by Han-ki. His ability to beat up the other guys and survive knife wounds fairly begs credulity. During the course of the film he loses enough blood to supply a small hospital. And the scene where both he and Sun-hwa appear together on the beach as if by magic is more mystical than realistic.

This is a haunting film done without any looking back or any compromise with the sensibilities of viewers. Director Ki-duk Kim's message seems to be that animal passion will win out in the end, and that humans are, despite the facades they put on, just animals doing animal-like things in the human jungle, and deliverance comes only when one realizes his or her nature and gives into it. Ki-duk Kim makes us identify with the bad guy and feel that he and pretty girl are no worse or no better than anyone else.

In short I found this movie disturbing like something from, say, novelist Cormac McCarthy. I am thinking especially of his novel, "Child of God." That title is ironic in the sense that his anti-heroic protagonist really is, whatever we may say or think, or however bestial his behavior, a child of God, while Ki-duk Kim's title "Bad Guy" ("Nabbeun namja") is also ironic in the sense that Han-ki is by societal standards certainly a bad guy, but by naturalistic (or cosmic) standards no better or worse than the pretty college girl.

Bottom line: see this excellent and deeply troubling film at your own risk.


This is not the best of movies, but I rank it high because it did it for me. Though the characters are not really presented to the viewer, they are developed through the movie by showing their actions. The plot is not really important here, and people that cling to whatever feminist or political agendas when discussing a movie are wasting everybody's time. It reminds me of an old Italian movie, I can't remember the name or actors because I've seen it when I was a kid, with a mafia boss that falls in love with a woman, kidnaps her but wants to charms her, rather that rape her. This is also about a generally violent man who's attention is captured by a beautiful girl and he also wants access to her soul, rather than her body.

The movie is full of contrasts and paradoxes, but what sets it apart is the atmosphere (I had my heart pumping a good part of the movie, without it being an action movie or anything) and the subtle way it reveals the deep needs of every character.

Its bad part, though, is that close to the end you keep expecting the movie to end and it doesn't. The slow pace of the movie doesn't help either, so a feeling of "is it over yet?" can easily set in.

I liked it, I recommend it to people who have the mood to see a psychological Asian movie about gangsters, prostitutes and the power of love.


With the work of South Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-Duk, the viewer has to accept some very fundamental "flaws" that inherently seem to be a part of his work in a practical sense. The production values are always cheap, the soundtrack music is always tacky, the acting is never more than at the most basic level, there are continuity errors... in a word, his films always seem low budget and as if everything were shot in one take. Also he has almost an insistence on breaching realism and lapsing into his own vague allegory. His characters never follow any kind of real internal logic, but rather act according to the scenario he conceives. All of these factors amount to the reason I don't think I will ever be able to consider any of his films true masterpieces.

That said, in return for accepting these inherent flaws, the viewer is rewarded with a candid, unadulterated look into the creative mind of a very interesting person. Kim Ki-Duk's vision is relentlessly idiosyncratic, but very consistent and pure. Watching his films, you gain direct access into his thoughts. This is not film-making by committee, this is "auteurism" in the truest sense. That in and of itself is such a rarity that his films are worth seeing for this reason alone. And this film, "Bad Guy", is probably the purest, most definitive example of Kim Ki-Duk's vision. All the preoccupations that manifest in his other work are here: The mute, inexpressive protagonist, the seeming obsession with prostitution and the degradation of women in general, and also the director's tendency to eventually lead his characters into an incomprehensible fantasy world. Whether or not the viewer is willing to accept these illogical flights of fancy is purely a matter of taste, but personally i find his work fascinating solely because it is so stubbornly idiosyncratic and fueled by a remarkably pure sense of creative expression.


This is a very entertaining film. It contains sex and violence.(Yes that's what I said).The themes are very dark and at the same time this is a very loving film.It is certainly a challenging film and strangely being set in South Korea has many European sensibilities.If you think the world can be explained in terms of black and white then this is not an easy film. However if you understand that the world you live in has shades of grey then here is a multi coloured chunk to digest.I liked the central characters and found them very believable.This film shows particular skill in having very rounded supporting roles. The lives of these people even when violent or mundane and self destructive are very easy to comprehend.It is the first film I have seen by this director and it will definitely not be the last.


Director Ki-duk Kim has done it again. With his beautiful human stories like Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and 3-Iron, he has come up with a very human story of a different sort.

One of the most incredible and searing performances I have seen in years by Jae-hyeon Jo, as Han-ki, the Bad Guy, and almost totally wordless. His eyes tell as much about the way he is feeling as any words can. The raw human emotions are amazing. Watching Sun-hwa go from the most innocent girl into the call girl that she becomes makes your heart break but then watching how she begins to feel about the Bad Guy at the end tempers this a little. And that ending, with that traveling den of iniquity makes you feel both sorry for the two and at the same time you feel that these two people have found something that they have been looking for. Once again an Asian film maker ends a film realistically unlike American film makers who always go for the happy ending which would have ruined this story. I do hope that no American film maker decides to remake this film


Excellent movie. Just not to be confused with the 1937 Hollywood epic! The title itself is quite interesting, in that the film is about the girl, yet the title is about the "guy". What's more interesting is that, 'that' very the lead actor doesn't say a single word for at least 90mins if I recall correctly, and when he does, he sounds like a six year old boy. Seo Won (female lead), has given an excellent performance, and really shows the viewers what it's like being a Korean prostitute.

This film is about voyeurism without a shadow of a doubt. The two-way mirror isn't just some sort of tangible metaphor or anything of the sort. However, it has to be said, if there is anything which comes close to describing the topic of the film, it will be the blossoming of a disturbing relationship, and love, between two personalities that would have had no chance of being together if it weren't for the girl's financial situation.

On the whole, another brilliant Korean flick, of which there are many coming into mainstream cinemas in the UK now.


This film could probably not have been made in the US without severely damaging the reputation of the producer on the grounds of political incorrectness. Further, my impression is that practically no reviewers recognize what is really going on here. It is about the psychological transformation of a very conservative, and somewhat shy woman, into what in the US we would hypocritically call a slut, i.e., a woman who wants sex and is not averse to using it to make a living as only a woman can. The movie also highlights a key fact about female psychology: nice guys come in last. Of course, women universally deny this, but it is nonetheless true. The only nice guy in the movie, the woman's former boyfriend, doesn't even get sex, he just gets beaten up. Further, the Bad Guy, the guy who forces this woman into prostitution, is in the end precisely the guy she chooses to be with! Sex, which was initially foisted upon a woman who resisted ferociously, effects a transformation. The woman who exists at the beginning of the movie is completely gone at the end, and it is the kind of transformation that can happen only to a woman. The politically correct and highly Christianized society of the West, especially in the US, does not like to acknowledge that women have it in them to change in the manner depicted in the film. It is too threatening to their world view. And that is the greatness of this film: it's honesty about men and women, and an in-your-face courage to face the truth. The story is not perfect, but it is the only one I know of that has the courage to state the truth about these things, and on the whole it's merits greatly outweigh it's flaws. See this movie if you want enlightenment, but be prepared to have your boat rocked if you're the kind of person who prefers to live in a fantasy world of niceness and Christian piety.


I don't watch a lot of newer, more "mainstream" Asian films, personally preferring 70s era pinku material, or some of the newer "extreme" gore films - but I did enjoy BAD GUY on most levels. It's definitely different from some of the hyper-kinetic action films, or the "scary little girl with long black hair" type films that have overflowed the market recently. This film is a drama about love, obsession, and despair. Pretty strong stuff that is pulled off quite well - for the most part...

I thug and a college girl have a heated exchange that leads to the guy obsessively following her. When he feels that he can't get to her any other way, he sets her up to be caught stealing, and she has to take a loan from some shady loan sharks to pay back the debt. Unable to do so - she is coerced into prostitution by a group that is run by the thug and his boys. She eventually finds out that he was behind her "situation" and obviously doesn't take to kindly to it - the rest of the film is pretty much a love/hate struggle between the two, as well as with one of the other members of the gang who is in love with the hooker as well...

There's quite a bit more going on in BAD GUY than the above summary - but I prefer to keep things kinda short. The transformation of the young woman from innocent college-student to street-whore is sad and believable. The subject-matter is handled seriously and competently and it's easy to relate to her pain and hopelessness. The main issue I had with the film, was the fact that many things went unexplained and seemed that it was left to the audience to assume certain things that I felt could have been expanded on better. I don't know exactly how to explain this - you'll have to watch it and see for yourself. I also felt the ending was a bit anti-climactic, and certain parts of the film felt kind of dull and redundant. Regardless, BAD GUY is still a strong film if you're in the mood for a serious drama, but want something different then the regular U.S. theatrical garbage that's out there...7.5/10


This is one of my top 10 favorite films. The film has a fair amount of violence and some "uncomfortable" scenes, but you never feel that any scene is gratuitous. Each moment is part of the evolution of what it truly means to submit - to love - unconditionally. There is that moment in the film when the main actress finally allows herself to be led -- astray. A moment that may be hard for some to accept. Some have called Bad Guy misogynistic. But I think Bad Guy is quite the opposite. You might as well call the film "Breaking the waves" misogynistic. Kim Ki-Duk understands that to show a female character realistically you must be prepared to show her in all her forms, even the ones that we as women may be ashamed to admit to. What woman hasn't done something stupid and regretful for some man? How far are you willing to bend before you break to another's will for .... Love or just the possibility of love. The film Bad Guy is only a matter of degrees. You may think that as a woman you would never make the choices Sun-hwa makes in the film. But I say "Don't ever say never... because the first rule you will break will be your own"... But their is a certain amount of culpability that is shared between Han-ki and Sun-hwa in the film. A demand to lead and a willingness to be led are all that are required.

In the end this film is a love story. An unconditional love that requires you to love not in spite of your faults and weakness but because of them. Jae-hyeon Jo's performance is one of the most mesmerizing every captured on celluloid. And almost done completely without dialog. Which I didn't notice until the 3rd time in a row when I had first watched the film. It doesn't hurt that he is super sexy and easy on the eyes too. ;) The film is further enhanced by an exquisite soundtrack. Etta Scollo's "i tuoi fiori" may have been selected by chance but you would never have noticed. The film's climax is like watching a hot pan of oil just before it falls off the edge of the stove. That timeless moment of indecision - when the move to rescue becomes more dangerous than doing nothing at all.


I won't profess to be articulate writing comments about movies (in fact this is my first one on this site), but I found this film wholly unsatisfying and disappointing to watch.

The first 20 minutes or so actually promised a lot and I was intrigued. The central protagonist had a peculiar lack of lines and the college girls venomous retort after his first unwanted advance made you wonder who was really the bad guy.

However this all started to change in the contrived and unconvincing way in which she was coerced into prostitution. She lost her backbone, she spent more time sobbing and several inexplicable plot holes creep into the story. An unconvincing time distortion (for want of better words) works it's way into the story that I felt took away from the plot instead of adding depth to it. The writer may have been trying to be metaphorical, but in the context of the rest of the film, it was just out of place. And finally, the central characters silence I believe hamstrings the movie, unlike in a Kevin Smith movie where when Silent Bob speaks, actually has something profound to say.

By the end of the movie, I could not care for either the girl or the main character and the ending neither seemed appropriate nor inappropriate for them. I simply didn't care for them... let alone despise them.


Another gem from Kim-Ki-Duk, very complex movie in terms of concept and screenplay. Even hard to digest, what is right, what is wrong...lines are blurred.

You'd like to hate the character of Han-Ki very much but you'll be forced to like him. Evoked a mixture of emotions in me...its brutal in its sense, sensual in its sense...a totally different grammar for emotions...

Once again, Kim-Ki-Duk beautifully used silence in the movie and the main character (as usual??) is silent for major part of the movie. This is not everyone's cup-of-tea, so beware if you are thinking of watching it...you may find it bad


Filled with emotional issues and controversy. Past the sex, violence and other humanized circumstances that create the premise for the story, it is simply about two people... one a bad guy and gangster with emotional problems and the other a preppy college girl with a sheltered college girl... who become a part of each other's lives through what is sadomasochistic and emotionally motivated. From the beginning, the juxtaposition of opposites is obvious and the 'tough' bad guy's obsession for this girl displays the fragile emotional nuances of the human condition that can change people for better or for worst. But yet this story is hardened by the reality and living conditions imposed by the gangster, creating an uncomfortable but emotionally needy relationship between the two characters.

A melancholy and emotional psychological thriller. I would deem this worthy of watching. The premise and situation is adult oriented but if you don't mind watching non-gratuitous sex and violence, I recommend watching this poignant gangster type movie. movie.


I think the people who just reject this film out of hand should really rent "American Pimp" or some other documentary on prostitution. The question you really have to ask yourself is, "What makes Han-Ki so amazing?" Han-Ki is a form of the superman in pimp form- he is superpimp. And the definitive action of a pimp is the turning out of the girl. Thus, you should realize at the end that Han-Ki was, in fact, trolling for talent at the beginning of the film. The entire film ties back in on itself, a trope which was hinted at via the beach sequences. Han-Ki, being superpimp, saw Sun-Hwa and immediately recognized her as the natural she turned out to be. Thus, there is no "revenge" in this film. And the ending, with the two united in their relationship via a bordello-on-wheels, is a brilliant joke. For God's sake people, if you're going to watch Kim's films, you're going to have to think!


While there are a few weak plot points, this Asian movie is a powerful singular experience into the extortion of young girls into prostitution focusing on one young, innocent girl and the prime male mover behind the scenes whose performance is one of distorted excellence. How the girl gets into trouble, her boyfriend's convenient disappearance in the storyline, the haphazard escape resolution can be mostly ignored for the more intriguing and subtle harshness of the movie, the avoidance of graphic sexual content for more qualitative subtlety. The ending somewhat questionable in terms of the lack of character transition, does provide some fascinating questions regarding loyalty, Stockholm syndrome and such. Seven out of Ten Stars.


I loved Korean director Ki-duk Kim's The Isle, and this film is just as good. It may not be to everyone's taste as it is a dark film about obsession.

Han-ki (Jae-hyeon Jo) is a hood. We never really know how important he is, but he does run a brothel. He becomes obsessed with a beautiful college student, Sun-hwa (Won Seo), who rejects and disses him. He can't rise to her level, so he will bring her down to his.

He sets her up and forces her to borrow from a loan shark to get out of trouble. When she can't pay, she is brought into the brothel. He watches her humiliation from behind a two-way mirror.

Many weeks/months/years later, after Han-Ki goes to jail, one of his men offers to let her go. She realizes she cannot return to her former life. She stays.

The ending took a couple of twists and turns and ended up in a totally unexpected place. Brilliant!


Kim Ki Duk's Bad Guy is a brilliant study of vanity, sexual obsession and moral. It tells the story of a pimp (Han-Ki) who forces a girl into prostitution out of revenge. Bad guy is dark, extremely emotional, violent and forces us to think. Many parts of the movie can be interpreted as a dreamlike, wish-fulfillment fantasy from the viewpoint of Han-Ki. The movie leaves many questions. Why does the pimp never speak? Why the voyeurism? Are Han-Ki's emotions hate or love and pain? What do the torn photo's mean? And the girl dressed in red, is it the heroine in the future (Karma) or is it someone from the past (Han-Ki's ex?)? There is always more under the surface than it seems with Kim Ki Duk's movies, this movie demands multiple views to understand how brilliant it is. Watching Bad Guy is like entering an emotional roller coaster. It challenges all conventional ideas we have about love. Watch it with an open mind and U will have a very powerful experience.


What the power of love can do. The Marquis de Sade couldn't be smiling from ear to ear if he could have access to this movie, see it from start to finish, rewind, see it again, ad nauseum. It isn't as though this couldn't have been penned by him -- the Sadean delicacy is all over the place, demanding to be seen, savored, and digested. Because of course, Our Heroine, completely minding her own business, crosses paths with The Villain (who has a perpetual scowl on his face to rub it in and reveals himself to be impermeable to injuries and holds quite a laughable surprise much later in the movie) who shows his appreciation for her by planting a big, sloppy one on her alabaster face. In public. Where everyone can see. She, predictably, doesn't quite reciprocate and even demands an apology, and her boyfriend reveals himself to be a flaming eunuch in disguise, so what happens next? She gets framed for a petty act of theft. It seems that laws "out there" function at a different level than in our country because she gets thrown into a brothel and is forced to become meat for the asking. All the time, The Villain just watches and watches and watches a bit more, for amusement, behind a mirror. And is such, this tale of exploitation seems to indicate she will be there until she is too old to care -- and where are her parents who could quite easily bail her out of her predicament? What universe is this story taking place in? -- when the story decides it wants to take us, the hapless viewers, into a Different Place and reveal what it's really trying to tell us all along: that Love can actually flourish with the person who's been responsible for your debasement. And why not?


In Seoul, and in every other major South Korean city, there are red light districts. Few local folks will admit to their existence. But Kim Ki Duk does. And he does even more. He shows us how they work, how innocent young women get trapped by the "business," how a sense of helplessness descends upon the prostitutes, and how painfully unwelcome and irrelevant their boyfriends, their husbands, their families, become.

To make a film with these themes central may not seem like a winning decision. However, this is award-winning director Kim's territory, and he does with the subject matter what he will. No, it's not pretty, so don't expect it to be. No, it doesn't end up with everything working out happily, because life rarely does, so don't expect that either. No, there is no fine, pat conclusion, because Kim knows better.

I noticed that this film contains bits of celluloid that was picked up off the cutting room floor after Kim's renowned "3-Iron" was made. Expect some unexpected scenes in this regard. Unfortunately, the film is ugly from the beginning, with an innocent young woman (the magnificent actress and Kim favorite Seo Won), taken into prostitution against her will through unlikely circumstance. She is not a willing prostitute and she rebels throughout the plot, much to her dismay. But Kim is so adept at this. Ugliness becomes beautiful, noise turns to stillness, the guilty transform to innocence and the truly innocent remain so. I gasp at such awesome presentation. From Kim, we expect this. Still, he can overdo it. Why, I ask, does Kim always place a woman in mortal peril? Is this a must for his stories, his fables? If so, what is he trying to teach us? Certainly, I hope, more than the fact that "sexploitation" exists in his home country.

"Bad Guy" is a beautiful movie, but I only grant it 7 of 10 because Kim has apparently become obsessed with sexual violence (reference "The Isle," "Coast Guard" and "Address Unknown"). Also, there is just too much emphasis placed on predictable fight scenes. Sure, such scenes can serve a purpose, but by 2002, Kim should know he doesn't need to resort to the horrific presentations he makes them. I appreciate what he is trying to accomplish: a counterpoint to his truly beautiful scenes. But do we really need to be hit over the head with sexual brutality again and again? Perhaps his own culture does and, like what Mean Streets and Taxi Driver offered America in the 70's, Kim is trying to do something similar for South Korean society in the 2000 oughts. We can but hope.

Kim takes risks in showing the world the dark underbelly of contemporary Korean culture. He is to be commended for that. But he is capable of presenting so much more, and that is precisely what this film lacks. Kim needs to stop using shock as his stock in trade, and return to his more sublime talents, such as presenting unlikely heroes and heroines. Most of his viewers are, I am sure, quite over blatant scenes of sex and violence. "We get it, Mr. Kim, thank you, offer us something more. We know you can. Make those scenes MEAN something. That is what made you attractive in the first place; do not forget it."

Quickly, as an aside, if anyone supposes, simply because of the similarity of titles, that "Bad Guy" is similar to "Old Boy" by Park Chan Wook, forget it. These two films are nothing alike, except that they are both good.

This film is just good (not great) and should be received by Kim Ki Duk fans with mixed reactions.


It was one of those DVDs I bought out of curiosity, being it on sale and being me interested in Korean films. However, I had no special expectations to it. Before I knew of it, I was completely absorbed by the story and the persons. Very few words, the few spoken in Korean so I do not even understand them, but this was compensated by the very intensive and expressive performance of the actors. I love the way the film has moments of total immobility, like the intervals of classical music, giving life and depth to the scenes, and allowing you to feel a connection to the individuals and what is happening inside them. Even when there is action, you never get a feeling of hurrying, there is always an element of space in time, giving place to both a story and the people part of it.


When I started watching it... I hated it for the first 30 minutes.. I paused the movie and thought about it.. Any movie that makes us think must be a great achievement! Pure cinema - It at least leaves me with so much hatred. I resumed the movie with a fresh view - expecting more hatred. I was totally disappointed as the movie proceeded - From a good start, the movie tumbled down to sleaze in my book. If a movie intends to be bold - I would like seeing it make a statement till the end. It is absolutely fine with me even if the theme of the movie disturbs me, but trying to convince me that there is goodness in this world after letting me see the worst of it - doesn't work. Four Stars!


Kim Ki Duk is the infant terrible of the South Korean cinema. The best thing about his films is that there is no repetition in them. All of his films have had different story lines, plot constructions and even his choice of actors is different. This makes fastidious viewers appreciate his films. Not only people appreciate his films but are also able to associate themselves with them. As far as "Bad Guy" is concerned, it is largely autobiographical in nature. It might be said that it is quite possible that the characters portrayed in this film must have been a part of Kim's life at some point of his life. "Bad Guy" has made some interesting observations about Korean society too. However some viewers might find it hard to accept that the depiction of women characters is a little bit weak. Whatever one feels this film is rather oddball given its subject matter and content. Watch out for its musical score which is simply stunning. The end of the film is really a class affair.


This is my first time watched movie directed by Kim Ki-Duk. I was quite shocked about story line. One bad guy(he is a pimp) suddenly fall in love with college girl, but she made embarrassed him in front of peoples, so he trapped her to become a hooker. This is short story. you might think not that special. You gotta see then feel! He used paper to kill. He never talked a word in the whole movie except once. Bad Guy is really unique style movie. I gave it 10.


if you are tired of watching Hollywood movies which are pretty much always the same thing over and over then you should try this, it's a very unique story... maybe will be hard to understand because of the differences from the Asian culture, but I believe even for them this movie was unique... I don't even want to tell you the story, just watch it yourself, very entertaining.


Due to boredom one night and the encouragement of having watched a string of quite interesting though often unusual Korean films i found myself a fan of Korean entertainment.

Until i came across this, Lets start with the plot Basically you have a perhaps bright college student with a potential future, a "Bad boy" in all sense of the word...literally, and a brothel. The young girl unfortunately for her steals some money from a man (Which turns out to be a setup by the main character" and is forced to pay it off, Not by getting a loan from the bank, family, friends like a normal woman, but by prostitution.

Hence beginning a "tale of life at the brothel". Basically, the skeleton of the film from here on end is this, She gets raped, over and over, and over, tries to escape the brothel, The "Main Character" catches her, brings her back to the brothel so she can get raped some more by random horny guys, while he watches from the other side of a glass, Why? heres the twist - He's in love with her, and telling her simply wouldn't have done.

As the film literally drags on, with the constant pounding of the girls miseries it gets to the point where when he gets into a fight, or gets stabbed, which as it turns out he does, you smile and think to yourself "Finally it ends! he got what he deserved in the end, Go Karma", sadly yet humorously He stands up, and shrugs it off, literally just walking away with no medical assistance what so ever.

He's fairytale reality does not end there, he somehow as a crown to all he's crimes, and violent nature ends up getting the girl whose life he inherently destroys throughout the length of the movie to reprocate he's love, and so concluding this "Reality of how life in the directors underworld is like" they walk of into the sunset.

From this fiasco of an imitation of life in an "Underworld society" we learn that If you want a woman to love you, fellows flowers and candy simply won't do.

I had to watch Daisy, to get the bad taste of this film out of my mind. It's sad to see a film like this get rated higher than a 3.1, for the only truth; If the Male leads character depicted in the movie was in fact was brought before the public in a real life scenario, we'd gather our pitch forks, and throw him to the jury yelling the sweet sounds of life imprisonment. Yet he's portrayed behind the lens of a camera and suddenly,...He's simply misunderstood.


With a suspenseful mood and tone of the film-Bad Guy shows us how brilliant Korean thrillers can be. At first, seeing that this film is on Sundance's ASIA EXTREME-I could've sworn it would be horror rather than a disturbing drama. I was wrong yet now glad that I did not turn down watching this film. Now to get to the plot: A very young woman is desperate for money, trying to recover from the aftermath of a random harassment by a stranger (known here as the 'bad guy') she is forced into prostitution by him mysteriously and watches, without being seen, her life face horrible changes. Throughout the film, all members of the audience despise this 'bad guy'-however, nearing the end of the film be is given a "I'm not that BAD of a GUY once you get to know me" feels. The quote is cliché yet expressed in an original manner, representing many of the director's prolific talents.


This film is a penetrating look into the underworld of prostitution and crime in Korea, but it is much more than that. It is an examination of the psychology of obsessive love, and also fate, or at least, of fateful decisions.

A beautiful college girl is set up by criminals after she "rejects" the bizarre and violent sexual advance/attack on her by a deviant pimp. Later on, a trick to frame her might have as easily not worked if she hadn't been so impulsive, but on the other hand these criminals may have an uncanny sense of people which develops as a survival instinct.

I won't say more in order not to spoil the film for those who'd like to go see it, but I recommend it very much. By the way, there is a lot of violence, so it's not for the squeamish by any means.


Although it is well acted, I found myself squirming after a while with this narrowly focused film. We spend the majority of the time watching a young girl get raped several times in a dumpy small room. The Bad Guy is a bad guy, that is pretty clear but doesn't make me care. For a hard edged movie, it failed to go anywhere, and I got tired of it long before the film ended.

If you are a fan of the "Asian Extreme" genre, this will suit you just fine. But for an open minded viewer like me, it still failed to interest. Here we see a pimp who likes to assault other people, and a young college girl with a wimpy boyfriend. The Bad Guy's buddies hang around a brothel and don't do much else. Each episode of the college girl's forced prostitution is similar, the Bad Guy watches through a mirror, she screams and cries.

Not my idea of a night at movies.


As a 40 year-old man, childrens fantasy films usually aren't my first (or even second) choice of movies. I ran across this film on Disney years ago, and videotaped it. It is a good escape to childhood fantasies (especially from someone who had a rough childhood and who often wished something like this would have happened for real!) I loved the music also. If you have kids and see this one, grab it. If you had a childhood you longed to escape from, see it, too. The production values were excellent, also.


I first saw this film when my mother bought it on VHS in a store... I think I was about seven. I loved it from the moment I first watched it, and even now, at nineteen, it's still one of my favorite movies.

Now, I realize the effects aren't that great and the ADR is horrible--but as fairytales go, it's among the best. I found the plot to be better translated to film than that of The Neverending Story (which is one of my favorite books--but not one of my favorite movies), and the music is wonderful. Watching the movie was very reminiscent to reading The Chronicles of Narnia, or in fact reading a British translation of Astrid Lindgren's book.

This is still my favorite of Christian Bale's many roles, and among my favorite Christopher Lee roles (the man has over 700, so it's hard to pick faves sometimes ^_^).

A classic for children and families, I must say. (And coming from a cynical college student, that's saying something!)


But I haven't been able to find it since I was about ten years old, which was eight years ago. Still, I remember that I was awed by the invisibility cloak, have the "Mio, my Mio" tune stuck in my head now in then - the one that gets played on the pipes sticks there too at times - and frightened by the ending battle scene. and children being turned to crows, and the bread, and...ok, I'm going to stop before I give away too many things. A great movie to see if you ever find it.


I loved this movie. We were lucky enough to find it years ago as a rental. This is a wonderful story about a little boy who is bullied by his peers and hated by his aunt. He is magically transported by a large head emanating from a bottle, no less, to a "land of faraway" where he discovers that he is a prince. He gets hold of a magic cape that makes him invisible along with other magical items like magical bread. He, and another child fight the dreaded evil lord who is turning the children into birds that must forever circle the castle. This is a wonderful movie that is completely overlooked. My kids loved it and so did I. (We couldn't stop laughing during the giant head part!) There are so many magical moments in this story. Don't miss it!


When I watched ''Mio min Mio'' for the first time, I was a kid with 7 years old. It was one of my childhood's favorite movies, and until the present days I found it magical in a certain way. Reading here in IMDb I discovered that it was based in a book, but sadly I never read it, and I also discovered that the famous music played in the movie that get stuck in your head ,is called "Mio, Min Mio". I didn't remembered that Christian Bale worked in this movie, so it was a real pleasure to see him in the screens.( I like him a lot). I was very afraid as a child about Kato and all that dark atmosphere near his castle, not to mention the kids who were kidnapped and transformed into a bird; the last scene where Kato dies was terrifying, and at the same time very satisfying.

It's a pity that this movie isn't very well know. I guess many people would love to have watched this movie as a kid.

Ps: Don't forget that this movie was made in a time where Harry Potter didn't exist. But it is funny, since you can see some references to HP's books. The invisible cap that Mio uses, Kato, that always remembers me Voldemort, magic, an orfan who is hated by the people who takes care of him...well..I guess you got the point! :)


I saw this movie first in the early 90's when I was a kid and watched it again yesterday, 10+ years later. It was more impressive back then, I must admit. :)

The first part of the story reminded me of Harry Potter and the second of Lord of the Rings, however it solid on it's own and has enough unique features, so you wouldn't be bored.

A great fairytale for kids. Not too complex and doesn't have that much emotional tension. I only wish the acting was better, and the events would happen faster, but for an 1987 kids movie it's fine. Otherwise an enjoyable adventure.


I have no idea why previous comment said that this movie is bad, bad, bad... I believe it has a lot better plot then lots of late American kids movies. I absolutely love this movie. I have seen it when I was just a teenager and now I have found it again. I used to relate myself to it and imagine that the Spirit will someday come for me too... What an imaginative kid I was!!! Nowadays I have two kids myself and am sure they will enjoy watching it too.

I couldn't believe that it was so expensive to purchase since it is out of print for 5 years, but my husband had spoiled me this Christmas, after hearing my nostalgic story. :)


I have 5 things in my house that if it were burning down I would risk my life to save them; The Land of Faraway is one of them. I have a VHS copy from the U.S. that I got in 1989 when I was 3 years old. I'm 22 now and I still love the film that much, I'm actually watching it right now.

This review may contain spoilers! The Land Of Faraway or Mio Min Mio, as most people know it, is the story of a boy named Bosse. His adoptive parents hate him and let him know it, the older kids bully him, and he only has two real friends: Mrs. Lundin a nice young woman who works at a local store and Benke a boy from school. Bosse greatest dream is to have a father that loves him like Benke. One day Mrs. Lundin gives Bosse a golden apple and asks him to mail a post card for her. The post card is to the King of the Land of Faraway and says something like "the one you have been looking for is here; he will have an apple of gold in his hand". Then out of a bottle on the ground a giant head/spirit emerges and takes Bosse away to the Land of Faraway. Bosse finds out that he's really Mio the Prince of the Land of Faraway! But there is a great evil man named Kato who steals children and turns them into birds, legend says that only a Prince can kill Kato and save the children. So Mio/Bosse sets of with friend Jum-Jum/Benke on an awesome adventure to defeat Kato!

The music in the film is so beautiful and haunting; you will be humming it for days. The acting by Nick Pickard as Bosse/Mio and Christian Bale as Benke/Jum-Jum is outstanding. I particularly love the lighting in the film; firelight creates creepy shadows across the sets and really sets the mood for the darker scenes. The copy I have is old so the sound is really bad and since the movie was made in the late 1980s the video quality looks sort of fuzzy and out of focus compared to new DVDs.

I would recommend this movie to every kid I have ever met and to adults who are fantasy fans.

~*Leah


I think this movie is more or less for younger kids. Yeah, I watched and enjoyed it, but it is filled with very simple and sometimes corny elements and sequences that were a bit too modest for me. The two actors were great though, their performances were definitely okay. I like Christian Bale a lot and - to be honest - bought this one just because he is in it. Nicholas Pickard was genuine and smart as well. Again, I just felt a bit too old for it, I thought it was presented like a fairy tale. The setting was still okay and the underlying themes are wonderful (father-son, friendship, courage, love etc). I give it a 7 because of its unusual but fine approach and as it does fulfil its basic premise, which is to entertain kids between 5 and 10.


I was 9 years old when this piece of crap was released at the theaters in Sweden. I loved the book and I still cannot believe that Astrid Lindgren sold the rights to these filmmakers (she later made the same mistake with the animated Pippi Longstocking). Several of her books had already been adapted to TV and cinema prior to this, with Swedish directors, screen-writers and actors. All of those adaptations are far superior to this one. This is just stupid and has lost all the subtle nuances, the moods and the atmosphere of the book. I remember realizing this at the age of 9, and that should give you an idea about how stupid this movie is. As for the music that everyone seems to love...IT IS PURE CRAP. Panflute player Dana Dragomir is one of the cheesiest musicians I know of, and the music is just a sweet, sugary mess. These are thoughts I also remember having in 1987. Horrible. Please, remake! Why not animated by Miyazaki, who is a big fan of Lindgren, and one of the few who seem to understand that less is always more. And please, everyone read the book instead of seeing the movie. This might be one of the worst adaptations of all time!


The floating head is the funniest thing I've ever seen, also how the kid holds from the beard and then flies to far away in the floating head... the cheap steroids are amazing, i definitely recommend this part if you want to laugh really really hard, if you smoke weed, you must watch this with all your friends and have an amazing time. The floating head is the funniest thing I've ever seen, also how the kid holds from the beard and then flies to far away in the floating head... the cheap steroids are amazing, i definitely recommend this part if you want to laugh really really hard, if you smoke weed, you must watch this with all your friends and have an amazing time.


Overall this movie had bad writing and cheap sets. Christian Bale was adorable, though. That was the only plus in this movie. It seems to drag on with it's dry, dull writing. As much as I adore Christian Bale, it was still hard to watch because it was pretty much, a boring movie. Very small children may like this movie, but those over age 8 will most likely be bored.


How fickle film history is! To think that this most intense crime thriller has been totally overlooked. I wouldn't say underrated, because it seems that everyone who has watched it agrees with me.

I woke up ten minutes before this movie started on TV, flicked the switch, and thought, OK cool, a James Cagney movie. I wasn't prepared for the roller-coaster plunge through abyssal night. Or the violent way with which the riders carom off into the void. The ending scene is totally classic with dialogue and revelation that pitches the film into the darkest reaches of noir.

Everything about this movie is hyped, Cotter (Cagney) hasn't got a bottle of champagne, he's got a jeroboam, he hasn't got a revolver, he's got an automatic, he hasn't got one honey, he's got two, we don't do 100 kilometers per hour, we do 100 miles per hour, and in a car the size of a carnival float. The guy's a total psycho, but not in the Robert Ryan way that turns you against his character, in the Cagney way where it's all like some big game to him.

There are a lot of totally mesmerising scenes in this movie. Two stand out just for the sheer exhilaration factor - this is the bit where you coo out loud. When Barbara (Holiday Carleton) throws a pot of coffee at Cotter he says, 'No cream?', so she throws the cream at him, 'No sugar?' so he gets the sugar, and finally 'No cigar?'. I was on the floor. Then there is the scene where Helena (Margaret Dobson) takes him out for a drive in her sporty little number. She takes it up to a hundred to scare him, and then he stamps his foot on hers and takes it to 110 whilst she frantically swerves.

Some people have commented on how the framing device of the court-case doesn't work. But for me it's total brutality, the director doesn't waste time with the minutiae of court proceedings, he just uses them to makes plain right from the very start that its all gonna end badly. It's a complete train wreck of a movie, there isn't an honest man in sight, and the casual nature of the violence just shocks you. Cutting kills people like he's taking out the trash, it's just another chore.

There's also classic support from Ward Bond, in this movie he always looks like he's gonna screw you up and toss you away. This role stands apart from the usual supporting roles he gets, either buffoonish (Fort Apache), ineffectual (Johnny Guitar), foolishly vigilante (On Dangerous Ground).

OK so we got broads with pzazz, we got dialogue to die for, we got utter magnetism from the lead actor (as only Cagney can be), and we've got total, anthracitic, ebonic, pitch-black noir. 11/10


Although not up to the high standards of his previous work in "White Heat" the year before, "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" is still a worthy follow-up for James Cagney. Whereas Cagney's Cody Jarrett in "White Heat" was a deranged psychopathic killer, his character here (Ralph Cotter) is more of a calculating cynic who plays on the fears and weaknesses of others. He's the type of ruthless criminal who could corrupt a cloister of nuns and he leaves a trail of misery wherever his path takes him. Unfortunately, he has one lovely lady named Holiday who believes all his lies and will do his bidding without question. Played by the beautiful Barbara Payton, Holiday does all she can to aid and abet Cotter until he takes away the only other person she loves in the world: her brother. That's a mistake that Cotter pays for in one of the most well-remembered death scenes in 1950's cinema.

Veteran director Gordon Douglas keeps the brutal action moving at a brisk pace and he employs a trove of famous character actors who weave themselves in and out of the twisted plot. Ward Bond is around as a suspicious cop with a shady past. Good-looking Helena Carter plays a young and very rich socialite who Cagney takes advantage of so he can pass himself off as legitimate. Kenneth Tobey plays an honest detective and they're in short supply in this film. Barton MacLane, John Litel, Luther Adler and William Frawley (Fred Mertz from "I Love Lucy") round out the stellar cast. Director Douglas had a prolific career directing a slew of famous and not-so-famous films all the way into the late 1970's. Cagney, as always, dominates the screen whenever he appears and his performance definitely raises the level of this work quite a few notches. Without him, "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" would've been a standard 1950's "cops and robbers" film with few redeeming values. As it stands, the movie is not a classic like some of Cagney's other gangster epics, but it certainly has its moments---especially at the end. When Ms. Payton finds out that Cagney has murdered her brother, she gets the opportunity to give new meaning to the title. She sticks a gun in Jimmy's face and spits out the words "You can KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE!"