Ichi the Killer (Koroshiya 1 / 殺し屋１)

Omega Micott's logo just popped up.

It's kind of scary.

Here's the opening music...

Why don't we introduce ourselves first?

I'm the manga artist, Hideo Yamamoto.

I'm the director, Takashi Miike.

It brings back memories, doesn't it?

I don't remember the first time I saw this.

Do you forget things easily?

You could say that.

This is around the end of last year, isn't it?

That's right.

We're just reminiscing now, not doing commentary.

This beginning part is cool.

We had the music first.

His name is Seiichi Yamamoto, he's a crazy guy.

He told me to think different.

I think if the music was different, the edit would be, too.

I always look forward to the opening most when I watch movies.

In this case, the film is not ordinary, so I couldn't wait to see it.

The opening of a movie is often made by a different crew in other countries.

Is that so?

Saul Bass is one of the famous "opening" directors.

The openings for the 007 series have a totally different feel from the features.

There are many directors who create the openings abroad.

I see.

You have to catch people's attention in the opening.

Especially in the U.S., the opening is also a part of the entertainment.

How does a director feel letting other people do it?

If I believe the editor is talented, I would love the person to do it.

It would add a different flavor to the film.

Is it common in Japan?

Not really, a director usually likes to say he did everything himself.

It's not traditional to have a different director for an opening in a Japanese film.

Besides, it costs more if we do it that way.

That's why it's hard for Japanese directors to adapt their style.

The movies directed by music video directors have elaborate openings.

That's true.

But then, often the feature isn't as good as the opening.

It's R-rated from the beginning.

Audiences abroad will understand this.

How's that?

How the title of the movie appears...

They will figure out what this movie is about, right from the beginning.

The movie title appears in sperm.

What's that sperm made out of?

That sperm is...

That's Shinya Tsukamoto's sperm.

Is it real?

Yes, but there wasn't enough, so some staffers contributed.

And our CG team shot it as the base image...

...and they used CG to create the title slowly coming up.

But mainly it's Tsukamoto's sperm.

Did he volunteer?

Well, he occasionally makes a mess on the set.

He'll unload before his scene, so we asked him to put it in a bucket.

I thought it was fake sperm.

I had to fuss over the authenticity.

But that's probably the only part where we used the real stuff.

I wonder if shooting an adult film and a movie like this are similar.

It's very similar.

I've compared notes with people from that industry.

They say the real stuff is the best.

I wouldn't want to be on the set.

An adult film set?

No, when you were shooting that sperm scene.

We couldn't make a mess like this in a rented room...

...so we used real blood and CG blood.

Which is CG blood?

The blood on the walls and ceiling is made of CG.

The blood on the walls is not real?

No.

I didn't know.

We made a bloody room with CG, and inserted the person later.

We'd be in trouble if we did that to a rented room...

...so it was no problem to make the room look clean like this.

I had no idea.

I have to thank the CG team for this.

Usually, CG is meant to create something imaginary.

So people who work with CG aren't used to creating blood with CG.

They had a hard time making the blood on the walls look real.

You wouldn't know how smoke should come out from a slashed-open mouth.

In which of your movies did you use CG most?

I think it's this movie, this film is loaded with CG.

It took about half a year.

Just for the CG scenes?

That's right, because we didn't have that many CG specialists, like Hollywood.

We had a small staff for the CG effects, and each of them worked individually.

It sounds like a lot of work.

It's interesting that they use computers to create CG, but...

...it's really a handcrafted work.

You can't just work on someone else's stuff.

Only the person who's working on it will understand what he's doing.

So in a way, each CG effect has its own personality...

...and I think it's more interesting that way.

There must be 1.8 times more CG effects than I originally noticed.

Probably.

Actually I like figuring out whether I used CG or make-up.

This actor, Mr. Arizono, he's a very strange man.

You can't make this character with CG.

I agree.

Actors are very interesting.

I can't help but just watch the movie.

It brings back memories...

This movie has been shown in many film festivals all over the world...

...and some audiences are repulsed and some are pleased.

The film is shocking people everywhere.

I feel like this movie is starting to grow bigger by itself.

You created lchi...

...it became a film, and now is being introduced to the world.

Well, actually most countries cannot show this movie as it is.

But things are different in Holland.

You can smoke marijuana legally there.

So there's no problem showing the uncut version in Holland.

As it is?

That's right.

In Hong Kong, certain scenes were edited out.

What about in Japan?

It seemed like the MPCEC didn't know what to do.

So they just made it R-rated, so minors couldn't see it.

I didn't want to edit it, so that minors could see it.

Minors should just watch it secretly.

It may be illegal, but I think it's healthier to watch this R-rated version.

I'd get advice to change certain scenes, and I'd pretend that I'm listening...

...but I'd end up ignoring them.

Is there anything you just can't do in a film?

Yes, there're strict rules about what you can't do in a film.

But you can't follow every rule when you make a movie like this.

And the MPCEC understands it, so it was kind of give-and-take.

So minors cannot buy the DVD?

That's a difficult question...

I don't know...

But basically, you can buy anything as long as you pay for it.

I wonder if this film is going to be on the same shelf...

...as an adult video in a video rental store?

Many people in the film industry think it is...

...according to the categorizing rule.

But I think it's totally up to the vendors.

They could put it in the front if they want to sell it.

I don't, and I shouldn't, have control over where the vendors put my film.

We're talking about this movie, which was made a long time ago.

And we talked about making this film a couple of years prior to that.

There's this big time gap...

You can't talk about how this movie came to be made that easily.

Only the people who were involved in the film know...

...what lchi the Killer is really about.

This movie we see here is a final product, but...

...I met a lot of people through this film.

And I felt like we were creating something other than lchi...

...as if we were coming up with ideas for the next film.

I remember talking about this film, eating Oden at a bar.

We'd never thought it would really become a film.

Oomori has a great expression on his face.

He is a strange actor.

How so?

Do you know Mr. Akaji Mano?

He's a great actor.

He's a living legend.

Oomori is the son of Mr. Mano.

I worked with Mr. Mano a while ago.

And when I met him, I told him that it was a pleasure to work with his son.

Then he said to me "Oh right, he's acting, right?"

So I asked Oomori what kind of father he is.

He said, "I don't know. What is an ordinary father like?"

That's why it's so strange that he looks so normal, having a father like him.

Here's another strange actor.

He's my favorite actor.

Quentin Tarantino loves this scene.

This scene?

He is a big fan of lchi the Killer.

I thought you were saying he likes that particular scene.

Yes, he especially likes that scene.

When he came to Japan...

...he said he wanted to meet the guy who yells in that scene.

And Tarantino met Shin Sugata.

I think Mr. Sugata is working with him now.

Really?

Is Tarantino making a new movie?

I think he's shooting a new one right now.

A lot of Japanese actors are in it.

Most of the actors I often use are in that film, including Kitamura.

Kitamura the wardrobe?

No, there's another strange actor, Kazuki Kitamura.

He isn't in this film.

So there are lots of strange actors and Shinichi Chiba in his new film.

When was the last film he did?

What was it?

Jackie Brown?

That's right, but he hasn't made anything in a while.

This film caught his eyes.

I hear he loved this film.

He's a film nerd, I'm sure he watches a lot of films.

You're a film nerd too.

I don't watch movies that much.

I think he likes watching many different films.

I wonder what Asano thinks when he acts.

I don't know, what do you think he thinks?

I asked him before, and he said "Nothing."

I believe him.

I think he can get into the mood of any character, anytime.