Interview 091008

The trailer clip of "Sukiyaki Western Django", shown in selected theaters in the U.S. now, mentions it is by "the most controversial director in Japan". Takashi Miike is probably better known for his massive violent cult movie archive among fans around the world, but his recent rise in popularity in Japan also proves that he is so versatile and can make "popular" films, including a kids oriented fun movie "The Great Yokai War".

"Sukiyaki", however, was too unique for mainstream Japanese moviegoers. First of all, the dialogues are all in English, even though almost all the cast members are Japanese. Then, it is a messy hodge-podge of samurai swords and old-fashioned western gun fights, with a drifting gunman, the red gang and the white gang (borrowed from the old tale of "Heike (red) and Genji (white)" battle in 12th century), a beautiful dancer and a whimpy sherrif, killing one another like crazy. Yet, it is full oflaughs (some really bizarre) with a great punchline. The cast is amazing, the who's who in Japan's movie world, such as Hideaki Ito (gunman), Koichi Sato (red leader), Yusuke Iseya (white leader), Yoshino Kimura (dancer), Teruyuki Kagawa (sherrif), and many others. In many ways, it does not fit into ANY style or pattern in the Japanese movies. So it actually flopped in Japan in fall of 2007. It almost looks like the studio Sony Pictures and all the investors got tricked by Miike magic and gave him too much budget and wide release, and Miike just thankfully consumed it for his own purpose.

Kaori Momoi, who expanded her horizon to Hollywood by her appearance in "Memoirs of a Geisha", plays a mysterious woman "Ruriko" who helps the gunman in the film. We can have a little peek into this Miike magic through her animated talk about Miike, and for the sake of fairness, we should listen to what Miike himself has to say.

Miike's unique, creative style

Miike often works with the same group of actors, and Momoi is not known as a part of this "Miike Group." She actually was attracted by Miike's unique style and rallied to be in it.

"When he was working on Director Kazuo Kuroki’s 'Tomorrow ? Ashita' (1988, Momoi played the main role) as assitant director, they say I bullied him, though I don’t remember. (laughs) So he made up his mind never to use this actress when he becomes a director. And after that, I met him in a bar one day, I casually asked him to give me a part in his movie. He immediately said 'never!' (laughs) So I tried to flirt on him after that but he kept saying no. Then finally, he gave me a part in 'Izo' (2004), and I was really impressed by his way of directing. His direction was out of any pattern I had ever seen. I have been working with many Japanese directors, from young ones to veterans, but he is so crazy, genius, and he has a really 'pop' sense. So I became his big fan, and I was asking him to give me a part all the time, but often times my schedule did not fit with his. Then he told me at one time that he was writing a script that I would be a part in. I was really excited to hear that, and also it would be my first action movie, in which I hold a gun.

In this film, for example, at a scene where Tarantino gets shot in surprise, Miike thought the 'surprise' rhythm cannot be expressed well if he uses a cut back. I am also a movie director, so I was very curious how he expresses the 'surprise' attack. Then Miike asked tthe cameraman to get panicked himself, shoot poorly, and out of focus. (laughs) And the scene really came out as a surprise scene. There is a textbook way to shoot films, but Miike always find a new, better way, only possible by him. That is why Miike is so great. He also does not repeat the same thing, does not make similar movies. He is new every time I see him, he adds a new experiment every time. I believe that is what makes him a great artist. What separates great artist from others is whether he/she is always heading to the new direction or not. As he is new each time, I can be made new and fresh each time. That is why I want to work him all the time."

Quentin Tarantino as a shy little girl

In the film, Momoi plays a girlfriend of a gunman played by Quentin Tarantino, another unique-styled director. Tarantino also seems to have been seduced by Miike magic.

"I like Tarantino-san a lot to begin with, both as an actor and of course as a director. So I was excited to work with him. Tarantino was just like an innocent little girl, because he likes Miike so much. He was working very hard to approach Miike. He would say, 'how about this?' or 'how about this way?', and each time Miike would say 'no, thank you.' (laughs) But Tarantino did not mind at all whatever Miike said. With all those Tarantino's modesty and Miike's cool counters, I was having so much fun. We were all like little kids."

Got frozen in brutally cold mountain village

But it is also reported that the location filming was nothing like fun at all.

"We used a mountain village, even deserted by villagers, in Yamagata prefecture. There was not even a toilet, and they had to bring in porta-potties. The actors put on make-up in a nearby school, and it took one hour on bus to the location. After that, we had to stand outside all day long. You get heat rash at the beginning and almost got frozen at the end, as we did all four seasons. During the winter, I talked the villagers into helping me, lining a room in a set with a vinyl sheet and put a heater in it, so actors could take a rest. So actors got that room, but other staff had to stand in heavy snow from early morning till late night, as there was not even a chair. It was a brutal environment. During the shooting in Zao, We left at 3 or 4 am in the morning and walked to the location, spending 4 hours round trip, with no bathroom along the way. And we would shoot till late night, and would walk back in one line, holding our own costume in our arms, so we don't get lost, but at one time, a horse got lost on the way. I guess this was possible only in Japan. If you are to do it in Hollywood or anywhere else, I would say you need to add 5 billion yen ($50mil) in budget and 3 years in schedule at minimum. It was only because of Miike that it was made in one year and within that budget. It was unbelievable."

And the artist answers....

OK, so her account truly makes me believe that Miike is a true genius. But if you turn your microphone to this genius guy, he is elusive. When asked whether he was aiming at going international with this movie, given he is already known internationally and the film utilizes lots of traditional symbols of Japan, such as "sukiyaki" and "samurai", he just dodges it.

"I never was conscious about international fame, and I don't feel like I am famous. It is my job and hobby to meet a producer, push a project, and to make a movie, exceeding the budget just a little bit. I am not trying to respond what the moviegoers want, domestic or international. I am just doing what I want to do naturally."

His answer to other questions are also just hilarious. He is known for making many movies and he explains it like this.

"I don't know how much an American director is paid per film, but in Japan, I cannot support my family unless I work this hard. I am actually lazy, so the director's job is too complicated for me, but I cannot help it because I cannot do anything else.

So to whom I dedicated this movie? It is to my father. But when he watched this movie, he just said 'what the hxxx is that!?"