Did you miss Takashi Miike's insane Yakuza Apocalypse at Midnight Madness--or maybe you NEED to see it again soon? (Maybe some kind of medical condition or curse? Though is it really a curse if you have to go see awesome movies?) Well, you're in luck Yakuza Apocalypse comes to theaters and video on demand on October 9th!
That's right, Mr. Frog, you can stroll to the most convenient local theater. No more need for fighting!
Here is the complete video of the Yakuza Apocalypse premiere introduction and post-screening Q&A with Takashi Miike making his long awaited return to Midnight Madness in person!
The winner of the 2015 Midnight Madness People's Choice Award is Hardcore! Congratulations to director Ilya Naishuller, producer Timur Bekmambetov, Sharlto Copley, Haley Bennett, Danila Kozlovsky, Seva Kaptur, Pasha Kapinos, Fedor Lyass, Sergey Valyaev ("who shot about a third of the film as Henry") and the cast and crew of Hardcore!
And congratulations to the casts and crew of the Midnight Madness People's Choice Award Runners-Up: The Final Girls, Green Room and Yakuza Apocalypse!
If you missed Hardcore at the Festival, don't worry, you'll get your chance. Hardcore was picked up by STX Entertainment.
In what felt like a fever dream from beginning to end, Takashi Miike brought an unsurprisingly wild and ultra-violent Yakuza Apocalypse to the Ryerson last night in his first live appearance at TIFF since 2000. For me, and probably a lot of people in attendance on Day 9 of Midnight Madness 2015, this was my first time seeing 'The Master of Midnight' in person, and it was a thrilling and humbling experience. Ian Goring was also there to capture this history-making night of insanity!
TIFF Tip: Tickets are required to attend a film at TIFF.
Fans sporting the Yakuza Apocalypse tattoos in line. Now that's dedication!
The Man himself, Takashi Miike!
Only Miike could make this look good.
The Godfathers of Midnight, Colin Geddes and Takashi Miike
Positively ghoulish!
Robert Mitchell chats up Takashi Miike before Yakuza Apocalypse
Sometimes the Midnight audience is scarier than the film itself. This would be one of those times.
Colin Geddes introduces a Master, a Legend, and something of a madman.
Miike takes the stage!
Nothing in the world has ever been this badass.
In a shocking post-film appearance, the horrifying monster Kaeru-Kun
If pictures of an immortal, indestructible, demented giant frog are triggering for you, might I suggest skipping the next several shots.
A heartwarming reunion.
Yup, just your average Q&A. Nothing to see here.
Miike talks about his influences.
Kaeru-Kun agrees - knitting is great!
Insulting someone this powerful doesn't strike me as wise.
Take a picture, it'll last longer! Well, maybe not longer than Kaeru-Kun, who is immortal.
The reaction from the crowd was amazing.
Both Miike and Kaeru-Kun were very appreciative of the Midnight audience.
Kaeru-Kun was quite forthcoming about taking pictures with some tired but happy Midnighters
Kaeru-Kun and Colin-kun!
Kaeru-Kun and Team Yakuza Apocalypse!
What, you missed all this? Well I have some bad news, readers, as all the screenings of Yakuza Apocalypse are over for this year. Pray to your frog-gods for a VOD or theatre release in your area!
It has been a long time since the master of Midnight Madness has been in Toronto. Last night with the premiere of Yakuza Apocalypse the long wait was over and Takashi Miike took the stage of the Ryerson theater to a standing ovation. Robert A. Mitchell was on the red carpet and spoke with Mr. Miike about his latest film, the yakuza and filmmaking.
You can still the catch the film and Takashi Miike if you hurry!!!
When The Raid premiered at Midnight Madness in 2011, Maniacs went wild at the amazing, brutal set-pieces. Yayan Ruhian is returning to the Madness tonight with Takashi Miike's Yakuza Apocalypse. Before he was cast as Eric in Gareth Evans' Merantau (2009), fight choreographer and actor Yayan Ruhian was a pencak silat teacher and even taught police martial arts techniques. Actually, that makes it sound like Yayan is no longer an instructor, but he still teaches silat. He told The Jakarta Post how he became involved in silat.
“There was a new school [of pencak silat] that was experiencing quite a
boom and I tried to enroll there … now it is called PTSD [Pencak Silat
Tenaga Dasar] Indonesia. I finally became assistant coach and then I was
summoned to Jakarta to become a professional trainer,” he said.
Unfortunately,
he was unaware that his training to be a jury referee (wasit juri) in
Jakarta would prevent him from participating in future tournaments. He
was only told of the prohibition later when he tried to register for a
tournament.
“It’s all right. If I can’t be an athlete, I’ll create athletes,” Yayan said, smiling.
Yayan participated in a documentary fellow Midnight Madness Alumnus Gareth Evans was making about silat. And the next thing you know, we have Merantau and this excellent elevator fight.
Here he's working on fight choreography with Iko Uwais for The Raid / The Raid: Redemption.
And the choreography comes to fruition in this fight with Joe Taslim in The Raid / The Raid: Redemption.
Yayan Ruhian gets up to some brutal business as hitman Prakoso in The Raid 2 / Berandal (2014)
And finally, never forget Mad Dog's"fluorescent tube" fight in The Raid.
See Yayan Ruhian's return to Midnight Madness tonight in Yakuza Apocalypse!
A new Takashi Miike film playing Midnight Madness is always exciting, but for all of the times his films have screened, he's only been able to attend ONCE. That was all the way back when Fudoh: The New Generation screened in 1996. So... it's been awhile.
Miike returns to Midnight Madness with Yakuza Apocalypse, which by most accounts is one of his wildest to date! How can you not be excited?
Through the magicks of the internet, we were able to reach out to the Legendary filmmaker Takashi Miike for a few questions. Be sure to ask yours when he comes to the Ryerson for THE FIRST TIME EVER with his brand new, insane looking film Yakuza Apocalpyse!
Am very much anticipating discovering the musical choice that accompanies this image in Yakuza Apocalypse!
MMB: As a seemingly tireless creator how do you refill your inspiration?
Takashi Miike: Movie sets are my place of peace. Sleep, wake up, eat and if I can only shoot movies that’s fine. I don't consider if my talent will dry up. The image comes to me if I stand on the location. If I lose work, I would just do other work. That's it.
MMB: We’re very excited to have you here, finally! How does it feel to be actually, physically, at Midnight Madness!? Do you have a message for the fans?!
Takashi Miike: Feels like going back to my hometown. Toronto Midnight Madness is my very first film festival that I was invited. It was a huge event to me whom was making movie with super low budgets in Japan. Our finished movie would take us to the place we wouldn’t imagined if we work hard at our own post. Midnight Madness taught us. Colin [Geddes] and Toronto's audience who welcomed me kindly and enthusiastically are my treasure.
Well, I wonder if you would enjoy this time, Yakuza Apocalypse... I’m looking forward to seeing you at the theatre. Let’s party!
MMB: You have such a diverse body of work. Yakuza Apocalypse, seems like a return to the over-the-top style of your Dead or Alive series (absolutely Midnight Madness!) What attracted you to this project?
Takashi Miike: Freedom. Freedom that we can make something we think is interesting. And… because we made it freely, it became Midnight Madness.
A stranger appears! I wonder who is more weirded out here.
MMB: IMDb lists you as directing 98 features! Were there any unique challenges of making Yakuza Apocalypse that you hadn’t encountered before?
Takashi Miike: Every movie is fresh and stimulating for directors. We face them with an immaculate heart, like a child. I have never been conscious if I made a lot of movies. But I might never meet movie like "Yakuza Apocalypse" in the future. You would understand the reason if you see it. How do I say....
I think, "A film that gives people a fresh happiness, where they feel that this world is not so bad because such a serious and absurd movie can exist - is rarely born"
MMB: In your opinion - what’s the best defence against vampires?
Takashi Miike: You should resolve yourself. Become a vampire instead of running. Suck, suck, and suck! That kind of life is not so bad. The person who is resolute is strong.
With Yakuza Apocalypse coming soon to fill our Midnight Madness screens with guts and glory, the craving for more gangster-goodness is a very real problem for me right now, and it should be for you too, because really, who doesn't like yakuza movies? For everyone else who need a dose of Japanese crime stories, here's some recommended yakuza watches.
Graveyard of Honor (2002)
Also directed by Yakuza Apocalypse director Takashi Miike, this film is a remake of the 1975 genre classic by Kinji Fukasaku (who is considered to be the godfather of yakuza films). It follows Ishimatsu, a dishwasher who accidentally saves a boss from someone who has been hired to kill him. Afterwards, he sees Ishimatsu as his saviour, and he puts him high in the mob ranks, much to the dismay of the other members. The newfound glory drives Ishimatsu to recklessness and depravity, becoming crueler than he could have ever imagined.
Red Peony Gambler (1968)
My cockles are warmed every time I see a movie with a badass female lead. This eight-part series follows the daughter of a yakuza boss who goes by the name of Oryu. She spends much of her time gambling, but with revenge on her mind, she becomes a swift and dangerous killer, seeking out the men who wronged her father.
Youth of the Beast (1963)
Directed by Seijun Suzuki, this disorienting and colourful staple of 60's Japanese cinema follows an ex-cop who gets involved in the yakuza underworld. He begins to work for the gang that killed his former partner, and the rest of the film delves deep into a psychedelic, dizzying display of seemingly nonsensical imagery.
Rainy Dog (1997)
Also by Takashi Miike (we just really love him, okay?) and decidedly less bizarre than some of his other work, this film follows an assassin named Yuuji, who has been kicked out of the yakuza and stranded in Taiwan. He takes work from another boss, but when his ex-lover (a prostitute) drops off a son at his doorstep, who begins to follow him around. Yuuji's life grows more and more complicated as he gets involved with the mother of his child.
In past years, we at the Midnight Madness blog have warned you of many dangers. The dangers of hooking up with or dating dead people and the heartbreak of "intimate hauntings" (e.g., Dead Girl; It Follows). The dangers of Tony Jaa taking you apart like a chicken with his powerful and frightening muay thai skills, which we face again this year in SPL 2: A Time For Consequences. (The consequences? Tony Jaa takes you apart like a chicken), The dangers of Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim or Yayan Ruhian (The Raid; Yakuza Apocalypse) taking you apart with their pencak silat and judo skills. The dangers of 3-D-inducing drugs bringing Judge Dredd's justice down on you and Soy Sauce-based drugs just making you see... things you really don't want to. Just last year, we warned you about Murder Scouts. And despite their being our informal Midnight Madness blog mascot, we always have a wary eye on our "friends," the isopods--giant or otherwise.
"Otherwise."
Tonight The Chickening begins this year's Madness. It becomes a part of not only Midnight Madness' history, but a part of a select history, a history of films warning you of dangers to be prepared for. Sure you know about The Birds and I assume you've been briefed on the precautions necessary during a Birdemic, Poultrygeist or even a Thankskilling.
Throw the egg out and wash your hands. Do not touch your mucus membranes.
Abandon your house. Go get Chinese food.
Preparedness is next to Not Getting Your Ass Killed. Sure, Bubo the mechanical owl from Clash of hte Titans is cute. But have to stopped to consider what would happen if Bubo went bad? He has the wisdom of Athena and his cuteness is unstoppable.
Sure, Bubo's cute and helpful, but its name is also evocative of the Bubonic Plague. Best wash your hands.
We haven't heard from Rodan or the Giant Claw in a while, but not so long ago, Bangkok dealt with a very Rodan-like Garuda situation. Does your city have a Giant Bird Preparedness Plan?
Garuda will mess up the Greater Metropolitan Area.
Have you considered all the eventualities of a Roc roosting in a densely populated city? And I'm not talking about the effects of Dwayne Johnson on the native cod population and how that trickles down to depleted fish and chips options. I'm talking about this Roc:
City officials attempt to enforce zoning regulations.
What about this mysterious goose visible for a good while in Harinam Singh's vampire classic Shaitani Dracula? It seems innocent enough--as if it had just wandered into the shot. But it is in a movie about Dracula. Is it some kind of Dracula itself? What is it doing? Should we fear the Goosening?
I think... I think it's looking at us...
And that's not even getting into the more prosaic dangers of, say, Sam the Eagle running a political campaign. (I'm thinking Senate).
Sam's anti-"weirdo" policies would be devastating for Midnight Madness.
But we do have some fine feathered friends on our side. Bubo, probably. Rodan stood up for Earth against King Ghidorah and the alien jerks hiding in our lakes and laughing at human emotions that one time.
And for every goose Dracula, there is a heroic wonder bird like Sheroo in Dharam Veer. Sheroo the Wonder Bird catches imperiled babies.
Baby saved!
But if you see Mr. Chicken... Goddamn, your goose is cooked. Run. Just run. And we'll pray for you.
My God, he sees us. HE SEES US.
In the meantime, as always, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling poultry products and always cook your chicken to an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
