Retaliation (1968)

Hasebe reteamed with Jô Shishido just a year after Massacre Gun (1967) for another Yakuza tale. Jiro (Akira Kobayashi) is fresh out of prison and straight back into the world that put him inside in the first place. He gets wedged in the middle of a business deal between a greedy Yakuza clan and some poor landowners, with a young, fresh-faced Meiko Kaji lending support.
It’s a Samurai film at heart. The men fight with fists, knives and katanas; guns feature rarely. Hasebe places his camera at angles that mainstream directors wouldn't even take under consideration.
As is often the case with cult Japanese cinema it relies upon your willingness to engage with the character-driven plot before letting all hell break loose at the end. Does Hasebe manage to outdo Massacre Gun? Watch it and find out.

3 bloodied shirts out of 5

Massacre Gun (1967)

A bleak Yakuza tale from Hasebe, courtesy of Nikkatsu, that slow burns its way from hard choices toward what would be impossible, painful actions for most folks. But Kuroda (Jô Shishido) isn't most folks. When pushed beyond his own set limits he reacts, even when the person pushing is his own boss.
As it advances quietly towards an extremely memorable confrontation it’s impossible not to be impressed by Hasebe’s attention to detail, cinematic framing and restraint. We’re told only what we need to know about the principal players, with their actions revealing the rest.

3 honest rhythms out of 5

Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter (1970)

It was filmed at the same time as the previous Stray Cat (Wild Jumbo) but Sex Hunter is a much better film. It gets the mix of funky Jazz, seduction and gang violence just right. The gangs are split by gender, which, far from being stereotypical, enables the ladies (The Alleycats) to take the centre stage position they deserve. They aren't all knives at dawn; beneath the fire there's a sensitivity that knows its place, when to retreat and when to rule.
The introduction of a 'half-breed' puts an opposing male gang (The Eagles) on the warpath, allowing the series to focus its attentions on racism and how it affects even the counter-cultures.

4 faces at the bar out of 5

Stray Cat Rock: Delinquent Girl Boss (1970)

A group of street-savvy women, really just chicks with knives and razor blades, fight for a purpose when a sukeban rides into town and provides guidance. It's interesting seeing the traditional roles of the sexes reversed, and exploring how rules are applied and disregarded in the contrasting arenas of the street and the boxing ring, but ultimately DGB is 80+ minutes of style over substance played out to a soundtrack of funky jazz and psychedelic rock.
If Dir. Hasebe had further indulged his willingness to explore a film frame’s role in the telling of a story then things might've been better.

2½ dizzying traffic violations out of 5

Female Prisoner Scorpion #701: Grudge Song (1973)

A new director helmed this fourth entry's return to the WIP camp. It strays awkwardly into theatrical territory on a few occasions, but mostly it stays on a straight path. Matsu gets to share the film with someone else for a time, which is beneficial in giving her character purpose.
Meiko Kaji’s presence means it’s still better than a lot of other exploitation flicks of the era, but the first two films in the series are so good that everything that followed was cast in their shadow, and the addition of some not-quite-Nazi female guards felt like it was pulling the original intent in a different direction.
Grudge Song was the last of the Meiko era films. The series was continued but with a different actress in the Sasori role.

3 lengths of rope out of 5