The Legends of Tak Sakaguchi

So have you heard of Tak Sakaguchi?

I thought I knew all the essentials. I did some digging, and was amazed with what I've found. And there is no exaggeration here of these points, I've only re-worded information from other articles for my artistic integrity!

Tak was a REAL live Japanese street fighter who was discovered DURING a street fight by future maverick director Ryuhei Kitamura.

Apparently -- Kitamura told him "You should be fighting in movies not on the streets" -- and during their second meeting, at a film party, it was Kitamura laying the beat down on someone when Tak walked in. (Source: Midnight Eye)

This next source is even more crazy... I did not make this up, but it's out there, been up since 2007. These are Chuck Norris internet meme level attributions, which just might have some truth to them:

• He passed a car that was going 60 km on a bicycle. Okay, I could see that.
• He fell from the fourth floor of a condo, with no injuries. Not gonna try it, but I suppose a well trained guy could conceivably do so.
• While he was training in the mountains, a wild BOAR attacked him, and he killed it.  What?!  It gets better!
• Tak is said to have fought a bear hand to hand and WON. 
• He's got a 22 consecutive win record in underground fighting. After seeing Alive, I can imagine this. 
• He fought also with 23 guys at the same time and won (I'm not adding anything in this translation! I'm going to say this is more impressive than the 22 win streak, although I guess those guys could have been more dangerous individually?)

Movie blood might be just as close as he gets to human mortality.

And according to my wife's research on another website in Japanese -- Tak even broke his neck while filming an action scene for Yakuza Weapon (2011), which he also directed, went on to do TWO more takes before agreeing to go to the hospital. Apparently, the doctor told him, "If it wasn't for your neck muscles, you'd be dead."

So just who IS this guy?! 

Well, he first emerged unto the international film scene as the star of Midnight Madness sensation Versus (2001).  Versus spawned a huge cult following and cemented his status as a cool, calm badass anti-hero who could believably destroy equally impressive opponents with guns, spinning swords and his reality hardened martial arts. 

Kitamura and Sakaguchi's partnership flourished through several more films: Alive, Arigami, Godzilla: Final Wars -- and the recently announced Versus 2, which was enough to bring Tak out of a short lived retirement.

Over his action packed career, Tak's blossomed into an action director and co-director (Vampire Girl vs Frankenstien Girl (2009), Tokyo Gore Police (2008), Himizu (2011), and single handedly directed  Be A Man Samurai School (2008); , Samurai Zombie (2008) and the aforementioned Yakuza Weapon.  He shares another co-director credit with amazing director Sion Sono in the upcoming Kenkichi -- but now:

Tak returns to Midnight Madness this year in ar in Sion Sono's manic romp,  Why Don't You Play in Hell? (2013).

So just how much of the legends are true? We may never know, but one thing is certain: He'll bring his trade-mark badassness and effortless physicality to the role.


WHY DON’T YOU PLAY IN HELL? Screening Times:
Friday, Sept 13th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Saturday, Sept 14th, 3:45 PM SCOTIABANK 1

Ryuhei Kitamura, America, Olivo & Brodus Clay Talk NO ONE LIVES

Last night marked the return of Ryuhei Kitamura the director of Midnight Madness crowd favorite Versus after eleven years with his latest film NO ONE LIVES. Let's just say this, the film delivers upon it's title, definitely a midnight film. Robert A. Mitchell was on the red carpet hoping to make it out alive -- at the moment we have not heard from him, but a festival volunteer found this footage....



NO ONE LIVES screening times:
Mon., Sept 10th, 9:45 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7
Fri., Sept 14th, 4:45 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 6

NO ONE LIVES World Premiere Intro/Q&A Video

Last night marked the return of one of Midnight Madness' favorite directors Ryuhei Kitamura with his latest film NO ONE LIVES.

Here is Robert A. Mitchell's video of the Introduction and post-screening Q&A at the world premiere.




NO ONE LIVES screening times:
Mon., Sept 10th, 9:45 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7
Fri., Sept 14th, 4:45 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 6

NO ONE LIVES: A Ryuhei Kitamura Retrospective

No One Lives premieres tonight at Midnight Madness, but it's not his first time here. In 2001, he really brought the Madness with Versus' combination of zombies, samurai and style.

Kitamura returned to Midnight Madness with Alive in 2002.




Since then, Kitamura directed the 28th Godzila film, Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). Bringing his frenetic style and mad science to a giant monster movie (with aliens).




And he directed Bradley Cooper as a photographer who photographed something he shouldn't have in Midnight Meat Train.




 NO ONE LIVES:
Sat., Sept 8th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Mon., Sept 10th, 9:45 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7
Fri., Sept 14th, 4:45 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 6 

Everyone wins with NO ONE LIVES

Now that I’m only three days away from my trek to Toronto for Midnight Madness courtesy of Kari’s Scaries, I’m getting wound up about some of the more mysterious titles on the schedule. Among these is No One Lives, which the program describes as an “exuberantly gory thriller about a clan of backwoods road bandits whose latest victims are far less helpless than they seem.”

So, wait, does Midnight Madness offer valet parking or not? I'm going with "not."

Sounds fun, right? It gets better: No One Lives is the latest from director Ryuhei Kitamura, a filmmaker who has yet to get the attention he deserves on this side of the pond. Kitamura has an impressive filmography under his belt, including Versus, Azumi and Godzilla: Final Wars, but it’s his 2008 gorefest The Midnight Meat Train that really put him on my radar.

Based on a Clive Barker short story of the same name, Train has never gotten the kudos it deserves. That’s too bad – it’s a gorgeously designed, slickly directed and extremely entertaining flick. It goes off the rails a bit at the end (if you’ve read the story, you know the climax is nearly impossible to film), but it's loaded with so much style and crazy gore that I can’t imagine why any horror fan wouldn’t dig it. The goofier stuff, including a dude whose eyeballs fly out of his skull when the killer whacks him on the noggin with a mallet, is CG, but it absolutely works in the context of the movie. (In the interest of full disclosure, I have a thing for horror films involving trains. Horror Express? Terror Train? Creep? Yes, please. And thanks to 1973's Raw Meat, everyone knows that subterranean mutant cannibals live in abandoned subway tunnels, which just adds to the appeal.)

Check out Kitamura’s official reel below, then keep on scrolling for a batshit, totally NSFW helping of grue from The Midnight Meat Train.


Ryuhei Kitamura Works from Kazuki Hirata on Vimeo.



A trailer for No One Lives has yet to hit the web and we've only seen a few images, but you can see why I'm stoked nonetheless.

NO ONE LIVES screening times:
Sat., Sept. 8, 11:59PM, RYERSON
Mon., Sept. 10, 9:45PM, CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7
Fri., Sept. 14, 4:45PM, CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 6