first film
I thought this would be wonderful but unfortunately it is just not as good as I expected. A tongue in cheek spy spoof and there are some great moments especially with the girls dancing routines and the colours and music rather splendid. I didn't think that Akira Kobayashi was really into this but went on with some 140 and he wanted more serious films like Battles Without Honor and Humanity (1973). The lovely, Chieko Matsubara really captured the mood and she was even better later that year with the Tokyo Drifter, she went on to make more than 150 films and still working. This was Yasuharu Hasebe's first film and even if it wasn't splendid he would go on with his next one with Massacre Gun (1967) a really cool, jazzy yukuza crime drama. He made Female Prisoner Scorpion: 701's Grudge Song (1973) and considered the creator of the violent pink sub genre like the Stray Cat Rock series in 1970 and then some even more violent like the amazing, Assault! Jack the Ripper (1976). So you can't chuck this film away but it's just not as great as it might be, but will be just round the corner.
- christopher-underwood
- Mar 8, 2024