OUTLAW: GANGSTER VIP 2 (1968)

大幹部　無頼

dir: Keiichi Ozawa

Nikkatsu

April 28, 1968

97 minutes Nikkatsu Colorscope

Tetsuya Watari as Goro

Chieko Matsubara as Yukiko

Ryohei Uchida as Go Kiuchi
Jiro Okazaki as Jun
Kunie Tanaka as Katsuji
Junko Maya as Setsuko
Meiko Kaji (as Masako Ota) as Keiko

Another thoroughly enjoyable late 60’s romanticized yakuza flick, a continuation of the first movie, only this time directed by Keiichi Ozawa. I guess the studio figured, if the formula worked the first time, no sense in changing it - except for the director! Tetsuya Watari again is Goro, getting out of town and trying to settle down with the lovely Chieko Matsubara. It seems a no brainer, but when the money is tight and the yakuza convince his bosses to lay him off, he’s right back at it.

Ryohei Uchida (he of the stinky loin cloth and bowler hat in Blind Women’s Curse) is the unscrupulous boss, and Kunie Tanaka (Battles Without Honor and Humanity) has a great part as the brother of the last slain boss, back for revenge, who ends up helping Goro. Of course, Goro steps into other people’s business, has more women fall in love with him, and it all seems to go exactly where we think it will, but… once again the stars are what makes it. Meiko Kaji has a small part of the new girlfriend of Goro’s young pal (Jirô Okazaki, Massacre Gun), and you KNOW where it’s headed, but… it’s still good.

I watched these back to back and still enjoyed them! (I’m not going to push my luck with the other 4 at the sake of over saturating myself with them, I’m going to leave some space inbetween viewing them!)