Youth of the Beast

aka: Yaju no seishun
Japan 1963, 88 minutes
Dir. Seijun Suzuki
In Japanese with English subtitles
Genres: Cult / Gangsters

Feat. Joe Shishido, Misako Watanabe

Aroview: Further yazuka tales from the incorrigible Seijun Suzuki: regular lead thug Shishido plays a rogue gangster who muscles in, SANJURO-style, on the underworld turf of two bitter rival gangs.

As usual, Suzuki’s pulp cocktail of blazoned visuals and blinding production values transcend the genre’s stock elements, which are of secondary importance to the dir’s cinematic rebellion.

Member Reviews

Average rating (Very Good). Showing 1-1 of 1 member reviews.

I find this review offensive! I don’t agree with this review. I agree with this review.
4 stars (Very Good) More mandatory b-movie wickedness from Suzuki. YotB features some wonderfully experimental camera work, and like Tokyo Drifter, the 60s pop colourings further heighten the stylized action sequences. ~Vic Serotonin