Kitano finds laughs even in a bloody gang war

Takeshi Kitano's "Outrage" may be a tour de force of screaming gangsters bent on homicidal feuds, but the emphasis is on entertainment, not gore.

That focus on full-on entertainment wasn't seen in his earlier, more lyrical films about the underworld.

The straight-up violence divided critics at this year's Cannes Film Festival, where the film was screened in competition.

But Kitano, who directed and also plays the lower-tier gang leader Otomo, said he believes his ability to entertain has evolved since his past yakuza movies.

"Outrage" revolves around the Sanno-kai crime syndicate, led by a man called Sekiuchi (Soichiro Kitamura).

Trying to maintain his grip on power, he keeps his subordinate bosses constantly struggling for dominance. But when his machinations go too far, the conflict develops into a bloody gang war, which Kitano depicts graphically.

Kitano earned international acclaim for his yakuza films, including "Hana-bi" (Fireworks), which won the Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion award in 1997.

Later, however, the director made films that lay bare the agony of creative endeavor, such as "Kantoku Banzai" (Glory to the Filmmaker! 2007) and "Akiresu to Kame" (Achilles and the Tortoise, 2008).

"I wanted to make films that were the opposite of entertainment, but I realized after about two of them that I've caught 'artist's disease,'" Kitano said in a recent interview.

"I wanted to make a film that pleases audiences, to show that even an old chef from a fancy Japanese restaurant can make katsudon (deep-fried pork cutlet over rice)."

The depictions of violence in his earlier films such as "Sonatine" (1993) were praised overseas for evoking the evanescence of life under extreme conditions. Kitano refrained from falling back on that aesthetic, instead filling "Outrage" with images of extreme pain.

Many critics were taken aback by his new approach at Cannes in May.

"It's my first yakuza film for a while, but I didn't want people to say I'd returned to my roots," Kitano said. "My technique has improved since making 'Sonatine,' and I think my ability to entertain audiences has evolved, too."

The violence is abundantly creative and involves a diverse array of instruments, erupting in most unexpected places.

"I scribbled down lots of different ideas for the violence and wrote the script so I could use them effectively," Kitano said.

"I came up with the scene at the dentist while I was having some dental work done. I thought how terrifying it would be if I was attacked right then."

Apart from Kitano, none of the familiar faces from his previous films are in "Outrage."

This new cast of actors includes Tomokazu Miura, Kippei Shiina, Renji Ishibashi and Ryo Kase, and they all give excellent performances.

"My producer suggested (using new faces), and I agreed because it sounded interesting. It was a breath of fresh air," Kitano said.

Many of his past films revolved around a taciturn yakuza, and silence held sway. This time, everyone is talking at once and cursing each other loudly.

"If I'd shot it with the actors I usually work with, they probably wouldn't have said so much," Kitano said.

He said the cadence of the language gangsters use when they try to wear down an enemy is similar to manzai, a form of stand-up comedy that centers on word play and verbal sparring.

"The words of gangsters stream out one after another, like: 'You bastard! You fool!' I'm good at talking at that speed, you know."

The performances are powerful.

Kitano said he hardly used any rehearsals. "When I act, I hate doing the same scene over and over again," he said.

"Actors have a tendency to act with abandon when it's a one-time-only situation," he said. "Doing thorough rehearsals refines the dialogue, but that also makes the dialogue lose its power."

The score is by Keiichi Suzuki. It was the second time he has worked with Kitano since "Zatoichi" (2003).

"This is a film that doesn't allow you to sympathize with any of the characters, so I was careful not to rouse emotion with music while they are onscreen," Kitano said.

Kitano said he doesn't do anything "dangerous" with the music. "The visuals are more important. It is better to do without music than add it and fail," he said.

Although there is lots of intensely violent action, more than a few amusing scenes ease the pressure.

Some scenes that Kitano intended to be serious turned out funny, such as when one man tries to cut off his pinky (a classic yakuza gambit) but can't get it right: "Ow! I can't chop the damn thing off!"

"I thought it wasn't necessary to add humor," the director said. "(But) desperate people make us laugh. Humans are a cruel bunch, aren't they?"