Takashi Yamamoto

The movie is absurd, and a thoroughly original take on the morale in Japanese society. The images are beautiful, and the people are as cold as the snow that surrounds them. The take on Melville's "Samoraï" from -67 is obvious, but Kobayashi turns the image around and portrays the killer as the weakest person in the movie - haunted by his demanding wife and the moaning contractor, who is one of the most mysterious characters ever portrayed in a movie.

Ao Chong is the first feature film directed by Lee Sang-Il about Korean high school students growing up in Japan.

万博を3年後に控えた大阪を舞台に、ケンカと遊びに明け暮れる少年たちを描いた青春バイオレンス。ピンク映画を手がけてきた井筒和幸監督の名を一躍世間に知らしめた井筒監督の代表作の1本。昭和42年。大阪ではキタの北神同盟とミナミのホープ会の二大グループが激しい抗争を繰り返していた。そんな中、少年院帰りのリュウと仲間のケン、チャボは、徒党を組むことを良しとせず、自由に生きることをモットーとしていた。やがて、ある事件をきっかけに3人はホープ会を叩きのめすのだった……。