Agitator: The Cinema of Takashi Miike

by Tom Mes

Fully-revised and updated edition of the best-selling guide to Japan’s most prolific and successful film director. This second edition of Agitator features * a new and expanded 16-page color section * completely updated DVD information * several brand-new reviews of Takashi Miike films including Audition, Dead or Alive, Ichi the Killer, and Visitor Q * Takashi Miike’s own diary on the making of his controversial film Ichi the Killer, published in English for the first time ever * a career-spanning interview * ground-breaking, exhaustive and fully endorsed by Takashi Miike himself These films have amazed, stunned, delighted and shocked audiences the world over, garnering critical acclaim for their director. This is the definitive word on the most talked-about filmmaker of the decade. An essential purchase for anyone wanting to know where cinema is heading in the 21st century. -- Pete Tombs, Mondo Macabro. An impeccably-researched and exhaustive look at one of the most vital forces in international cinema right now. -- Ain’t It Cool News. An extensively researched, cinematically literate, highly welcome addition to the slim shelf of books on contemporary Japanese films. -- Cinemaya

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Japan, Media Tie In, Horror, Biography

428 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

As a film critic he has contributed to publications that include Film Comment, Sight and Sound, Rue Morgue, De Filmkrant, Kateigaho and many others. He has provided liner notes and audio commentaries for numerous DVD releases of Japanese films around the world. He also has a background in animation as a scriptwriter and storyboard artist.

Tom Mes is a writer and translator of books.

Reviews

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who has ever tried explaining the appeal of Takeshi Miike's films to someone who hasn't seen any of them, I understand if you wondered: 'Should I really be talking about these movies in mixed company?'

High-five then, to Tom Mes: bravely stepping into the feces-filled kiddie pools, through the entrail-covered hotel suites, and among the blowgun-wielding vaginas, Mes takes Q-tip and magnifying glass to an impressive cycle of many of Miike's most legendary cinematic transgressions, and in doing so reveals the strong series of moral, ethical and psychological themes found within.

Mes conducts a no-nonsense, in-depth examination of the director's 1990-2002 theatrical and direct-to-video releases, a span of preposterously explosive films that shake with raw human nerve and monstrous energy. The oversize-format book contains some excellent stills from the films(mostly b&w), but unlike a bona-fide table book of lavish photos, the reason to be there is definitely the scholarly take on Miike's work. The book closes with a lengthy interview with the director in 2002 for the revised edition.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE book for Miike fans, absolutely essential and ridiculously exhaustive. A true passion project, you can almost feel Tom falling more and more in love Miike as the book goes on. Would absolutely love a follow up to this (a true follow up that is) that explores every film since the publication of this book over 10 years ago.

[Andrew F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miike is an inherently interesting figure because his films are wildly diverse, yet linked by key things - ultraviolence usually playing a part, but even that varies from slapstick to torture.

This book by Tom Mes (who also wrote the excellent Iron Man: The Cinema of Shinya Tsukamoto for Fab Press) is a good companion to your no-doubt growing Takashi Miike DVD/Blu-ray collection. Or am I just talking to myself?

Fab Press also put out such amazing books as Stephen Thrower's NIGHTMARE USA and BEYOND TERROR: THE FILMS OF LUCIO FULCI and ABEL FERRARA: THE MORAL VISION by Brad Stevens. All expensive, all amazing (I managed to nab a copy of Moral Vision and Iron Man at the Camden Film fair at a vastly reduced price...I had sold my copy of Moral Vision years earlier like an idiot).

[Sebastian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, excellent book. Tom Mes provides a detailed summary and analysis of the first part of the career of Japan`s greatest living director. Highly recommended to everyone who want to understand more Takashi Miike

[Akane Watanabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Takashi is the most important filmmaker to come from Japan maybe ever. His imprint on Japanese cinema is huge but it feels like he may have left even a bigger imprint on western films, as people like Tarantino and Eli Roth acknowledge.

[Malachi Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am obviously biased as Takashi Miike is high on my list of greatest directors. This book covers his earlier works, it does have a companion book covering his more recent works.

[Bradynod · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good so informative and so helpful if you are looking for a detailed deep dive into miike’s career!

[Jason Coffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Mes' dense study of Miike ends up being too much of a good thing. While it's packed with tons of good information and insights from the filmmaker himself, the comprehensive overview and analysis of Miike's films spends too much time on their similarities. This has the curious effect of making the films seem less interesting as individual works. Still, it's clear that Mes is passionate about Miike's films, and this is still an invaluable resource.

[Balls Montgomery · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of Miike's wildman days, he's since settled into a savvy veteran filmmaker and away from his extreme/schlocky/hilarious material. Mes notes familiar themes that run rampant through his works which I completely didn't notice. I just found his sexually perverse insanity quite endearing.

[Toby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit dated now considering Miike's career is still going full pelt ahead, and misses out in particular in Miike's rise in popularity in the Western audience (assisted by Quentin Tarantino). But still the most in-depth and thorough look at Takashi Miike and his films that you will find anywhere, well worth the money if you are a fan!

[Ad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guide to Japan's iconoclastic and prolific film director. I would have liked more analysis in this book, and less journalism. Also, I have my doubts about the quality of Miike's films, who after direct-to-video fests of over the top violence for the arthouse crowd in the 1990s and early 2000s, now seems to have sold out to commercial interests with little new to say.

[Wendeline Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

invaluable if you love weird-o-rama Japanese films.

[David Wilentz]

Fairly exhaustive overview of Japanese bad boy director Takashi Miike. I appreciate Tom Mes' passion.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

As stated in other reviews the interesting part of Miikes career is the contrast from early to present & his success over here. Good read, I just wish it covered Gozu