The Happiness of the Katakuris

Director - Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer)
Starring - Kenji Sawada (Hiruko the Goblin), Keiko Matsuzaka (Train Brain Express), and Shinki Takeda (Pulse)
Release Date - 2001
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Format - BluRay (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     In the world of Japanese horror there are few filmmakers with the recognition of director Takashi Miike.  This man is known the world over for his films Ichi the Killer, Audition, MPD Psycho, Zebraman, and his contribution to Three...Extremes.  Miike then further engrained himself into horror history when he directed his episode of Masters of Horror which was titled Imprint and became a name in horror to American audiences.  This episode was so depraved that it was banned from airing and was only available on DVD.  Several months back I was sent a press release for Arrow Film's release of the horror comedy musical titled The Happiness of the Katakuris.  This was the first time I had heard of the film but my curiosity  was peaked.  I reached out to MVD and they were kind enough to send of the blu/DVD combo for me to check out.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a dysfunctional family who packed it up and moved into an old b-n-b in hopes of bringing their family together all while tossing some money into their pockets.  The home is sitting at the bottom of Mount Fuji and is said to be the site of a major highway putting them in the middle of the tourist location.  Sadly, the road never showed and the business never did either.  They are falling on hard times when suddenly they get a paying guest.  He checks in and the following morning they find his body in the room.  A victim of an apparent suicide.  The father can not locate the man's wallet and starts to suspect his son is responsible.  He does not want his son to go to jail for murder and the family hides the body. Not long after these events, a second guest arrives.  This guest is a famous sumo wrestler who is there to stay with his new lady.  The next morning they find the sumo wrestling dead.  He died during the night while fucking his lady.  The man is so large that when he died he smashed his girlfriend killing her as well.  They once again hide the bodies.  As more and more guests check in the bodies in the back begin to pile higher.  They then learn that the location of the bodies is the spot they plan on making the road.  When they prepare to move the bodies the mountain erupts sending the mountain down around them.  They join hands and are able to ride their house to a new location where they are close to a major highway ensuring customers for them going forward.

     Takashi Miike is a man known by reputation only in my house.  I have several of his films on DVD and blu but have never watched them with the exception of the MoH episode.  His films are known for being bold, bloody, and disgusting.  I have always wanted to check out his work but have never had the time until Arrow let me check out their release of Happiness.  This film may not be the best choice to start out with if you are trying to get a feel for Miike's horror flicks but it was still a damn enjoyable film.  The acting in this one is whimsical and comical making every character fun to watch.  Most musicals have crazy characters that would not exist in the real world and this musical is no different.  The story for this one is one that just keeps going with the addition of new plot details.  The film begins as a family trying to make money.  Then the story turns into "who done it" mystery before turning into a musical thriller.  The film then switches gears and turns into a romantic comedy before returning to the thriller and then real horror emerges before the film finishes on a true musical note.  This was fucking brilliant.  Also, the film does not have any real on screen kills so those looking for bloodshed and gore are barking up the wrong tree.  With that being said, the film has phenomenal practical effects along with some great claymation that really makes the film fun.  Finally, this release comes with some great special features and is presented in 1080p which looks fucking fantastic.  The film has commentary with Miike and Tom Bes.  The release also comes wih Violent 'til I Die, interviews with the Katakuris, Making of the Katakuris, Animating the Katakuris, Dogs, Pimps and Agitators, trailer and tv spots, Easter eggs, and a reversible sleeve along with a booklet.    Overall, the Arrow release of The Happiness of the Katakuris is amazing.  The film is fantastic and Arrow once again unleashes a superb release.  Fans of campy musicals and Asian cinema really need to add this one to their collection.  Check it out.