Pornostar
(aka: Poruno sutâ)
(1998)
review by Don't Feed the Dead

Pornostar is the third film directed by Toshiaki Toyoda, and unfortunately due to legal issues, may not be the third of his films released by a major distributor. Made in 1998, Pornostar preceeded Toyoda's masterpieces Blue Spring and 9 Souls, and in a way is the foundation for a stable of incredible cinematic work. Set in the Shibuya district of Tokyo, the film takes on a "Catcher in the Rye" premise as a young man named Arano (Chihara) seeks to eradicate the Yakuza from his neighborhood.

Although the origins of Arano's vendetta against the Yakuza aren't made clear, Toyoda steadily explores the preservation of innocence through violence as Arano often protects the youth from dangerous situations by use of force or intimidation. Unlike a superhero, Arano uses a very brutish and unnerving method in thwarting his enemies as he calmly approaches them then explodes into a fit of rage, leaving his opponents in a pool of their own blood and viscera.

After a brief confrontation with a young gang boss, Kamijo (Onimaru), Arano has a run in with a pair of Yakuza ticket scalpers. Accusing the scalpers outright of being criminals, the pair of Yakuza lead Arano to a desolate street where they intend to teach him a lesson. Cut to the Yakuza Boss' office (wonderfully portrayed by Akaji Maro) where Kamijo and his thugs are receiving instructions to take out a rogue Yakuza, Matsunaga. One of the Yakuza scalpers stumbles in clutching a nasty knife wound and collapses to the floor. Following shortly thereafter is the tepid, yet disturbed Arano, wielding a knife and out for blood. Arano is attacked by the Yakuza Boss' adopted deaf son Tatsuo, and the Boss orders Kamijo to dispose of Arano and ultimately Matsunaga.

Remembering his father's final words to "stay clean", Kamijo has a change of heart and decides not to take the Boss' orders, sparing Arano's life. Now with Arano in tow, the young gang sets out on a series of "errands" where they get to see first hand the level of brutality that Arano exhibits. On a couple of runs, Arano loses his mind and obliterates a pair of American drug dealers, incites a brawl with Yakuza guards and visciously defends a group of skateboarding teens from a beligerant salaryman. Kamijo sees the purity in Arano's actions, and although he frequently questions his motives, ultimately Kamijo admires Arano for his resolve. Arano, believing that Kamijo is defiant of Yakuza ways, forms a sort of partnership with the gang boss based on a mutual respect for doing things the "right" way.

Arano soon learns that things are not as they appear, as the world begins to take a different form before his eyes. People that he began to trust and defend show their true colors, and Arano suffers a great deal of betrayal before deciding his ultimate path - eradicate the Yakuza Boss that is the root for all the evil.

Similar to both 9 Souls and Blue Spring, Toyoda uses a great deal of visual distortion to convey the thoughts and feelings of a near mute main character. Many of Arano's feelings are conveyed through his actions rather than spoken word, and Toyoda does a phenomenal job of spelling out hatred and isolation through scenery and Arano's infrequent hallucinations. The lack of dialogue from the main character is often frustrating, but the viewer can't help to be sucked in to the film by it's supporting cast and the desire to figure out Arano's intentions.

The soundtrack for Pornostar is an exquisite blend of house music, hard edged rock and musical score. Toyoda's choice for scene acommodation proves impeccable, as the score adds a great deal of tension to otherwise relaxed situations, and the element of fun to the traditionally high strung battle scenes. As the film progresses, the viewer can actually relate the music to Arano's feelings at the present time, and the juxtaposition of his emotions to the seriousness of a situation is remarkable.

This film is highly recommended to fans of Toyoda's more notable movies Blue Spring and 9 Souls, but also to the fans of the Asian genre that are unfamiliar with his work. Koji Chihara is certainly no Johnny Depp, however, his "scowl" look and take on the character will never be rivaled for the role he must portray. The supporting cast has no downside to it and the diversity of the characters will have the viewer wanting to learn more about each personality. If the complexity of Miike films becomes too much for the viewer to handle, I suggest turning to a Toyoda film for the more simplified plot, but equal levels of violence and character depth. I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

As mentioned earlier, I've learned from a source "in the know" that Pornostar's major release, in America especially, is under a heavy delay due to legal issues. It's unfortunate that a film of this caliber has the potential to be lost in the shuffle, but there's always a hope that Toyoda's masterpiece will be pushed through and receive the recognition it deserves. Pornostar can easily become one of the most popular cult titles from Japan with its lax approach to violence and profound theme.