Zegen 1987 (1987)

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Description:

Zegen 1987 is a satirical epic directed by Shohei Imamura, based on the true story of Iheiji Muraoka, played by Ken Ogata. The film follows Muraoka, a blindly patriotic Japanese businessman who begins his journey by swimming ashore in Hong Kong. Sent to Manchuria to spy on the Russian army, Muraoka uses prostitutes to gather intelligence. He soon expands his operations into Malaysia, building a massive chain of brothels across Southeast Asia. Becoming the oyabun, or Big Boss, Muraoka believes his expanding prostitution empire is a noble service to the Emperor and the vanguard of Japanese military colonization. This energetic and grotesquely funny film satirizes Japanese imperialism with a unique mix of commerce, colonialism, and carnality. Featuring a brilliant performance by Ken Ogata, Zegen 1987 stands out as a compelling, biting satire. Notably, the film also features early assistant director work from Takashi Miike, who was a student at Imamura film institute.

Country: Japanese

Status: Completed

Released: 1987

Genre:Accident