Gozu (2003) | Region-Free (DVD) | Directed by Takashi Miike

Sourced from an out-of-print DVD with English subtitles.

Title: Gozu (2003)

Alternate Title: 極道恐怖大劇場 牛頭 GOZU (Gokudō kyōfu dai-gekijō: Gozu)

Genre: Crime, Drama, Horror

Plot Synopsis:
A yakuza member named Minami is tasked with disposing of his deranged senior, Ozaki. However, after Ozaki’s sudden death, his body mysteriously disappears, leading Minami on a surreal journey through a bizarre underworld filled with eccentric characters and unsettling experiences.

Cast and Crew:

• Director: Takashi Miike
• Writer: Sakichi Satō
• Cast:
  • Yūta Sone as Minami
  • Shō Aikawa as Ozaki
  • Kimika Yoshino as Female Ozaki
  • Shōhei Hino as Nose
  • Keiko Tomita as Innkeeper

YouTube Trailer:
Gozu (2003) | Trailer

IMDb Link:
Gozu (2003)

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. Ian West – ★★★★½
   “Clearly the work of a madman. Gozu is a long, out there, yakuza nightmare logic slice of weird—laced with mind burrowing scenes that tunnel into your eyes and paint its walls with images you won’t soon forget. This is my kind of movie.”
2. SilentDawn – ★★★★☆
   “Takashi Miike’s Gozu is a surreal odyssey of the highest order, blending yakuza tropes with Lynchian horror and absurdist comedy. It’s a film that defies explanation, demanding to be experienced rather than understood.”
3. Sally Jane Black – ★★★★☆
   “A bizarre, unsettling journey that feels like a descent into madness. Miike’s direction is both playful and menacing, crafting a world where the rules no longer apply. Gozu is a film that challenges and disturbs in equal measure.”

Meta Description:
“Gozu” (2003), directed by Takashi Miike, is a Japanese crime-horror film that follows yakuza member Minami on a surreal journey to find his missing mentor’s body, encountering bizarre and unsettling phenomena along the way.