It helps of course that Sukiyaki Western - Django features a veritable who's who's list of talented actors: Ito Hideaki (Umizaru), Sato Koichi (What the Snow Brings), Iseya Yusuke (Casshern), Ando Masanobu (Big Bang Love, Juvenile A), Oguri Shun (The Neighbor No. 13), and vetarans Ishibashi Renji and Momoi Kaori. There's even a spot for fanboy-cum-director Quentin Tarantino, who gives a surprisingly good performance in his narrating role. Most of the Japanese cast learned their lines phonetically, and drawl them out with fragmented flair, adding to the camp value of the film. Comprehension is not guaranteed, but entertainment is heaped out in big, hearty servings.

After centuries of war, the rival Heike and Genji clans have been reduced to little more than scrappy gangs of ill-kempt stragglers. The Heike led by hot-tempered Kiyomori (Sato Koichi) and the Genji led by criminally cool Yoshitsune (Iseya Yusuke) both catch wind that there's gold to be found in the small, remote town of Yuta. Showdown in little Yuta is inevitable when both clans come rolling into town at the same time. Joining the fray is a mysterious, nameless cowboy (Ito Hideaki) with the fastest guns in the west. Both clans are eager to enlist the ronin into their ranks, but he will only offer his services to the highest bidder.

This edition comes with director's commentary and theatrical trailers.

Miike begins by tearing a page out of another brilliant Asian western - Wisit Sasanatieng's Tears of the Black Tiger - giving us a prologue placed on a hyper-stylized sound stage. The painted backdrops are obvious, and intentionally so, designed to play up the extremities of what is to follow. ... [Read more]