Professional Killers

1973 1h 27m JA

🙌

8.0

BANGER

★8.0TMDB · 5

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Two assassins are hired to carry out a hit on the second wife of a candle merchant, but someone is watching...

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Jiro Tamiya
Baian Fujieda
Kōji Takahashi
Sanai Nishimura
So Yamamura
Hanemon(Otowaya)
Taisaku Akino
Misaki no Senzô
Kohji Moritsugu
Tamekichi
Tamio Kawachi
Gozamatsu no Magohachi
Yoko Nogiwa
Yoshi
Akane Kawasaki
Oteru

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Yūsuke Watanabe
Writers: Tetsurô Abe, Yūsuke Watanabe
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

87 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

53 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Professional Killers Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Yūsuke Watanabe, shot by Masao Kosugi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Hajime Kaburagi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Editor Akimitsu Terada shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Jiro Tamiya and Kōji Takahashi and So Yamamura carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0070181 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Yūsuke Watanabe directs. Masao Kosugi behind the camera. Hajime Kaburagi scores. Akimitsu Terada cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

187 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
253 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "Professional Killers Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Yūsuke Watanabe, shot by Masao Kosugi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Hajime Kaburagi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Akimitsu Terada shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Jiro Tamiya and Kōji Takahashi and So Yamamura carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0070181 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 5 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.