A Killer Without a Grave

1961 1h 27m JA

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 2

Action

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Nakata (Keiichiro Akagi) is a nihilistic young buck who is willing to do anything to get money in his pockets. As he knocks back a couple drinks that he knows he won't be able to afford, a former marksman-turned-bad, Ishioka approaches him. Ishioka is looking for an unaffiliated hit-man who is willing to handle some business. Nakata is just the right man for the job.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Keiichirō Akagi
Katsumi Nakada
Reiko Sasamori
Kikuyo Ishioka
Mari Shiraki
Chikako Makino - Wan-chang Chen's lover
Kazuko Yoshiyuki
Mitsu Nagayama
Gorō Tarumi
Arihiro Fujimura
Kōjirō Kusanagi
Shōki Fukae

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Yōichi Ushihara
Writers: Taijirō Tamura, Kenrō Matsuura
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

65 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Yōichi Ushihara, shot by Shinsaku Himeda. 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 Taichiro Kosugi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Masanori Tsujii 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

Keiichirō Akagi and Reiko Sasamori and Mari Shiraki carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0420724 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Yōichi Ushihara directs. Shinsaku Himeda behind the camera. Taichiro Kosugi scores. Masanori Tsujii 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.
265 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Yōichi Ushihara, shot by Shinsaku Himeda. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Taichiro Kosugi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Masanori Tsujii shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Keiichirō Akagi and Reiko Sasamori and Mari Shiraki carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0420724 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 2 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.