Takeshi Kitano’s journey to stardom began humbly as the youngest of four children in a modest family. He started as a lift attendant in a cabaret show, where serendipity paved the way for his remarkable career. During a fortuitous turn of events, he filled in for an actor at a cabaret show, and the legend of Beat Takeshi was born.
Teaming up with his friend Beat Kiyoshi, they formed the duo “Two Beats” and made their mark on Japanese television in 1980. Whether as a duo or performing solo, Beat Takeshi dominated the 1980s with his penchant for provocation and irreverence. In the world of cinema, his love for burlesque and farce found its perfect outlet in the uproarious “Getting Any?” (1994), a film that, despite its creation in 1994, did not reach French audiences until 2001.
Simultaneously, Takeshi Kitano ventured into a thriving film career. Notable appearances include his role in Nagisa Oshima’s “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” (1983). In 1989, he made his directorial debut with the thriller “Violent Cop,” marking the beginning of a parallel journey in filmmaking. With distinct identities for each direction, he went by “Beat Takeshi” for acting and “Takeshi Kitano” for directing. His acting prowess shone through in various films, such as “Johnny Mnemonic” (1995), “Tokyo Eyes” (1998), and “Taboo” (2000).
In 2005, he portrayed a violent yet charismatic character in Yoichi Sai’s “Blood and Bones,” spanning six decades in the life of a brutal and solitary gangster.
Takeshi Kitano, the director, is renowned for his thrillers, characterized by a unique blend of melancholy and ultra-violence. Films like “Boiling Point” (1990), “Sonatine” (1993), and “Brother” (2000) showcase his ability to craft mute and enigmatic characters.
Within this realm of violence, Kitano creates pockets of delicate beauty, intertwining pathos, melancholy, and extreme cruelty. A prime example is “Hana-Bi” (1997), which earned him a Golden Lion in Venice, solidifying his global standing. Yet, he can also produce works devoid of violence, like “A Scene at the Sea” (1992) and the visually captivating “Dolls” (2003).
In 2003, Kitano starred in and directed “Zatoichi,” where he played an exceptional samurai feigning blindness in a 19th-century setting. A year later, he embarked on the quasi-autobiographical “Takeshis’.
Challenging and potentially bewildering his audience, Kitano embarked on a trilogy of introspective films. In 2007, “Glory to the Filmmaker!” saw him as a director in pursuit of the ultimate film. Continuing his journey, he directed “Achilles and the Tortoise,” narrating the life of an inept painter struggling to practice his art—a film that resonates deeply with Kitano, who is an artist in his leisure.
In 2010, Takeshi Kitano returned to the realm of gangster and Yakuza cinema with “Outrage,” portraying Otomo, a ruthless yakuza tasked with a perilous mission—a testament to his enduring influence and versatility in the world of cinema.
