Rikidozan Director's Cut DVD Region 3

Silmido's Sul Kyung Ku plays the role of Rikidozan, a Korean immigrant who originally went by the name Kim Shin Rak. The film begins in 1950s era Japan and charts Kim's rise to fame from humble beginnings. Having immigrated to Japan to learn sumo wrestling, Kim finds himself a victim of prejudice due to his Korean heritage. Even after cleverly finding a way to ascend his way up the ranks, racism prevents him from achieving his dream of competing for the celebrated title of Yokozuna. Feeling that he's wasted ten years of his life, Kim cuts his top-knot, quits sumo wrestling, and slinks off into a world of utter despair.

Although everything in his life seems be going straight to hell, Kim gets a lucky break. Thanks to a chance encounter, Kim gets introduced to the world of professional wrestling. With the backing of his mentor/benefactor Kenno Takeo (Fuji Tatsuya), Kim goes to the United States to learn the ropes and returns to Japan as Rikidozan, an iconic figure who would transform professional wrestling from an unknown commodity in Japan into the country's most popular sporting attraction.

With the Japanese people finding themselves on the losing end of World War II, their morale was at an all-time low. Rikidozan theorized that they were looking for heroes to root for, and that pro wrestling (and by extension, Rikidozan) helped fulfill that need in spades. As it turns out, he was right. In a scene that would seem unbelievable if it didn't actually happen, a crowd of thousands gather around a small television in a public square to watch as Rikidozan and his tag partner face off against the intimidating Sharpe Brothers, an imposing duo of Americans (in actuality, they were Canadians). In a stunning bit of athletic theatre, Rikidozan turns the tables on the American ?bullies,? and in the process, wins over the hearts and minds of the Japanese in a sequence that is at once thrilling and moving.

Of course, with Rikidozan's Korean origins, it's ironic that he would become a national icon, a fact touched upon by the filmmakers later in the narrative. But as it turns out, having his background revealed is the least of his worries: a crumbling marriage, a horrible temper, and backbiting galore from his pro wrestling comrades seem to put Rikidozan on a collision course with disaster. But somehow he perseveres.

But as much as the film sounds like an example of hero worship, Rikidozan is far from a fluff piece. Hard-headed and prone to violence, Rikidozan is a flawed man indeed. Nakatani Miki portrays Rikidozan's long-suffering wife Aya, and it's her presence in the narrative that reminds viewers just how much of a selfish cad he can be.< p>Although this director's cut feels a bit overlong, the film does hold great historical value in telling its story. Whatever Rikidozan's faults as a film, director Seong Hae-Seong crafts a well-made biography of an unconventional, yet very real Japanese hero.

By Calvin McMillin - LoveHKFilm.com