maniac driver

MANIAC DRIVER: Sleazy Japanese Giallo by Kurando Mitsutake

A deranged maniac driver, stalks young women, with the intention to find a worthy victim to assassinate in order to collect a personal vendetta against society, to later, end his own life. Kurando Mitsutake lures the audience into a disturbing Japanese Giallo, that explores the bizarre mind of a broken man that starts a killing spree just to find peace on his poisoned heart. The director finds a bizarre colorful aesthetic spreading the screen with gore and tons of nudity, bordering pornography, at the rythm of an excellent old school heavy metal style soundtrack with songs by Japanese Metal Band Aiming High, that drives the audience through the sleazeness of this bizarre tale that doesn´t forget to pay tribute to the masters that inspired it, into a final act that brings a jaw-dropping little plot twist, that may appear as an accidental sign of redemption for a character that rejects it, […]

MANIAC DRIVER Pulls Up With A Hypnotic, Vivid And Violent Trailer For Kurando Mitsutake’s Latest

Lee B. Golden III

I’m supposed to be on medical leave from the website, but not everyone in Team FCS has come to acquaint themselves as much with Gun Woman and Karate Kill director Kurando Mitsutake’s work as I have in the last five years just about. Alas, this is me taking one for the team to help present the official trailer for Mitsutake’s Giallo-inspired Japanese horror, Maniac Driver. Contributing to the narrative is lead actor Tomoki Kimura, starring in the title role as a Tokyo cabbie whose descent into madness following a personal tragedy has since rendered him unfulfilled and eager for a worthy sacrifice to satisfy his own need for blood, and possibly death. Pre-production began in 2019 with principal photography ensuing in the following year, ultimately left to survive the pandemic last year as post-production temporary slowed before finally finishing up in time for its premiere at Yubari Fanta Fest Online […]

MANIAC DRIVER Pulls Up With Fierce Premiere Poster Art For Kurando Mitsutake’s First-Ever Japanese Giallo Horror

Lee B. Golden III

The 31st annual Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival kicks off its five-day event on September 16, and Karate Kill and Gun Woman helmer Kurando Mitsutake is totally here for it all, indicating as much with the first official poster for his new horror, Maniac Driver. There aren’t any story details, but all we need to know is that Mitsutake is looking to make this the first-ever foray into the Japanese-Giallo genre, which is exactly the kind of energy Mitsutake appears to be matching. There’s more info on what’s premiering this year at Yubari at the official website, so feel free to peep it once you’re done gawking at the cool ink below, and by all means, don’t fall asleep on this one!

TAKING THE WHEEL: A Word With Filmmaker Kurando Mitsutake

Lee B. Golden III

Japanese cinema is one of the most adoring caveats of sharing film discussions, and director Kurando Mitsutake is a highly welcome subject matter in that regard. I first read about him back in 2014 or so while reading a piece Twitchfilm (before the site rebranded as Screen Anarchy) promoting his blood-coated sexy assassin thriller, Gun Woman, and… well, I started jonesin’! It was a film that spoke inherently to a lot of my interests in Asian films in the early 2000s – the halcyon days of an otherwise ostracized college dropout then working for his dad, and least had enough money to spoil himself with DVDs at the Manhanttan Mall’s Suncoast outlet. It’s been maybe six years since then and having eventually seen Gun Woman, and ultimately keeping up with Mitsutake’s craft on my young little niche site during its time on Google’s Blogspot platform. And yep, he’s still at […]

Make Way For Kurando Mitsutake’s MANIAC DRIVER

Lee B. Golden III

Kurando Mitsutake is back on set with his latest film, Maniac Driver. After exciting fans with rousing feats like Gun Woman and the blistering revenge thrills of Karate Kill, folks following Mitsutake’s work can now add his latest effort to a list of things to keep an eye on in 2020. Pre-production began ten days ago marking his fifth project in Tokyo, with a shot of his new script. Mitsutake has since dropped a new look (via Facebook) at what’s in store for what he describes as a Japanese Giallo-style horror. The term is derived from the applied genre in Italy, hailed by notable directors like Mario Bava, Antonio Margheriti and Sergio Martino. The genre waned over the last thirty years long since it’s heyday popularity in the sixties and seventies though its influence and cult affinity still remains to this day. Clearly it’s a part of Mitsutake’s own tastes […]