American Yakuza (1993)

Director:

Frank A. Cappello

Writers:

Takashige Ichise (story)
Max Strom (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

22 December 1993 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The mob has a new enemy.

Plot:

An American FBI agent is lured away by the Japanese Mafia--the Yakuza--in this action film.

Plot Keywords:

FBI | Sex | Yakuza | Undercover Agent | Forklift

Cast

Viggo Mortensen	...	Nick Davis / David Brandt
Ryo Ishibashi	...	Shuji Sawamoto
Michael Nouri	...	Dino Campanela
Franklyn Ajaye	...	Sam
Yuji Okumoto	...	Kazuo
Cristina Lawson	...	Yuko
Robert Forster	...	Littman
John Fujioka	...	Isshin Tendo
Nicky Katt	...	Vic
James Taenaka	...	Taka (as James Katsuyuki Taenaka)
Saiko Isshiki	...	Aya
Fritz Mashimo	...	Okazaki
Jeff Bankert	...	Medical Student
Rosine 'Ace' Hatem	...	Agent #1
John Hammil	...	Agent #2
Michael Westfall	...	Long Haired Man
Nathan Jung	...	Giant Yakuza
Chris Hubbell	...	Personnel Manager
Joey Ciccone	...	Rudy
Toni Naples	...	Mrs. Campanela
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Elizabeth Lamont	...	Hostess (uncredited)
Scott Roberts	...	Sleuth (uncredited)

Directed by
Frank A. Cappello		(as Frank Cappello)

Writing credits
Takashige Ichise		(story) (as Taka Ichise)
Max Strom		(screenplay) &
John Allen Nelson		(screenplay)

Produced by
W.K. Border	....	executive producer
Takashige Ichise	....	executive producer (as Taka Ichise)
Aki Komine	....	producer
Michael Leahy	....	producer
Don Phillips	....	co-producer
Joel Soisson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David C. Williams

Cinematography by
Richard Clabaugh		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Sonny Baskin

Casting by
Don Phillips

Production Design by
Shay Austin

Set Decoration by
Lee Cunningham
Cheryle Grace		(as Cheryle A. Grace)

Costume Design by
Kathryn Shemanek

Makeup Department
Lisa Buono	....	hair stylist
Lisa Buono	....	makeup artist
Silvina Knight	....	assistant hair stylist (as Silvi Labrador)
Silvina Knight	....	assistant makeup artist (as Silvi Labrador)

Production Management
Raquel Caballes Maxwell	....	post-production supervisor
JoAnn Perritano	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Cedar	....	first assistant director
Mark S. Constance	....	second assistant director
Louis Shaw Milito	....	additional second assistant director (as Louis Milito)
Joel Soisson	....	second unit director

Art Department
Eric J. Bates	....	property master
Caesar Bijou	....	construction coordinator (as Caesar J. Bijou)
Chris Brewster	....	leadman (as Christopher Brewster)
Melissa Feinberg	....	assistant property master (as Melissa A. Feinberg)
Philip Fracassi	....	on-set dresser
Susan Karmel	....	scenic artist
Robert Rincon	....	construction coordinator
Ryan Wilson	....	swing gang

Sound Department
Joe Barnett	....	dialogue editor
Joe Barnett	....	foley recordist
Michael J. Broomberg	....	foley artist (as Michael Broomberg)
Craig Roberts	....	sound recordist
Larry Scharf	....	production sound mixer
Barnaby Shepherd	....	boom operator
Brian Slack	....	sound stereo consultant
William Smith	....	adr mixer (as Bill Smith)
William Smith	....	dialogue mixer (as Bill Smith)
William Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Bill Smith)
William Smith	....	supervising sound editor (as Bill Smith)
Jeffrey R. Whitcher	....	sound designer
Jeffrey R. Whitcher	....	sound effects editor
Jeffrey R. Whitcher	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Stephen DeLollis	....	special effects (as Steve De Lollis)
Bruce Mattox	....	special effects
Wes Mattox	....	special effects

Stunts
Rick Barker	....	stunt coordinator
Chino Binamo	....	stunts
Richard L. Blackwell	....	stunts (as Rick Blackwell)
Clay Boss	....	stunts
Eddie Braun	....	stunts
John Cade	....	stunts
John Cann	....	stunts
Darryl Chan	....	stunts
George Cheung	....	stunts
Phil Chong	....	stunts
Scott Alan Cook	....	stunts
Jake Crawford	....	stunts
Everett Creach	....	stunts (as Everett Creech)
Danny Epper	....	stunts
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Dale Gibson	....	stunts
Al Goto	....	stunts
Brian Imada	....	stunts
Paul M. Lane	....	stunts (as Paul Lane)
Will Leong	....	stunts (as Willie Leong)
Ray Lykins	....	stunt double: Viggo Mortensen
Eddie Matthews	....	stunts
Pee Wee Piemonte	....	stunts
Sorin Serene Pricopie	....	stunts
Debby Lynn Ross	....	stunts
Don Ruffin	....	stunts
Joe Zimmerman	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Art Adams	....	director of photography: second unit
Jeff Baustert	....	chief lighting technician: second unit
David Driver	....	grip
David E. Elkins	....	camera operator: additional camera
Victoria Ford	....	camera loader (as Victoria I. Ford)
Anthony Gotta	....	electrician
Sean T. Hannan	....	grip
Greg Hewett	....	key grip
Greg Kidd	....	first assistant camera (as Gregory D. Kidd)
Michael Lyon	....	electrician (as Michael R. Lyon)
Richard Maxey	....	dolly grip
Nicholas K. Nicholsky III	....	best boy grip (as Nicholas Nicholsky)
Pat O'Mara	....	electrician (as Pat P. O'Mara)
Carlo Ontal	....	still photographer
Randall Ott	....	chief lighting technician (as C. Randall Ott)
Miguel Sánchez	....	electrician (as Miguel Sanchez)
Paul Schmidt	....	second assistant camera: second unit
David Taylor	....	second assistant camera
James S. Trois	....	electrician: second unit
Lynn Troupe	....	grip
Anthony Van Dyk	....	electrician
David L. Whitham	....	best boy electric

Casting Department
Lisa Bankert	....	casting assistant
Cheryl Faye	....	extras casting
Mary Santiago	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Scott R. Hankins	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Syd Cole	....	electronic negative conforming: Lokbox
Marie Hélène Desbiens	....	electronic negative conforming: Lokbox (as Marie-Helene Desbienes)
Rubén García	....	electronic negative conforming: Lokbox (as Ruben Garcia)
Brian Kibbie	....	electronic negative conforming: Lokbox
Ray Morfino	....	color timer
Ian Slater	....	assistant editor

Transportation Department
Brendan Dawson	....	transportation coordinator (as Brendan B. Dawson)
Randy Lovelady	....	driver
Anthony Mazzola	....	transportation captain (as Anthony T.O. Mazzola)
Heriberto Osario	....	driver: production van (as Osorio 'Mike' Heriberto)
Todd Painter	....	driver (1993)
Jason Sain	....	driver
Michael D. Speedie	....	driver
Bill West	....	driver
Gregg Willis	....	driver: honeywagon

Other crew
Cindy Adams	....	caterer
Jason Autajay	....	set production assistant
Stephanie Axe	....	office production assistant
Carol Banker	....	script supervisor (as Carol J. Banker)
Steven Belgard	....	unit publicist (as Steve Waldo Belgard)
Thomas 'Doc' Boguski	....	production coordinator
Fermin Davalos	....	location scout
Konrad Dowling	....	insurance
Maureen Duffy	....	completion guarantor
Jennifer Getzinger	....	assistant to producers
Jeanne Joe	....	production coordinator: First Look Pictures
Kayoko Kikkawa	....	script translator
Brian M. Kingman	....	insurance (as Brian Kingman)
Louise Kobrak	....	script supervisor: second unit (as Louis E. Kobrak)
Tatsuya Kunimatsu	....	production consultant
Lincoln Lageson	....	set production assistant
Brian Matt-Uhl	....	dialogue coach: Mr. Ishibashi (as Brian Matthew Uhl)
Edward Mazurek	....	location manager (as Edward 'Spanky' Mazurek)
Lysa Moser	....	production accountant
Toshirô Obata	....	sword action coordinator (as Toshishiro Obata)
Sandra Ohlfest	....	medic
Michael Paolillo	....	assistant location manager (as Michael G.I. Paolillo)
Erik Press	....	set production assistant (as Erik R. Press)
Paula Riff	....	dialogue coach: Ms. Isshiki
Nick Tetsuya Sakagami	....	production associate
Ron Schmidt	....	assistant production coordinator
Claudia Soisson	....	assistant accountant
Marion Spiegelman	....	completion guarantor
Janet L. Stott	....	legal services
Kenji Sugata	....	production assistant
Kurt Woolner	....	completion guarantor

Production Companies

• First Look International
• NEO Motion Pictures
• Ozla Productions
• Toei Video Company
• Tohokushinsha Film

Distributors

• Toei Company (1993) (Japan) (theatrical) (as "Yakuza vs. Mafia")
• Alpha Media (2007) (China) (video) (VOD/IPTV)
• Aquarius TV (2001) (Greece) (TV)
• Twister Digital Video (Russia) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Larry Fioritto's Special Effects Services (special effects)
• Perpetual Motion Pictures (opticals)

Other Companies

• All Payments Services  payroll
• Animagraphics  titles
• BTS Payroll Services Inc.  payroll
• Clairmont Camera  camera equipment provided by
• Coley Sound Productions  audio post facility
• Film Finance  completion guarantor
• Kino Flo  special thanks
• Magic Film and Video Works  Lokbox electronic negative conforming
• Magic Film and Video Works  negative conforming
• Oz Company  finance coordination
• RHH/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance
• Silver Screen Caterers  catering (as Silver Screen Catering)
• Star Casting Service  extras casting
• The Loopies  voice casting (as The Loopys)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | Finland:K-16 (video premiere) | Germany:18 | USA:R | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Echo Park Lake, Echo Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

First Look International

Trivia:

For the shot near the beginning of the inside of a time clock as someone clocks in, an enormous time clock was built by the director and shot in his garage. The paper inserted is about 2 feet wide, and it was shot sideways so that they could just let the heavy stamper drop rather than come up from the side to hit the paper.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Back to Back (1996) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Won't Be Long

A Cut Above B-Movie

The plot offers very few surprises. It is a standard B-movie plot with formula characters.

However, two things raise this movie from the usual B-movie fare.

First, both Viggo Mortensen and Ryo Ishibashi turn in understated, yet thoughtful, performances that create chemistry and add a dimension of believability to their characters beyond what simply appears on-screen.

Second, creative camera angles and striking visuals lend an air of intelligence and elegance to many of the key scenes in the movie.