Fighting Elegy
1966 · Movie · Not Rated · 86 min · ★ 7.0 · 69% critics
A hot-headed student living with a strict religious family struggles to control his desires and anger. As youthful crushes, gang clashes, and social pressure pull him in different directions, his personal turmoil starts to mirror a darker nationalist mood.
Also known as The Born Fighter · Elegy to Violence
Where to watch
Streaming on The Criterion Channel — or rent from $3.99.
1 hour to watch.
Stream (included)
Streaming availability and prices may be inaccurate or change — verify with the provider before subscribing.
unSUB's subscription recommendations are informational only, not financial advice.
More value for your money
Similar titles, ranked by watch-hours per subscription dollar.
Details
- Original title
- けんかえれじい
- Years
- 1966
- Release date
- 1966-11-09
- Language
- Japanese
- Rated
- Not Rated
- Runtime
- 86 min
- Critic score
- 69/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.0/10 (37 votes)
About
You may like this if you enjoy rowdy, darkly comic youth dramas with satirical edge and restless energy, somewhere between Youth of the Beast and Gate of Flesh; Not for you if exaggerated behavior and messy scuffles wear you out.
Pros: energetic tone; sharp satire; memorable mix of comedy and violence | Cons: uneven ending; abrasive humor; chaotic fight scenes
Themes
- youth gang
- based on memoir or autobiography
- sexual repression
- roman catholic church
- young love
- masculinity
- piano
- japanese new wave
- student
- shōwa era (1926-89)
- violence
- the roots of violence
Cast & crew
Hideki Takahashi
as Kiroku Nanbu
Yūsuke Kawazu
as Suppon "Turtle"
Takeshi Katō
Isao Tamagawa
as Principal
Kayo Matsuo
Junko Asano
as Michiko
- KI
Keiichi Ishikawa
Akira Takahashi
Chikako Miyagi
as Yoshino Nanbu
Jun Hamamura
Directed by Seijun Suzuki