Takashi Miike

Birthday: 24 August 1960, Yao, Japan

Height: 164 cm

Takashi Miike was born in the small town of Yao on the outskirts of Osaka, Japan. His main interest growing up was motorbikes, and for a while he harbored ambitions to race professionally. At the age ...Show More

Of course it's hard working with a very tight schedule for filming, but once you become used to it, Show more Of course it's hard working with a very tight schedule for filming, but once you become used to it, having more time and more margin means you can really make good use of it. Though I would probably waste it by sleeping and amusing myself. Hide

I became a director because I didn't have another choice. I dreamed of becoming a motorbike racer be Show more I became a director because I didn't have another choice. I dreamed of becoming a motorbike racer because I love motorbikes a lot. I think anyone can become a director, especially if you have money. Even Haruki Kadokawa became a director. To become a famous musician is also a way to become a director and like Takeshi Kitano achieving fame as a comedian and then becoming a director gives you a lot of freedom. There are so many ways to become a director. If there is a 1 - 10 scale for talent, then a 10 point talent is a director, but a 1 point person can also become a director if he has the talent to make the right contacts. In motorbike racing on the other hand the winner is always an extreme talent. Even if we train a lot we can't beat them. I admire that kind of world. But I didn't have a choice. I never thought about becoming a director before. I considered the occupation of film director as being for the intelligentsia. Hide

I'm happy that my films were discovered by chance by foreign film festivals. That makes me realize m Show more I'm happy that my films were discovered by chance by foreign film festivals. That makes me realize more that there is a world outside Japan too. For me, it's an occasion to meet many people and to experience directly the response of international audiences to my films. But for me as a director, my attitude towards making films hasn't changed with the fame. I feel it's not good to change as a person anyway. Hide

I don't think about the audience, I don't think about what makes them happy, because there's no way Show more I don't think about the audience, I don't think about what makes them happy, because there's no way for me to know. To try to think of what makes for entertainment is a very Japanese thing. The people who think like this are old-fashioned. They think of the audience as a mass, but in fact every person in the audience is different. So entertainment for everyone doesn't exist. Hide

I don't make rules myself. I didn't study enough to be able to make them. I'm too stupid. I spend my Show more I don't make rules myself. I didn't study enough to be able to make them. I'm too stupid. I spend my whole life making movies, so I have to enjoy it. Even at times when we had a very tight and difficult schedule, it was always enjoyable. Of course I wonder if the film will be successful afterwards. It's wonderful if a film becomes successful as a result of the enjoyment that we had. Hide

I just don't understand people who would walk out on a movie. I just don't understand people who would walk out on a movie.

I can only work realistically while wanting to depict something unrealistic. I can only work realistically while wanting to depict something unrealistic.

Takashi Miike's FILMOGRAPHY

All as Actor (4) as Director (15) as Creator (1)

Blade of the Immortal

Zebraman

Over Your Dead Body

Ichi The Killer

Sukiyaki Western Django

Gyakuten saiban [Audio: Japanese]

One Missed Call (2003)

Terra Formars

Crows Zero II

Crows Zero

Yakuza Apocalypse

Audition (1999)

As the Gods Will

The Lion Standing in the Wind

Three Extremes

Takashi Miike'S roles

Miike Takashi