1959·Crime·1h 36m
7.1
★
A promising post-graduate literature student is transformed into a psychotic killer following the suicide of his father and a sleazy affair by his mother with a younger man.
Directed by Eizō Sugawa
based on novel or book
psychopath
serial killer
police investigation
japanese noir
IMDB
N/A
Cast
Tatsuya Nakadai
Kunihiko Date
Hiroshi Koizumi
Detective Masugi
Reiko Dan
Taeko Kusumi
Yumi Shirakawa
Makoto Satō
Eiko Miyoshi
Michino Yokoyama
Waitress
Ichirō Shimizu
Yoshio Shirasaka
Tsuji
Nobuo Nakamura
Professor Sugimura
Eijirō Tōno
Detective Kuwashima
Yūsuke Takita
Crew
Eizō Sugawa
Director
Yoshio Shirasaka
Screenplay
Haruhiko Oyabu
Novel
Popular Reviews
4 reviews
judgmentjo
8.0★ · 01/22/26
He has that sadness in his eyes that you only see in Eastern European gay porn
He has that sadness in his eyes that you only see in Eastern European gay porn
Yuko ImadaPRO
8.0★ · 01/01/26
#1st movie of Japanuary
Last year, my first movie for the Japanuary challenge was Yukio Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters. This year, I decided to start with a real gem: The Beast Shall Die (1959), starring my absolute favorite actor, Tatsuya Nakadai.
First of all, Happy New Year everyone! 🎉 I hope we all get to watch amazing movies this year and achieve the goals we’ve set for ourselves. This is my fourth year participating in this challenge, and I’m really glad to be part of it again. Wishing everyone happy viewing. ^^
Now, onto the movie.
I really liked The Beast Shall Die. It has all the classic noir elements: the music, the elegance, the killing sequences, and that slow-burn style that keeps building tension. However, there’s something about it that feels a bit different from typical noir films-at least in my opinion-and that’s mainly the characters.
The movie follows two points of view: Date, the killer anti-hero, and the detectives chasing him, who aren’t particularly heroic either. There’s no one here that you can truly rely on. From the very beginning, it feels like Date will get what he wants. The police only start questioning their ways of thinking when it’s already too late, and Date makes sure to prove that to them. He doesn’t try to hide himself-he openly states his beliefs, challenges the police, and shows that he knows his rights. He’s not just some dumb killer who kills for fun, altough, I feel like he does have fun with it.
The film also makes it very clear how much Date has been shaped by his environment. With his father dead and his mother emotionally absent, having an affair with a younger man, there’s no real support system in his life.Living in that kind of state, with no one to help you, the movie suggests that you’re left with no choice but to rely on yourself, and every person does it differently, like the young sick man who would always go and bet, hoping to get some money off from it. And when the world doesn’t care about you, it becomes very easy to return that injustice right back to it.
What I also really appreciated is how the movie touches on social and systemic issues, especially through the detectives’ side of the story. There’s a scene where one detective’s girlfriend mentions that people make fun of her for dating a detective because they’re underpaid and looked down on. That moment really stuck with me... These are people who risk their lives every day, yet the country doesn’t support them properly, altough just by the role ''detective'' you should feel RESPECT. ...And honestly, how is anyone supposed to do their job well under those conditions?
The biggest highlight of the movie for me was Tatsuya Nakadai, of course. He portrays Date unbelievably well, using micro-expressions to show what kind of person he really is beneath the surface. One scene that stood out in particular was when he made the woman dance and sing for money-it was uncomfortable to watch, but incredibly effective in showing his coldness and control.
The cinematography is amazing and sets the noir tone perfectly. The fighting sequences were really interesting and full of energy, even though there weren’t many of them. The music was great too-I honestly found myself vibing to it at some points, lol. I usually don’t love noir films that much, but this one was absolutely worth it.
Overall, The Beast Shall Die was a really strong way to start the year and a great pick for Day #1 of Japanuary. ^^
Last year, my first movie for the Japanuary challenge was Yukio Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters. This year, I decided to start with a real gem: The Beast Shall Die (1959), starring my absolute favorite actor, Tatsuya Nakadai.
First of all, Happy New Year everyone! 🎉 I hope we all get to watch amazing movies this year and achieve the goals we’ve set for ourselves. This is my fourth year participating in this challenge, and I’m really glad to be part of it again. Wishing everyone happy viewing. ^^
Now, onto the movie.
I really liked The Beast Shall Die. It has all the classic noir elements: the music, the elegance, the killing sequences, and that slow-burn style that keeps building tension. However, there’s something about it that feels a bit different from typical noir films-at least in my opinion-and that’s mainly the characters.
The movie follows two points of view: Date, the killer anti-hero, and the detectives chasing him, who aren’t particularly heroic either. There’s no one here that you can truly rely on. From the very beginning, it feels like Date will get what he wants. The police only start questioning their ways of thinking when it’s already too late, and Date makes sure to prove that to them. He doesn’t try to hide himself-he openly states his beliefs, challenges the police, and shows that he knows his rights. He’s not just some dumb killer who kills for fun, altough, I feel like he does have fun with it.
The film also makes it very clear how much Date has been shaped by his environment. With his father dead and his mother emotionally absent, having an affair with a younger man, there’s no real support system in his life.Living in that kind of state, with no one to help you, the movie suggests that you’re left with no choice but to rely on yourself, and every person does it differently, like the young sick man who would always go and bet, hoping to get some money off from it. And when the world doesn’t care about you, it becomes very easy to return that injustice right back to it.
What I also really appreciated is how the movie touches on social and systemic issues, especially through the detectives’ side of the story. There’s a scene where one detective’s girlfriend mentions that people make fun of her for dating a detective because they’re underpaid and looked down on. That moment really stuck with me... These are people who risk their lives every day, yet the country doesn’t support them properly, altough just by the role ''detective'' you should feel RESPECT. ...And honestly, how is anyone supposed to do their job well under those conditions?
The biggest highlight of the movie for me was Tatsuya Nakadai, of course. He portrays Date unbelievably well, using micro-expressions to show what kind of person he really is beneath the surface. One scene that stood out in particular was when he made the woman dance and sing for money-it was uncomfortable to watch, but incredibly effective in showing his coldness and control.
The cinematography is amazing and sets the noir tone perfectly. The fighting sequences were really interesting and full of energy, even though there weren’t many of them. The music was great too-I honestly found myself vibing to it at some points, lol. I usually don’t love noir films that much, but this one was absolutely worth it.
Overall, The Beast Shall Die was a really strong way to start the year and a great pick for Day #1 of Japanuary. ^^
#1st movie of Japanuary
Last year, my first movie for the Japanuary challenge was Yukio Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters. This year, I decided to start with a real gem: The Beast Shall Die (1959), starring my absolute favorite actor, Tatsuya Nakadai.
First of all, Happy New Year everyone! 🎉 I hope we all get to watch amazing movies this year and achieve the goals we’ve set for ourselves. This is my fourth year participating in this challenge, and I’m really glad to be part of it again. Wishing everyone happy viewing. ^^
Now, onto the movie.
I really liked The Beast Shall Die. It has all the classic noir elements: the music, the elegance, the killing sequences, and that slow-burn style that keeps building tension. However, there’s something about it that feels a bit different from typical noir films-at least in my opinion-and that’s mainly the characters.
The movie follows two points of view: Date, the killer anti-hero, and the detectives chasing him, who aren’t particularly heroic either. There’s no one here that you can truly rely on. From the very beginning, it feels like Date will get what he wants. The police only start questioning their ways of thinking when it’s already too late, and Date makes sure to prove that to them. He doesn’t try to hide himself-he openly states his beliefs, challenges the police, and shows that he knows his rights. He’s not just some dumb killer who kills for fun, altough, I feel like he does have fun with it.
The film also makes it very clear how much Date has been shaped by his environment. With his father dead and his mother emotionally absent, having an affair with a younger man, there’s no real support system in his life.Living in that kind of state, with no one to help you, the movie suggests that you’re left with no choice but to rely on yourself, and every person does it differently, like the young sick man who would always go and bet, hoping to get some money off from it. And when the world doesn’t care about you, it becomes very easy to return that injustice right back to it.
What I also really appreciated is how the movie touches on social and systemic issues, especially through the detectives’ side of the story. There’s a scene where one detective’s girlfriend mentions that people make fun of her for dating a detective because they’re underpaid and looked down on. That moment really stuck with me... These are people who risk their lives every day, yet the country doesn’t support them properly, altough just by the role ''detective'' you should feel RESPECT. ...And honestly, how is anyone supposed to do their job well under those conditions?
The biggest highlight of the movie for me was Tatsuya Nakadai, of course. He portrays Date unbelievably well, using micro-expressions to show what kind of person he really is beneath the surface. One scene that stood out in particular was when he made the woman dance and sing for money-it was uncomfortable to watch, but incredibly effective in showing his coldness and control.
The cinematography is amazing and sets the noir tone perfectly. The fighting sequences were really interesting and full of energy, even though there weren’t many of them. The music was great too-I honestly found myself vibing to it at some points, lol. I usually don’t love noir films that much, but this one was absolutely worth it.
Overall, The Beast Shall Die was a really strong way to start the year and a great pick for Day #1 of Japanuary. ^^
Last year, my first movie for the Japanuary challenge was Yukio Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters. This year, I decided to start with a real gem: The Beast Shall Die (1959), starring my absolute favorite actor, Tatsuya Nakadai.
First of all, Happy New Year everyone! 🎉 I hope we all get to watch amazing movies this year and achieve the goals we’ve set for ourselves. This is my fourth year participating in this challenge, and I’m really glad to be part of it again. Wishing everyone happy viewing. ^^
Now, onto the movie.
I really liked The Beast Shall Die. It has all the classic noir elements: the music, the elegance, the killing sequences, and that slow-burn style that keeps building tension. However, there’s something about it that feels a bit different from typical noir films-at least in my opinion-and that’s mainly the characters.
The movie follows two points of view: Date, the killer anti-hero, and the detectives chasing him, who aren’t particularly heroic either. There’s no one here that you can truly rely on. From the very beginning, it feels like Date will get what he wants. The police only start questioning their ways of thinking when it’s already too late, and Date makes sure to prove that to them. He doesn’t try to hide himself-he openly states his beliefs, challenges the police, and shows that he knows his rights. He’s not just some dumb killer who kills for fun, altough, I feel like he does have fun with it.
The film also makes it very clear how much Date has been shaped by his environment. With his father dead and his mother emotionally absent, having an affair with a younger man, there’s no real support system in his life.Living in that kind of state, with no one to help you, the movie suggests that you’re left with no choice but to rely on yourself, and every person does it differently, like the young sick man who would always go and bet, hoping to get some money off from it. And when the world doesn’t care about you, it becomes very easy to return that injustice right back to it.
What I also really appreciated is how the movie touches on social and systemic issues, especially through the detectives’ side of the story. There’s a scene where one detective’s girlfriend mentions that people make fun of her for dating a detective because they’re underpaid and looked down on. That moment really stuck with me... These are people who risk their lives every day, yet the country doesn’t support them properly, altough just by the role ''detective'' you should feel RESPECT. ...And honestly, how is anyone supposed to do their job well under those conditions?
The biggest highlight of the movie for me was Tatsuya Nakadai, of course. He portrays Date unbelievably well, using micro-expressions to show what kind of person he really is beneath the surface. One scene that stood out in particular was when he made the woman dance and sing for money-it was uncomfortable to watch, but incredibly effective in showing his coldness and control.
The cinematography is amazing and sets the noir tone perfectly. The fighting sequences were really interesting and full of energy, even though there weren’t many of them. The music was great too-I honestly found myself vibing to it at some points, lol. I usually don’t love noir films that much, but this one was absolutely worth it.
Overall, The Beast Shall Die was a really strong way to start the year and a great pick for Day #1 of Japanuary. ^^
Spencer Hamilton
7.0★ · 10/11/25
Some Japanese men just want to watch the world burn
Some Japanese men just want to watch the world burn
sarah
4.1★ · 04/18/25