Black Line poster

Black Line (1960)

4.619601h 20mJA
Crime

Directed by Teruo Ishii

Rating

4.6/10

Runtime

1h 20m

Language

JA

Release

January 13, 1960

Director

Teruo Ishii

Overview

Freelance reporter “Scoop” Machida is hot on the trail of a prostitution ring called the Black Line, when he is framed for the murder of a young woman. Forced to clear his own name, the handsome journalist sinks deeper into the Black Line’s rotten swamp of drugs, prostitution, and murder and finds ...

Cast

Shigeru Amachi

Shigeru Amachi

Koji Machida

Utako Mitsuya

Utako Mitsuya

Misako

Yōko Mihara

Yōko Mihara

Maya

Toshio Hosokawa

Toshio Hosokawa

Goro Torii

Reiko Seto

Reiko Seto

Reiko Onuma

Kyôko Yashiro

Kyôko Yashiro

Chiaki

Junko Uozumi

Junko Uozumi

Kaneko Sano

Hiroshi Ayukawa

Hiroshi Ayukawa

Hotel manager

Yuji Munakata

Yuji Munakata

Joe

Jun Ōtomo

Jun Ōtomo

Yukichi Tachibana

Masaru Kodaka

Masaru Kodaka

Photo seller

Ryuji Moriyama

Ryuji Moriyama

Taizo

Introduction

In this latest movie review, we dive deep into Black Line (1960), exploring its intricate plot and standout performances that have everyone talking.

Freelance reporter “Scoop” Machida is hot on the trail of a prostitution ring called the Black Line, when he is framed for the murder of a young woman. Forced to clear his own name, the handsome journalist sinks deeper into the Black Line’s rotten swamp of drugs, prostitution, and murder and finds unexpected help in Maya, a steamy female gambler familiar with the neon-lit streets, shadowy alleyways, and seedy nightclubs he must navigate. The closest film in the Line series to classic American film noir, Ishii’s Black Line is a pulpy assortment of crime film conventions including the starkly expressionistic black and white cinematography by Jûgyô Yoshida, a jazzy music score by Michiaki Watanabe, and a sleazy screenplay by Ishii and Ichirô Miyagawa.

🛑 Story ExplainedSpoiler Warning

Our story explained section breaks down the complex narrative of Black Line. The full story follows a progression that challenges typical tropes, leading to a climax that requires careful analysis.

🏆 Final Verdict

5 / 5 Stars

A triumphant piece of cinema that blends gripping narrative with breathtaking visuals.

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