Known for his striking visuals and outlandish subject matter, maverick director Sogo Ishii is considered to be the master of Japanese punk cinema.

Sogo Ishii’s early shorts were acts of punk-spirited rebellion, echoing the do-it-yourself attitude of the movement. Today, Ishii is a fully accomplished artist, expressing himself not only as a film director but also as a photographer, a live performer and a music video director. His work has been divided into two periods:

The Punk Years: 1976 – 1983

These raw, energetic pieces of punk cinema feature Bosozoku biker gangs and the Japanese cyberpunk scene. Ishii’s original hyperkinetic filmmaking approach, with wild editing and camera movements, express the spirit and energy of the punk movement.

PANIC IN HIGH SCHOOL (1976) – 16 min – Color
ISOLATION OF 1/880000 (1977) – 43 min – Color
ATTACK! HAKATA STREET GANG (1978) – 67 min – Color
CRAZY THUNDER ROAD (1980) – 98 min – Color
SHUFFLE (1981) – 33 min – B&W
ASIA STRIKES BACK (Remix Live Version) (2005) – 31 min – Color

The Psychedelic Years: 1984 – today

After the violent Punk Years, Sogo Ishii begins a new period of filmmaking, the experimental and emotional Psychedelic Years. These films feature meditative imagery and music while stretching the parameters of film form and language

THE MASTER OF SHIATSU (1989) – 13 min – Color
AUGUST IN THE WATER (1995) – 117 min – Color
KYOSHIN (3D Sound Perfect Edition) (2005) – 61min – Color
More titles to be confirmed.