Death by Hanging

Released Dec 8, 1971

1h 57m

Drama

List

83%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

89%

Audience Score

250+ Ratings

In Japan, a young Korean man (Do-yun Yu) rapes and kills two girls and is then sentenced to hang. But this punishment has no effect on the culprit other than amnesia, leaving the prison warden (Kei Satô) and chief of guards (Masao Adachi) stunned. The lawmen decide that they must show the convict why they're taking his life, so, with the help of their underlings, they begin to act out the prisoner's crimes. But they enjoy stepping into his shoes, which further complicates things.

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Pieter-Jan Van Haecke

Psychocinematography

Oshima's narrative is a true classic of political driven cinema that, perhaps contrary to one's expectations, remains as relevant today as it was in the past.

Jan 3, 2021

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Morbidly amusing, Death by Hanging features many of Oshima's signature flourishes, and is a fascinating mixture of social issue drama and surreal black comedy.

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 13, 2020

Full Review

Panos Kotzathanasis

Asian Movie Pulse

"Death by Hanging" is a unique film, both for its context and presentation, but also as the embodiment of Oshima's ideas regarding both society and cinema. A true classic.

Jan 19, 2020

Full Review

Eric Melin

Scene-Stealers.com

It hits the same note a little too often, but as long as you know that another subversion is just around the corner, you'll be as thrilled by the movie as I am.

Rated: 3/4

May 31, 2016

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

It's brilliantly directed and co-written by Nagisa Oshima.

Rated: A-

Mar 12, 2016

Full Review

James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

while it's ultimately quite clear what Oshima is getting at, the means by which he gets there become more irritating than enlightening.

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 11, 2016

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william d

By turns, the movie attempts to be funny and profound. It fails on both counts.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An interesting mix of political satire and absurd comedy, "Death by Hanging" ruminates on the themes of capital punishment, Japanese imperialism, immigration, and the self. Some interesting editing choices for sure, but overall a solid work.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

such an immensely interesting film; takes godardian standards & amplifies them to create one compact & bitter pellet.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Provoking and bizarre. Oshima is attacking and humiliating the Japanese fascist regime. Intelligent and real broad in the sense of the society structures. Minimalistic in surroundings, but paramount in imagination.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Oshima's searing attack on the death penalty begins in stark documentary style, showing us the prison facilities involved in "death by hanging" and the steps taken in an individual execution. This feels almost like a horror movie, especially when the hanging is unsuccessful and the prisoner lives. Then, gradually Oshima reveals that his movie is really a dark farce, as the prison officials and chaplain begin to argue about how to proceed. Should they hang the prisoner a second time or is that prohibited? They decide that this is only possible if his mental faculties return and he can again appreciate his own guilt. To make sure this happens, they act out his crimes (rape and murder of two teenage girls). The film is now even more horrifying. Gradually, Oshima begins to offer Brechtian/Godardian didactic statements in inter-titles and from a number of different characters. The focus might have been on the death penalty but soon we are further afield, with a particular emphasis on the prejudice directed toward Korean-Japanese (the prisoner is one) by the Japanese majority. Further still, we are treated to imaginary fantasies (of collective guilt) and characters who appear and disappear from view in the execution chamber. And then, unfortunately, the viewer gets quite lost. However, for much of its length this is a potent and powerful and very dark critique of an unjust and barbaric punishment that still exists even to this day (and should not).

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An intense and brilliant focus about death and ordinary lives

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

Full Review

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Nagisa Ôshima

Director

Kei Satô

Prison warden

Fumio Watanabe

Education Officer

Toshirô Ishido

Priest

Masao Adachi

Chief of guards

Do-yun Yu

The convict

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Synopsis

In Japan, a young Korean man (Do-yun Yu) rapes and kills two girls and is then sentenced to hang. But this punishment has no effect on the culprit other than amnesia, leaving the prison warden (Kei Satô) and chief of guards (Masao Adachi) stunned. The lawmen decide that they must show the convict why they're taking his life, so, with the help of their underlings, they begin to act out the prisoner's crimes. But they enjoy stepping into his shoes, which further complicates things.

Director: Nagisa Ôshima
Screenwriter: Michinori Fukao, Nagisa Ôshima, Mamoru Sasaki, Tsutomu Tamura
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 8, 1971, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 9, 2016
Runtime: 1h 57m

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