Icons of Cool: Meiko Kaji

It’s been some time and a few blogs since I last decreed my affection for Japanese exploitation film goddess and ballad singer Meiko Kaji. In celebration of her 64th birthday today, I thought it time to induct her into Colonel Mortimer’s Icons of Cool alongside Vincent Price and John Lennon.

Despite the typical soft features that we associate with Japanese women, Kaji was adept at exhibiting an emotionless stony veneer that expressed simultaneous rage, contempt and righteous power, imagine Clint Eastwood, only as a hot Asian woman. She’s probably best known in the States for the two 1970s Japanese revenge series in which she played the titular characters: Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (4 films) and Lady Snowblood (2 films) which were key inspirations for Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill films. I recommend all six films highly; they’re full of familiar women in prison and revenge tropes elevated by expressive filmmaking and minimal yet powerful work by Kaji. For a different perspective on Kaji, but still within the Japan 70’s genre wheelhouse, I’d recommend her performance in Kinji Fukasuku's Battles Without Honor or Humanity II: Death Match in Hiroshima, which maybe a smaller supporting role, but does provide her the opportunity to play a love interest, and she’s as sweet in the role as she is vicious in the previously mentioned work.

Meiko was also an accomplished singer, and most of her films (as well as Kill Bill) conclude with one of her ballads on the soundtrack. For the harshness of her characters and films, there’s a certain fragile beauty to the music and her vocals, as if there’s a sliver of sorrow rooted deep down within her character’s soul that is only expressed via music.

Happy Birthday Ms Kaji, the siren of this here blog. Our thoughts are with you and your family, friends and country mates in Japan at this time.

Icons of Cool: John Lennon

No need for a explanation, you all know who John Lennon is. Let's celebrate the life of my favorite Beatle who was murdered 30 years ago today.













Not that there needs to be yet another biopic about him, but doesn't he bear a striking resemblance to Daniel Day Lewis in this last picture?

Icons of Cool: Vincent Price

A new feature here at the ol' CMWHHR (the new generation digs those acronyms!) celebrating the life of a person who to my sensibility symbolizes "cool". My loose definition is someone who lived a singular and unique life and contributed something to the world that left an indelible impact on myself. This person could be an athlete, film director, actor, musician, politician, author or what have you. Consider this Colonel Mortimer's Personal Hall of Fame.

These posts will consist of some of my favorite photos, stills or artist renderings of the subject that I found on the interwebs that probably would be more at home on a tumblr site, but hey, I am not starting another website.

Today's inaugural inductee is the seasonally appropriate horror icon and "Thriller" guest rapper Vincent Price. Born May 25th, 1911, Price was a Yale graduate who began acting in theatre in the 1930s and made his acting debut in the romantic comedy Service de Luxe (1938), his first lead role in a horror film was in the 1940 sequel The Invisible Man Returns, his final role would be as the inventor father of the titular character in Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands (1990). Between that he would work with such influential filmmakers as Samuel Fuller, Andre de Toth, Otto Preminger, Michael Reeves, Mario Bava, William Castle, and of course, Roger Corman. Price is notorious for his tongue in cheek performances, but I implore you to catch The Witchfinder General which features his most straight forward villainous role and displays the depths of his talents. Price would leave this mortal coil on October 25th, 1991. Just six days too early!