Gotohoka Satsujinshu?

[Aaron Gerow]

>Does anyone here know this film, and might provide me with some 
>information about it? Does the Japanese title and the translation 
>they've given me make sense?

Just looking at the Japanese Movie Database, it seems there is a movie of 
the exact same title released on December 1, 1975, starring Matsukata but 
directed by Yamashita Kosaku. Nakajima did do a film with Matsukata 
titled Datsugoku Hiroshima Satsujinshu, released December 7, 1974. The 
release dates and similar titles suggest a series and Pia confirms that 
(the other film in Matsukata's "keimusho" series is Bodo Shimane 
Keimusho, directed by Nakajima and released June 7, 1975). 

The plot summary from the Kinema Junpo database suggests that Datsugoku 
is closer to your film, if only because the main character is named Ueda 
Masayuki. In Goto, his name is Ogata Takemi.

Pia says there is a tape of both films from Toei Video.

As for the title, Thieves Arsonists Killers is not really accurate. The 
"goto hoka" really go together, and thus the title refers to inmates 
convicted of murder using arson as a form of armed robbery. The recent 
Takefuji incident in northern Japan is one example of such a crime.  

Aaron Gerow
Associate Professor
International Student Center
Yokohama National University
79-1 Tokiwadai
Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501
JAPAN
E-mail: gerow at ynu.ac.jp
Phone: 81-45-339-3170
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