Golgo 13: The Professional

Golgo 13: The Professional

Japanese theatrical poster
Japanese ゴルゴ13
Hepburn Gorugo Sātīn
Directed by Osamu Dezaki
Produced by Nobuo Inada
Yutaka Fujioka
Mataichiro Yamamoto
Screenplay by Shûkei Nagasaka
Based on Golgo 13
By Takao Saito
Starring Tetsuro Sagawa
Gorô Naya
Toshiko Fujita
Kei Tomiyama
Kiyoshi Kobayashi
Reiko Mutō
Music by Toshiyuki Kimori
Cinematography Hirokata Takahashi
Edited by Mitsuo Tsurubuchi
Production
company
Distributed by Toho-Towa
Release dates
  • May 28, 1983 (1983-05-28)
Running time
 91 minutes
Country Japan
Language Japanese

Golgo 13: The Professional, known as simply Golgo 13 (ゴルゴ13) in Japan, is a Japanese animated film adaptation of the Golgo 13 manga series released on May 28, 1983 by Tokyo Movie Shinsha.[1] It is the first animated film to be based on the manga and the third film overall.

Plot

Merciless contract killer Duke Togo—codenamed "Golgo 13"—is hired to assassinate Robert Dawson, the son of oil baron Leonard Dawson and the heir of Dawson Enterprises, and succeeds.

Later, after accomplishing a hit on a powerful crime boss in Sicily, Golgo is suddenly attacked by the U.S. military and discovers that his informant has been killed by Snake, a genetically altered assassin. Aided by the U.S. Army, the FBI, and the CIA, Dawson has become determined to kill Golgo and avenge his son's death.

A military force, led by Lieutenant Bob Bragan, attempts to ambush Golgo while he is in the middle of an assignment in San Francisco, California to assassinate an ex-Nazi official. The plan fails, and Bragan's entire force is wiped out. However, a dying Bragan manages to wound Golgo. Meanwhile, Rita, the mechanic that supplied Golgo with his getaway car, is murdered by Snake.

Having been consumed by revenge, Dawson has begun to allow the rest of his family to be harmed. For Snake's cooperation, he allows him to rape Laura, Robert's wife, and sends his granddaughter and butler to an airport to murder Golgo with a firearm concealed in a doll. The shot misses, and the butler reaches for his handgun. Golgo shoots the butler in the chest, a crowd gathers, and Golgo walks away nonchalantly.

Dawson, in a meeting with the FBI and other Business Moguls, demands the release of Gold and Silver, two notorious murderers who were part of a covert government operation to test the survival rate of mercenaries in the jungles of South America. When the group refuses his request because Gold and Silver are on death row, Dawson threatens to halt all operations that his company controls, which include oil refineries and banks. The group agrees to his demands in fear that the economy of the country will collapse. When Laura demands to know why Dawson has refused to seek vengeance on whoever ordered the hit on Robert, he refuses to answer.

Pablo, an informant for Golgo, informs him that Dawson ordered the hit on him and that he's currently in Dawson's tower awaiting his advance. Pablo goes on to inform Golgo that his wife and children are being kept at ransom in the tower. Pablo attempts to shoot Golgo with an M1911 pistol only to find Golgo was already positioned. Pablo gets shot by Golgo, and his body falls into a pool of water.

Golgo arrives at Dawson Tower in New York City, crashing through the front door while riding a motorcycle. He begins his ascent to the top floor on foot. He first plays a game of cat and mouse with a fleet of helicopter gunships sent to kill him. While on the move, Golgo is attacked by Snake. A brutal yet skillful fight occurs between the two in an elevator, and Golgo suffers a deep cut on his side. During the brutal duel, Golgo gains the upper hand pummeling Snake into submission, and an attack helicopter shoots the elevator, killing Snake while Golgo hides by the edge unseen by the helicopter.

Gold and Silver are then sent to ambush Golgo. During the attack, Golgo counters both of them, and shoots both of them in their torso. With their apparent death, Golgo walks away while reloading his revolver. Gold and Silver attack once more; Golgo punches Silver's face, stunning him, and Gold lunges toward Golgo, squeezing the wound that Golgo suffered earlier. Golgo bludgeons Gold on the head repeatedly with the butt of his revolver, who collapses. Golgo reloads his revolver, and then proceeds to shoot Gold as he crawls towards him. Silver, blinded by rage at his partner's death, runs towards Golgo, who quickly stuffs a grenade in Silver's mouth, killing him. Golgo then proceeds towards Dawson.

Admitting failure, Dawson orders all action against Golgo to end. Golgo finally encounters Dawson at the top of his building. Following a brief monologue, Dawson attempts suicide by leaping out of the window. It is revealed that Robert had actually committed suicide by ordering the hit on himself, believing that his father could never truly love him. Before Dawson hits the ground, Golgo shoots him in the head. Dawson falls headfirst, crushing his skull and any evidence that he was shot. His death is ruled as accidental by the police.

Back on the streets, Golgo encounters Laura, who has since become a prostitute. Upon recognizing him, she attempts to shoot the man who has utterly ruined her life. As Golgo begins to leave, she fires her gun, but she misses, and Golgo casually walks away.

Production

Golgo 13: The Professional incorporated CGI animation, which was in its infancy at the time. This is most notable in a scene where army helicopters circle around Dawson Tower and attack Golgo as he climbs toward Dawson's office on the top floor.

Cast

Character Original Version English Dub
Duke Togo/Golgo 13 Tetsurō Sagawa Gregory Snegoff
Leonard Dawson Gorô Naya Michael McConnohie
Bob Bragan Kousei Tomita Michael Reynolds
Robert Dawson Kei Tomiyama Tony Oliver
Laura Dawson Reiko Mutō Edie Mirman
Rita Kumiko Takizawa Diane Michelle
Cindy/Dr. Zed Toshiko Fujita Joyce Kurtz
General T. Jefferson Kiyoshi Kobayashi Edward Mannix
E. Young Ichirô Murakoshi Michael Forest
F. Garvin Shingo Kanemoto David Povall
Bishop Moretti Rokuro Naya John Dantona
Pablo Takeshi Aono Kerrigan Mahan
Pago Shunsuke Shima Steve Kramer
Albert Kôichi Kitamura Milton James
Emily Dawson Kumiko Takizawa Karlyn Michelson
Informant Koichi Chiba Jeff Winkless
Computer 1 Operator Kazuo Hayashi Carl Macek
Cindy's Bodyguard Daisuke Gouri
Cindy's Minion Issei Futamata
Lab Tech Yusaku Yara
Snake Gregory Snegoff
Gold Eddie Frierson
Silver Kerrigan Mahan

References

  1. ↑ "劇場編" [Theatrical Releases]. 1998 Animage Pocket Data Notes. Animage Pocket Data Notes (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Tokuma Shoten. March 1998. p. 74.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/29/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.