Death Ride to Osaka (1983)

A minor TV venture for director Jonathan Kaplan, whose penchant for themes sensitive to the plight of women in extremis informs even this lesser work with a heartening sympathy for its characters. Jennifer Jason Leigh plays a naive, would-be singer named Carol Heath who, through the machinations of a sleazy agent (Philip Charles MacKenzie), signs away a month of her life for the chance of being a nightclub singer in Tokyo. Only once she's there, she finds herself pressed into sexual service by her real employer, the yakuza. Not that she succumbs to the pressure to perform in that other capacity. That's her problem. Because others in her predicament, having refused to serve, wound up on the title's "Death Ride" (the pre-video title was Girls of the White Orchid). The plot is standard thriller fare, taken from a true story, and somewhat redeemed by Kaplan's no-nonsense direction and his affinity for stories of women in trouble. Indeed, along with Leigh's finely realized naive-girl performance, Death Ride to Osaka's main interest may lie in the resonance it has with Jonathan Kaplan's later, more accomplished films. Although it does lack the ambiguity that helps make The Accused interesting, similar themes of abuse are explored. Ditto for Brokedown Palace, its naive young girls in treacherous paradise and legal closed doors making Death Ride look like a dry run for Kaplan's later film. --Jim Gay Amazon.com

It Should Be Noted

That this movie arrives in a flat cardboard sleeve featuring the cover art shown. January 7, 2007

Seems like a bad 80's video/T.V. Movie...and nothing to do with Osaka.

Death ride to Osaka is based on the true story of Actor Tom Allard's (bit parts in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure etc.) girlfriend who ended up in a Yakuza prostitution ring in Tokyo.

Carol (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is desperate to become a singer so she answers an ad for "singer wanted in Japan". Soon after arriving she realizes that she is expected to be a prostitute for the Japanese mafia. Lucky for her, her worried boyfriend eventually comes looking for her.

The movie plays out like a typical, poorly budgeted, 80's video slash bad 80's t.v. movie.The costumes, the hair, the bad sets are all laughable. Leigh does a great job of playing a very naive, star struck teen but its Ann Jillian who really steals the show as the prostitute who doesn't mind what she does for a living. The title of "Death Ride to Osaka" is a code word by the Yakuza to send girls who disobey to some of the "lowest of the low" clubs in Osaka and then, presumably, be killed.

Except for a few shots of Leigh in Tokyo and a few of various streets in the Tokyo area, I highly doubt it was shot in Japan. The main sets are the club, the Yakuza bosses house and various other indoor shots that have something written in Japanese to fool us into believing "its Japan".

To cheapen the movie that much more, most of the actors, sadly are NOT Japanese. The only one for sure is the mob enforcer played by Mako, who left Japan after the war and whose Japanese is so muddled throughout the film, I wonder if he can speak the language anymore. To bad an actor of his talent is wasted on a movie like this and was probably hired because of his ethnic background. Most people wont notice that the cast isn't Japanese and that the language is grunted out so no one will notice they don't really speak the language.

The most unfortunate part of the film is that its core message is lost in the poor story line and big hair of the 80's. The Japanese Yakuza did in fact recruit girls from all over the world under false pretenses and lure them into prostitution.....AND STILL DO!!! The best scene in the movie is when Leigh begs for help at the Police station and THEY DO NOTHING to help her. Granted, you hardly ever hear about Western girls getting into trouble, however there are tons of Thai, Filipino, East Asian and South American girls that do.Its a horrible tragedy that should not be ignored and despite efforts by the police in Japan (or lack thereof) and Immigration, these practices still go on. September 1, 2005

Ann Jillian offers a strong performance.

Also known as GIRLS OF THE WHITE ORCHID (1983).
This film is not for children to see. Mature Adults Only.
Cast: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Thomas Byrd, Mako, Carolyn Seymour, Richard Narita, Soon-Teck Oh, Ann Jillian, Yvonne McCord, Philip Charles McKenzie, Leslie Wing, John Hancock.
Jeffifer Jason Leigh is a young lady, Carol, in Hollywood who works as a waitress. She is lonely for her boyfriend (Thomas Byrd) who is in the military. She decides to answer an ad for singer/dancer. She gets the job in Tokyo, but she has no idea what she is about to happen to her. She gets to sing in a nightclub (if you can call it that), but behind the curtain she has no idea yet it's a prostitution ring. The dancers and singers are expected to "be of service" to the Japanese clientele.
Marilyn (Ann Jillian) who is one of the more experienced dancers, tries to give Carol some comfort, but yet tells her how the business is. When the girls refuse to "please the customers" and they want to go back home to the states, the girls are made to "disappear". They are never seen of again. It is said, always said, that they were sent to Osaka.
Can Carol escape before it's too late for her?
This film was originally shown as a Network television movie. The cable version and this DVD version, includes scenes of nudity and adult content.
Ann Jillian offers a strong performances in this film.
I saw this film several times when I was younger not really thinking about the film too seriously. It was just a film to put on. But now some 20 years later, and now I'm middle-aged, this film is a bit disturbing to watch. But there is a message here in this film, and one will taken. Perhaps this is why the actors agreed to do this film. June 26, 2004

Oh god I can't believe I own this movie!

If you haven't seen a movie with Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ann Gillian, and Mako in it, this is your movie. Keep in mind that half of the dialogue is in Japanese but there are no subtitles. Also keep in mind that there's a near-rape scene and lots of toplessness. This is not Jennifer Jason Leigh's best movie. In fact I would bet that she would rather forget this film shot twenty years ago, as would most who worked on it. The best thing about it is its name. Oh, but there are no martial arts in the movie. Sorry. January 9, 2004

ANN JILLIAN STEALS THE PICTURE!

Ann Jillian delivers an award winning performance in this movie that co- stars Jennifer Jason Leigh. It's worth the price just to see Ann Jillian as a red head, wow!!!! she's hot and so interesting to watch, you NEVER catch her acting. Jonathan Kaplan, the Director did a good job and he also directed "Heart Like A Wheel", I give this 5 stars! September 15, 1999

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