Sixth film in the series. A little boy who just wants to be a carpenter is at the center of a plot that might topple — or save — a mighty Clan Read More »
Tag Archives: Japan
Pikunikku / Picnic (1996) Shunji Iwai, Chara, Tadanobu Asano, Koichi Hashizume, Drama, Fantasy
Believing that the world will end that very day, three mental patients Coco, Tsumuji, and Satoru set out upon a journey. Read More »
Nemuri Kyôshirô 5: Enjôken / Sleepy Eyes of Death 5: Sword of Fire (1965) Kenji Misumi, Raizô Ichikawa, Tamao Nakamura, Michiko Sugata, Action, Drama
Fifth film in the series. When Kyoshiro, in a moment of weakness, saves the life of a woman being attacked on the road, he quickly finds himself entangled in a conspiracy involving a corrupt chamberlain, a wily merchant, the survivors of a pirate gang, and a missing treasure trove. Read More »
Yôjinbô / Yojimbo (1961) Akira Kurosawa, Toshirô Mifune, Eijirô Tôno, Tatsuya Nakadai, Action, Drama, Thriller
Sanjuro, a wandering samurai enters a rural town in nineteenth century Japan. After learning from the innkeeper that the town is divided between two gangsters, he plays one side off against the other. Read More »
Ikimono no kiroku / I Live in Fear (1955) Akira Kurosawa, Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Minoru Chiaki, Drama
Kiichi Nakajima, an elderly foundry owner, is so frightened and obsessed with the idea of nuclear extermination that his family decides to have him ruled incompetent. Read More »
Kazoku gêmu / The Family Game (1983) Yoshimitsu Morita, Yûsaku Matsuda, Jûzô Itami, Saori Yuki, Comedy, Drama
A sendup of the stereo-typical Japanese family: dad is a salaryman jerk, unable to relate to anyone; mom is a hopeless housewife Read More »
Chuji Tabinikki Daisanbu Goyohen / A Diary of Chuji’s Travels (1927) Daisuke Itô, Denjirô Ôkôchi, Hideo Nakamura, Kichiji Nakamura, Drama
The Japanese equivalent of penny dreadfuls glorifying Jesse James, A Diary of Chuji’s Travels gives a unique gloss to the tale of Chuji Kunisada, the legendary bakuto (or gambler, the precursors to modern-day yakuza). Read More »
Yama no oto / Sound of the Mountain (1954) Mikio Naruse, Setsuko Hara, Sô Yamamura, Ken Uehara, Drama
The businessman Ogata Shingo works with his son Shuichi, who is his secretary, and they live together in the suburb with their wives Yasuko and Kikuko respectively. Read More »
Ken (1964) Kenji Misumi, Raizô Ichikawa, Yûsuke Kawazu, Hisaya Morishige, Drama
Interesting story about a young man obsessed by kendo. Kokubu is a university student and has just been made captain of the kendo team, just ahead of Kagawa. Read More »
Inazuma / Lightning (1952) Mikio Naruse, Hideko Takamine, Mitsuko Miura, Kyôko Kagawa, Drama
Mikio Naruse’s second adaptation of a novel by Fumiko Hayashi stars Hideko Takamine, the director’s frequent muse, as bus conductress Kiyoko Komori, the youngest daughter in a family of squabbling half-siblings. Read More »