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Post by wmcclain on Jul 8, 2018 11:27:28 GMT
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Post by petrolino on Jul 8, 2018 11:34:07 GMT
"A variety of music is used, sometimes meditatively ambient."
- wmcclain
His films can put you in a trance.
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Post by manfromplanetx on Jul 8, 2018 20:51:54 GMT
Thanks for sharing your interest petrolino here is another delirious pop art confection for you... I know you will enjoy having looked through your wonderful lists Ore ni sawaru to abunaize , Black Tight Killers (1966) Yasuharu Hasebe This is interesting planet, because though I've not seen any films directed by Yasuharu Hasebe, one was recently was made available on dvd by Arrow Video. Have you seen his film 'Massacre Gun' (1967)? Sounds like maybe I should snap it up while it's affordable. (Thanks) Hi there petrolino … Following your mention, and having the film on the shelf , we watched Massacre Gun last night , it was an enjoyable, entertaining film, a typical example of the type of action/exploitation films Nikkatsu Studios produced in this era. Some terrific acting some wonderfully creative camera work which I wont spoil, but one little sequence in particular is quite remarkable. The low key, jazz induced cool mood erupts throughout with bouts of Nikkatsu violent action. In a very similar vein, another Director of note for Nikkatsu was Toshio Masuda His film Kurenai no nagareboshi , Velvet Hustler (1967) also with a great cast, action, drama, music a wonderful example
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Post by petrolino on Jul 8, 2018 21:16:12 GMT
This is interesting planet, because though I've not seen any films directed by Yasuharu Hasebe, one was recently was made available on dvd by Arrow Video. Have you seen his film 'Massacre Gun' (1967)? Sounds like maybe I should snap it up while it's affordable. (Thanks) Hi there petrolino … Following your mention, and having the film on the shelf , we watched Massacre Gun last night , it was an enjoyable, entertaining film, a typical example of the type of action/exploitation films Nikkatsu Studios produced in this era. Some terrific acting some wonderfully creative camera work which I wont spoil, but one little sequence in particular is quite remarkable. The low key, jazz induced cool mood erupts throughout with bouts of Nikkatsu violent action. In a very similar vein, another Director of note for Nikkatsu was Toshio Masuda His film Kurenai no nagareboshi , Velvet Hustler (1967) also with a great cast, action, drama, music a wonderful example Hi planet. I'm glad you enjoyed 'Massacre Gun'. I'll aim to pick up the dvd at some point. Thanks.
Not heard of 'Velvet Hustler' before. Toshio Masuda is credited alongside Kinji Fukasaku as having directed sequences of Richard Fleischer's war epic 'Tora! Tora! Tora!' (1970).
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Post by Fox in the Snow on Jul 9, 2018 3:46:37 GMT
I'd like to see the 'Stray Cat Rock' series from the 1970s but it's so expensive to buy the box-set. I bought the 'Hanzo The Razor' collection and didn't much care for any of the films, so it's always a gamble, though that collection I got very cheap. The dvd distributor Arrow Academy are releasing 'Horrors Of Malformed Men' (1969) soon which is exciting. Also, the 'Buddhist' trilogy by Akio Jissoji which I'd never heard of before. They're keen to release films from Yasuharu Hasebe, another top director whose work I'm not at all familiar with. Perhaps they might release something from Koji Wakamatsu who I've also seen nothing from. .
The history of Japanese cinema is so incredibly rich and diverse, where do you start. But anyway, I said I'd knock up a list off the top of my head, and there's a quite a few recent titles here because I like J-horror - I currently have 'Sadako Vs Kayako' (2016) in my "to-watch" pile. I'm surprised to find I have very little from the 1980s and 1990s though, when Japanese genre films were often very clinical and slick in presentation.
Love the Stray Cat Rock series, fun and colourful, though I prefer the Female Prisoner Scorpion series. Gorgeous photo pf Meiko BTW. I’m hoping to get a hold of Jissoji’s Buddhist trilogy, I’ve already seen the first film This Transient Life and it’s fascinating. Another very worthwhile set from Arrow was Yoshishige Yoshida’s Love + Anarchy trilogy. The first film in the series, the 3+ hour Eros + Massacre is arguably the centrepiece of the Japanese New Wave. You have a lot of great films on your list, but a lot I’ve yet to see. I need to catch up on my 70s Japansploitation. Eros + Massacre
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Post by Fox in the Snow on Jul 9, 2018 3:52:16 GMT
Many Thanks to you Aj_June have been enjoying with great interest your fantastic thread topic !! one that is close to my classic film heart . Tadashi Imai was one of Japan's most prolific, interesting and controversial of 20th-century film directors. He infused staunch left-wing political views into almost all his films, which are diverse from period classics, war, and topical contemporary social drama. A master of his craft Imai successfully succeeded in combining masterful art with topical social criticism, producing outstanding thought provoking drama of exceptional quality. During the decade 1950-60 Imai took out the prestigious The Kinema Junpo Award for Best Film of the Year five times and at the esteemed Blue Ribbon Awards he won Best Film and Best Director also on five occasions. Himeyuri no Tô (1953) A stark tale, an outstanding historical World War 2 based drama, a dedication inspired by true events. Tadashi Imai's exceptional film closely follows the plight of a large group of young female students the, "Lily Princesses Student Corps". and their teachers. These faithful civilians were recruited onto the front-lines, forming nursing units totally ill-equipped for the gruelling 3 month Battle of Okinawa. The hardships faced by these young women in a fearful and oppressive battle front atmosphere is sensitively portrayed, it is a truly heartbreaking human tragedy. The folly of war is explicit, the enemy are shown as merciless indiscriminate aggressors, equally the Japanese authority is implicit, challenged & continually brought into question. This is an incredibly powerful anti-war film, raw & gritty, Imai's creative multi layered filmmaking portrays scenes of harrowing, devastating, intense action, tempered occasionally with his masterful images of sublime beauty... Not seen much of Imai’s work, but particularly liked Echigo Tsutsuishi Oyashirazu a dark tale of lust and Bushidô zankoku monogatari.
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Post by Fox in the Snow on Jul 9, 2018 3:58:31 GMT
Masahiro Shinoda may not have reached or never enjoyed the fame of other Japanese directors, however he is an excellent filmmaker, a consummate stylist, one of the most vital Japanese directors of the 20th century, a living legend, Shinoda recently celebrated his 87th birthday. With a focus on youth and the cultural & political turmoil of 1960s Japan, Shinoda became a central figure in the Japanese New Wave, alongside Nagisa Ōshima and Yoshishige Yoshida. With a bold new cinematic vision the spirited productions were innovative, highly entertaining, original cinema. With an interest in traditional Japanese theatre, culturally rich historical tales, crime films, the diverse cinema of Masahiro Shinoda is cast with socially marginal characters, having an expression of hope, the darkly beautiful dramatic tales are absorbing & thrilling, all highly entertaining... The excellent Sakura no mori no mankai no shita (1975) delves into fantasy and horror dark humour, the marvellous Shinjû: Ten no Amijim , Double Suicide (1969) is a unique traditional theatrical inspired film an independent production from ATG, Yûhi ni akai ore no kao , Killers on Parade (1961) is an incredible pop-art sensation, pictured. Only seen a couple of Shinoda films, including Double Suicide and Himiko. My favorite is probably the opaque, noirish yakuza drama Pale Flower. Killers on Parade looks fantastic, will try to catch that one. Slowly getting through all your posts on this wonderful thread MfPX.
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Post by Fox in the Snow on Jul 9, 2018 4:07:48 GMT
There's no fantasy film I've seen that's quite like it. I heard Terry Gilliam and Tim Burton are fans, which would make sense. A favorite, and yes, a film like no other. I use a slightly altered image from it for my Avatar.
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Post by wmcclain on Jul 9, 2018 10:45:49 GMT
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Post by wmcclain on Jul 10, 2018 11:07:24 GMT
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Post by Aj_June on Jul 10, 2018 13:56:58 GMT
Wow, what a great thread with so many wonderful posts! I'm sorry to say that after a lifetime of viewing films I am terribly remiss in my viewing of Japanese cinema. I didn't have a chance to see many films when I was young, and when I was older I just saw a few now and again, not sure why. It's clear I have missed so much. Of those I have seen, however, there are many that I love, especially these: The Burmese Harp Dersu Uzalala Raise the Red Lantern Woman in the Dunes Kwaidan RashomonThanks for all the wonderful suggestions and comments, everyone. And thanks for starting the thread, Aj_June. Yeah, this thread has given us a whole new look at Japanese cinema. Thanks to the kind members for sharing their views.
You have listed some great movies Spiderwort. I have not seen Dersu Uzala but I would very much like to see it in the near future. Kwaidan was such an awesome movie. I almost felt like being in those times in Japan while watching it.
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spiderwort
Junior Member
@spiderwort
Posts: 2,519
Likes: 9,318
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Post by spiderwort on Jul 10, 2018 15:54:00 GMT
Wow, what a great thread with so many wonderful posts! I'm sorry to say that after a lifetime of viewing films I am terribly remiss in my viewing of Japanese cinema. I didn't have a chance to see many films when I was young, and when I was older I just saw a few now and again, not sure why. It's clear I have missed so much. Of those I have seen, however, there are many that I love, especially these: The Burmese Harp Dersu Uzalala Raise the Red Lantern Woman in the Dunes Kwaidan RashomonThanks for all the wonderful suggestions and comments, everyone. And thanks for starting the thread, Aj_June. Yeah, this thread has given us a whole new look at Japanese cinema. Thanks to the kind members for sharing their views.
You have listed some great movies Spiderwort. I have not seen Dersu Uzala but I would very much like to see it in the near future. Kwaidan was such an awesome movie. I almost felt like being in those times in Japan while watching it.
You're welcome, and I have to apologize for listing a Chinese film, Raise the Red Lantern. The old brain is working so well these days. I'll delete that in my OP.
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Post by Aj_June on Jul 10, 2018 15:57:59 GMT
Yeah, this thread has given us a whole new look at Japanese cinema. Thanks to the kind members for sharing their views.
You have listed some great movies Spiderwort. I have not seen Dersu Uzala but I would very much like to see it in the near future. Kwaidan was such an awesome movie. I almost felt like being in those times in Japan while watching it.
You're welcome, and I have to apologize for listing a Chinese film, Raise the Red Lantern. The old brain is working so well these days. I'll delete that in my OP. It's Ok, Spiderwort, sometime we can get confused or mistaken. I get very confused about the names of Eastern European films and directors and often mix directors of one country with those of others.
That said Raise the Red Lantern is indeed a great movie and among the very few that I have seen from China.
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Post by manfromplanetx on Jul 10, 2018 22:13:42 GMT
Shōzō Makino (1878, 1929) was a Japanese film director, film producer and businessman widely regarded as a pioneering director the father of Japanese film, all four of his sons, including Masahiro Makino , went into the film business as either directors or producers. In addition to crafting & developing the unique period drama genre, Makino was an innovative pioneer who incorporated trick camera techniques and a host of other evolving cinematic methods to enhance the depth of expression in his films. Shōzō & Masahiro circa 1928 Masahiro Makino was one of the most prolific directors of all-time. In his forty-six year career as a director, he made over 260 films, rising to fame in the late 20s, with some popular, dark samurai spectacles eg. the Roningai series (1928-1929) and Beheading Place (Kubi no za, 1929). Makino emerged as a socially conscious filmmaker, his early films demystified the prevalent notion of the samurai as honourable heroes, instead he depicted them as ordinary human beings, who barely managed to survive in a cold & challenging world. He made some wonderful musical comedies in the 30s his wonderful film, Oshidori utagassen, Singing Lovebirds (1939) remains an enchanting much loved favourite. After World War II, Makino began working for the emerging Toei Company, the highly regarded veteran immersed himself into his work, directing the usual studio product, countless period films throughout the 1950s and ninkyo eiga-type yakuza films in the 1960s. He was a filmmaker who worked fast, detractors see no more than routine programmers. However rhythm and tempo are what makes his films so unique, his signature creative style. Makino crafted some of the most influential jidai-geki ever made, a director who seldom left familiar genre patterns, but whose experience, expert craftsmanship made every one of his minor works absorbing drama, highly entertaining, Classic Japanese Cinema. Watched this week excellent films, Shôwa zankyô-den: Karajishi jingi The Man With The Dragon Tattoo (1969) and the excellent melodrama , Irezumi Hantaro , Tattoo Of Love (1963) awaiting 5 votes at IMDb... uploaded this image for the data base and have a review pending...
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Post by manfromplanetx on Jul 10, 2018 22:47:55 GMT
The son of Masahiro Makino is director Kazuo Kuroki his work as a filmmaker couldn’t be any further away from the conventional studio programmers in which his father was so prolific and specialized in. Kuroki directed his first feature film in 1966, however Kazuo Kuroki’s imaginative and experimental works have been mostly ignored by Western critics, but in Japan, he established himself as one of the most fascinating new filmmakers of the era especially with his first film production, Tobenei chinmoku, Silence Has No Wings (1966). Kuroki cultivated a lyrical and poetic film style while observing topical issues affecting the Japanese post-war society , his films Ashita, Tomorrow (1988) and Chichi to kuraseba, Face of Jizo (2004), as an example deal with the aftermath of the atomic bomb. Turning to the independent ATG production company Kuroki produced an incredible jidai-geki film, Ryoma ansatsu , The Assassination of Ryoma, (1974). Masterly shot in grainy 35 mm, mirroring old black and white photos, the film portrays the historical figure Ryoma Sakamoto (1836-1867). His progressive ideas were integral in overthrowing the Tokugawa Shogunate, which would lead Japan into the modern era. Even though it is black and white I would describe the stunning film as a psychedelic jidai-geki .. Highly Recommended !
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Post by petrolino on Jul 11, 2018 0:36:43 GMT
manfromplanetx I wonder if after having seen so many movies, which movies from Japan would you consider to belong purely to noir genre? Any director from Japan who you think specialized in something close to noir? You mentioned the movies of Teruo Ishii are sort of noir. Any other? Hello down there in Victoria Aj_June , A few directors and films come to mind Yasuzo Masumura is one with A Wife Confesses , Man of the Biting Wind, Black Test Car (1962). Nobuo Nakagawa was a great noir stylist, Onna shikeishû no datsugoku , Death Row Woman (1960) and Dokufu Takahashi Oden , Poisonous Woman Takahashi O-Den (1958) pictured below, are excellent dark crime tales, his films are well worth exploring, Hideo Gosha a supreme stylist crafted some excellent crime films, Gohiki no shinshi (1966) is a noir knockout ! and of course mentioned above Yoshitarō Nomura, he is considered , one of the pioneers of Japanese film noir . Tomu Uchida Keisatsukan (1933) a wonderful expressionist early silent noir drama. Happy Japanese Classic Viewing to you...
Hi planet / Aj June.
May I add the work of a director whose work has drawn parallels in the U K with some of the pivotal film noir melodramas of Hollywood's classics era, films like 'Leave Her To Heaven' (1945), 'Mildred Pierce' (1945), 'The Reckless Moment' (1949) and 'Angel Face' (1952). It's director Noboru Tanaka who made the very dark films 'A Woman Called Sada Abe' (1975) and 'Watcher In The Attic' (1976), films that carry strong noir overtones and gothic horror stylings. Both of these movies star Junko Miyashita. I find them thoroughly depressing but can admire their artistry.
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Post by Aj_June on Jul 11, 2018 0:40:33 GMT
Just finished watching The Snow Woman (1968) by the director Tokuzô Tanaka . The film is based on Japanese folklore's famous ghost character called Yuki-onna (雪女, snow woman). I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and found it visually stunning. Its story is extremely haunting and could melt your heart. A spirit falls in love with a human (something that happens very frequently in Japanese folklore) and has to live with the consequences. The background music is very appealing and very Japanese. The film has a similar kind of appeal as Kwaidan but because it is one story for the entire movie you become more involved in it. It felt to me as if I was somehow transported to the cold snowy world where the movie is set. I recommend this movie to everyone. It's even available on youtube. My rating 7.5/10
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Post by petrolino on Jul 11, 2018 0:46:37 GMT
I'd like to see the 'Stray Cat Rock' series from the 1970s but it's so expensive to buy the box-set. I bought the 'Hanzo The Razor' collection and didn't much care for any of the films, so it's always a gamble, though that collection I got very cheap. The dvd distributor Arrow Academy are releasing 'Horrors Of Malformed Men' (1969) soon which is exciting. Also, the 'Buddhist' trilogy by Akio Jissoji which I'd never heard of before. They're keen to release films from Yasuharu Hasebe, another top director whose work I'm not at all familiar with. Perhaps they might release something from Koji Wakamatsu who I've also seen nothing from. .
The history of Japanese cinema is so incredibly rich and diverse, where do you start. But anyway, I said I'd knock up a list off the top of my head, and there's a quite a few recent titles here because I like J-horror - I currently have 'Sadako Vs Kayako' (2016) in my "to-watch" pile. I'm surprised to find I have very little from the 1980s and 1990s though, when Japanese genre films were often very clinical and slick in presentation.
Love the Stray Cat Rock series, fun and colourful, though I prefer the Female Prisoner Scorpion series. Gorgeous photo pf Meiko BTW. I’m hoping to get a hold of Jissoji’s Buddhist trilogy, I’ve already seen the first film This Transient Life and it’s fascinating. Another very worthwhile set from Arrow was Yoshishige Yoshida’s Love + Anarchy trilogy. The first film in the series, the 3+ hour Eros + Massacre is arguably the centrepiece of the Japanese New Wave. You have a lot of great films on your list, but a lot I’ve yet to see. I need to catch up on my 70s Japansploitation.
Yes, that Meiko Kajo photo's some google find. She's totally killing it in those funky trousers!
I've seen the 'Lone & Anarchy' box-set on sale at Amazon. I'll add it to my general target list, with the 'Buddhist' box-set. Thanks!
With regards to my list, if I could recommend anything from the 1970s, I'd say in my experience, any movies directed by Teruo Ishii and Norifumi 'Noribumi' Suzuki are probably worth seeing. The reason being they are both gifted visual stylists with an experimental streak, men who make genre films with arresting visuals, based upon those I've seen.
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Post by petrolino on Jul 11, 2018 0:48:34 GMT
'Rashomon' has been acknowledged as being a story / structural template for so many interesting films made since. A real work of art.
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Post by petrolino on Jul 11, 2018 0:50:31 GMT
Wow, what a great thread with so many wonderful posts! I'm sorry to say that after a lifetime of viewing films I am terribly remiss in my viewing of Japanese cinema. I didn't have a chance to see many films when I was young, and when I was older I just saw a few now and again, not sure why. It's clear I have missed so much. Of those I have seen, however, there are many that I love, especially these: The Burmese Harp Dersu Uzalala Woman in the Dunes Kwaidan RashomonThanks for all the wonderful suggestions and comments, everyone. And thanks for starting the thread, Aj_June.
'The Burmese Harp' (1956) sounds intriguing. I'll add it to my growing list of Japanese film recommendations. Thanks!
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