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![battle scene from Kurosawa's "Ran" [1985]](images/AKran_battle.jpg)
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Japanese Filmmakers Japanese Actors Books on Japanese Cinema Samurai Genre Yakuza Genre Links Selected Japanese Films |
Japanese Films on DVD at Amazon.com
Japanese Films on VHS at Amazon.com
Japanese Movies poster catalog at AllPosters [dot] com
Japanese Language Movie Posters catalog at AllPosters [dot] com
Japanese Movie Database { in Japanese }
Books About Japanese Cinema
Japanese Filmmakers
NOTE: Oscar Awards for Best Foreign Language Film are not attributed
by A.M.P.A.S. or IMDb to the director or producer, but to the country of origin.
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director Yasuo Furuhata
IMDb listing
director Kon Ichikawa
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Wikipedia
director Shohei Imamura [1926-2006]
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"Ballad of Narayama" remake [1983]
director Hiroshi Inagaki [1905-80]
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'Samurai Trilogy' series: new DVD boxed set | VHS | DVD
director Juzo Itami [1933-97]
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'AsiaWeek' obit •
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director Keisuke Kinoshita [1912-98]
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no entry on Wikipedia
"Ballad of Narayama" [1958]
"The River Fuefuki" [1961]
author-performer-director Takeshi 'Beat' Kitano
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"Beat Takeshi vs. Takeshi Kitano" [2002] by Casio Abe, translated by William O. Gardner & Takeo Hori Muae/Kaya Press 7½x6 pb [1/2005] for $17.55 |
animator Satoshi Kon
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![won Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for "Rashômon" [1950]](images/oscar_sm.gif) | director Akira Kurosawa [1910-98] minipage |
director Takashi Miike
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"Agitator: The Cinema of Takashi Miike" [2004] by Tom Mes Fab Press pb [6/2006] for $19.77 Fab Press pb [5/2004] out of print/used |
director Kenjo Misumi [1921-75]
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no entry at Wikipedia
film series include 'Baby Cart', 'Zatôichi' & 'Nemuri Kyoshiro'
| | animator Hayao Miyazaki minipage |
director Kenji Mizoguchi [1898-1956]
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"Mizoguchi and Japan" [2008]  by Mark Le Fanu British Film Institute 9x6¾ pb [1/2008] for $27.95 British Film Institute 9¼x6¾ hardcover [1/2008] for $85.95 |
Kihachi Okamoto [1923-2005]
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Nagisa Oshima
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Yasujiro Ozu [1903-63]
"I want to make people feel without resorting to drama." — Yasujiro Ozu
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"Stories of Floating Weeds" double DVD Criterion Collxn DVD [4/2004] 2 disks for $31.96 "A Story of Floating Weeds" [1934]:
full credits from IMDb
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"Ozu" [1977] by Donald Richie
Univ of CA Press 9x6 pb [7/77] for $24.95 |
director Hiroshi Shimizu [1903-66]
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Seijun Suzuki
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"Branded To Thrill: The Delirious Cinema of Suzuki Seijun" [1994]
by Simon Field & Tony Rayns
British Film Institute 8¼x8 pb [4/95] out of print/rare
Hiroshi Teshigahara [1927-2001]
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 | "Three Films By Hiroshi Teshigahara" [2007]
Criterion Collection b&w DVD set [7/2007] 4 disks for $54.99 includes "Pitfall" [1962] directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara; script by Kôbô Abe, based on his novel; starring Hisashi Igawa, Sumie Sasaki, Sen Yano, Hideo Kanze, Kunie Tanaka, Kei Sato & Kazuo Miyahara; "Woman In The Dunes" [1964] directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara; script by Kôbô Abe, based on his novel; starring Eiji Okada, Kyôko Kishida & Hiroko Ito; Oscar nominations for Best Foreign Language Film & Best Director; and "The Face Of Another" [1966] directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara; script by Kôbô Abe, based on his novel; starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Machiko Kyô, Mikijiro Hira, Kyôko Kishida, Eiji Okada & Miki Irie |
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"Antonio Gaudí" [indep 1984] Co-produced, directed & edited by Hiroshi Teshigahara Criterion Collection color DVD [3/2008] 2 disks for $34.99 
full credits at IMDb Wikipedia entry on Spanish architect Antonio Gaudí [1852-1926] |
Yoji Yamada
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Actors of Japan
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Kiyoshi Atsumi [1928-96]
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Sessue Hayakawa [1889-1973]
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Raizô Ichikawa [1931-69]
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Shintarô Katsu [1931-97]
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'Zatôichi The Blind Swordsman' Film Series Page
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Toshirô Mifune [1920-97]
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Magic Lantern's Kurosawa/Mifune Films Page
B.F.I.'s Toshirô Mifune webpage
Jerry's Toshirô Mifune fansite
 | "Toshiro Mifune: The Ultimate Collection" [2006]
Animeigo widescreen color DVD box set [8/2006] 5 disks for $94.98 includes "Samurai Assassin" [1965] directed by Kihachi Okamoto; "Under The Banner of Samurai" 1969] directed by Hiroshi Inagaki; "Akage" [1969] directed by Hiroshi Inagaki; "The Ambush: Incident at Blood Pass" [1970] directed by Hiroshi Inagaki; and "Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo" [1970] directed by Kihachi Okamoto, co-starring Shintarô Katsu |
Tatsuya Nakadai
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Takashi Shimura [1905-82]
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Miiko Taka
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Wikipedia {empty}
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Ken Takakura
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Selected Japanese Films
Japan's films have received 3 early Honorary Oscar Awards, no Best Foreign Language Oscar® wins,
and 11 Best Foreign Film nominations.
"Rashômon"
[Japan Aug 1950; USA Dec 1951]
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What is truth? After a killing in the woods, police interrogate four people and obtain four conflicting versions of the events. Co-written & directed by Akira Kurosawa [1910-98]; based on stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa; starring Toshirô Mifune, Machiko Kyô, Masayuki Mori, Takashi Shimura & Minoru Chiaki; won Honorary Oscar for Best Foreign-Language Film Home Vision b&w DVD [3/2002] for $29.96 Home Vision b&w VHS [5/94] for $29.95 full credits from IMDb |
"Ugetsu monogatari"
aka "Tales of Moonlight & Rain" [Daiei Japan March 1953, U.S.A. Sept 1954]
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Two peasants in war-wracked feudal Japan migrate to the city to make their fortunes; the ambitious potter becomes entangled with a beautiful ghost; the farmer becomes a famous samurai.
Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi; based on classic tales by Akinari Ueda [1734-1809]; starring Masayuki Mori, Machiko Kyô, Kinuyo Tanaka, Eitarô Ozawa, Ikio Sawamura, Mitsuko Mito, Kikue Môri & Ryosuke Kagawa
Criterion b&w DVD set [11/2005] 2 disks for $34.99 HomeVision b&w VHS [6/2000] for $23.70 full credits from IMDb |
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"Tales of Moonlight and Rain: A Study & Translation" [1776] by Akinari Ueda, translation & critical text by Anthony H. Chambers Columbia Univ Press hardcover [12/2006] for $27.50 |
| | "Gate of Hell" aka "Jigokumon" [Japan 1954]
Directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa; won Honorary Oscar Award |
| | "Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto" [Japan 1955]
Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki; won Honorary Oscar Award |
"Chushingura - Hana no maki yuki no maki"
aka "47 Ronin" [Toho Japan Nov 1962]
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A classic tale in Japan, filmed many times: Out of loyalty to a wrongfully-disgraced lord, 47 samurai attack his enemies, knowing that they are courting certain death.
Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, starring Koshiro Matsumoto, Yuzo Kayama, Tatsuya Mihashi, Akira Takarada, Yosuke Natsuki, Makoto Satô, Chûsha Ichikawa, Toshirô Mifune, Eisei Amamoto, Hiroshi Koizumi, Kenji Sahara, Tadao Takashima, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Takeshi Shimura, Yuriko Hoshi, Kumi Mizuno, Yumi Shirakawa & Mie Ham
Image Ent. widescreen b&w DVD [2/2001] for $26.09 Home Vision b&w VHS [7/97] 2 tapes for $49.95 Image Ent. b&w widescreen VHS [2/2001] 2 tapes for $29.98 full credits from IMDb |
'Chushingura' plot summary at University of Kansas
JNC's history of 'Chushingura'
"Tokyo Drifter" aka "Tôkyô nagaremono"
[Nikkatsu Japan April 1966]
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A yakuza boss decides to retire, and the opposition gang leader offers his top assassin a job. But the assassin refuses and is forced to run. He survives many attempts to kill him, and then is betrayed, so he returns to Tokyo to confront his former boss. Suzuki's wild use of color here caused Nikkatsu to restrict him to black & white for his next films.
Directed by Seijun Suzuki; starring Tetsuya Watari, Chieko Matsubara, Hideaki Nitani, Ryuji Kita, Tsuyoshi Yoshida, Hideaki Esumi, Tamio Kawaji & Eiji Go
Criterion color DVD [2/99] for $24.99 HomeVision color VHS [6/2000] out of prodn/used full credits from IMDb |
"Branded To Kill"
aka "Koroshi no rakuin" [Nikkatsu Japan June 1967]
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When the #3 assassin of Japan's yakuza crime organizations fails an assignment, the #1 assassin is sent to kill him. Black & white movie with Pop Art visuals and a surreal, psycho-sexual nightmare plot.
Directed by Seijun Suzuki; starring Jo Shishido, Mariko Ogawa, Annu Mari, Koji Nambara, Isao Tamagawa & Hiroshi Minami
Criterion b&w DVD [2/99] for $19.99 HomeVision b&w VHS [6/2000] out of prodn/used full credits from IMDb |
"Akage" aka "Red Lion"
[Mifune/Toho Japan Oct 1969, USA Dec 1969]
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Impersonating an Imperial Army officer by wearing a "red lion's mane", a simple servant returns to his village after 10 years of absence to end the village's suffering caused by corrupt officials and businessmen.
Co-written & directed by Kihachi Okamoto; starring Toshirô Mifune, Shima Iwashita, Etsushi Takahashi, Minori Terada, Nobuko Otowa, Kawai Okada, Yûko Mochizuki & Jitsuko Yoshimura
Animeigo widescreen color DVD [9/2005] for $28.48 Animeigo color VHS [11/97] out of prodn/used full credits at IMDb |
"Do-desu-ka-den" aka "Clickety-Clack"
[Toho Japan Oct 1970; U.S.A. June 1971]
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Co-writer/director Akira Kurosawa's first color film, with a rich pallette. The tale is simple but involving, and was perhaps the inspiration for Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing". Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film
Home Vision color VHS [11/95] with English subtitles for $29.95 full credits from IMDb |
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"Dersu Uzala" [U.S.S.R. 1975]
Directed by Akira Kurosawa [1910-98]; won Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film (a film of Russia) full credits from IMDb |
"Sandakan 8" aka "Brothel No. 8"
{"Sandakan hachibanshokan bohkyo"} [Toho Japan 1975]
Directed by Kei Kumai; Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film
full credits from IMDb
"Kagemusha" [Japan 1980]
Directed by Akira Kurosawa [1910-98]; Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film,
won 2 of 4 BAFTA noms, won Reader's Choice & 5 other Mainichi Film Concours Awards
full credits from IMDb
"A Un" or "Buddies"
[Toho/Shochiku Japan Nov 1989, U.S.A. March 1990]
![still photo from Furuhata's "Buddies" [1989]](covers/YFbuddies.gif) |
A loner industrialist looks forward to the return of his Army buddy to 1937 Tokyo.
Directed by Yasuo Furuhata; starring Ken Takakura, Eiji Bando, Junko/Sumiko Fuji & Yasuko Tomita video/DVD not available; full credits from IMDb |
"Twilight Samurai" aka 'Tasogare Seibei'
[Japan 2002, USA April 2004]
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A quiet, slightly sentimental masterpiece, about a feudal village of 19th century Japan phasing into the new ethos & economics of the Meiji Restoration.
Co-Written & directed by Yoji Yamada; based on sections of 3 Shuhei Fujisawa novels; starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Rie Miyazawa, Min Tanaka, Nenji Kobayashi & Keiko Kishi; Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film; won 12 Japan Film Academy Awards, won 7 Kinema Junpo Awards
Empire Pictures color DVD [12/2004] for $19.99 full credits from IMDb official movie website |
"Zatôichi: The Blind Swordsman"
color feature [Asahi/Shochiku Japan Sept 2003, USA June 2004]
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Written & directed by and starring Takeshi Kitano; co-starring Tadanobu Asano, Michiyo Ookusu, Yui Natsukawa, Daigoro Tachibana, Yuuko Daike, Gadarukanaru Taka, Ittoku Kishibe, Saburo Ishikura & Kohji Miura; won 5 of 9 nominations for Japanese Academy Awards; won Kinema Junpo People's Choice Best Film Award
B.M.G. Intl. soundtrack CD [6/2004] for $28.99 full credits at IMDb • official movie website double bill DVD with "Sonatine" [1993] Miramax color DVD [11/2004] 2 disks for $17.99 |
Links About Japanese Cinema
Japanese movie poster catalog at AllPosters [dot] com
Foreign Films [dot] com - Best Japanese Films on DVD
Yahoo! Japan Movies
Japanese Film Studies website at Cornell University
Marty Gross Films - distributors of Japanese art films
Tom Mes's 'Midnight Eye'
Kadokawa Herald Pictures [est. 1942]:
Japanese-language website •
Wikipedia
![Shochiku Films [est. 1895] of Japan](images/shokichufilms.gif)
![Japanese Society of Cinematographers [est. 1954]](images/JSClogo.gif)
![Toho Company Ltd. [est. 1932] of Japan](images/TohoJP.jpg)
| official website
Toho Kingdom fansite |
Samurai Genre
VHS samurai catalog at Amazon.com
DVD samurai catalog at Amazon.com
Magic Lantern's Samurai Films Page
'Zatôichi The Blind Swordsman' Film Series Page
Samurai / Period Drama Films entry at Wikipedia
Yakuza Genre
Yakuza Films entry at Wikipedia
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"The Yakuza Movie Book: A Guide to Japanese Gangster Films" [2003] by Mark Schilling Stone Bridge 9x7 pb [6/2003] for $15.56 |
Online sales in association with 
and ![Japanese Movies poster catalog at AllPosters [dot] com](images/allposters.gif){kind=small}
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