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One Japanese film a day.
From today till the end of the pandemic (let’s hope it is sooner than later) I’ll recommend a Japanese film a day.
Day 1
A Page of Madness 狂った一頁 (Kinugasa Teinosuke, 1926)
From today till the end of the pandemic (let’s hope it is sooner than later) I’ll recommend a Japanese film a day.
Day 1
A Page of Madness 狂った一頁 (Kinugasa Teinosuke, 1926)
Day 2:
I Was Born, But... 大人の見る絵本 生れてはみたけれど (Ozu Yasujirō, 1928)
The best Ozu before he became the Ozu we all know.
I Was Born, But... 大人の見る絵本 生れてはみたけれど (Ozu Yasujirō, 1928)
The best Ozu before he became the Ozu we all know.
Day 3
The Taste of Tea 茶の味 (Ishii Katsuhito, 2004)
One of the best-kept secrets in Japanese cinema, extremely funny and extremely touching.
The Taste of Tea 茶の味 (Ishii Katsuhito, 2004)
One of the best-kept secrets in Japanese cinema, extremely funny and extremely touching.
Day 4
Play It Cool でんきくらげ (Masumura Yasuzō, 1970)
The subtle sadness that envelops it from the very first shot to the last, & the beautiful and melancholic music, make a special film for me. A plus is the fact that I really despise the Japanese hostess/host "culture".
Play It Cool でんきくらげ (Masumura Yasuzō, 1970)
The subtle sadness that envelops it from the very first shot to the last, & the beautiful and melancholic music, make a special film for me. A plus is the fact that I really despise the Japanese hostess/host "culture".
Day 5
0,5 mm 0.5 ミリ (Andō Momoko, 2014)
A mesmering experience, a slow and deep wandering through the outer and inner landscape of Japan.
0,5 mm 0.5 ミリ (Andō Momoko, 2014)
A mesmering experience, a slow and deep wandering through the outer and inner landscape of Japan.
Day 6
I Am Keiko 桂子ですけど (Sono Sion, 1997)
I like this period of Sono’s career.
I Am Keiko 桂子ですけど (Sono Sion, 1997)
I like this period of Sono’s career.
Day 7
My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? エリ エリ レマ サバクタニ (Aoyama Shinji, 2005)
While Eureka is a objectively a better film, the unique atmosphere and story make this of my favourite Aoyama films. Great cinematography by Tamura Masaki.
My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? エリ エリ レマ サバクタニ (Aoyama Shinji, 2005)
While Eureka is a objectively a better film, the unique atmosphere and story make this of my favourite Aoyama films. Great cinematography by Tamura Masaki.
Day 8
The Death Lullaby 二度と目覚めぬ子守唄 (Harada Hiroshi, 1985)
Raw and crude, the Akira of jishu animation.
The Death Lullaby 二度と目覚めぬ子守唄 (Harada Hiroshi, 1985)
Raw and crude, the Akira of jishu animation.
Day 9
Flunky, Work Hard! 腰辨頑張れ (Naruse Mikio, 1931)
Naruse’s third film is a stylistically inventive little jewel, far from the masterpieces of his late career, but worth (re)discovering.
Flunky, Work Hard! 腰辨頑張れ (Naruse Mikio, 1931)
Naruse’s third film is a stylistically inventive little jewel, far from the masterpieces of his late career, but worth (re)discovering.
Day 10
Kotoko (Tsukamoto Shin’ya, 2011)
One of Tsukamoto’s best films, and with a powerful and physical performance by Cocco. Impressive the sound design.
Kotoko (Tsukamoto Shin’ya, 2011)
One of Tsukamoto’s best films, and with a powerful and physical performance by Cocco. Impressive the sound design.
Day 11
Matango マタンゴ (Honda Ishirō, 1963)
One of my favorite tokusatsu films, maybe because of my fascination for mushrooms...
Matango マタンゴ (Honda Ishirō, 1963)
One of my favorite tokusatsu films, maybe because of my fascination for mushrooms...
Day 12
Miss Lonely a.k.a. Lonely Heart さびしんぼう (Ōbayashi Nobuhiko, 1985)
A sweet mixture of comedy, fantasy and teen drama. A guilty pleasure.
Miss Lonely a.k.a. Lonely Heart さびしんぼう (Ōbayashi Nobuhiko, 1985)
A sweet mixture of comedy, fantasy and teen drama. A guilty pleasure.
Day 13
Mio 妖精の詩 (Hani Susumu, 1971)
Pure Hani: half documentary, half fiction, and permeated by a poetic and almost surreal touch throughout. Hani is one of the best at capturing in images the world of children.
Mio 妖精の詩 (Hani Susumu, 1971)
Pure Hani: half documentary, half fiction, and permeated by a poetic and almost surreal touch throughout. Hani is one of the best at capturing in images the world of children.
Day 14
A Branch of a Pine is Tied Up 松が枝を結び (Murata Tomoyasu, 2017)
Short but deep, and infused with a visual touch that strongly resonated with me. Stop animation at its best.
A Branch of a Pine is Tied Up 松が枝を結び (Murata Tomoyasu, 2017)
Short but deep, and infused with a visual touch that strongly resonated with me. Stop animation at its best.
Day 15
Everyday is Alzheimer's (3 films, 2012-2017, Sekiguchi Yuka)
3 docs about the director’s mother and her daily life dealing with senile dementia.Very popular in Japan, but virtually unknown outside the archipelago, the last one is a deep reflection on death in our society.
Everyday is Alzheimer's (3 films, 2012-2017, Sekiguchi Yuka)
3 docs about the director’s mother and her daily life dealing with senile dementia.Very popular in Japan, but virtually unknown outside the archipelago, the last one is a deep reflection on death in our society.
Day 16
Mr. Thank You 有りがとうさん (Shimizu Hiroshi, 1936)
One of the best pre-war Japanese films, a little jewel.
Mr. Thank You 有りがとうさん (Shimizu Hiroshi, 1936)
One of the best pre-war Japanese films, a little jewel.
Day 17
The Elegant Life of Mr Everyman 江分利満氏の優雅な生活 (Okamoto Kihachi, 1963)
Witty, funny, and visually inventive, a sharp satire of the lifestyle of the average Japanese man.
The Elegant Life of Mr Everyman 江分利満氏の優雅な生活 (Okamoto Kihachi, 1963)
Witty, funny, and visually inventive, a sharp satire of the lifestyle of the average Japanese man.
Day 18
The Homeless 無宿 やどなし (Saitō Kōichi, 1974)
Takakura Ken, Katsu Shintaro, and Kaji Meiko star in a beautifully shot road movie.
The Homeless 無宿 やどなし (Saitō Kōichi, 1974)
Takakura Ken, Katsu Shintaro, and Kaji Meiko star in a beautifully shot road movie.
Day 19
Main Line To Terror 動脈列島 Masumura Yasuzō, 1975)
It’s a flawed movie, but in Japan criticizing the Shinkansen is like going against the Emperor. Plus it works also as a condemnation of the Japanese post war economic miracle.
Main Line To Terror 動脈列島 Masumura Yasuzō, 1975)
It’s a flawed movie, but in Japan criticizing the Shinkansen is like going against the Emperor. Plus it works also as a condemnation of the Japanese post war economic miracle.
Day 20
Without Memory 記憶が失われた時…〜ある家族の2年半の記録〜 (Kore’eda Hirokazu, 1996)
One of the best documentaries made by Kore’eda in the 90s.
Without Memory 記憶が失われた時…〜ある家族の2年半の記録〜 (Kore’eda Hirokazu, 1996)
One of the best documentaries made by Kore’eda in the 90s.
Day 21
Stakeout a.k.a The Chase 張込み (Nomura Yoshitarō, 1958)
Procedural starring Takamine Hideko and written by the great Hashimoto Shinobu from a novel by, of course, Matsumoto Seichō. Not the best Nomura perhaps, but very atmospheric.
Stakeout a.k.a The Chase 張込み (Nomura Yoshitarō, 1958)
Procedural starring Takamine Hideko and written by the great Hashimoto Shinobu from a novel by, of course, Matsumoto Seichō. Not the best Nomura perhaps, but very atmospheric.
Day 22
Acrtress 映画女優 (Ichikawa Kon, 1987)
The story of the early part of Tanaka Kinuyo’s career, but also a glimpse into the history of Japanese cinema up to 1951. Sugawara Bunta as Mizoguchi Kenji (溝内健二 in the movie) and Yoshinaga Sayuri as Tanaka Kinuyo.
Acrtress 映画女優 (Ichikawa Kon, 1987)
The story of the early part of Tanaka Kinuyo’s career, but also a glimpse into the history of Japanese cinema up to 1951. Sugawara Bunta as Mizoguchi Kenji (溝内健二 in the movie) and Yoshinaga Sayuri as Tanaka Kinuyo.
Day 23
The Cannery Boat a.k.a. Kani kōsen 蟹工船 (Yamamura Sō, 1952)
Adaptation for the big screen of the famous proletarial novel by Kobayashi Takiji, about the revolt of a group fishermen in the 1920s.
The Cannery Boat a.k.a. Kani kōsen 蟹工船 (Yamamura Sō, 1952)
Adaptation for the big screen of the famous proletarial novel by Kobayashi Takiji, about the revolt of a group fishermen in the 1920s.
