Monday, January 30, 2017
Japanese Movie Director (5): Satsuo Yamamoto
Satsuo Yamamoto (1910 - 1983)
20 movies directed by Satsuo Yamamoto were ranked in Top_10_movies. Yamamoto was a close friend of Tadashi Imai, and they had a very similar career. They entered Toho in middle 1930s. They were members of Japanese Communist Party, and, therefore, were purged around 1950. Since then, Yamamoto worked as an independent movie director.
Yamamoto also selected subjects associated with social problems of the day, and their heroes or heroines were, in many cases, the poor, the oppressed, or the defeated, as Imai's.
(Director of "Battle" Movie)
However, Yamamoto is Yamamoto, and Imai is Imai. When Yamamoto treated a social problem in his movie, he, in many cases, dscribed a "battle" against the enemy who causes the problem (i.e., "battle" between the good and the bad). In contrast, Imai, in many cases, described a "struggle" for survival of the victims of the problem.
A "battle" movies causes a feeling of anger against the "enemy", and, if the "enemy" is defeated, you will feel pleasure. A "struggle" movie causes a feeling of pity for the victims (i.e., heartache), and, if the victims are relieved from the problem, you will be saved from the heartache.
Yamamoto was a skilled director of a "battle" movie, who could make, from even a political matter", a "battle" movie. Many of entertainment movies are action movies (including war movies, western movies, and so on), and most action movies are "battle" movies. Thus, Yamamoto was also a skilled director of entertainment movies, although he was a communist and made movies describing social problems from a left-wing viewpoint. Some called Yamamoto, "Red Cecil B. DeMille".
Yamamoto's "battle" movies were not, however, simple-minded propaganda movies. It is because Yamamoto did not describe the enemies as a fool (although they are occasionally caricatured too much). In Yamamoto's movies, important enemies are usually smart, lively, or vital, and appear to be characters of a "bigger-than-life" type. They are often more attractive than heroes or heroines. In this respect, Yamamoto was right and quite reasonable. If the enemy is a fool, the hero/heroine who cannot defeat the enemy easily is also a fool. A movie describing a "battle" between fools may not be enjoyable unless it is a comedy movie.
(Filmography)
The filmography provides the items "Production year", "Japanese title", "English title", "Survival Status" (whether or not negative or positive exists), and DVD/Blu-ray availability. Titles of the movies ranked in Top_10 are in bold font.
(Note) Most of Yamamoto's films are preserved in a complete form, thus the item "Survival Status" is omitted except for titles whose complete version does not exist.
(Note) Some of the available DVD/Blu-ray titles are out of stock. Never fail to check region codes and format (NTSC or PAL) of the disc and your player, before purchasing DVD/Blu-ray discs.
(Filmography)
1937 Ojôsan (Young Lady)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1937 Haha no kyoku (Mother's Song)
Survival Status: Exist (Reissued version shorter than the original by approx. 40%)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1938 Den-en kokyogaku (Pastoral Symphony)
Survival Status: Exist (Reissued version shorter than the original by approx. 20%)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1938 Katei nikki (Diary of a Family)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1939 Shinpen Tange Sazen: Sekisyu-hen (Tange Sazen, New Series _ Episode of "One-armed")
Survival Status: ?
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1939 Uruwashiki shuppatsu (Beautiful Departure)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1939 Machi (Street)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1939 Ribon wo musubu fujin (Wife Wearing a Ribbon)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1940 Soyokaze chichi to tomoni (With Father in Gentle Breeze)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1940 Shimai no yakusoku (Promise of Sisters)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1941 Utaeba tengoku (Sing, and You Are in Heaven)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1942 Tsubasa no gaika (A Triumph of Wings)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1943 Neppû (Hot Wind)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1947 Sensô to heiwa (War and Peace)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1949 Konna onna ni dare ga shita (Who Made me a Woman Like This)
Survival Status: ?
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1950 Boyoku no Machi (The City Dominated by Violence)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1952 Hakone fûunroku (Hakone Chronicle)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1952 Shinku chitai (Vacuum Zone)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1954 Hi no hate (Where the Sun Sinks)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1954 Taiyo no nai machi (The Street Without Sun)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1955 Ai sureba koso_segment 3 (Because I Love You/3rd Episode)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1955 Ukikusa Nikki (The Traveling Players)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1956 Nadare (Avalanche)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1956 Taifû sôdôki (Typhoon)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1958 Akai jinbaori (The Red Jinbaori)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1959 Niguruma no uta (A Song of a Cart)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1959 Ningen no kabe (Human Barrier)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1960 Buki naki tatakai (Battle without Weapons)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1961 Matsukawa-Jiken (Matsukawa Incident)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1962 Chibusa wo daku musume tachi (Girls Who Hold their Breasts)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1962 Shinobi no mono (Band of Assassins/The Ninja)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA (Please check Amazon.video)
1963 Akai mizu (LT Red Water)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1963 Zoku shinobi no mono (The Ninja Part II)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA (Please check Amazon.video)
1964 Kizudarake no sanga (Destroyed Mountains and Rivers)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1965 Nippon dorobô monogatari (A Tale of a Japanese Thief)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1965 Shonin no isu (A Witness's Chair)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1965 Supai (Spy)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1966 Hyoten (Freezing Point )
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1966 Shiroi Kyotou (The Great White Tower)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1967 Nise keiji (The Bogus Policeman)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1967 Zatôichi rôyaburi (Zatoichi the Outlaw/Zatoichi Breaks Jail)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1968 Botan-dôrô (Peony Lantern Ghost Story)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1969 Vietnam
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1969 Tengu-tô (Blood End)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1970 Sensô to ningen: Unmei no jokyoku (Men and War)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1971 Sensô to ningen II: Ai to kanashimino sanga (Men and War, Part Two)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1973 Sensô to ningen III: Kanketsuhen (Man and War, Part III)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1974 Karei-naru ichizoku (The Family)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1975 Kinkanshoku (Annular Eclipse)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1976 Fumô chitai (Wasted Land)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1976 Tenpo Suiko-den: Ohara Yugaku
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1978 Kotei no inai hachigatsu (August without the Emperor)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1979 Ah! Nomugi toge (Nomugi Pass/Oh! The Nomugi Pass)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1981 Asshii-tachi no machi (A Street of Assies)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1982 Ah! Nomugi toge - Shinryokuhen (Oh! The Nomugi Pass _ Episode of New Leaves)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
My recommendations are as follows:
1940 Soyokaze chichi to tomoni
(Yamamoto started his career as an assistant of Mikio Naruse, as an example of "Naruse-like" movie);
1952 Shinku chitai
(a masterpiece, as the most powerful "battle" movie, here the "enemy" is war and army);
1959 Niguruma no uta
(another masterpiece, as the best "struggle" movie of Yamamoto);
1964 Kizudarake no sanga
1966 Shiroi Kyotou
(as showpieces of a vital and lively enemy); and
1970-73 Sensô to ningen
(as the Yamamoto's largest-scale project).
Saturday, January 28, 2017
Japanese Movie Director (4): Ozu Yasujiro
Yasujiro Ozu (1903 - 1963)
Yasujiro Ozu is one of the most internationally well-known Japanese movie directors, so well-known that rather detailed information may be acquired through IMDB, Wikipedia and so on. There is little left for me to add.
(Filmography)
The filmography provides the items "Production year", "Japanese title", "English title", "Survival Status" (whether or not negative or positive exists), and DVD/Blu-ray availability. Titles of the movies ranked in Top_10 are in bold font.
(Note) Some of the available DVD/Blu-ray titles are out of stock. Never fail to check region codes and format (NTSC or PAL) of the disc and your player, before purchasing DVD/Blu-ray discs.
1927 Zange no yaiba (Blade of Penitence)
Survival Status: Lost
1928 Wakodo no yume (Dreams of Youth)
Survival Status: Lost
1928 Nyobo funshitsu (Wife Lost)
Survival Status: Lost
1928 Kabocha (Pumpkin)
Survival Status: Lost
1928 Hikkoshi fufu (A Couple on the Move)
Survival Status: Lost
1928 Nikutaibi (Body Beautiful)
Survival Status: Lost
1929 Takara no yama (Treasure Mountain)
Survival Status: Lost
1929 Wakaki hi (Days of Youth)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese,UK
1929 Wasei kenka tomodachi (Fighting Friends)
Survival Status: Incomplete (abridged version: 1/5 of the original in length)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1929 Daigaku wa deta keredo (I Graduated But...)
Survival Status: Incomplete (abridged version: 1/7 of the original in length)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1929 Kaishain seikatsu (The Life of an Office Worker)
Survival Status: Lost
1930 Tokkan kozo (A Straightforward Boy) Exist
Survival Status: Incomplete (abridged version: 1/2 of the original in length)(*1)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1930 Kekkongaku nyumon (Introduction to Marriage)
Survival Status: Lost
1930 Hogaraka ni ayume (Walk Cheerfully)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK
1930 Rakudai wa shita keredo (I Flunked But..)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1930 Sono yo no tsuma (That Night's Wife)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1930 Erogami no onryo (The Revengeful Spirit of Eros)
Survival Status: Lost
1930 Ashi ni sawatta koun (Lost Luck/Luck Touched My Legs)
Survival Status: Lost
1930 Ojosan (Young Miss)
Survival Status: Lost
1931 Shukujo to hige (The Lady and Her Favorite/The Lady and the Beard)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1931 Bijin aishu (Beauty's Sorrows)
Survival Status: Lost
1931 Tokyo no korasu (Tokyo Chorus)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA
1932 Haru wa gofujin kara (Spring Comes from the Ladies)
Survival Status: Lost
1932 Umarete wa mita keredo (I Was Born, But...)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1932 Seishun no yume imaizuko (Where Are the Dreams of Youth?)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1932 Mata au hi made (Until the Day We Meet Again)
Survival Status: Lost
1933 Tokyo no onna (Woman of Tokyo)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1935 Hijosen no onna (Dragnet Girl)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK
1933 Dekigokoro (Passing Fancy)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA
1934 Haha wo kowazuya (A Mother Should Be Loved)
Survival Status: Incomplete (originally 9 reels, with the first and last reels lost)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1934 Ukikusa monogatari (A Story of Floating Weeds)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA
1935 Hakoiri musume (An Innocent Maid/The Young Virgin)
Survival Status: Lost
1935 Kikugoro no kagamijishi/Kagamijishi (Kikugoro in kagamijishi)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1935 Tokyo no yado (An Inn in Tokyo)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1936 Daigaku yoitoko (College Is a Nice Place/Tokyo Is a Nice Place)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1936 Hitori musuko (The Only Son)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK
1937 Shukujo wa nani o wasureta ka (What Did the Lady Forget? )
Survival Status: Exist (*2)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1941 Todake no kyodai (The Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1942 Chichi ariki (There Was a Father)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK
1947 Nagaya shinshiroku (The Record of a Tenement Gentleman)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA
1948 Kaze no naka no mendori (A Hen in the Wind)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1949 Banshun (Late Spring)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1950 Munekata kyoudai (The Munekata Sisters)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1951 Bakushu (Early Summer)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1952 Ochazuke no aji (Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1953 Tokyo monogatari (Tokyo Story)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1956 Soshun (Early Spring)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1957 Tokyo boshoku (Tokyo Twilight/Twilight in Tokyo)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1958 Higanbana (Equinox Flower)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1959 Ohayo (Good Morning) (Bonjour)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1959 Ukigusa (Drifting Weeds/Floating Weeds)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1960 Akibiyori (Late Autumn)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, and more
1961 Kohayagawa-ke no aki (Autumn for the Kohayagawa Family/Early Autumn/The End of Summer)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1962 Sanma no aji (An Autumn Afternoon)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
(Note) Many of the titles (in particular, titles of prewar era) are available only in Japanese DVD BOX-sets.
(*1) In 1988, an incomplete 9.5 mm print of an abridged version of this film was found. In 2015, another material of this film was found, which includes the lacking portion of the incomplete abridged version. These materials were merged into a nearly complete abridged version in 2016. The version currently available on Japanese DVD is the incomplete one.
(*2) The currently available version is shorter than the original by 2 or 3 minutes. In middle 1980s, a version of this film including the portions which the currently available version lacks was broadcasted on a Japanese local TV channel. The print of the another version was probably a private collection item. I had expected, in vain, that the "complete" version would be screened, every time Ozu Retrospective was held on a large scale. The privately-owned print might have been already deteriorated.
Yasujiro Ozu is one of the most internationally well-known Japanese movie directors, so well-known that rather detailed information may be acquired through IMDB, Wikipedia and so on. There is little left for me to add.
(Filmography)
The filmography provides the items "Production year", "Japanese title", "English title", "Survival Status" (whether or not negative or positive exists), and DVD/Blu-ray availability. Titles of the movies ranked in Top_10 are in bold font.
(Note) Some of the available DVD/Blu-ray titles are out of stock. Never fail to check region codes and format (NTSC or PAL) of the disc and your player, before purchasing DVD/Blu-ray discs.
1927 Zange no yaiba (Blade of Penitence)
Survival Status: Lost
1928 Wakodo no yume (Dreams of Youth)
Survival Status: Lost
1928 Nyobo funshitsu (Wife Lost)
Survival Status: Lost
1928 Kabocha (Pumpkin)
Survival Status: Lost
1928 Hikkoshi fufu (A Couple on the Move)
Survival Status: Lost
1928 Nikutaibi (Body Beautiful)
Survival Status: Lost
1929 Takara no yama (Treasure Mountain)
Survival Status: Lost
1929 Wakaki hi (Days of Youth)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese,UK
1929 Wasei kenka tomodachi (Fighting Friends)
Survival Status: Incomplete (abridged version: 1/5 of the original in length)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1929 Daigaku wa deta keredo (I Graduated But...)
Survival Status: Incomplete (abridged version: 1/7 of the original in length)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1929 Kaishain seikatsu (The Life of an Office Worker)
Survival Status: Lost
1930 Tokkan kozo (A Straightforward Boy) Exist
Survival Status: Incomplete (abridged version: 1/2 of the original in length)(*1)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1930 Kekkongaku nyumon (Introduction to Marriage)
Survival Status: Lost
1930 Hogaraka ni ayume (Walk Cheerfully)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK
1930 Rakudai wa shita keredo (I Flunked But..)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1930 Sono yo no tsuma (That Night's Wife)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1930 Erogami no onryo (The Revengeful Spirit of Eros)
Survival Status: Lost
1930 Ashi ni sawatta koun (Lost Luck/Luck Touched My Legs)
Survival Status: Lost
1930 Ojosan (Young Miss)
Survival Status: Lost
1931 Shukujo to hige (The Lady and Her Favorite/The Lady and the Beard)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1931 Bijin aishu (Beauty's Sorrows)
Survival Status: Lost
1931 Tokyo no korasu (Tokyo Chorus)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA
1932 Haru wa gofujin kara (Spring Comes from the Ladies)
Survival Status: Lost
1932 Umarete wa mita keredo (I Was Born, But...)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1932 Seishun no yume imaizuko (Where Are the Dreams of Youth?)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1932 Mata au hi made (Until the Day We Meet Again)
Survival Status: Lost
1933 Tokyo no onna (Woman of Tokyo)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1935 Hijosen no onna (Dragnet Girl)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK
1933 Dekigokoro (Passing Fancy)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA
1934 Haha wo kowazuya (A Mother Should Be Loved)
Survival Status: Incomplete (originally 9 reels, with the first and last reels lost)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1934 Ukikusa monogatari (A Story of Floating Weeds)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA
1935 Hakoiri musume (An Innocent Maid/The Young Virgin)
Survival Status: Lost
1935 Kikugoro no kagamijishi/Kagamijishi (Kikugoro in kagamijishi)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1935 Tokyo no yado (An Inn in Tokyo)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1936 Daigaku yoitoko (College Is a Nice Place/Tokyo Is a Nice Place)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1936 Hitori musuko (The Only Son)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK
1937 Shukujo wa nani o wasureta ka (What Did the Lady Forget? )
Survival Status: Exist (*2)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1941 Todake no kyodai (The Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1942 Chichi ariki (There Was a Father)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK
1947 Nagaya shinshiroku (The Record of a Tenement Gentleman)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA
1948 Kaze no naka no mendori (A Hen in the Wind)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, UK
1949 Banshun (Late Spring)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1950 Munekata kyoudai (The Munekata Sisters)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1951 Bakushu (Early Summer)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1952 Ochazuke no aji (Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1953 Tokyo monogatari (Tokyo Story)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1956 Soshun (Early Spring)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1957 Tokyo boshoku (Tokyo Twilight/Twilight in Tokyo)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1958 Higanbana (Equinox Flower)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1959 Ohayo (Good Morning) (Bonjour)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1959 Ukigusa (Drifting Weeds/Floating Weeds)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1960 Akibiyori (Late Autumn)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, and more
1961 Kohayagawa-ke no aki (Autumn for the Kohayagawa Family/Early Autumn/The End of Summer)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
1962 Sanma no aji (An Autumn Afternoon)
Survival Status: Exist
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, and more
(Note) Many of the titles (in particular, titles of prewar era) are available only in Japanese DVD BOX-sets.
(*1) In 1988, an incomplete 9.5 mm print of an abridged version of this film was found. In 2015, another material of this film was found, which includes the lacking portion of the incomplete abridged version. These materials were merged into a nearly complete abridged version in 2016. The version currently available on Japanese DVD is the incomplete one.
(*2) The currently available version is shorter than the original by 2 or 3 minutes. In middle 1980s, a version of this film including the portions which the currently available version lacks was broadcasted on a Japanese local TV channel. The print of the another version was probably a private collection item. I had expected, in vain, that the "complete" version would be screened, every time Ozu Retrospective was held on a large scale. The privately-owned print might have been already deteriorated.
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Japanese Movie Director (3): Tadashi Imai
Tadashi Imai (1912 - 1991)
Tadashi Imai was one of the most acclaimed directors in Japan until around the end of 1960s. 22 movies directed by Imai were ranked in Top_10_movies. However, Imai is not so highly praised today. Some would say "He was overestimated". It may be partially right, but, when you say so, you may underestimate Imai. Imai should not be overestimated, but must not be underestimated.
(Type)
Imai repeatedly said that he was deeply influenced by the directors of italian neorealism (especially, Rossellini and DeSica). He said, "one without a talent might reach the level of DeSica by making desoerate efforts, but could never reach the level of Rossellini, who was genius". This remark does not mean that Imai thought lightly of DeSica, I believe. Had someone asked Imai, "Of which type you are, DeSica-type or Rossellini-type?", Imai would have answered, "DeSica, of course". Indeed, Imai was not a director of a genius type.
Imai had been a director of realism after he met neorealism around 1950, but the nature of his realism changed in 1960s. In his films in 1950s, realism was mixed with humor and restrained sentimentality in a well-balanced manner. While watching such films, I occasionally feel as if a warm breeze passes through the screen (pardon my English). However, humor and sentimentality gradually disappeared, and Imai's realism had changed to very cold and stern one in 1960s. I prefer Imai's films in 1950s to those in 1960s, but I do not say that the former are superior to the latter. Imai made good movies in either style.
(Subjects)
Imai tended to select sublects that were associated with social problems of the day, which partially explains the reason why so many Imai's films were ranked in Top_10_movies from 1950s to 1970s. Especially in this period, among the critics and journalists who select Top_10_movies, there was a trend that movies treating with an important subject (i.e., social problem) were highly acclaimed because of the subject itself.
(Political Stand)
Imai was a member of Japanese Communist Party, but never a radical one. He was a humanitarian more than communist, as can be seen from his films, many of which show Imai's deep sympathy for the poor or the oppressed. Imai, as a communist, was purged in early 1950s, and, since then, Imai worked as an independent movie director. He worked in many independent production companies (including his own), or for major companies as a hired director.
Tadashi Imai was one of the most acclaimed directors in Japan until around the end of 1960s. 22 movies directed by Imai were ranked in Top_10_movies. However, Imai is not so highly praised today. Some would say "He was overestimated". It may be partially right, but, when you say so, you may underestimate Imai. Imai should not be overestimated, but must not be underestimated.
(Type)
Imai repeatedly said that he was deeply influenced by the directors of italian neorealism (especially, Rossellini and DeSica). He said, "one without a talent might reach the level of DeSica by making desoerate efforts, but could never reach the level of Rossellini, who was genius". This remark does not mean that Imai thought lightly of DeSica, I believe. Had someone asked Imai, "Of which type you are, DeSica-type or Rossellini-type?", Imai would have answered, "DeSica, of course". Indeed, Imai was not a director of a genius type.
Imai had been a director of realism after he met neorealism around 1950, but the nature of his realism changed in 1960s. In his films in 1950s, realism was mixed with humor and restrained sentimentality in a well-balanced manner. While watching such films, I occasionally feel as if a warm breeze passes through the screen (pardon my English). However, humor and sentimentality gradually disappeared, and Imai's realism had changed to very cold and stern one in 1960s. I prefer Imai's films in 1950s to those in 1960s, but I do not say that the former are superior to the latter. Imai made good movies in either style.
(Subjects)
Imai tended to select sublects that were associated with social problems of the day, which partially explains the reason why so many Imai's films were ranked in Top_10_movies from 1950s to 1970s. Especially in this period, among the critics and journalists who select Top_10_movies, there was a trend that movies treating with an important subject (i.e., social problem) were highly acclaimed because of the subject itself.
(Political Stand)
Imai was a member of Japanese Communist Party, but never a radical one. He was a humanitarian more than communist, as can be seen from his films, many of which show Imai's deep sympathy for the poor or the oppressed. Imai, as a communist, was purged in early 1950s, and, since then, Imai worked as an independent movie director. He worked in many independent production companies (including his own), or for major companies as a hired director.
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Japanese Movie Director (2): Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa (1910 - 1998)
Akira Kurosawa is one of the most internationally well-known Japanese movie directors, so well-known that rather detailed information may be acquired through IMDB, Wikipedia and so on. There is little left for me to add.
(Filmography)
The filmography provides the items "Production year", "Japanese title", "English title", "Survival Status" (whether or not negative or positive exists), and DVD/Blu-ray availability. Titles of the movies ranked in Top_10 are in bold font.
(Note) Most of Kurosawa's films have been preserved in a complete form, thus the item "Survival Status" is omitted except for titles whose complete version does not exist.
(Note) Some of the available DVD/Blu-ray titles are out of stock. Never fail to check region codes and format (NTSC or PAL) of the disc and your palyer, before purchasing DVD/Blu-ray discs.
1943 Sugata Sanshiro (Judo Saga/Judo Story)
Survival status: Exist (incomplete version)(*1)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, French versions, and more
1944 Ichiban utsukushiku (Most Beautifully/The Most Beautiful)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, French versions, and more
1945 Zoku Sugata Sanshiro (Judo Saga II/Judo Story II/Sanshiro Sugata Part Two)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, French versions, and more
1945 Tora no o wo fumu otokotachi
(The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail/They Who Step on the Tail of the Tiger)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1946 Asu wo tsukuru hitobito (Those Who Make Tomorrow)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1946 Waga seishun ni kuinashi (No Regrets for My Youth/No Regrets for Our Youth)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1947 Subarashiki nichiyobi (One Wonderful Sunday/Wonderful Sunday)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions
1948 Yoidore tenshi (Drunken Angel)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1949 Shizukanaru ketto (A Silent Duel/The Quiet Duel)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions
1949 Nora inu (Stray Dog)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, French versions
1950 Shubun - Sukyandaru (Scandal)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions
1950 Rashomon
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, French versions, and more
1951 Hakuchi (The Idiot)
Survival status: Exist (imcomplete version) (*2)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions
1952 Ikiru (Doomed/Living/To Live)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1954 Shichinin no samurai (Seven Samurai)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, French versions, and more
1955 Ikimono no kiroku (I Live in Fear/Record of a Living Being)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1957 Kumonosu jo (Throne of Blood/Cobweb Castle)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1957 Donzoko (The Lower Depths)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1958 Kakushi-toride no san-akunin (The Hidden Fortress)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1960 Warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru (The Bad Sleep Well)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1961 Yojimbo (The Bodyguard)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, French versions, and more
1962 Tsubaki Sanjuro (Sanjuro)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, French versions, and more
1963 Tengoku to jigoku (High and Low)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1964 Akahige (Red Beard)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1970 Do desu ka den (Dodes'ka-den )
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK, French versions, and more
1975 Dersu Uzala (Derusu Uzara )
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1980 Kagemusha
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1985 Ran
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1990 Yume (Akira Kurosawa's Dreams/Dreams)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1991 Hachi-gatsu no kyoshikyoku (Rhapsody in August)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
1993 Madadayo (Not Yet)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese, USA, UK versions, and more
(*1) Originally 97min. Shortened to 79min when re-released (including a few minutes of description titles for omitted scenes). Recovered to 90 min recently (still including the titles).
(*2) Originally approx. 270min. The original version was not released. Shortly after Kurosawa's death, Kei Kumai (movie director) told that he confirmed that a positive of the original version is preserved, but it has not resurfaced yet.
(Trivial thoughts)
Many say that Kurosawa's style changed in 1960s. I agree. However, when and how? Many say that Kurosawa changed when he began to direct movies in color. Here, I do not agree.
Kurosawa's expressions are usually excessive, humid heat of summer in "Stray Dog", rain like a squall in "Rashomon", "Seven Samurai" and even in "Rhapsody in August" in his 80s, and too strong passion or obsession which possesses the characters. The excessiveness has been delicately balanced with reality, which has given Kurosawa movies power, fever and more truth than reality. When the balance broke, truth would be lost and the expression or performance would seem to be exaggerated or overacted.
Even in his fims in 1950s, the balance broke occasionally, but the damage was limited. In 1960s, Kurosawa's films gradually cooled down, and lost fever and truth, which was clearly found, in particular, in performance of players. Such performance appears not to be supported by a true passion, and, as a result, seems to be artificial, which gives cold impression. I feel such coldness already in "High and Low".
However, not all performances are cold in Kurosawa's films even after 1960s, and if such cold performances are found, they are not fatal. Kurosawa changed indeed, but changes are not always bad. For example, such cold performance was rather suitable for "Ran" in which Kurosawa instructed players to act in "noh"-style. "Ran" is a masterpiece, I believe, and is one of my favorite Kurosawa movies.
Monday, January 23, 2017
Japanese movie director (1): Yoji Yamada
Yôji Yamada (1931 - ) (age 85)
Yôji Yamada is the director whose films have been most frequently ranked in the Top_10_movies (27 times).
(Type) Yamada is not a director of a genius type, but a sincere and skilled artisan type. Yamada is one of the most well-known film director in Japan, mainly due to the popularity of "Tora-san" ("Otoko wa tsurai yo") series produced from 1961 to 1995 (48 titles, Yamada directed 46).
Yamada entered Shōchiku Company in 1954, had been trained in Shōchiku's studio system to become a director, and has worked in Shōchiku to this day. Thus, Yamada's style does not deviate from standards of Shōchiku (e.g., observation of moral of the middle class, avoidance of excessive violence or sexuality, faith in human goodness, and so on). In addition, Yamada's direction style seems to have conformed to the conventional rules of movie of pre-"Nouvelle Vague". As a result, Yamada has long been criticized as conservative, especially in 1970s and 1980s, mainly by leftish critics, although Yamada has supported Japan Communist Party and was a devoted union member.
(Career)
I think Yamada's career can be divided into three periods as follows:
(1) 1961 to 1969 _ from debut before "Tora-san":
(2) 1969 to 1995 _ "Tora-san" and occasional challenges: and
(3) 1995 to today _ after "Tora-san".
The filmography is to be provided for each period with short comments.
(Filmography)
The filmography provides the items "Production year", "Japanese title", "English title" (when no official English title exists, literal translation by the blog manager is shown in red), and DVD availability. Titles of the movies ranked in Top_10 are in bold font.
Yamada's films have been all preserved in a complete form, thus the item "Survival Status" is omitted).
The region code of Japanese version DVD is "2". No subtitle is available for Japanese version DVD, unless noted otherwise. European (French, German, Italian) version DVD is in Pal-format.Some of the available DVD titles are out of stock.
(Filmography 1: 1961 to 1969) From debut before "Tora-san"
1961 Nikai no tanin (The Strangers Upstairs)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1963 Shitamachi no taiyô (Sun of Downtown)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1964 Iikagen baka (Indeed a Stupid)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1964 Baka marudashi (Nothing but a Stupid)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1964 Baka ga tanku de yatte kuru (A Stupid on a Tank)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1965 Kiri no hata (Flag in the Mist)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1966 Un ga yokerya (With a Little Luck)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1966 Natsukashii furaibo (The Loveable Tramp)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1967 Ai no Sanka (Song of Love)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1967 Kigeki: Ippatsu shôbu (It's a Game of All or Nothing)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1968 Fukeba tobuyona otokodaga (I'm a Mere Nobody, but...)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1968 Ippatsu daiboken (It's a Big Adventure)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1969 Kigeki: ippatsu dai hisshou (It's a Big Win)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
In this period, Yamada attracted attention of several critics as a talented director of comedy movies. In most of his comedy movies in this period, the character of the hero is vital, vulgar, violent, brutal, and sometimes even a criminal, but has not lost humanity. Yamada's sympathy for such a "good bad-guy" seems to be very strong, and, thus, I suppose Yamada is anarchistic rather than communistic.
In a good comedy movie, humor and pathos are well balanced. In Yamada's comedies, pathos is sometimes so strong that the movie ends as something like a tragedy. Such unbalanced "comedy" movies, which some may regard as failure, are, however, my favorites. Thus, from among Yamada's movies in this period, I recommend "Fukeba tobuyona otokodaga" (1968).
Yôji Yamada is the director whose films have been most frequently ranked in the Top_10_movies (27 times).
(Type) Yamada is not a director of a genius type, but a sincere and skilled artisan type. Yamada is one of the most well-known film director in Japan, mainly due to the popularity of "Tora-san" ("Otoko wa tsurai yo") series produced from 1961 to 1995 (48 titles, Yamada directed 46).
Yamada entered Shōchiku Company in 1954, had been trained in Shōchiku's studio system to become a director, and has worked in Shōchiku to this day. Thus, Yamada's style does not deviate from standards of Shōchiku (e.g., observation of moral of the middle class, avoidance of excessive violence or sexuality, faith in human goodness, and so on). In addition, Yamada's direction style seems to have conformed to the conventional rules of movie of pre-"Nouvelle Vague". As a result, Yamada has long been criticized as conservative, especially in 1970s and 1980s, mainly by leftish critics, although Yamada has supported Japan Communist Party and was a devoted union member.
(Career)
I think Yamada's career can be divided into three periods as follows:
(1) 1961 to 1969 _ from debut before "Tora-san":
(2) 1969 to 1995 _ "Tora-san" and occasional challenges: and
(3) 1995 to today _ after "Tora-san".
The filmography is to be provided for each period with short comments.
(Filmography)
The filmography provides the items "Production year", "Japanese title", "English title" (when no official English title exists, literal translation by the blog manager is shown in red), and DVD availability. Titles of the movies ranked in Top_10 are in bold font.
(Filmography 1: 1961 to 1969) From debut before "Tora-san"
1961 Nikai no tanin (The Strangers Upstairs)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1963 Shitamachi no taiyô (Sun of Downtown)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1964 Iikagen baka (Indeed a Stupid)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1964 Baka marudashi (Nothing but a Stupid)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1964 Baka ga tanku de yatte kuru (A Stupid on a Tank)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1965 Kiri no hata (Flag in the Mist)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1966 Un ga yokerya (With a Little Luck)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1966 Natsukashii furaibo (The Loveable Tramp)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1967 Ai no Sanka (Song of Love)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1967 Kigeki: Ippatsu shôbu (It's a Game of All or Nothing)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1968 Fukeba tobuyona otokodaga (I'm a Mere Nobody, but...)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1968 Ippatsu daiboken (It's a Big Adventure)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
1969 Kigeki: ippatsu dai hisshou (It's a Big Win)
DVD: Only Japanese version available
In this period, Yamada attracted attention of several critics as a talented director of comedy movies. In most of his comedy movies in this period, the character of the hero is vital, vulgar, violent, brutal, and sometimes even a criminal, but has not lost humanity. Yamada's sympathy for such a "good bad-guy" seems to be very strong, and, thus, I suppose Yamada is anarchistic rather than communistic.
In a good comedy movie, humor and pathos are well balanced. In Yamada's comedies, pathos is sometimes so strong that the movie ends as something like a tragedy. Such unbalanced "comedy" movies, which some may regard as failure, are, however, my favorites. Thus, from among Yamada's movies in this period, I recommend "Fukeba tobuyona otokodaga" (1968).
Friday, January 20, 2017
Japanese movie directors: Selected List
JAPANESE MOVIE DIRECTORS: Selected List
From today on, this blog is to provide information of Japanese film directors. Not all directors, of course, but the directors "recognized as important" ones or "my favorite" ones.
"My favorite" directors are ones who directed films which I want to recommend to other Japanese movie fans. I will select them on my own and according to my taste. Forgive me if your favorite director might not be selected.
The "recognized as important" ones cannot be selected according to my taste, but must be selected based on some objective standard. Thus, I select them based on Japanese Top_10_movies from 1926 to 2016 (i.e., based on the number of times their film was ranked in Top_10_movies).
The directors, whose films were ranked in Top_10_movies five times or more, are listed below (note: the number in parentheses is the number of films ranked in Top_10, and the directors whose name is displayed in red are alive and active today).
(6 directors ranked 20 times or more)
Yôji Yamada (27),
Akira Kurosawa (25),
Tadashi Imai (22),
Yasujirô Ozu (20),
Keisuke Kinoshita (20),
Satsuo Yamamoto (20)
(17 directors ranked 10 times or more)
Kaneto Shindô (19), Kenji Mizoguchi (18),
Kon Ichikawa (18), Mikio Naruse (16),
Shôhei Imamura (15), Daisuke Itô (13),
Tomu Uchida (13), Tomotaka Tasaka (13),
Heinosuke Gosho (12), Nagisa Ôshima (12),
Masaki Kobayashi (11), Shirô Toyoda (11),
Kinji Fukasaku (11), Kôzaburô Yoshimura (11),
Yasujirô Shimazu (10), Teinosuke Kinugasa (10),
Junji Sakamoto (10),
(34 directors ranked 5 times or more)
Hiroshi Inagaki (9), Takeshi Kitano (9), Masahiro Shinoda (9),
Nobuhiko Ôbayashi (9), Sadao Yamanaka (8), Kei Kumai (8),
Kazuo Kuroki (8), Hayao Miyazaki (8), Masahiro Makino (7),
Tatsumi Kumashiro (7), Jun Ichikawa (7), Shinji Sômai (7),
Atsuhiro Yamashita (7), Yutaka Abe (6), Kihachi Okamoto (6),
Yôichi Sai (6), Hiroshi Teshigahara (6), Yoshitarô Nomura (6),
Yôichi Higashi (6), Yoshishige Yoshida (6), Hirokazu Koreeda (6),
Minoru Murata (5), Kiyohiko Ushihara (5), Hiroshi Shimizu (5),
Minoru Shibuya (5), Hisatora Kumagai (5), Kirio (Kirirô) Urayama (5),
Susumu Hani (5), Toshiya Fujita (5), Kiyoshi Kurosawa (5),
Yoshimitsu Morita (5), Kazuyuki Izutsu (5), Masato Harada (5),
Hideyuki Hirayama (5)
From tomorrow, this blog will provide information of individual directors, including the filmography, DVD availability and/or survival status of the films, and so on.
From today on, this blog is to provide information of Japanese film directors. Not all directors, of course, but the directors "recognized as important" ones or "my favorite" ones.
"My favorite" directors are ones who directed films which I want to recommend to other Japanese movie fans. I will select them on my own and according to my taste. Forgive me if your favorite director might not be selected.
The "recognized as important" ones cannot be selected according to my taste, but must be selected based on some objective standard. Thus, I select them based on Japanese Top_10_movies from 1926 to 2016 (i.e., based on the number of times their film was ranked in Top_10_movies).
The directors, whose films were ranked in Top_10_movies five times or more, are listed below (note: the number in parentheses is the number of films ranked in Top_10, and the directors whose name is displayed in red are alive and active today).
(6 directors ranked 20 times or more)
Yôji Yamada (27),
Akira Kurosawa (25),
Tadashi Imai (22),
Yasujirô Ozu (20),
Keisuke Kinoshita (20),
Satsuo Yamamoto (20)
(17 directors ranked 10 times or more)
Kaneto Shindô (19), Kenji Mizoguchi (18),
Kon Ichikawa (18), Mikio Naruse (16),
Shôhei Imamura (15), Daisuke Itô (13),
Tomu Uchida (13), Tomotaka Tasaka (13),
Heinosuke Gosho (12), Nagisa Ôshima (12),
Masaki Kobayashi (11), Shirô Toyoda (11),
Kinji Fukasaku (11), Kôzaburô Yoshimura (11),
Yasujirô Shimazu (10), Teinosuke Kinugasa (10),
Junji Sakamoto (10),
(34 directors ranked 5 times or more)
Hiroshi Inagaki (9), Takeshi Kitano (9), Masahiro Shinoda (9),
Nobuhiko Ôbayashi (9), Sadao Yamanaka (8), Kei Kumai (8),
Kazuo Kuroki (8), Hayao Miyazaki (8), Masahiro Makino (7),
Tatsumi Kumashiro (7), Jun Ichikawa (7), Shinji Sômai (7),
Atsuhiro Yamashita (7), Yutaka Abe (6), Kihachi Okamoto (6),
Yôichi Sai (6), Hiroshi Teshigahara (6), Yoshitarô Nomura (6),
Yôichi Higashi (6), Yoshishige Yoshida (6), Hirokazu Koreeda (6),
Minoru Murata (5), Kiyohiko Ushihara (5), Hiroshi Shimizu (5),
Minoru Shibuya (5), Hisatora Kumagai (5), Kirio (Kirirô) Urayama (5),
Susumu Hani (5), Toshiya Fujita (5), Kiyoshi Kurosawa (5),
Yoshimitsu Morita (5), Kazuyuki Izutsu (5), Masato Harada (5),
Hideyuki Hirayama (5)
From tomorrow, this blog will provide information of individual directors, including the filmography, DVD availability and/or survival status of the films, and so on.
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Overview: Japanese movies from 2001 to today
Overview: Japanese movies from 2001 to today
Recovery (?)
In this period, the number of theaters (screens) has largely increased to approx. 3300 to 3400.
The number of attendance has varied in a range of 140 to 170 millions.
The number of distributed productions has also increased largely: in 2004, approx. 310 (including approx. 100 porn movies); from 2005 to 2010, approx. 400 to 450 (including approx. 80 to 40 porn movies); and, from 2012 on, more than 500 (including approx. 40 porn movies).
Quantity guarantees quality. I myself feel that the level of Japanese movies has risen in 21st century, when compared with that in the bottom period of 1990s.
The same directors have been found in the Top_10_movies list regularly (e.g., Hirokazu Koreeda, Nobuhiro Yamashita, Miwa Nishikawa, and more). It is because the current conditions of Japanese movie industry enables directors, who has been once recognized as talented or skilled, to get offers of directing a movie regularly.
As the data above shows, the number of productions and that of the theaters (screens) have increased at a similar rate. However, the number of attendance has not (i.e., it is probable that total profit of the industry has not increased so much). It means that the number of commercially distributed movies that could not recover the cost has largely increased in this period.
I'm afraid that some or many of such movies were produced by people who were aware that they would lose money and whose goal was not to get profit which enable them to produce the next movie, but to get a chance of screening of their works. For such people, movie production is not a profession, but an expensive hobby? If so, they are amateur movies, commercially distributed amateur movies.
What becomes of the directors of such movies? Few of them might become a professional one, and many of them might not direct his/her next film.
Quantity guarantees quality. However, what guarantees the quantity of Japanese movie today? It is something unsound, I think. Thus, I cannot be so optimistic about the future of Japanese movie industry.
Recovery (?)
In this period, the number of theaters (screens) has largely increased to approx. 3300 to 3400.
The number of attendance has varied in a range of 140 to 170 millions.
The number of distributed productions has also increased largely: in 2004, approx. 310 (including approx. 100 porn movies); from 2005 to 2010, approx. 400 to 450 (including approx. 80 to 40 porn movies); and, from 2012 on, more than 500 (including approx. 40 porn movies).
Quantity guarantees quality. I myself feel that the level of Japanese movies has risen in 21st century, when compared with that in the bottom period of 1990s.
The same directors have been found in the Top_10_movies list regularly (e.g., Hirokazu Koreeda, Nobuhiro Yamashita, Miwa Nishikawa, and more). It is because the current conditions of Japanese movie industry enables directors, who has been once recognized as talented or skilled, to get offers of directing a movie regularly.
As the data above shows, the number of productions and that of the theaters (screens) have increased at a similar rate. However, the number of attendance has not (i.e., it is probable that total profit of the industry has not increased so much). It means that the number of commercially distributed movies that could not recover the cost has largely increased in this period.
I'm afraid that some or many of such movies were produced by people who were aware that they would lose money and whose goal was not to get profit which enable them to produce the next movie, but to get a chance of screening of their works. For such people, movie production is not a profession, but an expensive hobby? If so, they are amateur movies, commercially distributed amateur movies.
What becomes of the directors of such movies? Few of them might become a professional one, and many of them might not direct his/her next film.
Quantity guarantees quality. However, what guarantees the quantity of Japanese movie today? It is something unsound, I think. Thus, I cannot be so optimistic about the future of Japanese movie industry.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Overview: Japanese movies in 1990s
Overview: Japanese movies in 1990s
The number of movie theaters in Japan, after having decreased to approx. 1730 in 1993, began to increase mainly due to the increase of multiplex movie theaters. The number of theaters (screens) had reached approx. 2500 in 2000.
The number of attendance decreased to all-time low of less than 110 millions in 1996, and then remained in a range of 130 to 150 millions.
The yearly number of productions had increased from approx. 240 to approx. 280 in this period. The number of porn movies gradually decreased.
In 2000, it is presumed that the Top_10_movies were selected out of approx. 200 titles.
In this period, about a half of the box-office top 10 movies were animation movies, many of them being based on a popular TV animation program.
In this period, most active movie production companies were TV broadcasting companies. Terrestrial/satellite television broadcasting companies were associated with nearly 40% of the Top_10_movies in 1990s.
Thus, TV broadcasting companies had come to support Japanese movie industry both in quantity and quality. This trend has continued until today.
In 2000, Shochiku closed its shooting studio and sold the site. Around 2000, all the Japanese major movie companies had become a movie distribution company that might occasionally produce a movie.
The number of movie theaters in Japan, after having decreased to approx. 1730 in 1993, began to increase mainly due to the increase of multiplex movie theaters. The number of theaters (screens) had reached approx. 2500 in 2000.
The number of attendance decreased to all-time low of less than 110 millions in 1996, and then remained in a range of 130 to 150 millions.
The yearly number of productions had increased from approx. 240 to approx. 280 in this period. The number of porn movies gradually decreased.
In 2000, it is presumed that the Top_10_movies were selected out of approx. 200 titles.
In this period, about a half of the box-office top 10 movies were animation movies, many of them being based on a popular TV animation program.
In this period, most active movie production companies were TV broadcasting companies. Terrestrial/satellite television broadcasting companies were associated with nearly 40% of the Top_10_movies in 1990s.
Thus, TV broadcasting companies had come to support Japanese movie industry both in quantity and quality. This trend has continued until today.
In 2000, Shochiku closed its shooting studio and sold the site. Around 2000, all the Japanese major movie companies had become a movie distribution company that might occasionally produce a movie.
Overview: Japanese movie in 1986 to 1990
Nikkatsu withdrew from movie production business in 1988.
In this period, homeownership rate of video player/recorder increased rapidly in Japan. The fans of porn movies naturally preferred to watching adult video software (hardcore) privately at home to watching porn movies (softcore) in a movie theater, which made Nikkatsu roman porn movies less profitable.
Thus, in 1988, Nikkatsu stopped producing porn movies and changed its program to non-porn double feature one. This challenge was a disastrous failure. In the same year, Nikkatsu declared to stop movie production.
As a result, the total number of Japanese movies had decreased to 240 in 1990 from 310 in 1986.
In 1990, 2/3 of Japanese movies were cheap porn movies, which were produced under far more severe conditions than Nikkatsu roman porn movies and whose quality was, in most cases, out of the question.
Accordingly, it can be said that, around 1990, the Top_10_movies were selected from among 100 or less movies. It was quite natural that the quality of the top 10 out of 100 movies in this period is far inferior to the top 10 out of 500 around 1960.
In this period, homeownership rate of video player/recorder increased rapidly in Japan. The fans of porn movies naturally preferred to watching adult video software (hardcore) privately at home to watching porn movies (softcore) in a movie theater, which made Nikkatsu roman porn movies less profitable.
Thus, in 1988, Nikkatsu stopped producing porn movies and changed its program to non-porn double feature one. This challenge was a disastrous failure. In the same year, Nikkatsu declared to stop movie production.
As a result, the total number of Japanese movies had decreased to 240 in 1990 from 310 in 1986.
In 1990, 2/3 of Japanese movies were cheap porn movies, which were produced under far more severe conditions than Nikkatsu roman porn movies and whose quality was, in most cases, out of the question.
Accordingly, it can be said that, around 1990, the Top_10_movies were selected from among 100 or less movies. It was quite natural that the quality of the top 10 out of 100 movies in this period is far inferior to the top 10 out of 500 around 1960.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
2016 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Kono sekai no katasumi ni (In This Corner of the World)
Director: Sunao Katabuchi
DVD Availability : Not yet
(02) Shin Gojira (Shin Godzilla/Godzilla Resurgence)
Director: Hideaki Anno, Shinji Higuchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01MXXRMBQ (release date is March 22nd)
(03) Fuchi ni tatsu (Harmonium)
Director: Kôji Fukada
DVD Availability : UK_code: B01NAI5DE0
(04) Disutorakushon beibiizu (Destruction Babies)
Director: Tetsuya Mariko
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01KJ38DME
(05) Nagai iiwake (The Long Excuse)
Director: Miwa Nishikawa
DVD Availability : Not yet
(06) Rippu Van Winkuru no hanayome (A Bride for Rip Van Winkle)
Director: Shunji Iwai
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01H19MIVG
(07) Yu wo wakasuhodo no atsui ai (Her Love Boils Bathwater)
Director: Ryôta Nakano
DVD Availability : Not yet
(08) Kuriipii: Itsuwari no rinjin (Creepy)
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01KFLVYT4, USA_code: B01N1VNGB7,
UK_code: B01KZWB948
(09) Oobaa fensu (Over the Fence)
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01MYXHKAY (release date is March 10th)
(10) Ikari (Rage)
Director: Sang-il Lee
DVD Availability : Not yet
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Sunao Katabuchi
DVD Availability : Not yet
(02) Shin Gojira (Shin Godzilla/Godzilla Resurgence)
Director: Hideaki Anno, Shinji Higuchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01MXXRMBQ (release date is March 22nd)
(03) Fuchi ni tatsu (Harmonium)
Director: Kôji Fukada
DVD Availability : UK_code: B01NAI5DE0
(04) Disutorakushon beibiizu (Destruction Babies)
Director: Tetsuya Mariko
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01KJ38DME
(05) Nagai iiwake (The Long Excuse)
Director: Miwa Nishikawa
DVD Availability : Not yet
(06) Rippu Van Winkuru no hanayome (A Bride for Rip Van Winkle)
Director: Shunji Iwai
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01H19MIVG
(07) Yu wo wakasuhodo no atsui ai (Her Love Boils Bathwater)
Director: Ryôta Nakano
DVD Availability : Not yet
(08) Kuriipii: Itsuwari no rinjin (Creepy)
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01KFLVYT4, USA_code: B01N1VNGB7,
UK_code: B01KZWB948
(09) Oobaa fensu (Over the Fence)
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01MYXHKAY (release date is March 10th)
(10) Ikari (Rage)
Director: Sang-il Lee
DVD Availability : Not yet
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Monday, January 16, 2017
2015 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Koibitotachi (Lovers)
Director: Ryosuke Hashiguchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01H5CH1I4
(02) Nobi (Fires on the Plain)
Director: Shin'ya Tsukamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01BG8ELPE
(03) Happî awâ (Happy Hour)
Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
DVD Availability : None
(04) Umimachi diary (Our Little Sister)
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B015IGUQRW, USA_code: B01N3V7XRF,
UK_code: B01BPDG1IU
(05) Kishibe no tabi (Journey to the Shore)
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01BGEG9OY, UK_code: B01BF5PREM
(06) GONIN saga
Director: Takashi Ishii
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B019DFBL7S
(07) Kono kuni no sora (When I Was Most Beautiful)
Director: Haruhiko Arai
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B018EFO4Q8
(08) Soromon no gishou (Solomon's Perjury)
Director: Izuru Narushima
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00Z8V93NQ (Blu-ray)
(09) Haha to kueaseba (Living with My Mother)
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01BY3GPUU
(10) Kimi wa iiko (Being Good)
Director: Mipo Oh
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B017D3KDC6
(10) Rôringu (Rolling)
Director: Masanori Tominaga
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B016BOB8UY
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Ryosuke Hashiguchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01H5CH1I4
(02) Nobi (Fires on the Plain)
Director: Shin'ya Tsukamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01BG8ELPE
(03) Happî awâ (Happy Hour)
Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
DVD Availability : None
(04) Umimachi diary (Our Little Sister)
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B015IGUQRW, USA_code: B01N3V7XRF,
UK_code: B01BPDG1IU
(05) Kishibe no tabi (Journey to the Shore)
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01BGEG9OY, UK_code: B01BF5PREM
(06) GONIN saga
Director: Takashi Ishii
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B019DFBL7S
(07) Kono kuni no sora (When I Was Most Beautiful)
Director: Haruhiko Arai
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B018EFO4Q8
(08) Soromon no gishou (Solomon's Perjury)
Director: Izuru Narushima
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00Z8V93NQ (Blu-ray)
(09) Haha to kueaseba (Living with My Mother)
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01BY3GPUU
(10) Kimi wa iiko (Being Good)
Director: Mipo Oh
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B017D3KDC6
(10) Rôringu (Rolling)
Director: Masanori Tominaga
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B016BOB8UY
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
2014 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Sokonomi nite hikari kagayaku (The Light Shines Only There)
Director: Oh Mipo
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00MB3CSL8
(02) 0.5 miri (O.5 Mm)
Director: Momoko Andô
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00SY2HCUM
(03) Kami no tsuki (Pale Moon)
Director: Daihachi Yoshida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00TJPTIP0
(04) No no nanananoka (Seven Weeks)
Director: Nobuhiko Ôbayashi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01BMXEHVG
(05) Bokutachi no kazoku (Our Family)
Director: Yûya Ishii
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00MVL0SVW
(06) Chiisai ouchi (The Little House)
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00JUHVXO6
(07) Watashi no otoko (My Man)
Director: Kazuyoshi Kumakiri
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00O2V8EVU
(08) Hyakuen no koi (100 Yen Love)
Director: Masaharu Take
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00TTA699I
(09) Mizu no koe wo kiku (The Voice of Water)
Director: Masashi Yamamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B010S3YU3Q
(10) Nishino Yukihiko no koi to bôken (The Tale of Nishino)
Director: Nami Iguchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00K67Z23M
(10) Higurashi no ki (A Samurai Chronicle)
Director: Takashi Koizumi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00R3UO04W
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Oh Mipo
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00MB3CSL8
(02) 0.5 miri (O.5 Mm)
Director: Momoko Andô
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00SY2HCUM
(03) Kami no tsuki (Pale Moon)
Director: Daihachi Yoshida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00TJPTIP0
(04) No no nanananoka (Seven Weeks)
Director: Nobuhiko Ôbayashi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01BMXEHVG
(05) Bokutachi no kazoku (Our Family)
Director: Yûya Ishii
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00MVL0SVW
(06) Chiisai ouchi (The Little House)
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00JUHVXO6
(07) Watashi no otoko (My Man)
Director: Kazuyoshi Kumakiri
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00O2V8EVU
(08) Hyakuen no koi (100 Yen Love)
Director: Masaharu Take
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00TTA699I
(09) Mizu no koe wo kiku (The Voice of Water)
Director: Masashi Yamamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B010S3YU3Q
(10) Nishino Yukihiko no koi to bôken (The Tale of Nishino)
Director: Nami Iguchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00K67Z23M
(10) Higurashi no ki (A Samurai Chronicle)
Director: Takashi Koizumi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00R3UO04W
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Sunday, January 15, 2017
2013 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Pekorosu no haha ni ai ni iku (Pecoross' Mother and Her Days)
Director: Azuma Morisaki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00IJ1V8LM
(02) Fune wo amu (The Great Passage)
Director: Yûya Ishii
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00E8F42HK
(03) Kyôaku (The Devil's Path)
Director: Kazuya Shiraishi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00W0Y9RTY
(04) Kaguyahime no monogatari (The Tale of the Princess Kaguya)
Director: Isao Takahata
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00N2KJH22, USA_code: B00PHSCEFO,
UK_code: B00UZ2NYOW, and more
(05) Tomogui (The Backwater)
Director: Shinji Aoyama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00HCTGVXW
(06) Soshite chichi ni naru (Like Father, Like Son)
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00HVTGLJC, USA_code: B00JK7QWEM,
UK_code: B00FYZ7FFO, and more
(07) Kaze tachinu (The Wind Rises)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00J2NUMVS, USA_code: B00MHT49TK,
UK_code: B00K1GBHMI, and more
(07) Sayonara keikoku (The Ravine of Goodbye)
Director: Tatsushi Ohmori
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01FWOYUL8, USA (Please check Amazon video)
(09) Moratoriamu Tamako (Moratorium Tamako)
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01FWOYVGC
(10) Furasshubakku memorîzu 3D (Flashback Memories 3D)
Director: Tetsuaki Matsue
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00CP0YF9A
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Azuma Morisaki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00IJ1V8LM
(02) Fune wo amu (The Great Passage)
Director: Yûya Ishii
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00E8F42HK
(03) Kyôaku (The Devil's Path)
Director: Kazuya Shiraishi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00W0Y9RTY
(04) Kaguyahime no monogatari (The Tale of the Princess Kaguya)
Director: Isao Takahata
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00N2KJH22, USA_code: B00PHSCEFO,
UK_code: B00UZ2NYOW, and more
(05) Tomogui (The Backwater)
Director: Shinji Aoyama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00HCTGVXW
(06) Soshite chichi ni naru (Like Father, Like Son)
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00HVTGLJC, USA_code: B00JK7QWEM,
UK_code: B00FYZ7FFO, and more
(07) Kaze tachinu (The Wind Rises)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00J2NUMVS, USA_code: B00MHT49TK,
UK_code: B00K1GBHMI, and more
(07) Sayonara keikoku (The Ravine of Goodbye)
Director: Tatsushi Ohmori
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01FWOYUL8, USA (Please check Amazon video)
(09) Moratoriamu Tamako (Moratorium Tamako)
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01FWOYVGC
(10) Furasshubakku memorîzu 3D (Flashback Memories 3D)
Director: Tetsuaki Matsue
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00CP0YF9A
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
2012 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Kazoku no kuni (Our Homeland)
Director: Yong-hi Yang
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00AYCRLGK
(02) Kirishima, bukatsu yamerutteyo (The Kirishima Thing)
Director: Daihachi Yoshida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00ANE9JGY
(03) Autoreiji: biyondo (Beyond Outrage)
Director: Takeshi Kitano
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00AM5VG2E (out of stock), USA_code: B00HI9QGWC,
FR_code: B0128QPYMM
(04) Tsui no shintaku (The Terminal Trust)
Director: Masayuki Suo
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00B7WGCAC
(05) Kueki ressha (The Drudgery Train)
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B009KTC258
(06) Waga haha no ki (Chronicle of My Mother)
Director: Masato Harada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01N6GP660
(07) Fugainai boku wa sora o mita (The Cowards Who Looked to the Sky)
Director: Yuki Tanada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01N6B2VHT
(07) Kagi-dorobô no mesoddo (Key of Life)
Director: Kenji Uchida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00B8OGUF6, USA_code: B00CFODA7O
(09) Kibô no kuni (The Land of Hope)
Director: Shion Sono
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00AE0KTDY, UK_code: B00C78PXAU
(10) Yume uru futari (Dreams for Sale)
Director: Miwa Nishikawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00A1UHPKM
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Yong-hi Yang
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00AYCRLGK
(02) Kirishima, bukatsu yamerutteyo (The Kirishima Thing)
Director: Daihachi Yoshida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00ANE9JGY
(03) Autoreiji: biyondo (Beyond Outrage)
Director: Takeshi Kitano
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00AM5VG2E (out of stock), USA_code: B00HI9QGWC,
FR_code: B0128QPYMM
(04) Tsui no shintaku (The Terminal Trust)
Director: Masayuki Suo
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00B7WGCAC
(05) Kueki ressha (The Drudgery Train)
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B009KTC258
(06) Waga haha no ki (Chronicle of My Mother)
Director: Masato Harada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01N6GP660
(07) Fugainai boku wa sora o mita (The Cowards Who Looked to the Sky)
Director: Yuki Tanada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B01N6B2VHT
(07) Kagi-dorobô no mesoddo (Key of Life)
Director: Kenji Uchida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00B8OGUF6, USA_code: B00CFODA7O
(09) Kibô no kuni (The Land of Hope)
Director: Shion Sono
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00AE0KTDY, UK_code: B00C78PXAU
(10) Yume uru futari (Dreams for Sale)
Director: Miwa Nishikawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00A1UHPKM
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Saturday, January 14, 2017
2011 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Ichimai no hagaki (Postcard)
Director: Kaneto Shindô
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0069VE1RW (out of stock)
(02) Ooshikamura soudouki (Someday)
Director: Junji Sakamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005FTXVWU
(03) Tsumetai nettaigyo (Cold Fish)
Director: Shion Sono
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00NLW6J86, USA_code: B004ZKKKW4
(04) Mahoro ekimae Tada benriken (Tada's Do-It-All House)
Director: Tatsushi Ohmori
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00KYDGHK0
(05) Yôkame no semi (Rebirth)
Director: Narushima Izuru
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005CZ7M72
(06) Saudâji (Saudade)
Director: Katsuya Tomita
DVD Availability : None
(07) Tôkyô kôen (Tokyo Park)
Director: Shinji Aoyama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0064UURI0
(08) Moteki (Love Strikes!)
Director: Hitoshi Ohne
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B006LW10RI
(09) Mai bakku pêji (My Back Page)
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005FD5G2E
(10) Tantei wa bar ni iru (Phone Call to the Bar)
Director: Hajime Hashimoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0065FIQ3M
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Kaneto Shindô
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0069VE1RW (out of stock)
(02) Ooshikamura soudouki (Someday)
Director: Junji Sakamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005FTXVWU
(03) Tsumetai nettaigyo (Cold Fish)
Director: Shion Sono
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00NLW6J86, USA_code: B004ZKKKW4
(04) Mahoro ekimae Tada benriken (Tada's Do-It-All House)
Director: Tatsushi Ohmori
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00KYDGHK0
(05) Yôkame no semi (Rebirth)
Director: Narushima Izuru
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005CZ7M72
(06) Saudâji (Saudade)
Director: Katsuya Tomita
DVD Availability : None
(07) Tôkyô kôen (Tokyo Park)
Director: Shinji Aoyama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0064UURI0
(08) Moteki (Love Strikes!)
Director: Hitoshi Ohne
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B006LW10RI
(09) Mai bakku pêji (My Back Page)
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005FD5G2E
(10) Tantei wa bar ni iru (Phone Call to the Bar)
Director: Hajime Hashimoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0065FIQ3M
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
2010 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Akunin (Villain)
Director: Sang-il Lee
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B004FLK6B8, UK_code: B005OSMUJC
(02) Kokuhaku (Confessions)
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0046ZSS2C, UK_code: B004KISO60
(03) Heaven's Story
Director: Takahisa Zeze
DVD Availability : None
(04) Jûsan-nin no shikaku (13 Assassins)
Director: Takashi Miike
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B004NYB7OM, USA_code: B004XQO8MS,
UK_code: B004ZCY18G
(05) Kawa no soko kara konnichi wa (Sawako Decides)
Director: Yûya Ishii
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B004F9PRSM, UK_code: B0052YOUAU
(06) Kyatapirâ (Caterpillar)
Director: Kôji Wakamatsu
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B004IPQLII, USA_code: B0063E00FC,
UK_code: B00B76YKFM, and more
(07) Hisshiken torisashi (Sword of Desperation)
Director: Hideyuki Hirayama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0044KMYHE
(08) Hîrô shô (Hero Show)
Director: Kazuyuki Izutsu
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0040X2XSK
(09) Kaitanshi jokei (Sketches of Kaitan City)
Director: Kazuyoshi Kumakiri
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005I63ZDU, USA(please check Amazon video)
(10) Nûdo no yoru: Ai wa oshiminaku ubau (A Night in Nude: Salvation)
Director: Takashi Ishii
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B004ELAYDO
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Sang-il Lee
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B004FLK6B8, UK_code: B005OSMUJC
(02) Kokuhaku (Confessions)
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0046ZSS2C, UK_code: B004KISO60
(03) Heaven's Story
Director: Takahisa Zeze
DVD Availability : None
(04) Jûsan-nin no shikaku (13 Assassins)
Director: Takashi Miike
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B004NYB7OM, USA_code: B004XQO8MS,
UK_code: B004ZCY18G
(05) Kawa no soko kara konnichi wa (Sawako Decides)
Director: Yûya Ishii
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B004F9PRSM, UK_code: B0052YOUAU
(06) Kyatapirâ (Caterpillar)
Director: Kôji Wakamatsu
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B004IPQLII, USA_code: B0063E00FC,
UK_code: B00B76YKFM, and more
(07) Hisshiken torisashi (Sword of Desperation)
Director: Hideyuki Hirayama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0044KMYHE
(08) Hîrô shô (Hero Show)
Director: Kazuyuki Izutsu
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0040X2XSK
(09) Kaitanshi jokei (Sketches of Kaitan City)
Director: Kazuyoshi Kumakiri
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005I63ZDU, USA(please check Amazon video)
(10) Nûdo no yoru: Ai wa oshiminaku ubau (A Night in Nude: Salvation)
Director: Takashi Ishii
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B004ELAYDO
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Friday, January 13, 2017
2009 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Dia dokutâ (Dear Doctor)
Director: Miwa Nishikawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B002QV1H8K
(02) Viyon no tsuma (Villon's Wife)
Director: Kichitaro Negishi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0030FZU9S (out of stock)
(03) Tsurugidake: Ten no ki (Mt. Tsurugidake)
Director: Daisaku Kimura
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B002NJ9VKQ
(04) Ai no mukidashi (Love Exposure)
Director: Shion Sono
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B002AE5A7M, USA_code: B005QODERG
(05) Shizumanu taiyô (The Unbroken)
Director: Setsurô Wakamatsu
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0037X4YV8
(06) Kûki ningyô (Air Doll)
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0033BSJ88, UK_code: B00979JYN4,
FR_code: B00L69WZZC
(07) Urutora mirakuru rabu sutôrî (Bare Essence of Life/Ultra-Miracle Love Story)
Director: Satoko Yokohama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B002QM92F4
(08) Summer Wars
Director: Mamoru Hosoda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00WVVNUR6 (out of stock), USA_code: B004DMIIVO,
UK_code: B004AFUJH0
(09) Dare mo mamotte kurenai (Nobody to Watch Over Me)
Director: Ryôichi Kimizuka
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B002BT3WFI
(10) Kaze ga tsuyoku fuiteiru (Feel the Wind)
Director: Sumio Ohmori
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B003187GDM
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Miwa Nishikawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B002QV1H8K
(02) Viyon no tsuma (Villon's Wife)
Director: Kichitaro Negishi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0030FZU9S (out of stock)
(03) Tsurugidake: Ten no ki (Mt. Tsurugidake)
Director: Daisaku Kimura
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B002NJ9VKQ
(04) Ai no mukidashi (Love Exposure)
Director: Shion Sono
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B002AE5A7M, USA_code: B005QODERG
(05) Shizumanu taiyô (The Unbroken)
Director: Setsurô Wakamatsu
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0037X4YV8
(06) Kûki ningyô (Air Doll)
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0033BSJ88, UK_code: B00979JYN4,
FR_code: B00L69WZZC
(07) Urutora mirakuru rabu sutôrî (Bare Essence of Life/Ultra-Miracle Love Story)
Director: Satoko Yokohama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B002QM92F4
(08) Summer Wars
Director: Mamoru Hosoda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00WVVNUR6 (out of stock), USA_code: B004DMIIVO,
UK_code: B004AFUJH0
(09) Dare mo mamotte kurenai (Nobody to Watch Over Me)
Director: Ryôichi Kimizuka
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B002BT3WFI
(10) Kaze ga tsuyoku fuiteiru (Feel the Wind)
Director: Sumio Ohmori
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B003187GDM
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
2008 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Okuribito (Departures)
Director: Yôjirô Takita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001Q2HNOW, USA: Please check Amazon video,
UK_code: B0031QJ5D8
(02) Gururi no koto (All Around Us)
Director: Ryosuke Hashiguchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001O6W9SU
(03) Jitsuroku Rengo Sekigun: Asama sanso e no michi (United Red Army)
Director: Kôji Wakamatsu
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001MSXHN6, USA_code: B0063E008Y,
FR_code: B002SPCB70, and more
(04) Tokyo Sonata
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001RABG8C, USA_code: B0037FFBCM,
UK_code: B0073GIDJ4 (+Blu-ray), and more
(05) Aruitemo Aruitemo (Still Walking)
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001I93IEM, USA_code: B004CGUBZW,
UK_code: B00395ATKY, and more
(06) Yami no kodomotachi (Children of Darkness)
Director: Junji Sakamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001O094A2
(07) Kâbê (Kabei: Our Mother)
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0018O3OW8
(08) Kuraimâzu hai (Climbers High)
Director: Masato Harada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005JAENVI
(09) Seppun (The Kiss)
Director: Kunitoshi Manda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001O0949S (out of stock)
(10) Afutâ sukûru (After School)
Director: Kenji Uchida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001EZ645A
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Yôjirô Takita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001Q2HNOW, USA: Please check Amazon video,
UK_code: B0031QJ5D8
(02) Gururi no koto (All Around Us)
Director: Ryosuke Hashiguchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001O6W9SU
(03) Jitsuroku Rengo Sekigun: Asama sanso e no michi (United Red Army)
Director: Kôji Wakamatsu
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001MSXHN6, USA_code: B0063E008Y,
FR_code: B002SPCB70, and more
(04) Tokyo Sonata
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001RABG8C, USA_code: B0037FFBCM,
UK_code: B0073GIDJ4 (+Blu-ray), and more
(05) Aruitemo Aruitemo (Still Walking)
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001I93IEM, USA_code: B004CGUBZW,
UK_code: B00395ATKY, and more
(06) Yami no kodomotachi (Children of Darkness)
Director: Junji Sakamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001O094A2
(07) Kâbê (Kabei: Our Mother)
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0018O3OW8
(08) Kuraimâzu hai (Climbers High)
Director: Masato Harada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005JAENVI
(09) Seppun (The Kiss)
Director: Kunitoshi Manda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001O0949S (out of stock)
(10) Afutâ sukûru (After School)
Director: Kenji Uchida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001EZ645A
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Thursday, January 12, 2017
2007 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Soredemo boku wa yattenai (I Just Didn't Do It)
Director: Masayuki Suo
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000QJLROI
(02) Tennen kokekkô (A Gentle Breeze in the Village)
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000WGUSS6, UK_code: B005X1GQ18
(03) Shaberedomo shaberedomo (Talk, Talk, Talk)
Director: Hideyuki Hirayama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000UNAE6M
(04) Sad Vacation
Director: Shinji Aoyama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0010WUDWC
(05) Kappa no ku to natsu yasumi (Summer Days with Coo)
Director: Keiichi Hara
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0014FIWAK, and more (Italian edition?)
(06) Saido kâ ni inu (Dog in a Sidecar)
Director: Kichitaro Negishi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000Y8CYW0
(07) Matsugane ransha jiken (The Matsugane Potshot Affair)
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000S6K9XY
(08) Tamamoe!
Director: Junji Sakamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000Q6ZG1Q
(09) Yûnagi no machi sakura no kuni (Yunagi City, Sakura Country)
Director: Kiyoshi Sasabe
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B007TO13WE
(10) Funuke domo, kanashimi no ai wo misero (Funuke: Show Some Love, You Losers!)
Director: Daihachi Yoshida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0011E7YUI, UK_code: B001V7P2RW
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Masayuki Suo
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000QJLROI
(02) Tennen kokekkô (A Gentle Breeze in the Village)
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000WGUSS6, UK_code: B005X1GQ18
(03) Shaberedomo shaberedomo (Talk, Talk, Talk)
Director: Hideyuki Hirayama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000UNAE6M
(04) Sad Vacation
Director: Shinji Aoyama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0010WUDWC
(05) Kappa no ku to natsu yasumi (Summer Days with Coo)
Director: Keiichi Hara
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0014FIWAK, and more (Italian edition?)
(06) Saido kâ ni inu (Dog in a Sidecar)
Director: Kichitaro Negishi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000Y8CYW0
(07) Matsugane ransha jiken (The Matsugane Potshot Affair)
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000S6K9XY
(08) Tamamoe!
Director: Junji Sakamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000Q6ZG1Q
(09) Yûnagi no machi sakura no kuni (Yunagi City, Sakura Country)
Director: Kiyoshi Sasabe
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B007TO13WE
(10) Funuke domo, kanashimi no ai wo misero (Funuke: Show Some Love, You Losers!)
Director: Daihachi Yoshida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0011E7YUI, UK_code: B001V7P2RW
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
2006 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Hura gâru (Hula Girls)
Director: Sang-il Lee
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000ZH6QZG, and more (Italian edition?)
(02) Yureru (Sway)
Director: Miwa Nishikawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000KIX658, USA_code: B001DZN63O
(03) Yuki ni negau koto (What the Snow Brings)
Director: Kichitaro Negishi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000H7ZWXQ
(04) Kamiya Etsuko no seishun (The Youth of Kamiya Etsuko)
Director: Kazuo Kuroki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000N0WBFE
(05) Bushi no ichibun (Love and Honor)
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000NVST0Y, USA_code: B0012SY0E6,
UK_code: B001NJTFDA
(06) Kiraware Matsuko no isshô (Memories of Matsuko)
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000HRMEYG, UK_code: B001L4I27M
(07) Hakase no aishita sûshiki (The Professor and His Beloved Equation)
Director: Takashi Koizumi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000C5PNV4
(08) Ashita no kioku (Memories of Tomorrow)
Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000FPEMX6
(09) Kamome shokudo (Kamome shokudô)
Director: Naoko Ogigami
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000ELGLDA (out of stock)
(10) Kamyu nante shiranai (Who's Camus Anyway?)
Director: Mitsuo Yanagimachi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000HA4A2C, UK_code: B000J0QJ24
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Sang-il Lee
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000ZH6QZG, and more (Italian edition?)
(02) Yureru (Sway)
Director: Miwa Nishikawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000KIX658, USA_code: B001DZN63O
(03) Yuki ni negau koto (What the Snow Brings)
Director: Kichitaro Negishi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000H7ZWXQ
(04) Kamiya Etsuko no seishun (The Youth of Kamiya Etsuko)
Director: Kazuo Kuroki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000N0WBFE
(05) Bushi no ichibun (Love and Honor)
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000NVST0Y, USA_code: B0012SY0E6,
UK_code: B001NJTFDA
(06) Kiraware Matsuko no isshô (Memories of Matsuko)
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000HRMEYG, UK_code: B001L4I27M
(07) Hakase no aishita sûshiki (The Professor and His Beloved Equation)
Director: Takashi Koizumi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000C5PNV4
(08) Ashita no kioku (Memories of Tomorrow)
Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000FPEMX6
(09) Kamome shokudo (Kamome shokudô)
Director: Naoko Ogigami
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000ELGLDA (out of stock)
(10) Kamyu nante shiranai (Who's Camus Anyway?)
Director: Mitsuo Yanagimachi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000HA4A2C, UK_code: B000J0QJ24
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
2005 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Pacchigi! (Break Through!)
Director: Kazuyuki Izutsu
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000NVST68
(02) Always san-chôme no yûhi (Always - Sunset on Third Street)
Director: Takashi Yamazaki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000EPE77S, USA_code: B00BO7QH3M (out of stock)
(03) Itsuka dokusho suruhi (The Milk Woman)
Director: Akira Ogata
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000E0VPM8
(04) Mezon do Himiko (La Maison de Himiko)
Director: Isshin Inudô
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00BUHVAXI
(05) Unmei ja nai hito (A Stranger of Mine)
Director: Kenji Uchida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000BWDCV6
(06) Linda, Linda, Linda
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000CDW8AA, and more (Italian DVD?)
(07) Kanaria (Canary)
Director: Akihiko Shiota
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000AYB2M6
(08) Otoko-tachi no Yamato (Yamato)
Director: Jun'ya Satô
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005FCX6MC
(09) Kûchû teien (Hanging Garden)
Director: Toshiaki Toyoda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000ENUYRC
(10) Gerumaniumu no yoru (The Whispering of the Gods)
Director: Tatsushi Ohmori
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B009NP9IGK (out of stock)
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Kazuyuki Izutsu
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000NVST68
(02) Always san-chôme no yûhi (Always - Sunset on Third Street)
Director: Takashi Yamazaki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000EPE77S, USA_code: B00BO7QH3M (out of stock)
(03) Itsuka dokusho suruhi (The Milk Woman)
Director: Akira Ogata
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000E0VPM8
(04) Mezon do Himiko (La Maison de Himiko)
Director: Isshin Inudô
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00BUHVAXI
(05) Unmei ja nai hito (A Stranger of Mine)
Director: Kenji Uchida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000BWDCV6
(06) Linda, Linda, Linda
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000CDW8AA, and more (Italian DVD?)
(07) Kanaria (Canary)
Director: Akihiko Shiota
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000AYB2M6
(08) Otoko-tachi no Yamato (Yamato)
Director: Jun'ya Satô
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005FCX6MC
(09) Kûchû teien (Hanging Garden)
Director: Toshiaki Toyoda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000ENUYRC
(10) Gerumaniumu no yoru (The Whispering of the Gods)
Director: Tatsushi Ohmori
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B009NP9IGK (out of stock)
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
2004 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Dare mo shiranai (Nobody Knows)
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0002PPXQY, USA_code: B000A5044C,
UK_code: B000936H32, and more
(02) Chi to Hone (Blood and Bones)
Director: Yôichi Sai
DVD Availability : Jpan_code: B0007CYVK6, USA_code: B001EKGW1Q
(03) Shimotsuma monogatari (Kamikaze Girls)
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0002X7IXC, USA_code: B002VLGFSC (Blu-ray),
UK_code: B002TXB2YE
(04) Chichi to kuraseba (The Face of Jizo)
Director: Kazuo Kuroki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0007WWG0S
(05) Kakushi ken oni no tsume (The Hidden Blade)
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0007TKPK4, USA_code: B000FS9FIK,
UK_code: B000EHPOPA
(06) Riyû (The Reason)
Director: Nobuhiko Ôbayashi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000IU39YG
(07) Swing Girls
Director: Shinobu Yaguchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0006ZJAZK, USA_code: B00128W9S0
(08) Niwatori wa hadashida (Chicken Is Barefoot)
Director: Azuma Morisaki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000EGCHZ6
(09) Chikusoku no natsu (Summer of Chirusoku)
Director: Kiyoshi Sasabe
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001DSSKN2
(10) Toukou no ki (Translucent Tree)
Director: Kichitaro Negishi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0009H9X4S (out of stock, second hand item very expensive)
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0002PPXQY, USA_code: B000A5044C,
UK_code: B000936H32, and more
(02) Chi to Hone (Blood and Bones)
Director: Yôichi Sai
DVD Availability : Jpan_code: B0007CYVK6, USA_code: B001EKGW1Q
(03) Shimotsuma monogatari (Kamikaze Girls)
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0002X7IXC, USA_code: B002VLGFSC (Blu-ray),
UK_code: B002TXB2YE
(04) Chichi to kuraseba (The Face of Jizo)
Director: Kazuo Kuroki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0007WWG0S
(05) Kakushi ken oni no tsume (The Hidden Blade)
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0007TKPK4, USA_code: B000FS9FIK,
UK_code: B000EHPOPA
(06) Riyû (The Reason)
Director: Nobuhiko Ôbayashi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000IU39YG
(07) Swing Girls
Director: Shinobu Yaguchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0006ZJAZK, USA_code: B00128W9S0
(08) Niwatori wa hadashida (Chicken Is Barefoot)
Director: Azuma Morisaki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000EGCHZ6
(09) Chikusoku no natsu (Summer of Chirusoku)
Director: Kiyoshi Sasabe
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B001DSSKN2
(10) Toukou no ki (Translucent Tree)
Director: Kichitaro Negishi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0009H9X4S (out of stock, second hand item very expensive)
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
2003 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Utsukushii natsu kirishima (A Boy's Summer in 1945)
Director: Kazuo Kuroki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0002HNQBQ
(02) Akame shijuya taki shinju misui (Akame 48 Waterfalls)
Director: Genjiro Arato
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0007G8DLK
(03) Vibrator
Director: Ryuichi Hiroki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000KGG4T0
(04) Joze to tora to sakana tachi (Josee, the Tiger and the Fish)
Director: Isshin Inudô
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00BUHVAW4
(05) Ashura no gotoku (Like Asura)
Director: Yoshimitsu Morita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0000YTR78
(06) Kagami no onnatachi (Women in the Mirror)
Director: Yoshishige Yoshida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00EURKOG4
(07) Zatôichi
Director: Takeshi Kitano
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0000A9D4A, USA_code: B006HAJ9FE,
UK_code: B000296FWQ, and more
(08) Warabi no kou (Going to Warabino)
Director: Hideo Onchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000LC5C14 (out of stock, second hand item very expensive)
(09) Dopperugengâ (Doppelganger)
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0001L269Q, USA_code: B000FZEQEG
(10) Bokunchi (My House)
Director: Junji Sakamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00008WJ2H (out of stock)
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Kazuo Kuroki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0002HNQBQ
(02) Akame shijuya taki shinju misui (Akame 48 Waterfalls)
Director: Genjiro Arato
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0007G8DLK
(03) Vibrator
Director: Ryuichi Hiroki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000KGG4T0
(04) Joze to tora to sakana tachi (Josee, the Tiger and the Fish)
Director: Isshin Inudô
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00BUHVAW4
(05) Ashura no gotoku (Like Asura)
Director: Yoshimitsu Morita
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0000YTR78
(06) Kagami no onnatachi (Women in the Mirror)
Director: Yoshishige Yoshida
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00EURKOG4
(07) Zatôichi
Director: Takeshi Kitano
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0000A9D4A, USA_code: B006HAJ9FE,
UK_code: B000296FWQ, and more
(08) Warabi no kou (Going to Warabino)
Director: Hideo Onchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000LC5C14 (out of stock, second hand item very expensive)
(09) Dopperugengâ (Doppelganger)
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0001L269Q, USA_code: B000FZEQEG
(10) Bokunchi (My House)
Director: Junji Sakamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00008WJ2H (out of stock)
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
2002 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Tasogare seibei (The Twilight Samurai)
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000YDBVG0, USA_code: B000G1DDNY,
UK_code: B00AVOLLLW, and more
(02) Keimusho no naka (Doing Time)
Director: Yôichi Sai
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0000A4HRX (out of stock)
(03) KT
Director: Junji Sakamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0001LNNXO (out of stock)
(04) OUT
Director: Hideyuki Hirayama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00012T3QY (out of stock)
(05) AIKI
Director: Yengan Daisuke
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00009AV4E
(06) Warau kaeru (A Laughing Frog)
Director: Hideyuki Hirayama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00007JMLR
(07) Amida-do dayori (Letter from the Mountain)
Director: Takashi Koizumi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00008XWUY
(07) Gomen (Sorry)
Director: Shin Togashi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00008NWZK
(09) Pinpon (Ping-Pong)
Director: Sori Fumihiko
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00BUHVECK, USA_code: B000QXDG70,
UK_code: B00078JZFQ
(10) Trabaiyu (Travail)
Director: Kentarô Ohtani
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00006ITYY
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000YDBVG0, USA_code: B000G1DDNY,
UK_code: B00AVOLLLW, and more
(02) Keimusho no naka (Doing Time)
Director: Yôichi Sai
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0000A4HRX (out of stock)
(03) KT
Director: Junji Sakamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0001LNNXO (out of stock)
(04) OUT
Director: Hideyuki Hirayama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00012T3QY (out of stock)
(05) AIKI
Director: Yengan Daisuke
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00009AV4E
(06) Warau kaeru (A Laughing Frog)
Director: Hideyuki Hirayama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00007JMLR
(07) Amida-do dayori (Letter from the Mountain)
Director: Takashi Koizumi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00008XWUY
(07) Gomen (Sorry)
Director: Shin Togashi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00008NWZK
(09) Pinpon (Ping-Pong)
Director: Sori Fumihiko
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00BUHVECK, USA_code: B000QXDG70,
UK_code: B00078JZFQ
(10) Trabaiyu (Travail)
Director: Kentarô Ohtani
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00006ITYY
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Monday, January 9, 2017
2001 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) GO
Director: Isao Yukisada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005FCX80M
(02) Hasshu! (Hush!)
Director: Ryosuke Hashiguchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00024Z4QY, FR_code: B0000944AD
(03) Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
DVD Availability : Japan_cpde: B00K73479A, USA_code: B00005JLEU,
UK_code: B000KRMZA6, and more
(04) EUREKA
Director: Shinji Aoyama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0010XZP9C, FR_code: B000PIU1U6, and more
(05) Kaza-hana (Snowflakes in the Wind)
Director: Shinji Sômai
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00005MIN6 (out of stock)
(06) Mabudachi (Bad Company)
Director: Tomoyuki Furumaya
DVD Availability : None
(07) Riri Shushu no subete (All About Lily Chou-Chou)
Director: Shunji Iwai
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000066FWV, USA_code: B0006Z2NCC (out of stock),
UK_code: B00008YNI3
(08) Waterboys
Director: Shinobu Yaguchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00025E1SA
(09) Hikari no ame (Rain of Light)
Director: Banmei Takahashi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00007B95C (out of stock)
(10) Akai hashi no shita no nurui mizu (Warm Water Under a Red Bridge)
Director: Shôhei Imamura
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000063EGT, USA_code: B000094J5Q (out of stock),
UK_code: B0000A1M2F (out of stock), and more
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Isao Yukisada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005FCX80M
(02) Hasshu! (Hush!)
Director: Ryosuke Hashiguchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00024Z4QY, FR_code: B0000944AD
(03) Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
DVD Availability : Japan_cpde: B00K73479A, USA_code: B00005JLEU,
UK_code: B000KRMZA6, and more
(04) EUREKA
Director: Shinji Aoyama
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B0010XZP9C, FR_code: B000PIU1U6, and more
(05) Kaza-hana (Snowflakes in the Wind)
Director: Shinji Sômai
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00005MIN6 (out of stock)
(06) Mabudachi (Bad Company)
Director: Tomoyuki Furumaya
DVD Availability : None
(07) Riri Shushu no subete (All About Lily Chou-Chou)
Director: Shunji Iwai
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000066FWV, USA_code: B0006Z2NCC (out of stock),
UK_code: B00008YNI3
(08) Waterboys
Director: Shinobu Yaguchi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00025E1SA
(09) Hikari no ame (Rain of Light)
Director: Banmei Takahashi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00007B95C (out of stock)
(10) Akai hashi no shita no nurui mizu (Warm Water Under a Red Bridge)
Director: Shôhei Imamura
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000063EGT, USA_code: B000094J5Q (out of stock),
UK_code: B0000A1M2F (out of stock), and more
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
2000 Japanese Top_10_Movies
(01) Kao (Face)
Director: Junji Sakamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B006DUM2AM, USA_code: B000AOEPL6
(02) Nabbie no koi (Nabbie's Love)
Director: Yuji Nakae
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00005EDSC
(03) Gohatto (Tabu)
Director: Nagisa Ôshima
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B007170QT0, USA_code: B0000687F5, FR_code: B00005AKTR
(04) 15-Sai: Gakko IV (A Class to Remember 4: Fifteen)
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000I2JQAA (out of stock)
(05) Batoru rowaiyaru (Battle Royale)
Director: Kinji Fukasaku
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005FCX820, USA_code: B006L4MWVE,
UK_code: B005IX34EI, and more
(06) Sanmon yakusha (By Player)
Director: Kaneto Shindô
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00005J48J (out of stock)
(07) Suri (Pickpocket)
Director: Kazuo Kuroki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000A38SM4
(08) Dokuritsu shônen gasshô-dan (Independent Boys Choir)
Director: Akira Ogata
DVD Availability : USA_code: B00008YLUN (out of stock),
FR_code: B001I9L04M (out of stock)
(09) Ame agaru (After the Rain)
Director: Takashi Koizumi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00BUHVCR2 (out of stock), FR_code: B0000501WG
(10) Hatsukoi (First Love)
Director: Tetsuo Shinohara
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00005HX2M
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
Director: Junji Sakamoto
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B006DUM2AM, USA_code: B000AOEPL6
(02) Nabbie no koi (Nabbie's Love)
Director: Yuji Nakae
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00005EDSC
(03) Gohatto (Tabu)
Director: Nagisa Ôshima
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B007170QT0, USA_code: B0000687F5, FR_code: B00005AKTR
(04) 15-Sai: Gakko IV (A Class to Remember 4: Fifteen)
Director: Yôji Yamada
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000I2JQAA (out of stock)
(05) Batoru rowaiyaru (Battle Royale)
Director: Kinji Fukasaku
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B005FCX820, USA_code: B006L4MWVE,
UK_code: B005IX34EI, and more
(06) Sanmon yakusha (By Player)
Director: Kaneto Shindô
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00005J48J (out of stock)
(07) Suri (Pickpocket)
Director: Kazuo Kuroki
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B000A38SM4
(08) Dokuritsu shônen gasshô-dan (Independent Boys Choir)
Director: Akira Ogata
DVD Availability : USA_code: B00008YLUN (out of stock),
FR_code: B001I9L04M (out of stock)
(09) Ame agaru (After the Rain)
Director: Takashi Koizumi
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00BUHVCR2 (out of stock), FR_code: B0000501WG
(10) Hatsukoi (First Love)
Director: Tetsuo Shinohara
DVD Availability : Japan_code: B00005HX2M
(*) Japanese DVDs are not subtitled (unless noted otherwise), French DVDs are French-subtitled.
(*) The region code of Japanese, UK's or French DVD is "2".
(*) The format of UK's or French DVD is "PAL".
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