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.
(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), "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 Imai'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 palyer, before purchasing DVD/Blu-ray discs.
(Filmography)
1939 Numazu heigakko (Numazu Millitary School)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1939 Warera ga Kyoukan (Our Instructor)
Survival Status: ?
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1940 Tajinko-mura (Tajinko Village)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1940 Onna no machi (A Street of Women)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1940 Kakka (Excellency)
Survival Status: ?
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1941 Kekkon no Seitai (Scenes of Marriage)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1943 Boro no kesshitai (Watchtower Suicide Squad)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1944 Ikari no Umi (Sea of Rage)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1945 Ai no Chikai (Love and Oath)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1946 Minshu no teki (An Enemy of the People)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1946 Jinsei tonbo gaeri (A Somersault of Life)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1947 Chikagai nijuyojikan (24 Hours of a Secret Life)
DVD/Blu-ray availability:None
1949 Aoi sanmyaku: sei, zoku (The Green Mountains : Part 1, Part2)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1949 Onna no Kao (LT A Woman's Face)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1950 Mata au hi made (Till We Meet Again/Until We Meet Again)
DVD/Blu-ray availability:Japanese
1951 Dokkoi ikiteru (I'm Still Alive)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1952 Yamabiko Gakko (School of Echoes)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1953 Himeyuri no to (Himeyuri Lily Tower/The Eternal Monument/The Tower of Lilies)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1953 Nigorie (An Inlet of Muddy Water)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1955 Ai sureba koso /dai 2 wa "Tobikonda Hanayome"
(Because I Love You_2nd episode, "Uninvited Bride")
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1955 Koko ni izumi ari (Here a Spring Gushes)
Survival Status: A version shorter than the original by approx. 15%
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1955 Yukiko
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1956 Mahiru no ankoku (Darkness at Midnight)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1957 Kome (Rice/The Rice People)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1957 Jun-ai monogatari (The Story of Pure Love)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1958 Yoru no tsuzumi (Night Drum/The Adulteress)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1959 Kiku to Isamu (Kiku and Isamu)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1960 Siroi Gake (The White Cliff)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1961 Arega minato no hi da (The Light of the port)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1962 Nippon no oba-chan (Japanese Old Women)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1963 Bushido zankoku monogatari
(Bushido/Bushido, Samurai Saga/Cruel Code of the Samurai)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1964 Echigo tsutsuishi oyashirazu (A Story from Echigo)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1964 Adauchi (Revenge/Vengeance)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: USA (Amazon.video)
1967 Satogashi ga kowareru toki (When the Cookie Crumbles)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1968 Fushin no toki (The Time of Reckoning)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1969 Hashi no nai kawa (River Without a Bridge)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1970 Hashi no nai kawa : dai 2 bu (River Without a Bridge : Part 2)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1971 En to iu Onna (A Woman Named En)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1972 Aa Koe naki Tomo (Ah! Silent Comrades)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1972 Kaigun tokubetsu shonen hei (Navy's Special Youth Soldiers)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1974 Kobayashi Takiji (Life of a Communist Writer)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1976 Yoba (The Possessed)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: Japanese
1976 Ani imoto (Brother and Sister)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1979 Kosodate gokko (Rika/The Proper Way)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1981 Yuki
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1982 Himeyuri no to (Himeyuri Lily Tower/The Eternal Monument/The Tower of Lilies)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
1991 Senso to seishun (War and Youth)
DVD/Blu-ray availability: None
My recommendations are as follows:
1949 Aoi sanmyaku (The Green Mountains);
1950 Mata au hi made (Till We Meet Again)
(as good examples of Imai's humor and sentimentality);
1951 Dokkoi ikiteru (I'm Still Alive)
(as the most "DeSica-like" movie of Imai);
1955 Koko ni izumi ari (Here a Spring Gushes)
(as an example of Imai's movie from which I feel the "breeze");
1964 Echigo tsutsuishi oyashirazu (A Story from Echigo)
(as my most favorite in the style of "cold realism", although a quite unrelieved tragedy).
Apart from the above, Imai's works in 1950s are generally at a high level.
I do not recommend "Bushido zankoku monogatari (1963)", because, in this film, realism is made use of as an excuse for describing cruelty. However, this is an important film in Imai's filmography. If you have a chance of watching this movie, do not miss it".
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