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Samurai Assassin
is a 1965 Japanese film directed by Kihachi Okamoto and starring Toshiro Mifune, Koshiro Matsumoto, Yūnosuke Itō, and Michiyo Aratama. It is set in 1860, immediately before the Meiji Restoration changed Japanese society forever by doing away with the castes in society and reducing the position of the samurai class. Plot summary The film tells the story of Niiro Tsurichiyo (Mifune) as the illegitimate son of a powerful nobleman, and the way of his life that made him a swordfighter but also a social outcast. He joins forces with the multiple clans against the Lord of Hikone, Sir Ii Kamonnokami Naosuke. Ii is the right hand of the shogunate and brought upon himself the wrath of the Satsuma, Mito, and Choshuu provinces after making an unpopular choice for the appointment of the 14th shogunate. Many critics arose after the controversial appointment, and Ii initiated the Ansei Purge to quiet critics of his choices. This, in turn, led to an assassination plot hatched by the three pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kihachi Okamoto
was a Japanese film director who worked in several different genres. Career Born in Yonago, Okamoto attended Meiji University, but was drafted into the Air Force 1943 and entered World War II, an experience that had a profound effect on his later film work, one third of which dealt with war. Finally graduating after the war, he entered the Toho studies in 1947 and worked as an assistant under such directors as Mikio Naruse, Masahiro Makino, Ishirō Honda, and Senkichi Taniguchi. He made his debut as a director in 1958 with '' All About Marriage''. Okamoto directed almost 40 films and wrote the scripts for at least 24, in a career that spanned almost six decades. He worked in a variety of genres, but most memorably in action genres such as the jidaigeki and war films. He was known for making films with a twist. Inspired to become a filmmaker after watching John Ford's ''Stagecoach'', he would insert elements of the Western in war films like '' Desperado Outpost'' (1959) and ''West ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kinema Junpo
, commonly called , is Japan's oldest film magazine and began publication in July 1919. It was first published three times a month, using the Japanese ''Jun'' (旬) system of dividing months into three parts, but the postwar ''Kinema Junpō'' has been published twice a month. The magazine was founded by a group of four students, including Saburō Tanaka, at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Technical High School at the time). In that first month, it was published three times on days with a "1" in them. These first three issues were printed on art paper and had four pages each. ''Kinejun'' initially specialized in covering foreign films, in part because its writers sided with the principles of the Pure Film Movement and strongly criticized Japanese cinema. It later expanded coverage to films released in Japan. While long emphasizing film criticism, it has also served as a trade journal, reporting on the film industry in Japan and announcing new films and trends.加藤幹郎 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matsumoto Hakuō I
, born , was a Japanese kabuki actor, regarded as the leading '' tachiyaku'' (specialist in male roles) of the postwar decades; he also performed in a number of non-kabuki venues, including Western theatre and films. Taking the name Hakuō upon retirement, he was known as Matsumoto Kōshirō VIII for much of his career. Names Like most kabuki actors, Hakuō had a number of stage names ('' gō'') over the course of his career. A member of the Koraiya guild, he would often be called by that name, particularly in the practice of ''kakegoe'', in which an actor's guild name, '' yagō'', or other phrases (e.g., ''jūnidaime'', meaning "the twelfth") is shouted out as a cheer or encouragement during a performance. Originally appearing on stage as Matsumoto Sumizō II, he later took the names Ichikawa Somegorō V and Matsumoto Kōshirō VIII. Lineage The son of Matsumoto Kōshirō VII and son-in-law of Nakamura Kichiemon I, the man who would later be called Hakuō was born into the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Takashi Shimura
was a Japanese actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1934 and 1981. He appeared in 21 of Akira Kurosawa's 30 films (more than any other actor), including as a lead actor in ''Drunken Angel'' (1948), ''Rashomon'' (1950), ''Ikiru'' (1952) and ''Seven Samurai'' (1954). He played Professor Kyohei Yamane in Ishirō Honda's original ''Godzilla'' (1954). For his contributions to the arts, the Japanese government decorated Shimura with the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1974 and the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette in 1980. Early life Shimura was born in Ikuno, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. His birth-name was Shimazaki Shōji (島崎捷爾). His forebears were members of the samurai class: in 1868 his grandfather took part in the Battle of Toba–Fushimi during the Boshin War. Shimura entered Ikuno Primary School in 1911 and Kobe First Middle School in 1917. He missed two years of schooling because of a mild case of tuberculosis, and subsequently moved to the p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hideyo Amamoto
was a prolific Japanese actor from the Wakamatsu ward of Kitakyūshū best known for portraying Dr. Shinigami in the original '' Kamen Rider'' series as well as many other characters in tokusatsu films and the ''Godzilla'' series. Amamoto also used the pseudonym of Eisei Amamoto for most of his career, Eisei being a misreading of the kanji in his real name, Hideyo. He died on March 23, 2003 of complication from pneumonia at the age of 77. Film and television credits 1950 *''Nijushi no hitomi'' (1954) as Hisako's husband *''The Garden of Women'' (1954) as Professor (uncredited) *''Twenty-Four Eyes'' (1954) as Ôishi Sensei no Otto *''Ai wa furu hoshi no kanata ni'' (1956) as Chen LongCheng *''Yûwaku'' (1957) as Kyôzô Ikegami *''Kunin no shikeishû'' (1957) as Takao Nakamura *''Yatsu ga satsujinsha da'' (1958) *''Mikkokusha wa dare ka'' (1958) as Nakao *''Jinsei gekijô - Seishun hen'' (1958) * (1959) *'' Songoku: The Road to the West'' (1959) *''Aru kengo no shogai'' (1959) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Akihiko Hirata
(December 16, 1927 – July 25, 1984), born , was a Japanese film actor. While Hirata starred in many movies (including Hiroshi Inagaki's ''Samurai'' trilogy), he is most well known for his work in the ''kaiju'' genre, including such films as ''King Kong vs. Godzilla'', ''The Mysterians'', ''Terror of Mechagodzilla'', ''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla'', and his most famous role of Dr. Daisuke Serizawa, the brilliant but disturbed young scientist in the original ''Godzilla'', released in 1954. Hirata was married to the popular actress Yoshiko Kuga from 1961 until his death. He died at age 56 in 1984 after a long battle with lung cancer. Early life Hirata was born in Seoul, Korea, in 1927, into a wealthy family. He was educated at the prestigious Tokyo University's School of Interior Design. Before joining Shintoho as an assistant director (under his older brother, Yoshiki Onoda), Hirata moved into still photography, and eventually joined Toho in 1953, under the studio's "New Face" pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yoshio Inaba
was a Japanese actor best known for his role as Gorobei in Akira Kurosawa's '' Seven Samurai''. In addition to his career in film, Inaba was also a prolific theater actor and a member of the prestigious Haiyuza Theatre Company. He died of a heart attack at the age of 77. Filmography Film * ''Umi no hanabi'' (1951) * ''Wakare-gumo'' (1951) * '' Seven Samurai'' (1954) - Gorobei Katayama * ''Horafuki tanji'' (1954) - Escaped Prisoner Iwagorō * ' (1955) - Mijagi * '' Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple'' (続宮本武蔵 一乗寺の決闘 Zoku Miyamoto Musashi: Ichijōji no kettō) (1955) * ''Uruwashiki haha'' (1955) - Shigematsu * ''Shujinsen'' (1956) * ''Arashi'' (1956) - Detective of the special political police * ''Mitsu-kubi-tou'' (1956) - Shōshichi Kitō * ''Throne of Blood'' (1957) - Third Military Commander * ''Ninjitsu'' (1957) * ''Jun'ai Monogatari'' (1957) - Doctor at Nisseki Hospital * ''Ballad of the Cart'' (1959) - Fujitaro * '' Fires on the Plain'' (1959) * ''Fuj ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toshio Kurosawa (actor)
is a Japanese actor and singer from Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. Kuroswa joined Toho film studio as an actor and made his film debut with ''Hibari Chiemi Izumi Sanninyoreba'' in 1964. His first starring role was in the 1966 film ''Hikinige''. In 1971, Kurosawa left Toho and became a freelance actor. His song ''Tokiniwa Shōfu no Yōni'' became a big hit in 1978. Selected filmography Film * ''Hibari・Chiemi・Izumi Sanninyoreba'' (1964) * ''Samurai Assassin'' (1965) * ''Ereki no Wakadaishō'' (1965) as Izawa * ''Hikinige'' (1966) * ''Izu no Odoriko'' (1966) * ''The Stranger Within a Woman'' (1966) as Bartender * ''Japan's Longest Day'' (1967) as Hatanaka Kenji * ''Admiral Yamamoto'' (1968) as Kimura Keisuke * '' Hymn to a Tired Man'' (1969) as Zensaku's son * '' Battle of the Japan Sea'' (1969) as Pfc. Maeyama Sankichi * ''Yajyū-toshi'' (1970) * ''The Militarists'' (1970) as Shimagaki * ''Hakuchu no Shugeki'' (1970) * '' The Wolves'' (1971) as Tsutomu Onodera * ''The Water ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Haruko Sugimura
was a Japanese stage and film actress, best known for her appearances in the films of Yasujirō Ozu and Mikio Naruse from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. Biography Sugimura was born in Nishi-ku, Hiroshima. After the death of her parents, she was adopted at an early age by affluent lumber dealers, only learning much later that they were not her biological parents. (Sugimura reputedly claimed that she was the illegitimate child of a geisha.) Her adoptive parents took her to performances of both classical Japanese stage arts like kabuki and bunraku, and western ballet and opera. They also encouraged her to enroll at the Tokyo Ongaku Gakko (now Tokyo University of the Arts), where she failed the exams. She then joined the Tsukiji Shōgekijō (Tsukiji Little Theatre), Tokyo, in 1927, and later the Bungakuza theatre company, which she remained affiliated with from 1937 until her retirement in 1996. She gave her film debut in 1932 in Eizo Tanaka's ''Namiko'' (1932). Between 1937 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kaoru Yachigusa
was a Japanese actress from Osaka Prefecture. From 1947 to 1957 she was a member of the Takarazuka Revue. After leaving the Revue, she was active in film, television, and narration. She famously quit part way through the filming of the television series ''Akai Giwaku'' outraged at being forced to work at times dictated by idol Momoe Yamaguchi's schedule. Her husband, director Senkichi Taniguchi, died on October 29, 2007, in Tokyo, Japan. The couple had been married since 1957. Yachigusa died on October 24, 2019, at a Tokyo hospital from pancreatic cancer, aged 88. Awards and honours * Medal with Purple Ribbon (1997) * Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette (2003) * Mainichi Film Awards: Tanaka Kinuyo Prize (2004) * Japanese Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress for her role in ''Ashura no Gotoku'' (2004) * Honorary citizen of Tokyo (2015) Filmography Film (incomplete) * ''Madame Butterfly ''as Cio Cio San (1954), dubbed by an Italian soprano * ''Samura ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eijirō Tōno
was a Japanese actor who, in a career lasting more than 50 years, appeared in over 400 television shows, nearly 250 films and numerous stage productions. He is best known in the West for his roles in films by Akira Kurosawa, such as ''Seven Samurai'' (1954) and ''Yojimbo'' (1961), and films by Yasujirō Ozu, such as ''Tokyo Story'' (1953) and ''An Autumn Afternoon'' (1962). He also appeared in ''Kill!'' by Kihachi Okamoto and ''Tora! Tora! Tora!'', a depiction of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. His final film was Juzo Itami's ''A-ge-man'' (''Tales of a Golden Geisha'') in 1990. Tōno also starred as the title character in the long-running television ''jidaigeki'' series ''Mito Kōmon'' from 1969 to 1983. In the early years of his career he acted under the name of Katsuji Honjo (本庄克二). Early life Eijirō Tōno was born on 17 September 1907 in Tomioka City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Born to a sake brewery, his father was a Hino merchant (Ōmi merchant), who had move ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edo Castle
is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan in Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. In modern times it is part of the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Chiyoda, Tokyo and is therefore also known as . Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate there, and it was the residence of the ''shōgun'' and the headquarters of the military government during the Edo period (1603-1867) in Japanese history. After the resignation of the ''shōgun'' and the Meiji Restoration, it became the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Some moats, walls and ramparts of the castle survive to this day. However, the grounds were more extensive during the Edo period, with Tokyo Station and the Marunouchi section of the city lying within the outermost moat. It also encompassed Kitanomaru Park, the Nippon Budokan Hall and other current landmarks of the surrounding area. History The warrior Edo Shigetsugu built his residence in what is now the ''Honmaru'' and ''Ninomaru'' part of Edo Castle, around t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
