(born February 19, 1951) is a Japanese
composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and Defi ...
.
Once the leader and bass player of Japan's
new wave rock band EX, composer Shigeru Umebayashi began scoring films in 1985 when the band broke up. He has more than 30 Japanese and Chinese film scores to his credit
and is perhaps best known in the West for "Yumeji's Theme" (originally from
Seijun Suzuki
, born (24 May 1923 – 13 February 2017), was a Japanese filmmaker, actor, and screenwriter. His films are known for their jarring visual style, irreverent humour, nihilistic cool and entertainment-over-logic sensibility. He made 40 predo ...
's ''
Yumeji
is a 1991 independent Japanese film directed by Seijun Suzuki. It is a semi-fictional account of poet and painter Takehisa Yumeji. It also forms the final part of Suzuki's Taishō ''Roman Trilogy'', preceded by ''Zigeunerweisen'' (1980) and ''Kage ...
''), included in director
Wong Kar-wai
Wong Kar-wai (born 17 July 1958) is a Hong Kong film director, screenwriter, and producer. His films are characterised by nonlinear narratives, atmospheric music, and vivid cinematography involving bold, saturated colours. A pivotal figure ...
's ''
In the Mood for Love'' (2000). Umebayashi scored most of Wong Kar-wai's follow-up film, ''
2046'' (2004), and ''
House of Flying Daggers
''House of Flying Daggers'' ( Chinese: 十面埋伏) is a 2004 ''wuxia'' romance film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Andy Lau, Zhang Ziyi and Takeshi Kaneshiro. Unlike other ''wuxia'' films, it is more of a love story than purely a marti ...
''. He is also the composer for the music of the first
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
n spectacle, ''
Charleston & Vendetta''. Umebayashi received the special "Tomislav Pinter Award" a
Avvantura Film Festival Zadar(Croatia) in 2013 during his stay as member of the official Jury.
Filmography
1980s
* ''Itsuka Darekaga Korosareru'' (1984)
* ''Tomoyo Shizukani Nemure'' (1985)
* ''Sorekara'' (1985)
* ''Sorobanzuku'' (1986)
* ''Shinshi Domei'' (1986)
* ''Kyohu no Yacchan'' (1987)
* ''Getting Blue in Color'' (1988)
1990s
* ''
Hong Kong Paradise
is a 1990 Japanese film directed by Shūsuke Kaneko. Actress Yuki Saito won the Best Actress award at the Yokohama Film Festival for her performance in this film.
References
1990 films
1990s Japanese-language films
Films directed by S ...
'' (1990)
* ''
Tekken
is a Japanese Media mix, media franchise centered on a series of fighting game, fighting video and arcade games developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment (formerly Namco). The franchise also includes film and print adaptations.
The ...
'' (1990)
* ''
Yumeji
is a 1991 independent Japanese film directed by Seijun Suzuki. It is a semi-fictional account of poet and painter Takehisa Yumeji. It also forms the final part of Suzuki's Taishō ''Roman Trilogy'', preceded by ''Zigeunerweisen'' (1980) and ''Kage ...
'' (1991)
* ''Ote'' (1991)
* ''Goaisatsu'' (1991)
* ''Arihureta Ai ni Kansuru Chosa'' (1992)
* ''Byoin he Iko 2 Yamai ha Kikara'' (1992)
* ''
Nemuranai Machi Shinjuku Zame'' (1993)
* ''Izakaya Yurei'' (1994)
* ''
Zero Woman
''Zero Woman'' ( ja, ゼロウーマン) is a Japanese film and video exploitation series with ten entries dating from 1974 to 2007. The series chronicles the adventures of a woman Rei, who, working for a fictional Tokyo Metropolitan Police Departm ...
'' (1995)
* ''
Kumokiri Nizaemon'' (1995)
* ''Boxer Joe'' (1995)
* ''Kitanai Yatsu'' (1995)
* ''Hashirana Akan Yoake Made'' (1995)
* ''
The Christ of Nanjing'' (1995)
* ''Shin Gokudo Kisha'' (1996)
* ''Izakaya Yurei 2'' (1996)
* ''Ichigo Domei'' (1997)
* ''Isana no Umi'' (1997)
* ''Watashitachi ga Sukidatta Koto'' (1997)
* ''
G4 Option Zero'' (1997)
* ''
Fuyajo
''Fuyajo'' (), also known as ''Sleepless Town'', is a Hong Kong film, Hong Kong-Japanese film, Japanese film co-production released in 1998 based on a novel by Hase Seishū. It was directed by with cinematography by Arthur Wong, who won two awar ...
'' (1998)
* ''Belle Epoch'' (1998)
2000s
* ''
2000 A.D.'' (2000)
* ''Shojo'' (2000)
* ''
In the Mood for Love'' (2000)
* ''Midnight Fly'' (2001)
* ''Hikari no Ame'' (2001)
* ''
Onmyoji'' (2001)
* ''
Zhou Yu's Train
''Zhou Yu's Train'' () is a 2002 Chinese film, based on a novella by Bei Cun, directed by Sun Zhou, and starring Gong Li and Tony Leung Ka-Fai.
The title refers to a poetic compilation published by the character in the movie played by Leung. ...
'' (2002)
* ''
Onmyoji II
is a 2003 Japanese Historical fiction, historical Fantasy film, fantasy film directed by Yōjirō Takita, starring Mansai Nomura as ''onmyōji'' Abe no Seimei. Both it and its predecessor, ''Onmyōji (film), Onmyōji'', are based on the Onmyōji ...
'' (2003)
* ''Floating Land Scape'' (2003)
* ''
House of Flying Daggers
''House of Flying Daggers'' ( Chinese: 十面埋伏) is a 2004 ''wuxia'' romance film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Andy Lau, Zhang Ziyi and Takeshi Kaneshiro. Unlike other ''wuxia'' films, it is more of a love story than purely a marti ...
'' (2004)
* ''
2046'' (2004)
* ''Hibi'' (2004)
* ''
Fearless
Fearless or The Fearless may refer to:
Psychology
* Lack of fear
* Courage or bravery
Film, television and audio Film
* ''Fearless'' (1978 film), an Italian film directed by Stelvio Massi
* ''Fearless'' (1993 film), an American drama directed ...
'' (2006)
* ''
Daisy'' (2006)
* ''
Curse of the Golden Flower
''Curse of the Golden Flower'' () is a 2006 Chinese epic wuxia drama film written and directed by Zhang Yimou. The Mandarin Chinese title of the movie is taken from the last line of the Qi dynasty poem written by the rebel leader Huang Chao who ...
'' (2006)
* ''
Hannibal Rising
''Hannibal Rising'' is a psychological horror novel by American author Thomas Harris, published in 2006. It is a prequel to his three previous books featuring his most famous character, the cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The ...
'' (2007)
* ''
Absurdistan'' (2008)
* ''
Incendiary'' (2008)
* ''
Tears for Sale
''Tears for Sale'', also known internationally as ''Charleston & Vendetta'' or also as ''Funeral Brides'' (original title in sr, Чарлстон за Огњенку, Čarlston za Ognjenku, literal translation ''Charleston for Ognjenka'', french: ...
'' (2008)
* ''
The Real Shaolin
''The Real Shaolin'' is a 2008 documentary film directed by Alexander Sebastien Lee (director), Alexander Sebastien Lee. ''The Real Shaolin'' follows the story of two Chinese and two Westerners who journey to the Shaolin Temple in China, inspired b ...
'' (2008)
* ''
Murderer
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...
'' (2009)
* ''
A Single Man
''A Single Man'' is a 2009 American period romantic drama film based on the 1964 novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood. The directorial debut of fashion designer Tom Ford, the film stars Colin Firth, who was nominated for the Academy ...
'' (2009)
2010s
* ''
True Legend
''True Legend'' is a 2010 martial arts film directed by Yuen Woo-ping in his first film as directed since 1996. The film stars Vincent Zhao, Zhou Xun, Jay Chou, Michelle Yeoh, Andy On, David Carradine (in his final film role before his death), G ...
'' (2010)
* ''Days of Grace'' (2011)
* ''
Trishna'' (2011)
* ''
The Grandmaster'' (2013)
* ''
Rise of the Legend
''Rise of the Legend'' ( zh, 黃飛鴻之英雄有夢) is a 2014 Hong Kong-Chinese kung-fu action film directed by Roy Chow and written by Christine To. The film stars Sammo Hung, Eddie Peng, Wang Luodan, Jing Boran, Max Zhang, Wong Cho Lam, T ...
'' (2014)
* ''
The Bride'' (2015)
* ''
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny'' (2016)
* ''
The Wasted Times
''The Wasted Times'' () is a 2016 Chinese-Hong Kong thriller film directed by Cheng Er and starring Ge You, Zhang Ziyi and Tadanobu Asano. It was released in China and the United States on December 16, 2016.
Plot
The movie depicts events commenci ...
'' (2016)
Discography
1980s
* "Someday Someone will be Killed" Soundtrack (1984)
* Sorekara (1985)
* Bazaar (1986)
* "Sorobanzu" Original Soundtrack (1986)
* Main Title (1986)
* I Can't Lose My Heart Tonight (1986)
* "Yachijin of Terror" Original Soundtrack (1987)
* Do It To Me / Boys / All I Want Is You (1988)
* Ume (1988)
1990s
* Nightingale's Drum (1992)
* "Teacher Summer Vacation Story" Original Soundtrack (1992)
2000s
* "Yin Yang Shi" Original Soundtrack (2001)
* Yemeni's Theme (2001)
* Une Adolescente (2002)
* "Yin Yang Division II" Original Soundtrack (2003)
* "House of Flying Daggers" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2004)
* Fire (2005)
* The World Of Shigeru Umebayashi 1985-2005 (2006)
* "Jet Li's Fearless" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2006)
* "Daisy" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2006)
* "Curse Of The Golden Flower" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2007)
2010s
* For the Record (2010)
* "The Grandmaster" Original Scores By Shigeru Umebayashi And Nathaniel Mechaly (2013)
* "Sword of Destiny" Soundtrack (2016)
* "Rise Of The Legend" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2016)
2020s
*''
Ghost of Tsushima
''Ghost of Tsushima'' is a 2020 action-adventure game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The player controls Jin Sakai, samurai on a quest to protect Tsushima Island during the first Mongol ...
'' (2020)
See also
*
List of soundtrack composers
The following is a list of notable people who compose or have composed soundtrack music for films (i.e. film scores), television, video games and radio.
A
* Michael Abels (born 1962)'' Get Out'', '' Us, Bad Education''
* Rod Abernethy'' ...
References
External links
Official websiteOctober 2009 video interview in Greek, from the Ghent Film Festival 2009February 2005 interviewOticons Film Music Composers Agency - Shigeru Umebayashi Profile*
Discogs discography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Umebayashi, Shigeru
1951 births
Japanese film score composers
Japanese male film score composers
Living people
People from Kitakyushu
Varèse Sarabande Records artists