Shohei Imamura
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese film director
. Imamura was the first Japanese director to win two Palme d'Or
awards.
His eldest son Daisuke Tengan is also a script writer and film director, and worked on the screenplays to Imamura's films
The Eel
(1997), Dr. Akagi
(1998), Warm Water Under a Red Bridge
(2001) and 11'9''01 September 11 (2002).
, Imamura was introduced to another part of post-war Japanese society early in life. For a short time after 1945, when Japan was in a devastated condition following the war, Imamura participated in the thriving black market selling cigarettes and liquor. Reflecting this period of his life, Imamura's interests as a filmmaker were usually focused on the lower strata of Japanese society. He studied Western history
at Waseda University
, but spent more time participating in theatrical and political activities (http://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/imamura/). He cited a viewing of Akira Kurosawa
's in 1950 as an early inspiration, and said he saw it as an indication of the new freedom of expression possible in Japan in the post-war era.
at Shochiku Studios
on the films (1951), (1952) and (1953). Imamura, however, found himself uncomfortable with the highly refined and restrained way Ozu was portraying Japanese society in his films of this period. While Imamura's films were to have a quite different style from Ozu's, Imamura, like Ozu, was to focus on what he saw as particularly Japanese elements of society in his films. "I've always wanted to ask questions about the Japanese, because it's the only people I'm qualified to describe," he said. He sometimes expressed surprise that his films were appreciated overseas (http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,4120,667028,00.html).
. There he worked as an assistant director to Yuzo Kawashima
and also co-authored the screenplay to one of Kawashima's masterpieces, from 1957. Much later he edited a book about Kawashima, entitled Sayonara dake ga jinsei da, dedicated to this important influence on his career.
Nikkatsu was where Imamura made his first film — — in 1958. With this early tale of traveling actors, Imamura was able to indulge in some of the controversial and eccentric themes that were to mark his career as a filmmaker. Nikkatsu
, however, was not enthusiastic about his more radical tendencies, and forced him to make a series of lighter films with which he was not happy. was a comedy based on a pop-song. and were similar light fare that did not satisfy Imamura.
With his 1961 film, , Imamura was able to fully indulge his interests in a wild and energetic story about the U.S. military base at Yokosuka and its relationship with lower elements of Japanese society. Shocked by the film and what they perceived as anti-American sentiments, Nikkatsu did not allow Imamura another project for two years. His next films, 1963's and 1964's showed no toning down of his style. With these three films, Imamura had established himself as a director with a strong and unique vision, and one of the leading figures of the Japanese New Wave.
Seeing himself as a cultural anthropologist, Imamura stated, "I like to make messy films," http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/1999-10-29/screens_feature7.html and "I am interested in the relationship of the lower part of the human body and the lower part of the social structure... I ask myself what differentiates humans from other animals. What is a human being? I look for the answer by continuing to make films" (http://www.japan-zone.com/modern/imamura_shohei.shtml).
's 1963 novel about life on the fringes of Osaka
society, Erogotoshi-Tachi (The Pornographers). Indicative of his interests, Imamura added a subtitle to the film: .
He next made his first venture into the documentary genre with 1967's . His 1968 film is an investigation of the clash between modern and traditional societies on a southern Japanese island. One of Imamura's more ambitious and costly projects, this film's poor box-office performance led to a retreat back into smaller, documentary-like films for the next decade.
were two of these projects, both focusing on one of his favorite themes: Strong women who survive on the periphery of Japanese society. Imamura returned to more traditional fictional narrative forms with 1979's , though even this story about a serial killer is based on actual events of 1963.
Imamura founded the Japan Academy of Moving Images as the Yokohama Vocational School of Broadcast and Film (Yokohama Hōsō Eiga Senmon Gakkō) in 1975. While a student at this school, director Takashi Miike
was given his first film credit, as assistant director on Imamura's 1987 film Zegen
. http://www.eurekavideo.co.uk/moc/017.htm Another graduate of Imamura's film school is new Korean director, Hwang Byung-Guk http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/004336.html
) and , a re-telling of Keisuke Kinoshita
's 1958 The Ballad of Narayama
.
n film 2009 Lost Memories
.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
. Imamura was the first Japanese director to win two Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
awards.
His eldest son Daisuke Tengan is also a script writer and film director, and worked on the screenplays to Imamura's films
The Eel
The Eel (Japanese film)
The Eel is a 1997 film directed by Shohei Imamura and starring Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu, Mitsuko Baisho and Akira Emoto. The film is loosely based on the novel On Parole by celebrated author Akira Yoshimura, combined with elements from the director's 1966 film The Pornographers...
(1997), Dr. Akagi
Dr. Akagi
Dr. Akagi, known in Japan as , is a 1998 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura.- Plot :The film concerns Dr. Akagi, a doctor on an island in the Seto Inland Sea area during World War II. He runs into conflict with the military while trying to combat a hepatitis epidemic. Akagi earns the nickname...
(1998), Warm Water Under a Red Bridge
Warm Water Under a Red Bridge
is a 2001 Japanese film by director Shōhei Imamura. This was Imamura's last feature film. It was entered into the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.- Plot :...
(2001) and 11'9''01 September 11 (2002).
Early life
Though born to a comfortably upper-middle-class doctor's family in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Imamura was introduced to another part of post-war Japanese society early in life. For a short time after 1945, when Japan was in a devastated condition following the war, Imamura participated in the thriving black market selling cigarettes and liquor. Reflecting this period of his life, Imamura's interests as a filmmaker were usually focused on the lower strata of Japanese society. He studied Western history
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
at Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
, but spent more time participating in theatrical and political activities (http://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/imamura/). He cited a viewing of Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa
was a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...
's in 1950 as an early inspiration, and said he saw it as an indication of the new freedom of expression possible in Japan in the post-war era.
Early career
Upon graduation from Waseda in 1951, Imamura began his film career working as an assistant to Yasujirō OzuYasujiro Ozu
was a prominent Japanese film director and script writer. He is known for his distinctive technical style, developed during the silent era. Marriage and family, especially the relationships between the generations, are among the most persistent themes in his body of work...
at Shochiku Studios
Shochiku
is a Japanese movie studio and production company for kabuki. It also produces and distributes anime films. Its best remembered directors include Yasujirō Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, Keisuke Kinoshita and Yōji Yamada...
on the films (1951), (1952) and (1953). Imamura, however, found himself uncomfortable with the highly refined and restrained way Ozu was portraying Japanese society in his films of this period. While Imamura's films were to have a quite different style from Ozu's, Imamura, like Ozu, was to focus on what he saw as particularly Japanese elements of society in his films. "I've always wanted to ask questions about the Japanese, because it's the only people I'm qualified to describe," he said. He sometimes expressed surprise that his films were appreciated overseas (http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,4120,667028,00.html).
Nikkatsu
Imamura left Shochiku in 1954 for a better salary at NikkatsuNikkatsu
is a Japanese entertainment company well known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio. The name Nikkatsu is an abbreviation of Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally "Japan Cinematograph Company".-History:...
. There he worked as an assistant director to Yuzo Kawashima
Yuzo Kawashima
was a notable Japanese filmmaker, most famous for making tragi-comic films and satires.-Career:Kawashima was born in Mutsu, Aomori in the Shimokita Peninsula. From his youth, he suffered from a paralysis that affected his right leg and arm. He was educated at Meiji University, where he was a member...
and also co-authored the screenplay to one of Kawashima's masterpieces, from 1957. Much later he edited a book about Kawashima, entitled Sayonara dake ga jinsei da, dedicated to this important influence on his career.
Nikkatsu was where Imamura made his first film — — in 1958. With this early tale of traveling actors, Imamura was able to indulge in some of the controversial and eccentric themes that were to mark his career as a filmmaker. Nikkatsu
Nikkatsu
is a Japanese entertainment company well known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio. The name Nikkatsu is an abbreviation of Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally "Japan Cinematograph Company".-History:...
, however, was not enthusiastic about his more radical tendencies, and forced him to make a series of lighter films with which he was not happy. was a comedy based on a pop-song. and were similar light fare that did not satisfy Imamura.
With his 1961 film, , Imamura was able to fully indulge his interests in a wild and energetic story about the U.S. military base at Yokosuka and its relationship with lower elements of Japanese society. Shocked by the film and what they perceived as anti-American sentiments, Nikkatsu did not allow Imamura another project for two years. His next films, 1963's and 1964's showed no toning down of his style. With these three films, Imamura had established himself as a director with a strong and unique vision, and one of the leading figures of the Japanese New Wave.
Seeing himself as a cultural anthropologist, Imamura stated, "I like to make messy films," http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/1999-10-29/screens_feature7.html and "I am interested in the relationship of the lower part of the human body and the lower part of the social structure... I ask myself what differentiates humans from other animals. What is a human being? I look for the answer by continuing to make films" (http://www.japan-zone.com/modern/imamura_shohei.shtml).
Imamura Productions
In order to more freely explore themes like these without studio interference, he established his own production company, Imamura Productions, in 1965. His first independent feature was a free adaptation of Akiyuki NosakaAkiyuki Nosaka
is a Japanese novelist, singer, lyricist, and former member of the House of Councillors. As a broadcasting writer he uses the name Yukio Aki and his alias as a chanson singer is Claude Nosaka.- Biography :...
's 1963 novel about life on the fringes of Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
society, Erogotoshi-Tachi (The Pornographers). Indicative of his interests, Imamura added a subtitle to the film: .
He next made his first venture into the documentary genre with 1967's . His 1968 film is an investigation of the clash between modern and traditional societies on a southern Japanese island. One of Imamura's more ambitious and costly projects, this film's poor box-office performance led to a retreat back into smaller, documentary-like films for the next decade.
1970s documentaries
and Karayuki-san, the Making of a ProstituteKarayuki-san, the Making of a Prostitute
Karayuki-san, the Making of a Prostitute is a 1975 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. It is a documentary on one of the Japanese "karayuki-san," who were women that were taken from their homes in Japan and used as prostitutes in the post-war period...
were two of these projects, both focusing on one of his favorite themes: Strong women who survive on the periphery of Japanese society. Imamura returned to more traditional fictional narrative forms with 1979's , though even this story about a serial killer is based on actual events of 1963.
Imamura founded the Japan Academy of Moving Images as the Yokohama Vocational School of Broadcast and Film (Yokohama Hōsō Eiga Senmon Gakkō) in 1975. While a student at this school, director Takashi Miike
Takashi Miike
is a highly prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker. He has directed over seventy theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. In the years 2001 and 2002 alone, Miike is credited with directing fifteen productions...
was given his first film credit, as assistant director on Imamura's 1987 film Zegen
Zegen
is a 1987 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. It was entered into the 1987 Cannes Film Festival.- Plot :This black comedy is a satire of Japan's 20th century imperialism. By taking the story of Iheiji Muraoka, who built brothels for the Japanese military, Imamura is able to make comments on...
. http://www.eurekavideo.co.uk/moc/017.htm Another graduate of Imamura's film school is new Korean director, Hwang Byung-Guk http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/004336.html
1980s
Two large-scale remakes followed: (a re-imagining of Sun in the Last Days of the ShogunateSun in the Last Days of the Shogunate
is a 1957 black-and-white Japanese film comedy directed by Yuzo Kawashima with a screenplay by Kawashima, Shōhei Imamura and Keiichi Tanaka. It was voted the fifth best Japanese film of all time in a poll of 140 Japanese critics and filmmakers conducted by the magazine Kinema Junpo in 1999.- Cast...
) and , a re-telling of Keisuke Kinoshita
Keisuke Kinoshita
was a Japanese film director.Although lesser known internationally than his fellow filmmakers such as Akira Kurosawa , Kenji Mizoguchi and Yasujirō Ozu , Keisuke Kinoshita was nonetheless a household figure at home beloved by audience and critics alike, especially in the forties through the sixties...
's 1958 The Ballad of Narayama
The Ballad of Narayama
is a 1958 Japanese drama film directed by Keisuke Kinoshita. It is based on the book Men of Tohoku by Shichiro Fukuzawa. The film explores the practice of ubasute....
.
Later years
Imamura played the role of a historian in the 2002 South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n film 2009 Lost Memories
2009 Lost Memories
2009 Lost Memories is a 2002 South Korean science fiction action thriller film directed by Lee Si-myung. It was distributed by CJ Entertainment and was released on February 1, 2002.-Plot:...
.
Filmography
- Stolen DesireStolen Desireis a 1958 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. This was the first film Imamura directed.- Plot :The film tells the story of a group of itinerant actors. Many of the interests to be found throughout Imamura's career are found already in this first film, including earthy depictions of sex, life...
(1958) - Nishi Ginza StationNishi Ginza Stationis a 1958 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. This was Imamura's second film as director.- Plot :This short comedy concerns the extramarital affair of a drugstore owner. It is based on a popular song by the star of the film, Frank Nagai.-External links:...
(1958) - Endless DesireEndless Desireis a 1958 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. This was Imamura's third film as director. Imamura had wanted to film his own project, but Nikkatsu assigned him this light comedy instead....
(1958) - My Second BrotherMy Second Brotheris a 1959 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura.- Plot :The film tells the story of four orphans living in an impoverished mining town. An adaptation of a best-selling book based on the diary of a ten-year-old zainichi girl, it was one of the first films to deal with the subject of zainichi...
(1959) - Pigs and BattleshipsPigs and Battleshipsis a 1961 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura.- Plot :The film depicts the mutually exploitative relationship that exists between the U.S. military and the lower elements of Japanese society at Yokosuka....
(1961) - Foundry TownFoundry Townis a 1962 Japanese drama film directed by Kirio Urayama. It was entered into the 1962 Cannes Film Festival and won the Blue Ribbon Awards in 1962.-Cast:* Sayuri Yoshinaga - Jun* Mitsuo Hamada - Tsukamoto, Katsumi* Eijirō Tōno - Ishiguro, Tatsugoro...
(1962) (co-writer) - The Insect WomanThe Insect Womanis a 1963 film directed by Japanese director Shōhei Imamura. It was entered into the 14th Berlin International Film Festival where Sachiko Hidari won the Silver Bear for Best Actress award.-Plot:...
(1963) - Unholy DesireUnholy Desireis a 1964 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. This film embodies many of the central interests in Imamura's career including strong, lower-class women who survive in spite of their oppressive surroundings, and an earthy, humorous approach to sex.- Plot :...
(1964) - The PornographersThe PornographersThe Pornographers is a 1966 Japanese film directed by Shohei Imamura and based on a novel of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka. Its original Japanese title is Erogotoshitachi yori Jinruigaku nyumon , which means 'An introduction to anthropology through the pornographers'. It tells the story of porn...
(1966) - A Man VanishesA Man Vanishesis a 1967 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. A Region 2 DVD release in the Masters of Cinema series is scheduled for October 2011.- Plot :On the face of it, a documentary about an ordinary man who—like many Japanese every year—disappears without trace, leaving his job and fiancee behind,...
(1967) - The Profound Desire of the GodsThe Profound Desire of the Godsis a 1968 Japanese film by director Shōhei Imamura. The culmination of the director's examinations of the fringes of Japanese society throughout the 1960s, the film was an 18-month super-production which failed to make an impression at the time of its release, but has since risen in stature to...
or Kuragejima - Legends from a Southern Island (1968) - History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar HostessHistory of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostessis a 1970 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura.After the poor box-office performance of his ambitious 1968 film, The Profound Desire of the Gods, Imamura decided to undertake a more modestly budgeted film. This was Imamura's second foray into the documentary format, after 1967's A Man Vanishes...
(1970) - Karayuki-san, the Making of a ProstituteKarayuki-san, the Making of a ProstituteKarayuki-san, the Making of a Prostitute is a 1975 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. It is a documentary on one of the Japanese "karayuki-san," who were women that were taken from their homes in Japan and used as prostitutes in the post-war period...
(1975) - The Youth Killer or Seishun no Satsujinsha (1976, producer only)
- Vengeance is MineVengeance is Mine (1979 film)Vengeance Is Mine is a 1979 film directed by Shohei Imamura, based on the book of the same name by Ryuzo Saki. It depicts the true story of serial killer Akira Nishiguchi .It stars Ken Ogata as Enokizu, with Mayumi Ogawa, Rentaro Mikuni, Mitsuko Baisho, Nijiko Kiyokawa and Chocho Miyako...
(1979) - EijanaikaEijanaika (film)is a 1981 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Kaori Momoi - Ine* Shigeru Izumiya - Genji* Ken Ogata - Furukawa* Shigeru Tsuyuguchi - Kinzo* Masao Kusakari - Itoman...
(Ee ja nai ka) or Why Not? (1981) - The Ballad of NarayamaThe Ballad of Narayama (1983 film)is a 1983 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. It stars Sumiko Sakamoto as Orin, Ken Ogata, and Shoichi Ozawa. It is an adaptation of the book Narayama bushiko by Shichiro Fukazawa and remake of the 1958 film directed by Keisuke Kinoshita.- Plot :...
(1983, Palme d'OrPalme d'OrThe Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
) - ZegenZegenis a 1987 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. It was entered into the 1987 Cannes Film Festival.- Plot :This black comedy is a satire of Japan's 20th century imperialism. By taking the story of Iheiji Muraoka, who built brothels for the Japanese military, Imamura is able to make comments on...
(1987) - Black RainBlack Rain (Japanese film)is a 1989 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura and based on the novel of the same name by Ibuse Masuji. The events are centered on the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.-Plot:...
(1989) - The EelThe Eel (Japanese film)The Eel is a 1997 film directed by Shohei Imamura and starring Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu, Mitsuko Baisho and Akira Emoto. The film is loosely based on the novel On Parole by celebrated author Akira Yoshimura, combined with elements from the director's 1966 film The Pornographers...
(1997, Palme d'OrPalme d'OrThe Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
) - Dr. AkagiDr. AkagiDr. Akagi, known in Japan as , is a 1998 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura.- Plot :The film concerns Dr. Akagi, a doctor on an island in the Seto Inland Sea area during World War II. He runs into conflict with the military while trying to combat a hepatitis epidemic. Akagi earns the nickname...
(1998) - Warm Water Under a Red BridgeWarm Water Under a Red Bridgeis a 2001 Japanese film by director Shōhei Imamura. This was Imamura's last feature film. It was entered into the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.- Plot :...
(2001) - 11'9''01 September 11 (2002)
Awards
- 1980 Japan Academy Prize for Director of the YearJapan Academy Prize for Director of the YearThe of the Japan Academy Prize is one of the annual Awards given by the Nippon Academy-sho association .-List of winners:-External links:* - **...
- Vengeance Is MineVengeance is Mine (1979 film)Vengeance Is Mine is a 1979 film directed by Shohei Imamura, based on the book of the same name by Ryuzo Saki. It depicts the true story of serial killer Akira Nishiguchi .It stars Ken Ogata as Enokizu, with Mayumi Ogawa, Rentaro Mikuni, Mitsuko Baisho, Nijiko Kiyokawa and Chocho Miyako... - 1983 Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival - The Ballad of Narayama
- 1989 Prize of the Ecumenical Jury - Special Mention, Technical Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival Black RainBlack Rain (Japanese film)is a 1989 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura and based on the novel of the same name by Ibuse Masuji. The events are centered on the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.-Plot:...
- 1990 Japan Academy Prize for Director of the Year - Black RainBlack Rain (Japanese film)is a 1989 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura and based on the novel of the same name by Ibuse Masuji. The events are centered on the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.-Plot:...
- 1997 Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival - The EelThe Eel (Japanese film)The Eel is a 1997 film directed by Shohei Imamura and starring Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu, Mitsuko Baisho and Akira Emoto. The film is loosely based on the novel On Parole by celebrated author Akira Yoshimura, combined with elements from the director's 1966 film The Pornographers...
- 1998 Japan Academy Prize for Director of the Year - The Eel
See also
- Cinema of JapanCinema of JapanThe has a history that spans more than 100 years. Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world – as of 2009 the fourth largest by number of feature films produced. Movies have been produced in Japan since 1897, when the first foreign cameramen arrived...
- Takeshi KitanoTakeshi Kitanois a Japanese filmmaker, comedian, singer, actor, film editor, presenter, screenwriter, author, poet, painter, and one-time video game designer who has received critical acclaim, both in his native Japan and abroad, for his highly idiosyncratic cinematic work. The famed Japanese film critic...
- Sōgo IshiiSogo Ishii', formerly is a Japanese filmmaker known for his striking visuals and sometimes outlandish subject matter.Ishii was born in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and is a graduate of Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka High School and Nihon University College of Art....
- Kenji MizoguchiKenji MizoguchiKenji Mizoguchi was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. His film Ugetsu won the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and appeared in the Sight & Sound Critics' Top Ten Poll in 1962 and 1972. Mizoguchi is renowned for his mastery of the long take and mise-en-scène...
- Nagisa ŌshimaNagisa Oshimais a Japanese film director and screenwriter. After graduating from Kyoto University he was hired by Shochiku Ltd. and quickly progressed to directing his own movies, making his debut feature A Town of Love and Hope in 1959....
Further reading
- Notes for a study on Shōhei Imamura by Donald RichieDonald RichieDonald Richie is an American-born author who has written about the Japanese people and Japanese cinema. Although he considers himself only a writer, Richie has directed many experimental films, the first when he was 17...
- Shohei Imamura (Cinematheque Ontario Monographs, No. 1) by James Quandt, ed.