Toshio Matsumoto
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese film director
and video artist. He was born in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
and graduated from Tokyo University in 1955.
His first short was Ginrin
, which he made in 1955, however his most famous film is Funeral Parade of Roses (aka Bara no soretsu
). Funeral Parade of Roses influenced Stanley Kubrick
's film
A Clockwork Orange
heavily. The film was a retelling of Oedipus Rex, featuring a transsexual (portrayed by Peter
) trying to move up in the world of the Japanese gay bar
s.
Matsumoto has published many books of photography and is currently a professor
and dean
of Arts at the Kyoto University of Art and Design. He was also the President
of the Japan Society of Image Arts and Sciences.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese film director
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:...
and video artist. He was born in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and graduated from Tokyo University in 1955.
His first short was Ginrin
Ginrin
Ginrin is Toshio Matsumoto's debut film. He made it in 1955 as an English Language PR film, although "a relatively avant-garde" one. The film score was the first by Toru Takemitsu. It was believed lost for many, many years, however a copy has been recently found. It is believed that a DVD of...
, which he made in 1955, however his most famous film is Funeral Parade of Roses (aka Bara no soretsu
Bara no soretsu
is a 1969 Japanese film directed by Toshio Matsumoto. It is a loose adaptation of Oedipus Rex set in the underground gay counterculture of 1960s Tokyo. The film was released by ATG on September 13, 1969 in Japan; however, it did not receive a US release until October 29, 1970...
). Funeral Parade of Roses influenced Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career...
's film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange (film)
A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 film adaptation of Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel of the same name. It was written, directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick...
heavily. The film was a retelling of Oedipus Rex, featuring a transsexual (portrayed by Peter
Peter (actor)
is a Japanese singer, dancer and actor who has appeared in Akira Kurosawa's Ran and Toshio Matsumoto's Bara no Sōretsu. Ikehata also uses his stage name of when he appears on TV variety shows and musical revues...
) trying to move up in the world of the Japanese gay bar
Gay bar
A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT and queer communities...
s.
Matsumoto has published many books of photography and is currently a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
and dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of Arts at the Kyoto University of Art and Design. He was also the President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Japan Society of Image Arts and Sciences.
Feature films
| Year | English title | Japanese title | Romaji | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Funeral Parade of Roses | 薔薇の葬列 | Bara no Souretsu | |
| 1971 | Demons (aka Pandemonium) | 修羅 | Shura | The title Shura refers to Asuras Asura (Buddhism) Asura in Buddhism is the name of the lowest ranks of the deities or demigods of the Kāmadhātu.-Origins and etymology:... . |
| 1973 | War at the Age of Sixteen | 十六歳の戦争 | Juuroku-sai no Sensou | |
| 1988 | Dogura Magura | ドグラ・マグラ | Dogura Magura |
Experimental and documentary short films
| Year | English title | Japanese title | Romaji | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Bicycle Ginrin Ginrin is Toshio Matsumoto's debut film. He made it in 1955 as an English Language PR film, although "a relatively avant-garde" one. The film score was the first by Toru Takemitsu. It was believed lost for many, many years, however a copy has been recently found. It is believed that a DVD of... |
銀輪 | Ginrin | 10 min |
| 1956 | Senkan | 潜凾 | Senkan | 20 min |
| 1959 | Haru wo Yobukora | 春を呼ぶ子ら | Haru wo Yobukora | 20 min |
| 1959 | 300 Ton Trailer | 300トン・トレーラー | 300 Ton Trailer | 25 min |
| 1959 | US-Japan Security Treaty | 安保条約 | Anbojouyaku | 18 min |
| 1960 | Long White Line of Record | 白い長い線の記録 | Shiroi Nagai Sen no Kiroku | 13 min |
| 1961 | The Weavers of Nishijin | 西陣 | Nishijin | 26 min |
| 1963 | The Song of Stone | 石の詩 | Ishi no Uta | 25 min |
| 1967 | Mothers | 母たち | Haha-tachi | 40 min |
| 1968 | For the Damaged Right Eye For the Damaged Right Eye is a short film by Toshio Matsumoto made in 1968 the year before his feature film Funeral Parade of Roses. It features some of the same milieu, presented through three projectors running at simultaneously... (aka For My Crushed Right Eye) |
つぶれかかった右眼のために | Tsuburekakatta migime no tame ni | 13 min |
| 1969 | Extasis | エクスタシス | Extasis | 10 min |
| 1971 | Metastasis | メタスタシス 新陳代謝 | Metastasis: Shinchintaisha | 8 min |
| 1972 | Autonomy | オートノミー 自律性 | Autonomy: Jiritsusei | 12 min |
| 1972 | Expansion | エクスパンション 拡張 | Expansion: Kakuchou | 14 min |
| 1973 | Mona Lisa | モナ・リザ | Mona Lisa | 3 min |
| 1974 | Fly | フライ 飛ぶ | Fly: Tobu | 9 min |
| 1974 | Andy Warhol: Re-reproduction | アンディ・ウォーホル：複々製 | Andi Uohoru: Fukubukusei | 23 min |
| 1975 | Everything Visible Is Empty | 色即是空 | Shiki soku zekuu | 8 min |
| 1975 | Young Girl | 青女 | Aoonna | 30 min |
| 1975 | Phantom | ファントム 幻妄 | Phantom | 10 min |
| 1975 | Atman | アートマン | Atman | 11 min |
| 1976 | Kite | 凧 | Tako | 30 min |
| 1977 | Black Hole | ブラックホール | Black Hole | 3 min |
| 1978 | Enigma | エニグマ 謎 | Enigma: Nazo | 3 min |
| 1979 | White Hole | ホワイトホール | White Hole | 7 min |
| 1980 | Ki - Breathing | 気 Breathing | Ki - Breathing | 30 min |
| 1981 | Connection | コネクション | Connection | 10 min |
| 1982 | Votive Picture | 絵馬 | Euma | 30 min |
| 1982 | Relation | リレーション 関係 | Relation: Kankei | 10 min |
| 1982 | Shift | シフト 断層 | Shift: Dansou | 9 min |
| 1983 | Formation | フォーメイション 形成 | Formation: Keisei | 9 min |
| 1984 | WAVE | WAVE | WAVE | 7 min |
| 1984 | Delay Exposure | ディレイ・エクスポージャー | Delay Exposure | 3 min |
| 1985 | EE Control | EEコントロール | EE Control | 3 min |
| 1985 | Vibration | バイブレーション | Vibration | 3 min |
| 1985 | Sway | 揺らぎ スウェイ | Yuragi: Sway | 8 min |
| 1987 | Engram | エングラム 記憶痕跡 | Engram: Kioku konseki | 15 min |
| 1989 | Trauma | トラウマ | Trauma | 18 min |
| 1990 | Sign | 気配 | Kehai | 20 min |
| 1992 | Disguise | ディシミュレーション 偽装 | Dishimyureshon: Gisou | 20 min |
Other works
| Year | English title | Japanese title | Romaji | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Long Black Shadow of Record | 黒い長い影の記録 | Kuroi Nagai Kage no Kiroku | Radio play. | |
| 1964 | Uso mo Honto mo Urakara Mireba | 嘘もほんとも裏から見れば | Uso mo Honto mo Urakara Mireba | Theatre play. | |
| 1968 | Magnetic Scramble | マグネチック・スクランブル | Magnetic Scramble | Video performance. | |
| 1969 | Projection for an Icon | イコンのためのプロジェクション | Ikon no tame no projection | "Inter-media" piece. | |
| 1969 | Shadow | シャドウ | Shadow | "Inter-media" piece. | |
| 1970 | Space Projection Ako | スペース・プロジェクション・アコ | Space Projection Ako | "Inter-media" piece. | |
| 1974 | Mona Lisa for Multi-video | マルチビデオのためのモナ・リザ | Multivideo no tame no Mona Lisa | Video installation for 10 screens. | |
| 1974 | Morning Dew | モーニング・デュー（あさつゆ） | Asa tsuyu | "Inter-media" piece. | |
| 1975 | Total Theatre | トータルシアター・葵の上 | Total Theatre | "Inter-media" piece. | |
| 1976 | Yuuterasu, shikyuu | ユーテラス、子宮 | Yuuterasu, shikyuu | Media piece. | |
| 1979 | Aquarium | 水族館 | Suizokukan | Video installation for 3 screens, a water tank and fish. | |
| 1980 | Cosmic Relation | コズミック・リレーション | Cosmic Relation | Images for mobile 3D screen. | |
| 1986 | Multiconnection | マルチ・コネクション | Multiconnection | Installation for 1 16 mm camera and 4 screens. | |
| 1986 | Articulation | アーティキュレーション 文節 | Articulation: Bunsetsu | Installation for 6 screens and 1 camera. | |
| 1989 | Luminous Globe | ルミナス・グローブ | Luminous Globe | Installation for a spherical screen and a torus rear screen. | |
| 1990 | Legend of Urando | ウランド伝説 | Urando Densetsu | Media theatre for 2 HDTV and a laser. | |
| 1992 | Trap of Narratology | ナラトロジーの罠 | Narratology no wana | Installation for 23 screens, rotating camera platform, a camera and a sand screen. |
External links
Sources
- Experimental Video Downloads & Interview
- Interview with Toshio Matsumoto - Documentary Box (Interviewer: Aaron Gerow)
- Masters of Cinema