
Jiro Sakagami
1934 - 2011犬笛
Sadao Nakajima
Bunta Sugawara, Kinya Kitaoji
In this crime thriller produced by Toshiro Mifune (who has a supporting role), hard-boiled Shiro Akitsu goes on a relentless search for his abducted 7-year old daughter, with the aid of an Ainu dog summoned by a whistle she gave him.
Dog Whistle
The Last Samurai
Kenji Misumi
Hideki Takahashi, Ken Ogata
The film follows the story of Sugi Toranosuke, a ronin, who returns to his home town of Edo many years after his attempted suicide as a sickly child. Rescued and adopted by a master swordsman, he has grown into a master swordsman and a very kind gentleman. The time is around 1868 the year that the nails were finally put into the coffin containing the feudal system that nurtured and sustained the samurai. Sugi is confused and unsure about what is happening but his teacher wants him out of the chaos of the multiple power struggles between the various clans.
The Last Samurai
天城越え
Haruhiko Mimura
Tsunehiko Watase, Yūko Tanaka
Japan in the 1940s. A high school boy went into a magic encounter with Ozuka Hana, a geisha (pub-girl) when he traveled through Amagi Pass. A mysterious murder took place afterwards, an Ozuka was held responsible. 40 years later, the boy, who became a printing shop owner, was visited by a retired policeman who came from Amagi Pass. The truth then started to reveal itself.
Amagi Pass
Taboo
Nagisa Ōshima
Takeshi Kitano, Ryuhei Matsuda
Set during Japan's Shogun era, this film looks at life in a samurai compound where young warriors are trained in swordfighting. A number of interpersonal conflicts are brewing in the training room, all centering around a handsome young samurai named Sozaburo Kano. The school's stern master can choose to intervene, or to let Kano decide his own path.
Taboo
アンネの日記
Akinori Nagaoka
Reina Takahashi, Gō Katō
This is the true story of Anne Frank, a Jewish girl living in Amsterdam during WW2. Anne's father realizes on time the danger the Jews face and hides his family (his wife Edith and his two daughters Margo (16) and Anne (13), along with four more people, in "the house behind". For two years the 8 people live in darkness and whispers, in fear of being discovered and sent to the German crematories. During that time young Anne writes a diary, describing her daily life in the cellar, her complicated relationship with her mother and the story of her first love - Peter, the young boy in the hiding place. Anne writes down her wishes to run out free and breath the air and flowers, her dreams to be free at last. But humanity is often a cruel mistress...
The Diary of Anne Frank
花と龍・青雲篇、愛憎篇、怒濤篇
Tai Katô
Tetsuya Watari, Yoshiko Kayama
Kingoro Tamai moves with his wife and son to the port city of Wakamatsu. He organizes the Tamai-gumi, a stevedore group, to vie for work with two other powerful groups. Gingo is Tamai's chief rival who falls in love with the latter's wife and tries to kill Tamai.
Flower and Dragon
金田一耕助の冒険
Nobuhiko Ōbayashi
Ikkô Furuya, Kunie Tanaka
Obayashi's take on the famous Kosuke Kindaichi series, made popular partly thanks to the numerous movie-adaptions by Kon Ichikawa, the most known being The Inugami Family. Kosuke Kindaichi is the most famous detective in Japan. Kindaichi gets a new case to figure out who has beheaded a valuable statue and made off with its head.
The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi