Japanese Cinema
Japanese cinema flourished early on and silent films were being made right through the 1930s. Most were accompanied by a 'benshi' or live narrator telling the story as well as live music. Very little survives from this era however; the 1923 earthquake, the bombings of WW2 and the country's high humidity destroyed many of these historical works. Of those that survive, the early works of Kenji Mizoguchi are highly regarded and he went on to make the classic 'The Life of Oharu' in 1952. Of course no discussion on Japanese cinema is possible without mention of their best known son, Akira Kurosawa. With a career spanning 60 years Kurosawa's ground-breaking films (e.g. 'Seven Samurai', 'Kagemusha', 'Ran') influenced film makers around the world. Most recently Japanese cinema hero 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano revitalised the Yakuza genre; and young mavericks like Takashi Miike ('Audition', 'Ichi the Killer) and Hideo Nakata ('Ring', 'Dark Water') have breathed new life into the horror flick, their films often (and promptly!) remade by US production houses.
For Japanime, use the animation link to the left.
Pictured: Kurosawa teamed once more with the incomparable Toshiro Mifune for 'Seven Samurai'
Hanzo the Razor 2 - The Snare (1973)
Director: Yasuhiro Matsumura
Starring: Shintaro Katsu
Based on the manga of Kazuo Koike, this is the second part in the Hanzo trilogy as our dubious and well-endowed hero gets on the wrong side of a bunch... Read more
Hanzo the Razor 3 - Who's Got The Gold? (1974)
Director: Yoshio Inoue
The last in the Hanzo trilogy, this time our hard-as-nails super-stud cop is on the trail of a plot to smuggle gold out of the national treasury. Nat... Read more
Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011)
7.3/10
Director: Takashi Miike
Starring: Koji Yakusho, Naoto Takenaka, Eita , Hikari Mitsushima, Ebizo Ichikawa, Munetaka...
Directed by Takashi Miike ("13 Assassins"), this remake of the 1962 film "Harakiri" relates the story of a mysterious samurai who arrives at the doors... Read more
Harlock: Space Pirate ( aka Space Pirate Captain Harlock ) (2013)
6.5/10
Director: Shinji Aramaki
Captain Harlock is the one man standing between the Gaia Coalition and their quest for complete intergalactic rule. Seeking revenge against those who... Read more
Her Mother's Profession (1954)
Director: Kenji Mizoguchi
Starring: Kinuyo Tanaka
Like much of his work, Kenji Mizoguchi directs this film about an aging geisha in Kyoto's Shimabara district longing for something beyond her marginal... Read more
Hidden Blade (2004)
7.8/10
Director: Yoji Yamada
Starring: Masatoshi Nagase, Takako Matsu, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Yukiyoshi Ozawa, Min Tanaka
One of Japan's most celebrated filmmakers, Yoji Yamada (director of the Oscar-nominated 'Twilight Samurai') has once again created stunning cinema wit... Read more
High and Low (1963)
8.4/10
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Toshiro Mifune
Based on an Ed McBain novel, 'High and Low' is a gripping, film noir style thriller. A ruthless kidnapper, aiming to snatch wealthy industrialist Tosh... Read more
House On Fire (1986)
7/10
Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Starring: Ken Ogata, Mieko Harada
In the 50s, the complicated life of a popular writer who must share his life with his family, his numerous mistresses and his work. Adapted from autob... Read more
Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
8.2/10
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Voices Of, Christian Bale, Emily Mortimer, Jean Simmons, Blythe Danner, Billy Cr...
With its otherworldly beauty and charm Miyazaki's magical tale of adventure and self-discovery is testament to his limiltiless imagination. 18-year-ol... Read more
Howl's Moving Castle ( Blu-ray ) (2004)
8.2/10
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
With its otherworldly beauty and charm Miyazaki's magical tale of adventure and self-discovery is testament to his limiltiless imagination. 18-year-ol... Read more