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'
Passing Fancy (1933)
7.2/10
Director: Yasujiro Ozu
Two Tokyo co-workers come across a destitute young lady in search of a place to live. Read more
One Missed Call (2003)
6.2/10
Director: Takashi Miike
Starring: Kou Shibasaki, Renji Ishibashi, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Kazue Fukiishi
From cult Japanese director Takashi Miike comes this typically stylish idiosyncratic horror-thriller. Yumi's friend has a missed call on her cell-pho... Read more
The Yellow Handkerchief (Blu-ray) (1977)
7.3/10
Director: Yoji Yamada
Starring: Ken Takakura, Kaori Momoi
Three complete strangers embark on a road-trip to Hokkaido. Read more
Goodbye, South, Goodbye (Nan guo zai jian, nan guo) (1996)
7.2/10
Director: Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Starring: Jack Kao
A glimpse at the lives of two petty criminals in Taipei. Read more
Equinox Flower (1958)
7.8/10
Director: Yasujiro Ozu
Starring: Shin Saburi, Kinuyo Tanaka, Yoshiko Kuga, Keiji Sada, Teiji Takahashi
A businessman clashes with his elder daughter over her choice of a husband. Read more
Late Autumn (1960)
8/10
Director: Yasujiro Ozu
Starring: Setsuko Hara, Yoko Tsukasa, Keiji Sada, Chishu Ryu, Shin Saburi
A widow tries to marry off her daughter with the help of her late husband's three friends. Read more
Early Spring (1956)
7.8/10
Director: Yasujiro Ozu
Starring: Chikage Awashima, Teiji Takahashi, Keiko Kishi, Chishu Ryu
A young man and his wife struggle within the confines of their passionless relationship while he has an extramarital romance. Read more
Kichiku dai enkai (1997)
5.4/10
While the leader is in jail, his leftist group is controlled by his girlfriend, but her leadership lacks conviction and perspective. When the leader c... Read more
Red Angel (Blu-ray) (1966)
7.8/10
Starring: Ayako Wakao
During the Sino-Japanese War, a young army nurse gives sympathy to her patients and falls in love with an impotent doctor who's addicted to morphine. Read more
Kagemusha (1980)
8/10
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Tsutomu Yamazaki, Tatsuya Nakadai, Kenichi Hagiwara
AKA 'Kagemusha - The Shadow Warrior'. Set in 1531, in a Japan torn by civil strife, the film deals with a mighty Japanese warlord and his commoner loo... Read more