Why are Japanese films so terrible?

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;; I saw SPIRITED AWAY yesterday. finally.

― Erik, Tuesday, 29 April 2003 06:53 (twenty-three years ago)

what everyone else said + kiyoshi kurosawa.

― brian badword (badwords), Tuesday, 29 April 2003 07:03 (twenty-three years ago)

Can someone name a particularly good japanese monster
movie I watched once that starred a giant human
that battled monsters? "Adventures of" may have
been in the title, and the power rangers bit his look.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Tuesday, 29 April 2003 17:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Mizoguchi is the greatest director ever to walk the earth -- don't get me started.

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 29 April 2003 17:28 (twenty-three years ago)

I thought I was a Mizoguchi fan, a bit, but I confess I've not seen his giant monster movies.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Tuesday, 29 April 2003 18:52 (twenty-three years ago)

The poignant tale of Mothra's young daughter, who is forced to become the mistress of a petty-bourgeois shop owner to support her younger sister. Soon, the shop owner dies and Mothrita is taken in by a brutal pimp. After she is beaten by the pimp, she returns to her sister and despairs of the plight of female Mothrites.

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 29 April 2003 19:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ah, yeah, of course. I saw that years ago, before any of you. I just forgot it for a minute.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Tuesday, 29 April 2003 19:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Some of my fave Japanese movies:

Toky Decadence
Tetsuo
Tampopo
Akira
Audition

Spirited Away hasn't had its official release in Belgium. Waiting.

Jan

― Jan Geerinck (jahsonic), Tuesday, 29 April 2003 19:57 (twenty-three years ago)

i love japanese films

Search: Ugetsu, Onibaba, Kwaidan, Audition, DeadorAlive, Battle Royale, Tetsuo, Tokyo Fist, Electric Dragon 80000, Angel Dust, Ringu, Blind Beast, Tokyo Drifter, Sonatine, Hana-bi, Afterlife, Hole in the Sky, In the Realm of the Senses, Tampopo, Throne of Blood, Bullet Ballet, Uzumaki, and random Godzilla films i liked as a child.

there should be more Kurosawa, Miyazaki and Ozu and stuff but they somehow don't fall as much into my "canon". maybe i am just being contrarian.

Still must see: Dark Water, Love & Pop, Gemini, Happiness of the Katakuris, A Snake of June, Juon, Eureka, Cure, Tokyo Decadence, Branded to Kill

― Honda (Honda), Tuesday, 29 April 2003 22:43 (twenty-three years ago)

Iron Man Tetsuo owns this thread for sucking and being totally awesome at the same time.

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 29 April 2003 22:49 (twenty-three years ago)

"All About Lily Chou-Chou" is good.

― kirsten (kirsten), Tuesday, 29 April 2003 23:45 (twenty-three years ago)

What????

Akira Kurosawa is one of the greatest filmmakers of all time! The 'Baby Cart' series are AMAZING! The Godzilla films from the 60s (especially) are great fun with tremendous scope photography and set design and modern Japanese cinema has belched out such instant classics as 'Audition', 'Tokyo Fist', 'Uzumaki', 'Hypnosis' and 'Dark Water'. I saw 'Inugami' last week and it has style for sale! Man, they know how to make a film look good in Japan.

Kill this thread. I mean, whatever next - Hong Kong cinema, a load of shit or wot???!!!???!!!

― Calum, Tuesday, 29 April 2003 23:54 (twenty-three years ago)

eight months pass...

"All About Lily Chou Chou" IS good.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Monday, 5 January 2004 19:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't like it

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 04:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Ugh, I just saw "Ichi the Killer" and it was terrible.

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 05:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I enjoy much Japanese cinema. Takeshi Kitano is one of my faves; search "Kids Return", "Sonatine", and "Kikujiro" for sure, also "Metropolis", "Grave of the Fireflies", and "Spirited Away" for anime. "The Eel" was good, I also liked "Shall we Dance?". I'm far from the toughest critic though; I don't require that films be the pinnacle of their respective genres for me to admit to liking them. I consider the above to be entertaining and interesting, with fairly unique storylines, and a refreshing change from the usual mainstream American garbage I'm exposed to here in the States.

― webcrack (music=crack), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 16:51 (twenty-two years ago)

There are plenty of other threads in this series to collect.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 17:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Phil, where did you see Ichi at?

― dean gulberry (deangulberry), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 17:29 (twenty-two years ago)

they had the DVD of Ichi at Kim's Video here in New York... Don't bother though. It was really really bad. The story was stupid/confusing and the gore was pretty silly.

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 6 January 2004 19:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I've got the DVD of Ichi, one of the very few freebies I got last year. Nasty.

Note for people who haven't seen Afterlife, the Ritzy is showing as its world cinema matinee all week from Friday. 1-ish I think, £3 a pop. I am ver ver tempted to go see again.

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 10:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree that Ichi was quite bad, the plot was muddled and the sick humour wasn't as funny as in other films of Miike, for example Visitor Q.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 11:18 (twenty-two years ago)

kazuki tomokawa is in the new miike movie (with beat takeshi). i probably still won't see it.

"bright future" was pretty good.

― amateur!st (amateurist), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 13:49 (twenty-two years ago)

two weeks pass...

My downstairs neighbor, who is big on such types of films, showed me Ichi The Killer last night. I couldn't really concentrate on it but at the very least I thought it's sadomasochistc take on the whole Batman vs. Joker concept was intriguing. I might not have noticed it unless he pointed it out (the bad guy's grin, his purple and green clothes, etc.). Did anyone else catch that element?

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 24 January 2004 01:10 (twenty-two years ago)

I couldn't really concentrate on it

because we were yammering about stuff and it was really, really gross.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 24 January 2004 01:11 (twenty-two years ago)

He also showed me Battle Royale, which I hadn't seen yet. I found that more horrifying than Ichi in its own way, and definitely superior.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 24 January 2004 01:16 (twenty-two years ago)

As pete mentioned on another thread Ozu's tokyo story is being shown daily at the NFT till next thursday. I caught it yesterday and it was some of the most moving cinema I've ever seen.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 24 January 2004 10:24 (twenty-two years ago)

:-D

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 24 January 2004 13:04 (twenty-two years ago)

i saw Ktano's Zaitochi yesterday as opening film to the Rotterdam Film Festival. Samurai turns to Riverdance.

― Eriik, Saturday, 24 January 2004 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah but just for the last three minutes which felt like a cheat to me

although i guess the dancing is foreshadowed a few times

that film left me pretty cold overall

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 26 January 2004 11:21 (twenty-two years ago)

five months pass...

bump

anyone for Hiroshi Teshigahara?

http://www.bfi.org.uk/showing/nft/teshigahara/calendar/index.php

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 18 July 2004 18:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm going to three of them, Julio - Pitfall on Tuesday, Face Of Another on Thursday, then Rikyu on the Wednesday or Friday of the following week. An old friend is coming to the first two with me (no one you know) but you're obviously more than welcome to come along too - and I'm currently on my own for Rikyu, so if you fancy either showing of that say the word.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 18 July 2004 20:05 (twenty-one years ago)

cool, I'm seeing 'woman of the dunes' tomorrow. won't be there on tue, will try and make it to thurs.

Will def see 'rikyu' the following week.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 18 July 2004 21:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Anyone seen Suicide Club?

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Sunday, 18 July 2004 21:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I love Japanese cinema. Audition, Gate of Flesh, Spirited Away and the rest of the anime films, Naked Blood, Stacy etc... Sure some of it is tacky, but it's good fun. Trying to say that Japanese cinema is all about giant monsters attacking cities is like trying to say American movies are all about cowboys and indians.

― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 18 July 2004 21:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Contemporary Japanese cinema has it's own clichés, and once you get used to them they can be as irritating as their Hollywood counterparts. This applies especially to anime, which is fun for awhile, but gets really boring once you've seen enough of it. There are gems there, like Miyazaki's flicks, but a lot of the stuff that's imported to the West is mediocre shite aimed at the fanboy market.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Sunday, 18 July 2004 21:44 (twenty-one years ago)

We rented "Suicide Club" last week - really good, albeit disturbing. Much graphic violence, much mystery, much schoolgirls leaping to their deaths on the subway track. What more can you want?

― Layna Andersen (Layna Andersen), Sunday, 18 July 2004 23:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Has anyone seen the three most recent Seijun Suzuki films released on DVD (Underworld Beauty, Kanto Wanderer, Tattooed Life)? The first is a yakuza noir and the latter two are period yakuza films in color, I believe.

I found UB at Borders this weekend, but haven't had a chance to watch it.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Sunday, 18 July 2004 23:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Julio (and any other interested parties): I saw Pitfall tonight, and it was GREAT! I'm really looking forward to the next two now.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 21:24 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, saw 'woman...' and almost certain to see it again, I did a thread on ilm abt toru takemitsu just after seeing it.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 21:44 (twenty-one years ago)

So is anyone on for Rikyu on Wednesday (8.20) or Friday (8.40) night? I'm definitely going.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 26 July 2004 18:07 (twenty-one years ago)

DVDs of the two Ju-on TV movies (predating the Ju-on:Grudge two theatrical versions) arrived this morning, hopefully I'll get the chance to watch at least one tonight. Are they really better than the 'remakes', as I've read?

Suicide Circle/Club is genius, yes - but is it any better than Uzumaki? I think not, although for non-horror material Wild Zero is about as good as it gets.

Someone on this thread might know... I've managed to pick up a fantran of the second Ringu TV series (Saishuushou/'The Final Chapter') - has anyone ever seen a subbed version of either the first (Ring: Kanzenban, admittedly only a one-off rather than a series) or third series (Rasen: The Series)?

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 07:45 (twenty-one years ago)

the new sarah michelle gellar movie (remake of ju-on) is directed by takashi shimizu!!

― amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 14:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I should be going on friday martin.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 14:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Great! I'll go on Friday too!

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 15:52 (twenty-one years ago)

cool, see you there.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 15:57 (twenty-one years ago)

three months pass...

revive!

director mentioned upthread:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7943-1342630,00.html

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 4 November 2004 21:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I am about to watch Kiyoshi Kurosawa's "Cure". What should I expect?

― adam... (nordicskilla), Thursday, 4 November 2004 21:27 (twenty-one years ago)

it is um... extreme

― A Nairn (moretap), Thursday, 4 November 2004 21:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I do not know if I will enjoy it, then. Is it like Takashi Miike? The jacket promises noir. I want noir.

― adam... (nordicskilla), Thursday, 4 November 2004 21:31 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, it's kind of Noir. The most famous movie it's like is Seven, but more noir than that.

― A Nairn (moretap), Thursday, 4 November 2004 21:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 556 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

https://www.radiancefilms.co.uk/products/the-inugami-family-le

Kon Ichikawa's film of the Kindaichi detective movels. this is relevant to at least a couple of my interests

― Bog Dork (koogs), Saturday, 13 June 2026 20:47 (yesterday)

(annoyingly it's only available as dual blu ray and 4k and £7 more than usual. maybe i will wait)

― Bog Dork (koogs), Saturday, 13 June 2026 20:53 (yesterday)

I read that book, it was pretty terrific. I’m going to have to track this down.

― omar little, Saturday, 13 June 2026 20:56 (yesterday)

oh, that's not true - i had a saragossa manuscript page open at the same time and that's BR+4K, the inugami family is the usual £18 for the LE

― Bog Dork (koogs), Saturday, 13 June 2026 20:57 (yesterday)

he's done a few adaptations, none available outside of japan until now. but this makes a lot of sense given the (relative) popularity of the books (which you can see by the flood of other japanese detective stories that are being released)

― Bog Dork (koogs), Saturday, 13 June 2026 20:59 (yesterday)

Director Kon Ichikawa made six films about Kindaichi, starring Koji Ishizaka:

The Inugami Family (1976)
Akuma no temari-uta (1977)
Gokumon-to (1977)
Queen Bee (1978)
The House of Hanging on Hospital Slope (1979)
The Inugamis (2006)

― Bog Dork (koogs), Saturday, 13 June 2026 21:05 (yesterday)

I had no idea Ichikawa was making films into the 2000s, given that his first was in 1947 that's an almost 60 year directorial career, pretty amazing

― duffel coat music (Matt #2), Saturday, 13 June 2026 22:23 (yesterday)

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