rowerivers

Smokey jazz bar in the rain. Shadowy characters. A sax-heavy soundtrack. All the hard-boiled noir clichés are here. Shunichi (Hironobu Nomura) is a university student who plays a mean sax. He left his father's vigorous training to find the essence of jazz, joining a club group named Tahiti at a jazz bar called Cabaret Stardust. Gangster Takigawa (Takeshi Kaga) often comes in and requests "Left Alone", the old Mal Waldren standard. He likes the way Shunichi plays it, and the two start talking about it and music in general. But Takigawa shoots another gangster, which Shunichi witnesses. He meets the mama-san of K's bar (Mitsuko Baisho), a friend of Takigawa. And he starts an affair with a singer at the bar (Watanabe) and breaks up with his nice, clean-cut girlfriend Hideko (Junko Mihara). Then bad stuff happens. The atmosphere works well, though it's set it in the present – 80s Yokohama. But now the 80s are retro, and that adds another layer of nostalgia. And with a story that's entertaining without diving into stupidity, it's still worth watching. Especially with a bottle of Wild Turkey on a rainy night.

Like something out of a B-grade Western, Shinji (Kobayashi), the Watari-dori (rambler) arrives on the outskirts of a town in southern Kyushu on a horse, carrying a guitar. He meets his old nemesis/comrade in arms: the hired gun (Jo Shishido). Then he stops at the Sagara Ranch, where he stops an incident. The ranch is the target of a local casino owner and mobster Matoba (Akira Yamauchi), who wants to turn it into a golf resort. The ranch's owner, young lush Sagara (Kinoura), refuses to sell. At the same time Sagara's sister, Kyoko (Ruriko Asaoka) returns from Tokyo. Shinji decides to stay and help. And the action begins. I like the cheesy pseudo-western overtones, and I like the dryness of the main characters as they go through the ordeal. Things get a little inventive when Matoba has Shinji and Shishido shoot each other in his office. There are other fight scenes and gratuitous festival scenes. Kobayashi is cooler than cool, while Asaoka perfects her headstrong girl role.

How does free money affect people? That's the question director Yoshimitsu Morita proposes in this story. Maya (Koyuki) comes back to her hometown of Hakodate after several years in Tokyo. Her mother is in a coma in a high-tech hospital, so she plans to stay there for a while. She meets up with her classmates and gives them money to fulfill their dreams. That arouses suspicions and speculations. And for Maya, she finds giving money away won't always make the world a better place. Koyuki (The Last Samurai) gets deep into Maya's role. She turns off her glamor to portray Maya as a plain, slightly naive young woman. It's a pretty straightforward drama, but with a few directorial flourishes. Morita (The Family Game) makes use of several locations around Hakodate, too, giving it a peaceful, slightly detached feeling.

Kazuko Yoshiyama (Tomoyo Harada) is just an average, though cute and perky, high school student in the picturesque old town of Onomichi. But one day while cleaning the science room she hears a noise. She investigates and becomes overcome by fumes that smell like lavender. After waking up in the nurse's room, she feels well enough to go home, walking with neighbor (Toshinori Omi) and passing by his grandparents (Ken Uehara and Takako Irie). The next day is Saturday, but being 1983 she still has to go to school. The day after that is Saturday, too, and she goes through the same routine. Then after that is Saturday, and she tries to find some way to break out of that. Unlike Bill Murray, she succeeds, but goes off into several other periods at a rapid pace. Somehow things get resolved between her and her neighbor and also the tall guy she likes (Takayanagi). This is a Junya Kadogawa production, showcasing new idol Harada (who grew up nicely to play the wife in Shiawase no Pan). He chose the popular fantasy novel written by Yasutaka Tsutsui, which had been filmed before and since. And he assembled some good talent, including old-time film stars Uehara and Irie, along with director Nobuhiko Obayashi (House). It's a quality production, but still the acting is a little off, as would be expected from a first-timer like Harada. She does have good screen presence, though. And with an intriguing story and director Obayashi's favorite backdrop of Onomichi, it's a better example of the Japanese idol teen flick.

In January, 1902 a troop of soldiers of the Japanese Imperial army are sent on a march over Mt. Hakkoda, in the north part of the main island, to gain winter training in preparation for the upcoming war with Russia. It ends in the worst mountain disaster in Japanese history, with 199 of the 210 men perishing in a severe snowstorm. The trek was ill fated from the start, with the officers stuck in their own rigid thinking. They thought they knew best, and if the men weren't tough enough to survive a march through the woods, they didn't deserve to serve the Emperor. And all those warnings from the locals? They were mere peasants, not worth listening to. This film, based on the "documentary" novel by Jiro Nitta, has some powerful images. One that I'll never forget is the scene of several trying to climb up a steep icy slope. One loses his grip and slides down, taking others along with him. A few go crazy and strip to their loincloths. Others just drop dead. There's no fire and very few provisions. Keeping them going are ironic visions of the area in the late spring and the beautiful guide they met.

The title is Detective Story, but it's equally a coming-of-age tale. Naomi (Hiroko Yakushimaru) is a rich girl set to go study in the US. Her absent father hires detective Shuichi (Yusaku Matsuda) to watch out for her before she goes. She discovers him, and both don't like the situation, but she soon becomes intrigued by him. Shuichi, has other troubles – his ex-wife is involved in a mob murder. Naomi helps protect her and helps Shuichi figure out what really happened. That leads to close encounters with unsavory types and close encounters between the detective and his client. This is Yakushimaru's film, produced by super producer Hiroki Kadokawa, the man who made her a big pop idol. He must have had a lot of influence, getting Matsuda as the detective (he was the star of the TV series Tantei Monogatari, which had no connection to this story) and got well-regarded actress Kyoko Kishida to play the housekeeper. The movie had its moments, but not that much action. Both leads were a bit bland, though Yakushimaru was spirited like a spunky 19-year-old should be. The camera lingers on her and Matsuda a little longer than usual in their quieter scenes. There are a few sexy bits, mainly involving Akikawa, who also sings a fairly bad cover in the cabaret.

Taki (Haru Kuroki) comes from northern Japan to Tokyo to join the Hirai household as a housekeeper. Back in the pre-war days the newly rich upper-middle classes built their own houses out in the suburbs, adopting Western style furnishings and fashions. And the Hirais built a very nice little house with a red roof. Taki quickly fits in and bonds quickly – too quickly – with Tokiko, the young wife and mother (Takako Matsu). She loves it so much there that she turns down an opportunity to marry into wealth. Husband (Takataro Kataoka) spends a lot of time at the office and traveling around for his toy company, which leaves plenty of time for Tokiko to pursue her own pleasures, like any decent housewife at that time. But it all changes when Itakura (Hidetaka Yoshioka), a young employee at husband's company, comes to visit. Tokiko is immediately attracted to him – he's handsome, cultured, artistic and a bit sickly – hitting all the right buttons for Tokiko. The feeling turns mutual as circumstances bring them together again and again. To Taki's dismay they begin an affair. This is where the film compares to Remains of the Day. Though the division between master and servant isn't as distinct in Japan, the housekeeper is still an employee, and the employee has to keep her own feelings to herself. Taki struggles with this as Tokiko becomes consumed and careless. Kuroki won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for her performance, which was a surprise to many. But Kuroki beautifully portrayed Taki's struggle as the perfect world began to crumble. It is a too common Japanese theme: put on a brave front and never show your struggles. But in this film it's nicely presented.

Young yakuza Shujiro Hanada (Takakura) goes to prison after losing his cool in a rigged gambling game and slashing a few other players. When he's released in 1927, the world has changed. His sister died in the Great Kanto Earthquake and his father is also gone. His brother Jukichi (Ikebe) invites him to stay at his in-laws and works in their family pub. Shujiro is trying to go straight. He lies low, helping his blind mother-in-law (Araki) and slowly developing a relationship with Ikuye (Fuji), the hostess who helped him before his arrest. But trouble lurks when the resident gang decides to show its strength. It all leads to a showdown between the two brothers and around 20 sword-wielding gangsters. This is the seventh of nine movies in the Brutal Tales of Chivalry series. The title translates roughly to The Gift of Death. This was pretty dumb, but that's not why we watch. We like to see the stoic Takakura pushed to the edge and fight back. It takes a long time for him to lose his cool this time. Which means, if we don't understand the Japanese, we sit and contemplate the setting: a rough neighborhood in working- class Tokyo in the late twenties, with its tight bonds and codes of honor.

The sad truth is very few Japanese under 35 have seen a Kurosawa movie. They just aren't interested in something so old-fashioned. With this in mind, it's actually a good thing that they remade this movie. Sure, it pales in comparison to the original. But it is very entertaining – especially if you haven't seen the original. Yuji Oda, one of the top stars in Japan, has a lot of fun playing the scruffy master-less samurai who calls himself Tsubaki Sanjuro (the thirty-year- old Camelia). He's rude and cynical and domineering, but still willing to help the innocent-but- hopeless young samurai rescue their chamberlain from a group of corrupt officials. There's a lot of bloodless sword action, though the sound effects are pretty descriptive. Director Yoshimitsu Morita gives the film a light touch, and it flows by quickly, which is perfect for this generation. And if it makes them want to see Kurosawa's originals, so much the better.

A Japanese car company is under attack by a Chinese financial group, and it's up to former vulture Masahiko Washizu (Nao Ohmori) to save it. But what he has to do takes a very high price. Actually, I had no idea what was happening. The bits of English provided by Christopher Pelligini and Gregory Pekar (as American financial consultants) helped a little, but there was so much maneuvering and so many financial-type discussions that I couldn't tell what anyone was doing. But technically, this was an interesting film to watch. How does a film about back-room dealings and financial manipulation become attractive? By a good mix of background music – some urgent pounding, some adagio choruses – to set the mood. And by a hyperactive camera often hand held, combined with quick edits, various angles and colored filters. The effect was a very glossy, hi-tech look. This film, produced by NHK, was based on a TV miniseries starring Ohmori. The appeal is limited – white-collar workers as modern day samurai doesn't do well overseas. Maybe if it had subtitles it would have been better. But I doubt that will ever happen.

Japan's first all-talkie is heavily influenced by Hollywood. And that's not a bad thing. It starts off as a Laurel & Hardy style comedy before slipping into sitcom-style antics. The humor is universal, so we don't really need subtitles. Atsushi Watanabe has a hint of Buster Keaton, while Kinuyo Tanaka seems like a kimono-clad Mary Pickford. The Jazz party is a delight as we see the writer slowly fall under the charms of the neighbor's wife (the Madam in the title). The ending works well – very sweet. Director Gosho fully exploits the new technology and paces the film well. If you're looking for the "real" Japan, it's not here. The neighborhood looks like any lakeside resort and the houses also look American on the outside. Overall, light and entertaining.

There's a special Japanese word for this type of movie: surechigai – people who pass nearby but don't see each other. The title refers to a special Laurel tree that brings eternal love. Yes, it's a love story, pure and simple. And it was a huge hit back in pre-war Japan. The movie had the sophisticated look of a Hollywood film with a story to match. The protagonists were elite and the setting was modern urban. Despite being a single mother, Katsue lived in a nice, clean home and wore beautiful western clothes. What really put this film above the ordinary melodrama was the chemistry between Tanaka and Uehara – two hugely popular stars who continued to make films after the war. Both were young and beautiful. And Uehara's hair was so slick and oiled that he looked like an illustration. But we couldn't help feeling that they were meant for each other. It was the perfect escape from an uncertain world and still holds its own today.

This is a farce in the true sense. Mistaken assumptions spiral out of control, but somehow wrap up nicely in the end. Manabu (Kawarazaki) is the quiet one of the working class family. He prefers to stay in his corner of the house listening to classical music. Only his mother (Kiyokawa) is quieter – she never says a word as unemployed drunken father (Hanazawa) and equally drunken, womanizing older brother (Atsumi) fight. With Ai (Baisho) Manabu sees a way out of this squalid life. But with older brother intruding, maybe there's no way out after all. This is Morisaki's first picture as director. He handles the material nicely, keeping the action flowing and bringing out the best in the worried Kawarazaki and motormouth Atsumi. Atsumi is so strongly identified with the hapless Tora-san in Otoko wa Tsurai Yo, so it's fun to see him in a much different role. The setting is also a strong part of the film. This is pre-bubble Japan, where the prosperity hasn't come to the working classes yet. The neighborhood is on a river across from Narita airport, dominated by huge billboards for Yashica cameras, Birely's soft drinks and YKK Zippers. This film was basically just common entertainment for domestic audiences, so a subtitled version probably doesn't exist. And with so much local dialect, it's quite difficult to understand. But the atmosphere is interesting, though loud.

After the war everything changed, sort of. The wealthy were suddenly poor and the social titles were now gone. Masters and servants were on the same plane. This is the story of how the Anjos, an industrialist's family, has to deal with it. The father (Osamu Takizawa) is planning a suicide. Oldest brother Masahiko (Masayuki Mori) plunges into total nihilism, not even caring that his maid Kiku (Michiko Ikuno) is in love with him. Elder sister Akiko (Yumiko Aizone) is in her own despair, not knowing what to do about her suitor. Only Atsuko (Setsuko Hara) seems clear-headed and ready to face the cloudy future. It's up to her to keep the family together. The story is based on Anton Chekov's The Cherry Orchard, but it's also a not-so-subtle allegory of postwar Japanese society. The country that thought itself a major player in Asia, treating its neighbors with contempt, was now suffering the consequences of its actions. So will it slide into despair or nihilism, or will it take a more courageous, practical view? Atsuko points the way.

The postwar democratization of Japan was supposed to make everyone equal. But the stigma of nobility and merchant class remained. So when car shop owner Keizo begins dating Yasuko, the daughter of former nobility, many complications ensue. Today this film comes across as just another match of opposites, and a not-particularly interesting one at that. But at that time it was major. This topic was dealt with more dramatically in Anjo-ke no Butokai (Ball at the Anjo's House) two years earlier. Here it becomes a comedy of manners. A very quiet comedy. As such, it may be hard to sit through for those expecting clever wit or humorous situations. Every gesture is very subtle: the touch of a glove in place of a hand, the foaming remains of a beer in a glass in the climactic scene. I liked the interaction between the two. Hara, as usual, is magnificent, playing shy and demure with traces of shock and amusement. Sano flicks between sullenness and earnestness, showing his charm and anger in equal measures. Kinoshita does a fine job directing this film, showing a postwar Tokyo where one could freely drive or ride a motorbike on the streets. But overall, it's hard to recommend this to anyone other than fans of the director or Setsuko Hara.

Kitsune no Kureta Akanbo roughly translates as The Baby Boy Given by a Fox. Torahachi is a lowly, drunken samurai who goes in search of the magical fox and comes across an abandoned baby. He takes him home and with help from his friends brings the boy up. It's not easy, as Torahachi has to give up his drinking, fighting and gambling. The great Kabuki actor Bando Tsumasaburo shines as the perplexed, grubby lowly samurai, with the physical dexterity of a seasoned clown. He can be tough and respectable one minute, then a drunken fool the next.

This was made right after the war ended, and already it has a nice, polished studio look. But the U.S. General Headquarters was keeping watch and didn't really approve of samurai dramas. To appease the new censors, there was one brief scene where Torahachi offers the boy a sword to show his status as a samurai. The boy takes it and tosses it outside, saying he doesn't want to fight.

It's not a great movie by any means, but it's well worth a watch. The humor gets a little slapstick at times, but not irritatingly so.