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Birthday:
07-09-1904
Deathday:
02-05-1996 (91 years)
Birthplace:
Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, Japan
Biography
Hideo Oguni (小国 英雄 Oguni Hideo, 9 July 1904 – 5 February 1996) was a Japanese writer who wrote over 100 screenplays. He is best known for co-writing screenplays for a number of films directed by Akira Kurosawa, including Ikiru, The Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood and The Hidden Fortress. His first film with Kurosawa was Ikiru, and according to film professor Catherine Russell, it was Oguni who devised that film's two-part structure. Film critic Donald Richie regarded him as the "humanist" among Kurosawa's writers. In 2013, Oguni and frequent screenwriting collaborators Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto and Ryūzō Kikushima were awarded the Jean Renoir Award by the Writers Guild of America West.
Writing credits other than for Kurosawa films include Heinosuke Gosho's Entotsu no mieru basho in 1953, Koji Shima's Warning from Space in 1956, Tora! Tora! Tora!, and Hiroshi Inagaki's Machibuse in 1970.
Writing credits other than for Kurosawa films include Heinosuke Gosho's Entotsu no mieru basho in 1953, Koji Shima's Warning from Space in 1956, Tora! Tora! Tora!, and Hiroshi Inagaki's Machibuse in 1970.
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Their works
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Seven Samurai
Screenplay
event1954 star_border 8.5
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A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Screenplay
event1970 star_border 7.2
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In the summer of 1941, the United States and Japan seem on the brink of war after constant embargos and failed diplomacy come to no end. "Tora! Tora! Tora!", named after the code words use by the lead Japanese pilot to indicate they had surprised the Americans, covers the days leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor, which plunged America into the Second World War.
I Live in Fear
Writer
event1955 star_border 7.3
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Kiichi Nakajima, an elderly foundry owner, is convinced that Japan will be affected by an imminent nuclear war, and resolves to move his family to safety in Brazil. His family decides to have him ruled incompetent and Dr. Harada, a Domestic Court counselor, attempts to arbitrate.
Throne of Blood
Screenplay
event1957 star_border 7.9
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Returning to their lord's castle, samurai warriors Washizu and Miki are waylaid by a spirit who predicts their futures. When the first part of the spirit's prophecy comes true, Washizu's scheming wife, Asaji, presses him to speed up the rest of the spirit's prophecy by murdering his lord and usurping his place. Director Akira Kurosawa's resetting of William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" in feudal Japan is one of his most acclaimed films.
The Warrior and the Sorceress
Original Film Writer
event1984 star_border 4.2
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The mighty warrior, Kain, crosses the barren wastelands of the planet Ura, where two arch enemies, Zeg and the evil degenerate Balcaz, fight incessantly for control of the village's only well. Kain sees his opportunity and announces that his sword is for hire... but his eyes stay clearly on the beautiful captive sorceress Naja, and his newly awakened purpose.
Ran
Screenplay
event1985 star_border 8.1
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With Ran, legendary director Akira Kurosawa reimagines Shakespeare's King Lear as a singular historical epic set in sixteenth-century Japan. Majestic in scope, the film is Kurosawa's late-life masterpiece, a profound examination of the folly of war and the crumbling of one family under the weight of betrayal, greed, and the insatiable thirst for power.
Sanjuro
Screenplay
event1962 star_border 7.9
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Toshiro Mifune swaggers and snarls to brilliant comic effect in Kurosawa's tightly paced, beautifully composed "Sanjuro." In this companion piece and sequel to "Yojimbo," jaded samurai Sanjuro helps an idealistic group of young warriors weed out their clan's evil influences, and in the process turns their image of a proper samurai on its ear.
The Bad Sleep Well
Writer
event1960 star_border 7.7
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In this loose adaptation of "Hamlet," illegitimate son Kôichi Nishi climbs to a high position within a Japanese corporation and marries the crippled daughter of company vice president Iwabuchi. At the reception, the wedding cake is a replica of their corporate headquarters, but an aspect of the design reminds the party of the hushed-up death of Nishi's father. It is then that Nishi unleashes his plan to avenge his father's death.
High and Low
Screenplay
event1963 star_border 8.3
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In the midst of an attempt to take over his company, a powerhouse executive is hit with a huge ransom demand when his chauffeur's son is kidnapped by mistake.
The Man Who Waited
Screenplay
event1942
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A bizarre murder at a hot springs resort threatens to disrupt an Edo detective's (Hasegawa) vacation. When his hot-blooded wife (Yamada) starts snooping around, however, he finds himself reluctantly drawn in to the case.
Warning from Space
Screenplay
event1956 star_border 5.1
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Large star-shaped aliens travel to earth in hopes of warning them about an oncoming catastrophe. To prevent panic about their appearance, one alien takes the form of a popular singer.
The Last Princess
Original Story
event2008 star_border 5.8
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After the Akizuku clan fall in defeat to rival clan Yamana, Princess Yuki (Nagasawa Masami) and general Rokurota (Hiroshi Abe), take cover in a hidden fortress, along with their clan and gold treasury. Fortuitously stumbling into the hideaways, brash young miner Takezo (Matsumoto Jun) and his bumbling sidekick Shinhachi (Miyagawa Daiuske) hatch a daring plan to help transport the gold out of enemy terrain - in exchange for a share of the stash, of course. With assassins hot in pursuit, Yuki disguises as a male and ventures into the real world with Rukurota and her peasant companions, getting her first taste of danger, toil, and budding romance with the strong-minded and willful Takezo.
Samurai from Nowhere
Writer
event1964 star_border 7.1
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Misawa Ihei (Nagato) is traveling with his wife Tae (Iwashita Shima) who abhors the practice of sword fighting for prize money. Tae is the daughter of the clan's chief counselor who married the low-ranking Ihei to avoid becoming the clan lord's mistress. Into the mix comes Oba Gunjuro (Tetsurō Tamba), a mysterious ronin who will do anything for money. This leads to a fitting climax as the forces of hate and love converge while the couple attempt to break through the border!
Ghost Train
Screenplay
event1949
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Sixteen people are to stay at a desolate country station. Since a train accident during the war, a ghost train has been coming there at midnight. And it is said that anyone who sees the train will die. ...... A film adaptation of a popular radio drama.
Sky of Hope
Writer
event1942
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What is marriage? Young couple in match-making wanted to know before they decide. They visited married couples of sisters and brothers. Love comedy in 1942.
Yakuza Official
Screenplay
event1962
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Bunkichi disguises himself as a yakuza to solve a mysterious death.
Yaji And Kita's Traveling Diary
Screenplay
event1938
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A captivating operetta by Masahiro Makino based on Juppensha Ikku's humorous novel "Tōkaidōchū Hizakurige" starring Chiezo Kataoka and Kyoji Sugi.
My Daughter's Only Wish
Writer
event1939
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My Daughter's Only Wish tells the story of a poorly paid and clumsy office clerk, played with much comedic talent by Atsushi Watanabe. His biggest problem: His daughter Hideko is too clever and is expected by her teachers to enter the school for higher girls after graduating from primary school. But how is our poor clerk supposed to pay the school fees? How does poor Hideko feel about the situation? How can they cope with the envious colleagues who have less brighter daughters? And - an important question for Hideko's mother - what will the neighbours think? What's the point about getting a good education for girls anyway?
Onatsu Detective Case: Mad Slasher
Screenplay
event1960
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Japanese crime film
Lord for a Night
Screenplay
event1946 star_border 8
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Lord for a Night is a 1946 Japanese film directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa.
The Hidden Fortress
Screenplay
event1958 star_border 8
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In feudal Japan, during a bloody war between clans, two cowardly and greedy peasants, soldiers of a defeated army, stumble upon a mysterious man who guides them to a fortress hidden in the mountains.
The Beautiful Nuns
Writer
event1955
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A samurai who slashes a young girl's mage appears in Edo, and she is never caught.
The Priest and the Beauty
Writer
event1960 star_border 3
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Princess Kiyo accidentally injures a local priest, Anchin, while on a hunt. She apologizes, but feels irritated by Anchin’s indifference to her in spite of her beauty. One night, while Anchin is recuperating in a hot spring, he is approached by Kiyo. She tells him that she is in love with him.
Rira no hana wasureji
Adaptation
event1947
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In the 30th year, Nirasaki Den'emon established the Nirasaki Hokkaido Development Company with investment from Sonoi to build railway facilities. However, the endeavor faced criticism for attempting to buy Ainu land at low prices. Tokyo Nippo reporter Toshimasa Matsuzaka, who was actually Nirasaki's son, wants to expose the flawed practices of the company.
Shogun's Holiday
Screenplay
event1958
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During the reign of Hidetada, the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, the advisor Okubo Hikozaemon (Ganjiro Nakamura) entrusts the young Takechiyo (Hiroshi Kawaguchi) to the fishmonger Isshin Tasuke (Kazuo Hasegawa) to help him understand the world. Tasuke, who does not know that Takechiyo is the shogun's heir, trains him harshly. Tasuke's wife Naka (Michiko Ai) is concerned about his harsh teaching style, but Takechiyo gains strength day by day and adapts to his new life. Soon, Takechiyo begins secretly talking about love with a city girl named Otoyo (Hitomi Nozoe), but...
The Eyes of Two People
Writer
event1952
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Futari no hitomi (二人の瞳, Futari no hitomi, The Eyes of Two People) a.k.a. Girls Hand in Hand (USA title) is a 1952 black-and-white Japanese film directed by Shigeo Nakaki.
Genkuro Yoshitsune
Screenplay
event1962
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An exciting historical drama that dynamically depicts the life of Minamoto no Yoshitsune from the period of his stay on Mount Kurama to his reconciliation with his brother Yoritomo.
Advance Patrol
Screenplay
event1957 star_border 5.5
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In 1905, Japan was seriously threatened in the Russo-Japanese War. Japan determined a decisive attack on Russia to end the war. A reconnaissance troop was organized to penetrate into the supreme headquarter of Russia in Tieling Mountain of China to find out the enemy's situation...
Ryū no misaki
Screenplay
event1945
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1945 Japanese movie
When We Came Back
Writer
event1950
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Melodrama by Kiyoshi Saeki
Reunion
Screenplay
event1953 star_border 6
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If two clouds go away, the eyes of a maiden who gets wet in tears, Tsukaman Aise who earnestly wished, and the two who cried under the harsh trials of ten years when they fell in love and fell in love, climbed the hill of memories again. Surprisingly, there was an event that turned a moment of joy into tears ...
Travels of Lord Mito
Screenplay
event1958
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Lord Mito Mitsukuni, the vice-shogun of the whole country, left the family estate and went on a trip to various provinces with his students Sukesaburo Sasaki and Kakunoshin Atsumi. At an inn in Sunagawa, Mitsukuni exposed and punished an evil judge who had fallen in love with a townsman's wife. However, on the night he stayed at Nihonmatsu Castle, Mitsukuni found out that this incident was a performance organized especially for him…
Enoken's Hokaibo
Screenplay
event1938
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An irreverent take on a medieval Noh drama, Hokaibo sees Enoken play the titular monk whose lusts drive him to murder.
Pineapple Butai
Screenplay
event1959
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The story of the role played by Japanese-American soldiers from Hawaii in the Korean War of the 1950s.
The Lonely Swordsman (Part 2)
Screenplay
event1957 star_border 6
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Historical drama about a sleep-eyed ronin
The Little Runaway
Screenplay
event1966 star_border 1
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During a Soviet circus tour in Japan, a small street musician, Ken, meets a clown, Yuri Nikulin. Upon learning that his sick father is being treated in the Soviet Union, Ken sets off in search of him. The friendship of the great clown and the boy continues in Moscow.
The Vampire Moth
Screenplay
event1956 star_border 4
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The story of a professional nude model stalked by a bizarre, unknown man wearing a hideous mask.
Dimple of Tokyo
Screenplay
event1952
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Buntaro, the president of a food trading company got tired of the day-to-day routine of life. The new secretary, Nobuko, suggested her "shacho-san" (the president) run away from the job. Nobuko took Buntaro to her home and introduced him to her own family as friend, "Sachio-san"...
The Ghosts of Yotsuya
Screenplay
event1956 star_border 5.6
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Oiwa has been searching for the one who killed her father for a long time. She comes to Yedo and sees a man named Naosuke. The film is based on the kabuki classic: Toukaidou Yotsuya Kaidan (1826) written by Tsuruya Nanboku and is one of the most famous ghost stories throughout Japan.
Excursion to Treasure Isle
Screenplay
event1956
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The story is a dramatization of the Japanese folklore legend of Momotaro, the Peach Boy, who with his trusted companions of dog, monkey and pheasant fought against evil in olden times.
Mito Komon's Pleasure Trip
Writer
event1938
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This is the only surviving “Mito Komon Manyu-ki” film. This release also known as "Adrift Tour Memoir" or literally "Mito Komon's Pleasure Trip" is an 80-minute compilation of the first (東海道の巻 or "Tokaido no maki") and second (日本晴れの巻 or "Japan's Fine Weather Reel") parts (147 minutes), which were re-edited and screened at a time when presentable films were dried up immediately after the defeat of the war.
Tabiwa Oiroke
Script
event1961
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Will the assassin take my life or will a beautiful woman take my chastity? Or will a beautiful woman take your chastity? On the Tokaido Highway of Flowers, a beautiful swordsman is in peril! Tokaido is a journey of women's peril! Pink Kumudo no Kenjidoshu! A swarm of beautiful women chases after him! The forest of white blades that ambushes! Tokaido is in full bloom!
Highest 2 Lowest
Original Film Writer
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English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 crime thriller 'High and Low.'
豪快三人男
Writer
event1951
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In the midst of the Siege of Osaka in the Sengoku period, a thrilling tale unfolds featuring a trio of ronin who manipulate a group of spies, a mysterious woman protecting a young lord, and the overwhelming roar of the Warring States captured on the silver screen.
Hana no yukyo-den
Screenplay
event1958
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1958 Japanese movie
China Night
Screenplay
event1940
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Wartime propaganda filmed by the Japanese in occupied China, Shirley Yamaguchi portrays an orphan rescued from the streets by a kindly Japanese merchant marine officer. Part spy thriller and part Shanghai travelogue, it was part of a popular series known as "Chinese Continental Friendship" made by the occupying Japanese in China.
Onna keizu
Writer
event1942
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1942 adaptation of Izumi Kyoka's novel.
Ikiru
Screenplay
event2007
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In a Post-War Tokyo, when the bureaucratic chief of department of the City Hall Kanji Watanabe finds that he has a terminal cancer, he decides to intensively live his last months of life. While dying, he finds the meaning of life, and fights for the construction of a playground in a poor zone of the city and the legacy of his existence.
Living
Original Film Writer
event2022 star_border 7
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London, 1953. Mr. Williams, a veteran civil servant, is an important cog within the city's bureaucracy as it struggles to rebuild in the aftermath of World War II. Buried under paperwork at the office and lonely at home, his life has long felt empty and meaningless. Then a devastating medical diagnosis forces him to take stock, and to try and grasp some fulfilment before it passes permanently beyond reach.
Red Beard
Screenplay
event1965 star_border 8.1
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Aspiring to an easy job as personal physician to a wealthy family, Noboru Yasumoto is disappointed when his first post after medical school takes him to a small country clinic under the gruff doctor Red Beard. Yasumoto rebels in numerous ways, but Red Beard proves a wise and patient teacher. He gradually introduces his student to the unglamorous side of the profession, ultimately assigning him to care for a prostitute rescued from a local brothel.
明朗五人男
Screenplay
event1940
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1940 Japanese movie
Fine Man
Screenplay
event1961
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A young son of a master of the Kuwana clan gets disowned for his rebellious behavior. After he goes from the mountains to the ocean defeating the evil, he becomes a fine man.
Secret love
Screenplay
event1962
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A painfully sad woman's heart cries from forbidden love. A love triangle drawn by three stars of Japanese cinema: Keiji Sada, Miyuki Kuwano and Keiko Awaji.
Lord Mito 2: The Nation's Vice Shogun
Screenplay
event1959 star_border 6.2
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After settling the matter of shogunal succession, the retired Old Lord of Mito finds himself in a sea of trouble when he gets involved in the succession of the Takamatsu clan. The usurpers try by every means to effect their takeover, even if it leads to blood being spilled. Along with Kaku and Suke, the elder must face the most dangerous time of his life, in a battle against those corrupt individuals who would use any means to further their dastardly conspiracy, regardless of how many lives might be destroyed. The great Misora Hibari gives a bravura performance, as does the rest of this all-star cast. This is another outstanding effort on the part of the Toei Films, blending fact and fiction to bright back Japan’s golden era of the Genroku period.
Ghosts Die at Dawn
Writer
event1948
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At the wedding of Kohei (Hasegawa) and Michiko (Todoroki), a whisper echoes along with a gust of wind. As if manipulated by the mysterious voice, Kohei takes Michiko to stay at a dilapidated mountain villa in his hometown. What awaited him there...
Return of the One-Armed Swordsman
Screenplay
event1960 star_border 5.8
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The legendary one-eyed one-armed swordsman Tange Sazen is back to aid a Magistrate in his efforts to steal bribe money on its way to Edo for the benefit to poor farmers.
The Ako Retainers
Screenplay
event1961 star_border 5.2
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Toei’s 10th anniversary film, featuring an all-star cast from the golden movie era of the 1960s. A famous story of the 47 loyal samurai. When Lord Asano is unjustly executed, his loyal retainers strike back for revenge.
Iki na fûraibô
Screenplay
event1946
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A lost film by Masahiro Makino
Tiger of the Sea
Original Story
event1964
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A group of pirates sail the treacherous Pacific ocean in search for wealth.
Escape from Hell
Screenplay
event1963 star_border 6.2
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This suspense drama set in the mid 1700's depicts the plan of the Tokugawa rulers to send a number of homeless men to a remote island Sado to perform forced labor. Living conditions on the island are terrible and the men soon become rebellious. Based on a short story by Seichō Matsumoto.
Incident at Blood Pass
Writer
event1970 star_border 6.8
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In the Edo period, a nameless ronin accepts an assignment to go to a mountain pass and wait. Near the pass he stops at an inn where a collection of characters gather, including a gang set on stealing shogunate gold that's soon to come over the pass. When the Ronin's assignment becomes clear, to help the gang, he's ordered to kill the inn's residents, including a woman he's rescued from an abusive husband. He's reluctant to murder innocent people; then he learns that the gold shipment is a trap and he's part of a double cross. How he sorts through these divided loyalties tests of his samurai honor, and perhaps of his love for a woman.
The Elephant Who Waited
Screenplay
event1949
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The story of Kanesuke and Entaro who are master elephant trainers in charge of two elephants, Taro and Hanako at the Metropolitan Zoo.
The Dawn of Freedom
Screenplay
event1944
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This film was made by the Japanese occupation authorities in the Philippines as a propaganda film to show the Philippine people the "benefits" of the Japanese invasion and takeover of their country.
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
Writer
event1945 star_border 5.8
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In A Tale of Archery, young, timid bowmaster Kazuma (Akitake Kôno) seeks to beat the archery record set by Hoshino Kanzaemon, a mysterious figure who, it is rumored, drove the previous champion (Kazuma’s father) to suicide. Possessed of much raw talent, Kazuma is also very much a coward, holing himself up in an inn run by the kindly Okinu (Kinuyo Tanaka) and generally avoiding confrontation of any sort. Despite his clandestine manner, enough of the locals know of Kazuma’s purpose and an attempt is made on his life. He is saved by Karatsu Kanbei (Kazuo Hasegawa), a samurai who offers to help Kazuma hone his archery skills, though it soon becomes clear that this apparently selfless stranger has several potentially shady ulterior motives.
Blooded Spear
Screenplay
event1959 star_border 7.5
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Edo, 1703. Young Sugino, one of the 47 rōnin seeking revenge against lord Kira, who caused that his master, Asano of Ako, committed seppuku, meets a skillful spear fighter, Genban, who trains him to fight with honor on the day of retribution.
Dojo Breaker
Screenplay
event1982 star_border 7
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Tomisaburo Wakayama is back with a new take on the classic Yamamoto Shugoro masterpiece “Ame Agaru” as a samurai on the run with his bride who makes a living by challenging dojo masters to a match, then taking money from them to keep quiet about it. Staying at an inn filled with many colorful characters and trying to make enough money to bribe the border officials to let them pass to the next domain this exciting, yet heartfelt story is a true testament to the power of the sword. When he meets an equally skilled swordsman the sparks will fly with a surprise ending that captures the soul of Japan!
The Lonely Swordsman (Part 1)
Screenplay
event1956 star_border 5.3
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Historical drama about a sleepy-eyed ronin.
Ikiru
Screenplay
event1952 star_border 8.3
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Kanji Watanabe is a middle-aged man who has worked in the same monotonous bureaucratic position for decades. Learning he has cancer, he starts to look for the meaning of his life.
Dodes'ka-den
Screenplay
event1970 star_border 7
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This film follows the daily lives of a group of people barely scraping by in a slum on the outskirts of Tokyo. Yet as desperate as their circumstances are, each of them—the homeless father and son envisioning their dream house; the young woman abused by her uncle; the boy who imagines himself a trolley conductor—finds reasons to carry on.
Rabble Tactics
Screenplay
event1963 star_border 10
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The warlords overrun the country while the farmers are starving, and forced to become soldiers to keep the wolf from the door. The farmers are recruited in groups of fifteen. In Yaju's village, there are only twelve men, so they press Oto, who looks more like a boy than a girl, to join, disguised as a man.
Sinking the Unsinkable
Screenplay
event1944
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Japanese Warmovie
Zoku Shimizu Minato
Original Story
event1940
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An actor, hit on the head, dreams that he has become legendary one-eyed gangster Mori no Ishimatsu.
Bride of Peacock Castle
Screenplay
event1959 star_border 6
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Princess Kazu, the daughter of Shogun Ienari, is sent to marry Matsudaira Nobunao, master of Peacock castle in Kozuke province, a domain of 17,000 koku. When the procession carrying her sizable dowry was so large that it was expected to take 30 days to reach the castle the members of the clan were surprised to learn that it contained only her barest essentials! Would her presence create a problem too large for the clan to deal with? And having been trained by Lord Yagyu himself, will her martial skills ruin the marital plans set forth for the couple, or can she be tamed in time for the wedding?
Scarier than the Devil
Screenplay
event1960 star_border 7
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A stage director who directs a “Mori no Ishimatsu” play time travels and becomes “Mori no Ishimatsu” himself.
The Lower Depths
Screenplay
event1957 star_border 7.1
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Residents of a rundown boardinghouse in 19th-century Japan, including a mysterious old man and an aging actor, get drawn into a love triangle that turns violent. When amoral thief Sutekichi breaks off his affair with landlady Osugi to romance her younger sister, Okayo, Osugi extracts her revenge by revealing her infidelity to her jealous husband.
The Boss of Pick-Pocket Bay
Script
event1966
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Sangoro Oiwake runs out of money. He visits rice shop, eat and drink for free, and owners send him to prison. In prison Sangoro will have a new life
Where Chimneys Are Seen
Screenplay
event1953 star_border 6.4
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Where Chimneys Are Seen focuses primarily on the interconnected lives of two couples in a lower-middle-class neighborhood in Senju, a poor industrial section of Tokyo.
Mighty Shosuke
Screenplay
event1960
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A comedy about a free-spirited man Shosuke, whose life is turned upside down when he is ordered to serve the clan lord.
Iemitsu and Hikoza
Writer
event1941
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A sentimental tale of the filial love between shogun Iemitsu (matinee idol Hasegawa) and his loyal old retainer Hikoza (comedian Roppa, playing somewhat against type).
Lord Mito: All Star Version
Screenplay
event1960 star_border 8.3
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In 1691 a terrible fire broke out in Denmacho, Yotsuya, burning down the towns around it, up to the shores of Shibaura. A month and a half later, another fire broke out, this time in Komagome, burning down the two gates of Asakusa and Sujikai, and continuing on into the night. As the government Elders consider evidence that these fires were arson, a fire breaks out in Hirakawa-cho, outside of Hanzo Gate. Nishonmaru catches on fire and burns down completely. When this rash of fires even strikes Kyoto, the task of finding who’s behind the arson, and stopping them falls to the Shogun’s uncle, the Elder Lord of Mito. Together with his trusted bodyguards, Kaku and Suke, the trio set of to save Japan from this scourge of evil. Featuring virtually all of their most famous stars, this is the best film in the Toei series about Mito Komon, one of Japan’s most popular historical figures who traveled through the country incognito to check on the people and fight injustice.
Cut the Shadow
Screenplay
event1963
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The womanizing master of a run-down dojo hires an unemployed samurai to make himself look good instead of learning the skills himself. He lives to regret this laziness when he falls in love with the daughter of a higher class samurai and is informed on their wedding night that he must defeat her before their marriage can be consummated....
The Opium War
Screenplay
event1943
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The Opium War is a 1943 black-and-white Japanese film directed by Masahiro Makino. "Ahen senso" in Japan refers to the First Opium War. The story of the film concerns this war.
The Edo Official and Apprentice
Original Story
event1959 star_border 6
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It's an extravaganza of entertainment as famous magistrate in disguise, Toyama no Kinshiro attempts to confront the elusive thief known as the "Long-Sleeve Burglar". Played to the hilt by Misora Hibari in a delightful performance highlighted by singing, dancing, and swordplay with a unique story within a story twist that starts to unfold in the city jail as a playwright is brought into custody and meets the famed Long-Sleeve Burglar himself. Misora Hibari is totally captivating in this gender bending role as the famed thief whose expoits can only be stopped by the great Kin-san himself!
The Shogun and the Fishmonger
Screenplay
event1961 star_border 5.7
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Fishmonger Tasuke and Shogun Iemitsu swap their identities in pretence for the protection of Iemitsu.
Four Love Stories
Screenplay
event1947 star_border 5.8
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Omnibus of love stories from 1947 directed by famous directors, featuring big stars.
Good Rascals
Screenplay
event1962 star_border 6
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A group of men living a low life in Edo help each other to make the best out of their lives.
Group Burglars Break the Magistrate's Office
Screenplay
event1964 star_border 8.5
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Eight villains, former pirates, gather to attack the magistrate's office. They develop a plan and begin their actions in secret, making full use of their special abilities. In the end, their plan goes beyond what was intended and turns into a good deed for many people. A masterpiece of historical drama, full of breathtaking thrills and action.
The Man Who Came to Shimizu Harbor
Screenplay
event1960 star_border 6
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One of Japan's most enduring stories is the true-life yakuza boss Jirocho of Shimizu and his gang as they took over the Tokaido Highroad and went on to everlasting fame. Many of the gang members have become household names although their backgrounds and how they came to join the group are mostly lost in the mists of a time gone by. This is the tale of Masa, who arrived in Shimizu Port hungry and down on his luck. His adventures contain some light-hearted moments as he meets up with the other gang members and goes on to join the group and become one of their best swordsmen. A truly exciting tale starring the ever-popular Okawa Hashizo along with all-time great Okochi Denjiro.
The Man Disappears Yesterday
Writer
event1964
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Tired of everyday life, the 8th Shogun Yoshimune flees Edo Castle and asks Ooka Echizen to become his personal assistant. In a rice shop, Yoshimune meets a simple ronin Ohashi Kenshiro, and receives permission to stay at his house, but a mysterious corpse awaits him in the house... And then the second, third and fourth murders occur...
The Black Fury
Writer
event1954
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A narcotics investigator for the harbor police, Eiichi Tsuda, is driven by thoughts of vengeance for the overdose death of his brother and the subsequent decline and death of their mother. Tsuda acts viciously and with disdain for legal niceties in his exploration of the criminal facts behind the explosion of a freighter in the harbor. He goes undercover with a band of drug smugglers, but his methods threaten to destroy him as well as his case.
Elegy
Story
event1951
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Wataru Naohiko who has the prosecutor general as his father became a young composer and its symphony "saint" invoked the world echoed. But his disciple Uchiyama and his best friend prosecutor Daisuke Toki accused his music as a sesame of pause-only technique, not a truly heart-hungry art.
A Female Doctor's Examination Room
Writer
event1950
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A doctor is surprised when her long-lost love is transferred to the same hospital, and even more surprised to discover that he has a wife and child. Will she be able to confess her feelings to him before her worsening heart disease claims her life?
Runaway Train
Story
event1985 star_border 6.9
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A hardened convict and a younger prisoner escape from a brutal prison in the middle of winter only to find themselves on an out-of-control train with a female railway worker while being pursued by the vengeful head of security.
Traveling of Two Young Men
Screenplay
event1961
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At the crowded Komatsuya in Kawadome, travellers are holding a secret art contest to relieve boredom. However, a thief goes around. During the sudden commotion, a young man called Gentaro begins to perform magic tricks. This magic trick brings out the lost wallets of the travellers one after another. Even the thief himself, Shinzo, is surprised by this trick. Gentaro hears that Okinu, daughter of Kutsukake Jinbei, is looking for Eijiro, the young boss of Omaeda. Gentaro arrives and introduces himself as Eijiro Omaeda. He moves to Kichibei's family in Sakamoto-juku where he meets Okinu's father who needs help.
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