As I get older, I find it harder and harder to find horror movies from the 80s and even 90s to qualify for a recommendation towards a best horror movie you never saw. First is the influx of all these great companies like Vinegar Syndrome, Arrow, and Severin Films, not to mention Kino and Scream Factory, who pull out all the stops finding the most hidden of hidden gems to clean up and release. Second, we have a ludicrous amount of streaming services, and the free ones typically can find these smaller movies that cost way less to license a streamable version. Between my generation recommending everything under the sun to their coworkers, friends, and family as well as newer generations being willing to stream something if its easy to find, the 80s is well represented, for better and for worse. The 2000s are Chock Full of movies that came...
- 2/6/2024
- by Andrew Hatfield
- JoBlo.com
Being a Kaiju fan wasn’t always this easy. Not only were dubbed and subtitled copies of Japanese monster movies hard to come by before the advent of online streaming and boutique Blu-rays, but it was also hard to find other cinephiles with the same taste for rubber-suits and cardboard destruction. Fortunately, times have changed, with the rise of internet culture allowing what were once niche interests to find their way into mainstream culture.
However, while general audiences are now mostly aware of Godzilla and his titanic rogues’ gallery, there’s still a whole world of untapped kaiju flicks out there, just waiting to be discovered by a new generation of fans. And with the internet making even the most obscure creature features more accessible, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six Kaiju movies that aren’t Godzilla-related.
While we obviously have nothing against everyone’s favorite radioactive lizard,...
However, while general audiences are now mostly aware of Godzilla and his titanic rogues’ gallery, there’s still a whole world of untapped kaiju flicks out there, just waiting to be discovered by a new generation of fans. And with the internet making even the most obscure creature features more accessible, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six Kaiju movies that aren’t Godzilla-related.
While we obviously have nothing against everyone’s favorite radioactive lizard,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
Tomo Hyakutake is a master of the horrific. For more than two decades, he has been working as special makeup effects artist, moldmaker, model designer, model marker, mask creator, for movies, music videos and commercials, having dozens of credits to his names, while also retaining a gallery with his own work.
We speak with him about his art and his creative procedure, working in movies, his cooperation with the likes of Takashi Miike, Takashi Shimizu, Hideaki Anno and many more, the art and movie scene in Japan and many other topics.
How did your interest in art, and particularly the art of the horrific, begin?
When I was a student, Screaming Mad George and Kazu Hiro were my professors at the university. I also learned a lot from my respected seniors, Yasushi Nirasawa, Takayuki Takeya, and Steve Wang. After graduating from school, they introduced me to the industry. In terms of Art-horror,...
We speak with him about his art and his creative procedure, working in movies, his cooperation with the likes of Takashi Miike, Takashi Shimizu, Hideaki Anno and many more, the art and movie scene in Japan and many other topics.
How did your interest in art, and particularly the art of the horrific, begin?
When I was a student, Screaming Mad George and Kazu Hiro were my professors at the university. I also learned a lot from my respected seniors, Yasushi Nirasawa, Takayuki Takeya, and Steve Wang. After graduating from school, they introduced me to the industry. In terms of Art-horror,...
- 3/21/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Stars: Ryohei Suzuki, Fumika Shimizu, Ken Yasuda, Shôta Chiyo, Shunsuke Daitô, Narushi Ikeda, Nana Katase, Tsuyoshi Muro, Shun Oguri, Yoshinori Okada, Jirô Satô, Takashi Tsukamoto | Written by Yûichi Fukuda, Shun Oguri | Directed by Yûichi Fukuda
I love, nay Adore, completely-bonkers Far East flicks be they live-action or animation – hell, some of the first films I ever reviewed professionally (if anything I do can be called a profession) were titles like Big Man Japan and 13: Game of Death. So it’s safe to say that I’m part of the target [Western] audience for a film like Hk: Forbidden Superhero – even moreso given the ridiculous over-the-top ending that sees one of the films villains emerge in a giant mech that looks like a combination of two of my favourite kids TV shows: a Power Rangers Zord and the combiner Devastator from the original 80s Transformers cartoon.
Which is why I absolutely Loved this movie!
I love, nay Adore, completely-bonkers Far East flicks be they live-action or animation – hell, some of the first films I ever reviewed professionally (if anything I do can be called a profession) were titles like Big Man Japan and 13: Game of Death. So it’s safe to say that I’m part of the target [Western] audience for a film like Hk: Forbidden Superhero – even moreso given the ridiculous over-the-top ending that sees one of the films villains emerge in a giant mech that looks like a combination of two of my favourite kids TV shows: a Power Rangers Zord and the combiner Devastator from the original 80s Transformers cartoon.
Which is why I absolutely Loved this movie!
- 8/19/2020
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
According to Wikipedia, A mockumentary (a portmanteau of mock and documentary) or docucomedy is a type of movie or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary. The genre gained recognition (notoriety if you prefer) with “Borat“, although some may remember the 1984 “This is Spinal Tap” or the excellent Belgian “Man Bites Dog“. In Asian cinema, the mockumentary occasionally has a different form, with Shohei Imamura blending documentary with theater and fourth-wall-breaking surrealism in “A Man Vanishes” for example, although recently, a number of productions seem to follow the international “rules” of the subcategory. Without further ado, here are 10 of the most intriguing samples one can find in Asian cinema, in chronological order.
*We took some liberties with the films in the list, essentially mocking the term (film nerd humor)
1. A Man Vanishes
The film starts as a documentary of sorts, regarding the disappearance of plastic salesman Oshima that occurred two years previously.
*We took some liberties with the films in the list, essentially mocking the term (film nerd humor)
1. A Man Vanishes
The film starts as a documentary of sorts, regarding the disappearance of plastic salesman Oshima that occurred two years previously.
- 8/12/2020
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
By Omar Rasya Joenoes
“Are you married?”
“I hate men.”
“Then, you have no hope.”
“My hope is to die.”
The conversation in the search description takes place on a ride home, under the pouring rain. It is initiated by a man, who happens to be Japan’s no. 3 hitman, and answered by a woman, who is a suicidal femme fatale. Witnessing their first exchange is a dead bird, hung between them. And in this weirdest of all film-noir films, the scene belongs to a long line of surreal, mind-boggling, out-of-this-world scene after scene after scene after scene.
“Japanese films are weird” is surely a stereotype most of you, if not all of you, have heard at least once before. It is not entirely true and not entirely mistaken. With cult titles like Funky Forest (2005), Hausu (1977), Big Man Japan (2007), Versus (2000), Tokyo Gore Police (2008), RoboGeisha (2009), Tetsuo the Iron Man...
“Are you married?”
“I hate men.”
“Then, you have no hope.”
“My hope is to die.”
The conversation in the search description takes place on a ride home, under the pouring rain. It is initiated by a man, who happens to be Japan’s no. 3 hitman, and answered by a woman, who is a suicidal femme fatale. Witnessing their first exchange is a dead bird, hung between them. And in this weirdest of all film-noir films, the scene belongs to a long line of surreal, mind-boggling, out-of-this-world scene after scene after scene after scene.
“Japanese films are weird” is surely a stereotype most of you, if not all of you, have heard at least once before. It is not entirely true and not entirely mistaken. With cult titles like Funky Forest (2005), Hausu (1977), Big Man Japan (2007), Versus (2000), Tokyo Gore Police (2008), RoboGeisha (2009), Tetsuo the Iron Man...
- 3/23/2020
- by Guest Writer
- AsianMoviePulse
Simon Brew Nick Harley Nov 20, 2018
From Dune to Shrek, behold our list of film reboots and remakes in development...
Over the years that Den Of Geek has been going, we've regularly been charting the assortment of reboots and remakes that are making their way through the Hollywood system. This, then, is the current state of play. We've removed a bunch of projects that seem utterly dead - remakes of Videodrome and Timecrimes, for instance - but we'll keep this list up to date as and when we hear of more.
Ace Ventura
Following in the muddy pawprints of Ace Ventura Jr. and the animated 1990s TV show, another attempt to revive the Ace Ventura franchise without the involvement of Jim Carrey is underway. It's very early days, but Morgan Creek Productions are definitely looking into it. They're currently trying to sell a lot of their properties, but have held onto...
From Dune to Shrek, behold our list of film reboots and remakes in development...
Over the years that Den Of Geek has been going, we've regularly been charting the assortment of reboots and remakes that are making their way through the Hollywood system. This, then, is the current state of play. We've removed a bunch of projects that seem utterly dead - remakes of Videodrome and Timecrimes, for instance - but we'll keep this list up to date as and when we hear of more.
Ace Ventura
Following in the muddy pawprints of Ace Ventura Jr. and the animated 1990s TV show, another attempt to revive the Ace Ventura franchise without the involvement of Jim Carrey is underway. It's very early days, but Morgan Creek Productions are definitely looking into it. They're currently trying to sell a lot of their properties, but have held onto...
- 8/21/2015
- Den of Geek
From The Craft and The Birds to The Fugitive and She's All That, the many film reboots and remakes currently in the works...
Over the years that Den Of Geek has been going, we've regularly been charting the assortment of reboots and remakes that are making their way through the Hollywood system. This, then, is the current state of play. We've removed a bunch of projects that seem utterly dead - the once mooted remakes of Videodrome and Timecrimes, for instance - but we'll keep this list up to date as and when we hear of more.
Without further ado, here's what's coming up...
Akira
One of Hollywood's most on and off projects, the current state of the live action Akira remake is that it's back in the works. Marco J Ramirez, the showrunner for season 2 of Netflix's Daredevil show, has been hired to pen a screenplay. Warner Bros is still backing the film,...
Over the years that Den Of Geek has been going, we've regularly been charting the assortment of reboots and remakes that are making their way through the Hollywood system. This, then, is the current state of play. We've removed a bunch of projects that seem utterly dead - the once mooted remakes of Videodrome and Timecrimes, for instance - but we'll keep this list up to date as and when we hear of more.
Without further ado, here's what's coming up...
Akira
One of Hollywood's most on and off projects, the current state of the live action Akira remake is that it's back in the works. Marco J Ramirez, the showrunner for season 2 of Netflix's Daredevil show, has been hired to pen a screenplay. Warner Bros is still backing the film,...
- 8/19/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Premiering in the Midnight Madness section of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, Hitoshi Matsumoto’s latest slice of insanity, R100, is his most perverse yet. If only there could have been more of a definable method to the madness. After a wide range of festival play, the title received a limited theatrical release at the end of 2014 and has gone on to acquire something of a cult following thanks to its generally amusing array of batshit crazy set pieces.
After his delightful if belabored 2007 debut Big Man Japan put him on the map, director Matsumoto returns with another slice of strangeness, with an S&M inspired fever dream of alternate realities that’s not quite as compelling as it is confounding. Drug fueled hallucinations, secret clubs and leather harnessed vixens abound, but this is more Rihanna’s style of S&M, teasingly vague rather than titillating or sinister. Fans of...
After his delightful if belabored 2007 debut Big Man Japan put him on the map, director Matsumoto returns with another slice of strangeness, with an S&M inspired fever dream of alternate realities that’s not quite as compelling as it is confounding. Drug fueled hallucinations, secret clubs and leather harnessed vixens abound, but this is more Rihanna’s style of S&M, teasingly vague rather than titillating or sinister. Fans of...
- 3/10/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
By the time Matsumoto Hitoshi made the move into feature films with his 2007 effort Big Man Japan, he was already a massive star in his native Japan, his television comedy work having firmly established Matsumoto as one of the nation's most popular entertainers. The conversation at the time was dominated by Matsumoto versus Kitano chatter -- as in, would this latest comedian to move to the big screen from the small have a chance at matching the critical acclaim of his predecessor. With Matsumoto now four feature films into his big screen career, it is increasingly clear that those early debates miss the point entirely. Not only was the supposed competition between the two former TV comics made moot by the simple fact that...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 1/22/2015
- Screen Anarchy
Joy Pain Club: Matsumoto’s Latest Insistent Weirdness Uneven
After his delightful if belabored 2007 debut Big Man Japan put him on the map, director Hitoshi Matsumoto returns with another slice of strangeness with R100, an S&M inspired fever dream of alternate realities that’s not quite as compelling as it is confounding. Drug fueled hallucinations, secret clubs and leather harnessed vixens abound, but this is more Rihanna’s style of S&M, teasingly vague rather than titillating or sinister. Fans of Matsumoto are likely to be reeled in, but inexplicable twists and turns aggravate its intermittent flashes of interest.
A beautiful woman, possibly a prostitute, applies make-up while she lazily smokes a cigarette as she readies herself for a meeting with Takafumi Katayma (Nao Ohmori), who we assume to be her potential client. A strange conversation devolves quickly into sudden violence, pushing the conflict into the streets. Soon after,...
After his delightful if belabored 2007 debut Big Man Japan put him on the map, director Hitoshi Matsumoto returns with another slice of strangeness with R100, an S&M inspired fever dream of alternate realities that’s not quite as compelling as it is confounding. Drug fueled hallucinations, secret clubs and leather harnessed vixens abound, but this is more Rihanna’s style of S&M, teasingly vague rather than titillating or sinister. Fans of Matsumoto are likely to be reeled in, but inexplicable twists and turns aggravate its intermittent flashes of interest.
A beautiful woman, possibly a prostitute, applies make-up while she lazily smokes a cigarette as she readies herself for a meeting with Takafumi Katayma (Nao Ohmori), who we assume to be her potential client. A strange conversation devolves quickly into sudden violence, pushing the conflict into the streets. Soon after,...
- 1/21/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Stars: Ryohei Suzuki, Fumika Shimizu, Ken Yasuda, Shôta Chiyo, Shunsuke Daitô, Narushi Ikeda, Nana Katase, Tsuyoshi Muro, Shun Oguri, Yoshinori Okada, Jirô Satô, Takashi Tsukamoto | Written by Yûichi Fukuda, Shun Oguri | Directed by Yûichi Fukuda
I love, nay Adore, completely-bonkers Far East flicks be they live-action or animation – hell, some of the first films I ever reviewed professionally (if anything I do can be called a profession) were titles like Big Man Japan and 13: Game of Death. So it’s safe to say that I’m part of the target [Western] audience for a film like Hk: Forbidden Superhero – even moreso given the ridiculous over-the-top ending that sees one of the films villains emerge in a giant mech that looks like a combination of two of my favourite kids TV shows: a Power Rangers Zord and the combiner Devastator from the original 80s Transformers cartoon.
Which is why I absolutely Loved this movie!
I love, nay Adore, completely-bonkers Far East flicks be they live-action or animation – hell, some of the first films I ever reviewed professionally (if anything I do can be called a profession) were titles like Big Man Japan and 13: Game of Death. So it’s safe to say that I’m part of the target [Western] audience for a film like Hk: Forbidden Superhero – even moreso given the ridiculous over-the-top ending that sees one of the films villains emerge in a giant mech that looks like a combination of two of my favourite kids TV shows: a Power Rangers Zord and the combiner Devastator from the original 80s Transformers cartoon.
Which is why I absolutely Loved this movie!
- 9/23/2014
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Stars: Nao Ômori, Lindsay Hayward, Mao Daichi, Hairi Katagiri, Gin Maeda, Suzuki Matsuo, Hitoshi Matsumoto, Eriko Satô, Shinobu Terajima, Ai Tominaga | Written by Hitoshi Matsumoto, Mitsuyoshi Takasu, Tomoji Hasegawa, Kôji Ema, Mitsuru Kuramoto | Directed by Hitoshi Matsumoto
Hitoshi Matsumoto is a director who, though I can’t say I know a great deal about, only that he is a comedian known for his surreal and crazy style, I have enjoyed greatly in the past with his films Symbol (2009) and Big Man Japan (2007) so I was intrigued and excited to see that R100, Matsumoto’s latest, was going to be a part of Frightfest in 2014.
A stiff bodied and reticent office worker, Takafumi, joins a strange club which has one rule, the rule being that, under no circumstances can you cancel your membership within the year in which the membership runs for. Simple. No. What this results in is hard to quite explain,...
Hitoshi Matsumoto is a director who, though I can’t say I know a great deal about, only that he is a comedian known for his surreal and crazy style, I have enjoyed greatly in the past with his films Symbol (2009) and Big Man Japan (2007) so I was intrigued and excited to see that R100, Matsumoto’s latest, was going to be a part of Frightfest in 2014.
A stiff bodied and reticent office worker, Takafumi, joins a strange club which has one rule, the rule being that, under no circumstances can you cancel your membership within the year in which the membership runs for. Simple. No. What this results in is hard to quite explain,...
- 8/22/2014
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
R100 (2013) Review Plot76% Acting76% Directing77%Surprisingly boldA certain craziness you don't see everydayDefinitely not for everyoneSome shocking scenes can disgust76%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (0 Votes)0%
Oh boy, where to start with this one. Just when you think movies can’t get any crazier; this one comes along. The film’s opening immediately sets the tone with the following message: “This movie is fiction! It is made with respect to all of God’s creatures. (Including animals and children)“. Well ok, that’s noted. Director Hitoshi Matsumoto, a famous and very popular comedian in Japan, is known for his weird and absurd humor. Moviegoers already knew he could make a film or two with his previous outings as a director: Big Man Japan (2007), Symbol (2009) and Scabbard Samurai (2010). But if you have seen those films, trust me, you ain’t ready for what R100 is about to bring you.
Let me start by...
Oh boy, where to start with this one. Just when you think movies can’t get any crazier; this one comes along. The film’s opening immediately sets the tone with the following message: “This movie is fiction! It is made with respect to all of God’s creatures. (Including animals and children)“. Well ok, that’s noted. Director Hitoshi Matsumoto, a famous and very popular comedian in Japan, is known for his weird and absurd humor. Moviegoers already knew he could make a film or two with his previous outings as a director: Big Man Japan (2007), Symbol (2009) and Scabbard Samurai (2010). But if you have seen those films, trust me, you ain’t ready for what R100 is about to bring you.
Let me start by...
- 6/8/2014
- by Thor
- AsianMoviePulse
Yoshimoto Kogyo, the entertainment giant that is home to many of Japan's biggest comedy personalities, including Big Man Japan and R-100 director Matsumoto Hiyoshi, announced today that they will be helping out with the running of next autumn's Kyoto International Film and Art Festival. The company is no stranger to this work, having run their own Okinawa International Film Festival for the past few years. This latest event is a re-launch of the Kyoto Movie Festival, which has been running since 1997 but is now aiming for a more international reach, promoting Kyoto as the birthplace of Japan's film industry. Some old-school film talent were present to sell the festival, including samurai and yakuza movie veteran and Toei stalwart Nakajima Sadao, producer of early Beat Takeshi works...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 11/19/2013
- Screen Anarchy
R100
Written and directed by Hitoshi Matsumoto
Japan, 2013
Hitoshi Matsumoto, the director and star of Big Man Japan, which was shown at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival in the Directors’ Fortnight section, returns with his latest cinematic oddity. In R100, Nao Ohmori (star of Takashi Miike’s Ichi the Killer) plays Takafumi Katayama, an average husband and father who escapes the troubles of daily life by joining a mysterious S&M club, where the dominatrices called Queens make surprise visits to their clients in the most unusual places. While at first, the rough treatment and humiliation he receives from the women dressed in shiny leather one-piece catsuits, thigh-high stilettos, garter stockings, and suspender belts is enjoyable, the situation escalates out of control when the ladies begin to appear and punish him in cafes, public washrooms, and even by the side of his hospital-bed-ridden, comatose wife. Unable to end his relationship with the club,...
Written and directed by Hitoshi Matsumoto
Japan, 2013
Hitoshi Matsumoto, the director and star of Big Man Japan, which was shown at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival in the Directors’ Fortnight section, returns with his latest cinematic oddity. In R100, Nao Ohmori (star of Takashi Miike’s Ichi the Killer) plays Takafumi Katayama, an average husband and father who escapes the troubles of daily life by joining a mysterious S&M club, where the dominatrices called Queens make surprise visits to their clients in the most unusual places. While at first, the rough treatment and humiliation he receives from the women dressed in shiny leather one-piece catsuits, thigh-high stilettos, garter stockings, and suspender belts is enjoyable, the situation escalates out of control when the ladies begin to appear and punish him in cafes, public washrooms, and even by the side of his hospital-bed-ridden, comatose wife. Unable to end his relationship with the club,...
- 10/13/2013
- by Ricky da Conceição
- SoundOnSight
It’s the sort of pick-up that only a few distribs would dare gamble on – Hitoshi Matsumoto (Big Man Japan, Symbol) is after all, one of the more unique film voices in the off the wall, absurd comedy genre manner. Tim League’s Drafthouse Films have stepped up to plate, and picked up Matsumoto’s R100 which comes fresh from Tiff and a Fantastic Fest showing. Expect a 2014 release next year.
Gist: “R100″ (a riff on the Japanese movie rating system, whose equivalent to Nc-17 is R18) tells the story of lonely everyman, Takafumi Katayama, who hires a boutique S&M agency that specialize in random acts of extreme public degradation. At first, this changes his outlook on life for the better, but a bizarre accident violates the terms of the contract and hurdles Takafumi into a confounding spiral that will test his very soul.
Worth Noting: Matsumoto’s last...
Gist: “R100″ (a riff on the Japanese movie rating system, whose equivalent to Nc-17 is R18) tells the story of lonely everyman, Takafumi Katayama, who hires a boutique S&M agency that specialize in random acts of extreme public degradation. At first, this changes his outlook on life for the better, but a bizarre accident violates the terms of the contract and hurdles Takafumi into a confounding spiral that will test his very soul.
Worth Noting: Matsumoto’s last...
- 9/26/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
The 42nd edition of the Festival du nouveau cinéma will be held in Montreal from October 9 to the 20th, showcasing the best new films and filmmakers from around the world. The festival which has often been described as ‘ baby-tiff’ – picks up the best from Berlinale, Cannes, Venice, Telluride, Toronto and more. This new edition demonstrates the vibrancy of filmmaking in all its forms and for all audiences with an incredible 273 films (146 feature films and 124 shorts) from 47 countries – including (count them) 39 world premieres, 33 North American premieres and 47 Canadian premieres. Of the various sections of the film festival, my favourite program is Time Ø. If you are not familiar with the festival, think of this section of films as the equivalent of Tiff’s Midnight Madness program, only sexier. Here is a break down of what you can see this year.
(Please note: This list is in no particular oder)
****
1- R100
Hitoshi Matsumoto,...
(Please note: This list is in no particular oder)
****
1- R100
Hitoshi Matsumoto,...
- 9/26/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
At this point, whenever I watch any Japanese cinema, I’m expecting something “out there.” I won’t say weird or strange, because those terms are all relative, but I will say I’m used to Japanese directors taking me somewhere I never could have predicted. I really had to prepare myself for R100 though, because not only is it directed by Big Man Japan creator Hitoshi Matsumoto, but it’s also a part of this year’s Midnight Maddness program at the Toronto International Film Festival. So did it deliver the absurdly incomprehensible goods? Honestly, my head is still spinning from all the bondage and grenade throwing, so you can take that as a yes – with an asterisk.
Takafumi Katayama is a seemingly normal man, caring for his both his only son and comatose wife, but makes a questionable choice to involve himself in a world of sadism and unhealthy pleasures.
Takafumi Katayama is a seemingly normal man, caring for his both his only son and comatose wife, but makes a questionable choice to involve himself in a world of sadism and unhealthy pleasures.
- 9/12/2013
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
Japanese comedian Hitoshi Matusmoto successfully made the leap to writer-director-star with his 2007 debut "Big Man Japan," a zany take on the superhero genre that simultaneously managed to make its fantastical protagonist human. The unlikely combination of surrealism and pathos would continue to define Matsumoto's astonishingly unique oeuvre with ensuing projects "Symbol" (about a man trapped in a room with cherub penises that unlock the meaning of life) and "Scabbard Samurai" (in which an imprisoned samurai must perform gags to make his captor laugh in order evade a death sentence). With his fourth feature, "R100," Matsumoto merges his outlandish wit with a satiric take on the Japanese ratings system and disorienting tangents that's second only to the impermeable "Symbol" in its riotous absurdity. Yet despite its head-scratching moments, "R100" also maintains an elevated cult movie consistency that's par for the course with Matsumoto, by combining its playful irrationality with an...
- 9/12/2013
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
By the time Matsumoto Hitoshi made the move into feature films with his 2007 effort Big Man Japan, he was already a massive star in his native Japan, his television comedy work having firmly established Matsumoto as one of the nation's most popular entertainers. The conversation at the time was dominated by Matsumoto versus Kitano chatter -- as in, would this latest comedian to move to the big screen from the small have a chance at matching the critical acclaim of his predecessor. With Matsumoto now four feature films into his big screen career, it is increasingly clear that those early debates miss the point entirely. Not only was the supposed competition between the two former TV comics made moot by the simple fact that...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 9/10/2013
- Screen Anarchy
Relative newcomer Tao Tsuchiya has been cast as Misao Makimachi in the two live-action sequels to Rurouni Kenshin. The two sequel films will deal with the Oniwabanshū and covers the Kyoto Arc of the original manga from Nobuhiro Watsuki. Tsuchiya is reportedly performing her own stunts in the film. She previously worked with the film's director, Keishi Ōtomo, on the historical action television series Ryōmaden. Previously, it was announced that Tatsuya Fujiwara (Light Yagami in Death Note) would portray Kenshin's chief rival, Shishio Makoto. Ryunosuke Kamiki (Big Man Japan, Summer Wars) will play Sōjirō Seta and Yusuke Iseya (Casshern, 13 Assassins) will play Aoshi Shinomori. The two sequel films will be released in Japanes theaters next summer. Related Content: 'Death Note' Actor Tatsuya Fujiwara Cast In 'Rurouni Kenshin' Sequel Films First Still From Live-Action 'Rurouni Kenshin' Sequel The Live-Action Rurouni Kenshin Sequel Adds 6...
- 9/1/2013
- ComicBookMovie.com
Hitoshi Matsumoto, the director and star of Big Man Japan (which was shown at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival in the Directors’ Fortnight section), returns to Midnight Madness this year with his latest cinematic oddity, R100. Matsumoto is one of Japan’s leading comedians, so it is no surprise that the title is itself a play on the Japanese movie ratings (R-15 and R-18), and suggests that the viewer should be at least 100 years old to see the film. As Colin Geddes explains, “it represents just how far Matsumoto is willing to go to slap, tickle, and lead his audiences into a world that is unlike anything they have ever experienced. With R100, the director/actor seems to want to challenge the concept of rating, or any kind of judgment, of films. The first trailer has been released which you can watch below. Enjoy!
****
The post Trailer for Midnight Madness Selection,...
****
The post Trailer for Midnight Madness Selection,...
- 8/29/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Watch the exclusive debut of the trailer for "R100," the Hitoshi Matsumoto film that will world premiere in the Midnight Madness section at September's Toronto International Film Festival. The film marks the fourth feature directed by Japan absurdist auteur and TV comedian Matsumoto. Hollywood producer Neil Moritz is remaking his first film, Cannes entry "Big Man Japan" (2007) and the Cinémathèque Française mounted a 2012 retrospective of his work in Paris. There Matsumoto announced his next project: “I’m going for far-out absurd nonsensical movie on the next one," he said. "Since 'Scabbard Samurai' is more like a movie, the next one will go to the extreme opposite. It will be rated 80 (meaning no one under 80 will be permitted to see the film).” The title of R100 is a word play on the Japanese ratings system, suggesting that the viewer should be at least 100 years old to see the film. "R100"'s...
- 8/12/2013
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Tons of new casting additions were revealed today for the two sequels to 2012's Rurouni Kenshin. As the two sequel films will deal with the Oniwabanshū, most of the announced roles are for the undercover agents of the Tokugawa era. Min Tanaka (The Twilight Samurai) will portray Okina. Musician Kazufumi Miyazawa will play Toshimichi Ōkubo. Yukiyoshi Ozawa (The Hidden Blade) will portray Hirobumi Itō. Kaito Ōyagi will replace Taketo Tanaka as Yahiko Myōjin in the sequels. Japanese model Maryjun Takahashi will portray the femme-fatale and Shishio love interest, Yumi Komagata. Ryōsuke Miura(Kamen Rider Ooo) will portray Sawagejō Chō. Filming on the two sequels, which will both be released next summer, is already underway. Previously, it was announced that Tatsuya Fujiwara (Light Yagami in Death Note) would portray Kenshin's chief rival, Shishio Makoto. Ryunosuke Kamiki (Big Man Japan, Summer Wars) will play...
- 8/4/2013
- ComicBookMovie.com
The full trailer for Matsumoto Hitoshi's surreal sex comedy R100 arrived on Friday and with the film's Toronto premiere edging up a quintet of stills from the film have arrived via the official festival website. Want a taste of what's to come? Check 'em out below.A mild-mannered family man with a secret taste for S&M finds himself pursued by a gang of ruthless dominatrixes -- each with a very special talent -- in this hilarious and bizarre take on the sex comedy from Japanese comedy giant Hitoshi Matsumoto (Big Man Japan, Symbol)....
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- 7/31/2013
- Screen Anarchy
The Toronto International Film Festival's “Midnight Madness” slate celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year, and among the titles premiering is Eli Roth's highly-anticipated jungle horror epic The Green Inferno, as well as the World Premiere of Lucky McKee & Chris Sivertson's All Cheerleaders Die. Toronto's Ryerson Theatre will host another round of genre entries during Tiff's run from September 5th through 15th, and they've announced the full lineup of Midnight Madness screenings, almost all of which are world premieres. The horror comedy All Cheerleaders Die, from the directing team of Lucky McKee (May, The Woman) and Chris Sivertson (I Know Who Killed Me), will kick off the Midnight Madness schedule. The Green Inferno, Roth's homage to controversial Italian shockers like Ruggero Deodato's 1980 Cannibal Holocaust, centers on a group of college students on a humanitarian mission to save a tribe in the Amazon jungle, only to discover that that...
- 7/30/2013
- by Gregory Burkart
- FEARnet
Announcing nine out of ten titles from its 2013 lineup, Tiff’s Midnight Madness blazes in with a fever pitch, promising to be one of the most notable programs we’ve seen from the most perennially pleasing film festival sidebar dedicated to the horror genre.
Colin Geddes has placed the latest film from Lucky McKee, All Cheerleaders Die (co-directed by Chris Sivertson of I Know Who Killed Me fame) as the section’s opener and this marks the first time for horror alum McKee in the lineup (he usually premieres at Sundance, and if you remember, his last film, 2011’s The Woman got quite the notable reaction there). While Siverston’s name as co-director may arouse some naysaying, McKee is an excellent and exciting name to open with (see pic above).
It’s no surprise that Midnight Madness alum Eli Roth will premiere his latest effort, The Green Inferno, which looks...
Colin Geddes has placed the latest film from Lucky McKee, All Cheerleaders Die (co-directed by Chris Sivertson of I Know Who Killed Me fame) as the section’s opener and this marks the first time for horror alum McKee in the lineup (he usually premieres at Sundance, and if you remember, his last film, 2011’s The Woman got quite the notable reaction there). While Siverston’s name as co-director may arouse some naysaying, McKee is an excellent and exciting name to open with (see pic above).
It’s no surprise that Midnight Madness alum Eli Roth will premiere his latest effort, The Green Inferno, which looks...
- 7/30/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
The full trailer has arrived for Hitoshi Matsumoto’s (‘Big Man Japan’) latest opus, the sex comedy R100, and we have to admit to still not being entirely sure what the hells going on. The first half is alas very dialog heavy, then, in the second we veer off into a parade of leather clad dominatrix of varying...erm...appearance? The plot detail we have found go some way to help us get a hold of the storyline, but one thing it looks like, Matsumoto’s taking us all another surreal ride. R100 opens in October. Synopsis: An ordinary man with an ordinary life joins a mysterious club. The membership lasts for one year only and there is one rule: no cancellation under any circumstance. The man enters into a whole new exciting world he never before experienced where crazy love goes wilder and crazier. Is it an illusion or is it real?...
- 7/29/2013
- 24framespersecond.net
The first teaser for Symbol and Big Man Japan director's upcoming sex comedy R100 ended with leading man Omori Nao approaching a mysterious door. With the just released full trailer we get to see what's behind that door and it is - as you might expect where Matsumoto is concerned - rather odd.One of the most unique talents in global cinema, Matsumoto first made a name for himself as a hugely popular TV comedian but over the course of just three feature films to this point has already established himself as one of Japan's leading auteurs, with a frequently bizarre and yet always very compelling filmography to his name. This one looks to add to his reputation. Take a look at the new trailer below....
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- 7/26/2013
- Screen Anarchy
It was just yesterday that word broke about Matsumoto Hitoshi's upcoming sex comedy R100 and, hey look! There's a teaser for it out there today! There's never any way to really tell what the creatively restless director of Big Man Japan, Symbol and Scabbard Samurai may be up to and, true to form, this first glimpse of the film looks nothing at all like a sex comedy. Not even a bit. Check it out below and let the speculation begin ......
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- 5/15/2013
- Screen Anarchy
As has proven to be his normal modus operandi, Matsumoto Hitoshi - the enormously popular comedian turned film director responsible for Dai Nipponjin (Big Man Japan), Symbol and Scabbard Samurai - has wrapped his latest feature without anyone particularly noticing that he had even begun.Titled R100 the film is described as "an intense sex comedy about a man who joins a mysterious club which opens the door to another world he has never before experienced" with Matsumoto playing the lead as well as directing.With an October release planned I wouldn't be expecting any footage for quite some time yet but that is the first released still above....
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- 5/14/2013
- Screen Anarchy
News Glen Chapman 14 May 2013 - 06:35
The 2007 mockumentary comedy kaiju movie Big Man Japan is set for the remake treatment.
Here's an interesting remake, although one that we struggle to see actually getting made. Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay (Clash Of The Titans and R.I.P.D) have been hired to pen the remake of 2007's Big Man Japan (Dai-Nippon).
The original was released in 2007 and is a bizarre and wonderful faux documentary comedy kaiju movie about an ordinary man who is treated as an outcast despite him frequently having to turn into a gigantic hero to save Japan from a series of monsters.
Here's what the writers had to say in a recent interview with Collider: "We're doing an adaptation of a Japanese movie for Neil Moritz called Big Man Japan – well, the movie was called Big Man Japan; this will probably be called Big Man United States...
The 2007 mockumentary comedy kaiju movie Big Man Japan is set for the remake treatment.
Here's an interesting remake, although one that we struggle to see actually getting made. Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay (Clash Of The Titans and R.I.P.D) have been hired to pen the remake of 2007's Big Man Japan (Dai-Nippon).
The original was released in 2007 and is a bizarre and wonderful faux documentary comedy kaiju movie about an ordinary man who is treated as an outcast despite him frequently having to turn into a gigantic hero to save Japan from a series of monsters.
Here's what the writers had to say in a recent interview with Collider: "We're doing an adaptation of a Japanese movie for Neil Moritz called Big Man Japan – well, the movie was called Big Man Japan; this will probably be called Big Man United States...
- 5/13/2013
- by glenchapman
- Den of Geek
Screenwriters Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay (Clash of the Titans, R.I.P.D) updated Collider on the long gestured remake of Big Man Japan, which feels even more relevant today with films like Godzilla and Pacific Rim stomping into theaters. “We’re doing an adaptation of a Japanese movie for Neil Moritz called Big Man Japan – well,... Read More...
- 5/13/2013
- by MrDisgusting
- bloody-disgusting.com
Rumbles of an American remake of the gloriously weird little flick Big Man Japan began back in 2011, and now finally there's a little something to report about. Read on for the latest, and look for more hopefully soon!
In a recent interview with Collider screenwriters Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay (Clash of the Titans, R.I.P.D) had this to say about the long talked about remake...
“We’re doing an adaptation of a Japanese movie for Neil Moritz called Big Man Japan – well, the movie was called Big Man Japan; this will probably be “Big Man United States." It’s a great, crazy movie about a guy who is blown up to size via electricity to fight off monsters…The Kaiju that constantly attack Japan. It’s a mockumentary about this kind of underappreciated guy and you follow him around through Japan. It’s a great, crazy, really fun movie.
In a recent interview with Collider screenwriters Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay (Clash of the Titans, R.I.P.D) had this to say about the long talked about remake...
“We’re doing an adaptation of a Japanese movie for Neil Moritz called Big Man Japan – well, the movie was called Big Man Japan; this will probably be “Big Man United States." It’s a great, crazy movie about a guy who is blown up to size via electricity to fight off monsters…The Kaiju that constantly attack Japan. It’s a mockumentary about this kind of underappreciated guy and you follow him around through Japan. It’s a great, crazy, really fun movie.
- 5/13/2013
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Big Man Japan is an strange film… Shot for the most part in a documentary style, the film is essentially the story of a lonely middle aged slacker coasting through life on the reputation of his grandfather – only his grandfather was the legendary 4th Dai Nipponjin, defender of Japan. Our ‘hero,’ Masaru Daisato, is now the sixth generation of dai nipponjin, all of whom grow to enormous size when exposed to electricity in order to battle monsters that plauge Japan! The job has taken a toll on his life, he is divorced from his wife, hardly ever sees his daughter and has to take care of his now senile grandfather…
There’s a real dichotmy to Big Man Japan – the regular everyday life of a Japanese man and the life of a superhero. The day to day life of Daisato is boring: he’s bored of his life, the Japanese public is bored of him,...
There’s a real dichotmy to Big Man Japan – the regular everyday life of a Japanese man and the life of a superhero. The day to day life of Daisato is boring: he’s bored of his life, the Japanese public is bored of him,...
- 7/18/2012
- by Phil
- Nerdly
Many of us here at Twitch adore funnyman-turned-filmmaker Hitoshi Matsumoto and his ever growing stable of directorial offerings. First we had the wildly inventive mockumentary Big Man Japan. Then there was the most profound film based around a fart joke ever, Symbol. And now, at last, thanks to the 2012 New York Asian Film Festival and Japan Society's Japan Cuts (which you'll be hearing about more and more in days to come) we have the Us premiere of Matsumoto's take on the samurai tale -- Scabbard Samurai aka Saya Zamurai. Our correspondent Alexander Thebez with his thoughts:The film follows the story of Kanjuro Nomi (Takaaki Nomi), a fumbling samurai and his daughter Tae (Sae Kumada). Nomi, having lost his sword and his honor, and Tae...
- 7/4/2012
- Screen Anarchy
The latest film from director Ben West and Australian special effects guru, Robot, comes Fugu & Tako, the story of two Japanese salarymen who get more than they bargain for when one of them demands ultra fresh "fugu" (pufferfish) at a sushi bar. I'm getting a strong Hitoshi Matsumoto vibe from the mock-documentary style of this, reminiscent of his classic Big Man Japan, together with something like Minoru Kawasaki's Executive Koala. The effects work looks absolutely sensational - the expressiveness of the "puffer face" is incredibly emotive - and quite frankly I cannot wait to see the full film.Check out the trailer below and there's also a link to Robot's website so you can check out their back catalogue of excellent videos....
- 5/16/2012
- Screen Anarchy
Each week within this column we strive to pair the latest in theatrical releases to worthwhile titles currently available on Netflix Instant Watch. This week we offer alternatives to The Avengers, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel & First Position.
Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Captain America, Hawkeye and the Hulk join forces as the Avengers to face an evil unlike the earth has ever seen before. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeremy Renner co-star; Joss Whedon directs.
How about giving some lesser-known superheroes their due:
Confessions of a Superhero (2007) This quirky and compelling documentary follows four dreamers whose passion to become professional actors has landed them all on Hollywood Boulevard costumed as Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and the Incredible Hulk. Matt Ogens directs.
Big Man Japan (2007) This Japanese mockumentary explores the downside to being a superhero. Daisato is a middle-aged, second-rate superhero who not...
Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Captain America, Hawkeye and the Hulk join forces as the Avengers to face an evil unlike the earth has ever seen before. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeremy Renner co-star; Joss Whedon directs.
How about giving some lesser-known superheroes their due:
Confessions of a Superhero (2007) This quirky and compelling documentary follows four dreamers whose passion to become professional actors has landed them all on Hollywood Boulevard costumed as Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and the Incredible Hulk. Matt Ogens directs.
Big Man Japan (2007) This Japanese mockumentary explores the downside to being a superhero. Daisato is a middle-aged, second-rate superhero who not...
- 5/3/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Fans of Asian cinema in Sydney, did you know that there are regular free screenings of Japanese and Korean movies in our city, courtesy of the Japan Foundation (organiser of the Japanese Film Festival) and Korean Cultural Office (organiser of the Korean Film Festival in Australia)? The Japan Foundation is running Japanese Cinema Weeks during the April, July and September/October school holidays in their Multipurpose Room at Chifley Plaza. The upcoming April program will run from April 16 to 20, and will cater for both children (2pm screenings) and adults (6:30pm screenings). Films in the excellent program include Porco Rosso, Only Yesterday, Sumo Do, Sumo Don't, Big Man Japan and many more. Entry is free but booking is essential. Seats are limited, so book...
- 3/16/2012
- Screen Anarchy
Ninja Battle
Stars: Aiko Ito, Shuji Kashiwabara, Daisuke Nagakura, Kentaro Shimazu, Ben Hiura | Written and Directed by Seji Chiba
“When a small group of Iga ninjas find their comrade Yoshimori lying dead in a cave next to a bound a gagged girl, they immediately suspect her of somehow being involved in his murder. The girl, Sawa, is revealed to be a low-ranking Koga ninja from the distant Kashiwagi village and claims she was forced by Yoshimori to work for him as a traitor against her own clan. Sawa is believed to be in possession of a secret document containing information that could lead to the Iga’s successful resistance in the conflict with the Koga. But all is not as it appears.
As the Iga ninjas start to unravel the mystery surrounding Yoshimori’s death and continue their search for the missing vital document, Sawa proves that even tightly bound...
Stars: Aiko Ito, Shuji Kashiwabara, Daisuke Nagakura, Kentaro Shimazu, Ben Hiura | Written and Directed by Seji Chiba
“When a small group of Iga ninjas find their comrade Yoshimori lying dead in a cave next to a bound a gagged girl, they immediately suspect her of somehow being involved in his murder. The girl, Sawa, is revealed to be a low-ranking Koga ninja from the distant Kashiwagi village and claims she was forced by Yoshimori to work for him as a traitor against her own clan. Sawa is believed to be in possession of a secret document containing information that could lead to the Iga’s successful resistance in the conflict with the Koga. But all is not as it appears.
As the Iga ninjas start to unravel the mystery surrounding Yoshimori’s death and continue their search for the missing vital document, Sawa proves that even tightly bound...
- 2/4/2012
- by Phil
- Nerdly
Sometimes, casting is a no-brainer. Casting Dwayne Johnson, the most manly of movie stars, as an action hero who tames and conquers monsters, beasts and zombies just makes sense. Johnson (Fast Five) will star in the live action fantasy Monster Hunter's Survival Guide based on the comic book series. Producer Simon Kinberg (X-Men: First Class, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) will make the film through his Genre Films.
Monster Hunter Survival Guide is the latest monster project in development. Others include Monster Witness Relocation Program (Jaden Smith was in talks to star), Monster High, Monster in Paris, Monster Squad, Big Man Japan, Tim Burton's Monsterapocolypse and Pixar's sequel to Monsters Inc.
Source: Deadline...
Monster Hunter Survival Guide is the latest monster project in development. Others include Monster Witness Relocation Program (Jaden Smith was in talks to star), Monster High, Monster in Paris, Monster Squad, Big Man Japan, Tim Burton's Monsterapocolypse and Pixar's sequel to Monsters Inc.
Source: Deadline...
- 11/22/2011
- by tara@kidspickflicks.com (Tara the Mom)
- kidspickflicks
Scabbard Samurai
Written by Mitsuyoshi Takasu, Tomoji Hasegawa, Kôji Ema, Mitsuru Koramoto, Itsuji Itao, and Hitoshi Matsumoto
Directed by Hitoshi Matsumoto
Japan, 2010
Would-be samurai Kanjuro Nomi (Takaaki Nomi) has landed himself in quite a predicament. Wanted for desertion by the government, and pursued by a trio of variously skilled assassins, he nonetheless silently carries on, always protecting his wily young daughter Tae (Sea Kumada). Rendered silent by grief since the death of his wife, he no longer carries a sword – only its hilt. When he’s finally brought to justice, the local clan head dispenses his usual, and particularly cruel punishment: Kanjuro has one opportunity a day, for the next thirty days, to inspire a smile on the face of the clan leader’s son, who has been practically catatonic since the loss of his mother.
The latest comic hybrid from popular Japanese director Hitoshi Matsumoto (Big Man Japan, Symbol...
Written by Mitsuyoshi Takasu, Tomoji Hasegawa, Kôji Ema, Mitsuru Koramoto, Itsuji Itao, and Hitoshi Matsumoto
Directed by Hitoshi Matsumoto
Japan, 2010
Would-be samurai Kanjuro Nomi (Takaaki Nomi) has landed himself in quite a predicament. Wanted for desertion by the government, and pursued by a trio of variously skilled assassins, he nonetheless silently carries on, always protecting his wily young daughter Tae (Sea Kumada). Rendered silent by grief since the death of his wife, he no longer carries a sword – only its hilt. When he’s finally brought to justice, the local clan head dispenses his usual, and particularly cruel punishment: Kanjuro has one opportunity a day, for the next thirty days, to inspire a smile on the face of the clan leader’s son, who has been practically catatonic since the loss of his mother.
The latest comic hybrid from popular Japanese director Hitoshi Matsumoto (Big Man Japan, Symbol...
- 10/24/2011
- by Simon Howell
- SoundOnSight
Coming from the man responsible for Big Man Japan and Symbol, I didn't know what to expect from Scabbard Samurai, the latest film of Japanese director Hitoshi Matsumoto. The premise of the film goes like this: Kanjuro Nomi is a samurai with no sword, he only keeps its scabbard. After the death of her wife, he decided to completely give up violence and embarked on a trip with his daughter Tae, becoming a deserter in the process. After running for a while, he's caught by an eccentric feudal lord who offers him a chance to save his life: Kanjuro has exactly thirty days to try to bring back the smile of the lord's son, who hasn't smiled since the passing of his mother. If...
- 10/7/2011
- Screen Anarchy
Lock up your daughters' valuables! It seems film people can't help being seduced by that bloke pilfering the family silver
It's not wise to fall in love with a person who sneaks into your house in the dead of night and steals your valuables. And yet the charming thief has light-footed his way into any number of films, finding romance as well as loot. What is it about these smooth-talking characters that make them so irresistible? Is it their position outside of society, which gives them a sense of aloofness and danger? Is it because romance with a thief is fleeting, existing only in the brief moment before they're off on the run or captured by police? Perhaps film-makers hope we'll forget they're picking our pockets at £10 a ticket if we're seduced by a suave fellow in a tuxedo or a femme fatale in a catsuit. Whatever the reason, film...
It's not wise to fall in love with a person who sneaks into your house in the dead of night and steals your valuables. And yet the charming thief has light-footed his way into any number of films, finding romance as well as loot. What is it about these smooth-talking characters that make them so irresistible? Is it their position outside of society, which gives them a sense of aloofness and danger? Is it because romance with a thief is fleeting, existing only in the brief moment before they're off on the run or captured by police? Perhaps film-makers hope we'll forget they're picking our pockets at £10 a ticket if we're seduced by a suave fellow in a tuxedo or a femme fatale in a catsuit. Whatever the reason, film...
- 10/6/2011
- The Guardian - Film News
Hitoshi Matsumoto's name may not mean much in American households, but in Japan he's a television superstar. Mainly known as one half of the comic duo Downtown, Matsumoto took his career in a new direction a few years ago when he started directing movies. Like his comedy acts, Matsumoto's work as a director is zany, surreal and hard to describe in simple terms. His filmmaking debut, "Big Man Japan," followed ...
- 8/13/2011
- indieWIRE - People
Hitoshi Matsumoto's name may not mean much in American households, but in Japan he's a television superstar. Mainly known as one half of the comic duo Downtown, Matsumoto took his career in a new direction a few years ago when he started directing movies. Like his comedy acts, Matsumoto's work as a director is zany, surreal and hard to describe in simple terms. His filmmaking debut, "Big Man Japan," followed ...
- 8/13/2011
- Indiewire
Hitoshi Matsumoto's name may not mean much in American households, but in Japan he's a television superstar. Mainly known as one half of the comic duo Downtown, Matsumoto took his career in a new direction a few years ago when he started directing movies. Like his comedy acts, Matsumoto's work as a director is zany, surreal and hard to describe in simple terms. His filmmaking debut, "Big Man Japan," followed ...
- 8/13/2011
- indieWIRE - People
Hitoshi Matsumoto's name may not mean much in American households, but in Japan he's a television superstar. Mainly known as one half of the comic duo Downtown, Matsumoto took his career in a new direction a few years ago when he started directing movies. Like his comedy acts, Matsumoto's work as a director is zany, surreal and hard to describe in simple terms. His filmmaking debut, "Big Man Japan," followed ...
- 8/13/2011
- indieWIRE - People
Asian Film Monthly is a new movies.com column that rounds up recent notable theatrical releases in Asian countries to see what's hot and what might be coming to the Us. Japan We've heard recently that a remake of 2007's Big Man Japan is moving forward, which, as our own Peter Hall commented, is hard to comprehend since the original "is about as far removed from American culture as possible." Be that as it may, Hitoshi Matsumoto, who directed and starred in Big Man Japan, has completed two movies since then, and the latest, Saya Zamurai (Aka Scabbard Samurai), just opened in Japan. Matsumoto has been a TV superstar in Japan for nearly 20 years, but his first two films elicited "some head-scratching at home," according to local critic Mark...
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- 6/21/2011
- by Movies.com
- Movies.com - Celebrity Gossip
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