Based on “The Honjin Murders”, the debut work of Seishi Yokomizo that was first serialized in 1946 and published in 1973 and the winner of the first Mystery Writers of Japan Award, “Death at an Old Mansion” is another great production by Atg, which was also screened in competition at the 26th Berlinale, in 1976.
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The mystery revolves around the wealthy Ichayanagi family, and takes place in an unspecified village in Okayama. The movie begins with the wedding of Kenzo, the family's eldest son, who is marrying a simple primary school teacher, Katsuko Kubo, against the firm protest of the tradition-conscious family, as the later reaction of a drunken uncle eloquently highlights. Suzu, Kenzo's rather beautiful sister is also present and gives an impressive performance playing the koto, but is soon revealed to be mentally handicapped, as she begins to...
Follow our coverage of Art Theatre Guild by clicking on the image below
The mystery revolves around the wealthy Ichayanagi family, and takes place in an unspecified village in Okayama. The movie begins with the wedding of Kenzo, the family's eldest son, who is marrying a simple primary school teacher, Katsuko Kubo, against the firm protest of the tradition-conscious family, as the later reaction of a drunken uncle eloquently highlights. Suzu, Kenzo's rather beautiful sister is also present and gives an impressive performance playing the koto, but is soon revealed to be mentally handicapped, as she begins to...
- 9/6/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The Daimajin Trilogy
Blu ray – All Region
Arrow Films
1966
Starring Miwa Takada, Kojiro Hongo, Hideki Ninomiya
Cinematography by Fujio Morita, Shozo Tanaka, Hiroshi Imai
Directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda, Kenji Misumi, Kazuo Mori
Japanese monsters seem to bring out the best in home video companies—Arrow Films’ The Daimajin Trilogy is the most beautifully wrought Blu ray release since Criterion’s momentous Godzilla set. Though the films themselves don’t match the kaleidoscopic allure of Matt Frank’s cover illustrations, the Daimajin movies remain rousing entertainment for both monster-crazy kids and seasoned movie fans who should appreciate the sky-scraping samurai’s exciting if utterly predictable adventures.
Predictable, because each film in the trilogy is essentially the same movie—same beginning, same middle, same end. Utterly predictable but then so are the Bond films—the lack of any real surprises is fundamental to their comfort food aesthetic. Produced one after another in...
Blu ray – All Region
Arrow Films
1966
Starring Miwa Takada, Kojiro Hongo, Hideki Ninomiya
Cinematography by Fujio Morita, Shozo Tanaka, Hiroshi Imai
Directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda, Kenji Misumi, Kazuo Mori
Japanese monsters seem to bring out the best in home video companies—Arrow Films’ The Daimajin Trilogy is the most beautifully wrought Blu ray release since Criterion’s momentous Godzilla set. Though the films themselves don’t match the kaleidoscopic allure of Matt Frank’s cover illustrations, the Daimajin movies remain rousing entertainment for both monster-crazy kids and seasoned movie fans who should appreciate the sky-scraping samurai’s exciting if utterly predictable adventures.
Predictable, because each film in the trilogy is essentially the same movie—same beginning, same middle, same end. Utterly predictable but then so are the Bond films—the lack of any real surprises is fundamental to their comfort food aesthetic. Produced one after another in...
- 8/14/2021
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
The Daimajin Trilogy will be available on Blu-ray July 27th from Arrow Video
The Daimajin Trilogy saw Daieis Kyoto studios bringing its own iconic movie monster to life in a unique but short-lived series that transplants the Golem legend to Japans Warring States period of the late-16th century.
In Daimajin, directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda, the young son and daughter of the benevolent feudal lord Hanabusa flee to the mountains when their parents are slain by the treacherous usurper Odate. Ten years later, when the elderly priestess who has harbored them is also murdered, the rage of the slumbering ancient god that lies beneath the crumbling giant stone idol hidden deep in the forests in the mountains is invoked. In Return of Daimajin, Kenji Misumi brings his usual stylistic flourish, as the wrathful deity is roused from his new home on an island in the middle of a lake by...
The Daimajin Trilogy saw Daieis Kyoto studios bringing its own iconic movie monster to life in a unique but short-lived series that transplants the Golem legend to Japans Warring States period of the late-16th century.
In Daimajin, directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda, the young son and daughter of the benevolent feudal lord Hanabusa flee to the mountains when their parents are slain by the treacherous usurper Odate. Ten years later, when the elderly priestess who has harbored them is also murdered, the rage of the slumbering ancient god that lies beneath the crumbling giant stone idol hidden deep in the forests in the mountains is invoked. In Return of Daimajin, Kenji Misumi brings his usual stylistic flourish, as the wrathful deity is roused from his new home on an island in the middle of a lake by...
- 6/14/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Zatoichi series reached its milestone 10th outing in just three years since the release of the first, and it did so in style. It injected new blood into the series in the form of director Akira Inoue for an entry that is much darker in subject than any of the previous adventures.
Zatoichi’s travels bring him back to the village where he first learnt the art of massage under his old teacher Master Hikonoichi. Since it has been more than ten years that Ichi last saw him, he decides to pay his respect to the man, but upon reaching the village, he finds out that Master Hikonoichi was recently murdered and his daughter Osayo was taken in by the brothel owner Tatsugoro, who in turn works for the local magistrate Jingo Odate. Most women of the village, in fact, are in the clutches of the local brothels.
Zatoichi’s travels bring him back to the village where he first learnt the art of massage under his old teacher Master Hikonoichi. Since it has been more than ten years that Ichi last saw him, he decides to pay his respect to the man, but upon reaching the village, he finds out that Master Hikonoichi was recently murdered and his daughter Osayo was taken in by the brothel owner Tatsugoro, who in turn works for the local magistrate Jingo Odate. Most women of the village, in fact, are in the clutches of the local brothels.
- 5/24/2020
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
“Daimajin” by Kimiyoshi Yasuda stretches the genre borders and creates a well-aged drama about a big boy.
Being the first installment of a trilogy of which all movies have been shot at the same time, but were released a year apart, “Daimajin” resembles the trend of telling a Kaiju story in an Edo setting. The Japanese production company Diaei combines classic elements of the chanbara genre with the equally popular monster category.
Getting into the first 60 minutes of the plot, the movie goes into a totally different direction and does not feel like a monster movie at all. We are introduced to a political drama about a royal family that is torn apart by a coup. The heirs and their guardian have to flee to the mountains, where they hide for 10 years before they return to their home to free the people from a barbaric tyrant. That’s it for the sword fighting aspect.
Being the first installment of a trilogy of which all movies have been shot at the same time, but were released a year apart, “Daimajin” resembles the trend of telling a Kaiju story in an Edo setting. The Japanese production company Diaei combines classic elements of the chanbara genre with the equally popular monster category.
Getting into the first 60 minutes of the plot, the movie goes into a totally different direction and does not feel like a monster movie at all. We are introduced to a political drama about a royal family that is torn apart by a coup. The heirs and their guardian have to flee to the mountains, where they hide for 10 years before they return to their home to free the people from a barbaric tyrant. That’s it for the sword fighting aspect.
- 1/17/2020
- by Alexander Knoth
- AsianMoviePulse
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