Kenji Misumi
Kenji Misumi | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 24 September 1975 | (aged 54)
Occupation | Film director |
Kenji Misumi (三隅 研次, Misumi Kenji) (2 March 1921 – 24 September 1975) was a Japanese film director. He created film series such as Lone Wolf and Cub and the initial film in the long-running Zatoichi series, and also directed Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice, starring Shintaro Katsu.[1] He died at age 54.[2]
In 2012, his 1973 film Sakura no Daimon was voted by
Biography
Kenji Misumi was born on March 2, 1921.
Misumi continued his studies at Ritsumeikan as well as beginning work at his Aunt's restaurant.[4] While working there, he entered into conversation about cinema with novelist and playwright Kan Kikuchi who slipped him contact information with Nikkatsu Studios.[4] Two years after this, Misumi went to his contact at Nikkatsu finding that the person no longer was employed there.[5] The recommendation from Kikuchi was enough to have him enter employment at Nikkatsu however, allowing him to start work as trainee assistant director in 1941.[5] Before Misumi began work on any project, he was drafted into World War II.[5] Misumi spoke little of his war time experiences.[5] He was taken as a prisoner of war by Russians and sent to Siberia where he remained for two and a half years.[5] He was sent back to Japan in 1948 where he re-entered the film industry.[5]
Film career
The film industry in Japan had changed after World War II with Nikkatsu having been absorbed into the structure of
Misumi's films has continued success at the box office in Japan which led him to direct more features often with the same crew.
Misumi was released from his contract with Daiei in 1971 when the studio shut down film production.
Selected filmography
Year | Title | Credited as | Notes | Ref(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Director | Other | ||||
1952 | Dedication of the Great Buddha | Yes | Assistant director | [6][13] | |
1953 | Gate of Hell | Yes | Assistant director | [14] | |
1959 | Yotsuya kaidan | Yes | [15] | ||
1960 | Satan's Sword | Yes | [16] | ||
1960 | Satan's Sword II | Yes | [16] | ||
1961 | Satan's Sword III | Yes | [16] | ||
1961 | Buddha | Yes | [17][18][19] | ||
1962 | The Tale of Zatoichi | Yes | [20][21] | ||
1964 | Fight, Zatoichi, Fight | Yes | [22][23] | ||
1965 | Zatoichi and the Chess Expert | Yes | [24] | ||
1966 | The Return of the Giant Majin | Yes | [25][26] | ||
1967 | Zatoichi Challenged | Yes | [27] | ||
1968 | Samaritan Zatoichi | Yes | [28][29] | ||
1969 | Devil's Temple | Yes | [30] | ||
1970 | Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival | Yes | [29] | ||
1972 | Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance | Yes | [31] | ||
1972 | Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx | Yes | [32] | ||
1972 | Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades | Yes | [33] | ||
1972 | Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice | Yes | [34] | ||
1973 | Sakura no daimon | Yes | [35] | ||
1973 | Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons | Yes | [36] | ||
1974 | The Last Samurai | Yes | [37] |
Television
Show | Premiere date | Channel | Episode | Notes | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hissatsu Shiokiya Kagyō | 1975 | Asahi Broadcasting Corporation | Episode 13 | Misumi's final work | [11] |
References
Footnotes
- Twitch Film.
- ^ Gatto, Robin; Mes, Tom (24 October 2005). "Midnight Eye feature: Remembering Kenji Misumi". Midnight Eye.
- Sight & Sound. Archived from the originalon 27 August 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Mes 2018, p. 32.
- ^ a b c d e f g Mes 2018, p. 33.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Mes 2018, p. 34.
- ^ a b c d Mes 2018, p. 35.
- ^ a b c Mes 2018, p. 37.
- ^ Mes 2018, p. 45.
- ^ a b c d Mes 2018, p. 46.
- ^ a b "映画監督 三隅研次" (in Japanese). National Film Archive of Japan. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
- ^ a b Mes 2018, p. 47.
- ^ Bakker 2009, p. 140.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 178.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 449.
- ^ a b c Palmer, Palmer & Meyers 1995, p. 300.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 127.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 128.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 129.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 262.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 263.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 452.
- Criterion Collection. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 357.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 334.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 335.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 453.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 455.
- ^ a b Galbraith IV 1996, p. 456.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 151.
- ^ Galbraith IV 2008, p. 280.
- ^ Galbraith IV 2008, p. 282.
- ^ Galbraith IV 2008, p. 284.
- ^ Galbraith IV 2008, p. 286.
- ^ Galbraith IV 2008, p. 289.
- ^ Galbraith IV 2008, p. 291.
- ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 257.
Sources
- Bakker, Freek L. (2009). The Challenge of the Silver Screen: An Analysis of the Cinematic Portraits of Jesus, Rama, Buddha and Muhammad. ISBN 978-9004194045.
- Galbraith IV, Stuart (1996). The Japanese Filmography: 1900 through 1994. ISBN 0786400323.
- Galbraith IV, Stuart (2008). The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography. ISBN 978-1461673743.
- Palmer, Bill; Palmer, Karen; Meyers, Richard (1995). The Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Movies. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810830271.
- Mes, Tom (2018). Father, Son, Sword: The Lone Wolf and Cub Saga. ISBN 9780993306099.
External links
- Kenji Misumi at IMDb
- Kenji Misumi at the Japanese Movie Database (in Japanese)