Hiroaki Kurahashi
Freelance reporter “Scoop” Machida is hot on the trail of a prostitution ring called the Black Line, when he is framed for the murder of a young woman. Forced to clear his own name, the handsome journalist sinks deeper into the Black Line’s rotten swamp of drugs, prostitution, and murder and finds unexpected help in Maya, a steamy female gambler familiar with the neon-lit streets, shadowy alleyways, and seedy nightclubs he must navigate. The closest film in the Line series to classic American film noir, Ishii’s Black Line is a pulpy assortment of crime film conventions including the starkly expressionistic black and white cinematography by Jûgyô Yoshida, a jazzy music score by Michiaki Watanabe, and a sleazy screenplay by Ishii and Ichirô Miyagawa.
Two women, an undercover cop, and a leader of the group of rude girls, defy the smuggling syndicate.
Tired of poverty, Keiko leaves home and soon takes a lover, but leads a wanton life without paying heed to his advice. However, the younger sister Yoshiko, is an innocent and kind girl. One day, with the sudden death of their mother in a car accident, Keiko learns that she and Yoshiko are actually stepsisters, and that she is the daughter of a murderer. She now plans extortion from Yoshiko's true father who is the president of a well-known trading company.
The film begins strongly, with an atmospheric opening sequence, predating John Carpenter's The Fog by two decades, of shuffling ghost-like zombies, blood streaming from their faces, rising from the waves to drag the workers of a deserted shipyard,swirling with dry ice, to their doom. The ghost's main target however is the village kingpin, and employer of the local diving girls, Satomura (played by Juzaburo Akechi). When his wife and youngest daughter are abducted, it is up to his remaining daughter Nami (Banri) and her ama companions to get to the bottom of the mystery, which again revolves around sunken treasure and a gang of swarthy crooks.
After the massacre of Christians at Shimabara, followers of Amakusa Shiro band together in a plot to overthrow the shogunate in order to exact revenge on the Tokugawa. At the same time there is a succession dispute in the Kuroda clan, as one faction tried to usurp the rightful heir and take over the honored clan. Before his untimely death, the lord of the Kuroda bestowed “Nihongo”, a magnificent spear, on his finest warrior, which ultimately brings him into contact with two of Japan’s most famous historical figures, Yagyu Jubei and Miyamoto Musashi. Can the three masters of martial art join forces to defeat their enemies and save the nation?
At the end of the Greater East Asia War, young Amada Koichi and his father were wrongfully accused as spy suspects and his father died in prison after being tortured. Ten years later, Amada seeks for revenge on the three men responsible for his father death.
The treasures of the Aoyamas were buried at the bottom of the sea when a large earthquake occurred years before. Yumi Aoyama is the only person who knows the location, but her family dies one after another through curious incidents, as if the family were under a curse. Yumi is surprised by the ghost of a dead sister who looks the same as the grim figure who jumped into the old well alter stabbing herself with a sword. Fearful that a similar fate awaits her, Yumi seeks the help of her friend Kyoko. Later the ghost appears before Kyoko and her fiancé, Detective Nonomiya. In a haunted cave, Kyoko and Yumi are in deadly peril from those who seek treasures of the Aoyamas.
Yuri is looking forward to marrying her fiancé Minoru. However, a few days before the wedding she falls victim to his brother Takehiko, and against her will, she becomes Takehiko's wife. The day after the wedding, Yuri begins her silent revenge by not talking to her husband. She retains her love for Minoru and never gives herself to Takehiko's embrace again. She also contributes large sums of money from Takehiko's fortune to charity.
In 1941, overpopulated Japan faces an economic boycott and its armed forces push further to the south. And despite negotiations between Japan and the U. S. A. war is declared with the attack on Pearl Harbour. Victories follow for Japan on land and sea and her forces push forward to the borders of India. But gradually the tide turns in favour of the Allies and after the atom bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan is compelled to accept the Potsdam Declaration and by the order of the Emperor agrees to unconditional surrender. Under the supervision of the occupation forces the International Military Tribunal opens in Tokyo to try the Japanese war leaders. Established in the cause of justice, and to prevent future aggressive wars the trials drag on for two and a half years. And on December 23, 1948, General Tojo and six other war leaders mount the thirteen steps to the gallows at Tokyo's Sugamo prison.
This time around, Sashichi is investigating a case of serial murders believed to be perpetrated by a giant bear.
The most controversial film ever produced by Shintoho, Magatani Morihei’s horror thriller Bloody Sword Of The 99th Virgin (Kyujukyu-honme no Kimusume) is set in the mountains of Iwate Prefecture - a remote area that might be described as the Ozarks of Japan. The mountain folk are depicted as superstitious, blood-thirsty primitives, which struck traditionally discriminated-against locals and others in their community as discriminatory. Probably as a result, the film has been seldom screened in Japan but, contrary to some speculation, it has never been officially banned.
The descendant of the servant of a cruel and vicious samurai returns to the town where she was born, only to find that a cat who is possessed by the spirits of those murdered by the samurai is trying to kill her.
It's Japanese history come to life in this true tale of upheaval in the Date clan. A serious incident that threatened the very existence of the Date clan in the late 17th Century is told in a "no holds barred" rendition of the Date Disturbance when Harada Kai, the clan's Chamberlain attempts to take power from the lord himself. Kanjuro Arashi, one of Japan's earliest movie stars gives a noteworthy performance as the traitorous clan official, who is not afraid to draw his sword when confronted. The subject of a Kabuki by Chikamatsu, this is a movie not to be missed!
Meiji Tenno portrayed the ramp up to the Russo-Japan War. In addition to showing the political events that led to war, it also showed the era from the story of a farm family in rural Japan who sent their son off to war. As such, it could be considered an anti-war movie, showing how, while war is devised by governments, the people do not really understand what war is, and it's combatants often do not know what they are fighting for.
The year is 1937, and it has been six months since the Sendai Infantry left for Manchuria. The rotted corpse of a young woman is found at the bottom of a well, but her face and limbs are gone. The military police begin an investigation and search fervently for the person responsible, but they can't even determine the victim's identity, much less find any clues. However, the incident is made public when newspapers give wide coverage to the story, so Staff Sergeant Kosaka is dispatched from Tokyo to solve the case. Eventually, General Tsunekichi is taken into custody by local infantrymen because of the testimony of another unit, but the spirit of the dead woman appears before Staff Sergeant Kosaka, who continues to investigate on his own...
A 1956 alien invasion tokusatsu film. Mostly known for being directed by Shinichi Sekizawa, writer of numerous Godzilla films.
Saheita, the final heir of a once rich and respectable family, can't refuse the many villagers that come to him for favours and money, even though he is on the brink of bankruptcy. Around town he is better known by his nickname Mr. Shosuke Ohara.
