HOLLYWOOD FILMS

Nuclear Noir

Kiss Me Deadly The ending of Kiss Me Deadly (1955) has been a center of debate among its fans and critics, while the authentic ending is now in place and the alternate one is offered as an extra. As Gabrielle opens the Pandora’s Box, she is exposed to the bright light of the Hell, detonating the ultimate Doomsday device. In physics, that bright (blue) light is actually called Cherenkov radiation, and anyone who sees it too closely will die a horrible death. Intense light, including Cherenkov radiation, is created by critical state of nuclear materials, emitting enormous amount of nuclear …

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JAPANESE FILMS

Two More Fragments

Denjiro Okochi as Tange Sazen The previous post discussed the art of Jidaigeki in 1920s. Here are two more rare film clips of Denjiro Okochi. Zoku Ooka Seidan, Mazo, Kaiketsu-Hen (続大岡政談 魔像　解決篇, 1931) Directed by Daisuke Ito, cinematography by Hiromitsu Karasawa, this film is another variation of popular “Shin-Ban Ooka Seidan” trilogy. Pretty graphic. Daibosatsu Toge, Suzuka-Yama no Maki – Mibu Shimabara no Maki  (大菩薩峠　鈴鹿山の巻　壬生島原の巻, 1936) Based on the popular novel of the same title by Kaizan Nakazato, the film revolves around the character of Ryunosuke Tsukue (Daijiro Okochi), a psychopathic serial murderer in the last decades of Edo era. …

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JAPANESE FILMS

Going Berserk

1920’s was the era of Jidaigeki in Japanese cinema. In spite of its popularity (or rather, because of it), only handful of the masterpieces of the era survived. Matsunosuke Onoe was the first Japanese cinema star and the most popular among kids during 1910’s and 20’s, but it was the late 20’s that saw the pinnacle of Jidaigeki. So I heard. In 1925, Daisuke Ito created “Chuji Tabi Nikki (忠治旅日記)” Trilogy with Denjiro Ohkochi, one of the most influential Jidaigeki in the Japanese cinema history. “Shin-ban Ooka Seidan (新版大岡政談, 1928, Dir. Daisuke Ito)”, “Zanzin Zanba Ken (斬人斬馬剣, 1929, Dir. Daisuke …

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