Kitano books

[Aaron Gerow]

Do check out the Kinema Club database, which lists dozens of publications 
on him (mostly reviews of Hana-bi).  In English, one's by TOny Rayns are 
worth a look.

The Italian book Julien mentioned is the following:

Journal or Edited Volume Title : Kitano Beat Takeshi
Imprint : ed. Michele Fadda, Rinaldo Censi (Parma: Stefano Sorbini 
Editore, 1998)

(Julien, could you give the references for the French books you 
mentioned?)

This hasn't shown up in the Kinema Club database yet, but there is, 
humbly, one by me:

Title : "A Scene at the Threshold: Liminality in the Films of Kitano 
Takeshi"
Author : Aaron Gerow
Journal or Edited Volume Title : Asian Cinema
Key Words : Kitano Takeshi, liminality, borders, Okinawa, comedy, violence
Annotation : 
A slightly longer version of the piece that originally appeared in 
Italian.  Argues that Kitano's focus on borderline spaces (beaches, 
Okinawa, etc.) is a reflection of his general concern with liminality, 
especially the space between shots, between death and life, stillness and 
motion, Japan and the foreign, self and other.
Language : English
Date : 10.2 (Spring/Summer 1999), 107-115

In Japanese, the most important book is Abe Kasho (Casio)'s _Kitano 
Takeshi vs. Bito Takeshi_ (Chikuma SHobo, 1994).  Beyond the Kinema Jumpo 
book mentioned (second in the Filmmakers series), also note the Yuriika 
special issue: Vol. 30 No. 3 (February 1998).  FOr Kitano's many 
interviews, any with Shinozaki Makoto are worth reading.

Aaron Gerow
Associate Professor
International Student Center
Yokohama National University
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E-mail: gerow at ynu.ac.jp
Phone: 81-45-339-3170
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