Masaki Koboyashi

Peter Grilli grilli
Wed Oct 31 19:55:38 EST 2001


In addition to the films by Masaki Kobayashi mentioned earlier by Jakob
Abrahamsson and Richard Stevens, the following Kobayashi films have also
been screened on occasion in the U.S., but probably are not now in general
release in any format:

The Thick Walled Room (Kabe Atsuki Heya, 1953)
I'll Buy You (Anata Kaimasu, 1956)
Black River (Kuroi Kawa, 1957)
Youth of Japan (aka Hymn to a Tired Man, Nihon no Seishun, 1968)
Inn of Evil  (Inochi Bo ni Furo, 1971)
Fossil  (Kaseki, 1975)
Tokyo Trials  (Tokyo Saiban, 1980??)

Kobayashi's films, in addition to their superb scripts, visual beauty and
great technical assurance, are among the most powerful indictments among
Japanese films, of militarism, corruption, and social/personal hypocrisy.
There are brief excerpts of an interview with Kobayashi in my documentary
film about the composer Toru Takemitsu  ("Music for the Movies: Toru
Takemitsu," 1994, available on video and laserdisc from SonyClassics).  My
full interview with Kobayashi, taped for the Takemitsu film,  was
transcribed, edited, and translated into English by Linda Hoaglund as "A
Conversation with Kobayashi Masaki"  (in Positions, Journal of EastAsian
Cultural Critique, Duke Univ., v.2 no. 2, Fall, 1994; pp. 382-405).

Peter Grilli


-----Original Message-----
From: grilli at us-japan.org [mailto:grilli at us-japan.org]On Behalf Of Jakob
Abrahamsson
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2001 1:00 PM
To: grilli at attglobal.net
Subject: Re: Masaki Koboyashi


by the way - is there any other of films apart from the human condition
series and kwaidan available?
whatbout the extraordinary Rebellion - has it ever been released on dvd or
vhs? Or Harakiri/Seppuku?
Or any other of his works?
all the best / jakob


----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Stevens" <richard.stevens4 at btopenworld.com>
To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2001 5:46 AM
Subject: Masaki Koboyashi


> I have only seen Kwaidan and the was in about 1995, I plan to get the
region
> 1 criterion version on DVD form the US.  I also want to see the Epic "The
> Human Condition series...
>
> Can anyone tell me their thoughts on "The Human Condition"
>
> R
>





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