Itami debut film discovered

[Li Hoo Cheong]

After its screening, can those fortunate viewers talk about it in KineJapan
as it was reported to be good.   Also, what does the title "Gomudeppo"
mean?   I read somewhere that Itami's last work is a tv documentary on
medical waste he directed and narrated.  Didsome members see that by
chance?  Imamura's tv works are now on DVD, how about the best of Itami's
tv productions?

H C Li

Aaron Gerow wrote:

> The news services  reported that Itami Juzo's "first" film as a
> director was recently discovered. Apparently, while Itami was still
> acting under the name Itami Ichizo, he made a film called Gomudeppo in
> 1962 with some friends. It is probably a short work, but was shown at a
> small theater in Shinjuku in 1963 and then shown in a double bill with
> Suna no utsuwa at Sogetsu in 1964. It has not been seen since then.
> Editors from Shinchosha apparently found the work in Itami's cottage as
> they were researching a book on him. It will be shown in a special
> event on December 27 at Sogetsu. The following has some details in
> Japanese:
>
> http://shinchosha.co.jp/gomudeppou/
>
> Aaron Gerow
> Assistant Professor
> Film Studies Program/East Asian Languages and Literatures
> Director of Undergraduate Studies, Film Studies Program
> Yale University
> 53 Wall Street, Room 316
> PO Box 208363
> New Haven, CT 06520-8363
> USA
> Phone: 1-203-432-7082
> Fax: 1-203-432-6764
> e-mail: aaron.gerow at yale.edu