Concert documentary, “Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus,” directed by Neo Sora, will open in mainland Chinese cinemas on May 31.
The film had its world premiere in official selection at the Venice festival last year. That was followed by an acclaimed run at the New York, London and Camerimage festivals.
Japanese composer Sakamoto, who was awarded an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Grammy and two Golden Globes, had a four-decade career that stretched from techno-pop to Oscar winning scores on films including “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,” “The Last Emperor,” and “The Revenant.”
Sakamoto died in March last year after a lengthy struggle with cancer. Before his demise, he curated and performed piano at a final concert, comprising 20 pieces of music that he chose and ordered himself.
The concert film includes his popstar Yellow Magic Orchestra period to his iconic “Emperor” film score and meditative final album, “12.” Variety‘s review of the film called it a “glorious final performance.
The film had its world premiere in official selection at the Venice festival last year. That was followed by an acclaimed run at the New York, London and Camerimage festivals.
Japanese composer Sakamoto, who was awarded an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Grammy and two Golden Globes, had a four-decade career that stretched from techno-pop to Oscar winning scores on films including “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,” “The Last Emperor,” and “The Revenant.”
Sakamoto died in March last year after a lengthy struggle with cancer. Before his demise, he curated and performed piano at a final concert, comprising 20 pieces of music that he chose and ordered himself.
The concert film includes his popstar Yellow Magic Orchestra period to his iconic “Emperor” film score and meditative final album, “12.” Variety‘s review of the film called it a “glorious final performance.
- 5/8/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Clockwise from left: Mica Levi (Dimitrios Vellis/Wikimedia Commons), David Byrne (Shutterstock), Jonny Greenwood (Shutterstock), Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (Shutterstock)Graphic: The A.V. Club
If you plan to see Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers this weekend, be prepared to be knocked on your ass by its propulsive score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
If you plan to see Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers this weekend, be prepared to be knocked on your ass by its propulsive score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
- 4/26/2024
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
Clockwise left to right: Get Out (Universal Pictures), This Is Spinal Tap (MGM Home Entertainment), That Thing You Do! (20th Century Studios), Lady Bird (A24)Graphic: The A.V. Club
It’s always neat when someone you’ve admired shows off a hidden talent that makes you see them in a different light.
It’s always neat when someone you’ve admired shows off a hidden talent that makes you see them in a different light.
- 4/12/2024
- by Mary Kate Carr, Saloni Gajjar, Drew Gillis, William Hughes, Matthew Jackson, Jarrod Jones, Emma Keates, Jacob Oller, Matt Schimkowitz, and Cindy White
- avclub.com
To call Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus a concert film would be correct and also drastically inadequate. What unfolds onscreen is no mere performance, no mere gesture, but a face-to-face between presence and absence. Beginning its theatrical run just before the one-year anniversary of Sakamoto’s death from cancer, at 71, the handsome film is a testament to the artistic spirit and, above all, an act of love — by the performer, who was facing mortality and thinking of legacy, and by the director, Neo Sora, who is Ryuichi Sakamoto’s son.
The performances captured in Opus were filmed over a week in September 2022, at a studio in Tokyo’s Nhk Broadcasting Center that Sakamoto believed offers the finest acoustics in Japan. He and Sora embarked on this project while Sakamoto was still well enough to perform. Other than the unseen filmmakers, there is no audience. Alone at a Yamaha grand, a bright...
The performances captured in Opus were filmed over a week in September 2022, at a studio in Tokyo’s Nhk Broadcasting Center that Sakamoto believed offers the finest acoustics in Japan. He and Sora embarked on this project while Sakamoto was still well enough to perform. Other than the unseen filmmakers, there is no audience. Alone at a Yamaha grand, a bright...
- 3/16/2024
- by Sheri Linden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Janus Films has acquired “Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus,” a concert film centered around the late, great performer that premiered recently at the Venice Film Festival and is set to make its North American debut at the New York Film Festival.
Janus Films will release the film theatrically, followed by a streaming premiere on The Criterion Channel and a home video release on the Janus Contemporaries label, a new imprint of Criterion (its first releases come out next month).
Sakamoto was a singular musical force, from his early work with Japanese electronic pop band Yellow Magic Orchestra to his solo work and collaborative albums to his unforgettable work on film scores, from “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” to “The Last Emperor” to Brian De Palma’s “Snake Eyes.” (He also composed the score to “The Revenant” with Alva Noto and The National’s Bryce Dessner.) Sakamoto additionally worked on multiple television shows and video games.
Janus Films will release the film theatrically, followed by a streaming premiere on The Criterion Channel and a home video release on the Janus Contemporaries label, a new imprint of Criterion (its first releases come out next month).
Sakamoto was a singular musical force, from his early work with Japanese electronic pop band Yellow Magic Orchestra to his solo work and collaborative albums to his unforgettable work on film scores, from “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” to “The Last Emperor” to Brian De Palma’s “Snake Eyes.” (He also composed the score to “The Revenant” with Alva Noto and The National’s Bryce Dessner.) Sakamoto additionally worked on multiple television shows and video games.
- 9/25/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Neo Sora’s concert documentary “Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus,” a standout at the Venice Film Festival, has sold for theatrical distribution in North America to Janus Films ahead of its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival.
The theatrical release will be followed by a Blu-ray Disc release on the “Janus Contemporaries” label.
This is the latest deal inked by London and Paris-based production, finance and sales outfit Film Constellation, following a slew of sales to Spain (Filmin), Portugal (Midas Filmes), Germany and Austria (Rapid Eye), Scandinavia (NjutaFilms), Baltics (Kino Pavasaris), South Korea (Media Castle), China (Jl Vision Films), Hong Kong and Macau (Edko Films), Taiwan (Cai Chang) and Singapore (Anticipate Pictures). Bitters End will release the film in Japan in 2024.
On March 28, 2023, legendary composer Sakamoto Ryuichi died after his struggle against cancer. In the years leading up to his death, Sakamoto could no longer perform live. Single concerts,...
The theatrical release will be followed by a Blu-ray Disc release on the “Janus Contemporaries” label.
This is the latest deal inked by London and Paris-based production, finance and sales outfit Film Constellation, following a slew of sales to Spain (Filmin), Portugal (Midas Filmes), Germany and Austria (Rapid Eye), Scandinavia (NjutaFilms), Baltics (Kino Pavasaris), South Korea (Media Castle), China (Jl Vision Films), Hong Kong and Macau (Edko Films), Taiwan (Cai Chang) and Singapore (Anticipate Pictures). Bitters End will release the film in Japan in 2024.
On March 28, 2023, legendary composer Sakamoto Ryuichi died after his struggle against cancer. In the years leading up to his death, Sakamoto could no longer perform live. Single concerts,...
- 9/25/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
To celebrate the release of Mark Cousins’ new documentary The Storms of Jeremy Thomas, a portrait of the Oscar-winning producer responsible for bringing to life films by David Cronenberg, Jonathan Glazer, Jim Jarmusch, Bernardo Bertolucci, Nagisa Ôshima, Jerzy Skolimowski, and many more, NYC’s Quad Cinema is fittingly paying tribute to his career with a fantastic retrospective.
“Jeremy Thomas Presents” kicks off today and runs through September 28 at Quad Cinema, with The Storms of Jeremy Thomas opening this Friday, September 22. As the retrospective commences, we’re pleased to exclusively share the trailer along with comments directly from Thomas looking back at the making of these iconic films.
Sexy Beast
I was sent a script with a Jonathan Glazer attached, called “Sexy Beast”. It was on a Friday night, and I read it over the weekend. The screenplay was brilliant, and on the Monday I bought it before anyone else could.
“Jeremy Thomas Presents” kicks off today and runs through September 28 at Quad Cinema, with The Storms of Jeremy Thomas opening this Friday, September 22. As the retrospective commences, we’re pleased to exclusively share the trailer along with comments directly from Thomas looking back at the making of these iconic films.
Sexy Beast
I was sent a script with a Jonathan Glazer attached, called “Sexy Beast”. It was on a Friday night, and I read it over the weekend. The screenplay was brilliant, and on the Monday I bought it before anyone else could.
- 9/18/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
To capture the breadth and depth of the musical career of Japanese composer and recording artist Ryuichi Sakamoto seems impossible, but somehow “Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus” almost accomplishes this herculean challenge. A document of Sakamoto’s final performance before his death from cancer last March, the film provides no commentary or context for the enormity of his body of work, yet somehow encompasses it all as he performs a curated set list in a Japanese recording studio for an audience of one — himself. Far more than a showcase of his talent and productivity, “Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus” lets Sakamoto deliver an elegy, and in the process, an autobiography of his creative journey, as captured through the precision and poetry of director Neo Sora’s camera.
Working from a set list personally selected by Sakamoto from his discography, Sora — Sakamoto’s son — recorded his subject’s performances over the span of a week,...
Working from a set list personally selected by Sakamoto from his discography, Sora — Sakamoto’s son — recorded his subject’s performances over the span of a week,...
- 9/7/2023
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
The profound existential context of “Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus” lays waste to the usual questions regarding concert documentaries, such as whether there is or is not a visual language to match the music. While there are moments in which one could close their eyes to concentrate on Sakamato’s otherworldly piano stylings and not miss much, there are glimpses of what it has all meant to the maestro that redeem a generally uneven split between sound and vision. Indeed, there are parallels to be made here with David Bowie’s music video for “Lazarus,” due to the mortal shiver of seeing a formidable musician playing himself off into the afterlife.
Sakamoto died aged 71 in March 2023 of a cancer that made touring and performing impossible during his final years. “Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda” premiered at Venice Film Festival in 2017, shedding light on the musician’s process and values at a time when he...
Sakamoto died aged 71 in March 2023 of a cancer that made touring and performing impossible during his final years. “Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda” premiered at Venice Film Festival in 2017, shedding light on the musician’s process and values at a time when he...
- 9/5/2023
- by Sophie Monks Kaufman
- Indiewire
Late Oscar-winning Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto was celebrated at the Venice Film Festival on Tuesday with the Out Of Competition premiere of concert film Opus.
The moving black-and-white work captures Sakamoto delivering his final performance in the months leading up to his death in March after a seven-year battle with cancer.
Alone with his piano on stage, he performs twenty of his compositions, spanning the music of his pop-star Yellow Magic Orchestra period to his first film score for Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence; his Oscar-winning music for Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor and his final album, 12.
Sakamoto’s filmmaker and artist son Neo Sora, who directed the film, was in Venice to present the work.
“I think he would have really loved that the film plays in Venice. He came to Venice six years ago with for Coda (Ryuichi Sakamoto Coda) so it would have been a full circle for him as well,...
The moving black-and-white work captures Sakamoto delivering his final performance in the months leading up to his death in March after a seven-year battle with cancer.
Alone with his piano on stage, he performs twenty of his compositions, spanning the music of his pop-star Yellow Magic Orchestra period to his first film score for Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence; his Oscar-winning music for Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor and his final album, 12.
Sakamoto’s filmmaker and artist son Neo Sora, who directed the film, was in Venice to present the work.
“I think he would have really loved that the film plays in Venice. He came to Venice six years ago with for Coda (Ryuichi Sakamoto Coda) so it would have been a full circle for him as well,...
- 9/5/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
While our massive, 60-film fall movie preview gives a hint at what to expect this season, it’s time to dive deeper into September. With films from Ethan Coen, Yorgos Lanthimos, and Luca Guadagnino being ripped off the month’s release calendar because studios don’t want to pay actors and writers fairly, it means the fall’s first offerings are a bit lighter––thankfully giving some truly independent productions further room to shine.
12. The Storms of Jeremy Thomas (Mark Cousins; Sept. 22 in theaters)
What do films like David Cronenberg’s Crash, Jonathan Glazer’s Sexy Beast, Jerzy Skolimowski’s Eo, Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive, Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor, Nagisa Ôshima’s Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, and (many) more have in common? They were produced by Oscar winner Jeremy Thomas. A new documentary by cinephile Mark Cousins, The Storms of Jeremy Thomas, explores the making of his most notable films.
12. The Storms of Jeremy Thomas (Mark Cousins; Sept. 22 in theaters)
What do films like David Cronenberg’s Crash, Jonathan Glazer’s Sexy Beast, Jerzy Skolimowski’s Eo, Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive, Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor, Nagisa Ôshima’s Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, and (many) more have in common? They were produced by Oscar winner Jeremy Thomas. A new documentary by cinephile Mark Cousins, The Storms of Jeremy Thomas, explores the making of his most notable films.
- 8/31/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
This concert film chronicles the final performance of the Oscar-winning Japanese composer of ‘The Last Emperor’ and ‘Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence’.
London and Paris-based outfit Film Constellation has boarded world sales on Neo Sora’s Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus, ahead of its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
The concert film chronicles the final performance of Sakamoto, the Oscar-winning Japanese composer of The Last Emperor and Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, who died on March 28 aged 71. It will premiere out of competition at Venice on September 5. A first-look image from the film can be seen above.
Featuring just Sakamoto and his piano,...
London and Paris-based outfit Film Constellation has boarded world sales on Neo Sora’s Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus, ahead of its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
The concert film chronicles the final performance of Sakamoto, the Oscar-winning Japanese composer of The Last Emperor and Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, who died on March 28 aged 71. It will premiere out of competition at Venice on September 5. A first-look image from the film can be seen above.
Featuring just Sakamoto and his piano,...
- 8/17/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
The passing of Ryuichi Sakamoto in March 2023 marked a sad and significant loss for the world of music. Debuting with his experimental solo EP Thousand Knives (1978) at the age of twenty-six, Sakamoto would go on to have a 45-year-long career as a musician, producing countless solo albums and film scores, as well as music with the Japanese electropop band Yellow Magic Orchestra. Tracing his blossoming career in the mid-1980s was French photographer Elizabeth Lennard, who directed the made-for-tv documentary “Tokyo Melody: un film sur Ryuichi Sakamoto” (1985). The film presents an economically prosperous Tokyo, along with an intimate portrait of Sakamoto as he works on his then-upcoming solo album, Ongaku Zukan (1984).
Tokyo Melody is screening at Japan Cuts
As far as documentaries go, “Tokyo Melody” is distinctly hands-off. We're introduced to Sakamoto as he fiddles with what is presumably a new piece of recording equipment in the park, although the...
Tokyo Melody is screening at Japan Cuts
As far as documentaries go, “Tokyo Melody” is distinctly hands-off. We're introduced to Sakamoto as he fiddles with what is presumably a new piece of recording equipment in the park, although the...
- 8/1/2023
- by Tom Wilmot
- AsianMoviePulse
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI, and sign up for our weekly email newsletter by clicking here.REMEMBRANCERyuichi Sakamoto: Coda.Ryuichi Sakamoto died last week at the age of 71. He was the keyboardist for Yellow Magic Orchestra, who revolutionized techno in the early ’80s, and later became a pioneering composer for film—notably Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor (1987) and Nagisa Oshima’s Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), in which he stars. It is impossible to sum up his impact in a bullet point, but we offer up a few finds: below, a clip from the 1985 film Tokyo Melody, in which Sakamoto shows us how to compose on the then-state-of-the-art Fairlight Cmi. Here, a 2018 New York Times piece about his quest to create the ideal background playlist for a beloved restaurant. “If I was an architect, I would be a bad one,...
- 5/3/2023
- MUBI
Celebrate Ryuichi Sakamoto’s Gifts to Cinema In Exclusive Trailer for Metrograph’s New Retrospective
Ryuichi Sakamoto’s death sent waves of shock and grief alike, the rare passing that suggested losing some necessary force in the universe. It would be true for his music alone, but the cinematic scale of Sakamoto’s contributions are equal with so many greats. Thus the list of films Metrograph are playing in their aptly named “Ryuichi Sakamoto: A Celebration” would be envy of any director: The Last Emperor, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, an Apichatpong Weerasethakul short and presentation (about which more below), with maybe my favorite of the bunch being the great (and vastly underseen) Jun Ichikawa’s Tony Takitani.
After Apichatpong presents his short film “first light” produced for Sakamoto’s 2017 album async, Metrograph will host the U.S. debut of async surround, a surround-sound version of the album. Tickets are currently sold-out, but perhaps standby will be available day-of––surely an event waiting around Dimes Square for.
After Apichatpong presents his short film “first light” produced for Sakamoto’s 2017 album async, Metrograph will host the U.S. debut of async surround, a surround-sound version of the album. Tickets are currently sold-out, but perhaps standby will be available day-of––surely an event waiting around Dimes Square for.
- 5/2/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
The world mourns the loss of a man behind some of the most beautiful, mesmerizing, and transcendent music ever composed. On March 23rd, 2023, renowned composer Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away at 71. The cause of death was cancer, something he had battled for quite some time. Since his early days as a member and founder of the “Yellow Magic Orchestra,” Sakamoto demonstrated range as a composer and would be an influential figure covering a wide range of genres from electronic to classical. His work has often been fittingly described as atmospheric, emotional, hypnotic, beautiful, and majestic. He was also open about being an environmentalist, studying world culture, and advocating for peace. Journalists Gigova and Orie, in an article on CNN's website, detail his activism stating, “Outside music, Sakamoto was known for activism — and in particular for his anti-nuclear views, which saw him demonstrating against nuclear power plants and co-organizing a “No Nukes...
- 4/22/2023
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
The Japanese composer won the Academy Award for ‘The Last Emperor’.
Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who won an Oscar for The Last Emperor and a Bafta for Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, has died aged 71.
He died on Tuesday (March 28) after first being diagnosed with cancer nearly three years ago.
A statement from his management, Commmons, said: “While undergoing treatment for cancer discovered in June 2020, Sakamoto continued to create works in his home studio whenever his health would allow. He lived with music until the very end. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to his fans and all those who have supported his activities,...
Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who won an Oscar for The Last Emperor and a Bafta for Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, has died aged 71.
He died on Tuesday (March 28) after first being diagnosed with cancer nearly three years ago.
A statement from his management, Commmons, said: “While undergoing treatment for cancer discovered in June 2020, Sakamoto continued to create works in his home studio whenever his health would allow. He lived with music until the very end. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to his fans and all those who have supported his activities,...
- 4/2/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Oscar-winning Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who created the original scores for Bernardo Bertolucci's "The Last Emperor" and Alejandro G. Iñárritu's "The Revenant," has died at the age of 71. Sakamoto had been undergoing treatment for stage 4 cancer since June 2020, and his death on March 28, 2023, was announced via his official Twitter account and that of the record label he founded, Commmons.
The statement from Commmons notes that Sakamoto "continued to create works in his home studio whenever his health would allow. He lived with music until the very end." It concludes by sharing one of Sakamoto's favorite sayings: "Ars longa, vita brevis."
"The Last Emperor" swept the Oscars in 1988, winning in every category including Best Original Score, for which Sakamoto was nominated alongside collaborators David Byrne and Cong Su. "The Revenant" also led the pack at the 2016 Academy Awards, nominated in twelve categories and winning three. However, Sakamoto's score was...
The statement from Commmons notes that Sakamoto "continued to create works in his home studio whenever his health would allow. He lived with music until the very end." It concludes by sharing one of Sakamoto's favorite sayings: "Ars longa, vita brevis."
"The Last Emperor" swept the Oscars in 1988, winning in every category including Best Original Score, for which Sakamoto was nominated alongside collaborators David Byrne and Cong Su. "The Revenant" also led the pack at the 2016 Academy Awards, nominated in twelve categories and winning three. However, Sakamoto's score was...
- 4/2/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
Ryuichi Sakamoto, a world-renowned Japanese musician and actor who composed for Hollywood hits such as “The Last Emperor” and “The Revenant”, has died. He was 71.
Japan’s recording company Avex said in a statement Sunday that Sakamoto died on March 28 while undergoing treatment for cancer.
He was first diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014. In 2022, he revealed that he had terminal cancer, a year after he disclosed suffering from rectal cancer.
Sakamoto was a pioneer of the electronic music of the late 1970s and founded the Yellow Magic Orchestra, also known as Ymo, with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi.
Takahashi died in January.
Despite his battle with cancer, Sakamoto released a full-length album 12 on his 71st birthday in January, stating that composing had a “small healing effect on my damaged body and soul,” according to the official statement released with the latest album.
He was a world-class musician, winning an Oscar...
Japan’s recording company Avex said in a statement Sunday that Sakamoto died on March 28 while undergoing treatment for cancer.
He was first diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014. In 2022, he revealed that he had terminal cancer, a year after he disclosed suffering from rectal cancer.
Sakamoto was a pioneer of the electronic music of the late 1970s and founded the Yellow Magic Orchestra, also known as Ymo, with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi.
Takahashi died in January.
Despite his battle with cancer, Sakamoto released a full-length album 12 on his 71st birthday in January, stating that composing had a “small healing effect on my damaged body and soul,” according to the official statement released with the latest album.
He was a world-class musician, winning an Oscar...
- 4/2/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Ryuichi Sakamoto, one of Japan’s most influential and beloved composers, has passed away at 71 from cancer. The news broke on Twitter via the composer’s recording company:
pic.twitter.com/Fq0hRyp5F4
— commmons (@commmons) April 2, 2023
Sakamoto had a long, legendary career as a composer, famously winning an Oscar for his score to Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor. Sakamoto, who was a major celebrity in Japan, also co-starred in the film, as well as another movie he composed a famous soundtrack for, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, which starred David Bowie. In that one, Sakamoto gave a well-received performance as a Japanese Pow camp commander during WW2 who develops an unrequited romantic obsession with Bowie’s heroic Pow.
Additionally, Sakamoto also composed music for Martin Scorsese’s Silence, The Revenant, Snake Eyes, Femme Fatale, and even the recent Netflix thriller Beckett. Recently, he also wrote the theme for A24’s After Yang,...
pic.twitter.com/Fq0hRyp5F4
— commmons (@commmons) April 2, 2023
Sakamoto had a long, legendary career as a composer, famously winning an Oscar for his score to Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor. Sakamoto, who was a major celebrity in Japan, also co-starred in the film, as well as another movie he composed a famous soundtrack for, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, which starred David Bowie. In that one, Sakamoto gave a well-received performance as a Japanese Pow camp commander during WW2 who develops an unrequited romantic obsession with Bowie’s heroic Pow.
Additionally, Sakamoto also composed music for Martin Scorsese’s Silence, The Revenant, Snake Eyes, Femme Fatale, and even the recent Netflix thriller Beckett. Recently, he also wrote the theme for A24’s After Yang,...
- 4/2/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Lauded Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto died on March 28 at the age of 71, recording company Avex announced on Sunday. “While undergoing treatment for cancer discovered in June 2020, Sakamoto continued to create works in his home studio whenever his heath would allow,” the statement read. “He lived with music until the very end.”
In the 1970s, Sakamoto was a member of the influential electronic music group Yellow Magic Orchestra, which released hit songs including “Yellow Magic (Tong Poo)” and “Technopolis.”
He made his film composing debut with 1983’s “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” and later composed the score for Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1987 film “The Last Emperor,” for which he earned the Best Original Score Oscar. His other film scores included Pedro Almodóvar’s “Tacones Iejanos,” Brian De Palma’s “Snake Eyes” and “Femme Fatale,” Oliver Stone’s “Wild Palms,” Oshima’s “Gohatto” and Alejandro G. Iñàrritu’s “The Revenant.”
A documentary about Sakamoto’s life and work,...
In the 1970s, Sakamoto was a member of the influential electronic music group Yellow Magic Orchestra, which released hit songs including “Yellow Magic (Tong Poo)” and “Technopolis.”
He made his film composing debut with 1983’s “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” and later composed the score for Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1987 film “The Last Emperor,” for which he earned the Best Original Score Oscar. His other film scores included Pedro Almodóvar’s “Tacones Iejanos,” Brian De Palma’s “Snake Eyes” and “Femme Fatale,” Oliver Stone’s “Wild Palms,” Oshima’s “Gohatto” and Alejandro G. Iñàrritu’s “The Revenant.”
A documentary about Sakamoto’s life and work,...
- 4/2/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Japanese composer and producer Ryuichi Sakamoto, a pioneer in electronic music and winner of an Oscar, Grammy and BAFTA awards, has died at 71. He died of cancer on March 28, the BBC reported, attributing the confirmation to his office.
“While undergoing treatment for cancer discovered in June 2020, Sakamoto continued to create works in his home studio whenever his health would allow,” Sakamoto’s management, Commmons, wrote in its statement. “He lived with music until the very end. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to his fans and all those who have supported his activities, as well as the medical professionals in Japan and the U.S. who did everything in their power to cure him. In accordance with Sakamoto’s strong wishes, the funeral service was held among his close family members.”
Sakamoto was known for his work as a solo artist and as a member of the Yellow Magic Orchestra (Ymo) group.
“While undergoing treatment for cancer discovered in June 2020, Sakamoto continued to create works in his home studio whenever his health would allow,” Sakamoto’s management, Commmons, wrote in its statement. “He lived with music until the very end. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to his fans and all those who have supported his activities, as well as the medical professionals in Japan and the U.S. who did everything in their power to cure him. In accordance with Sakamoto’s strong wishes, the funeral service was held among his close family members.”
Sakamoto was known for his work as a solo artist and as a member of the Yellow Magic Orchestra (Ymo) group.
- 4/2/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Ryuichi Sakamoto, keyboardist for the pioneering Japanese electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra and Oscar-winning composer of films like The Last Emperor and The Revenant, has died at the age of 71.
Sakamoto’s Twitter announced his death Sunday, noting that the influential artist died on Tuesday, March 28; while no cause of death was provided, Sakamoto battled two forms of cancer over the past decade, and announced in 2021 that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 rectal cancer.
pic.twitter.com/mYLMEN6HrZ
— ryuichi sakamoto (@ryuichisakamoto) April 2, 2023
Commmons, the record label Sakamoto founded,...
Sakamoto’s Twitter announced his death Sunday, noting that the influential artist died on Tuesday, March 28; while no cause of death was provided, Sakamoto battled two forms of cancer over the past decade, and announced in 2021 that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 rectal cancer.
pic.twitter.com/mYLMEN6HrZ
— ryuichi sakamoto (@ryuichisakamoto) April 2, 2023
Commmons, the record label Sakamoto founded,...
- 4/2/2023
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Ryuichi Sakamoto, the highly influential Japanese pianist, composer, and electronic music producer, has died at 71, Kyodo News reports.
Sakamoto had first revealed a throat cancer diagnosis in 2014, which went into remission after successful treatment. In 2021, he announced that he was battling rectal cancer, and a 2022 update shared that the cancer had reached stage 4.
Ryuichi Sakamoto was born on January 17th, 1952 in Tokyo, Japan and studied at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, where he graduated with a master’s degree in music composition. He was an early adopter of synthesizers and his experimentation in early works, specifically with the Roland Mc-8 Microcomposer and Tr-808 drum machine, became foundational for contemporary electronic music.
As both a solo artist and as a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra, the electropop trio formed with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, Ryuichi Sakamoto pioneered early incarnations of synth pop as well as various offshoots of electronic music.
Sakamoto had first revealed a throat cancer diagnosis in 2014, which went into remission after successful treatment. In 2021, he announced that he was battling rectal cancer, and a 2022 update shared that the cancer had reached stage 4.
Ryuichi Sakamoto was born on January 17th, 1952 in Tokyo, Japan and studied at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, where he graduated with a master’s degree in music composition. He was an early adopter of synthesizers and his experimentation in early works, specifically with the Roland Mc-8 Microcomposer and Tr-808 drum machine, became foundational for contemporary electronic music.
As both a solo artist and as a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra, the electropop trio formed with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, Ryuichi Sakamoto pioneered early incarnations of synth pop as well as various offshoots of electronic music.
- 4/2/2023
- by Bryan Kress
- Consequence - Music
Legendary Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto has signed on to write the music for Palme d’Or-winning director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s forthcoming feature film Monster (Kaibutsu), Tokyo-based production company Gaga Corporation revealed Thursday.
Sakamoto will provide newly written compositions as well as some of his pre-existing music for the film, producers say. A musical polymath, Sakamoto made his film debut with the iconic score for Nagisa Oshima’s Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), starring David Bowie. He later won an Oscar with his music for Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor (1987) and a Golden Globe nomination for his compositions for Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s The Revenant (2015). The partnership with Kore-eda marks his first work on a high-profile Japanese title in some time.
Monster is also Kore-eda’s first Japanese film since he won the Cannes Palme d’Or in 2018 with Shoplifters. It follows the director’s French film The Truth, which opened...
Sakamoto will provide newly written compositions as well as some of his pre-existing music for the film, producers say. A musical polymath, Sakamoto made his film debut with the iconic score for Nagisa Oshima’s Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), starring David Bowie. He later won an Oscar with his music for Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor (1987) and a Golden Globe nomination for his compositions for Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s The Revenant (2015). The partnership with Kore-eda marks his first work on a high-profile Japanese title in some time.
Monster is also Kore-eda’s first Japanese film since he won the Cannes Palme d’Or in 2018 with Shoplifters. It follows the director’s French film The Truth, which opened...
- 1/5/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
David Bowie, the subject of Brett Morgen’s new documentary Moonage Daydream (in theaters and on Imax screens Sept. 16), appeared in 12 scripted movies — everything from the high-minded (1983’s Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, from Japanese New Wave director Nagisa Ôshima) to the lowbrow (2001’s Zoolander, in which he judges a runway walk-off). But for many fans, his most successful big-screen outing was his first.
Based on the 1963 sci-fi novel by Walter Tevis (whose books The Hustler and The Queen’s Gambit were also adapted to great success), 1976’s The Man Who Fell to Earth tells the story of an extraterrestrial whose planet has been stricken by drought. Bowie was 28 and coasting on the success of his otherworldly Ziggy Stardust persona when he was selected by director Nicolas Roeg, who’d cast another rock star, Mick Jagger, in 1970’s Performance. Roeg had also considered casting Jurassic Park novelist Michael Crichton,...
David Bowie, the subject of Brett Morgen’s new documentary Moonage Daydream (in theaters and on Imax screens Sept. 16), appeared in 12 scripted movies — everything from the high-minded (1983’s Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, from Japanese New Wave director Nagisa Ôshima) to the lowbrow (2001’s Zoolander, in which he judges a runway walk-off). But for many fans, his most successful big-screen outing was his first.
Based on the 1963 sci-fi novel by Walter Tevis (whose books The Hustler and The Queen’s Gambit were also adapted to great success), 1976’s The Man Who Fell to Earth tells the story of an extraterrestrial whose planet has been stricken by drought. Bowie was 28 and coasting on the success of his otherworldly Ziggy Stardust persona when he was selected by director Nicolas Roeg, who’d cast another rock star, Mick Jagger, in 1970’s Performance. Roeg had also considered casting Jurassic Park novelist Michael Crichton,...
- 9/16/2022
- by Seth Abramovitch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When at some point in the near future “Neck” is released, it will not only be a new feature directed by Takeshi Kitano, but also, as the filmmaker himself claimed, his last directorial effort. Given the pace with which he has worked and also the fact Kitano tried to balance his many projects, as a director, a TV host, a painter and an author (to name but a few), it is perhaps no surprise to hear the 75-year-old wishing to slow down a bit. Still, the phenomenon that is Kitano still continues to fascinate audiences in his home country Japan as well as internationally ever since he has left his mark with feature such as “Hana-Bi” and “Kikujiro”, or, perhaps lesser known to some, as the host of formats like “Takeshi’s Castle”. In 2020, French filmmaker Yves Montmayeur, who already made features about Yakuza-cinema and Pink films, tackled the life and...
- 4/25/2022
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Perhaps best known to Western audiences for his films “Death by Hanging”, the erotic “In the Realm of the Senses” as well as the war film “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” which stars David Bowie, Nagisa Oshima’s 1969 drama “Boy” is maybe the Japanese director’s most approachable and straightforward work.
In 1966, a family of con artists are desperately trying to make ends meet. The father, Takeo (Fumio Watanabe), is a diabetic war veteran who routinely abuses his spouse, Takeko (Akiko Koyama), and his son Toshio (Tetsuo Abe), the child from a previous marriage. To earn money, he makes Takeko throw herself into traffic and fake injuries in hopes of extorting money from hapless drivers. When she becomes pregnant, however, he recruits Toshio to assume her role. Things go well at first until the boy is eventually caught, forcing the family to pack up and hurriedly move across the country.
Faced...
In 1966, a family of con artists are desperately trying to make ends meet. The father, Takeo (Fumio Watanabe), is a diabetic war veteran who routinely abuses his spouse, Takeko (Akiko Koyama), and his son Toshio (Tetsuo Abe), the child from a previous marriage. To earn money, he makes Takeko throw herself into traffic and fake injuries in hopes of extorting money from hapless drivers. When she becomes pregnant, however, he recruits Toshio to assume her role. Things go well at first until the boy is eventually caught, forcing the family to pack up and hurriedly move across the country.
Faced...
- 4/18/2022
- by Fred Barrett
- AsianMoviePulse
Kitano Takeshi, a contemporary icon of Japanese cinema, is to receive a lifetime achievement award next month at the Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy.
“A legendary artist on Friday the 29th of April will receive the Golden Mulberry Award for lifetime achievement on the stage of Feff 24,” the festival announced Friday with barely concealed delight.
Kitano who has film credits as writer, director, producer and performer, as well as a whole TV comedy career, is known for the brutal sergeant he played alongside David Bowie and Sakamoto Ryuichi in Oshima Nagisa’s “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,” and for incursions into Hollywood in “Johnny Mnemonic” and “Ghost in the Shell.”
His Japanese oeuvre ranges from fine art to gangster genre thriller. He has credits in film noir (“Violent Cop”), romance (“A Scene at the Sea”), drama masterpieces and hard-boiled cult saga “Outrage.”
“For Far East Film Festival 24, a truly...
“A legendary artist on Friday the 29th of April will receive the Golden Mulberry Award for lifetime achievement on the stage of Feff 24,” the festival announced Friday with barely concealed delight.
Kitano who has film credits as writer, director, producer and performer, as well as a whole TV comedy career, is known for the brutal sergeant he played alongside David Bowie and Sakamoto Ryuichi in Oshima Nagisa’s “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,” and for incursions into Hollywood in “Johnny Mnemonic” and “Ghost in the Shell.”
His Japanese oeuvre ranges from fine art to gangster genre thriller. He has credits in film noir (“Violent Cop”), romance (“A Scene at the Sea”), drama masterpieces and hard-boiled cult saga “Outrage.”
“For Far East Film Festival 24, a truly...
- 3/18/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Nicholas Britell, Kris Bowers, Hildur Guðnadóttir Spotlight Film Music at Disney Hall With L.A. Phil
The Los Angeles Philharmonic took a major step forward over the weekend with its “Reel Change” series devoted to contemporary film composers.
By inviting Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir (“Joker”) and Americans Kris Bowers (“Green Book”) and Nicholas Britell (“Moonlight”) to curate programs of their music, and those of composers that inspired them, the Phil is formally acknowledging the importance of media music as a legitimate part of the contemporary musical scene.
Symphony programmers are notorious for ignoring film music unless it’s on a “pops” program or a live-to-picture event, which in recent years have proven extremely lucrative. The L.A. Phil has rarely programmed, much less celebrated, music for visual media on a subscription concert.
And the fact that the series included a woman and a person of color was more than a token nod to diversity, as this trio is among the most sought-after of modern composers for film,...
By inviting Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir (“Joker”) and Americans Kris Bowers (“Green Book”) and Nicholas Britell (“Moonlight”) to curate programs of their music, and those of composers that inspired them, the Phil is formally acknowledging the importance of media music as a legitimate part of the contemporary musical scene.
Symphony programmers are notorious for ignoring film music unless it’s on a “pops” program or a live-to-picture event, which in recent years have proven extremely lucrative. The L.A. Phil has rarely programmed, much less celebrated, music for visual media on a subscription concert.
And the fact that the series included a woman and a person of color was more than a token nod to diversity, as this trio is among the most sought-after of modern composers for film,...
- 11/22/2021
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Queer East Film Festival is delighted to unveil its full programme centred on queer storytelling and activism from East and Southeast Asia. This year’s programme includes a selection of 37 features, short films and artists’ moving image works from 15 countries, ranging from new releases to classic retrospectives, mainstream box office hits to radical independent works, accompanied by pre- screening introductions and filmmaker Q&As. A series of online panel discussions with international guests will run throughout the festival period, covering topics such as women in the film industry, queer film festivals, and the development of Asian LGBTQ+ movements.
Launched in 2020, Queer East is a new film festival that aims to amplify the voices of Asian communities in the UK, who have often been excluded from mainstream discourse, despite Asians being one of the country’s fastest-growing ethnic groups. Queer East seeks to facilitate a better understanding of the richness of queer Asian heritage,...
Launched in 2020, Queer East is a new film festival that aims to amplify the voices of Asian communities in the UK, who have often been excluded from mainstream discourse, despite Asians being one of the country’s fastest-growing ethnic groups. Queer East seeks to facilitate a better understanding of the richness of queer Asian heritage,...
- 8/25/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
‘The Storms of Jeremy Thomas’ Film Review: Documentary Is the Ultimate Self-Referential Cannes Movie
At the age of just 36, British producer Jeremy Thomas won the 1987 Best Picture Oscar for his work in bringing Bernardo Bertolucci’s sumptuous epic “The Last Emperor” to the screen.
His has been a golden movie career ever since, producing films from “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” to “Sexy Beast,” “Stealing Beauty,” “Naked Lunch” and “Only Lovers Left Alive.” But as Mark Cousins’ affectionate yet thoughtful documentary “The Storms of Jeremy Thomas” shows, Thomas has always leax a charmed life — “there was once was a prince,” is how the narration begins — and now Cousins is along for the ride.
Quite literally. Because one of Thomas’ annual traditions is to drive from his Oxfordshire home all the way down to Cannes to arrive at his usual suite at the Carlton Hotel in time for opening night. Cousins joins him in the passenger seat, taking his cameras (and us) with them on Thomas’ pilgrimage to the 2019 festival.
His has been a golden movie career ever since, producing films from “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” to “Sexy Beast,” “Stealing Beauty,” “Naked Lunch” and “Only Lovers Left Alive.” But as Mark Cousins’ affectionate yet thoughtful documentary “The Storms of Jeremy Thomas” shows, Thomas has always leax a charmed life — “there was once was a prince,” is how the narration begins — and now Cousins is along for the ride.
Quite literally. Because one of Thomas’ annual traditions is to drive from his Oxfordshire home all the way down to Cannes to arrive at his usual suite at the Carlton Hotel in time for opening night. Cousins joins him in the passenger seat, taking his cameras (and us) with them on Thomas’ pilgrimage to the 2019 festival.
- 7/10/2021
- by Jason Solomons
- The Wrap
Cannes Classics
Mark Cousins‘ documentary “The Storms Of Jeremy Thomas,” following the legendary “The Last Emperor” and “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” producer’s annual drive to Cannes, will be the pre-opener at the Cannes Classics selection this year.
Restored titles this year include “Friendship’s Death” by Peter Wollen, starring Tilda Swinton; “F For Fake” by Orson Welles; “Mulholland Drive” by David Lynch (2001 U.S.); “I Know Where I’m Going!” by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger; and “The Double Life Of Véronique by Krzysztof Kieślowski”.
The section will also celebrate the work of actor/director Bill Duke with a screening of “The Killing Floor” (1985); Japanese actor and filmmaker Kinuyo Tanaka’s “Tsuki Wa Noborinu”; Spanish actor and filmmaker Ana Marisca’s “El Camino” from 1964; French maven Marcel Camus’ “Orfeu Negro” and Italian master Roberto Rossellini’s “Francesco, Giullare Di Dio”.
Oscar Micheaux, the first African-American director in the history of U.
Mark Cousins‘ documentary “The Storms Of Jeremy Thomas,” following the legendary “The Last Emperor” and “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” producer’s annual drive to Cannes, will be the pre-opener at the Cannes Classics selection this year.
Restored titles this year include “Friendship’s Death” by Peter Wollen, starring Tilda Swinton; “F For Fake” by Orson Welles; “Mulholland Drive” by David Lynch (2001 U.S.); “I Know Where I’m Going!” by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger; and “The Double Life Of Véronique by Krzysztof Kieślowski”.
The section will also celebrate the work of actor/director Bill Duke with a screening of “The Killing Floor” (1985); Japanese actor and filmmaker Kinuyo Tanaka’s “Tsuki Wa Noborinu”; Spanish actor and filmmaker Ana Marisca’s “El Camino” from 1964; French maven Marcel Camus’ “Orfeu Negro” and Italian master Roberto Rossellini’s “Francesco, Giullare Di Dio”.
Oscar Micheaux, the first African-American director in the history of U.
- 6/24/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Hara Masato, a producer and executive who worked with Kurosawa Akira, Oshima Nagisa and other leading Japanese filmmakers in a seven-decade career, died on March 17 at age 89 of heart failure, distributor Asmik Ace announced Monday.
Hara was the company’s first president, starting in 1998. He later served as executive advisor until his retirement in 2017.
Born in Saitama Prefecture in 1931, Hara entered the film business following his graduation from Waseda University, working in production and promotion under such veteran directors as Imai Tadashi and Yamamoto Satsuo.
In 1958 he joined distributor Nippon Herald, where he was in charge of marketing, while branching out into distribution and production. Among his credits were “A Thousand and One Nights” (1969), a pioneering adult animation cowritten by anime master Tezuka Osamu, and “Dersu Uzala” (1975), a Japan-Soviet coproduction directed by Kurosawa.
In 1981 Hara founded Herald Ace, a distributor of foreign films. Its 1988 smash hit “Cinema Paradiso” led the...
Hara was the company’s first president, starting in 1998. He later served as executive advisor until his retirement in 2017.
Born in Saitama Prefecture in 1931, Hara entered the film business following his graduation from Waseda University, working in production and promotion under such veteran directors as Imai Tadashi and Yamamoto Satsuo.
In 1958 he joined distributor Nippon Herald, where he was in charge of marketing, while branching out into distribution and production. Among his credits were “A Thousand and One Nights” (1969), a pioneering adult animation cowritten by anime master Tezuka Osamu, and “Dersu Uzala” (1975), a Japan-Soviet coproduction directed by Kurosawa.
In 1981 Hara founded Herald Ace, a distributor of foreign films. Its 1988 smash hit “Cinema Paradiso” led the...
- 3/29/2021
- by Mark Schilling
- Variety Film + TV
Not that time stopped, of course. Nor is there interest in a kind of grand-standing disrespect towards whatever worthwhile cinema fit into the narrow 12-month window that just passed (gentle reminder: this is how I make a living) when I say my sense of the landscape has flattened: those well-honed patterns part and parcel of a cinematic year—festival announcements, festival reviews, acquisition news, established release dates, after-work press screenings preceded by shitty midtown food, preferred theaters, weekend subway trips—vanished, the few standing traditions (if “bugging publicists for links” meets the definition) oddly extraneous. A combination of streaming services, downloading out-of-print holy grails, Plex—an app that streams files from computer to TV as simply as if watching Netflix, leaving cumbersome Hdmi plug-ins a thing of the past—and finding myself freed from sundry exhaustions of the old world are the best thing that’ve happened to my cinephilia in years.
- 1/7/2021
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
The early life of Japanese cultural icon Takeshi “Beat” Kitano is set to have a the biopic treatment in a film, it has been announced today. The film, titled “Asakusa Kid”, will be based on the memoir written by Kitano himself and will focus on the early career of the comedian and legendary director.
The focus of the story will be on the relationship between the young Kitano, starting when he was working at a strip club in the Tokyo entertainment district of Asakusa, and Fukami, who was the club’s reigning comic.
The project will be directed and written for screen by comic Gekidan Hitori, who also directed the 2014 drama “Bolt from the Blue”. Yuya Yagira, best known for Koreeda’s “Nobody Knows” and for playing Toshiro Hijitaka in the live-action adaptation of the “Gintama” series, will play Kitano while Yo Oizumi (“I am a Hero“) will play Fukami Senzaburo,...
The focus of the story will be on the relationship between the young Kitano, starting when he was working at a strip club in the Tokyo entertainment district of Asakusa, and Fukami, who was the club’s reigning comic.
The project will be directed and written for screen by comic Gekidan Hitori, who also directed the 2014 drama “Bolt from the Blue”. Yuya Yagira, best known for Koreeda’s “Nobody Knows” and for playing Toshiro Hijitaka in the live-action adaptation of the “Gintama” series, will play Kitano while Yo Oizumi (“I am a Hero“) will play Fukami Senzaburo,...
- 11/25/2020
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
A new Netflix movie has been announced based on the early career of comedian and film director Kitano Takeshi.
Titled “Asakusa Kid,” the film is based on a memoir of the same title written by Kitano. The director and scriptwriter is comic Gekidan Hitori, who also directed the 2014 drama “Bolt from the Blue.” Yagira Yuya (“Nobody Knows”) stars as Kitano and Oizumi Yo (“I Am a Hero”) plays Fukami Senzaburo, a comedian who was Kitano’s mentor. Sakamoto Kazutaka of Netflix is serving as executive producer and Oyamada Yoichi of Nikkatsu as producer.
The focus of the story will be on the relationship between the young Kitano, starting when he was working at a strip club in the Tokyo entertainment district of Asakusa, and Fukami, who was the club’s reigning comic.
In a statement, Gekidan Hitori said that he has been developing the script for six years and that...
Titled “Asakusa Kid,” the film is based on a memoir of the same title written by Kitano. The director and scriptwriter is comic Gekidan Hitori, who also directed the 2014 drama “Bolt from the Blue.” Yagira Yuya (“Nobody Knows”) stars as Kitano and Oizumi Yo (“I Am a Hero”) plays Fukami Senzaburo, a comedian who was Kitano’s mentor. Sakamoto Kazutaka of Netflix is serving as executive producer and Oyamada Yoichi of Nikkatsu as producer.
The focus of the story will be on the relationship between the young Kitano, starting when he was working at a strip club in the Tokyo entertainment district of Asakusa, and Fukami, who was the club’s reigning comic.
In a statement, Gekidan Hitori said that he has been developing the script for six years and that...
- 11/24/2020
- by Mark Schilling
- Variety Film + TV
Ryuichi Sakamoto is a composer and conductor who has scored several well-known films, including “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” (1983), “The Last Emperor” (1987) and most recently “The Revenant” (2015). His career began with a pioneering electronic music group in the late 1970’s and he has always maintained a unique aesthetic. Director Stephen Nomura Schible, who has also directed one of Sakamoto’s concerts, gives us an inside look into the life of this maestro.
“Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda” is screening on Mubi
The film begins with Sakamoto examining a piano that was recently recovered from the site of the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. The piano was hit by the tsunami and floated away, with evidence of tide marks showing its journey. Sakamoto looks over the salvaged instrument that he is still able to play. This leads us into the two major concerns of his life: music and anti-nuclear activism. Following the meltdown at...
“Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda” is screening on Mubi
The film begins with Sakamoto examining a piano that was recently recovered from the site of the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. The piano was hit by the tsunami and floated away, with evidence of tide marks showing its journey. Sakamoto looks over the salvaged instrument that he is still able to play. This leads us into the two major concerns of his life: music and anti-nuclear activism. Following the meltdown at...
- 11/4/2020
- by Matthew Cooper
- AsianMoviePulse
by Cláudio Alves
Ryuichi Sakamoto is a master of music that needs no introduction. Thanks to his work with the Yellow Magic Orchestra and solo experiments, Sakamoto has helped shape the evolution of electronic music like few other artists in the past decades. His avant-garde sound is difficult to confuse with that of other composers, but he's not an artist predisposed to repetition or stagnation. Since the 1970s, has never stopped composing, never stopped challenging himself, or dazzling his audience with music whose beauty transcends comprehension. Sakamoto's also an avid cinephile and had been writing film scores since the 80s when Nagisa Oshima cast him in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. Across the years, he's built an eclectic filmography that's rich in artistic brio and lacking in mediocre efforts. He even won an Oscar.
Because of such excellence, the Criterion Channel has curated a selection of 10 Ryuichi Sakamoto scored pictures. Here are some highlights…...
Ryuichi Sakamoto is a master of music that needs no introduction. Thanks to his work with the Yellow Magic Orchestra and solo experiments, Sakamoto has helped shape the evolution of electronic music like few other artists in the past decades. His avant-garde sound is difficult to confuse with that of other composers, but he's not an artist predisposed to repetition or stagnation. Since the 1970s, has never stopped composing, never stopped challenging himself, or dazzling his audience with music whose beauty transcends comprehension. Sakamoto's also an avid cinephile and had been writing film scores since the 80s when Nagisa Oshima cast him in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. Across the years, he's built an eclectic filmography that's rich in artistic brio and lacking in mediocre efforts. He even won an Oscar.
Because of such excellence, the Criterion Channel has curated a selection of 10 Ryuichi Sakamoto scored pictures. Here are some highlights…...
- 7/30/2020
- by Cláudio Alves
- FilmExperience
Takeshi Kitano is one of the most recognizable contemporary Japanese filmmakers internationally, with films like “Sonatine” and “Hana-bi” having screened in festivals all over the world and netting numerous awards, Venice’s Golden Lion included. However, before becoming an director in 1989 with “Violent Cop”, Kitano also had a significant career as an actor (among other capacities) that reaches as far in as 1969, and currently numbers 68 credits to his name. This list is a celebration of his work as an actor. In case you are wondering, no, “Johnny Mnemonic” and “Ghost in the Shell” are not among them, and yes, the order of films is completely random
1. Shunpei in Blood and Bones
Takeshi Kitano is sublime in the central role, portraying an awful and very violent man, who does not seem to have any shred of kindness or benevolence on him. Sai, through Shunpei and the impact he has to those around him,...
1. Shunpei in Blood and Bones
Takeshi Kitano is sublime in the central role, portraying an awful and very violent man, who does not seem to have any shred of kindness or benevolence on him. Sai, through Shunpei and the impact he has to those around him,...
- 7/27/2020
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
Arrow Video is excited to announce the July slate of titles on their subscription-based Arrow Video Channel, including acclaimed undead comedy Zombie for Sale and Gamera: The Complete Collection, all twelve films starring mankind’s greatest defender: a fire-breathing mutant turtle.
An infectiously funny slice of modern Korean cinema where Train to Busan, The Quiet Family and Warm Bodies collide to create Zombie for Sale, a memorable rom-zom-com from debut director Lee Min-jae. For the first time ever, fans can trace the decades-long evolution of Gamera, from the “friend of all children” in his more light-hearted earlier films, to the Guardian of the Universe in the groundbreaking 1990s reboot series, often hailed as three of the best kaiju films ever made.
Zombie for Sale and Gamera: The Complete Collection will be available July 1st on the Arrow Video Channel in the Us and the UK. Additional new titles available July 1st include Creepshow 2,...
An infectiously funny slice of modern Korean cinema where Train to Busan, The Quiet Family and Warm Bodies collide to create Zombie for Sale, a memorable rom-zom-com from debut director Lee Min-jae. For the first time ever, fans can trace the decades-long evolution of Gamera, from the “friend of all children” in his more light-hearted earlier films, to the Guardian of the Universe in the groundbreaking 1990s reboot series, often hailed as three of the best kaiju films ever made.
Zombie for Sale and Gamera: The Complete Collection will be available July 1st on the Arrow Video Channel in the Us and the UK. Additional new titles available July 1st include Creepshow 2,...
- 6/26/2020
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
To celebrate the release of Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence – available on limited edition Blu-ray 15th June from Arrow Academy – we have a copy up for grabs!
David Bowie stars in Nagisa Oshima’s 1983 Palme d’Or-nominated portrait of resilience, pride, friendship and obsession among four very different men confined in the stifling jungle heat of a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Java during World War II.
Produced by Jeremy Thomas, it was the first English-language film by Oshima, a leading light of Japanese New Wave cinema, and provided breakthrough big-screen roles for comedian Takeshi Kitano and musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, who also composed the film’s hauntingly memorable BAFTA-winning score. This powerful wartime drama was adapted from Laurens van der Post’s autobiographical novel ‘The Seed and the Sower’ (1963) by screenwriter Paul Mayersberg (The Man Who Fell To Earth).
Order today: https://arrowfilms.com/product-detail/merry-christmas-mr-lawrence-blu-ray/FCD2013
To be in with a chance of winning,...
David Bowie stars in Nagisa Oshima’s 1983 Palme d’Or-nominated portrait of resilience, pride, friendship and obsession among four very different men confined in the stifling jungle heat of a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Java during World War II.
Produced by Jeremy Thomas, it was the first English-language film by Oshima, a leading light of Japanese New Wave cinema, and provided breakthrough big-screen roles for comedian Takeshi Kitano and musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, who also composed the film’s hauntingly memorable BAFTA-winning score. This powerful wartime drama was adapted from Laurens van der Post’s autobiographical novel ‘The Seed and the Sower’ (1963) by screenwriter Paul Mayersberg (The Man Who Fell To Earth).
Order today: https://arrowfilms.com/product-detail/merry-christmas-mr-lawrence-blu-ray/FCD2013
To be in with a chance of winning,...
- 6/16/2020
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
To celebrate the release of Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence – available on limited edition Blu-ray 15th June from Arrow Academy – we have a copy up for grabs!
David Bowie stars in Nagisa Oshima’s 1983 Palme d’Or-nominated portrait of resilience, pride, friendship and obsession among four very different men confined in the stifling jungle heat of a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Java during World War II.
Produced by Jeremy Thomas, it was the first English-language film by Oshima, a leading light of Japanese New Wave cinema, and provided breakthrough big-screen roles for comedian Takeshi Kitano and musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, who also composed the film’s hauntingly memorable BAFTA-winning score. This powerful wartime drama was adapted from Laurens van der Post’s autobiographical novel ‘The Seed and the Sower’ (1963) by screenwriter Paul Mayersberg (The Man Who Fell To Earth).
Order today: https://arrowfilms.com/product-detail/merry-christmas-mr-lawrence-blu-ray/FCD2013
Please note: This competition is...
David Bowie stars in Nagisa Oshima’s 1983 Palme d’Or-nominated portrait of resilience, pride, friendship and obsession among four very different men confined in the stifling jungle heat of a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Java during World War II.
Produced by Jeremy Thomas, it was the first English-language film by Oshima, a leading light of Japanese New Wave cinema, and provided breakthrough big-screen roles for comedian Takeshi Kitano and musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, who also composed the film’s hauntingly memorable BAFTA-winning score. This powerful wartime drama was adapted from Laurens van der Post’s autobiographical novel ‘The Seed and the Sower’ (1963) by screenwriter Paul Mayersberg (The Man Who Fell To Earth).
Order today: https://arrowfilms.com/product-detail/merry-christmas-mr-lawrence-blu-ray/FCD2013
Please note: This competition is...
- 6/10/2020
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Part of our on-going series, Notebook Soundtrack Mixes.Ryuichi Sakamoto can be found at home in a vast array of places. There is always a grounding within his music wherever you are in the world or, in his movie soundtracks, with whatever character you are following on screen. Subtle hints of Sakamoto’s signature sound always bubble to the surface. The notion of Eastern and Western sound distinctions do not matter to Sakamoto; instead, the play and fusion between these differing worlds and sounds has always been of more interest, to Sakamoto it’s all about the emotion produced—a universality that eventually moves the sound beyond place. The musician and composer needs no introduction. He is the master of so many musical universes: The Sakamoto whose work with Ymo and solo experimental productions shaped the future sounds of what would become electro and hip hop, an early pioneer of electronic music.
- 5/11/2020
- MUBI
Five years after he had won Best Director at the 1978 Cannes Film Festival for “Empire of Passion” Japanese auteur Nagisa Oshima would return to the cinema with “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence”, a film based on the works “The Seed and the Sower” and “The Night of the New Moon” by Sir Laurens van der Post. In his books, he reflects on his time as a prisoner of war after he had been captured by Japanese forces in 1942, and in Oshima’s, film the character played by Tom Conti bears much resemblance to the author, especially because of his knowledge of the Japanese language and culture. Apart from Conti, Oshima managed to assemble quite an interesting cast for this war drama consisting of musicians David Bowie and Ryuichi Sakamoto along with Takeshi Kitano as Sergeant Hara.
In 1942, Captain Yonoi (Sakamoto) is the commander of a camp of Japanese prisoners of war,...
In 1942, Captain Yonoi (Sakamoto) is the commander of a camp of Japanese prisoners of war,...
- 5/5/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Exclusive: Jeremy Thomas’s Brit sales and production firm HanWay is rebranding catalog label HanWay Select to The Collections as part of a drive to highlight and propel its significant library of more than 350 movies.
HanWay has struck a deal with UK distributor Arrow Films to handle distribution and restorations in the UK of the Jeremy Thomas collection, with films including multi-Oscar winning epic The Last Emperor, John Malkovich-Debra Winger romance The Sheltering Sky and David Cronenberg’s Naked Lunch. Arrow recently re-released HanWay’s David Bowie-starrer Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence.
HanWay is currently restoring around five titles a year with recent updates including David Cronenberg’s Crash, which screened at Venice. Upcoming is Gary Oldman’s Nil By Mouth.
We also understand the company is close to striking a deal with a well known filmmaker to bring around 20 movies into The Collections fold.
The catalog drive...
HanWay has struck a deal with UK distributor Arrow Films to handle distribution and restorations in the UK of the Jeremy Thomas collection, with films including multi-Oscar winning epic The Last Emperor, John Malkovich-Debra Winger romance The Sheltering Sky and David Cronenberg’s Naked Lunch. Arrow recently re-released HanWay’s David Bowie-starrer Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence.
HanWay is currently restoring around five titles a year with recent updates including David Cronenberg’s Crash, which screened at Venice. Upcoming is Gary Oldman’s Nil By Mouth.
We also understand the company is close to striking a deal with a well known filmmaker to bring around 20 movies into The Collections fold.
The catalog drive...
- 5/5/2020
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
As part of their release slates for the months June and July 2020 Arrow Academy will release the classic Nagisa Oshima “Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence” starring David Bowie and Hideo Sekigawa’s powerful documentary “Hiroshima”
Synopsis for “Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence”
David Bowie stars in Nagisa Oshima’s 1983 Palme d’Or-nominated portrait of resilience, pride, friendship and obsession among four very different men confined in the stifling jungle heat of a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Java during World War II.
In 1942, British officer Major Jack Celliers (Bowie) is captured by Japanese soldiers, and after a brutal trial sent, physically debilitated but indomitable in mind, to a Pow camp overseen by the zealous Captain Yonoi (Ryuichi Sakamoto). Celliers’ stubbornness sees him locked in a battle of wills with the camp’s new commandant, a man obsessed with discipline and the glory of Imperial Japan who becomes unnaturally preoccupied with the young Major,...
Synopsis for “Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence”
David Bowie stars in Nagisa Oshima’s 1983 Palme d’Or-nominated portrait of resilience, pride, friendship and obsession among four very different men confined in the stifling jungle heat of a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Java during World War II.
In 1942, British officer Major Jack Celliers (Bowie) is captured by Japanese soldiers, and after a brutal trial sent, physically debilitated but indomitable in mind, to a Pow camp overseen by the zealous Captain Yonoi (Ryuichi Sakamoto). Celliers’ stubbornness sees him locked in a battle of wills with the camp’s new commandant, a man obsessed with discipline and the glory of Imperial Japan who becomes unnaturally preoccupied with the young Major,...
- 4/18/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who has worked with David Bowie in various guises and scored movies by greats such as Bernardo Bertolucci, Pedro Almodovar, and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, will be honored by the Locarno Film Festival.
Sakamoto, an electronic music pioneer whose Yellow Magic Orchestra, formed in 1978, anticipated both techno and rap music debuted in film in 1983. That year he worked on Nagisa Oshima’s “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” for which in addition to writing the score, which won a BAFTA, he played Captain Yonoi alongside the character played by David Bowie named Major Jack “Strafer” Celliers.
Four years later Sakamoto won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for scoring Bernardo Bertolucci’s “The Last Emperor” (1987) in which he also appeared on screen.
Three years later, in 1990, Sakamoto won a second Golden Globe for another Bertolucci film “The Sheltering Sky.” Other highlights of his long distinguished film career comprise collaborations with Almodovar on “High Heels,...
Sakamoto, an electronic music pioneer whose Yellow Magic Orchestra, formed in 1978, anticipated both techno and rap music debuted in film in 1983. That year he worked on Nagisa Oshima’s “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” for which in addition to writing the score, which won a BAFTA, he played Captain Yonoi alongside the character played by David Bowie named Major Jack “Strafer” Celliers.
Four years later Sakamoto won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for scoring Bernardo Bertolucci’s “The Last Emperor” (1987) in which he also appeared on screen.
Three years later, in 1990, Sakamoto won a second Golden Globe for another Bertolucci film “The Sheltering Sky.” Other highlights of his long distinguished film career comprise collaborations with Almodovar on “High Heels,...
- 2/24/2020
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Ryuichi Sakamoto to serve as president of the jury, which also comprises Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Pff director Keiko Araki.
Japan’s Pia Film Festival (Pff) is launching a cinema award in honour of Japanese filmmaker Nagisa Oshima, which is designed to recognise ‘next generation’ talents and give them exposure on the world stage.
Conceived by Oshima’s widow, actress Akiko Koyama, the Oshima Prize will be presented to young Japanese filmmakers who “following in the footsteps of Oshima, continue to take on challenges on an international scale and after making their commercial debuts”.
One of the masters of Japanese cinema,...
Japan’s Pia Film Festival (Pff) is launching a cinema award in honour of Japanese filmmaker Nagisa Oshima, which is designed to recognise ‘next generation’ talents and give them exposure on the world stage.
Conceived by Oshima’s widow, actress Akiko Koyama, the Oshima Prize will be presented to young Japanese filmmakers who “following in the footsteps of Oshima, continue to take on challenges on an international scale and after making their commercial debuts”.
One of the masters of Japanese cinema,...
- 12/9/2019
- by 89¦Liz Shackleton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
British music and film producer Nik Powell, who was among the Virgin Group co-founders with Richard Branson and became an influential force in U.K. cinema, producing more than 60 titles including Neil Jordan’s Oscar-winning “The Crying Game,” died Thursday at age 69.
The cause of death was an unspecified form of cancer, Britain’s National Film and Television School (Nfts) – which Powell headed for more than a decade – said in a statement. He died in Oxford surrounded by his family.
Born on November 4, 1950, in the small village of Great Kingshill, in Buckinghamshire, Powell started out running a record shop and was among the founding partners in 1972 of Virgin Records, which became one of the U.K.’s top recording labels before being sold to Emi 20 years later.
In 1983 Powell co-founded U.K. video label and production outfit Palace Pictures with Stephen Woolley. They produced a string of standout titles such...
The cause of death was an unspecified form of cancer, Britain’s National Film and Television School (Nfts) – which Powell headed for more than a decade – said in a statement. He died in Oxford surrounded by his family.
Born on November 4, 1950, in the small village of Great Kingshill, in Buckinghamshire, Powell started out running a record shop and was among the founding partners in 1972 of Virgin Records, which became one of the U.K.’s top recording labels before being sold to Emi 20 years later.
In 1983 Powell co-founded U.K. video label and production outfit Palace Pictures with Stephen Woolley. They produced a string of standout titles such...
- 11/7/2019
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
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