A new look at a woman scorned by History and pop culture When you visit Paris and the Versailles castle, you might notice how many Japanese tourists visit these locations; how they have a great interest for France's Pre-Revolution and the Revolution eras. What most might not know is that that fascination is due to … Continue reading Jeanne du Barry – Maiwenn (Director, Co-creenwriter, Producer), Marion Pin (co-screenwriter), Teddy Lussi-Modeste (co-screenwriter), and Nicolas Livecchi (co-screenwriter)
Category: Actor
Tiger and Dragon (タイガー＆ドラゴン) – Kankuro Kudo (宮藤官九郎) (screenwriter), Fuminori Kaneko (金子 文紀) (Director), Osamu Katayama (片山 修) (Director), Toshio Tsuboi (坪井敏雄) (Director)
Delightful family dramedy While browsing Netflix and its international shows available, I was delighted to find many Japanese productions. Some produced by the streaming service, others classics or popular shows made on channels like Tokyo Broadcasting System. Such as Ikebukuro West Gate Park; starring Junya Nakano whose performances impressed me. And from discovering that artist, … Continue reading Tiger and Dragon (タイガー＆ドラゴン) – Kankuro Kudo (宮藤官九郎) (screenwriter), Fuminori Kaneko (金子 文紀) (Director), Osamu Katayama (片山 修) (Director), Toshio Tsuboi (坪井敏雄) (Director)
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre (伊藤潤二 (マニアック)) – Studio Deen (株式会社スタジオディーン) (studio), Shinobu Tagashira (田頭しのぶ) (Director), and Kaoru Sawada (澤田薫) (Screenwriter)
Lots of good points, lots of bad points If you follow manga culture and the horror genre, Junji Ito is among readers' top names. Known for his scary stories set in strange communities or sinister households, this mangaka is excellent at depicting the mysterious and the paranormal forces haunting our world. For more than thirty … Continue reading Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre (伊藤潤二 (マニアック)) – Studio Deen (株式会社スタジオディーン) (studio), Shinobu Tagashira (田頭しのぶ) (Director), and Kaoru Sawada (澤田薫) (Screenwriter)
Majo no Jouken (魔女の条件) (Terms for a Witch) – Nobuhiro Doi (土井 裕泰) (Director), Kazuhiro Nanba (難波 一弘) (Director), Osamu Katayama (片山修) (Director), and Kazuhiko Yukawa (遊川和彦) (Screenwriter)
Excellent, provocative and a great debate instigator In manga and anime cultures, many series are set during high school years. Some involve academic life, others extra curricular activities (tennis, basketball, volleyball baseball, martial arts, board games like Go, etc.); and some explore romantic relationships between students. However, for the romance genre, another scope is explored; … Continue reading Majo no Jouken (魔女の条件) (Terms for a Witch) – Nobuhiro Doi (土井 裕泰) (Director), Kazuhiro Nanba (難波 一弘) (Director), Osamu Katayama (片山修) (Director), and Kazuhiko Yukawa (遊川和彦) (Screenwriter)
Ikebukuro West Gate Park (池袋ウエストゲートパーク) – Kankurō Kudō (Screenwriter) and Ira Ishida (Original novel series)
A great detective series for everyone; including non-fans of such shows In 2005, I discovered Ira Ishida's novel Ikebukuro West Gate Park; a series of stories set around the Ikebukuro neighborhood in Tokyo and the adventures that former High School delinquent Makoto Majima lives there as he resides with his mother and manages her fruit … Continue reading Ikebukuro West Gate Park (池袋ウエストゲートパーク) – Kankurō Kudō (Screenwriter) and Ira Ishida (Original novel series)
Midnight Diner (深夜食堂) and Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories – Joji Matsuoka (Director), Nobuhiro Yamashita (Director), Shotarou Kobayashi (Director), and Yaro Abe (Co-screenwriter and author of the original Manga)
A jewel within Netflix If you are new to Netflix, the monopoly of North American and British productions on it might overwhelm you. You can watch on it movies, tv series, mini series, cartoons, short films, and even documentaries; though that term is now very questionable as so many documentaries are becoming manipulative, tabloid, and … Continue reading Midnight Diner (深夜食堂) and Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories – Joji Matsuoka (Director), Nobuhiro Yamashita (Director), Shotarou Kobayashi (Director), and Yaro Abe (Co-screenwriter and author of the original Manga)
Le Testament d’Orphée – Jean Cocteau (Réalisateur et scénariste)
"Un artiste peint toujours son propre portrait." - Cégeste Éclectique et créatif, Jean Cocteau a ravi le public avec sa poésie. Poésie de la littérature, de la peinture, du dessin, du théâtre et du cinéma. Pour ce dernier médium, des films qui ont séduit le monde. Dont il a écrit le scénario; ou écrit et … Continue reading Le Testament d’Orphée – Jean Cocteau (Réalisateur et scénariste)
Le Testament d’Orphée (The Testament of Orpheus) – Jean Cocteau (Director and Screenwriter)
"An artist always paints his own portrait." - Cégeste Eclectic and creative, Jean Cocteau has delighted audiences with his poetry. Poetry of literature, of paintings, of drawings, of theatre, and of cinema. In the latter, movies that have wowed the world. Which he wrote the script; or wrote and directed. And among those that he … Continue reading Le Testament d’Orphée (The Testament of Orpheus) – Jean Cocteau (Director and Screenwriter)
The Bad Sleep Well (悪い奴ほどよく眠る/Warui Yatsu Hodo Yoku Nemuru) – Akira Kurosawa (黒澤明) (Director and co-writer), Ryuzo Kikushima (菊島隆三) (Co-writer), Hideo Oguni (小國英雄) (Co-writer), Eijiro Hisaita (久板栄二郎) (Co-writer), and Shinobu Hashimoto (橋本忍) (Co-writer)
"It's not easy hating evil. You have to stoke your own fury until you become evil yourself." - Koichi Nishi As many people know, Akira Kurosawa is a massive fan of the playwright William Shakespeare. And movies like Throne of Blood — inspired by Macbeth — are his way of honouring that revolutionary English playwright, … Continue reading The Bad Sleep Well (悪い奴ほどよく眠る/Warui Yatsu Hodo Yoku Nemuru) – Akira Kurosawa (黒澤明) (Director and co-writer), Ryuzo Kikushima (菊島隆三) (Co-writer), Hideo Oguni (小國英雄) (Co-writer), Eijiro Hisaita (久板栄二郎) (Co-writer), and Shinobu Hashimoto (橋本忍) (Co-writer)
Stray Dog (Nora inu/野良犬) – Akira Kurosawa (黒澤明) (Director and co-writer) and Ryuzo Kikushima (菊島隆三) (Co-writer)
"They say there's no such thing as a bad man. Only bad situations..." - Detective Murakami Before his international success with Rashomon, Akira Kurosawa did a motion picture called Stray Dog. An excellent 1949 production starring the director’s two most iconic actors: Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura. A detective thriller set amidst the post-war climate. … Continue reading Stray Dog (Nora inu/野良犬) – Akira Kurosawa (黒澤明) (Director and co-writer) and Ryuzo Kikushima (菊島隆三) (Co-writer)
Omnes's Oasis 