Itami Juzo / Matsuda Yuusaku
John Leo
Eye-Ai magazine about Itami Juzo, the director of "Osoushiki" (The
Funeral), "Tampopo," and "Marusa no onna" (A Taxing Woman).
<<HOLLYWOOD: MADE IN JAPAN?
Much has been said about Sony's big shopping spree of Columbia
Pictures, on both sides of the Pacific, but we have yet to see what
will be said about movie director Itami Juzo and _his_ purchasing.
The director of the blockbuster hit "Marusa no Onna," Itami held a
press conderence, along with his wife (actress Miyamoto Nobuko), to
announce the establishment of "Itami Films" on the outskirts of
Hollywood. The foundation took just about $6,000,000, and filmmaking
in the States will begin next year.
The first movie will be Japanese, centering around the life of a
geisha, and shooting will be in Japan. Following that will be the
first U.S.-located movie for Itami, and he plans to make an American
version of "Marusa no Onna." A film based on taxes and tax evasion,
Itami will romp around the States doing research on the U.S. taxation
system and write up the script himself. Highly popular actress both
in the U.S. and Japan, "Working Girl" Sigourney Weaver may be a
possible cast member.>>
As "Marusa no onna" is my favorite of Itami's films, I hope he does a
reasonable job with the American version, but I can't imagine it being
close to as good as the original.
The other news I heard over a month ago first from my girlfriend (who
was in Kansas at the time) and later from a friend in California:
Matsuda Yuusaku had died of cancer. Apparently only he and his doctor
knew about it. If anyone else has more information I'd like to hear
it. I knew him primarily from Morita Yoshimitsu's films "Sorekara"
(And Then) and "Kazoku Geemu" (Family Game), and his acting in these
films was incredible, among the best I've ever seen. Morita more than
any other director I know makes every scene as perfect and beautiful
as possible, and Matsuda was more than equal to the task. Even such a
simple scene as the first conversation between the tutor (played by
Matsuda) and his student was so beautifully done that part of it
became my motto for the school year and has been in my .signature for
several months. Unfortunately it loses almost everything when taken
away from the film.
The last Japanese film I know of that Matsuda was in was "Hana no
Ran," but alas I think his last appearance may have been a mediocre
role as the bad guy in Ridley Scott's very mediocre "Black Rain." If
anyone else knows of other films or anything else he's been in, please
do post.
Shumi wa nandesuka, sensei. `/ / | | John Leo
--- Oreka? Benkyou o oshierukoto dayo. | --|-- l...@tds.lcs.mit.edu
Iyanaseikaku desune. \ / --| / . | / /| l...@athena.mit.edu
--- Omae no shumi wa nandayo. -| / | / / |
Benkyou o osowarukoto desu. --| \/ \/ / \| (Kazoku Geemu)
Kenji Rikitake
>From: l...@athena.mit.edu (John Leo)
>Message-ID: <1990Jan1.2...@athena.mit.edu>
>Date: 1 Jan 90 20:37:46 GMT
>Here's a short interesting article from the December 1989 issue of
>Eye-Ai magazine about Itami Juzo, the director of "Osoushiki" (The
>Funeral), "Tampopo," and "Marusa no onna" (A Taxing Woman).
>[Article excerpt and comments omitted]
Itami has been recently active on TV ads in Tokyo. I don't see movies
much, and I've never seen movies mentioned above (although those
are very popular here), but his TV ads let me feel his excellent sense
of humor. :-)
>The other news I heard over a month ago first from my girlfriend (who
>was in Kansas at the time) and later from a friend in California:
>Matsuda Yuusaku had died of cancer. Apparently only he and his doctor
>knew about it. If anyone else has more information I'd like to hear
>it.
Matsuda actually died of cancer on urinary bladder.
>[Comments on "Sorekara" and "Kazoku Game" omitted]
Miyagawa Ichirota, who played Matsuda's student on "Kazoku Game",
was one of my schoolmates. He has been very cute :-) from his teenage;
I remember that he came to my house and played a "Space Invader" on my
Apple ][ in 1979.
>The last Japanese film I know of that Matsuda was in was "Hana no
>Ran," but alas I think his last appearance may have been a mediocre
>role as the bad guy in Ridley Scott's very mediocre "Black Rain." If
>anyone else knows of other films or anything else he's been in, please
>do post.
I once saw Matsuda at an ad of Kikkoman's Shouchuu
(Japanese Vodka-like spirits). He always acted cool and I liked that.
I personally like "Black Rain", although its story is just another
cops-kill-bad-guys one. Ridley Scott treated city of Osaka as same as
treating futuristic cities in his "Blade Runner". And I found Osaka
could be so futuristic. :-) (I'm Tokyoite and I thought Osaka was
somewhat less-tense city than Tokyo.)
Matsuda in Black Rain was good, keeping cool and always looking down on
his enemies. I was also impressed by Takakura Ken's excellent performance;
he communicated best in English while keeping his maverick style.
-- Kenji
--
Kenji Rikitake, JJ1BDX | ke...@ybbs.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp [130.69.77.1]
Sakurajousui R&D Center, | ke...@jj1bdx.ampr{.jp|.org} [44.129.16.82]
Packet Radio User's Group | kenji%dctwcs....@sun.com (TWICS)
John Leo
information on Matsuda Yuusaku as well as an unrecognizable picture of
him.
<<Nov. 11 marked another tearful parting in the geinokai with the
death of actor Matsuda Yusaku, 39. The news of his passing shocked
family, friends and fans throughout the nation, for, at Matsuda's
insistence, only close members of his family had been told of his
losing battle against cancer.
Reporting aches in his lower back, Matsuda visited a hospital for a
checkup in September 1988--weeks before the "crank in" for the filming
of "Black Rain" (also starting Michael Douglas and Takakura Ken). But
by that point the cancer, which was eating away at his body, had
already progressed so far that the doctors felt his chances were
limited even with an operation.
Taking all things under consideration, Matsuda chose to finish the
film project as one of his parting gifts. Kepping in touch with his
doctors in Japan by telephone, he successfully completed his
eight-month stint in New York without breathing a word about his ailing
health to crew members.
Matsuda was hospitalized on Oct. 7 after repeated attacks of pain
and nausea and passed away on Nov. 6. He is survived by his wife
Miyuki, a former actress, and four children--including a girl from his
frist marriage.
Matsuda became a popular hero after starring in the TV serial "Taiyo
ni Hoero" and during his sixteen-year career, has churned out such
well-known films as "Tantei Monogatari," "Ningen no Shomei" and "Hana
no Ran." He has also released a number of singles and LPs, his most
recent album "D-F-Nuance" went on sale in 1987. 39 is too yong for a
man of his talent and promise to be summoned. He will be sorely
missed by all.>>