A 50-Year 'Journey into Solitude' Celebrated at Meguro Cinema!

A Journey into Solitude poster outside of Meguro Cinema. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Friday night, October 21, I attended a screening of the Shochiku drama Journey into Solitude (1972), starring Yoko Takahashi and written by Fumio Ishimori, at Meguro Cinema. After the film, Takahashi-san took the stage for a Q&A session about the film. The film was released in Japan 50 years ago on October 27, 1972.

Another Journey into Solitude poster. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Due to my work schedule, I arrived quite late, and I was only able to catch the last half or so of the movie. Still, it looked absolutely gorgeous in 35mm with its luscious Shikoku locations. Seeing it 50 years after it was made, it still almost felt like you were really there!

19-year-old Yoko Takahashi is all smiles on this Journey into Solitude poster. Photo by Brett Homenick.

This film was Yoko Takahashi's debut performance, and it singlehandedly launched her film career. She went on to star in the Oscar-nominated film Sandakan 8 (1974), as well as Kon Ichikawa's The Devil's Ballad (1977). 

Yoko Takahashi's Q&A event. Photo by Brett Homenick.

During her Q&A, Takahashi-san talked about auditioning for the film and shared some of her memories of the location shooting. It was a very entertaining talk, and, despite the lateness of the hour, Takahashi-san was laughing and in great spirits throughout it.

A photo of Takahashi-san taken in 1996 is projected onto the big screen. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Takahashi-san stayed in the theater after her interview for a short while, taking photos and signing autographs. It didn't take long for a crowd of people to gather around her, so I decided to approach Takahashi-san's Journey into Solitude co-star, Rie Yokoyama, instead. 

Rie Yokoyama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Yokoyama-san often accompanies Takahashi-san to her public events, and, considering that she also appears in the film, it wasn't a surprise to see her there. She wasn't being mobbed like Takahashi-san was, so the approach was much easier. Not only did she remember me, but she even introduced me to another person she was talking to. How cool is that?

Yokoyama-san has enjoyed a varied career on the big and small screen. She appears in such films and television programs as: Nagisa Oshima's Diary of a Shinjuku Burglar (1969), Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (1972), episode 10 of Horror Theater Unbalance (1973), Zatoichi's Conspiracy (1973), and Kinji Fukasaku's New Battles without Honor and Humanity: Last Days of the Boss (1976). 

I had a nice, but brief, chat with Yokoyama-san, who was about ready to leave when I approached her. I hung around for a while to see if I could talk to Takahashi-san, but she was quickly whisked away by the staff shortly thereafter. Oh, well. It was still great to see the film on the big screen for its 50th anniversary, as well as to spend a few moments with Yokoyama-san, so the trip was well worth it. 

I'm already looking forward to the next event!