Portrait of Brothers

 Signage at the Portrait of Brothers press screening. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I was invited to attend a press screening of Shinichi Yanagisawa's newest film, Portrait of Brothers, which I attended today. The film is set to open in Japan on May 25. Shinichi Yanagisawa, one of the movie's stars, would be best known to readers of this blog as the comic-relief character Miyamoto in The X from Outer Space (1967), though his other work at Nikkatsu and Shochiku studios is certainly more prestigious. Yanagisawa co-stars with Choei Takahashi, who played the male lead in Toho's vampire thriller Lake of Dracula (1971).

Portrait of Brothers is a drama about two elderly brothers who reunite in the small town in which they grew up after the death of their 100-year-old father. The focus is mostly on Takahashi's character, a quiet, serious man who still lives in the small countryside town in which he grew up. Yanagisawa plays the older brother, a more worldly bon vivant living in Tokyo. Yanagisawa's character returns to his hometown after their father passes away, but the completely different lifestyles of the two brothers cause more than a few clashes among them.

Those who enjoy the family dramas of Yasujiro Ozu and Mikio Naruse will probably enjoy this movie. More often than not, the movie moves at a slow, deliberate pace, which will no doubt put off some Western viewers. But the portrait of countryside life in Japan in Portrait of Brothers is authentic, and if you're interested in seeing a slice of life from a point of view not often reflected in the movies, I would recommend this film. Besides, those countryside scenes are absolutely stunning.

I would also like to point out that the always lovely Izumi Yukimura (the leading lady of Toho's all-star musical You Can Succeed, Too) has a brief cameo at the very end of the film. It's a very short scene, but she's always a welcome presence in any film in which she appears.

The trailer for Portrait of Brothers is below. I hope those interested in Japanese cinema will give it a look.

WALKING WITH A FRIEND! Two Toho Veterans Talk About Their Film Together!

Choei Takahashi (left) looks on as Koichi Ueda (right) signs an autograph. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight, I was pleased to attend a special dinner event with two special actors. The event followed a screening of their film Walking with a Friend (2013), which I had to miss due to my work schedule. But the dinner event was well worth attending.

Actor Choei Takahashi. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I was particularly eager to meet actor Choei Takahashi. Takahashi-san played the lead role in the Toho thriller Lake of Dracula (1971), the middle entry in the great Bloodthirsty trilogy. Actors from that film are especially difficult to meet, so the chance to meet the film's star was one I couldn't pass up. I brought a couple of Lake of Dracula stills for him to sign.

Actor Koichi Ueda. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Also on hand was Koichi Ueda, a prolific Japanese actor whose career still thrives to this day. Most tokusatsu fans in the West probably know that Ueda-san appeared in every Godzilla movie from Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) through Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). (He told me that his role in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah was his favorite of all his Godzilla appearances.) His other SFX and fantasy credits include: Kaiju Booska (1966-67), Ultra Seven (1967-68), Ultraman Taro (1973-74), Jumborg Ace (1973), and Barom-1 (1972). However, his best-known credit of all would likely be Shall We Dance? (1996).

I especially had a great time speaking with Ueda-san, who is extremely approachable and friendly. I certainly hope to have another chance to visit with him some day. Likewise, I hope to have another chance to see Takahashi-san again. I'd sure love to hear his stories from the set of Lake of Dracula!

That's all for now. Stay tuned to this blog for all the latest happenings!