Getting the Party Started with Takahashi-san as Our Host!

Yoko Takahashi. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today (Friday, March 22) was also notable as the day that actress Yoko Takahashi hosted a party for me as I prepare to leave Japan. Takahashi-san was a prolific actress in the 1970s, with her best-known work in the West being the Oscar-nominated Sandakan 8 (1974). She also can be seen in Kon Ichikawa's The Devil's Ballad (1977).

Yoko Takahashi. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I first met Takahashi-san in 2016, as her starring role in Sandakan 8 was intriguing to me. Not only was it an Oscar-nominated film, but it was also named by film critic Gene Siskel as the third-best film of 1976 and boasts a score by the great Akira Ifukube. In fact, I saw a photo from this film in a fanzine article about the composer when I was 14 years old, and, while Takahashi-san herself wasn't seen in that photo, it nonetheless fascinated me at a young age.

I arrived at the cafe just after 3:00, but it turned out that Takahashi-san was stuck in traffic and apparently a bit lost. (She had never been to this venue before, and it's some distance outside Tokyo.) Thankfully, the cafe owner happened to be our mutual friend, so he painstakingly guided her over the phone with all the necessary directions. Takahashi-san ultimately arrived at about 5:00, at which point the party could truly start!

Takahashi-san's lemon cake. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Takahashi-san brought a delicious lemon cake to celebrate, which we shared between the three of us. She also bought me a coin purse as a gift, which was an unexpected surprise. But, most importantly, she gave me a handwritten note in English that expressed her sincere feelings. Now that is a treasure I will always keep with me!

Make a wish!

I believe the party lasted until about 8:00. It was a lot of fun, so the time just flew by. We discussed many topics, including Takahashi-san's favorite films from America. (She has an encyclopedic knowledge of American films from the 1970s and told me about movies I'd never heard of, such as 1973's Cinderella Liberty, starring James Caan.) I told Takahashi-san about Gene Siskel and how he named Sandakan 8 the third-best movie of the year. She was especially impressed to see that Siskel ranked it above Taxi Driver (1976).

While she isn't exactly an expert on kaiju movies (and hasn't seen Godzilla Minus One), she knows enough about the genre to be able to sing a few bars of The Peanuts' Mothra song. I was pleased to have Takahashi-san sign my DVDs of Sandakan 8 and Africa's Light (1975), which I happened to find at a Book Off just prior to coming.

When it was time to leave, Takahashi-san kindly drove me home in her car. It's been a while since I've been driven home by a Japanese movie star, but it's always a lot of fun when it happens! At one point, when we came to a sign pointing the way to Nagoya, I blurted out that we should go there instead, which seemed to amuse Takahashi-san. 

Takahashi-san seemed quite motivated to visit California in the future, and I hope I can meet her there. Otherwise, I hope we can meet again in Japan someday. Even though tonight was a low-key affair, it was a great way to relieve some of the stress of the past couple of days. Many thanks to Takahashi-san for hosting this party -- it's one for the history books!

A Lively Q&A with a Legend of the Silver Screen!

Yoko Takahashi. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today (Wednesday, May 24), I had the distinct privilege of interviewing actress Yoko Takahashi. I've blogged about Takahashi-san many times in the past, but, for those of you not in the know, she has worked with directors Kon Ichikawa, Kinji Fukasaku, and Kei Kumai -- as well as actors Tetsuro Tamba, Kunie Tanaka, Ken Tanaka, and Rentaro Mikuni -- throughout her illustrious career, during which she was usually the lead actress. 

The interview covered a lot of ground, and Takahashi-san spoke a lot about her childhood. Naturally, hearing about her star-making turn in Journey into Solitude (1972) and her memories of working on the Oscar-nominated Sandakan 8 (1974) were also enlightening. I'd love to publish the interview right away, but, as readers of this blog know by now, the process will take a while before it's ready.

Many thanks to Takahashi-san and her agency for their hospitality -- and for allotting way more time for the interview than I could have expected. I'm very grateful!

A Legendary Shochiku Actress in Concert!

Yoko Takahashi. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Actress Yoko Takahashi held a fun event earlier tonight (Wednesday, March 22) in Daikanyama. It was something of a mini variety show, as she not only sang and played the guitar but also acted in a comedy skit and talked about her acting career.

Yoko Takahashi sings and plays the guitar. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The bulk of the event, of course, featured Takahashi-san singing and playing the guitar. I wasn't all that familiar with the songs she sang, but she did perform one by Kyu Sakamoto, and at least I know he is!

Yoko Takahashi as a cat! Photo by Brett Homenick.

The highlight for me was the skit that took place just after the intermission. Takahashi-san played a cat that communicates with a space alien using telepathy! It was just as silly as it sounds. The alien sure seemed surprised to hear about milk!

For those of you not aware, Takahashi-san starred in the Shochiku classic Journey into Solitude (1972), which was followed by turns in the Oscar-nominated film Sandakan 8 (1974), as well as Kon Ichikawa's The Devil's Ballad (1977).

After the performance, Takahashi-san signed autographs and posed for pictures with the audience. I was lucky enough to get a couple of photographs, as well as exchange a few words with her. I should mention that she came out to greet members of the audience before the show started, and she hung out with my friend (who's also a tokusatsu fan) and me for a few minutes. So I came away from the event more than satisfied.

Many thanks to Takahashi-san for such a wonderful evening!

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!