A New Q&A on Vantage Point Interviews!

Takeshi Miyanishi in May 2022. Photo by Brett Homenick.

 

Check out the latest vintage account on Vantage Point Interviews with compositor and optical-effects technician Takeshi Miyanishi. Mr. Miyanishi began working at Toho with Gorath (1962) on the tokusatsu side. 

While his memories of the early days are no longer as strong as they once were, he has vivid memories of working with Akira Kurosawa on Kagemusha (1980) and working on Pulgasari (1985) in North Korea. 

It's all right there on Vantage Point Interviews. Don't miss it -- be there!

Shogo Tomiyama Q&As Now on Vantage Point Interviews!

With Shogo Tomiyama on March 31, 2021.

Two interviews with former Toho Pictures President Shogo Tomiyama have been posted on Vantage Point Interviews (here and here). Naturally, he shares his memories of producing the Heisei- and Millennium-era Godzilla series. Suffice it to say, these interviews are well worth checking out!

In the House!

Ai Matsubara onstage, about to perform. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight, when work was finished, I immediately headed over to Yokohama to attend a live performance by actress-singer Ai Matsubara. Matsubara-san is best known for playing Prof in the whacked-out Toho romp House (1977). She also appears in Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha (1980) and Shogun (1980). 

I'd first met Matsubara-san in the summer of 2016 at a screening of House. I really enjoyed meeting her, and as time went by, I was surprised I never had a chance to see her again. I'm glad I finally had the opportunity tonight.

Matsubara-san, naturally, was great. She's a wonderful singer and a talented performer. On this night, I for one enjoyed being in the house!

An Evening with Tsuburaya Productions Alumni!

In between actor Koji Shimizu (left) and cinematographer Masao Nakabori. 

Earlier this evening, I attended a special celebration of the late director Akio Jissoji, whose work spanned everything from the Ultra-series to the big-budget fantasy Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis (1988).

Masao Nakabori. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Masao Nakabori is a noted cameraman whose career dates back to the glory days of Tsuburaya Productions, including Ultra Seven (1967-68) and Ultraman Taro (1973-74). His other credits include Silver Kamen (1971-72), Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis, Ultra Q: The Movie (1990), and Hirokazu Koreeda's Maborosi (1995).

Nakabori-san is a true genre legend, and I was privileged to meet him. I was pleased to find that he was approachable and eager to talk about his work. I was particularly interested in hearing about his commercial work with Akio Jissoji on Nikka from the Barrel commercials.

Koji Shimizu. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Also on hand was Koji Shimizu. Shimizu-san played the villainous Mushitaro Kuri in episode 4 of Ultraman Ace (1972-73), one of my favorite episodes of any of the Ultra-series. He also played Katsusuke Atobe in Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha (1980) and Isao Akiba in Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003). On TV, he was a regular on the Super Sentai series Choushinsei Flashman (1986-87), portraying the evil Great Doctor Lie Köpflen.

I spent much more of the evening in Nakabori-san's company, but I certainly enjoyed my encounter with Shimizu-san. I first saw his guest appearance on Ultraman Ace in 2005, and it's a performance I've always remembered. I'm glad to have had a chance to tell Shimizu-san how much I enjoyed it.

IN YOUR HOUSE! The Toho Cult Classic Is Revived for a Special Screening!

House screenwriter Chiho Katsura (left) joins actress Ai Matsubara (right) to discuss their memories of making this cult classic. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

On July 30, I was privileged to attend a screening of the Toho cult classic House (1977), for which two luminaries from the film join us. Screenwriter Chiho Katsura joined actress Ai Matsubara (who played the bespectacled Prof) to discuss the behind-the-scenes facts of the flick.

Screenwriter Chiho Katsura recalls writing House. Photo by Brett Homenick.

House, I must admit, is a movie that I never fully warmed up to. I first tried to watch an unsubtitled copy circa 2002 or '03, but after watching about half of it, I stopped, fully intending to finish it another day. (I never did.) At the time, very little information was available about the film, and I suppose I was expecting a more straight-forward horror film. When I realized that the movie was more confusing than anything else, it got indefinitely put on the shelf.

It wasn't until late 2010 or early 2011 (right before I moved to Japan) when I purchased the Criterion DVD that I finally watched the film in its entirety (with subtitles). Suffice it to say, I was still underwhelmed. I guess I never found the film as interesting as it wanted me to. Movies that try too hard to shock me almost always fall flat. Your mileage may vary.

Actress Ai Matsubara shares her memories of playing Prof. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Still, I was quite motivated to see the film in 35mm, and I was very interested to meet the guests of honor. I did enjoy the movie more this time around, but I still have some quibbles with it. While it can be a fun flick, it does run out of steam too often, and some of the gags just don't work for me. A little of the strangeness goes a long way. Despite that, I'm glad I saw it again.

I really enjoyed meeting and speaking with Chiho Katsura, who surprised me by speaking quite a bit of English! He told me he studied English for many years because he loves America. He saw the movie Easter Parade (1948) during his youth and was really inspired by it. (Remember the next time you watch House that the man who wrote it loves Judy Garland musicals!) Katsura-san also wrote the Nikkatsu thriller Assault! Jack the Ripper (1976), which actor Yutaka Hayashi considers probably to be his best film. When I mentioned several Japanese directors I liked, I rattled off the name Masaki Kobayashi (Kwaidan). Katsura-san grimaced and said he didn't like him. He didn't elaborate, but I certainly found that tidbit fascinating.

Ai Matsubara was a very lovely lady. She even sang a karaoke for us! (She works mostly as a singer now.) Her other acting credits include Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha (1980) and Shogun (1980), which are rather impressive. Matsubara-san was not aware that her character's name in English was "Prof," so when I told her that, she lit up. She loves the name, so I think it's going to stick!

Another great event with wonderful guests has wrapped. I can't wait for the next one!