A Woman's Gamble

The poster for today's feature, Daiei's A Woman's Gamble (1966). Photo by Brett Homenick. 

After Super Festival, I attended a screening of A Woman's Gamble (1966) at the National Film Archive of Japan. The screening was a part of its program honoring notable figures in the Japanese film industry whom we lost in 2017 and 2018.

A poster for the Nikkatsu film Yoi-machi-gusa (1974). Photo by Brett Homenick. 

A Woman's Gamble is the first in the long-running Woman Gambler series at Daiei. Starring Kyoko Enami and directed by Shigeo Tanaka, the movie is quite different, to say the least, from their previous collaboration, Gamera vs. Barugon (1966). Although I was interested in seeing the film, I must admit that it moved a bit too slowly for my tastes.

A poster for Toho's Sun Above, Death Below (1968). Photo by Brett Homenick.

Outside the theater, I took some photos of other films I've seen over the years, such as Yoi-machi-gusa (1974) with Yoko Takahashi and Sun Above, Death Below (1968) with Yuzo Kayama. 

Japanese Actress Kyoko Enami Passes Away

Kyoko Enami in a recent photo.

Japanese actress Kyoko Enami, best remembered for her starring role in Daiei’s Gamera vs. Barugon (1966) as Karen, passed away on October 27 after a long battle with emphysema. She was 76.

Rest in peace, Ms. Enami.

MEETING SHOJI MORI! A Veteran of Japanese Film and Television!

On Saturday, June 25, I spent an evening attending a lecture given by actor Shoji Mori. He has been active in film and television for decades, and he has appeared in the Zatoichi series, the Woman Gambler series (starring Gamera vs. Barugon's Kyoko Enami), and many episodes of the Mito Komon TV series.

Mori-san was a lively gentleman, and it was great to meet him. Afterward, I went to an izakaya with some new friends I made after the talk. A great time was had by all!