Director's Company
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese film production company created in 1982 to provide a venue outside the major studio system for young proven filmmakers to grow artistically. The company's president, Susumu Miyasaka, came from an advertising and public relations background and he was joined by founding members Kazuhiko Hasegawa
, Toshiharu Ikeda
, Sōgo Ishii
, Kazuyuki Izutsu
, Kiyoshi Kurosawa
, Kichitaro Negishi
, Kazuki Ōmori
, Shinji Sōmai
and Banmei Takahashi
, none of them older than 36 years of age.
For distribution of its works, the group maintained links with major companies such as Nikkatsu
, Kadokawa Pictures
and Art Theatre Guild
, as well as the smaller firms New Century Producers and Kitty Films. The company dissolved due to bankruptcy in 1992, ten years after its foundation. The organization provided a means for several of its members to leave the fading prospects of the Roman porno genre of pink film at Nikkatsu
and enter mainstream filmmaking.
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Kazuhiko Hasegawa
is a Japanese film director. He won the award for Best Director at the 1st Yokohama Film Festival for The Man Who Stole the Sun.-Life and career:...
, Toshiharu Ikeda
Toshiharu Ikeda
was a Japanese film director and screenwriter who worked in pink film and mainstream cinema. He won the award for Best Director at the 6th Yokohama Film Festival for Mermaid Legend.-Early career - Nikkatsu:...
, Sōgo Ishii
Sogo Ishii
', formerly is a Japanese filmmaker known for his striking visuals and sometimes outlandish subject matter.Ishii was born in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and is a graduate of Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka High School and Nihon University College of Art....
, Kazuyuki Izutsu
Kazuyuki Izutsu
is a Japanese film director, screenwriter and film critic. Born in Nara Prefecture, he started making 8mm films in high school, and directed his first 35mm film, a pink film, in 1975. He earned a citation from the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award in 1981 for Gaki teikoku, and his Boys...
, Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Kiyoshi Kurosawa
is a Japanese filmmaker. He is best known for his many contributions to the Japanese horror genre.-Biography:Born in Kobe on July 19, 1955, Kiyoshi Kurosawa is not related to director Akira Kurosawa...
, Kichitaro Negishi
Kichitaro Negishi
is a Japanese film director. Although his films are admired by critics in Japan for their intelligence, Negishi has received little international recognition for his work. He has not been credited with a distinctive style but he has been called a subtle director who often elicits strong...
, Kazuki Ōmori
Kazuki Omori
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter.-Career:Born in Osaka, Ōmori studied at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine and actually holds a license to practice medicine. While in school, he began making films independently, with Kuraku naru made matenai! , which featured Seijun Suzuki,...
, Shinji Sōmai
Shinji Sōmai
was a Japanese film director. He directed 13 films between 1980 and 2000. His film Ohikkoshi was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.-Filmography:* Tonda kappuru * Sērā-fuku to kikanjū...
and Banmei Takahashi
Banmei Takahashi
is a Japanese film director. Takashi started his career in the pink film industry, making his directorial debut in 1972 with Escaped Rapist Criminal. Due to a disagreement with his producer, Takahashi quit the film industry for a couple years...
, none of them older than 36 years of age.
For distribution of its works, the group maintained links with major companies such as Nikkatsu
Nikkatsu
is a Japanese entertainment company well known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio. The name Nikkatsu is an abbreviation of Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally "Japan Cinematograph Company".-History:...
, Kadokawa Pictures
Kadokawa Pictures
is a Japanese movie studio.-History:One of the most famous studios in Japan and founded in 1942 as , it is best known for having produced the giant monster Gamera film series and the Daimajin Trilogy. It also produced the Zatoichi and Nemuri Kyoshiro film series and the television series Shōnen Jet...
and Art Theatre Guild
Art Theatre Guild
Art Theatre Guild was a film production company in Japan that started in 1961 and ran through to the mid 1980s. ATG, as it is abbreviated, released mostly Japanese New Wave films. Films released by ATG include Nagisa Oshima's Diary Of A Shinjuku Thief , Toshio Matsumoto's masterpiece Funeral...
, as well as the smaller firms New Century Producers and Kitty Films. The company dissolved due to bankruptcy in 1992, ten years after its foundation. The organization provided a means for several of its members to leave the fading prospects of the Roman porno genre of pink film at Nikkatsu
Nikkatsu
is a Japanese entertainment company well known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio. The name Nikkatsu is an abbreviation of Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally "Japan Cinematograph Company".-History:...
and enter mainstream filmmaking.
Major works
(1982, Banmei TakahashiBanmei Takahashi
is a Japanese film director. Takashi started his career in the pink film industry, making his directorial debut in 1972 with Escaped Rapist Criminal. Due to a disagreement with his producer, Takahashi quit the film industry for a couple years...
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- Kandagawa Pervert WarsKandagawa Pervert Warsis a 1983 Japanese pink film directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa who would later go on to a career directing mainstream horror films.-Synopsis:A young girl, Akiko, in a tenement block in Tokyo's Kandagawa area, uses a telescope to spy on her neighbors in between lovemaking sessions with her boyfriend...
(1983, Kiyoshi KurosawaKiyoshi Kurosawais a Japanese filmmaker. He is best known for his many contributions to the Japanese horror genre.-Biography:Born in Kobe on July 19, 1955, Kiyoshi Kurosawa is not related to director Akira Kurosawa...
) - The Crazy FamilyThe Crazy Familyis a 1984 Japanese film directed by Sōgo Ishii.-Awards and nominations:6th Yokohama Film Festival* Won: Best Newcomer - Youki Kudoh*8th Best Film...
(1984, Sōgo IshiiSogo Ishii', formerly is a Japanese filmmaker known for his striking visuals and sometimes outlandish subject matter.Ishii was born in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and is a graduate of Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka High School and Nihon University College of Art....
) - Mermaid LegendMermaid Legendis a 1984 Japanese film directed by Toshiharu Ikeda. At the 6th Yokohama Film Festival it won three awards.-Synopsis:When a fisherman stands in the way of an industrial scheme, the business developers have him murdered...
(1984, Toshiharu IkedaToshiharu Ikedawas a Japanese film director and screenwriter who worked in pink film and mainstream cinema. He won the award for Best Director at the 6th Yokohama Film Festival for Mermaid Legend.-Early career - Nikkatsu:...
) - Love Hotel (1985, Shinji SōmaiShinji Sōmaiwas a Japanese film director. He directed 13 films between 1980 and 2000. His film Ohikkoshi was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.-Filmography:* Tonda kappuru * Sērā-fuku to kikanjū...
) - Typhoon ClubTyphoon Club (film)is a 1985 Japanese film directed by Shinji Sōmai.-Cast:*Yuichi Mikami as Kyoichi Mikami*Youki Kudoh as Rie Takami*Tomokazu Miura as Teacher Umemiya*Yuka Onishi as Michiko Omachi*Yuriko Fuchizaki as Midori Morisaki*Shingo Tsurumi...
(1985, Shinji SōmaiShinji Sōmaiwas a Japanese film director. He directed 13 films between 1980 and 2000. His film Ohikkoshi was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.-Filmography:* Tonda kappuru * Sērā-fuku to kikanjū...
) (1985, Toshiharu IkedaToshiharu Ikedawas a Japanese film director and screenwriter who worked in pink film and mainstream cinema. He won the award for Best Director at the 6th Yokohama Film Festival for Mermaid Legend.-Early career - Nikkatsu:...
) - House of WedlockHouse of Wedlockis a 1986 Japanese film directed by Kichitaro Negishi.-Synopsis:Tokiko Enomoto finds out that her husband Kazuya, who mostly lives at an apartment near his work while she and their children live at home, has been having an affair with a live-in mistress, Ryōko, at his apartment...
(1986, Kichitaro NegishiKichitaro Negishiis a Japanese film director. Although his films are admired by critics in Japan for their intelligence, Negishi has received little international recognition for his work. He has not been credited with a distinctive style but he has been called a subtle director who often elicits strong...
) - Inuji ni Seshi Mono (1986, Kazuyuki IzutsuKazuyuki Izutsuis a Japanese film director, screenwriter and film critic. Born in Nara Prefecture, he started making 8mm films in high school, and directed his first 35mm film, a pink film, in 1975. He earned a citation from the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award in 1981 for Gaki teikoku, and his Boys...
) - Halber MenschHalber Mensch (film)"Halber Mensch" is a 1986 film by Japanese director Sogo Ishii with German band Einstürzende Neubauten. It was originally released on VHS, and re-released on DVD in 2005. The film's title comes from the album of the same name....
(1986, Sōgo IshiiSogo Ishii', formerly is a Japanese filmmaker known for his striking visuals and sometimes outlandish subject matter.Ishii was born in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and is a graduate of Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka High School and Nihon University College of Art....
) - Eien no 1/2Eien no 1/2, literally Half of Eternity, is a 1987 Japanese film directed by Kichitaro Negishi.-Synopsis:An unemployed young man who has just broken up with his girlfriend meets a woman at a bicycle race...
(1987, Kichitaro NegishiKichitaro Negishiis a Japanese film director. Although his films are admired by critics in Japan for their intelligence, Negishi has received little international recognition for his work. He has not been credited with a distinctive style but he has been called a subtle director who often elicits strong...
) - Evil Dead TrapEvil Dead TrapEvil Dead Trap, known in Japan as , is a 1988 Japanese horror film directed by Toshiharu Ikeda and produced by Japan Home Video.-Plot:TV show host Nami asks her viewers to send in home movies; she receives a snuff film apparently shot at a nearby factory. Taking a camera crew out to investigate,...
(1988, Toshiharu IkedaToshiharu Ikedawas a Japanese film director and screenwriter who worked in pink film and mainstream cinema. He won the award for Best Director at the 6th Yokohama Film Festival for Mermaid Legend.-Early career - Nikkatsu:...
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