Satsuo Yamamoto
Encyclopedia
was a Japan
ese film director
.
Yamamoto was born in Kagoshima Prefecture
on July 15, 1910. He dropped out of Waseda University
to join Shochiku
, where he worked as an assistant director to Mikio Naruse
and others. He followed Naruse when he moved to PCL, and became a director in his own right after the company was reborn as Toho
. During WWII he directed several pro-war propaganda films for them despite being a fervent member of the Japanese Communist Party
(JCP), and after the war he rallied against the company as a driving force behind the union during the 1948 Toho labour dispute (in which the JCP was heavily involved), after which was ultimately fired.
He subsequently worked on independent films and made numerous intensely rebellious and substantial socially conscious works. From the 1960s onward, he directed a succession of major films including the Toyoko Yamasaki adaptations “The Ivory Tower” and “The Perfect Family”, the “Men and War” trilogy, and “Kotei no inai Hachigatsu”. This body of epic works led to him being dubbed “the Red Cecil B. DeMille
”.
Three of his films, Shiroi Kyotō
, Fumō Chitai
and Ah! Nomugi Toge
won the Mainichi Film Award for Best Film
.
He died of pancreatic cancer
on August 11, 1983 at the age of 73.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
.
Yamamoto was born in Kagoshima Prefecture
Kagoshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...
on July 15, 1910. He dropped out of Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
to join Shochiku
Shochiku
is a Japanese movie studio and production company for kabuki. It also produces and distributes anime films. Its best remembered directors include Yasujirō Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, Keisuke Kinoshita and Yōji Yamada...
, where he worked as an assistant director to Mikio Naruse
Mikio Naruse
was a Japanese filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer who directed some 89 films spanning the period 1930 to 1967.Naruse is known for imbuing his films with a bleak and pessimistic outlook...
and others. He followed Naruse when he moved to PCL, and became a director in his own right after the company was reborn as Toho
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
. During WWII he directed several pro-war propaganda films for them despite being a fervent member of the Japanese Communist Party
Japanese Communist Party
The Japanese Communist Party is a left-wing political party in Japan.The JCP advocates the establishment of a society based on socialism, democracy and peace, and opposition to militarism...
(JCP), and after the war he rallied against the company as a driving force behind the union during the 1948 Toho labour dispute (in which the JCP was heavily involved), after which was ultimately fired.
He subsequently worked on independent films and made numerous intensely rebellious and substantial socially conscious works. From the 1960s onward, he directed a succession of major films including the Toyoko Yamasaki adaptations “The Ivory Tower” and “The Perfect Family”, the “Men and War” trilogy, and “Kotei no inai Hachigatsu”. This body of epic works led to him being dubbed “the Red Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies...
”.
Three of his films, Shiroi Kyotō
Shiroi Kyoto
Shiroi Kyotō is a a novel by Toyoko Yamasaki. It has been adapted into a movie in 1966 and then twice as a television mini-series in 1978 and 2003.-Summary:...
, Fumō Chitai
Fumō Chitai
Fumō Chitai is a a novel by Toyoko Yamasaki. It has been adapted into a movie in 1976 and then twice as a television mini-series in 1979 and 2009.-Cast:*Mikijirō Hira - Tadashi Iki*Tomisaburo Wakayama - Ichizo Daimon...
and Ah! Nomugi Toge
Ah! Nomugi Toge
is a 1979 Japanese film directed by Satsuo Yamamoto.-Awards:34th Mainichi Film Award*Won: Best Film-References:...
won the Mainichi Film Award for Best Film
Mainichi Film Award for Best Film
A list of the winners of the Award for Best Film at the Mainichi Film Award....
.
He died of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
on August 11, 1983 at the age of 73.
Filmography
- (ペン偽らず 暴力の街, Boryoku no MachiBoryoku no Machiis a 1950 black-and-white Japanese film directed by Satsuo Yamamoto.- Cast :* Ryō Ikebe * Akitake Kouno * Hajime Izu * Miki Sanjou * Yasumi Hara * Hatae Kishi * Eitarō Ozawa * Takashi Shimura...
) (1950) - Shiroi KyotōShiroi KyotoShiroi Kyotō is a a novel by Toyoko Yamasaki. It has been adapted into a movie in 1966 and then twice as a television mini-series in 1978 and 2003.-Summary:...
(1966) - Fumō ChitaiFumō ChitaiFumō Chitai is a a novel by Toyoko Yamasaki. It has been adapted into a movie in 1976 and then twice as a television mini-series in 1979 and 2009.-Cast:*Mikijirō Hira - Tadashi Iki*Tomisaburo Wakayama - Ichizo Daimon...
(1976) - Ah! Nomugi TogeAh! Nomugi Togeis a 1979 Japanese film directed by Satsuo Yamamoto.-Awards:34th Mainichi Film Award*Won: Best Film-References:...
(1979)