Satoshi Nakamura Movies
Edward Zwick returned to the director's chair for the first time since 1998's The Siege with this sweeping period drama set in 19th-century Japan. After centuries of relying on hired samurai for national defense, the Japanese monarchy has decided to do away with the warriors in favor of a more contemporary military. Tom Cruise stars as Nathan Algren, a veteran of the U.S. Civil War who is hired by the Emperor Meiji to train an army capable of wiping out the samurai. But when Algren is captured by the samurai and taught about their history and way of life, he finds himself conflicted over who he should be fighting alongside. Billy Connelly, Tony Goldwyn, and Ken Watanabe co-star. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Cruise, Timothy Spall, (more)
- 1971
In what was billed as "The First East-Meets-West Western," Toshiro Mifune plays Kuroda, a samurai warrior who accompanies a Japanese diplomat to the United States. The diplomat has brought with him a golden, jewel-encrusted sword to present as a token of good will to the president, but as they travel by train through the west, they're ambushed by a pair of outlaws, Gauche (Alain Delon) and Link (Charles Bronson). Gauche and Link steal the sword, but Link leans the hard way about his partner's trustworthiness when Gauche double-crosses him and makes off with the booty. Since both Kuroda and Link have a grudge against Gauche, they warily join forces to track him down and return the sword to its rightful owner. Along the way, they have to deal with cultural conflict, Indian attacks, and encounters with beautiful women (played by Capucine and Ursula Andress). Given its cast and theme, Red Sun was predictably enough a major box-office success in Europe and Japan, but it passed through with little notice in the United States. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Ursula Andress, (more)
Japan and the rest of the world are again in grave danger after an evil amoeba-like alien emerges from a spaceship crash and turns an octopus, a crab, and a turtle into gigantic city-squishing terrors. An entrepreneur sees the creatures not as destructive forces to be destroyed, but as a gold mine with the potential to bring in millions of bucks from curious tourists. Alas, as with all promoters of gigantic creatures, he soon finds himself at their mercy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Manster is a favorite among campy horror aficionados and for good reason as it is both unintentionally funny and genuinely creepy. A "Manster" is half-man, half-monster. To accommodate this set-up, the title character has two heads. Back in his single-domed days, the Manster was an American reporter (Peter Dyneley) assigned to interview a Tokyo-based scientist (Satoshi Nakamura). Alas, the scientist was off his rocker, and while experimenting with mutations, he turned the reporter into a double-header. Wait till you see the climax, with the hero battling himself on the edge of a live volcano. Though filmed in Japan, The Manster was based on a script by British producer George Breakston, and acted (if that is the word) entirely in English. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1955
Previously filmed twice as a straight drama, Madame Butterfly was offered in its operatic form in this Japanese-Italian production. Karuo Yachigusa plays the central role of the tragic Chocho-San, while her singing has been dubbed by an anonymous soprano. Chocho-San's American lover/bertrayer Lt. Pinkerton is portrayed by Italy's Nicola Filacurdi, who like his leading lady relinquishes the singing responsibilities to someone else. The only member of the cast who actually sings Puccini's words and music is Ferdinando Lidonni as Sharpless. The stars are backed up by the chorus of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma and by the dancers of Japan's Takarazuka Girls Opera Company. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kaoru Yachigusa
