Tetsuro Tamba Movies

American fans of maverick Japanese director Takashi Miike may lament the fact that they have never had the privilege of seeing one of his stage productions firsthand, though with this release of Miike's popular, Kabuki-inspired play Demon Pond they can experience the next best thing to being there. A minimalist adaptation of the traditional fairy tale by Kyoka Izumi, Demon Pond played to sold out audiences across Japan. The story interweaves the tale of a man who sets out in search his missing friend with a surreal journey into a world inhabited by bizarre creatures and a lovelorn princess. A pact has been made that cannot be broken, and as the man's search intensifies he ventures ever deeper into a place where the real and the surreal meet. Shinji Takaeda, Ryuhei Matsuda, Yasuko Matsuyaki, and Kenichi Endo star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Following up on his critically acclaimed Bounce Ko Gals (1998), director Masato Harada spins this slickly-produced, compelling salary man drama that was a surprise smash hit in Japan. Tapping into the economic malaise and the growing outrage against endless tawdry financial scandals of Japan in the late 1990s, the film follows four middle managers pressing for reform in their corruption-wracked bank. The movie opens with the arrest of a yakuza, who upon interrogation reveals that Asahi Central Bank, a major financial institutional, has been keeping mob coffers full for years. Hoping to restore public confidence, Hiroshi Kitano (played by popular leading man Koji Yakusho) along with his three colleagues petition the board of directors to appoint a reformer as the bank's new president. Their efforts are thwarted both by the irate yakuza, who will not give up their cash cow without a fight, and by venal company superiors -- particularly Sasaki Hideakai (legendary actor Tatsuya Nakadai) who is Kitano's father-in-law. This film was screened at the 2000 Berlin Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

In his current life, Okamoto (Tetsuro Tamba) didn't commit the murder he is sentenced to die for. However, in a previous life he did murder, so karmically his death is a fitting punishment. This film follows his adventures in the afterlife. At first, he just wanders around looking at stuff, popping into living people's bodies and manipulating them, relating with his fellow ghosts, visiting his still-living relatives. Then he is taken on a tour of the afterlife by a goddess (Judy Ongg). This Japanese film features many uncredited cameo appearances by local celebrities. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

A young New York City rock singer decides to try her hand at fame in Japan so makes the journey. Upon her arrival she meets a Japanese musician who needs an American girl to front his band. Fortunately, she joins up, and the band makes it big while she and the musician engage in a comedic romance. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide

A young jazz musician's desire to advance in his career runs afoul of organized crime in this thriller from Haruki Kadokawa. After a saxophonist starts playing at a particular nightspot, a thug from the Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) adopts him as a special friend for no greater reason than he plays one of his favorite songs well. As the dangerous life of the gangster intertwines with that of the musician, it brings harm to the musician's girlfriend, who is raped. This changes the young saxophonist's attitude about his patron, but his Yakuza "friend" is still too embroiled in his own problems to worry about anything else. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In this heroic portrait of Japanese soldiers during World War II, young men of all stripes (from a barber to a graduate of a military academy) go off to put their lives on the line for their country (as did their counterparts from many other areas of the globe, though that is not an issue in the film). As the story indicates, the women and children at home were not spared the suffering of war, but as the story does not indicate, that suffering was also universal. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Yukai Hodo is a melodrama about a kidnapper spiriting away a young boy from his distraught, partially hysterical, tragically grieving parents and then bumbling, fumbling, and generally screwing up his designs on a ransom until everything looks pretty hopeless. The little boy even escapes being murdered by the kidnapper because he has to go to the bathroom (not the kidnapper, the little boy). The kidnapper's wife is excellently and humanely portrayed by Rumiko Koyanagi. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Thirteen months and ten million dollars were lavished upon this ten-hour, four-part TV miniseries about legendary globetrotter Marco Polo. Newcomer Ken Marshall played the title character, a 14th century Venetian explorer who, among other accomplishments, firmly established the "silk route" between Europe and the Orient, introducing such precious commodities as spaghetti and fireworks to the Occidental world. In addition to featuring the usual polyglot of major British and American stars in cameo roles (including Denholm Elliott, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Leonard Nimoy, and Burt Lancaster), the production represented the first Western production to be filmed on location in China since WWII -- not to mention the first English-language appearance of celebrated Chinese stage and film actor Ying Ruocheng, superbly cast as the mighty Kublai Khan. An American-Italian-Austrian-French-British co-production, Marco Polo received its first U.S. showing when it was telecast by NBC from May 16 through 19, 1982. A "condensed" version, running approximately 270 minutes, was later made available in Europe and South America. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Bushido Blade is set in 19th century Japan, at the time of American Commodore Matthew Perry's opening up of the ancient oriental nation. As played by Richard Boone (in his last film), Perry is a megalomaniac mercenary who makes Custer look like a humanitarian. The plot involves Perry's efforts to locate a sacred sword. The rest of the cast includes James Earl Jones, Frank Converse, and Toshiro Mifune. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Message from Space, a bargain-rack Japanese Star Wars clone, stars Vic Morrow as the token American. Responding to a plea for help from a faraway planet, A young, idealistic four-person crew hurtles to the rescue. Along for the ride are two funny robots. As could expected from the Toei Studios, Message from Space is a clearing house of good, bad, and "aw come on!" special effects. Vic Morrow followed this film triumph with the equally unforgettable The Evictors (79) and Humanoids from the Deep (80). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This is a badly re-edited and "Americanized" version of a popular Japanese disaster movie, The Submersion of Japan (1973). The trouble begins when scientists learn that Japan's islands are sinking and must be evacuated within two years. The story chronicles the ways in which various people react to the decree. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This Japanese-made film is basically a religious tract for the Nichiren Shoshu Association. The NSA is an atypically evangelistic self-labelled Buddhist group which has made some headway in the U.S. with the likes of performers Tina Turner and Patrick Duffy. The story concerns the religious conversion of a man imprisoned already for religious deviance, and is based on the book by Daisaku Ikeda. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

This new entry in the popular Zero Woman film series, Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs, begins with Agent Zero being imprisoned after getting overly violent with a rapist she was apprehending. She is released, however, when a powerful politician discovers his daughter has been kidnapped. Only Agent Zero has the skills to go undercover and save the daughter. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide