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Yōji Yamada is a Director, Scriptwriter and Executive producer Japonais born on 13 september 1931 at Toyonaka City (Japon)

Yōji Yamada

Yōji Yamada
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Birth name 山田 洋次
Nationality Japon
Birth 13 september 1931 (92 years) at Toyonaka City (Japon)

Yoji Yamada (山田 洋次, Yamada Yōji, born September 13, 1931 in Toyonaka City, Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese film director best known for his Otoko wa Tsurai yo series of films and his Samurai Trilogy (The Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade and Love and Honor).

He was born in Osaka. But because of the work of his father, who was an engineer for the South Manchuria Railway, from the age of 2 he was brought up in Manchuria. Following the end of World War II, he came back to Japan and subsequently he lived in Yamagata Prefecture.

After receiving his degree from Tokyo University in 1954, he entered Shochiku and worked under Yoshitaro Nomura as a scriptwriter or as an assistant director.

He has won many awards throughout his lengthy career and is well respected in Japan and by critics throughout the world. He wrote his first screenplay in 1958, and directed his first movie in 1961. Yamada continues to make movies to this day.

He once served as president of the Directors Guild of Japan, and is currently a guest professor of Ritsumeikan University.

Biography

Yōji Yamada rejoint la Shōchiku en 1954 après ses études à l'université de Tokyo. Il effectue ses débuts de réalisateur avec la comédie L'Étranger du premier étage (二階の他人, Nikai no tanin, 1961), sur un scénario de son mentor, le réalisateur Yoshitarō Nomura.

En 2010, il reçoit la Caméra de la Berlinale à la Berlinale 2010 pour l'ensemble de sa carrière. En 2012, Yamada est honoré de l'ordre de la Culture.

Best films

The Twilight Samurai (2002)
(Director)

Usually with

Chieko Baishō
Chieko Baishō
(58 films)
Kiyoshi Atsumi
Kiyoshi Atsumi
(55 films)
Yoshitaka Asama
Yoshitaka Asama
(48 films)
Chishū Ryū
Chishū Ryū
(49 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Yōji Yamada (68 films)

Display filmography as list

Director

The Little House, 2h16
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Historical, Romance
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Takako Matsu, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Chieko Baishō, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Yui Natsukawa
Rating72% 3.6375753.6375753.6375753.6375753.637575
The film is set in the 1930s and 1940s in Japan. It is narrated from the memoirs of Taki Nunomiya as an old woman. In 1930, she left Yamagata for Tokyo as an indentured servant to work as a housemaid.
About Her Brother, 2h6
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Genres Drama, Comedy
Actors Sayuri Yoshinaga, Shōfukutei Tsurube II, Yu Aoi, Yuriko Ishida, Ryō Kase, Takashi Sasano
Rating69% 3.4878253.4878253.4878253.4878253.487825
The story unfolds as the young Koharu (Yū Aoi), the daughter of a pharmacist in a modest neighborhood of Tokyo, is about to get married to the son of a prestigious family, and even before the event everybody is anxious that Tetsuro (Tsurube Shofukutei), the younger brother of Koharu's mother, Ginko (Sayuri Yoshinaga), might join the wedding ceremony, as he is considered to be the black sheep of the family and even Ginko and Koharu consider him to be an embarrassment, even though he has lived with the family for quite some time after the death of Koharu's father.
Kabei: Our Mother, 2h12
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Genres Drama
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Sayuri Yoshinaga, Tadanobu Asano, Rei Dan, Mirai Shida, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Keiko Toda
Rating75% 3.7881653.7881653.7881653.7881653.788165
Set in Tokyo in 1940, the peaceful life of the Nogami Family suddenly changes when the father, Shigeru, is arrested and accused of being a Communist. His wife Kayo works frantically from morning to night to maintain the household and bring up her two daughters with the support of Shigeru's sister Hisako and Shigeru's ex-student Yamazaki, but her husband does not return. WWII breaks out and casts dark shadows on the entire country, but Kayo still tries to keep her cheerful determination, and sustain the family with her love. This is an emotional drama of a mother and an eternal message for peace.
Love and Honor, 1h58
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Seafaring films, Sports films, Transport films, Martial arts films, Samurai films, Films about disabilities
Actors Takuya Kimura, Takashi Sasano, Rei Dan, Nenji Kobayashi, Ken Ogata, Kaori Momoi
Rating76% 3.8442753.8442753.8442753.8442753.844275
Shinnojo, a low level samurai, lives with his pretty, dutiful and loyal wife Kayo. He has come to find his position in a castle as a food-taster for a feudal lord to be boring and pointless, and talks about opening a kendo school open to boys of all castes where he can teach the use of the sword. Before he can act on his dream he becomes ill with a fever after tasting some sashimi made from shell fish, but an investigation reveals that the poisoning was not due to a human conspiracy, but a poor choice of food out of season. After three days he awakes but finds that the toxin from the food has blinded him. Kayo is summoned by Shinnojo's family to explain how the couple will survive. His uncle laments that he no longer knows anybody with influence in the castle, and asks Kayo if she knows of anybody. She relates how Toya Shimada, the chief duty officer in the castle and a samurai of high rank, offered to help and they tell her to act upon his offer of assistance. A message from the castle brings the good news that Shinnojo's stipend of rice will remain the same, and for life but his aunt tells him that Kayo was seen with another man. He has Tokuhei, his faithful servant, follow her. Kayo notices that she is being followed, and although Tokuhei offers to cover for her, she reveals to Shinnojo that Shimada offered to help but with a price, shown when he forced himself upon her. He then solicited three additional trysts by threatening to tell Shinnojo about the first. An enraged Shinnojo divorces her and orders her out of his house. When it is revealed to him that Shimada had nothing to do with maintaining his stipend, but that it came out of gratitude from the lord of the clan himself, Shinnojo seeks to renew his skill with the sword as a blind man to avenge the dishonor of Kayo. Through Tokuhei, he sends a message to Shimada to set up a duel, with the additional message to not underestimate him. The two samurai meet at the stables near the river to decide their destinies. In the subsequent fight Shinnojo cuts off Shimada's arm. He leaves Shimada to live a horribly disfigured life, telling Tokuhei that he has now avenged Kayo's dishonor. The next day Shinnojo is informed that the injured Shimada refused to tell anyone what had happened or who injured him in the duel. That night Shimada committed seppuku and killed himself, as a samurai cannot live with only one arm. He dies without anyone knowing of his sin against the Mimura family, his violation of Kayo, or his own dishonorable injury by a blinded man. Tokuhei tells Shinnojo he has found a girl to work in the kitchen and cook for him. After one taste of the girl's food, Shinnojo recognizes his wife's cooking, and calls Kayo to come into the house. Shinnojo and Kayo reconcile, with an understanding that they will begin their life together anew.
The Hidden Blade, 2h12
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Action, Romance
Themes Seafaring films, Sports films, Transport films, Martial arts films, Samurai films
Actors Masatoshi Nagase, Takako Matsu, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Tomoko Tabata, Reiko Takashima, Kunie Tanaka
Rating76% 3.846063.846063.846063.846063.84606
The film takes place in Japan in the 1860s, a time of cultural assimilation. Two samurai, Munezo Katagiri (Masatoshi Nagase) and Samon Shimada (Hidetaka Yoshioka), bid farewell to their friend, Yaichiro Hazama (Yukiyoshi Ozawa), who is to serve in Edo (present-day Tokyo) under the shogunate of that region. Though the position is desirable, Katagiri voices his concern that a man of Yaichiro’s character is likely to run into trouble. His doubts are assured when the married Yaichiro expresses an intention to indulge in Edo’s sensual pleasures while stationed there.
The Twilight Samurai, 2h9
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Action, Historical, Romance
Themes Seafaring films, Sports films, Transport films, Martial arts films, Samurai films
Actors Hiroyuki Sanada, Rie Miyazawa, Nenji Kobayashi, Ren Osugi, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Miki Hirano
Rating80% 4.0470154.0470154.0470154.0470154.047015
At the start of the film, the main character, Iguchi Seibei, becomes a widower when his wife succumbs to tuberculosis. His wife receives a grand funeral, more than what a low-ranking samurai such as Seibei could afford. Seibei works in the grain warehouse, accounting for stores inventory for the samurai clan. His samurai colleagues mock him behind his back with the nickname Tasogare (Twilight). When evening approaches, Seibei rushes home to look after his senile elderly mother and two young daughters, Kayano and Ito, instead of bonding with his supervisor and other samurai colleagues over customary nights of dinner, geisha entertainment, and sake drinking. Even though he is a samurai, Seibei neglects his appearance, failing to bathe and being shabbily dressed. The well-being of his young daughters and medicine for his mother take priority over new clothes or the monthly bath fee and his daughters say they are both happy, even without a mother.
Tora-san to the Rescue, 1h47
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Genres Comedy
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Kiyoshi Atsumi, Chieko Baishō, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Kumiko Gotō, Ruriko Asaoka, Mari Natsuki
Rating69% 3.4579553.4579553.4579553.4579553.457955
Tora san travaille dur pour réunir son neveu, Mitsuo, et la petite amie de celui-ci qui est fiancée à quelqu'un d'autre...
Tora-san's Easy Advice, 1h41
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Genres Comedy
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Kiyoshi Atsumi, Rino Katase, Chieko Baishō, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Riho Makise
Rating64% 3.222573.222573.222573.222573.22257
Mitsuo, mécontent de son nouveau travail de vendeur de chaussures, est invité à un festival et est présenté à la sœur d'un ami. Pendant ce temps, Tora-san aide une femme au foyer blessée pendant ses vacances annuelles.
A Class to Remember, 2h8
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Genres Drama
Actors Toshiyuki Nishida, Keiko Takeshita, Kunie Tanaka, Masato Hagiwara, Kiyoshi Atsumi, Takashi Sasano
Rating69% 3.479043.479043.479043.479043.47904
A cantankerous but loveable high school teacher teaches a night school in a poor neighborhood for adult students on the fringes of Japanese society.
Tora-san's Matchmaker, 1h43
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Genres Comedy
Actors Kiyoshi Atsumi, Keiko Matsuzaka, Chieko Baishō, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Shōgo Shimada, Masami Shimojō
Rating67% 3.3985553.3985553.3985553.3985553.398555
Après avoir échoué à trouver un emploi, Mitsuo devient pêcheur sur une petite île et a le béguin pour une jeune infirmière. Tora-san, envoyé pour ramener Mitsuo à la maison, tombe lui-même amoureux d'une femme séduisante mais troublée qui rend visite à son père.
Tora-san Makes Excuses, 1h41
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Genres Comedy
Actors Kiyoshi Atsumi, Kumiko Gotō, Chieko Baishō, Jun Fubuki, Masatoshi Nagase, Hidetaka Yoshioka
Rating66% 3.309483.309483.309483.309483.30948
Tora-san se lie d'amitié avec une jolie propriétaire de salon de coiffure et tombe sur Izumi. Lorsque Tora-san se tord la cheville, Mitsuo vient s'occuper de lui et voit Izumi. Pendant ce temps, Izumi doit choisir entre son nouveau travail à Tokyo et retourner à Nagoya pour s'occuper de sa mère.
My Sons
My Sons (1991)
, 2h1
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Romance
Actors Rentarō Mikuni, Masatoshi Nagase, Emi Wakui, Miyoko Asada, Mieko Harada, Chosuke Ikariya
Rating74% 3.7241553.7241553.7241553.7241553.724155
The children of old-fashioned patriarch of a family in Iwate Province gather to observe the first anniversary of their mother's death. Tetsuya, working as a bartender in Tokyo, quarrels with his father over the way he is leading his life. Eventually Tetsuya changes his ways and gains the approval of his father.
Tora-san Confesses, 1h44
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Genres Drama, Comedy
Actors Kiyoshi Atsumi, Kumiko Gotō, Chieko Baishō, Chishū Ryū, Mari Natsuki, Hideko Yoshida
Rating66% 3.348573.348573.348573.348573.34857
Izumi vient à Tokyo dans l’espoir d’être embauchée dans un magasin de musique. Mais le divorce de ses parents et le fait que sa mère travaille dans le monde de la nuit font entrave à ses projets.