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Taiji Tonoyama is a Actor Japonais born on 17 october 1915 at Kobe (Japon)

Taiji Tonoyama

Taiji Tonoyama
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Nationality Japon
Birth 17 october 1915 at Kobe (Japon)
Death 30 april 1989 (at 73 years)

Taiji Tonoyama (殿山 泰司, Tonoyama Taiji, 1915–1989) was a Japanese character actor who made many appearances in films and on television from 1939 to 1989. He was a close friend of Kaneto Shindo and one of his regular cast members. He was also an essayist. In 1950 he helped form the film company Kindai Eiga Kyokai with Shindo and Kozaburo Yoshimura.

He served in the Japanese military in China in the Second Sino-Japanese War and considered himself to have narrowly escaped from death. He was married but also had a mistress and maintained relationships with both women until the end of his life. He was a keen reader of detective stories and a fan of jazz music. He wrote a series of semi-autobiographical essays under the title Sanmon Yakusha (三文役者), meaning "third rate actor". Kaneto Shindo wrote a biography of Tonoyama called Sanmon yakusha no shi, meaning "The death of a third-rate actor", which he also filmed as By Player.

Best films

Muddy River (1981)
(Actor)
In the Realm of the Senses (1976)
(Actor)

Usually with

Kaneto Shindō
Kaneto Shindō
(29 films)
Shōhei Imamura
Shōhei Imamura
(15 films)
Nobuko Otowa
Nobuko Otowa
(24 films)
Jūkichi Uno
Jūkichi Uno
(14 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Taiji Tonoyama (90 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Black Rain
Black Rain (1989)
, 2h3
Directed by Shōhei Imamura
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, War, Historical
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Aviation films, Political films, Arme nucléaire
Actors Yoshiko Tanaka, Etsuko Ichihara, Keisuke Ishida, Taiji Tonoyama, Akiji Kobayashi, Kenjirō Ishimaru
Roles Old Priest
Rating77% 3.8921053.8921053.8921053.8921053.892105
The film moves between Shizuma Shigematsu's journal entries about Hiroshima in 1945, following the dropping of the atomic bomb, and the present, 1950, when Shigematsu and his wife Shigeko are the guardians for their niece Yasuko and charged with finding her a husband (she has been declined three times due to concerns over her having been in the "black rain" fallout). As the story progresses, Shigematsu sees more and more fellow hibakusha, his friends and family, succumbing to radiation sickness and Yasuko's prospects for marriage become more and more unlikely, as she forms a bond with a poor man named Yuichi, who carves jizo and suffers a form of post-traumatic stress disorder where he attacks passing motor vehicles as "tanks."
Tokyo Pop
Tokyo Pop (1988)

Directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Musical, Romance
Themes Musical films
Actors Carrie Hamilton, Diamond Yukai, Rome Kanda, Taiji Tonoyama, Masumi Harukawa, Hiroshi Mikami
Roles Grandfather
Rating67% 3.389543.389543.389543.389543.38954
This is the story of a girl named Wendy Reed, who leaves the USA and her boyfriend, a musician played by Michael Cerveris, and travels to Tokyo, Japan. She plans to visit a girlfriend but cannot find her. Instead she meets a young man named Hiro (pronounced hero), who is the leader of an unsuccessful pop band. As Wendy is blonde and tall by local standards, she attracts attention. She falls in love with Hiro and develops a music career as the movie advances. With some tricks they manage to catch the eye of a record label producer and achieve success for a short time. The song, which is played throughout, is a cover version from John Sebastian's Do you believe in magic? While they top the charts, there is some luxury in their lives, but the blossoming relationship of the main couple starts breaking apart.
Tomorrow
Tomorrow (1988)

Directed by Kazuo Kuroki
Genres Drama
Actors Kaori Momoi, Shirō Sano, Kunie Tanaka, Yoshio Harada, Wakaba Irie, Natsuko Kahara
Roles Storekeeper
Rating72% 3.613683.613683.613683.613683.61368
On August 9, 1945, the Americans dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki. This film, based on a story by Mitsukaru Inoue, describes the daily life of people in Nagasaki the day before that fateful event. It presents the human drama of people's lives, and their feelings of joy and sadness. These include a newlywed couple, an expectant mother, and lovers who must say farewell because the boy is called to serve in the army. Each of these people, like others in the city, hoped to live with their dreams for ‘tomorrow’. But tomorrow never comes for them, as their lives are brought to an abrupt and unexpected end. Knowing how the story ends, in this case, doesn't detract from it at all; rather, it enhances the emotional impact, which is further heightened by the poignant musical score from Teizo Matsumura. 'Ashita' is the first film in Kazuo Kuroki's 'War Requiem Trilogy,' which also includes 'Utsukushii Natsu Kirishima' (2002) and 'Chichi to Kuraseba' (2004).
Hachiko
Hachiko (1987)
, 1h47
Directed by Seijirō Kōyama
Origin Japon
Genres Drama
Themes Films about animals, Seafaring films, Transport films, Films about dogs, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Takahiro Tamura, Tatsuya Nakadai, Kaoru Yachigusa, Mako Ishino, Hiroyuki Nagato, Shigeru Izumiya
Roles Hashimoto
Rating79% 3.993513.993513.993513.993513.99351
The movie depicts the series of true-to-life events starting from the birth of Hachikō on November 10, 1923 till his death on March 8, 1935.
Zegen
Zegen (1987)
, 2h4
Directed by Shōhei Imamura
Origin Japon
Genres Comedy, Comedy-drama, Historical
Themes Films about sexuality, Erotic films, Films about prostitution, Erotic thriller films
Actors Mitsuko Baishō, Ko Chun-hsiung, Ken Ogata, Tetta Sugimoto, Taiji Tonoyama, Minori Terada
Roles Shimada
Rating68% 3.432263.432263.432263.432263.43226
It is the story of Iheiji Muraoka, who built brothels for the Japanese military.
Black Board
Directed by Kaneto Shindō
Genres Drama
Actors Nobuko Otowa, Taiji Tonoyama, Hisashi Igawa, Maiko Kawakami
Roles the bird watcher
Rating65% 3.2504853.2504853.2504853.2504853.250485
Takeshi Yasui, a junior high school student is found dead in a river. The police investigate it as a murder related to bullying. The dead boy turns out to have been murdered by two of his schoolmates, who he had been bullying.
Tree Without Leaves
Directed by Kaneto Shindō
Genres Drama
Actors Keiju Kobayashi, Nobuko Otowa, Hideji Ōtaki, Taiji Tonoyama, Meiko Kaji
Rating77% 3.8889653.8889653.8889653.8889653.888965
The film is a voiced-over narrative describing the early boyhood of a narrator, who is also depicted as an old man. The narrator describes his relationship with his mother (played by Nobuko Otowa) and his father (played by Ichiro Zaitsu).
The Ballad of Narayama, 2h10
Directed by Shōhei Imamura
Origin Japon
Genres Drama
Themes Films about families, Seafaring films, Transport films, Vieillesse
Actors Ken Ogata, Mitsuko Baishō, Taiji Tonoyama, Nenji Kobayashi
Roles Teruyan
Rating77% 3.895183.895183.895183.895183.89518
The film is set in a small rural village in Japan in the 19th century. According to tradition, once a person reaches the age of 70 he or she must travel to a remote mountain to die of starvation, a practice known as ubasute. The story concerns Orin, who is 69 and of sound health, but notes that a neighbor had to drag his father to the mountain, so she resolves to avoid clinging to life beyond her term. She spends a year arranging all the affairs of her family and village: she severely punishes a family who are hoarding food, and helps her younger son lose his virginity.
Legend of the Eight Samurai, 2h16
Directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Genres Drama, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Horror
Themes Seafaring films, Sports films, Transport films, Martial arts films, Samurai films
Actors Hiroko Yakushimaru, Hiroyuki Sanada, Sonny Chiba, Masaki Kyomoto, Minori Terada, Etsuko Shihomi
Roles Hikojii
Rating63% 3.195493.195493.195493.195493.19549
The story follows Princess Shizu (Hiroko Yakushimaru), her family slain and on the run from her enemies. As she escapes she is found by the vagabond Shinbei (Hiroyuki Sanada), before being rescued from her pursuers by Dōsetsu (Sonny Chiba). He tells her the legend of a curse on her family, and of eight beads that identify eight dog-warriors who can lift it, of which he and his companion are two. To defeat the evil queen Tamazusa (Mari Natsuki) who killed her family, they must find all eight. But Shinbei hears of Princess Shizu's identity, and vows to collect the reward for capturing her.
Dark Room
Dark Room (1983)
, 2h2
Directed by Kirio Urayama
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Erotic, Romance
Themes Films about sexuality, Erotic films, LGBT-related film, Lesbian-related films
Actors Jun Hamamura, Taiji Tonoyama, Minori Terada
Roles Doctor(医師)
Rating54% 2.713812.713812.713812.713812.71381
À l'occasion de la rédaction de son nouvel ouvrage, "Un certain passé", le romancier Shuichi Nakata se remémore un événement intervenu plus de dix ans auparavant.
Tora-san, the Expert, 1h46
Directed by Yōji Yamada
Genres Comedy
Actors Kiyoshi Atsumi, Yūko Tanaka, Chieko Baishō, Masami Shimojō, Kenji Sawada, Yukiji Asaoka
Rating66% 3.3181053.3181053.3181053.3181053.318105
Tora-san gets into an argument with his uncle and sets out on the road again. In Kyushu he meets a young woman named Keiko and the shy zoologist Saburō, and attempts to play matchmaker between the two when they all return to Tokyo.
A Pool Without Water, 1h43
Directed by Kōji Wakamatsu
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Crime, Romance
Actors Yūya Uchida, Kenji Sawada, Rikiya Yasuoka, Yoshio Harada, Taiji Tonoyama, Fujio Akatsuka
Roles Pharmacist
Rating66% 3.333393.333393.333393.333393.33339
Un poinçonneur de billet de train à la vie ennuyeuse, sauve un soir une jeune fille des mains de deux hommes qui veulent abuser d'elle. Petit à petit, il va nourrir des fantasmes sur elle, avant de s'adonner à un nouveau plaisir, celui de s'introduire chez des jeunes filles la nuit pour les violer. En repartant, il nettoie et prépare le déjeuner. Il fait ainsi naître des sentiments confus chez sa victime.
Edo Porn
Edo Porn (1981)
, 1h59
Directed by Kaneto Shindō
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Documentary, Historical
Themes Films about sexuality, Erotic films
Actors Ken Ogata, Nobuko Otowa, Toshiyuki Nishida, Yūko Tanaka, Kanako Higuchi, Frankie Sakai
Roles Tattooist
Rating64% 3.229243.229243.229243.229243.22924
Tetsuzō (Ken Ogata) is an unsuccessful ukiyo-e painter who lives with his young daughter Ōei (Yūko Tanaka) in poverty over a geta shop owned by Ōyaku (Nobuko Otowa), the older wife of the aspirant writer Sashichi (Toshiyuki Nishida) who is a childhood friend of Tetsuzō.
Fruits of Passion, 1h23
Directed by Shūji Terayama
Origin France
Genres Drama, Erotic, Comedy, Pornographic
Themes Films about sexuality, Erotic films, BDSM in films, Films about prostitution, Erotic thriller films
Actors Klaus Kinski, Isabelle Illiers, Arielle Dombasle, Hitomi Takahashi, Toshiya Fujita, Miyuki Ono
Roles Customer
Rating53% 2.654192.654192.654192.654192.65419
The lead characters of the Story of O and Retour à Roissy novels, Sir Stephen and O, are placed in southern China where Sir Stephen owns a casino. Sir Stephen places O in a Chinese brothel for "training" and O is then subjected to a variety of humiliating experiences to prove her unconditional obedience. A sub-plot concerns a coolie rebellion due to the resentment towards Europeans by the local population and a young man desperate to afford O's favors at the brothel.