Hoga News

"The Star of Prefectural Government" - OK result for a dead "love comedy" genre

"Kencho no Hoshi" (literally "The Star of Prefectural Government"), a love comedy starring Yuji Oda and Kou Shibasaki, opens last weekend at the top of the box office, making 290 mil. yen.  The result is 21% of Oda's legendary hit "Bayside Shakedown 2", and Mr. Texas estimates the final box office count as 1.5-2 billion yen.  This level is not bad for hogas, but may be a bit disappointing for the people expected the repeat of "Bayside" series success.

Mr. Texas points out that "love comedy" genre is now much smaller compared to early 90's, when so-called "trendy dramas", love stories of urban-trendy men and women, were popular on TV, and it also overflew to movies.  I guess the same thing can be said about the U.S. - we don't see Meg Ryan love comedies / date movies anymore on the screen.  So he thinks that the result is not bad at all considering this phenomenon, with the star-power of Oda and Shibasaki.

Source:  Kogyo Tsushin, Movie Consultant Blog

"Fearless" Japan premiere photos and a trailer

"Fearless" (Japanese title "SPIRIT") was screened at Japan Premiere held in Tokyo on Feb. 27.  Jet Li and Shido Nakamura appeared on stage.  Li said that Nakamura continued acting even when Li's weapon hit him in the head at the filming of the final match scene.  Japanese K-1 wrestler Musashi (far left on the photo), who has been Li's fan since his debut, visited the event and was super delighted when Li gave him a kung-fu uniform.

Masato Harada, a film director who also appeared in "The Last Samurai" as an actor, plays a supporting role in "Fealess" as well, and joined the stars on the Japan Premiere stage.

"Fearless" will be released in Japan on March 18.  Japanese video trailer is available here (click "SPIRIT")

Source:  MSN Mainichi (scroll down and click thumbnails to see more photos)

"Death Note" filming in Fukuoka subway

Filmization of the popular video game "Death Note", directed by Shusuke Kaneko, is currently under production.  SANSPO reports that the filming was done recently in live subway system in Fukuoka city during the normal operation hours, the first time in Japan.

As a subway scene in popular hoga, "Negotiator Mashita Masayoshi" comes to my mind.  The story utilized one of the urban legends in Tokyo subways, that there are many secret connection lines between the regular Tokyo Metro Subway lines.  The subway scenes of "Negotiator" were filmed in Kobe, Yokohama, Sapporo and others, but I guess those were filmed during the off-hours.

In "Death Note", the leading actor Ryuya Fujiwara ("Battle Royale") who plays the genius college student and the FBI agent played by Shigeki Hosokawa had to squeeze their 53 scenes during the 4 round-trips of 25 minutes each.

Source:  SANSPO.com

Joe Odagiri is welcome in Japan and Korea

Joe Odagiri's new film "Big River", entered in Berlin competition, was screened in Japan on Feb. 23.  It is the first all-English movie for Odagiri.  He spoke on the stage, "At first , I felt a bit alienated from the American staff, but at the end, I felt everyone loved me.  My English was not perfect till the end, but acting is not just language."  As a side note, he studied acting in California for some time in the past.  "Big River" is scheduled to be released in May in Japan.

Source:  ZAKZAK, Nikkan Sports

Korean online media also reports about Joe Odagiri today, about his visit to Korea in March for promotion of "Maison de Himiko", together with Director Isshin Inudo.  Odagiri is known in Korea for "Blood and Bones" (2004), with which he won Japan Academy Supporting Actor Award, playing the illigitimate son of a Korean immigrant.  Also Seijun Suzuki's "Raccoon Princess", starring Odagiri and Zhang Ziyi, received good reviews in Pusan Film Festival last year.  The article says that Odagiri and Satoshi Tsumabuki are the most popular Japanese stars in Korea.

Source:  Innolife.net

Joe Odagiri's Filmography:  "Blood and Bones", "Maison de Himiko", "Raccoon Princess"

Takashi Sorimachi to star in "Blue Wolf" - take note that it is different from "Mongol"

Haruki Kadokawa's next big film project, "Blue Wolf", will feature his recent hit "YAMATO" star Takashi Sorimachi.  It is reported that Kadokawa loved Sorimachi's majestic acting in "YAMATO" and decided to take him up again.  Heroin Kuran (don't know the English spelling), Genghis-Khan's life-time love, will be selected by an audition, headed by partner Avex's vice president.  The filming will start from June 2006 and is expected to open in Japan next spring at 350 screens, widest opening ever for hogas (Japanese movies).

As a side note, actress Nanako Matsushima, about whom I just wrote an article a few days ago, is Sorimachi's wife.

Source:  SANSPO.COM

In the meantime, there is another Genghis-Khan movie starred by a Japanese actor, so don't get mixed up with it.  Sergei Bodrov's "MONGOL", joint project among Russia, China, Mongol and Khazakhstan, is focusing on young days of Temudjin (Genghis-Khan), and this Khan is played by Tadanobu Asano.  The first stage of filming was over last year, but they will take some more scenes this spring and summer, and the film is aiming at entering Cannes FIlm Festival in 2007.  Asano said in May 2005 at a press conference in Cannes, "I was interested in this movie because it is by Russian director and Japanese actor, with no Monglian around, and still it is about Genghis-Khan.  I played Yoshitsune Minamoto once before (in a hoga "Gojo Reisenki"), and an old Japanese legend says Yoshitsune fled to Mongol and became Genghis-Khan, so I thought it should be fun to do it."

Source:  MSN Asia Eiga Tokushu, Flix movie site

"Kamataki" is awarded Berlin Special Mention

A Japanese-Canadian joint production movie "Kamataki", directed by Claude Gagnon and starring Matt Smiley, Tatsuya Fuji and Kazuko Yoshiyuki, wins Special Mention award at Berlin Film Festival's youth film Competition.  "Kamataki" (literally "Ceramic Artist") is a story about a Japanese-Canadian young man and a Japanese ceramic artist, filmed in Shiga Prefectur in Japan.

The Japanese veteran Tatsuya Fuji, who is best known internationally for his leading role in "In the Realm of the Senses" ("Ai no Corrida", 1976), is a devoted ceramic artist himself.  His recent films include "Bright Future" (2003), "Umizaru" (2004) and "Rikidozan".

Source:  Nikkan Sports, Berlinale Press Release, Wikipedia

Nanako Matsushima to star in "Inugami-ke"

Nanako Matsushima is known for her star role in the original  "Ring" series, but has not been in the movies since "White Out" 6 years ago.  Since having a baby, she has come back to TV dramas, and played the killer in the real final of "Furuhata Ninzaburo Final" ealier this year.  Now, she is playing a major role in the remake of high-profile thriller "Inugami-ke", by director Kon Ichikawa.

The producer of "Inugami-ke", Takashige Ichinose, is the one who recruited Matsushima for "Ring", and he was determined to get her for the new Inugami-ke, because "she is not only beautiful, but also has a nice voice and charisma to attract people."  Matsushima will play the role of Tamayo Nonomiya, who holds the key to the mystery surrounding a will that triggers the serial murder.

Filming will start in April and the release of the movie is scheduled in 2007.

Source:  Sponichi

"YAMATO" gets first international distribution, and "Babel" going to Cannes

Screen Daily (subscription required) reports that mega-hit WWII drama "YAMATO", starring Takashi Sorimachi and Shido Nakamura, got the first Western Europe distribution in Benelux, and they are still negotiating the deals in France and Germany.

According to the same article, "Babel", in which Koji Yakusho appears along with Brad Pitt, will be heading to Cannes this year.

More Ken Watanabe's works available overseas

Twitch writes a review of DVD "Baian the Assasin Vol. 1", TV drama starring Ken Watanabe, which just came out on Jan. 17.  "Vol. 2" is scheduled to be released on March 28.

Watanabe's new film "Ashita no Kioku" (literally "Tomorrow's Memory"), in which he also works as an executive producer, is also marketed at Berlin looking for distribution, according to Screen Daily (suscription required).　　The film is the first leading role movie for Watanabe, surprisingly (scroll down to the bottom 6/16/2005 news), and is scheduled to be released in Japan on May 13, 2006.

Please also refer to  "Ken Watanabe's DVD Recommendations" on Hoga Central for more of his past movies/dramas.

One Salaryman film down

"The Excellent Company", a corporate drama starring Kiichi Nakai and Takeshi Kaga made only 28.7 million yen last weekend, less than 1/3 of "YAMATO" in its 9th week.  The critics have been pretty harsh on this one as well.  Unfortunately, Toei could not string hits after recovery from a long slump with "YAMATO".

Another coprorate drama "Kencho no Hoshi" (literally "Star of Prefectural Government") is waiting on the wing, starring Yuji Oda and Kou Shibasaki, with a hit-maker duo Toho and Fuji TV.  Let's see how Japanese salaryman (and others) like the next one.

Source:  Movie Consultant Blog