IFFR 2025
30 Jan – 9 Feb 2025

      NL

      Suzuki Seijun

      SUZUKI Seijun (1923-2017, Japan), visionary master of the Japanese B-movie, was hired by production company Shochiku in Ofuna as a cameraman and assistant director, after studying film at the Kamakura Academy for two years. In 1954, he moved to Nikkatsu and initially flourished with his colourful, genre-bending yakuza films. His exclusive relationship with Nikkatsu came to an abrupt end in 1967 with the extravagant Branded to Kill: the company president claimed Suzuki's films were 'incomprehensible' to viewers and fired the director. Out of sheer necessity, he worked for television for several years. Suzuki returned to directing in 1977, but it wasn’t until 1980 that he finally gained recognition and success with his self-produced Zigeunerweisen. During his career Suzuki made about four films a year, leaving behind an extensive body of work. Today, his films of the 1960s are considered some of the best of the Japanese New Wave cinema.

      Filmography

      Minato no kanpei: shouri o wagate/Harbour Toast: Victory is in Our Grasp (aka Cheers at the Harbour - Triumph in Our Hands) (1956), Hozuna Wa Utau : Umi No Junjou/Pure Emotions of the Sea (1956), Akuma No Machi/Satan's Town (1956), Ukikusa No Yado/Inn Of The Floating Weeds (1957), Hachijikan No Kyoufu/Eight Hours of Terror (1957), Rajo To Kenjuu/The Naked Woman and The Gun (1957), Ankokugai No Bijo/Beauty of the Underworld (1958), Fumihazushita Haru/The Spring That Didn't Come (1958), Aoi Chibusa/Young Breasts (1958), Kagenaki Koe/The Voice Without a Shadow (1958), Rabu Retaa/Love Letter (1959), Ankoku No Ryoken/Passport to Darkness (1959), Suppadaku No Nenrei/Age Of Nudity (1959), Sono Gosousha O Nerae/Aim at The Police Van (1960), Kemo No Nemuri/Sleep of the Beast (1960), Mikkou Zero Line / Clandestine Zero Line (1960), Subete Ga Kurutteru/Everything Goes Wrong (1960), Kutabare Gurentai / Fighting Delinquents (1960), Tokyo Kishitai/Tokyo Knights (1961), Muteppou Taishou/Reckless Boss (aka The Big Boss Who Needs No Gun) (1961), Sandanjuu No Otoko/The Man With the Hollow-Tip Bullets (aka Shottogan No Otoko/The Man With a Shotgun) (1961), Touge O Wataru Wakai Kaze/New Wind Over the Mountain (aka The Wind-Of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass) (1961), Chi Ni Somete/Blood Red Water in the Channel Kaikyou, (aka Bloody Channel) (1961), Hyakuman Doru O Tatakidase/Million Dollar Match (aka Million Dollar Smash and Grab) (1961), Yakuza/High-Teen (1962), Ore Ni Kaketa Yatsura/Those Who Bet On Me (1962), Tantei Jimusho 23: Kutabare Akutoudomo/Detective Bureau 23: Go To Hell, Bastards (1963), Yajuu No Seishun/Youth of the Beast (1963), Akutarou/Bastard (1963), Kanto Mushuku/Kanto Wanderer (1963), Hana To Dotou/The Flower and the Angry Waves (1964), Nikutai No Mon/Gate of Flesh (1964), Oretachi No Chi Ga Yurusanai/Our Blood Won't Allow It (1965), Shunpuden/Story of a Prostitute (1965), Akutarouden: Warui Hoshi No Shita Demo/Stories of Bastards: Despite Being Born Under a Bad Star (1965), Irezumi Ichidai/One Generation of Tattoos (a.k.a. Life of a Tattooed Man) (1965), Carmen from Kawachi Kawachi Karumen (1966), Tokyo Nagaremono/Tokyo Drifter (1966), Kenka Erejii/Elegy to Violence (1966), Koroshi No Rakuin/Branded to Kill (1967), Aisaikun Konban Wa - Aru Kettou/Good Evening Dear Husband. A Duel (1968, tv), Otoko No Naka Ni Wa Tori Ga Iru/There's a Bird Inside a Man (1969, tv), Miira No Koi/ A Mummy's Love (1970, tv), Hishuu Monogatari/Tales of Sorrow and Sadness (1977), Ana No Kiba/The Fang in the Hole (1979), Tsigoineruwaizen/Zigeunerweisen (1980), Chin Shunshin No Shinjuu No Tsume/Chen Wuchen's 'The Nail of the Holy Beast' (1980), Mirage Theatre Kagero-za (1981), Hana Fubuki - Honou Ni Mau Ichiban Matoi/Storm of Falling Petals - Banner of a Fireman in the Flames (1981, vid), Seijun Sakura Hensou/Cherry Blossoms in Spring (1983, tv), Kazoku No Sentaku - Anata No Teishi O Koroshite Ageru/The Choice of a Family - I'll Kill Your Husband for You (1983, vid), Kapone Ohi Ni Naku/Capone Cries Hard (1985), Rupan Sansei - Babyron No Ougon Densetsu/Lupin III. The Golden Legend of Babylon (1985, tv, co-dir. with Shigetsugu Yoshida), Yumeji (1991), Marriage Kekkon (1993, co-dir. with Hideo Onchi and Hiroshi Nagao), Pisutoru opera/Pistol Opera (2001), Operetta tanukigoten/Princess Raccoon (2005)

      Suzuki Seijun at IFFR