Synopsis
The actor Koheiji is terribly in love with the wife of his best friend, the playwright Takuro; to get her, he would even kill Takuro.
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The Living Koheiji
Director
Writer
Original Writer
Editor
Cinematography
Composers
Studio
Country
Language
Alternative Titles
Mysterious Story: The Living Koheiji, Kaidan: Ikiteiru Koheiji, 怪异谈：不死的小平次
Releases by Date
Theatrical
-
Japan
Releases by Country
Japan
04 Sep 1982
- Theatrical
Popular reviews
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This was Nobuo Nakagawa final film made in color for ATG in the early 80s, it is very brief but artier than his better-known horror movies although the genre overtones remain. The murderous desire tale is played for murderous entropy with lots of distance effects and great attention to the nature hidden the violence underneath.
Translated from en by Google -
Junko Miyashita, Shôji Ishibashi and Fumihiko Fujima star in a 78 minute drama directed by Nobuo Nakagawa, focusing on three friends , all actors who end up in a love triangle gone bad.
I think we've all probably been here and the setup of the three way love triangle is a staple, especially in Japanese cinema but as with all things it's the execution that matters.
Look at the details on their costumes and makeup, or those scenes in the house, the use of blocking with the curtain or the framing with the doors.
Then there's the quiet, confident slowness of the film, the rare bits of traditional music that the reliance on sound design let in, all adding up…Translated from en by Google -
Charging people a one-kimono subscription for my OnlyFans
Translated from en by Google -
Interesting one, really well shot and acted but I couldn't quite click with it. It has a very theatrical feel (it follows a theatre troupe after all) and it works but I think I was in the wrong mood to fully appreciate. Must revisit.
Translated from en by Google -
Having entered into this film with no knowledge of any large part of it, I found myself charmingly surprising by the 'Art Theatre Guild' logo stamped on the bottom of the title card. And with all things 'Art Theatre Guild', that means we're likely in for a ride which doubles back onto its own meta-theatricality and examines the very question of "life imitating theatre" or vice versa. The opening scenes put this into perspective. Stages shot from angles which expose the points of entry and show perspectives from that of the actors; a trio who act out the dramas between them before it is enacted in real life. What Nakagawa tones down are the presences of…
Translated from en by Google -
Quite an interesting film. A very theatrical ghost story (appropriately enough, as the male leads are a kabuki actor and writer), this horror-drama definitely leans heavily toward the "-drama" part of its genre. Beautifully shot interiors & exteriors, but I don't really see a lot of Nakagawa in the direction here, which feels oddly "made-for-television". Make that "very-well-made-for-television", but still. The trio put in solid performances. I really did like this film, but it feels oddly lacking in something at the same time. Nevertheless, Nakagawa's last work is definitely worth your time and will not disappoint.
Translated from en by Google -
Ménage-a-trois
Of theatrical persons
And theatrical proportions
Between the living and
The maybe living?Translated from en by Google -
A kabuki actor and a playwright, the playwright’s wife, and thus a triangle. A declaration of intention, a murder, and thus a vengeful spirit. Life as passionate and dramatic as the plays they perform. Really living them: moving according to formal staging, verbalising their actions and exposition, repeating lines and leitmotifs. Nice touch
Translated from en by Google -
#JFFAU2019 Classics
GRIEF AND VENGEANCE: OTHERWORLDLY TALES
The Living Koheiji is a very small scale film with only three cast members to support the film. The theatrical style and the interaction between the three characters were great. The tone of this film will not work for everyone and you may very well feel that this film has nothing much too it, but I loved it. It's simple but tells a story very effectively. I liked its simplicity and how it focussed on the relationships of the three characters. It's not realistic but rather an essence of supernatural storytelling that travels further and further away from reality. Some people will really love this film and others will probably be bored out of their minds. This is a beautiful film that I'm glad I watched in 35mm.
Watched at the Domain Theatre as part of the Japanese Film Festival Classics 2019 programme.
35mm
Translated from en by Google