#japanese-cinema

#japanese-cinema

The significance of kabuki in Japanese society - the dynasties of famous actors who pass down their stage name to male heirs, the allegorical play structures, and the intensive technique men follow while playing female roles - makes it a ripe source of melodrama and stylistic invention for Japanese artists who have been inspired and impacted by classical theatre.

The film is a mighty Cain-and-Abel drama spanning five decades, set in the rarefied world of kabuki theatre where some of the most exotically prized performers are the onnagata.

A three-hour-long period drama about kabuki, a centuries-old form of Japanese theater, doesn't exactly sound like box office gold. But that's exactly what happened with Kokuho. Director Lee Sang-il's adaptation of the Shuichi Yoshida novel of the same name was a surprise hit last year, becoming Japan's top-grossing live-action film domestically. But star Ken Watanabe - a veteran actor known for Hollywood movies like Inception and Detective Pikachu - initially didn't think it was a good idea.

Brendan Fraser's career renaissance continues with an Oscar win, and his new film Rental Family will be featured as the American Express gala at the BFI London Film Festival.

A Page of Madness by Teinosuke Kinugasa, a landmark silent film, showcases remarkable visual audacity through its unique storytelling technique and innovative cinematic style.

In the pain and anger of his grief, everyone sounds vapid and dumb, their words meaningless blah-blah-blah.