Jūzō Itami

Born: 1933-05-15

Jūzō Itami (1933–1997) was a Japanese actor and, later, a popular modern screenwriter and film director. Many critics came to regard him as Japan's greatest director since Akira Kurosawa. His ten feature-length movies and one short film, all of which he wrote himself, are comic satires on elements of Japanese culture. He was murdered by the yakuza in December 1997.


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Lord Jim

as Waris
Released: 1965-02-15

After being discredited as a coward, a 19th century seaman lives for only one purpose: to redeem...

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55 Days at Peking

as Col. Shiba
Released: 1963-05-06

Diplomats, soldiers and other representatives of a dozen nations fend off the siege of the...

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Sing a Song of Sex

as Ôtake
Released: 1967-02-23

Four sexually hungry high school students preparing for their university entrance exams meet up...

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Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance

as Ransui Tokunaga
Released: 1974-06-15

Lady Snowblood is caught by the police and sentenced to death for her crimes. As she is sent to...

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Play it, Boogie-Woogie

as Lawyer
Released: 1981-04-07

A runaway cat-loving girl begins a love triangle with a reckless older man and a young biker in...

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Bumpkin Soup

as Professor Hirayama
Released: 1985-11-03

A country girl visits Tokyo in search of her college heartthrob. Here she meets horny students,...

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The Makioka Sisters

as Tatsuo
Released: 1983-05-21

This sensuously beautiful film chronicles the activities of four sisters who gather in Kyoto...

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Grass Labyrinth

as Principal / Priest / Old man
Released: 1979-01-01

Akira is haunted by a "bouncing ball" song that he remembers his mother singing when he was a...

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The Family Game

as Mr. Numata
Released: 1983-05-04

A sendup of the stereotypical Japanese family: dad is a salaryman jerk, unable to relate to...

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Sweet Home

as Kenichi Yamamura
Released: 1989-01-21

A TV production crew are making a documentary about the infamous painter Mamiya Ichiro. When...

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By a Man's Face Shall You Know Him

as Shunji Amemiya
Released: 1966-03-23

Also known as "History of a Man’s Face" and "By a Man's Face Shall You Know Him" . Immigrant...

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No More Easy Life

as Takamizawa
Released: 1979-12-25

Mariko is living the life of a typical Japanese college student in the 70's, spending far more...

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Private Collections

as (segment "Kusa-Meikyu")
Released: 1979-06-27

Three stories. A solitary sailor falls from his boat and washes ashore on a tropical island....

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Her Brother

as Son of Factory owner
Released: 1960-11-01

Set in 1926 when Japanese tradition was much stronger, this drama looks at the inner workings of...

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Human Torpedoes

as uncredited
Released: 1968-01-03

Story of loyal sailors giving their lives for their country as human torpedoes towards the end...

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Make-Up

as Kumakura
Released: 1984-05-02

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Until Evening

as Sasa
Released: 1980-09-20

Intellectual collegue professor Sasa becomes obsessed with beautiful Sugiko, a virgin....

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The Young Eagles of the Kamikaze

as uncredited
Released: 1968-06-01

The film is dedicated to the souls of flight school graduates killed in World War II. Young boys...

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The Making of "Tampopo"

as Self
Released: 1986-01-01

Documentary about the making of Juzo Itami's film "Tampopo" (1985).

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The Big Wave

as Toru
Released: 1961-04-02

Yukio, a farm boy, and Toru, a fisherboy, live in a small Japanese village that is periodically...

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The Flame of Devotion

as Takuji Yoshii
Released: 1964-11-22

The tragic tale of Kiyono, a young woman from the mountain who fell in love with Takuji, a...

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Baian the Assassin

as Sahei Oumiya
Released: 1981-04-11

This is an ensemble period drama adapted from Shotaro Ikenami's popular novel, featuring the...

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Convenience Jack

as uncredited
Released: 1992-01-18

A youth action drama depicting the struggles of a young man who gets involved in an...

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Choji Snack Bar

as Kawara
Released: 1983-11-12

Eiji lives a quiet life running a small Izakaya with his wife. He spends his days cooking for...

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Safari 5000

as uncredited
Released: 1969-07-19

A Japanese racing driver for Nissan named Godai (Yujiro Ishihara) have a rivalry with a French...

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Ten Dark Women

as Hanamaki
Released: 1961-05-03

Kaze is a philandering TV producer. His wife and nine of his mistresses conspire to kill him....

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The False Student

as Sozo
Released: 1960-10-08

A youth drama set in a Japanese university which is home to a group of active, leftist students.

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Team of Ruffians

as uncredited
Released: 1969-09-19

Prisoners with special skills from all over Japan are sent to the battlefront on a mission.

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Making of Daibyonin

as Self
Released: 1993-01-01

A behind-the-scenes look at the creative process behind Juzo Itami's "Daibyonin" a.k.a. "The...

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Heat Wave Island

as Iino
Released: 1969-10-29

Otowa is a former Seto Inland Sea island farmer who has moved to the mainland in order to find...

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Even If Life Withers

as Shinji Sakaguchi
Released: 1968-10-25

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My Way

as Dr. Takagi
Released: 1974-09-07

Based on a true story, an elderly woman resiliently spends nine months attempting to retrieve...

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The Gentle Japanese

as uncredited
Released: 1971-03-05

A survivor of the tragic mass suicides on Tokashiki Island in 1945 falls in love with a...

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MacArthur's Children

as Hatano
Released: 1984-06-23

In this drama at the end of World War II, the inhabitants of a small Japanese fishing village...

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Kidnapping Blues

as Walking Man
Released: 1982-10-09

A man and a little girl meet in a bicycle parking in Tokyo. The little girl says she wants to...

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Parole

as Kenji Kijima
Released: 1967-10-21

Three men vs. gangsters in a fight involving smuggled gold.

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Making of Marusa No Onna 2

as Self
Released: 1988-05-20

A behind-the-scenes look at the creative process behind Juzo Itami's "Marusa no Onna 2" a.k.a....

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Island of the Evil Spirits

as Ryuhei Ochi
Released: 1981-10-03

Famous detective Kosuke Kindaichi follows a dying man's words to an enigmatic island, where he...

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I Am a Cat

as Meitei
Released: 1975-05-31

Nakadai is an English teacher at a local school. He’s put-upon like the patron figure of dozens...

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北の国から 記憶 前編

as uncredited
Released: 2003-08-23

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Juzo Itami: The Man with 13 Faces

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2007-01-01

A documentary about the legendary Japanese filmmaker.

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Rubber Band Pistol

as uncredited
Released: 1962-10-22

Jūzō Itami's debut short film, concerning a group of unique young people in the high economic...

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A Young Man's Stronghold

as uncredited
Released: 1970-04-04

A 1970 juvenile delinquent drama.

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The Notorious Concubines

as Ximen Qing
Released: 1968-09-27

Dark, cynical Japanese epic brought to U.S. in a dubbed version by shlockmeister Harry Novak....

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Kirai Kirai Kirai

as uncredited
Released: 1960-02-24

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Making of Marusa No Onna

as Self
Released: 1987-08-01

A behind-the-scenes look at the creative process behind Juzo Itami's "Marusa no Onna" a.k.a. "A...

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Making of Minbo No Onna

as Self
Released: 1992-01-01

A behind-the-scenes look at the creative process behind Juzo Itami's "Minbo no Onna" a.k.a....

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Onna no naka no akuma

as uncredited
Released: 1982-07-17

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The Making of A-Ge-Man

as Self
Released: 1990-01-01

A behind-the-scenes look at the creative process behind Juzo Itami's "A-Ge-Man" a.k.a. "Tales of...

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Shirayuri Girls' Academy Western Archery Club: A Silver Target

as uncredited
Released: 1991-01-01

An archery club on retreat in Hokkaido is forced to rescue their teacher who is kidnapped.

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Sweet Secret

as uncredited
Released: 1971-08-25

A dynamic woman who aspires to be a writer, living a wild life in constant search of freedom...

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Itami Juzo Museum's "13"

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2011-11-25

A documentary about the Juzo Itami memorial museum in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture on the island...

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Toge no Gunzo

as uncredited
First aired: 1982-01-10

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Kodawari Otoko to Marusa no Onna

as Self (archive footage)
First aired: 2012-02-24

2012 NHK drama based on the Juzo Itami film "A Taxing Woman" (Marusa no Onna).

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