Glory to the Filmmaker! (ばんざい! / 監督・ばんざい!)

BANDAI VISUAL, TOKYO FM DENTSU, TV ASAHI

and OFFICE KITANO Production

Now, I'll move the platform.

Hold your breath.

Please relax.

Producers: Masayuki MORI and Takio YOSHIDA

Cinematography: Katsumi YANAGIJIMA

Lighting Design by Hitoshi TAKAYA

Production Design by Norihiro ISODA

Sound Design by Senji HORIUCHI

Line Producer: Shinji KOMIYA

Music by Shin-ichiro IKEBE

Have you caught a cold recently?

Anyone in your family had cancer?

Tell him to come himself next time.

It all began with a gangster film like this one.

10.000 yen cooperation fee every month?

Sign the contract?

You're full of shit, you dirty bastard.

That's right.

You refuse?

Damn right, you bastard.

Get out of town.

Gangster films like that are what Kitano does best.

Of all things, this dumb director

in his interviews here and abroad

proclaimed never to make another gangster film.

He's used to making gangster films

and had some box-office successes

but since he said he wouldn't

he simply can't make them anymore.

That said,

showing that violent scene doesn't make much sense.

In a return to more traditional Japanese cinema

Like Ozu, idolized by directors like Wim Wenders,

Kitano decided to shoot the life of the common folk.

A heart-warming drama with no violence.

RETIREMENT

Happy Retirement.

From tomorrow you can do as you like.

Working for that company was everything.

I don't know what to do now.

Why? You have your wife.

You could do something for her.

Where's Mr. Takagi today?

We were drinking till just now

but he took off.

He probably thought you should go home early today.

Sure you only want tea?

Yes. I already ate.

Happy Retirement.

Where's Akiko?

Not home yet.

She's late.

I wonder what happened.

She always calls when she's going to be late.

What's the matter?

I'll go and check.

Something must have happened at the office.

But she's not a child anymore.

Is something wrong?

Who wants to see

a boring film spending 30 minutes

on just drinking liquor and tea!

Nowadays, terms like "common folk" and "sentiments" don't count much.

What remains are only the filthy rich and the poor.

Anyway, that man didn't look like a retiring, hard-working office worker.

More like an illiterate laborer!

And compared to Ozu's works

the film was also criticized for "lacking class."

For mainstream appeal, a love story is a must.

Kitano has not yet made a tearjerker love story.

That's it! That's what he can do!

THE DOOR OF RECOLLECTIONS

The idea was by a screenwriter we knew.

It's the story of a man who loses his memory

and the woman devoted to helping him regain it.

A story of love...

Remember this place?

I came here with my friends when I was a student.

We knew from where the Jomon Period was derived,

but we had no idea about the origins of the Yayoi Period.

You were standing nearby.

"It's named after the town where a shell mound was found."

That's what you told us.

We were convinced you worked at the museum.

You showed us around here all day after that.

Only later did you tell me that you didn't work here.

You were just here on your day off.

But the screenplay was missing its second half.

We asked the writer about it.

He said he had lost his memory.

The project was aborted.

To begin shooting without a complete script

was absolutely ridiculous, and Kitano was again scolded.

But he didn't give up on making a tearjerker.

Then came the story of the artist, blinded in an accident, and his student

who helps him become the artist he once was.

A moving love story.

Sir.

The rain has turned the sky and sea gray.

We can come here on a sunny day.

The screenplay was flawless to the end.

But the production designer said

he had no idea how a painting by a blind artist should look.

We discussed it, but no one knew.

The project was aborted.

Why all these films about women so devoted to men?

Why not make films about men devoted to women?

So we decided to make a tragic love story

titled "The Chauffeur's Romance."

Your chauffeur's great. He always waits outside the car.

Well, he's kind of weird.

I tell him to wait in the car

but he waits outside.

Makes me feel guilty.

Maybe he likes you.

How can you say that?

You never know.

That would be a problem.

I agree.

It is a problem.

We thought so, too.

A chauffeur-and-princess romance

wouldn't get anywhere.

something spicier.

A crook and a boutique girl might work better.

He's here again.

Another gangster character!

What we've been trying so hard to avoid!

What sort of films do people want to see?

Looking at the world film market,

ethnic and nostalgic pieces are popular.

A film reminiscing the mid-50s was a big hit in Japan.

The 50s to the 60s were Kitano's childhood years.

Kitano said, "Nobody knows that period better than me."

"I'll show you a real 50s piece." That's how it started...

What are you doing?

I'm taking this.

That's my car. You can't just take it.

Someone dropped it here.

What? I parked it here.

This car wasn't dropped here.

The car is parked here.

So it's yours?

Yes, so please...

What are you doing?

You bum!

I found it!

I parked it here.

Gimme money.

What are you saying?

Don't touch my car!

Help! Call the police!

Hey, you snob!

I say he found it!

Finder gets 20%.

Nonsense!

I'll settle for 2,000 yen.

Scram.

I'll never come back to this dump!

COAL-TAR & RIKIDOZAN

Honey.

Don't strain your eyes. Eat this and go to bed.

Thanks.

Making him study outside to save on electricity!

To spend money on booze!

Why should a house painter study?

You paint houses because you didn't study!

What did you say?

I feed this family!

How dare you!

I work day and night

to earn your booze money!

I'll teach you!

You bitch!

Masao, go to bed.

I'm your husband!

Who do you think you are?

Wife beater!

You only care about the kids.

I'll show you who I am!

All you do is drink!

What did you say, bitch?

Who do you think you are?

I'm your husband.

Masao.

I made you rice-balls.

Thanks, Mom.

Back to work!

Come on. Back to work!

Who was that?

The junk collector's son.

Remember? We beat him up.

A challenge to a duel.

.00

Which shall I choose?

Hurry up, I haven't got all day.

Come on. Just choose one.

That one?