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Japanese Movie Listing - R
It's amazing how many great Japanese movies begin with the letter R. Rashomon counts as one of those, and Ran is very high on my list as well. Ran is a retelling of the King Lear story and features gorgeous cinematography. Well worth owning.Rage of Honor (1986) The story is simple: DEA Agent Shiro Tanaka (played by Sho Kosugi) seeks to honor his partner by getting his murderer. "He will go anywhere, do anything, and stop at nothing. His mission: to avenge the dead." A great martial arts film, and Sho's last "ninja" film. The ninja craze was nearly over, and Sho wanted to branch out. He uses a wide variety of ninja weapons and gadgets, sort of a ninja 007, a ninja avenger if you will. One martial arts magazine even called him 00-SHO. Although it is never revealed in the film that he is a ninja, the weapons and skills he uses speak volumes. He also battles ninjas on two occasions, and defeats them easily. The fights are great as always. There are more stunts than in his previous films, and the action quota is upgraded. -- Richard) [Daniel Richard]
 | Ran (1985) 160m. This is a LONG and brilliant movie - be sure to have your popcorn and soda ready before you begin. It is the story of King Lear - an old father who wants his 3 sons to divide up his land and care for him in his old age. Nothing goes as plans and the battle sequences are amazing. There are also long scenes of clouds drifting across the sky, so it is a movie to be patient with. There are MANY memorable lines. D: Akira Kurosawa. |
 | Rashomon (1951) 88m Superlative study of truth and human nature. Four people witness a rape - all tell varying accounts of what happened, each putting their own point of view and spin forward as "the truth". Music from Ravel's Bolero. Oscar: Best Foreign Film. D: Akira Kurosawa. This movie was remade in the US as 'The Outrage'. |
 | Rebellion (Joiuchi) (1967) 120m. Powerful social critic Masaki (Human Condition ) Kobayashi uses the period form for a devastating attack on feudalism: his lord forces retainer Toshiro Mifune's son Takeshi Kato to marry the lord's own discarded mistress Yoko Tsukasa, then after they have found happiness demands her return. The incredibly built-up tension is orgasmically released in Mifune's-or anybody else's-most dramatically powerful one-against-all fight. In the final sequence, one of the cinema's greatest images: the wounded Mifune's bracing himself with his sword to rise. Winner of Japan's Oscar equivalent for Best Film. Directed by Masaki Kobayashi. Written by Shinobu Hashimoto, from the novel by Yasuhiko Takiguchi. With: Mifune, Tsukasa, Kato, Tatsuya Nakadai. B&W, Japanese with English subtitles. [Daniel Richard] Also called "Samurai Rebellion" |
 | Red Beard (1965) 185m A very long movie with an intermission. A strong-willed but caring doctor nicknamed Red Beard (Toshiro Mifune) runs a clinic in a poor part of town. A young intern is forced to join the clinic against his will, but Red Beard slowly shows him that the work is worth doing. Many long stories showing that "everyone suffers". D: Akira Kurosawa |
Red Lion (Akage) (1969)
Toshiro Mifune is the magnificent "Red Lion" who, with his scarlet mane, impersonates a military officer and returns to his village in grand style, only to discover that he is to be the great one who will liberate his followers from an oppressive government for a glorious three days. After ten years absence from his home working as a military officer's horse tender, the bumbling Gonzo finds his town overrun by a deceitful government. His former sweetheart has been forced into prostitution to pay her family's taxes. Parents are being imprisoned and their children left to fend as street urchins. Sent in to pave the way for this new order, Gonzo instead takes it upon himself to halve the land taxes and oppose his own troops. Director Kihachi Okamoto artfully moves the scintillating story from its humorous beginning to its bloody, action charged ending with exciting death scenes involving sword and gun.
 | Red Sun (1972 - Ital/Fr/Span) Mifune Toshiro, Charles Bronson, Ursela Andress, Alain Delon. Mifune as a Japanese samurai (ronin?) searching for family sword, who gets embroiled with cowboy Bronson while travelling through the American Southwest. Strange to see Mifune out of his element; his talents are largely wasted foiling for Bronson, but worth seeing. [Gavin Hougham ] |
Red Sun Rising (1994)
A half American half Japanese police officer comes to America in his quest to bring down the Yakuza. Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Terry Farrell, Mako.
Renegade Ninja (1984)
In 17th Century Japan, a group of renegade ninja led by Yukimura Sanada seek to assassinate Lord Ieyasu Tokugawa. Dubbed into English. Kensaku Morita, Yoko Akino.
Return of the Streetfighter (Satsujin-Ken 2) (1975)
Terry Suguri (played by Shinichi "Sonny" Chiba) is back for more martial arts action in this sequel to "The Street Fighter".
Revenge of the Ninja (1983)
The story begins in Japan. A band of ninja assassins attack a Japanese family and kill everyone. A few minutes later Cho Osaki (played by Sho Kosugi) and his American friend (played by Arthur Roberts) arrive on the scene. The ninja assassins attack them, but Cho Osaki, also a ninja, defeats them all. Soon after, he discovers that his baby infant has miraculously been spared from the massacre. Bradden convinces Cho to move to the U.S. Five years later, Cho opens a Japanese gallery in Los Angeles. What follows is a slew of mafia / yakuza dealings and double-crosses, ninja assassinations, fights with thugs etc... The film culminates with the greatest ninja duel ever filmed. (Sho Kosugi at his absolute best! This is by far my favorite ninja film, and in my opinion one of the greatest martial arts films of all time. Sho Kosugi's martial arts skills are at their finest in this motion picture. He uses a greater variety of techniques, including some "traditional" ninjutsu techniques such as bone breaking, wrist locks, throws etc... A must for any fan of ninja films. -- Richard) [Daniel Richard]
Rhapsody In August (Hachigatsu No Rhapsody) (1991)
While spending the summer with their grandmother in Nagasaski, four Japanese children become obsessed with the memorials and bomb sites commemorating the dropping of the atomic bomb in 1945 and their grandmother's experiences. Directed by: Akira Kurosawa.
Rikyu (1990)
about the life of the tea master. A beautiful film, I saw this at a film festival a few years ago. I'd love to see it again, but the video, last I checked, was about $80. Can't remember the director. [Jim Holman]
Rinko (1997) A PBS-NHK-Cinar (Canada)
"Rinko" (Japanese title - English title is The Best Bad Thing) starring Kiki Kirin, George Takei, Kitao Sakurai, Lana McKissack. There is talk of a theatrical release, but I don't know for sure.
 | Rising Sun (1993 - US) Sean Connery, Wesley Snipes, Tia Carrere. Based on the novel by Michael Crichton, the movie takes liberties with the story. It tells of mystery, murder and intrigue as a Japanese corporation moves in to control a Los Angeles industry. Some love the twists, some find them predictable, some love the story, some find it anti-Japanese. I really didn't think the movie was that bad! |
Roaring Fire (Hoero Tekken) (1982)
A young martial arts expert goes to Japan upon learning he has a twin brother. Hiroyuki "Henry" Sanada, Shinichi "Sonny" Chiba, Etsuko "Sue" Shiomi
Roujin-Z (1995 - J).
D: Hiroyuki Kitakubo; W: Katsuhiro Otomo. Not exactly "anime," but an animated film that satirizes high tech geriatric care in the future.
Japanese Movies by Title
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Japanese Movie Listing Main Page | Lisa's Favorite Japanese Movies | Japanese Movies By Director
Note that since each of these movies was seen by a normal human being, what you read here is just one person's opinion :) Your own opinion may of course be different! If you notice that a movie listing is missing or incorrect, please Contact Me (Really!! WRITE ME!!!) so I can update the list!
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