Free Resources of Rare Movies
Posts tagged Drama
Wings of Honneamise (Ôritsu uchûgun Oneamisu no tsubasa) (1987)
Dec 31st
On a far-off planet, a Kingdom tries to launch the planet’s first manned spacecraft. This ten year old project not only faces funding and technical problem, but also is subject to political conspiracy and the neighboring Republic’s aggression. It’s all up to Shilo, the first spaceman to be, his friends and their faith to make the space program a success.
Fist of the North Star / Hokuto no Ken (北斗の拳) (1986)
Dec 31st
After a nuclear holocaust tears the world apart, mankind is forced to the harshness of not only the oppression of others who are much more powerful, but the dead earth which seems to be getting worse with every passing moment. But a savior has risen from the ashes, a man who will defeat those who would torment the weak and make the world a livable place once more. A man named Kenshiro…..
Koneko monogatari (子猫物語) (1986)
Dec 31st
The story of two animals and their adventures. Milo, the cat, and Otis, the dog, are two animals who grew up together on the same farm. One day, the two are separated and begin a journey to find each other. The adventurous, and often perilous quest finds the two animals traveling across mountains, plains, and snow-covered lands searching for one another.
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
Dec 30th
A fictionalized account in four segments of the life of Japan’s celebrated twentieth-century author Yukio Mishima. Three of the segments parallel events in Mishima’s life with his novels (The Temple of the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji), Kyoko’s House, and Runaway Horses), while the fourth depicts 25 November 1970, “The Last Day”…
Ran (1985)
Dec 30th
A story of greed, a lust for power, and ultimate revenge. The Great Lord Hidetora Ichimonji has decided to step aside to make room for the younger blood of his three sons, Taro, Jiro, and Saburo, the Lord’s only wish now being to live out his years as an honored guest in the castle of each of his sons in turn. While the older two sons flatter their father, the youngest son attempts to warn him of the folly of expecting the three sons to remain united; enraged at the younger son’s attempt to point out the danger, the father banishes him. True to the younger son’s warning, however, the oldest Son soon conspires with the second son to strip The Great Lord of everything, even his title.
Angel’s Egg (天使のたまご) (1985)
Dec 30th
A young girl is the sole protector of a very precious, large egg. her lair is near a large, abandoned, decaying gothic city inhabited by restless shadows. a mysterious young man arrives one day, and eventually wins her trust. they converse sparsely about obscure philosophical and theological topics, and she shows him some astonishing fossils and works of historic and scientific art. the ending is a bit shocking, and very ambiguous, leaving many unanswered questions and tons of room for interpretation.
W’s Tragedy / W no higeki (Wの悲劇) (1984)
Dec 30th
Young college student Shizuka is given the opportunity to act in a stage play with professionals. Shizuka is willing to go to great lengths to master this role of a lifetime…
Macarthur’s Children / Setouchi shonen yakyu dan (瀬戸内少年野球団) (1984)
Dec 30th
In this drama at the end of World War II, the inhabitants of a small Japanese fishing village must come to terms with their nation’s defeat and the sudden occupation of General MacArthur and his troops.
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (戦場のメリークリスマス) (1983)
Dec 30th
In 1942 British soldier Jack Celliers comes to a japanese prison camp. The camp is run by Yonoi, who has a firm belief in discipline, honour and glory. In his view, the allied prisoners are cowards when they chose to surrender instead of commiting suicide. One of the prisoners, interpreter John Lawrence, tries to explain the japanese way of thinking, but is considered a traitor.
Barefoot Gen (はだしのゲン) (1983)
Dec 30th
Gen and his family are living in Hiroshima as Japan nears the end of World War II. Gen’s father has come to believe that the war is unwinnable, thus earning the wrath of the town officials and, in turn, discrimination from the rest of their neighbors. Shunned by the local merchants and tradesmen, food becomes scarce for Gen and his family. All these concerns soon pale, however, as the American military begins its final assault on Japan with the unleashing of its terrible new weapon.
The Ballad of Narayama (Narayama-bushi kô) (1983)
Dec 30th
In a small village in a valley everyone who reaches the age of 70 must leave the village and go to a certain mountain top to die. If anyone should refuse he/she would disgrace their family. Old Orin is 69. This winter it is her turn to go to the mountain. But first she must make sure that her eldest son Tatsuhei finds a wife.
Ryuji (りゅうじ, リュウジ) (1983)
Dec 29th
This is an excellent piece of cinema, about life of yakuza (gangster) and his family. Ryuji tries to quit yakuza and spend a decent life with his wife Mariko and daughter Aya…but as he’s used to getting easy money, it’d become hard for him to work hard and get little. Eventually he’s back to where he belongs.
The Makioka Sisters / Sasame-yuki (細雪) (1983)
Dec 29th
This sensuously beautiful film chronicles the activities of four sisters who gather in Kyoto every year to view the cherry blossoms. It paints a vivid portrait of the pre-war lifestyle of the wealthy Makioka family from Osaka, and draws a parallel between their activities and the seasonal variations in Japan.
The Family Game /Kazoku gêmu (家族ゲーム) (1983)
Dec 29th
A sendup of the stereo-typical Japanese family: dad is a salaryman jerk, unable to relate to anyone; mom is a hopeless housewife; the older son is a moderate academic success; but the younger son is a rebellious goof-off for whom a tutor must be hired. The tutor, played by the prototypical bad-boy actor Matsuda Yusaku, proceeds to blow the entire family apart (Matsuda’s role is modeled on the myth of Susano-o no mikoto, the renegade deity who figures in the Kojiki).
Muddy River / Doro no kawa( 泥の河) (1981)
Dec 28th
Two boys, whose parents ply their trade by the mouth of a muddy river in Osaka, become close friends. The two families’ “businesses” are in fact dining and prostitution. When Nobou, the restauranteur’s son, loses his pocket money during the Tenjin Festival, Kiichi, the prostitute’s boy, invites him home, and he learns the truth.
203 Kōchi / Nihyakusan kōchi (二百三高地) (1980)
Dec 28th
The battle for Hill 203 during the Russo-Japanese war in 1905. The hill was eventually captured at stupendous loss of life on both the Japanese and Russian sides. The capture of the hill enabled the Japanese army to put pressure on the Russian pacific fleet, thus securing the Japanese victory together with Admiral Togo’s “lucky” win in the coming naval battle.
