35mm print imported from Japan (courtesy of the Japan Foundation)

Released amid protests against the 1960 United States–Japan Security Treaty (which culminated in hundreds of thousands surrounding the Japanese National Diet building), Shinoda’s study of a young student radical marks an early blast of the Japanese New Wave’s youth energy. With a screenplay by leftist firebrand poet, theater director, and later filmmaker Shuiji Terayama, the film’s anticapitalist and anti-imperialist depiction of postwar Japan shows the alienation that fueled the protests—and made some consider more violent action.

35mm print imported from Japan (courtesy of the Japan Foundation)

A genre-hopping, candy colored comedy-noir-musical, Shinoda’s third feature captures the anarchic spirit of ‘60s filmmaking—recalling Jean-Luc Godard and Seijun Suzuki. When a muckraking journalist is targeted by a gang of youthful assassins (and their pet goat, The End), she must turn to another killer for help. Again working with poet/filmmaker Shuji Terayama as screenwriter, this jazzy satire of Japanese cinema is filled with comic book, pop art energy.

35mm print imported from Japan (courtesy of the Japan Foundation)

“An early masterpiece by Shinoda, this bleak youth film follows Sabu (Takashi Fujiki), who exploits fellow dockworkers under orders from his boss. He falls for Yuki (Mariko Kaga, making her feature film debut), but their bittersweet romance spirals into conflict.

Set against the sharply photographed docklands of Yokohama, the film marks the fourth collaboration between Shinoda and Shuji Terayama. Together, they deftly weave themes of working class struggles and labor strikes into the story, making a critique of postwar reality of Japan. Terayama also contributed two theme songs, performed by the lead Takashi Fujiki.” – Akinaru Rokkaku

“Yakuza gangster Muraki (Ryo Ikebe) is released from prison after serving time for murder. At the gambling parlor, he meets the young and mysterious Saeko (Mariko Kaga), drawn towards danger and excitement. Together, they drift into an inexorable descent of self-destruction.

A depiction of the underworld of yakuza with stark black-and-white imagery, among its highlights are the gambling sequences where the clattering of cards melts into Toru Takemitsu and Yūji Takahashi’s score. The two leads give stellar performances as Ikebe’s world-weary presence and forlorn posture match with Mariko Kaga’s enigmatic aura and piercing gaze. Widely regarded as one of the greatest Japanese films, Shinoda’s noir film cemented him as a leading voice of the Japanese New Wave.” – Akinaru Rokkaku

35mm print imported from Japan (courtesy of the Japan Foundation)

“Near the end of Japan’s feudal era, Ronin Hachiro Kiyokawa, a smart but shady leader working for the Shogunate, is being secretly watched by a spy ready to kill him if he switches sides. As violence grows between rival political groups, the film digs into themes of loyalty, power, and deception. Its non-linear flashback style keeps Kiyokawa’s true motives unclear. The film stands out as an important part of the Japanese New Wave movement, and Tetsurō Tamba gives a subtle, mysterious performance as Kiyokawa.” – Shun Inoue

35mm print imported from Japan (courtesy of the Japan Foundation)

“In early 17th century Japan, tensions continue to rise between the rival Tokugawa Shogunate and the Toyotomi clan. Sarutobi Sasuke (Koji Takahashi), a samurai spy serving the Sanada clan, finds himself entangled in a web of conspiracies. Falsely accused of murder and on the run, Sasuke searches for the truth, uncertain of who he can trust, and who is pulling the strings.

Featuring stealthy kills, ninja actions, and the tension of a spy thriller, Shinoda manages to break the conventions of samurai film tropes. Alongside DP Masao Kosugi, Shinoda makes full use of wide shots creating a visually dynamic film that culminates in the climactic battle shrouded in fog. This was the last film he made for Shochiku.” – Akinaru Rokkaku

One of former theater student Shinoda’s towering masterpieces, this hyper stylized tragedy adapts a 1721 play by the legendary Japanese dramatist Chikamatsu Monzaemon. Originally written for the bunraku (puppet theater) tradition, Shinoda’s film uses human actors—but also integrates the black-clad puppeteers of bunraku. Following the travails of an Osaka merchant and his courtesan lover, Shinoda’s film is simultaneously indebted to tradition and bracingly modern. With a score by avant garde composer Toru Takemitsu and equally stylized sets and costumes, the film stands amongst the most daring statements of the Japanese New Wave.

35mm print imported from Japan (courtesy National Film Archive of Japan)

“Adapted from Shusaku Endo’s novel, and preceding Scorsese’s adaptation by nearly 50 years, Silence follows two young Portuguese Jesuit priests who sneak into 17th-century Japan to locate their missing mentor. Instead, they find themselves in a hostile country where Christianity is outlawed, and those who are arrested as hidden Christians are forced to prove their renunciation by stepping on images of Christ. As the priests dodge authorities and witness the hardships of local converts, Father Rodrigues faces an impossible choice: cling publicly to his faith, or outwardly deny it to spare others pain. In this quiet, thought-provoking drama, Shinoda explores faith, doubt, suffering, and spiritual silence.” – Shun Inoue

35mm print imported from Japan (courtesy National Film Archive of Japan)

Drawing again from the forms of Japanese theater and visual arts, this singular film retells the story of Himiko: a shaman queen in ancient Japan who is central to Shinto and national origin stories. Using the past to comment on the present, Shinoda presents Himiko navigating the patriarchal military powers of the surrounding kingdoms as well as her own physical desire for her recently returned half-brother. With a brilliant performance by Shima Iwashita—an actress in the work of Ozu, Kinoshita, and Kobayashi, as well as Shinoda’s wife and long time collaborator—Himiko was made in collaboration with the legendary avant garde Japanese film production company Art Theater Guild.

35mm print imported from Japan (courtesy National Film Archive of Japan)

“Allured by a mysterious bewitching city woman (Shima Iwashita at the height of her powers), a secluded mountain thief (Tomisaburo Wakayama) starts beheading his seven wives. What follows is a descent into bloodshed, psychological affair, and madness—and more beheadings.

Adapted from a short story by Ango Sakaguchi, this fantastical folktale uses the idea that one would go mad walking among cherry trees, and contrasts the relentless violence of the mountain man and the cold beauty of the woman. Shot by DP Tatsuo Suzuki, cherry blossom trees provide a beautiful, yet ominous backdrop heightened by the eerie score of Toru Takemitsu.” – Akinaru Rokkaku

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“Demon Pond is a haunting fantasy drama set in a remote village where a mysterious bell-ringing ritual is believed to prevent a dragon goddess from unleashing a devastating flood. When a traveling schoolteacher becomes involved with the villagers, the boundary between myth and reality begins to blur. Adapted from a play by Izumi Kyōka, the film blends folklore, theatrical stylization, and lush cinematography into a dreamlike experience. Featuring a mesmerizing performance by renowned onnagata actor Tamasaburō Bandō, the film stands as a unique fusion of cinema and traditional Japanese theater.” – Shun Inoue

New 4K Restoration

“Gonza the Spearman is a tragic period drama based on a classic play by Chikamatsu Monzaemon. The story follows Gonza, a low-ranking samurai whose life unravels after he becomes caught in a forbidden relationship with his lord’s wife. Bound by rigid social codes and ideas of honor, the pair are pushed toward an inevitable tragedy. With elegant cinematography, restrained pacing, and strong influences from traditional bunraku puppet theater, the film creates a tense, emotionally rich atmosphere, anchored by a subtle performance from Ken Ogata.” – Shun Inoue