Shōhei Imamura (1926-2006)

Alias:
Shohei Imamura
Shouhei Imamura
Shôhei Imamura
Сёхэй Имамура
今村 昌平

Birthplace:
Tokyo, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan

Born:
September 15, 1926

Died:
May 30, 2006

Shōhei Imamura (Tokyo, 15 September 1926 – 30 May 2006) was a Japanese film director. Imamura was the first Japanese director to win two Palme d'Or awards, but was never Oscar nominated for any category.  His eldest son Daisuke Tengan is also a script writer and film director, and worked on the screenplays to Imamura's films The Eel (1997), Dr. Akagi (1998), Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001) and 11'9"01 September 11 (2002).

Additional information:

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Assistant Director:
1951  Early Summer
1952  The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice
1955  Tales of Ginza
1955  The Moon Has Risen
1956  Hungry Soul
1956  Suzaki Paradise: Red Light District
1956  The Balloon
1957  A Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu Era

Associate Producer:
1951  Early Summer
1952  The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice
1955  Tales of Ginza
1955  The Moon Has Risen
1956  Hungry Soul
1956  Suzaki Paradise: Red Light District
1956  The Balloon
1957  A Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu Era
1987  The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On

Director:
1951  Early Summer
1952  The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice
1955  Tales of Ginza
1955  The Moon Has Risen
1956  Hungry Soul
1956  Suzaki Paradise: Red Light District
1956  The Balloon
1957  A Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu Era
1958  Endless Desire
1958  Nishi Ginza Station
1958  Stolen Desire
1959  My Second Brother
1961  Pigs and Battleships
1963  The Insect Woman
1964  Intentions of Murder
1966  The Pornographers
1967  A Man Vanishes
1968  Profound Desires of the Gods
1970  Following the Unreturned Soldiers: Malaysia
1970  History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess
1971  Following the Unreturned Soldier: Thailand
1972  Oreno Shimokita
1972  The Pirates of Buban
1973  Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute
1973  Outlaw-Matsu Returns Home
1979  Vengeance Is Mine
1981  Why Not?
1983  The Ballad of Narayama
1987  The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On
1987  Zegen
1989  Black Rain
1997  The Eel
1998  Dr. Akagi
2001  Warm Water Under a Red Bridge
2002  11’09”01—September 11

Executive Producer:
1951  Early Summer
1952  The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice
1955  Tales of Ginza
1955  The Moon Has Risen
1956  Hungry Soul
1956  Suzaki Paradise: Red Light District
1956  The Balloon
1957  A Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu Era
1958  Endless Desire
1958  Nishi Ginza Station
1958  Stolen Desire
1959  My Second Brother
1961  Pigs and Battleships
1963  The Insect Woman
1964  Intentions of Murder
1966  The Pornographers
1967  A Man Vanishes
1968  Profound Desires of the Gods
1970  Following the Unreturned Soldiers: Malaysia
1970  History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess
1971  Following the Unreturned Soldier: Thailand
1972  Oreno Shimokita
1972  The Pirates of Buban
1973  Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute
1973  Outlaw-Matsu Returns Home
1979  Vengeance Is Mine
1981  Why Not?
1983  The Ballad of Narayama
1987  The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On
1987  Zegen
1989  Black Rain
1997  The Eel
1998  Dr. Akagi
2001  Warm Water Under a Red Bridge
2002  11’09”01—September 11

First Assistant Director:
1951  Early Summer
1952  The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice
1955  Burden of Love
1955  Tales of Ginza
1955  The Moon Has Risen
1955  Till We Meet Again
1956  Hungry Soul
1956  Suzaki Paradise: Red Light District
1956  The Balloon
1957  A Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu Era
1958  Endless Desire
1958  Nishi Ginza Station
1958  Stolen Desire
1959  My Second Brother
1961  Pigs and Battleships
1963  The Insect Woman
1964  Intentions of Murder
1966  The Pornographers
1967  A Man Vanishes
1968  Profound Desires of the Gods
1970  Following the Unreturned Soldiers: Malaysia
1970  History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess
1971  Following the Unreturned Soldier: Thailand
1972  Oreno Shimokita
1972  The Pirates of Buban
1973  Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute
1973  Outlaw-Matsu Returns Home
1979  Vengeance Is Mine
1981  Why Not?
1983  The Ballad of Narayama
1987  The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On
1987  Zegen
1989  Black Rain
1997  The Eel
1998  Dr. Akagi
2001  Warm Water Under a Red Bridge
2002  11’09”01—September 11

Producer:
1951  Early Summer
1952  The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice
1955  Burden of Love
1955  Tales of Ginza
1955  The Moon Has Risen
1955  Till We Meet Again
1956  Hungry Soul
1956  Suzaki Paradise: Red Light District
1956  The Balloon
1957  A Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu Era
1958  Endless Desire
1958  Nishi Ginza Station
1958  Stolen Desire
1959  My Second Brother
1961  Pigs and Battleships
1963  The Insect Woman
1964  Intentions of Murder
1966  The Pornographers
1967  A Man Vanishes
1968  East China Sea
1968  Profound Desires of the Gods
1970  Following the Unreturned Soldiers: Malaysia
1970  History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess
1971  Following the Unreturned Soldier: Thailand
1972  Oreno Shimokita
1972  The Pirates of Buban
1973  Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute
1973  Outlaw-Matsu Returns Home
1976  The Youth Killer
1979  Vengeance Is Mine
1981  Why Not?
1983  The Ballad of Narayama
1986  Have You Seen the Barefoot God?
1987  The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On
1987  Zegen
1989  Black Rain
1997  The Eel
1998  Dr. Akagi
2001  Warm Water Under a Red Bridge
2002  11’09”01—September 11

Screenplay:
1951  Early Summer
1952  The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice
1955  Burden of Love
1955  Tales of Ginza
1955  The Moon Has Risen
1955  Till We Meet Again
1956  Hungry Soul
1956  Suzaki Paradise: Red Light District
1956  The Balloon
1957  A Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu Era
1958  Endless Desire
1958  Nishi Ginza Station
1958  Stolen Desire
1959  My Second Brother
1961  Pigs and Battleships
1962  Foundry Town
1963  A Modern Samurai Village
1963  The Gambling Monk
1963  The Insect Woman
1964  Intentions of Murder
1966  The Pornographers
1967  A Man Vanishes
1968  East China Sea
1968  Profound Desires of the Gods
1970  Following the Unreturned Soldiers: Malaysia
1970  History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess
1971  Following the Unreturned Soldier: Thailand
1972  Oreno Shimokita
1972  The Pirates of Buban
1973  Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute
1973  Outlaw-Matsu Returns Home
1976  The Youth Killer
1979  Vengeance Is Mine
1981  Why Not?
1983  The Ballad of Narayama
1986  Have You Seen the Barefoot God?
1987  The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On
1987  Zegen
1989  Black Rain
1997  The Eel
1998  Dr. Akagi
2001  Warm Water Under a Red Bridge
2002  11’09”01—September 11

Second Assistant Director:
1951  Early Summer
1952  The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice
1953  Tokyo Story
1955  Burden of Love
1955  Tales of Ginza
1955  The Moon Has Risen
1955  Till We Meet Again
1956  Hungry Soul
1956  Our Town
1956  Suzaki Paradise: Red Light District
1956  The Balloon
1957  A Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu Era
1958  Endless Desire
1958  Nishi Ginza Station
1958  Stolen Desire
1959  My Second Brother
1961  Pigs and Battleships
1962  Foundry Town
1963  A Modern Samurai Village
1963  The Gambling Monk
1963  The Insect Woman
1964  Intentions of Murder
1966  The Pornographers
1967  A Man Vanishes
1968  East China Sea
1968  Profound Desires of the Gods
1970  Following the Unreturned Soldiers: Malaysia
1970  History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess
1971  Following the Unreturned Soldier: Thailand
1972  Oreno Shimokita
1972  The Pirates of Buban
1973  Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute
1973  Outlaw-Matsu Returns Home
1976  The Youth Killer
1979  Vengeance Is Mine
1981  Why Not?
1983  The Ballad of Narayama
1986  Have You Seen the Barefoot God?
1987  The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On
1987  Zegen
1989  Black Rain
1997  The Eel
1998  Dr. Akagi
2001  Warm Water Under a Red Bridge
2002  11’09”01—September 11

Writer:
1951  Early Summer
1952  The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice
1953  Tokyo Story
1955  Burden of Love
1955  Tales of Ginza
1955  The Moon Has Risen
1955  Till We Meet Again
1956  Hungry Soul
1956  Our Town
1956  Suzaki Paradise: Red Light District
1956  The Balloon
1957  A Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu Era
1958  Endless Desire
1958  Nishi Ginza Station
1958  Stolen Desire
1959  My Second Brother
1961  Pigs and Battleships
1962  Foundry Town
1963  A Modern Samurai Village
1963  The Gambling Monk
1963  The Insect Woman
1964  Intentions of Murder
1966  The Pornographers
1967  A Man Vanishes
1968  East China Sea
1968  Neon taiheiki
1968  Profound Desires of the Gods
1970  Following the Unreturned Soldiers: Malaysia
1970  History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess
1971  Following the Unreturned Soldier: Thailand
1972  Oreno Shimokita
1972  The Pirates of Buban
1973  Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute
1973  Outlaw-Matsu Returns Home
1976  The Youth Killer
1979  Vengeance Is Mine
1981  Why Not?
1983  The Ballad of Narayama
1986  Have You Seen the Barefoot God?
1987  The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On
1987  Zegen
1989  Black Rain
1997  The Eel
1998  Dr. Akagi
2001  Warm Water Under a Red Bridge
2002  11’09”01—September 11

About the Movie Section

Most data and links to images for the Movies section come from TheMovieDB (TMDB).

Additional data for Film Titles come from The Open Movie Database (OMDb).

At least one plug-in comes from IMDb.

Data are -- hey, it's a plural -- subject to the limitations of their sources. (For example, TMDB search results currently max out at 20.) I am limiting myself to free data sources for now. (No, a "free trial" is not free.)

While much of the above data are retrieved directly from outside APIs and other such sources, data from American Film Institute (AFI) and British Film Institute (BFI) were manually entered the old fashioned way into a MySQL database. Re BFI I took the following liberties:

  • I added "runners up" to Top 10 lists, treating them as ties where applicable and numbering them accordingly at the bottom of each list.
  • Regarding those polls wherein "franchise" movies were submitted as one project until BFI's policy changed to regard them separately, I treated them as ties and renumbered the affected lists accordingly (e.g. the Godfather films).

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Filtering is applied here to film projects flagged as "adult" by TheMovieDB. Pending "popular demand" I am contemplating a login and profile system with preferences (such as whether to allow adult images to appear) and permissions (such as data entry).

Whereas the overall purpose of this website is to serve as a personal demo/portfolio/workshop of web and data skills, this Movies section is not meant to compete with or substitute for far more definitive movie websites.

Whether or not he still clings to an award which he won in 1986 as a film critic for his college's newspaper, Jeffrey Hartmann is not responsible for the texts of overviews and biographies supplied by external data sources.