An Actor's Revenge (Yukinojo Henge) (1963)
Violence and mature themes
| Director: | Kon Ichikawa |
| Actors: | Kazuo Hasegawa, Fujiko Yamamotol, Ayako Wakao |
Marking the 300th role of legendary Japanese actor Kazuo Hasegawa, An Actor's Revenge beautifully documents the stylistic eclecticism of the great Kon Ichikawa, whose penchant for deliriously stylised aesthetics meant that he was as misunderstood as he was fascinating.
Hasegawa plays Yukinojo Nakamura, a kabuki actor who — like Hasegawa himself — was renowned for being an onnagata, or female impersonator. When Nakamura happens across the three men who drove his parents to suicide decades earlier, he uses his cunning, his talent and his sensuality to exact his revenge.
Ranging in style and genre from broad comedy to documentary, Kabuki-style melodrama to sword-and-sandals epic, An Actor's Revenge is made all the more eclectic thanks to the inclusion of modern jazz on the soundtrack. Stylish, cinematic and breathtakingly daring, An Actor's Revenge is a dazzling and entertaining masterpiece from one of Japan's least-acknowledged masters, Kon Ichikawa.
| Status: | Normal |
|---|---|
| Run time: | 117mins |
| Origin: | JAPAN |
| Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 |
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Member Reviews (2)
2 Member
Reviews
Art S.
says
Highly stylized tale of a 19th century kabuki actor specializing in "oyama" (female impersonator) parts, who stays in drag off stage and who becomes committed to the downfall of the three business men who led his parents to commit suicide. Kasuo Hasegawa plays the lead role and doubles as a more masculine thief who gets involved in the action. Ichikawa's direction is weird but the 'scope compositions and color are dramatic to behold; some swordplay takes place against a pure black backdrop. Worth a look.
Nigel W
says
Kabuki actor seeks revenge against the threesome who were responsible for the death of his parents. A drama that takes elements of Japanese theatre and serves it up in innovative cinematic terms. Despite this I found the film quite tiresome, long and not particularly riveting.