Isuzu Yamada

Isuzu Yamada

Retrospective of Japan’s most versatile actress

By

Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on November 2012

Isuzu Yamada, who was known as one of the most versatile actresses in the history of Japanese cinema, died this July at the age of 95. Now, Jimbocho Theater (1-23 Kanda Jimbocho, Chiyoda-ku; http://jinbocho-theater.jp) is paying tribute to the legendary performer with a film retrospective that runs November 24-December 28. Yamada got her start playing rebellious modern girls in films such as Osaka Elegy (1936; pictured) before moving on to more mature roles such as Evening Stream (1960).

American film studios Universal and Paramount are celebrating their centennials this year, but they’re not the only ones hitting the big one-oh-oh. Japan’s Nikkatsu was also founded in 1912, and The National Film Center in Kyobashi (3-7-6 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku; www.momat.go.jp) is celebrating by screening a selection of the studio’s prodigious output through December 23. The lineup ranges from a selection of silent films based on Japanese folktales to ’70s biker chick exploitation flicks.

And speaking of exploitation flicks, the female wrestling cult classic All the Marbles (1981) is at Shibuya’s Theater N (24-4 Sakuragicho, Shibuya-ku; www.theater-n.com) through December 2. Peter Falk plays the manager of a tag team who isn’t above putting his girls in a mud wrestling match.