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Ultraman vs. Kamen Rider

A special retrospective of the two franchises, with segments making comparisons between the different characters, their weapons, powers and so forth. The final segment of the special is the short film "Super Battle: Ultraman vs Kamen Rider" The main characters, Ultraman and Kamen Rider 1 appear on the scene separately, each fighting an original kaijin and kaiju. When the two monsters are nearly defeated, they merge into a more powerful kaiju. Ultraman experiences trouble and calls for Kamen Rider 1's help. Kamen Rider 1 is then able to grow to enormous size to fight alongside Ultraman.

Ultraman vs. Kamen Rider

8.3 1993
The Written Face

In Japanese theater, women's roles are traditionally played by men. The man playing the woman's role, the Onnagata, does not imitate the woman, as in the West, but tries to capture her significance. He need not stick close to his model, but draws far more from his own identity - a shift of value takes place, which is nonetheless not a step beyond. THE WRITTEN FACE is an attempt to offer an insight into the Japanese Kabuki star Tamasaburo Bando, one of the last defenders of this ancient and disappearing performing tradition.

The Written Face

8.0 1995
The New God

After producing several experimental video art pieces, Tsuchiya first came to prominence with A New God, a personal documentary shot on video about his relationship with a right-wing, neo-nationalist punk rock band. Even though Tsuchiya is on the left, he ended up marrying the singer for that band, Karin Amamiya, who has since emerged as a spokesperson for disaffected Japanese youth in the media. The New God won an award at the 1999 Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival.

The New God

6.1 1999
Death Files: Mediums and the Dead

This horror documentary thoroughly covers various psychic phenomena together with a psychic. The film follows the ship Oite, which lies at the bottom of the Truk Island's atoll, and an esoteric Buddhist monk takes on the case of the slaughter of a beautiful mother and daughter in Sasebo, and helps the soul of a 60 year old man who died in an unforeseen accident in Thailand. An interview with the cameraman is also included as an extra in the new version.

Death Files: Mediums and the Dead

4.0 1992
A

Roughly chronological, from 3/96 to 11/96, with a coda in spring of 1997: inside compounds of Aum Shinrikyo, a Buddhist sect led by Shoko Asahara. (Members confessed to a murderous sarin attack in the Tokyo subway in 1995.) We see what they eat, where they sleep, and how they respond to media scrutiny, on-going trials, the shrinking of their fortunes, and the criticism of society. Central focus is placed on Hiroshi Araki, a young man who finds himself elevated to chief spokesman for Aum after its leaders are arrested. Araki faces extreme hostility from the Japanese public, who find it hard to believe that most followers of the cult had no idea of the attacks and even harder to understand why these followers remain devoted to the religion, if not the violence.

A

5.9 1998
Encyclopedia of a Drifter

Nagaremono zukan is a documentary video, release from V&R Planning (AV). "Flower Picture Book" is the second work in the bicycle trilogy after Yumika. A very private sexual movie with Tomoko Matsunashi, right after Hirano broke up with Yumika. The violence of the camera is clearly increasing. If Yumika was the light, Nagaremono zukan is the shadow. There are two version of Nagaremono zukan, the censored one and the original hardcore one, with additional scenes, better quality and longer runtime.

Encyclopedia of a Drifter

NR 1998
Robbie Robertson: A Retrospective - From the Band to the Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame

Released in 1994, this documentary tells the story of the life of Robbie Robertson, a central figure in the band that established an era of American rock music, through various images and interviews. The film covers Robbie's encounter with Southern music, the origin of his music, his time with the Hawks, his collaboration with Bob Dylan, and his performance at the legendary Woodstock. The Last Waltz, from the breakup to becoming a solo artist, and working with director Martin Scorsese. Robbie himself talks about his career as a solo artist and his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Also featured are 'Lost Performance' film segments from the Band's appearance at Woodstock, as well as unreleased clips of Robbie and the Band backing up Bob Dylan on the infamous 'Eat the Document' tour.

Robbie Robertson: A Retrospective - From the Band to the Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame

NR 1994
Bullfight in Okinawa

Chris Marker’s Bullfight in Okinawa is a bizarre, 4 min documentary that introduces viewers to Japan’s subterranean past time of bullfighting. Part of Markers five-film “Bestiary” series, Bullfight employs observational documentary techniques and, in particular, Marker’s camerawork is impressive — tight framed shots, free-hand pans, and quick zooms all contribute to the film’s urgent sense of tension — and, if it weren’t for the suspense inducing music, this short-gem would be damn close to pure objective documentary cinema.

Bullfight in Okinawa

3.0 1994
The Human-Faced Dog

A "documentary" that explores the myth of the Human-Faced Dog. The legend of the Human-Faced Dog goes all the way to Tokugawa era Japan. In stories, the Human-Faced Dog is initially mistaken for a normal, mangy dog, but as the unlucky passerby gets closer the human features become apparent. Sightings are always at night, and the dog, if approached, will morosely tell people, “Leave me alone”. The Human-Faced Dog took on a new life in more recent times, its peak of popularity in the late 80s and early 90s, where it was claimed to have been seen on highways, chasing cars at enormous speeds and causing car crashes.

The Human-Faced Dog

NR 1990