Ken Ochiai's UZUMASA LIMELIGHT Honors The Unsung Heroes Of Chambara Cinema
The golden age of samurai movies may be long gone, but such films are always welcome in the eyes of adoring fans who continue to share appreciation for the chambara genre. That sentiment can be seen extended through the latest effort of director Ken Ochiai in his new film, Uzumasa Limelight, which centers on seasoned action actor Seizo Fukumoto as a retiring stuntman training a young actress in pursuit of action film stardom.
Watch the official trailer below, and be sure to catch the following video interview beneath, courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
Uzumasa (Kyoto) is considered the Hollywood of Japan. It has produced many “jidaigeki” films (period dramas with sword fighting) that are loved by many Japanese, and are highly praised all over the world. These films wouldn’t be what they were if it weren’t for the “kirareyaku” (actors whose main job is to be killed by the lead star). Men who are killed, without ever being lit by the limelight…
This story is about those men, the unsung heroes of classic jidaigeki films. Actors who loved and respected the art, even when the production of classic jidaigeki films began to dwindle. Using Charlie Chaplin’s film “Limelight” as an underlying theme, the admirable story of these men dealing with a new generation and fading craftsmanship is told with melancholy and soul.
H/T: Emmanuel Manzanares
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