Film Distributors

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Searching for Prints

One of the challenges facing any teacher or programmer of Japanese film is finding prints to show. Information is everything, but it is scattered around in the catalogs of all the distribution companies. We used to be able to rely on the Limbacher book, which can still be found in any library. However, this resource is hopelessly out of date now. Luckily, there are two places to help you find what you are looking for.

First, Abé Mark Nornes and Rie Yamaoka of Kinema Club compiled a straightforward list of print sources in 1997. Beware: this list includes many prints from distribution companies that no longer exist. Where the prints went would be nice to know…

Second, a far more useful site is being developed by Brett Johnson and Kevin Martin of the University of Michigan’s Center for Japanese Studies. Since they run summer and fall film series, they are constantly tracking down prints. Rather than let this precious information go to waste they are sharing it with us. This is in the form of a database, and includes hard data and synopses that are easy to cut and paste into your own PR.

Where to Find Prints in the US

Compiled by Abe Mark Nornes and Yamaoka Rie

Gosha Hideo:

  • Onimasa (1983, 140 min., M: $250)

Gosho Heinosuke:

  • When a Woman Loves (1960, 97 min., BF: $47.50)

Hani Susumu:

  • A Full Life(1962, 108 min., NY: $125)
  • Nanami: First Love (1970, 93 min., BF: 35)

Hayashi Kaizo:

  • To Sleep So As to Dream(1986, 81 min., NY: $300)

Ichikawa Kon:

  • An Actor’s Revenge(1963, 114 min., NY: $250)
  • Enjo(1958, 96 min., NY: $150)
  • Tokyo Olympiad (short version, BF: inquire)
  • Harp of Burma (1956, 116 min., BF: $50)
  • Fires on the Plain (1959, 110 min., MG: $45)
  • Kyoto (1968, 38 min., MOMA: inquire)

Iimura Takahiko:

  • Iro (1962, 10 min., FC: $30)
  • “Ai” Love (1962-3, 15 min., FC: $40; C: 40)
  • Onan (1963, 7 min., FC: $20)
  • A Dance Party in the Kingdom of Lilliput No. 1 (1964 14 min., FC: $30)
  • A Dance Party in the Kingdom of Lilliput No. 2 (1965, 13 min., FC: $15)
  • White Calligraphy (1967, 18 min., FC: $30; C: 30)
  • Face (1968-1969, 20 min., FC: $50)
  • Filmmakers (1966-1969, 30 min., FC: $60)
  • Film Strips I (1966-1970, 11 min., FC: $30)
  • Film Strips II (1966-1970, 13 min., FC: $30)
  • Buddha Again a.k.a. Cosmic Buddha (1969-1970, 16 min., FC: $40)
  • In the River (1969-1971, 19 min., FC: $40)
  • Shutter (1971, 25 min., FC: $50)
  • Models Part A (1972, Nos. 1-4 are $30 each)
  • Models Part B (1972, Nos. 1-4 are $20 to $40 each)
  • 1 to 60 Seconds (1973, 30 min., $50)
  • + & - (Plus and Minus) (1973, 25 min., FC: $40)
  • Parallel (1974, 28 min., $40)
  • Ma (Intervals) (1975-1977, 22 min., FC: $50)
  • One Frame Duration (1977, 11 min., FC: $30; C: 40)
  • Sync Sound (1975, 8 min., FC: $20)
  • 24 Frames Per Second (1975, 20 min., FC: $30)
  • 24 Frames Per Second (1978 version, 10 min., FC: $30; C: 40)
  • Talking Picture: The Structure of Film Viewing (1981-1983, 16 min., FC: $40)

Imamura Shohei:

  • Karayukisan: The Making of a Prostitute(1975, 70 min., KI: $200)
  • Eijanaika(1981, 151 min., KI: 35mm=$300)
  • Vengeance is Mine(1979, 128 min., KI: 16mm=$250, 35mm=$300)
  • Ballad of Narayama (1983, 128 min., IU: $35)
  • Insect Woman (1963, 123 min., M: $250)
  • Intentions of Murder (1964, 142 min., M: $250)
  • Pigs and Battleships (1961, 108 min., M: $250)
  • Pornographers (1966, 128 min., M: $250)
  • Profound Desire of the Gods (1968, 170 min., M: $250)

Inagaki Hiroshi:

  • Chushingura (1962, 206 min., M: $250)

Inoue Kazuo:

  • I Lived, But… (1983, 118 min., KI: $250)

Ishii Sogo:

  • The Crazy Family(1984, 106 min., NY: apply)

Itami Juzo:

  • The Funeral (1984, 124 min., NY: $400)
  • Tampopo (1986, 114 min., NY: $500)
  • A Taxing Woman (1987, 127 min., NY: $500)

Kaneko Shusuke:

  • Summer Vacation: 1999(1988, 90 min., NY: $350)

Kinoshita Keisuke:

  • She Was Like a Wild Chrysanthemum(1955, 92 min., KI: $300)
  • Narayama Bushiko(1958, 97 min., KI: $250)

Kinugasa Teinosuke:

  • Page of Madness (1926, 60 min., NL: inquire)

Kurihara Thomas:

  • Sanji Goto (1919, fragment, MG: $10)

Kurosawa Akira:

  • The Idiot(1951, 166 min., NY: $150)
  • Rhapsody in August(1992, 98 min., NY: apply)
  • Ran(1986, 160 min, apply., NY: NY)
  • Deru Uzala(1975, 137 min., KI: 16mm=$300, 35mm=$400)
  • High and Low (1963, 143 min., BF: 50; M: $250)
  • No Regrets for Our Youth(1946, 111 min, $150, CF; M: $250)
  • Seven Samurai(1954, 200 min, $100, IMBF: $65)
  • Dreams(1990, 120 min, $450, SM)
  • Sanjuro(1962, 96 min, BF: $50)
  • Yojimbo (1961, 110 min., BF: $50; MG: $45)

Maruyama Seiji:

  • Retreat from Kiska (1962, 90 min., BF: $32.50)

Mizoguchi Kenji:

  • My Love Has Been Burning (1949, 84 mins., NY: $175)
  • Princess Yang Kwei Fei(1955, 91 min., NY: $175)
  • A Geisha(1953, 87 min., NY: $175)
  • Utamaro and His Fivew Women(1946, 95 min., NY: $150)
  • Ugetsu (1954, 96 min., BF: $50; IU: $20; MG: $40; IM: $50)

Morita Yoshimitsu:

  • Sorekara(1986, 105 min., NY: $300)

Naruse Mikio:

  • Floating Clouds (1955, 123 min., M: $250; CF: $200)
  • Late Chrysanthemums (1954, 101 min., M: $250)
  • Sound of the Mountain (1954, 96 min., M: $250; CF: $200)
  • When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960, 111 min., M: $250)

Obayashi Nobuhiko:

  • Beijing Watermelon(1990, 135 min., NY: apply)

Ogawa Shinsuke:

  • Peasants of the Second Fortress (1971, 143 min., CG: inquire)

Oguri Kohei:

  • Muddy River(1981, 105 min., NY: $300)

Okamoto Kihachi:

  • Human Bullet (1968, 116 min., M: $250)
  • Tokkan (1975, 93 min., M: $250)

Okuyama Kazuyoshi:

  • The Myster of Rampo(1995, 101 min., KI: apply)

Oshima Nagisa:

  • Death by Hanging(1968, 114 min., NY: $125)
  • Dairy of a Shinjuku Thief(1969, 94 min., NY: $125)
  • Boy (1969, 97 min., NY: $150)
  • The Sun’s Burial(1960, 87 min., NY: $250)
  • Night and Fog in Japan(1960, 107 min., NY: $250)
  • Cruel Story of Youth(1960, 96 min., NY: $250)
  • The Man Who Left His Will on Film(1970, 93 min., NY: $100; IU: $35)
  • Dear Summer Sister(1972, 96 min., NY: $250)
  • The Ceremony(1971, 122 min., NY: $175)
  • Violence at Noon(1966, 99 min., NY: $250; KI: $250)

Ozu Yasujiro:

  • Tokyo Story(1953, 134 min., NY: $250; IU: $35; BF: $50)
  • An Autumn Afternoon(1962, 113 min., NY: $150)
  • Late Autumn(1960, 127 min., NY: $150)
  • Early Spring(1956, 145 min., NY: $150)
  • Late Spring(1949, 107 min., NY: $175)
  • Equinox Flower(1958, 118 min., NY: $150)
  • The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice(1953., NY: 115 min, $150)
  • The Record of a Tenement Gentleman(1947., NY: 72 min, $150)
  • A Story of Floating Weeds(1934, 89 min., NY: $125; IU: $35)
  • I Was Born, But …(1932, 89 min., NY: $125)

Sekiguchi Noriko:

  • Senso Daughters (1989, 54 min., FR: $75)

Shindo Kaneto:

  • The Island (1961, 96 min., MG: $35; BF: $35)
  • Onibaba (1963, 105 min., M: $250; CF: $150)
  • Kuroneko (1968, 99 min., CF: $150)

Shinoda Masahiro:

  • Ballad of Orin(1979, 116 mi., KI: $300)
  • Demon Pond(1980, 123 min., NY: $250)
  • The Scandalous Adventures of Buraikan(1970, 103 min., CF: apply)

Teshigahara Hiroshi: Woman of the Dunes (1964, 123 min., IU: $20; CF: $150; IM: $75; BF: $50)

Toyoda Shiro: Snow Country (1957, 134 min., M: $250)

Tsuchimoto Noriaki: Minamata (1973, 105 min. & 60 min., versions, O: inquire)

Yamada Yoji : Tora-san Goes to Vienna(1990, 109 min., KI: $300)

Yoshida Yoshishigue: A Promise(1986, 123 min., NY: $250)

Sources:

  • BF: Budget Films, 4590 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90029, (213) 660-0187.
  • C: Canyon Cinema, 2325 Third Street, Suite 338, San Francisco, CA 94107, (415) 626-2255.
  • CF: Corinth Films, 410 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10021; (212) 463-0305.
  • CG: Cinema Guild, 1697 Broadway, Suite 802, New York, NY 10019; (212) 246-5522.
  • FC: Film-makers’ Cooperative, 175 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10016, (212) 889-3820.
  • FR: First Run Icarus, 153 Waverly Place, Sixth Floor, New York, NY 10014.
  • KI: Kino International Corp. 333 W. 39 Street, New York, NY 10018.
  • IM: Images Film Archive, 300 Philips Park Road, Mamaroneck, NY 10543, (914) 381-2993; (800) 431-1774.
  • IU: Iowa Films, C-5 Seashore Hall, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242; (319) 335-2567.
  • M: Milestone Film and Video, 275 West 96th Street, Suite 28C, New York, NY 10016, (212) 865-7449.
  • MG: Em Gee Film Library, 6924 Canby Ave., Suite 103, Reseda, CA 91335, (818) 881-8110; (818) 981-5506.
  • MOMA: Museum of Modern Art, 11 W. 53rd St., New York, NY (212) 245-8900.
  • NL: New Line, 575 Eighth Ave., New York, NY 10018; (212) 674-7460.
  • NY: New Yorker Films, 16 West 61st Street, New York, NY 10023.
  • O: Odeon Films, Box 315, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417; 653-5143.
  • SM: Swank Motion Pictures, 201 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2579, (800) 876-5577.