Jūzō Itami (1933–1997) was a Japanese actor and, later, a popular modern screenwriter and film director. Many critics came to regard him as Japan's greatest director since Akira Kurosawa. His ten feature-length movies and one short film, all of which he wrote himself, are comic satires on elements of Japanese culture. He was murdered by the yakuza in December 1997.
Known For
Tampopo
(1985)
Director
Minbo: the Gentle Art of Japanese Extortion
(1992)
Director
Full Filmography
Directing
Rubber Band Pistol
(1962)
Director
The Funeral
(1984)
Director
Tampopo
(1985)
Director
A Taxing Woman
(1987)
Director
A Taxing Woman's Return
(1988)
Director
Tales of a Golden Geisha
(1990)
Director
Minbo: the Gentle Art of Japanese Extortion
(1992)
Director
The Last Dance
(1993)
Director
A Quiet Life
(1995)
Director
Supermarket Woman
(1996)
Director
Woman in Witness Protection
(1997)
Director
Acting
The False Student
(1960)
Sozo
Kirai Kirai Kirai
(1960)
Her Brother
(1960)
Son of Factory owner
Ten Dark Women
(1961)
Hanamaki
The Big Wave
(1961)
Toru
Rubber Band Pistol
(1962)
55 Days at Peking
(1963)
Col. Shiba
The Flame of Devotion
(1964)
Takuji Yoshii
Lord Jim
(1965)
Waris
By a Man's Face Shall You Know Him
(1966)
Shunji Amemiya
Sing a Song of Sex
(1967)
Ôtake
Parole
(1967)
Kenji Kijima
The Notorious Concubines
(1968)
Ximen Qing
Human Torpedoes
(1968)
The Young Eagles of the Kamikaze
(1968)
Even If Life Withers
(1968)
Shinji Sakaguchi
Heat Wave Island
(1969)
Iino
Safari 5000
(1969)
Team of Ruffians
(1969)
A Young Man's Stronghold
(1970)
Sweet Secret
(1971)
The Gentle Japanese
(1971)
My Way
(1974)
Dr. Takagi
Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance
(1974)
Ransui Tokunaga
I Am a Cat
(1975)
Meitei
Grass Labyrinth
(1979)
Principal / Priest / Old man
Private Collections
(1979)
(segment "Kusa-Meikyu")
No More Easy Life
(1979)
Takamizawa
Until Evening
(1980)
Sasa
Play it, Boogie-Woogie
(1981)
Lawyer
Baian the Assassin
(1981)
Sahei Oumiya
Island of the Evil Spirits
(1981)
Ryuhei Ochi
Kidnapping Blues
(1982)
Walking Man
Onna no naka no akuma
(1982)
Choji Snack Bar
(1983)
Kawara
The Makioka Sisters
(1983)
Tatsuo
The Family Game
(1983)
Mr. Numata
Make-Up
(1984)
Kumakura
MacArthur's Children
(1984)
Hatano
Bumpkin Soup
(1985)
Professor Hirayama
The Making of "Tampopo"
(1986)
Self
Making of Marusa No Onna
(1987)
Self
Making of Marusa No Onna 2
(1988)
Self
Sweet Home
(1989)
Kenichi Yamamura
Great SFX Adventure: Take Me to 'Sweet Home'
(1989)
Self
The Making of A-Ge-Man
(1990)
Self
Shirayuri Girls' Academy Western Archery Club: A Silver Target
(1991)
Convenience Jack
(1992)
Making of Minbo No Onna
(1992)
Self
Making of Daibyonin
(1993)
Self
北の国から 記憶 前編
(2003)
Juzo Itami: The Man with 13 Faces
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
Itami Jūzō Kinenkan ga dekiru made
(2007)
Self
Itami Juzo Museum's "13"
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
Itami-ryū super na supermarket ga dekiru made
(2012)
Self
"Utsukishiki Shizuka na Seikatsu" + satsuei genba hōmonki
(2012)
Self
'Marutai no Onna' satsuei wo oete
(2012)
Self
Writing
Rubber Band Pistol
(1962)
Screenplay
The Funeral
(1984)
Screenplay
Tampopo
(1985)
Screenplay
A Taxing Woman
(1987)
Writer
A Taxing Woman's Return
(1988)
Screenplay
Tales of a Golden Geisha
(1990)
Writer
Minbo: the Gentle Art of Japanese Extortion
(1992)
Writer
The Last Dance
(1993)
Writer
A Quiet Life
(1995)
Writer
Supermarket Woman
(1996)
Screenplay
Woman in Witness Protection
(1997)
Screenplay
Production