Violence at Noon
Violence at Noon a.k.a. Violence at High Noon (白昼の通り魔, Hakuchū no tōrima) is a 1966 Japanese drama and crime film directed by Nagisa Ōshima.[1][2][3]
Violence at Noon | |
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Japanese name | |
Kanji | 白昼の通り魔 |
Directed by | Nagisa Ōshima |
Written by |
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Produced by | Masayuki Nakajima |
Starring |
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Cinematography | Akira Takada |
Edited by | Keiichi Uraoka |
Music by | Hayashi Hikaru |
Distributed by | Shochiku |
Release date |
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Running time | 99 minutes[1] |
Country | Japan |
Language | Japanese |
Plot
After housemaid Shino is attacked and tied up and her employer raped and murdered, it turns out that Shino and the intruder, serial killer Eisuke, are from the same rural village. Shino pretends not to be sure about Eisuke's identity and, with the police on her track, travels to Osaka to meet Mrs. Kura, Eisuke's wife. In a series of flashbacks it is revealed that Shino, the sole survivor of a shinjū with her lover Genji, was raped afterwards by Eisuke while being unconscious. Village teacher Kura, Genji's former lover, married Eisuke despite her knowledge of his deed, and kept his identity a secret although she knew of his crimes. Back in the present, Shino convinces Kura to turn Eisuke over to the police. After his death sentence, Kura talks Shino into committing suicide with her, which she regards as the last logical act. Kura dies, and Shino is again the sole survivor of a double suicide attempt.
Cast
- Kei Satō as Eisuke Oyamada
- Saeda Kawaguchi as Shino Shinozaki
- Akiko Koyama as Matsuko Kura
- Rokkō Toura as Genji Hyuga
- Fumio Watanabe as Detective Haraguchi
- Taiji Tonoyama as Principal
Production
Consisting of over 2,000 single shots, Violence at Noon was once considered the most highly edited work in Japanese film history.[4]
References
- "白昼の通り魔 (Violence at Noon)". Japanese Movie Database (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 May 2021.
- "白昼の通り魔 (Violence at Noon)". Kinenote (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 May 2021.
- Jacoby, Alexander (2008). Critical Handbook of Japanese Film Directors: From the Silent Era to the Present Day. Berkeley: Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 978-1-933330-53-2.
- "Violence at Noon". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
External links
- Violence at Noon at IMDb
- Violence at Noon at the Japanese Movie Database (in Japanese)
- Violence at Noon at Rotten Tomatoes