The indefatigable Takeshi Kitano is not only a triple film threat (as a writer, director and actor), he also appears on Japanese TV shows several nights a weeks and is an active journalist, novelist and poet.Born Jan. 18, 1947, in Tokyo, Kitano got his start in show business as half of the comedy team the Two Beats, which became popular during the 1970s stand-up comedy explosion. His comedic success led to roles in movies, including 1983's Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, in which Kitano memorably played a concentration camp jailer.
In 1989, Kitano added directing to his credits when the helmsman of a picture Kitano was about to star in fell ill. The result -- Violent Cop -- earned him international acclaim. Since then, he has penned, directed, edited or appeared in nearly a film per year, including Boiling Point (1990), Johnny Mnemonic (1995) and Brother (with Omar Epps, 2000).
AddThe Blind Swordman: ZatoichiZatoichi (a classic Japanese character and the subject of dozens of films) rises again in this feature directed by Takeshi Kitano. This time, he's a kindly, blind traveling masseur who conceals his prodigious skills as a swordsman. Upon entering a town in his usual low-key manner, Zatoichi finds it... Read More
AddBrotherMartial arts star Takeshi Kitano drop-kicks his way through this violent tale, portraying a Yakuza leader who flees to America after a gang war turns against him. He starts anew with a drug ring that comes to rule the mean streets of Los Angeles. Kitano also wrote and directed this cautionary tale... Read More
AddKikujiroKikujiro (Takeshi Kitano), a loud-mouthed drifter with a chip on his shoulder, is forced to accompany Masao (Yusuke Sekiguchi), an 8-year-old orphan, on a trip to meet his mother for the first time. Their unlikely pairing results in a child's journey of wonder. After leaving the city, the duo's... Read More
AddSonatineMob boss Murakawa (Takeshi Kitano) aims to merge his factions of power as he gets closer and closer to middle age. His boss has the perfect assignment for him: to serve as mediator in a town where some of the gang's divisions have become uncooperative with one another. Murakawa fears that he's being... Read More
AddFireworksInternationally acclaimed filmmaker Takeshi Kitano writes, directs and stars in this gritty cop drama, centered on a despairing police officer struggling to maintain his sanity in the wake of a series of harrowing tragedies. With his wife dying of cancer and his partner suffering a life-altering... Read More
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