Yasuzō Masumura

Yasuzo Masumura (増村 保造 Masumura Yasuzō, August 25, 1924 - November 23, 1986) was a Japanese film director. Masumura was born in Kōfu on Honshū. After dropping out of a law course at the University of Tokyo he worked as an assistant director at the Daiei studio, later returning to university to study philosophy; he graduated in 1949. He then won a scholarship allowing him to study film in Italy at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia under Michelangelo Antonioni, Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti. Masumura returned to Japan in 1953 and from 1955 worked as a second-unit director on films directed by Kenji Mizoguchi and Kon Ichikawa, before directing his own first film, Kisses, in 1957. Over the next three decades he directed around 60 films in a variety of genres. His work is noted for his dark satire and fluid style. Notable films include Red Angel, Black Test Car, Giants and Toys, Blind Beast and Hoodlum Soldier.

Filmography of Yasuzō Masumura

  • Lullaby of Death (1982)
  • The Garden of Eden (1980)
  • Akai Shisen (1980)
  • Red Storm (1979)
  • Double Suicide of Sonezaki (1978)
  • Lullaby of the Earth (1976)
  • Akai Shougeki (1976)
  • Main Line to Terror (1975)
  • Akumyo: Notorious Dragon (1974)
  • Hanzo the Razor: The Snare (1973)
  • Music (1972)
  • New Hoodlum Soldier Story: Firing Line (1972)
  • Games (1971)
  • Play It Cool (1970)
  • The Hot Little Girl (1970)
  • An Ode to Yakuza (1970)
  • Blind Beast (1969)
  • Vixen (1969)
  • Thousand Cranes (1969)
  • The Great Villains (1968)
  • The House of Wooden Blocks (1968)
  • The Sex Check (1968)
  • One Day at Summer's End (1968)
  • The Wife of Seishu Hanaoka (1967)
  • Love for an Idiot (1967)
  • Two Wives (1967)
  • Irezumi (1966)
  • Red Angel (1966)
  • The School of Spies (1966)
  • Seisaku's Wife (1965)
  • Hoodlum Soldier (1965)
  • Manji (1964)
  • Love and Greed (1964)
  • Fools at Work (1964)
  • Superexpress (1964)
  • Black Report (1963)
  • When Women Lie (1963)
  • Sentimental Mobsters (1963)
  • Black Test Car (1962)
  • A Woman's Life (1962)