Directed by Shohei Imamura
Japan, 1979, 128 minutes
Japan, 1979, 128 minutes
Color, 35 mm
Japanese language with English subtitles
Japanese language with English subtitles
When: January 24, 2014 at
6:30 pm
Doors open at 6:00 pm
Doors open at 6:00 pm
Where: Asia Society
725 Park Avenue (at East 70 Street), NYC
Admission is FREE
But you must register for this event
“A portrait of a killer that is poignant, tragic and banal enough to deserve the comparison with Crime and Punishment.” — Roger Ebert
After about a decade making documentaries, Imamura returned to fiction with this film inspired by the true story of a gruesome 78-day killing spree and manhunt. In this career-defining film, Ken Ogata delivers an unforgettable performance as Iwao Enokizu, a con artist, thief, lady charmer, and murderer. The film begins with Iwao entering jail. A series of flashbacks take us back in time to revisit the murderer’s past and his horrendous crimes. Such a reverse chronological structure makes the film more of a character study than a suspenseful crime thriller. This intense portrait of a menacing mind is at once poignant and chilling. A Janus Films Release.
Friday evening's screening of Vengeance Is Mine is part of the film series Vengeance Is Shohei Imamura (January 17-February 1, 2014). The series is co-presented with Japan Foundation and is part of Citi Series on Asian Arts and Culture.
