NOTE: THERE IS NO NEW
PROGRAMMING FOR NGN (CH. 677)
IN AUGUST
NGN 3 MOVIE CHANNEL (Digital Ch. 679)
Premiere titles air on Friday. Movies are shown at various times. Check your digital on-screen guide for movie schedules, using either the GUIDE or INFO buttons (up to one week ahead). Or call NGN, Mon.-Fri. from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 538-1966 for inquiries or to request an e-mail of NGN 3 programming information. All movies are in Japanese language with full English subtitles.
PREMIERE TITLES OF THE MONTH
Aug. 7: “Meimon Nishi Tako Ouendan (The West Tako Cheerleaders),” 1987 comedy/drama, 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Directed by Izo Hashimoto. Starring Ginji Gaou and Akie Yoshizawa.
A boy seeks manhood in joining his school’s militaristic cheer squad.
Aug. 14: ‘Kenka Karate Kyokushinken (Champion of Death),” 1975 action film, 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Directed by Kazuhiko Yamaguchi. Starring Sonny Chiba and Yumi Takigawa.
Based on the true life story of a Korean fighter named Choi Bae-dal (who later changed his name to Masutatsu Oyama), the founder of Kyokushin Karate in Japan. Masutatsu is a martial arts champion who wants to leave the competitive world for a quieter life. But after he becomes involved in the death of an underworld figure, he finds himself on the run from thugs determined to take revenge against him.
Aug. 21: “Ooinaru Bakushin (Devotion to Railway),” 1960 action film, 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Directed by Hideo Sekikawa. Starring Katsuo Nakamura and Rentaro Mikuni.
A human drama of crew and passengers on a special express train named “Sakura.”
Aug. 28: “Gokuchu no Kaoyaku (Prison Boss),” 1968 action film, 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Directed by Yasuo Huruhata. Starring Ken Takakura and Junko Fuji.
Rival gangs fight over ownership of bicycle race track.
NGN3 MOVIE OF THE MONTH
“Fune wo Amu (The Great Passage),” 2013 drama, 2 hours and 13
minutes.
Directed by Yuya Ishii. Starring Ryuhei Matsuda and Aoi Miyazaki.
Mitsuya Majime is an eccentric man in publishing company who has unique ability of words. He joins the team that will compile a new dictionary, “The Great Passage.” In the eclectic team, he becomes immersed in the world of dictionaries. But the team is overwhelmed with problems contending with an ocean of over 200,000 words by day. Will “The Great Passage” ever be completed?
NGN3 COMMUNITY FAVORITE
“Hanagasa Dochu (While Traveling),” 1962 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 24 minutes.
Directed by Toshikazu Kono. Starring Hibari Misora and Kotaro Satomi.
Okimi and her gang go on a private mission to find whereabouts of Okimi’s lover, Kanta.
NGN3 Movies (in alphabetical order)
“Be-Bop High School Koko Yotarao Aika (Be-Bop High School 2),” 1986 action film, 1 hour and 38 minutes.
Directed by Hiroyuki Nasu. Starring Toru Nakamura and Koujirou Shimizu.
More from the lives of two rough-and-tumble high school friends who seem to make a habit of getting into trouble and starting up fights.
“Buraikan Jingi (Code of Ruffians),” 1965 action film, 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Directed by Yuusuke Watanabe. Starring Koji Tsuruta and Sonny Chiba.
A portrait of a construction worker’s persistence and courage.
“Bushido Zankoku Monogatari (Cruel Tale of Bushido),” 1963
jidaigeki, 2 hours and 3 minutes.
Directed by Tadashi Imai. Starring Kinnosuke Yorozuya and Eijiro Tono.
A warrior oath sworn during the feudalistic Warring States period cruelly binds a man and his family to unimaginable abuses and continues through the generations to the present day.
“Dassou Yuugi (Jail Breakers),” 1976 action film, 1 hour and 33 minutes.
Directed by Kosaku Yamashita. Starring Sonny Chiba.
Kamiki is a professional fixer of jailbreak who lets prisoners escape for big money. He became a criminal at age 12 and has been in and out of prison for 48 years.
“Futari Wakajishi (Two Young Lions),” 1959 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Directed by Kinnosuke Fukada. Starring Chiyonosuke Azuma and
Sentaro Fushimi.
Shinkuro, a samurai, and a thief named Yasutaro, work together to resist a tyrannical Tokugawa government.
“Hatamoto Kenka Daka (Samurai Hawks),” 1961 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 21 minutes.
Directed by Nobuo Nakagawa. Starring Utaemon Ichikawa.
A samurai crushes a plot to overthrow the government.
“Jingi no Hakaba (Graveyard for Honor),” 1975 action film, 1 hour and 34 minutes.
Directed by Kinji Fukasaku. Starring Tetsuya Watari and Tatsuo
Umemiya.
A dire portrait of the corruption that reigns over both cops and yakuza gangs in 1970s Osaka. Kuroiwa is a cop whose brutal tactics place him closer in spirit to the criminals he is bringing down than to the law-abiding citizens he’s supposed to protect. As the cops attempt to broker peace between two rival gangs and tensions mount in the underworld, Kuroiwa starts to fall for the wife of one of the bosses.
“Jinrui Shikin (The Human Trust),” 2013 drama, 2 hours and 30
minutes.
Directed by Junji Sakamoto. Starring Koichi Sato, Shingo Katori and Vincent Gallo.
Yuichi Mafune is known as a finance broker, but he’s actually a conman. One day, a wealthy young businessman “M” shows up and hires Yuichi to steal the “M funds.” The “M funds” is thought to be hidden treasure looted from the Bank of Japan and supposedly stashed away by a group of men after World War II in various locations around the globe. He is hired by “M” to steal 10 trillion yen from the M Fund and use it for humanitarian assistance to the Third World. Harold Marcus, an investment banker, sends an assassin to stop them.
“Kaigun Yokosuka Keimusho (Yokosuka Navy Prison),” 1973 action film, 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Directed by Kosaku Yamashita. Starring Shintaro Katsu and Harue Akagi.
When a rebellious roughneck enlists in the Navy and goes on a rampage against his superiors, he is sent to the Yokosuka Naval Prison.
“Kawachi Yukyoden (The Rickshaw Man’s Son),” 1967 action film,
1 hour and 28 minutes.
Directed by Tatsuichi Takamori. Starring Sonny Chiba.
A roughneck named Komakichi of Kawachi, Osaka comes back from three-year training to become a chef hoping to be with his crash Tamae, a daughter of a Japanese restaurant’s owner. His father is not happy because Komakichi has no intention to become a rickshaw man to follow in his father’s footsteps.
“Kimi no Na wa (Always in My Heart, Part 3),” 1953 drama, 2 hours and 5 minutes.
Directed by Hideo Oba. Starring Keiko Kishi and Keiji Sada.
Machiko and Haruki’s drama continues. Machiko is not allowed to see Haruki. They finally meet again, but Haruki departs to Europe. Part three of three.
“LOVE Masao-kun ga Iku! (Go, Masao!),” 2012 comedy/drama, 1 hour and 49 minutes.
Directed by Kentaro Otani. Starring Shingo Katori and Ryoko Hirosue.
Hideki, a struggling comedian, is initially overjoyed when he’s invited to appear on a pet-themed variety show starring a goofy dog named
Masao-kun. Unfortunately, his luck quickly takes a turn for the worse Masao proves nearly impossible to handle. However, his attitude changes one day when he’s injured during filming and Masao immediately rushes to aid him. After that incident, Hideki decides to form a permanent duo with Masao.
“Maboroshi Tengu (Phantom Goblin),” 1962 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Directed by Nobuo Nakagawa. Starring Hashizo Okawa and Hiroko Sakuramachi.
An injured Edo official is rescued by a vassal whose appearance is exactly like himself, and swears to sweep out the criminals from the town on his behalf.
“Nogiku no Haka (Tomb of the Wild Chrysanthemum),” 1981 drama,
1 hour and 31 minutes.
Directed by Shinichiro Sawai. Starring Seiko Matsuda and Masashi
Kuwahara.
Saito Masao reminisces on the days of his youth more than 50 years ago and his forbidden love of his older cousin Tamiko. When he was 15, Tamiko moved in to take care of his sickly mother. The two quickly fell in love with each other but were inevitably forced by their family to live separate lives.
“Pinch Runner,” 2000 drama, 1 hour and 47 minutes.
Directed by Hiroyuki Nasu. Starring Morning Musume and Manabu Oshio.
Ayumi, the only member of high school girls track team, trains tirelessly every day. Her work ethic and commitment to improving herself inspire five other classmates to join the team. Under the watchful eyes of their team mentor, Ikue, the girls train to win the regional long distance relay.
“Sake to Onna to Yari (Man’s Ambition),” 1960 jidaigeki, 1 hour and
39 minutes.
Directed by Tomu Uchida. Starring Ryutaro Otomo and Chiezo Kataoka.
A retired master spearsman goes to a battlefield again.
“Shimizu no Jirocho Ninkyo Nakasendo (Road of Chivalry),” 1960 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 31 minutes.
Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda. Starring Chiezo Kataoka Kinnosuke Nakamura, Hashizo Okawa, Chiyonosuke Azuma and Kotaro Satomi.
An all-star cast movie featuring two yakuza heroes, Shimizu Jirocho and Kunisada Chuji, who unite to save the poor.
“Shin Ougon Kujakujo Shichinin no Kishi Kanketsuhen (Seven Knights, Part 3),” 1961 samurai film, 55 minutes.
Directed by Kosaku Yamashita. Starring Kotaro Satomi and Shingo
Yamashiro.
Seven knights fight for the peace of the world. (Part 3)
“Showa Zankyoden (Contemporary Tales of Chivalry),” 1965 action film, 1 hour and 31 minutes.
Directed by Kiyoshi Saeki. Starring Ken Takakura, Yoshiko Mita, Hiroki Matsukata and Shinjrio Ebara.
Story about a man who helps rebuild Asakusa after World War II. Ken Takakura stars as Seiji Terashima, a young respected yakuza who comes to aid his comrades when his late boss’ territory in Asakusa is threatened by rival gangs.
“Taiheiyo no G-Men (G-Men in the Pacific),” 1962 drama, 1 hour and 27 minutes.
Directed by Teruo Ishii. Starring Chiezo Kataoka and Tetsuro Tanba.
G-men challenge a jewelry smuggling ring. The chase starts in Kyushu and continues to Kobe to Yokohama.
“Takarajima Ensei (Excursion to Treasure Isle),” 1956 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Directed by Tsuneo Kobayashi. Starring Hibari Misora, Kenichi
Enomoto, and Akira Kishii.
Dramatization of the famous Japanese folklore Momotaro (Peach Boy) starring Hibari Misora.
“Waga Haha no Ki (Chronicle of My Mother),” 2011 drama, 1 hour and 59 minutes.
Directed by Masato Harada. Starring Koji Yakusho and Kirin Kiki.
Kosaku, married with four daughters, is a successful writer and tyrannical husband and father. When his mother begins to display signs of dementia, duty demands that he take care of her. He knows she probably doesn’t have long to live, but as she attempts to cling to the fading memories of her son, they manage to gradually reconcile their family’s complicated past. As her grip on reality loosens, facts about the past — specifically why she saw fit to abandon her son after the war — come to light.
“Yogisha (Night Train),” 1987 drama, 2 hours and 18 minutes.
Directed by Kosaku Yamashita. Starring Yukiyo Toake, Kumiko Akiyoshi and Hisako Manda.
From the writer of “Kai” comes another tragic tale of love and betrayal. A woman’s love is tested when she is faced with the betrayal of her younger sister and the man in her life.
“Yureijima no Okite (Law in Ghost Island),” 1961 action/samurai drama, 1 hour and 34 minutes.
Directed by Yasushi Sasaki. Starring Hashizo Okawa, Hibari Misora, Chiyonosuke Azuma and Kinya Kitaoji.
Upon his arrival to Dragon Island, ronin Yagi Hazhiso, is propositioned by various shady individuals representing rival gangs to lend his services to them. Branded an enemy for his refusal to become involved with either side, he soon finds himself caught up in an intrigue extending beyond petty gang rivalries, involving a plot by Daimyo in Kyoto to overthrow the government.
“Zangetsu Okawa Nagashi (River Washes Away the Moon),” 1963 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 25 minutes.
Directed by Yasushi Sasaki. Starring Hibari Misora and Ryochi
Ogasawara.
Ogin, a young pickpocket, gives up her life as a thief to pursue ultimate happiness with the man of her dreams.
