Jūzō Itami

Jūzō Itami

Actor · Director · Producer · Writer

Kyoto, Japan
May 15, 1933

Biography

Jūzō Itami (1933–1997) was a Japanese actor and, later, a popular modern screenwriter and film director. Many critics came to regard him as Japan's greatest director since Akira Kurosawa. His ten feature-length movies and one short film, all of which he wrote himself, are comic satires on elements of Japanese culture. He died under suspicious circumstances in December 1997 and may have been murdered by the yakuza.

Photo

Jūzō Itami 1
Jūzō Itami 2
Jūzō Itami 3
Jūzō Itami 4
Jūzō Itami 5
Jūzō Itami 6
Jūzō Itami 7

Representative Works

Tampopo
Tampopo
7.8
/ Japanese
55 Days at Peking
55 Days at Peking
6.9
/ English
Lord Jim
Lord Jim
6.8
/ English
A Taxing Woman
A Taxing Woman
6.7
/ Japanese
The Funeral
The Funeral
7.2
/ Japanese
The Makioka Sisters
The Makioka Sisters
7.4
/ Japanese
Bumpkin Soup
Bumpkin Soup
5.3
/ Japanese

Awards and Honors

Critical Favorites

Tampopo
1985Winner

Best Picture

Tampopo

55 Days at Peking
1963Nominee

Best Performance

55 Days at Peking

Lord Jim
1965Nominee

Best Performance

Lord Jim

Career Highlights

A Taxing Woman
1987Highlight

Best Writing

A Taxing Woman

The Funeral
1984Highlight

Best Director

The Funeral

Video