Ryuhei Kitamura
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This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2010) |
| Ryuhei Kitamura | |
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| Born | May 30, 1969 Osaka, Japan |
| Occupation | Film director and screenwriter |
Ryuhei Kitamura (北村 龍平 Kitamura Ryūhei) (born May 30, 1969) is a Japanese filmmaker.
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Biography[edit]
Early life[edit]
Born in Osaka, Japan, Kitamura quit high school and went to the School of Visual Arts in Australia at age 17.
Movie career[edit]
His first film was the short Exit, which he made as his graduation piece at age 19. After graduating, he returned to Japan to establish Napalm Films, his independent film production studio. While his films Down to Hell and Heat After Dark were successful in film festivals, Kitamura's rise to international fame came from Versus.
Kitamura went on to direct several movies, including adaptations of the manga Azumi and the popular Japanese TV drama Sky High.[1] He had also collaborated with director Yukihiko Tsutsumi in the Duel Project, in which the two agreed to produce the best dueling movie with minimal production time and budget, with Aragami being Kitamura's part. He also ventured into the world of video games by directing the cut scenes and motion capturing of Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes. Kitamura also served as producer on 2003's Battlefield Baseball, the directorial debut of Yūdai Yamaguchi (Versus co-writer). Kitamura's 2004 kaiju film, Godzilla: Final Wars had its premiere in Hollywood.[2]
Kitamura recently marked his American filmmaking debut with Midnight Meat Train based on Clive Barker's short horror story of the same name. The film was released on August 1, 2008 and stars Bradley Cooper, Vinnie Jones, and Brooke Shields.[3] His next directorial effort, No One Lives, will play as part of the Midnight Madness portion of the Toronto International Film Festival, and is set to be released in 2012, his second American production.[4] He is currently attached to direct the movie Gun Monkeys from a screenplay by Lee Goldberg, based on the novel by Victor Gischler.[citation needed]
Kitamura's favourite Godzilla film is Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974). His favourite kaiju is King Caesar. He is set to direct the slasher film Black Friday 3D, which is based on a screenplay by Joe Knetter.[5]
Filmography[edit]
Director[edit]
- Exit (1995)
- Heat After Dark (1996)
- Down to Hell (1997)
- Versus (2000)
- Alive (2002)
- The Messenger (2002, Jam Films segment) (a.k.a. Requiem for the Dead)
- Aragami (2003)
- Azumi (2003)
- Sky High (2003)
- Longinus (2004)
- Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)
- LoveDeath (2006)
- Midnight Meat Train (2008)
- Baton (2009)
- No One Lives (2013)
- Marble City (2013)
Producer[edit]
- Down to Hell (1997)
- Battlefield Baseball (2003, directed by Yūdai Yamaguchi)
- LoveDeath (2006)
Writer[edit]
- Heat After Dark (1996) (writer)
- Down to Hell (1997) (writer)
- Versus (2000) (writer)
- Alive (2002) (screenplay)
- Aragami (2003) (writer)
- Longinus (2004) (writer)
- Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) (screenplay)
- LoveDeath (2006) (screenplay)
- Yoroi: Samurai Zombie (2008, directed by Tak Sakaguchi) (story, screenplay)
- Versus (2010) (writer)
Actor[edit]
- Down to Hell (1997) Ponytail Thug
- Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) Radio DJ
Television[edit]
- Sky High (2003, TV series)
- Sakurajima (2004, documentary)
- Romance Novel (2006)
Video games[edit]
- Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (2004) (in-game cutscenes)
References[edit]
- ^ Gifford, Kevin. "Azumi". Newtype USA. 5 (11) p. 154. November 2006. ISSN 1541-4817.
- ^ (Japanese) Ryuhei Kitamura at JMDb
- ^ "Ryuhei Kitamura to Direct Black Friday 3D?". DreadCentral.
- ^ "ryuhei kitamuras no one lives scores teaser artwork". ArrowInTheHead.
- ^ "Ryuhei Kitamura Takes on Slasher Genre With 'Black Friday 3D'". BloodyDisgusting.
External links[edit]
- Ryuhei Kitamura Official Site (available in Japanese and English)
- Ryuhei Kitamura at the Internet Movie Database
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