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ARCHIVED ONLINE EVENT - Japan Society Film Club: Giants and Toys directed by Yasuzo Masumura

Wednesday 4 May 2022 / 6:30pm
ONLINE EVENT - Japan Society Film Club: Giants and Toys directed by Yasuzo Masumura

Date
Wednesday 4 May 2022
Time
6.30pm (BST)
For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region.

Booking Details
Free - Booking essential
Priority for Japan Society Members

Please remember to watch the film in advance. Giants and Toys is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Apple TV and Microsoft Store as well as on Arrow Films with subscription.

Book online here


Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary cinema stories? Do you miss Japan and want to see it at least on screen? Would you like to learn and discuss about Japanese culture and society? Join us for the Japan Society Film Club where we will chat online about films and Japan in an informal atmosphere.

For our Film Club in May, we invite you to watch the post-war satire Giants and Toys directed by Yasuzo Masumura in 1958.

Giants and Toys (巨人と玩具, Kyojin to gangu, 1958) is a sharp, fast pasted satire on the rise of capitalism in post war-Japan. It revolves around a group of advertising executives at a caramel company planning to launch a new product, in fierce competition with two other companies. Ambitious boss Goda and his assistant Nishi want to start a promotional campaign using the theme of space as an incentive to increase sales and interest. By chance, the two men encounter Kyoko, a pretty but unsophisticated girl whose childish manners make her the perfect model for the campaign.

Yasuzo Masumura (1924-1986) was an eclectic and innovative Japanese director. He initially studied law at Tokyo University, but his studies were interrupted when he was drafted into the army in the later stages of the Asia-Pacific War. He was repatriated in the late 40s and started working at the Daiei studio while finishing his degree in philosophy. After his graduation, he obtained a scholarship to study at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome. Matsumura returned to Japan in the early 1950s and worked at the Daiei studio as assistant director for Kenji Mizoguchi, Kon Ichikawa and Daisuke Ito, before directing his own first film, Kisses, in 1957. For most of his career, he remained at Daiei and directed over 50 films in a variety of genres, including adaptations of literary works by Junichiro Tanizaki, Genjiro Yoshida and Yasunari Kawabata. Among his most celebrated works are Afraid to Die (1960) starring Yukio Mishima, Manji (1964), Seisaku's Wife (1965), Irezumi (1966) Red Angel (1966) and Blind Beast (1969).

Japan Society Film Clubs will take place on the first Wednesday of the month. We will recommend a film to watch in advance and meet online to discuss. Films are often available online for free, to rent or with subscription, on DVD/Blu Ray or on BFI player. When possible, we will invite film experts to introduce and lead the discussion, but the event is open to all and we encourage participants to freely express their opinions and feelings about the films.

If you have any questions, please call the Japan Society office on 020 3075 1996 or email events@japansociety.org.uk.


Booking Info

Please remember to watch the film in advance. Giants and Toys is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Apple TV and Microsoft Store as well as on Arrow Films with subscription.

  • You should receive an automated email from the Japan Society to let you know that your booking request has been registered. Please note that your booking is pending while we check your details and you will receive a further email once your booking is confirmed.

  • For online events, we will send you the zoom links and details to attend the event closer to the date.

  • If you don't receive any confirmation emails or links, please check your spam folder or email events@japansociety.org.uk.