| News about Koji Yakusho 2 |
| May 11: The Release of "The Choice of Hercules" On May 11, Koji Yakusho's long-awaited film, "The Choice of Hercules" by Masato Harada was released nationwide in Japan. Koji Yakusho made a speech on the stage at Marunouchi Toei Movie Theater in Ginza, Tokyo at 13:30 on May 11, with Director Masato Harada, the actress Yu-uki Amami, who played the role of Yakusho' wife, and Atsuyuki Sasa, the author of the book on which the film is based and the role person of Koji Yakusho. The theater reportedly was jam-packed! It was for the second showing of the film that I went to that theater. It was still crowded with the audience but I managed to find a seat on the second floor. I enjoyed the film very much. It is an extremely-well made film. Koji Yakusho's acting is again superb! Nobody could imagine that he is the same actor who played such roles as Sawai in "Eureka" and "Sasano in "Warm Water under a Red Bridge". In his new film we now can see him as a totally different figure in early 1970s in the role of police officer, who is an active, confident and determined leader with a sense of humour. |
| June 1:" Band of Brothers" Koji Yakusho is now challenging a new experience. He is now dubbing the part of a British actor, Damien Lewis in an American TV serial drama with ten episodes, called, "Band of Brothers"produced by Stephen Spielberg and Tom Hunks. Damien Lewis' role is Richard Winters. This drama is due to be released through a Japanese satelite TV station, WOWOW from July 27, 2002. Answering why he had accepted this new dubbing job, Yakusho said:"This drama was not merely a war drama." As is well known, Yakusho's voice is usually soothing and pleasant sounding. Many Yakusho fans are now looking forward to this TV drama. |
| July 8: Koji Yakusho's new film Koji Yakusho's next film after "Totsunyu-seyo Asama-sanso Jiken/The Choice of Hercules" will be "Tokyo Genpatsu" (Tokyo Nuclear Power Station) by Gen Yamakawa, which is due to be released sometime this coming autumn. Yaksho's role is that of the Governor of Tokyo named Mr. Temma. The film seems to begin with Temma's sudden shocking announcement at a regular official meeting that he is thinking of setting up a nuclear power station in Tokyo to solve the economic recession in Tokyo..... Director Yamakawa says that this film is a black comedy! Yakusho is very good at comedy so we are looking forward to seeing his acting as an eccentric governor in this film. |
| (May 11 - August 16, 2002) |
| August 8: Koji Yakusho will work with Shohei Imamura again. According to a recent newspaper report, Koji Yakusho will soon start filming with Shohei Imamura again. But the running time of the film will be very short, only 11 minutes, 9 seconds! A certain French film company has set up a project to ask 11 film directors from 11 countries of the world to make a 11-minute-9-second film to commemorate Sepember 11, 2001, in order to highlight the importance of peace and generosity. As a Japanese director, Shohei Imamura ("The Eel" and "Warm Water under a Red Bridge" was selected. Kazuo Kitamura, Etsuko Ichihara, Ken Ogata and Akira Emoto will also appear in the film. |
| August 16: Koji Yakusho's new film Koji Yakusho announced on the comment page of his official website that he had recently finished filming a new film with Kiyoshi Kurosawa. It is his sixth film with K.Kurosawa. "I will report the details of this film, when the time comes, says Yakusho. |
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| Koji Yakusho as Atsuyuki Sassa in "Totsunyuseyo Asama-sanso Jiken |