Buntarō Futagawa Explained

was a pioneering Japanese film director and writer. So far, only two of his works have been released on DVD: Orochi (Japanese: 雄呂血, The Serpent, 1925) and the short film Backward Flow (Japanese: [[:ja:逆流 (映画)|逆流]], Gyakuryū, 1924). As a writer, he used another name: Otsuma Shinozuka (Japanese: 紫之塚 乙馬).[1]

Life

Futagawa was born Kichinosuke Takizawa on 18 June 1899, in Misaki, Shiba, Tokyo (present-day Mita, Minato, Tokyo), to a family of tea merchants. His younger brother by three years was film director Eisuke Takizawa.[2]

He studied business at Chuo University, but dropped out to join Taishō Katsuei in Yokohama in April 1921.

In the silent era, Futagawa worked with actor Tsumasaburō Bandō.

Notes and References

  1. 日本映画監督全集, Kinema Junpo, 1976, p.345.
  2. Kishi . Matsuo . 1976 . 二川文太郎 . 日本映画監督全集 . 345 . キネマ旬報社.