February 24, 2014, 6:30 PM – 8:45 PM
Asia Society
725 Park Avenue (at East 70 Street), New York, NY
Vengeance Is Mine
Shohei Imamura. 1979. Japan. 128 min. Color. 35mm. With English subtitles. w. Ken Ogata, Rentaro Mikuni, Chocho Miyako
After about a decade making documentaries, Imamura returned to fiction with this film inspired by the true story of a gruesome 78-day killing spree and manhunt. In this career-defining film, Ken Ogata delivers an unforgettable performance as Iwao Enokizu, a con artist, thief, lady charmer, and murderer. The film begins with Iwao entering jail. A series of flashbacks take us back in time to revisit the murderer’s past and his horrendous crimes. Such a reverse chronological structure makes the film more of a character study than a suspenseful crime thriller. This intense portrait of a menacing mind is at once poignant and chilling. A Janus Films Release.
“A portrait of a killer that is poignant, tragic and banal enough to deserve the comparison with Crime and Punishment.” — Roger Ebert
For more information about the film, please visit:
http://asiasociety.org/new-york/events/vengeance-mine