Bunkamura Deux Magots Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 11 (2001) award
Hiromichi Horikawa
ほりかわ ひろみち
Horikawa Hiromichi
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1916-12-28 （Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan）
- Died
- 2012-09-05 （Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan） age 95
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Kyoto City (birthplace), Japan → Setagaya, Tokyo (residence), Japan
Career
- Occupations
- film director
- Active Years
- 1940-2001
- Affiliations
- Setagaya Article 9 Association (convener)
- Influenced By
- Akira Kurosawa
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Municipal First Middle School (now Tokyo Metropolitan Kudan High School) | — | — | — | — | Japan |
| Seijo High School (old system; now Seijo University) | — | — | — | — | Japan |
| Tokyo Imperial University (now University of Tokyo), Faculty of Letters | Faculty of Letters | — | — | 卒業 1940年 | Japan |
Tokyo Municipal First Middle School (now Tokyo Metropolitan Kudan High School)
Country:
Japan
Seijo High School (old system; now Seijo University)
Country:
Japan
Tokyo Imperial University (now University of Tokyo), Faculty of Letters
Faculty of Letters
Period:
卒業 1940年
Year of Graduation:
1940
Country:
Japan
Graduated from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Letters, in 1940.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Bunkamura Dumago Literary Prize (11th) | A Biography of Akira Kurosawa | — | Bunkamura-Dumago | Winner |
Bunkamura Dumago Literary Prize (11th)
Work:
A Biography of Akira Kurosawa
Organization:
Bunkamura-Dumago
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Asunaro Monogatari
1955 Film (Drama)Horikawa's directorial debut (script by Akira Kurosawa). It is noted for rigorous shooting practices that reportedly exhausted film stock during production.
youthhuman relationships
Hadaka no Taisho (The Naked General)
1958 Film (Comedy/Drama)A popular film starring Keiju Kobayashi; a cinematic adaptation linked to well-known source material.
comedyhuman interest
Testimony: A Salaryman's Confession
1960 Film (Suspense / Social drama)A film adaptation of a Seicho Matsumoto work; a socially conscious suspense piece focusing on human portraiture against social issues.
crimesocial drama
Sniper
1968 Film (Action / Suspense)A tense suspense feature notable for its thrilling direction.
suspenseviolence
Turbulent Showa History: Warlords
1970 Film (Historical / Drama)An ensemble historical drama portraying political and military elements during the Showa era.
warpolitics
Osho (The Champion)
1973 Film (Biographical / Drama)A biographical-leaning film focusing on a central figure's life, emphasizing human drama.
biographyhonor
Alaska Story
1977 Film (Drama)Produced in 1977; one of the works around the time Horikawa ended his exclusive contract with Toho and became a freelance director.
human dramaforeign/remote settings
Mucchan's Poem
1985 Film (Drama)A 1985 film produced mainly by an independent production company; one of Horikawa's later representative works.
familyrelationships
Flower Stories
1989 Film (Drama)A 1989 film produced in collaboration with regional film centers; a mature-period work.
liferecollection
Asian Blue: Ukishimamaru Sacon
1995 Film (Drama)A 1995 late-period film; the title suggests an international or Asian thematic element.
international relationsjourney
A Biography of Akira Kurosawa
2001 Biography / Critical biographyA biographical and critical study of Akira Kurosawa written from Horikawa's perspective as a close aide and assistant; it examines Kurosawa's character and working methods and won a literary prize.
biographyfilm historymentor-disciple relationship
Bibliography
- Asunaro Monogatari (1955)
- Hadaka no Taisho (1958)
- Testimony: A Salaryman's Confession (1960)
- Sniper (1968)
- Turbulent Showa History: Warlords (1970)
- Osho (1973)
- Alaska Story (1977)
- Mucchan's Poem (1985)
- Flower Stories (1989)
- Asian Blue: Ukishimamaru Sacon (1995)
- A Biography of Akira Kurosawa (2001)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- realist, careful character depictionrigorous direction influenced by Akira Kurosawa
- Recurring Motifs
- mentor-disciple relationshipscraftsman's dedicationwar and its human impact
Health
-
Lung illness (related to overwork)1940年代（入社直後） — 1年半の休職Extended medical leave; interruption to early career
-
Recurrence of illness (details unspecified)復職後に再発し、3年半の休職を経験Another extended leave causing a pause in activities
-
Esophageal cancer2012年（最終罹患）Died in 2012 at home
Legacy
Known as a devoted disciple of Akira Kurosawa, Horikawa directed numerous commercial films from his time at Toho and left a mark on postwar Japanese cinema. His late-career biography of Kurosawa earned him a literary prize and contributed to film history scholarship.
In Popular Culture
- Films such as 'Hadaka no Taisho' have become part of popular culture.
Trivia
- Longtime assistant director to Akira Kurosawa and maintained a close personal relationship with him.
- An anecdote says his directorial debut exhausted the film stock during shooting due to rigorous shooting methods.
- Won the 11th Bunkamura Dumago Literary Prize for his 2001 biography of Akira Kurosawa.
- Died of esophageal cancer in 2012 at age 95.