Eijanaika (1981)

Synopsis: In 1867, the last days of the shogun system of Japan, various samurai and nobles schemed to acquire more power. At the same time, a bachanalian movement erupted among the lower classes. Their... In 1867, the last days of the shogun system of Japan, various samurai and nobles schemed to acquire more power. At the same time, a bachanalian movement erupted among the lower classes. Their rallying cry was eijanaika, which means roughly "Why not?" or "What the hell!" Director Shohei Imamura's film captures the chaos of this period through the eyes of Genji (Ken Ogata), who has been stranded in America for several years. After returning to his homeland, he discovers that his long-lost wife, Ine (Kaori Momoi), has become the star of the erotic TICKLE THE GODDESS show. As he desperately tries to convince her to move with him to the U.S., the masses' discontent explodes. EIJANAIKA might be seen as a remake of BAKUMATSU TAIYODEN (Sun Legend of the Shogunate's Last Days), directed by Imamura's mentor, Yuzo Kawashima, and scripted by Imamura. Both films re-create the carnivalesque sights and sounds of 19th-century Edo and demonstrate Imamura's enduring interest in the connection between the "lower part of the human body and the lower part of the social structure." [More]

Starring: Ken Ogata, Kaori Momoi

Starring: Ken Ogata, Kaori Momoi

Director: Shohei Imamura

Director: Shohei Imamura

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