Tadashi Imai


Director

About

Birth Place
Japan
Born
January 08, 1912
Died
November 22, 1991
Cause of Death
Brain Hemorrhage

Biography

A leader of the postwar independent film production movement. Imai was an erratically brilliant filmmaker whose controversial leftist views and "subversive" activities forced him outside Japan's studio system. He directed his first feature, "The Namazu Military Academy," in 1939 but shortly after was forced to give up politics under the wartime military regime and began making war-collab...

Biography

A leader of the postwar independent film production movement. Imai was an erratically brilliant filmmaker whose controversial leftist views and "subversive" activities forced him outside Japan's studio system. He directed his first feature, "The Namazu Military Academy," in 1939 but shortly after was forced to give up politics under the wartime military regime and began making war-collaboration propaganda films.

After the war, Imai joined the Communist Party and returned to leftist themes, criticizing the corruption of the wartime leaders. In "The People's Enemy" (1946) Imai proselytized on behalf of postwar democracy. During this period he directed his greatest commercial success, "Green Mountains Part I and II" (1949), which depicted a small town high school's struggle against established institutions and values. Imai was blacklisted at times for his political views and was fired by Toho studios for leading a strike. His subsequent freelance work continued to focus on the plight of the downtrodden proletariat.

Life Events

1934

Wrote first screenplay

1935

Joined J.O. Studio in Kyoto; worked as assistant to directors Ishida, Namiki and Nakagawa

1937

Appointed director when J.O. Studio absorbed by Toho

1939

Directed first feature, "The Namazu Military Academy"

1950

Fired by Toho Studios for initiating a strike

1953

Began working as a "prestige" director for Toei, Daiei and other studios

1969

Returned to independent production with "River Without Bridges"

Bibliography