Gyoei no Mure (The Catch). 1983. Directed by Shinji Somai

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Gyoei no Mure (The Catch). 1983. Japan. Directed by Shinji Somai. Courtesy Shochiku

Gyoei no Mure (The Catch). 1983. Japan. Directed by Shinji Somai. Screenplay by Yozo Tanaka. With Ken Ogata, Masako Natsume, Koichi Sato. 35mm. In Japanese; English subtitles. 140 min.

Widely admired (and much imitated) by Japanese filmmakers for his depictions of adolescence in all its messy awkwardness and absurdity, Shinji Somai died prematurely at 53 and has yet to find the international acclaim he so richly deserves. The Catch is Somai’s first work focusing on heated tensions between the generations. A stubborn old tuna fisherman in an isolated fishing town looks unkindly upon his only daughter’s boyfriend, especially when the boyfriend begs to learn the secrets of the trade. Amid tuna fishing sequences to rival that of Rossellini’s Stromboli, including a famous scene in which the legendary actor Ken Ogata (Ballad of Narayama) actually managed to haul a massive tuna out of the sea, Somai creates tension through his signature use of mesmerizingly and sensuously long takes. 35mm print from National Film Archive of Japan; courtesy Shochiku

This film accompanies Beyond Ozu: Hidden Gems of Shochiku Studios.

Past events

Fri, Jul 8, 2022, 6:30 p.m.

MoMA, Floor T2/T1, Theater 1

The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 1
Wed, Jul 6, 2022, 4:00 p.m.

MoMA, Floor T2/T1, Theater 2

The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 2

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