Gutbrain Records

Saturday, 29 September 2007

There's only one current film critic whose work I read regularly, Mark Schilling. His reviews of new Japanese movies for the Japan Times are what interest me, though he writes for Variety as well. I met him last night at the Japan Society, where he introduced the first film in a series of Nikkatsu action movies. He has a book about these movies coming out in December, but those of us at the A Colt Is My Passport screening last night were able to buy one then and have Schilling sign it.

Star Jo Shishido also wrote a letter to the film's audience. It was projected on screen before and after the movie.

It says:

A Letter from Jo Shishido to Tonight's Audience:

Nikkatsu produced great action films in the 60s, and in over 300 films that I starred in, I had the leading role in 54 of them. Of all of these films, A COLT IS MY PASSPORT is my favorite.

I had always wanted to be in a film like Hollywood's classic gangster films. I fell in love with my COLT character of a hit man who aims at a shiny Mercedes, and I wanted to make it a great film.

When we shot COLT, I was in a TV show and also performed in theater, so I could only go to the film shoot late at night. I only had an hour of sleep everyday.

COLT turned out to be absolutely the best film out of my hard boiled trilogy. Even today I receive letters from young viewers saying they love COLT and that they cannot believe it was made in 60s.

I hope people in New York will enjoy it as well.

— Jo Shishido