Moonlight Serenade (1997) Setouchi munraito serenade (original title)

Director:

Masahiro Shinoda

Writers:

Katsuo Naruse
Yû Aku (novel)

Release Date:

15 March 1997 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Opens with a journalist reporting on the 1997 Kobe earthquake, as he remembers a trip made as a young boy...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Awards:

4 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Kyôzô Nagatsuka	...	Koichi / Elder Keita
Hideyuki Kasahara	...	Onda Keita, younger
Jun Toba	...	Koji
Shima Iwashita	...	Fuji
Hinano Yoshikawa	...	Yukiko
Michiko Hada	...	Komachi
Junji Takada	...	Black Marketeer
Toshiya Nagasawa
Sayuri Kawauchi	...	Onda Hideko
Shôhei Hino
Chôichirô Kawarazaki
Akaji Maro
Takashi Tsumura	...	Interpreter
Kimiko Yo	...	Woman Gambler
Frankie Sakai
Naoto Takenaka	...	Soldier holding a skeleton
Masahiko Nishimura
Ako Tomizawa	...	Woman street speaker
Hinako Mizuno	...	Riri
Masato Uchiyama	...	Patrolman's assistant
Shihori Nagasaka
Yoichi Takara	...	Teen gang leader
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wayne Doster	...	Military Officer
Shelley Sweeney

Directed by
Masahiro Shinoda

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Yû Aku		novel
Katsuo Naruse

Produced by
Masato Hara	....	planner
Masaru Koibuchi	....	producer
Taketo Niitsu	....	producer
Kazuyoshi Okuyama	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Shinichirô Ikebe

Cinematography by
Tatsuo Suzuki

Film Editing by
Hirohide Abe

Art Direction by
Noriyoshi Ikeya		(as Senkichi Iketani)

Sound Department
Masashi Furuya	....	sound assistant
Tetsuo Segawa	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Ken'ichi Mizuno	....	gaffer

Production Companies

• Pony Canyon
• Shôchiku Eiga

Distributors

• Shochiku Company (1997) (Japan) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• Malin Post

Other Companies

• Herald Ace  advertising cooperation
• Microsoft  cooperation
• Softimage  cooperation
• Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Group  cooperation

Also Known As:

"Setouchi munraito serenade" - Japan (original title)

Runtime:

USA:110 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Company:

Pony Canyon

Movie Connections:

Features The Life of Matsu the Untamed (1943)

Excellent

This movie works well on many levels. The story is gently paced but, after about a fifteen minute warm-up, absorbing and fascinating.

The use of music is first class. From the theme and title source, Glen Miller's Moonlight serenade (emblematic of the US occupation), to the use of Japanese folk songs and popular tunes, the music beautifully counterpoints and complements the story all along.

The lead actors give competent performances. But the support actors are a blast ! Comedian Junji Takada is a delight as the black marketeer. The illegal movie projectionist and his scenes are sheer magic, and the teacher who went mad when his students died as soldiers in the war gives a short but very moving performance.

Also, the film features clips from a wartime Japanese samurai flick "The Rickshaw Man", and "Casablanca".

The film starts off on a serious note, and sustains it, mainly by the device of members of the family carrying their dead kin in a box in a sling, carried at the front of the body. But the mood gently turns to comedy, and manages to be very funny and often charming.

This film is a gem, and is likely to stand up well to repeat viewing.