Rampo (1994)

Edogawa Rampo is a writer whose latest work is censored by the government, deemed too disturbing and injurious to the public to be allowed to be published. However, after burning his drafts... See full summary »

Directors:

Rintaro Mayuzumi, Kazuyoshi Okuyama

Writers:

Rampo Edogawa (story), Yuhei Enoki

Stars:

Naoto Takenaka, Michiko Hada, Masahiro Motoki

4 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Masahiro Motoki	...	Kogoro Akechi
Naoto Takenaka	...	Edogawa Rampo
Michiko Hada	...	Shizuko
Teruyuki Kagawa	...	Masashi Yokomizo
Mikijirô Hira	...	Marquis Ogawara
Shirô Sano	...	Officer
Ittoku Kishibe	...	Cafe owner
Nekohachi Edoya	...	Antique shop owner
Jun'ichi Takagi	...	Fujimori
Charlie Yutani	...	Driver
Kirin Kiki	...	House wife / Head of maid
Julie Dreyfus	...	Mademoiselle
Yoshio Harada	...	Big Star
Kinji Fukasaku	...	Film Director
An Actor	...	Movie Actor

Storyline

Edogawa Rampo is a writer whose latest work is censored by the government, deemed too disturbing and injurious to the public to be allowed to be published. However, after burning his drafts, his publisher shows him a newspaper with an account of events just like his forbidden story. As the film progresses, fantasy and reality intermingle in a tale that draws heavily on influences from Poe and Stoker's Dracula. The film's strongly Expressionistic direction skillfully combines a variety of media (animation, computer-generated imagery, grainy black-and-white fast film stock, color negatives) for artistic effect.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | surname as title | one word title | writer | part animation | 

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Taglines:

So provocative the censors banned it, so powerful it came true.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for images of bizarre sexuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

The studio issued two versions of this film following a falling out between the director and producer.

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Alternate Versions

Kazuyoshi Okuyama hired Rintaro Mayuzumi to direct this movie and then was not pleased with the results. Okuyama personally reshot about 40% of the movie, re-edited the existing footage and added many surreal elements. There are 6 noteworthy differences between the versions.

• Bruce Joel Rubin narrates a new introduction in English.
• Animated short film by Yasuhiro Nagura inserted.
• Show business party added as new beginning.
• Original soundtrack was removed.
• Subliminal frames are edited into footage of the Count's mansion.
• Special musk fragrance was sprayed in theaters before each showing

User Reviews

A fine tribute to a great and complex writer

This is a fitting tribute to Edogawa Rampo, one of the greatest horror/suspense writers of the 20th century. He so keenly admired Edgar Allan Poe that he effaced his own name and personality and adopted Poe's (say "Edogawa Rampo" a few times quickly and you'll see that it is a Japanese pronunciation of the name of the great American writer). Rampo wrote so few works that it is wonderful that a film like this should be made about him, or rather, about his persona -- it is the only way that most people will be able to appreciate his deeply complex personality. (To be perfectly honest, having long ago read Rampo's "The Human Chair," and had its utterly unspeakable terribleness burned into his consciousness, this writer was GREATLY suspicious of the seats in the theater where this film was shown -- THAT is the sort of impact Rampo and his work can have on the mind!)

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

19 May 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Mystery of Rampo

Box Office

Gross USA:

$305,434

Company Credits

Production Co:

Daiwa Building, Daiwa Securities Group, Obayashi Corporaion

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color