Seijun Suzuki
Biography
Seijun Suzuki was a Japanese filmmaker, actor, and screenwriter. Born on May 24, 1923, in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, Japan, he is known for his work in the yakuza genre. Suzuki made 40 films for the Nikkatsu Company between 1956 and 1967, with his style becoming increasingly surreal. He was dismissed by the studio in 1967, but successfully sued for wrongful dismissal. Suzuki's magnum opus is Branded to Kill, starring Joe Shishido. He is a prolific director with 103 known credits. Suzuki passed away on February 13, 2017, at the age of 93.
Career overview
Seijun Suzuki was a Japanese filmmaker who worked predominantly in the yakuza genre. He made 40 films for the Nikkatsu Company between 1956 and 1967. Suzuki's visual style and approach to filmmaking were characterized by their jarring quality, irreverent humor, and entertainment-over-logic sensibility.
Suzuki's work for Nikkatsu Company was prolific, with the majority of his films being produced during this period. His increasingly surreal style, however, began to draw criticism from the studio in 1963. This led to his dismissal in 1967, following the release of Branded to Kill, a film that is now regarded as his magnum opus. Suzuki successfully sued the studio for wrongful dismissal.
Suzuki's career as a director spanned over a decade, during which he made a total of 40 films. His work with the Nikkatsu Company was marked by a distinctive visual style and an approach to storytelling that prioritized entertainment over logic.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- SOAR: I Wish You Were Here (2015)
- Milocrorze: A Love Story (2011) as Gazen
- Dreaming Awake (2008)
- Boy (2007) as Ryuun Naito
- Matouqin Nocturne (2007)
- What's a Director? (2006)
- From the Ruins: Making 'Gate of Flesh' (2005)
- Princess Raccoon (2005) Director
- Princess Raccoon (2005) Executive Producer
- The Wings of Hakenkreuz (2004)
- The Erotic Empire (2002) as self
- Blessing Bell (2002) as Old Man's Ghost
- Seijun Suzuki: kabuki & yakuzas (2002) as Self - Filmmaker & Screenwriter
- Pistol Opera (2001) Director
- The Last Day (2000)
- The Moon (2000)
- Embalming (1999)
- Sleepless Town (1998) as Ye Xiaodan
- Let's Get Happy (1998)
- The Story of PuPu (1998) as Old Man
- Ki no ue no sogyo (1997)
- Yurika-chan (1997) as Grandpa
- Sure Death 6 (1996)
- Black Jack 2: Pinoko I Love You (1996)
- Cold Fever (1995) as Hirata's Grandfather
- Lupin the Third: Greatest Capers (1995) Supervising Art Director
- Good Mourning (1994)
- Marriage (1993) Director
- My Beloved Ultraseven (1993) as Eiji Tsuburaya
- A Tale of Youth at Hirosaki High School (1992) Director
- A Tale of Youth at Hirosaki High School (1992) Writer
- Pachinko Graffiti (1992)
- Yumeji (1991) Director
- Discontinuous Bombing Incident (1991)
- Tales of the Bizarre (1990)
- La Belle Fille Masquée Poitrine (1990) as Kami-sama
- The Rain Women (1990)
- Virgin Road (1989)
- Shiro and Marilyn (1988) as Vet
- Lupin the Third: The Legend of the Gold of Babylon (1985) Director
- Capone Cries a Lot (1985) Director
- Double Bed (1983) as Man in Bar
- Kazoku no sentaku (1983) Director
- Cherry Blossoms in Spring (1983) Director
- Storm of Falling Petals: Banner of a Fireman in the Flames (1983) Screenplay
- Storm of Falling Petals: Banner of a Fireman in the Flames (1983) Director
- Kagero-za (1981) Director
- MOMENT (1981)
- Daughter of Time (1980) Idea
- Zigeunerweisen (1980) Director
- Disciples of Hippocrates (1980)
- The Claws of the Divine Beast (1980) Director
- The Fang in the Hole (1979) Director
- A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness (1977) Director
- I Can't Wait Until It's Dark! (1975) as Himself
- Horror Theater Unbalance (1973) Director
- A Mummy’s Love (1973) Director
- Lupin the 3rd (1971) Writer
- Good Evening Dear Husband: A Duel (1968) Director
- Branded to Kill (1967) Director
- Branded to Kill (1967) Screenplay
- Tokyo Drifter (1966) Director
- Fighting Elegy (1966) Director
- Carmen from Kawachi (1966) Director
- Story of a Prostitute (1965) Director
- Tattooed Life (1965) Director
- Born Under Crossed Stars (1965) Director
- Gate of Flesh (1964) Director
- The Flower and the Angry Waves (1964) Director
- The Call of Blood (1964) Director
- Kanto Wanderer (1963) Director
- Detective Bureau 2-3: Go to Hell, Bastards! (1963) Director
- Youth of the Beast (1963) Director
- The Incorrigible (1963) Director
- The Guys Who Put Money on Me (1962) Director
- Teenage Yakuza (1962) Director
- Blood-Red Water in the Channel (1961) Director
- Tokyo Knights (1961) Director
- The Man with a Shotgun (1961) Director
- Living by Karate (1961) Director
- Million Dollar Smash-and-Grab (1961) Director
- The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass (1961) Director
- Take Aim at the Police Van (1960) Director
- Fighting Delinquents (1960) Director
- The Sleeping Beast Within (1960) Director
- Smashing the 0-Line (1960) Director
- Everything Goes Wrong (1960) Director
- Passport to Darkness (1959) Director
- Age of Nudity (1959) Director
- Age of Nudity (1959) Writer
- Love Letter (1959) Director
- Young Breasts (1958) Director
- Underworld Beauty (1958) Director
- The Boy Who Came Back (1958) Director
- Voice Without a Shadow (1958) Director
- The Naked Woman and the Gun (1957) Director
- Eight Hours of Terror (1957) Director
- Inn of the Floating Weeds (1957) Director
- Satan's Town (1956) Director
- Victory Is Ours (1956) Director
- Pure Emotions of the Sea (1956) Director
- Evil Reward (1956) Assistant Director
- Semyonov's Gold Ingots (1956) Screenplay
- Passion and Rifle Bullets (1955) Screenplay
- Passion and Rifle Bullets (1955) Assistant Director
- Duel at Sundown (1955) Screenplay
- Duel at Sundown (1955) Assistant Director
- The Black Current (1954) Assistant Director
- My Pistol Is Quick (1954) Assistant Director
- Twist & Shoot: Mister Suzuki as Self (archive footage)