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Movie Madness

Japanese New Wave: Youth / Yakuza

Japanese New Wave: Youth / Yakuza
The Japanese New Wave was one of the most audacious film movements changing the shape of cinema in the decades after World War II. These films in various ways rejected aspects of classical Japanese and modern approaches to cinema, combining formal experimentation with critical engagements with Japanese history, society, and culture.
In this course we will focus on films from the Japanese New Wave that attempt to engage new audiences through a focus on youth and/or yakuza: an early sun tribe film, Imamura’s breakthrough black comedy, a noir yakuza film from Masahiro Shinoda, and a pop-yakuza from Seijun Suzuki.
8/7: CRAZED FRUIT (1956, 86 min)
8/14: PIGS AND BATTLESHIPS (1962, 108 min)
8/21: PALE FLOWER (1964, 96 min)
8/28: TOKYO DRIFTER (1966, 82 min)
This class will be taught by MMU Instructor Jordan Sudermann, who teaches IB Film and various social science courses at Lincoln High School. His interests in film include post-war European art cinema, East Asian cinemas, and queer cinemas.
Films will be screened at the Movie Madness Miniplex, followed by an instructor-led discussion. Classes will begin on Wednesday evening, August 7th, and be held each Wednesday through the 28th, at 6:30pm.
Class size will be limited to 18.
Email us at education@moviemadness.org if you have any questions.