Kazuo Mori

Japanese film director (1911–1989)

Kazuo Mori

森 一生

Mori (center) on the set for Tōjūrō no koi (1955)

Born| January 15, 1911

Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan

Died| June 29, 1989 (aged 78)
Occupation| Film director
Years active| 1936–1970

Kazuo Mori (森 一生, Mori Kazuo, January 15, 1911 – June 29, 1989[1]), also known by his street name Issei Mori (もり いっせい, Mori Issei), was a Japanese film director who primarily worked in popular genres like the jidaigeki. Mori directed over 100 films in his life.[2]

## Career

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Born in Ehime Prefecture, Mori graduated from Kyoto University[1] before joining Nikkatsu's Uzumasa studio in 1933.[3] A favorite of the producer Masaichi Nagata, he followed him to Daiichi Eiga and Shinkō Kinema before getting a chance to direct in 1936 with Adauchi hizakurige.[3] When Shinkō Kinema was merged with other studios to form Daiei Film, Mori became one of Daiei's core directors of genre films, making primarily samurai films with stars such as Raizō Ichikawa, Kazuo Hasegawa, and Shintaro Katsu.[3] While not an auteur, he was a solid craftsman in the genre. After Daiei went bankrupt in the early 1970s, Mori continued directing jidaigeki on television. He directed over 130 films in his career.[4] The National Film Center in Tokyo did a retrospective of his works in 2011 in celebration of his centenary.[3]

## Filmography

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### Film

[edit]

## Selected filmography

[edit]

Title  | Release date  | Notes

|
|

Adauchi hizakurige
仇討膝栗毛
| 1936  |
Vendetta for a Samurai
荒木又右衛門 決闘鍵屋の辻
Araki Mataemon: Kettō kagiya no Tsuji | 1952  |
Tōjūrō no Koi
藤十郎の恋
| 1955  |
Fighting Fire Fighter
あばれ鳶
Abare Tori | 1956  |
Zenigata Heiji: Human-skin Spider
銭形平次捕物控 人肌蜘蛛
Zenigata Heiji Torimono no Hikae: Hitohada Gumo | 1956  |
Suzakumon
朱雀門
| 1957  |
Yatarō gasa
弥太郎笠
| 1957  |
Inazuma Kaidō
稲妻街道
| 1957  |
Suzunosuke Akado: The Birdman with Three Eyes
赤胴鈴之助 三つ目の鳥人
Akadо̄ Suzunosuke: Mitsume no chо̄jin | 1958  |
The 7th Secret Courier for Edo
七番目の密使
Nanabanme no Misshi | 1958  |
Hitohada Kujaku
人肌孔雀
| 1958  |
Samurai Vendetta
薄桜記
Hakuōki | 1959  |
Wakakihi no Nobunaga
若き日の信長
Hakuōki | 1959  |
Blind Menace
不知火検校
Shiranui Kengyō | 1959  |
Kaze to Kumo to Toride
風と雲と砦
'  | 1961  |
The Tale of Zatoichi Continues
続・座頭市物語
Zoku Zatoichi Monogatari | 1962  |
Shinobi no Mono 3: Resurrection
新・忍びの者
Shin Shinobi no Mono | 1963  |
Zatoichi and the Doomed Man
座頭市逆手斬り
Zatōichi sakate-giri | 1965  |
Majin Strikes Again
大魔神逆襲
Daimajin Gyakushu | 1966  | [5]
A Certain Killer
ある殺し屋
Aru Koroshiya | 1967  |
A Killer's Key
ある殺し屋の鍵
Aru Koroshiya no Kagi | 1967  | [6]
The Saga of Tanegashima
鉄砲伝来記
Teppo Denraiki | 1967  | [7]
Nemuri Kyōshirō: Engetsu Sappō
眠狂四郎円月殺法
| 1969  |
The Yoshiwara Story
秘録おんな蔵
Hiroku Onnagura | 1969  |
Kantō Onna Akumyō
関東おんな悪名
| 1969  |
Zatoichi at Large
座頭市御用旅
Zatoichi Goyōtabi | 1972  |

### Television

[edit]

Title  | Release date  | Notes

|
|

Sengoku Rokku Hagurekiba
戦国ロックはぐれ牙
| 1973  |
Zatoichi Monogatari
座頭市物語
| 1974  |
Tsūkai! Kōchiyama Sōshun
痛快!河内山宗俊
| 1975-76  | ep4 and 11
Kogarashi Monjirō
新・木枯し紋次郎
| 1977-78  |

## Bibliography

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* Mori, Kazuo; Kōichi Yamada; Sadao Yamane (1989). Mori Kazuo eigatabi. Tokyo: Sōshisha. ISBN 4-7942-0353-5. OCLC 21671930.

## References

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1. ^ a b "Mori Kazuo". Nihon jinmei daijiten+Plus. Kōdansha. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
2. ^ "Kazuo Mori". 映画DB. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
3. ^ a b c d "Seitan hyakunen eiga kantoku Mori Kazuo". National Film Center. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
4. ^ "Mori Kazuo". Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
5. ^ "大魔神逆襲". eiga.com. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
6. ^ "ある殺し屋の鍵". eiga.com. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
7. ^ "鉄砲伝来記". eiga.com. Retrieved 10 December 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* Kazuo Mori at IMDb

* v
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Films directed by Kazuo Mori

* Vendetta for a Samurai (1952)
* Tōjūrō no Koi (1955)
* Fighting Fire Fighter (1956)
* Suzakumon (1957)
* Yatarō gasa (1957)
* Suzunosuke Akado: The Birdman with Three Eyes (1958)
* The 7th Secret Courier for Edo (1958)
* Hitohada Kujaku (1958)
* The Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962)

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