Video Letter

1983 1h 14m JA

🙌

8.2

BANGER

★8.2TMDB · 3

FantasyDocumentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

This remarkable compilation follows an exchange of video letters that took place between Shuji Terayama and Shuntaro Tanikawa in the months immediately preceding Terayama's death. It can be thought of as a home video produced by two preeminent poets and inter-laid with highly abstract philosophizing, slightly aberrant behavior and occasionally flamboyant visuals.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Shūji Terayama
Self
Shuntaro Tanikawa
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Shuntaro Tanikawa
Writers: Shuntaro Tanikawa, Shūji Terayama
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 74-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

43 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Shuntaro Tanikawa, shot by Shuntaro Tanikawa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Editor Shūji Terayama shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Shūji Terayama and Shuntaro Tanikawa carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1181937 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 3 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Shuntaro Tanikawa directs. Shuntaro Tanikawa behind the camera. Shūji Terayama cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 74-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
243 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Shuntaro Tanikawa, shot by Shuntaro Tanikawa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Shūji Terayama shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Shūji Terayama and Shuntaro Tanikawa carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt1181937 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 3 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.