The Trap

1996 1h 53m JA

👍

6.8

SOLID

⭐

6.7

IMDB

★6.8TMDB · 11★6.7IMDB · 159

DramaThrillerMysteryCrimeHorror

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

When a hooded stranger appears in private eye 'Mike' Hama's office with the cryptic challenge "I want you to look for me," Hama is drawn into a string of bizarre serial murders that have Yokohama's police baffled and the city terrified.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Cast

Masatoshi Nagase
Maiku Hama / Mikki
Yui Natsukawa
Yuriko
Tomoko Yamaguchi
Mizuki
Tetta Sugimoto
Sugimoto
Kiyotaka Nanbara
Hoshino
Akaji Maro
Lt. Nakayama
Shiro Sano
Masaru Kanno
Mika Ohmine
Akane Hama

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kaizo Hayashi
Writers: Daisuke Tengan, Kaizo Hayashi
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

ERA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CRAFT

Did you know

Part of the "Maiku Hama Private Eye Trilogy" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Kaizo Hayashi, shot by Yuichi Nagata. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Yôko Kumagai. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Masatoshi Nagase and Yui Natsukawa and Tomoko Yamaguchi carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0118116 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 11 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kaizo Hayashi directs. Yuichi Nagata behind the camera. Yôko Kumagai scores. Nobuko Tomita cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

130 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Part of the "Maiku Hama Private Eye Trilogy" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Directed by Kaizo Hayashi, shot by Yuichi Nagata. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Yôko Kumagai. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Nobuko Tomita shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Masatoshi Nagase and Yui Natsukawa and Tomoko Yamaguchi carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0118116 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 11 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Yuichi Nagata
Original score: Yôko Kumagai
Editing: Nobuko Tomita
Production design: Tomohisa Masumoto
Costume design: Masae Miyamoto
Runtime: 113 min · 1h 53m
Status: Released
Original language: JA
IMDB: The Trap (1996)
IMDB rating: 6.7/10 · 159 votes

Awards

1 win

Part of

Maiku Hama Private Eye Trilogy

Kaizo Hayashi wrote, produced, and directed this three part series centering around the exploits of his creation Maiku Hama, a Generation X answer to the private eye.