A Lone Scalpel

2010 2h 6m JA

🙌

7.7

BANGER

★7.7TMDB · 10

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Dr Toma, a skilled surgeon, starts work at a regional hospital in Japan. After performing an operation to remove a patient’s liver cancer, something that normally would not be done at this hospital, he quickly gains a very good reputation amongst the town’s people. Some of his colleagues become so jealous they are resentful and waiting patiently for the perfect opportunity to crucify him. Soon they get their chance as Dr Toma considers performing a controversial operation…

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Shinichi Tsutsumi
Tetsuhiko Toma
Yui Natsukawa
Namiko Nakamura
Hisashi Yoshizawa
Ryuzo Aoki
Noriko Nakagoshi
Shoko Okawa
Yutaka Matsushige
Takeshi Minorikawa
Hiroki Narimiya
Kohei Nakamura
Mitsuru Hirata
Koji Shimada
Katsuhisa Namase
Mutsuo Nomoto

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Izuru Narushima
Writers: Masato Katō
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 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 16 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Izuru Narushima, shot by Junichi Fujisawa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Shinichi Tsutsumi and Yui Natsukawa and Hisashi Yoshizawa carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1468338 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 10 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Izuru Narushima directs. Junichi Fujisawa behind the camera. Goro Yasukawa scores. Hideaki Ohata cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 16 years ago.
2Directed by Izuru Narushima, shot by Junichi Fujisawa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Goro Yasukawa. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Hideaki Ohata shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Shinichi Tsutsumi and Yui Natsukawa and Hisashi Yoshizawa carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt1468338 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 10 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
8Classified under 11 themes, including "japan", "based on novel or book", "surgeon", "election".