Damp Bank Notes

1974 1h 16m JA

💀

4.3

SKIP

★4.3TMDB · 3

CrimeDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The dull and disappointing life of an office lady is enlivened when she meets hot younger lover. But in order to keep him and feed his gambling obsession she resorts to crime.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Cast

Aoi Nakajima
Junko Kitamura
Kazuki Doshita
Shinji Fukushima
Moeko Ezawa
Reiko Kitamura
Tatsuya Hamaguchi
Kuroki
Shûji Kagawa
Nakao
Kyōko Kanō
Tomiyo
Mikiko Sakai
Katsu
Akira Takahashi
Furuhata

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Akira Kato
Writers: Norio Miyashita
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 76-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

52 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Part of the "OL nikki" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Akira Kato, shot by Kenji Hagiwara. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Aoi Nakajima and Kazuki Doshita and Moeko Ezawa carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Akira Kato directs. Kenji Hagiwara behind the camera. Yasuo Higuchi scores. Shinji Yamada cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 76-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
252 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "OL nikki" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Akira Kato, shot by Kenji Hagiwara. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Yasuo Higuchi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Shinji Yamada shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Aoi Nakajima and Kazuki Doshita and Moeko Ezawa carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0227161 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 3 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Kenji Hagiwara
Original score: Yasuo Higuchi
Editing: Shinji Yamada
Runtime: 76 min · 1h 16m
Status: Released
Original language: JA
IMDB: Damp Bank Notes (1974)

Part of

OL nikki

These films center on eroticism involving office ladies in Japanese corporations, depicting their mundane lives and hidden desires. The characters often uncover latent sexual desires, leading to illicit satisfaction. The films offer a glimpse of 1970s Japanese office culture, highlighting societal expectations and limitations on these women. The characters range from unfulfilled housewives to deviant individuals, showcasing the impact of sexual desire on different personalities. The films are narrated through diaries or journals, providing intimate first-person perspectives on the characters' struggles with societal norms and clandestine desires. These works critically portray the societal limitations imposed on office ladies and their quest for fulfillment, offering a nuanced perspective on sexual liberation and societal stagnation.