Hoodlum Soldier

1965 1h 43m JA

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 4

ActionWarComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A young intellectual conscientious objector is forced to serve with the Japanese army in Manchuria. He joins with a dim-witted former gangster in an effort to desert by stealing a train.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Shintarō Katsu
Kisaburo Omiya
Takahiro Tamura
Arita
Eiko Taki
Midori
Mikio Narita
Tōru Abe
Keiko Awaji
Otomaru
Yumiko Nogawa
Toshiyuki Hosokawa

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Yasuzō Masumura
Writers: Ryuzo Kikushima
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

61 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Part of the "The Hoodlum Soldier Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Yasuzō Masumura, shot by Setsuo Kobayashi. 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 Naozumi Yamamoto. 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 Tatsuji Nakashizu 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

Shintarō Katsu and Takahiro Tamura and Eiko Taki carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0187871 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 4 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Yasuzō Masumura directs. Setsuo Kobayashi behind the camera. Naozumi Yamamoto scores. Tatsuji Nakashizu cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

161 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Part of the "The Hoodlum Soldier Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Directed by Yasuzō Masumura, shot by Setsuo Kobayashi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Naozumi Yamamoto. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Tatsuji Nakashizu shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Shintarō Katsu and Takahiro Tamura and Eiko Taki carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0187871 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 4 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.