Milk White

2004 1h 53m JA

🤯

8.5

MASTERPIECE

★8.5TMDB · 4

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Takayuki is an elementary school teacher in Tokyo. He is seized with Behçet's syndrome, and will gradually lose his sight. He resigns from his job and leaves his girlfriend, Yoko (Yuriko Ishida) to return to his hometown, Nagasaki, where his mother lives. Takayuki spends his days strolling around Nagasaki, to imprint familiar scenes on his memory. Yoko visits him and insists on staying. Takayuki has major concerns for her future, and his own life. He drives her away, for her own good. After days of affliction, the two reunite. The story leads to an emotive conclusion, the end of his spiritual journey.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Takao Osawa
Tanako
Yuriko Ishida
Sumiko Fuji
Arata Furuta
Tatsuo Matsumura
Seiichi Tanabe
Eri Watanabe

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Itsumichi Isomura
Writers: Itsumichi Isomura
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

Released 22 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CRAFT

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Itsumichi Isomura, shot by Takahide Shibanushi. 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 Toshiyuki Watanabe. 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 Hani Mituhashi 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

Takao Osawa and Yuriko Ishida and Sumiko Fuji carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0434046 — 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

Itsumichi Isomura directs. Takahide Shibanushi behind the camera. Toshiyuki Watanabe scores. Hani Mituhashi cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 22 years ago.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Directed by Itsumichi Isomura, shot by Takahide Shibanushi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Toshiyuki Watanabe. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Hani Mituhashi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Takao Osawa and Yuriko Ishida and Sumiko Fuji carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0434046 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 4 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
9Classified under 9 themes, including "farewell", "japan", "based on novel or book", "love".