The Shootist

1989 1h 37m JA

😐

6.0

MID

★6.0TMDB · 1

ActionCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Former policeman Matsushita Hiroshi is a professional marksman shootist. When his keen eye catches his target in the dry urban darkness, the hard, breathless action begins.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Toru Nakamura
Toru Minegishi
Yūko Natori
Noboru Nakaya
Minoru Uchida
Masataka Naruse
Yoshirō Aoki
Shizuo Chūjō

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Haruo Ichikura
Writers: Yoshirō Oka
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

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Haruo Ichikura, shot by Masaru Mori. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 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#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Toru Nakamura and Toru Minegishi and Yūko Natori carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt27802589 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Haruo Ichikura directs. Masaru Mori behind the camera. Yuji Ohno scores. Shinji Yamada cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

137 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Part of the "The Shootist Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Haruo Ichikura, shot by Masaru Mori. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Yuji Ohno. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Shinji Yamada shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Toru Nakamura and Toru Minegishi and Yūko Natori carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt27802589 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 1 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.