Three-Headed Tower

1956 1h 28m JA

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 1

HorrorMysteryRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Newly graduated Miyamoto Otone is to inherit a fortune from a distant relative on the condition that she marries Takato Shunsaku, a man she has never heard of. The lawyers haven't located Shunsaku yet, allowing Otone to think about whether she accepts the conditions of the will. One month later after, Takato Shunsaku is found. Murdered. At the birthday party of Otone's uncle. With Shunsaku dead and thus making it impossible for Otone to marry him, the inheritence is to split amongst all (living) family members. And yes, as always, that means that the potential successors get killed off one by one. But Kosuke Kindaichi is on the trail...

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Chiezo Kataoka
Hizuru Takachiho
Kanji Koshiba
Hitomi Nakahara
Jun Usami
Tsukie Matsuura
Eitarō Ozawa
Kōji Nanbara

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Tsuneo Kobayashi
Writers: Seishi Yokomizo, Yoshitake Hisa
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

88 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

70 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Kosuke Kindaichi Series (Chiezo Kataoka)" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Tsuneo Kobayashi, shot by Shoei Nishikawa. 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 Takio Niki. 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 Fumio Soda 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

Chiezo Kataoka and Hizuru Takachiho and Kanji Koshiba carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0226150 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Tsuneo Kobayashi directs. Shoei Nishikawa behind the camera. Takio Niki scores. Fumio Soda cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

188 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
270 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "Kosuke Kindaichi Series (Chiezo Kataoka)" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Tsuneo Kobayashi, shot by Shoei Nishikawa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Takio Niki. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Fumio Soda shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Chiezo Kataoka and Hizuru Takachiho and Kanji Koshiba carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0226150 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 1 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.