Black Dead Ball

1963 1h 23m JA

CrimeThrillerMystery

Synopsis

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A talent scout who had his eyes set on a star left-handed pitcher in the high school baseball world falls to his death at his hotel. Was it a homicide or suicide? His junior colleague pursues the mystery of his death.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Ken Utsui
Yukiko Fuji
Isao Kuraishi
Teppei Endō
Shigeru Kōyama
Koh Sugita
Fumiko Murata

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Shunkai Mizuho
Writers: Kozo Taguchi
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 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

63 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Black Series" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Shunkai Mizuho, shot by Yoshihisa Nakagawa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Ken Utsui and Yukiko Fuji and Isao Kuraishi carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt31908866 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Shunkai Mizuho directs. Yoshihisa Nakagawa behind the camera. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

183 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
263 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "Black Series" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Shunkai Mizuho, shot by Yoshihisa Nakagawa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Ken Utsui and Yukiko Fuji and Isao Kuraishi carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt31908866 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.