The Last Dance

"For me, this is how I'll die..."

1993 1h 56m JA

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 15

DramaComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A successful Japanese movie director in his sixties becomes increasingly ill while working on his latest film. Though his family, friends, and doctor try to keep the secret of his terminal cancer from him, Buhei gradually comes to realize the truth of his condition, leading him on a journey of despair, anger, and – ultimately – acceptance.

“For me, this is how I'll die...”

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Cast

Rentaro Mikuni
Buhei Mukai
Masahiko Tsugawa
Dr. Koichiro Ogata
Nobuko Miyamoto
Mariko
Yoshiki Arizono
Film Staff
Tokie Hidari
Patient's Wife
Yoshihiro Kato
Radiographer
Midori Kiuchi
Nurse
Mami Kumagai
Props Master

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jūzō Itami
Writers: Jūzō Itami
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

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jūzō Itami, shot by Yonezō Maeda. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Akira Suzuki shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Rentaro Mikuni and Masahiko Tsugawa and Nobuko Miyamoto carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "For me, this is how I'll die...".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0106651 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 15 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jūzō Itami directs. Yonezō Maeda behind the camera. Toshiyuki Honda scores. Akira Suzuki cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

133 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by Jūzō Itami, shot by Yonezō Maeda. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Toshiyuki Honda. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Akira Suzuki shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Rentaro Mikuni and Masahiko Tsugawa and Nobuko Miyamoto carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "For me, this is how I'll die...".
7IMDB entry: tt0106651 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 15 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
9Classified under 9 themes, including "cancer", "hospital", "hospitalization", "family dynamics".