Kiyoshi Nishimura (西村 潔, September 7, 1932 – November 17, 1993) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He was best known for working as an assistant director for filmmakers such as Akira Kurosawa and Ishiro Honda, and for directing numerous films under Toho.
Education Nishimura graduated from the Tachikawa High School in Tokyo. While studying, he worked part-time at a U.S. military base in Tachikawa, where he became interested in filmmaking. In 1956, he graduated from Hitotsubashi University, where he was a classmate of politician Shintaro Ishihara.
Career Nishimura joined the Toho entertainment corporation and worked as an assistant director for multiple filmmakers, including Akira Kurosawa, Mikio Naruse, Ishirō Honda, Yuzō Kawashima, Hirokawa Horimichi, Yasuki Chiba, Eizō Sugawa, Kengo Furusawa, and Hideo Onchi.
In 1969, he made his directorial debut with the action-thriller It's Too Early to Die (Shinu ni wa Mada Hayai), starring Toshio Kurosawa. Nishimura was known for incorporating jazz into his film soundtracks.
Due to the decline of the Japanese film industry, Nishimura left Tokyo to work independently and directed numerous television series. In 1987, Nishimura was arrested for using a video camera in a public bathhouse (sentō) to film women. This incident negatively impacted his career and public image, leading to a lack of job opportunities. Following the incident, he directed television series under the pseudonym Yūsai Itō (井藤雄才).
Death Nishimura was found dead on the Hayama coast in Kanagawa on November 17, 1993, having drowned. A police investigation concluded that his death was a suicide.
Legacy Kiyoshi Nishimura's work never became popular outside of Japan and several of his lesser known works fell into obscurity. However, some English critics revisited his films and reviewed them positively.
Benjamin Hunting of Hagerty discovered and was impressed with the cinematography of the film. He called the film "ahead of its time" and wrote:
Hayley Scanlon, an independent film critic, revisted Nishimura's debut film Too Young To Die and positively reviewed it, writing that "Nishimura’s 1969 debut is a masterclass in high tension." She also reviewed The Creature Called Man and acclaimed the film, applauding its heavy political commentary.
Filmography As director: +YearEnglish titleJapanese titleRomanized titleNotes1969Too Early to Die死ぬにはまだ早いShinu ni wa Mada Hayai1970Daylight Attack白昼の襲撃Hakuchū no ShūgekiThe Creature Called Man豹は走ったJagā wa HashittaComedy: Man for Sale喜劇: 男売りますKigeki: Otoko Urimasu1971Amazing Guys凄い奴らSugoi Yatsura1972Hairpin Circusヘアピン・サーカスHeapin SākasuRose Target薔薇の標的Bara no Hyōteki1973Tomorrow Has Disappeared into the Sunset夕映えに明日は消えたYūbae ni Ashita wa KietaUnreleased1977Tree of Youth青年の樹Seinen no Ki1978Melodies of a White Night白夜の調べByakuya no ShirabeCodirected with Sergei Solovyov1979Golden Partner黄金のパートナーŌgon no Pātonā1984Eve in a Summer Dress夏服のイヴNatsufuku no Ibu1991Madonna's Revengeマドンナの復讐Madonna no FukushūStraight-to-video
References
External links
Hairpin Circus review at Midnight Eye