Ikehiro Kazuo (池広一夫)
Kazuo IKEHIRO (October 25, 1929 -) is a Japanese movie director.
Life
Kazuo was born in Tokyo. His father Toshio IKEHIRO who was an executive at the Daiei Motion Picture Company and held successive positions such as production department head, Osaka branch head and Tokyo studio head. After graduating from Tokyo Municipal Chitose High School, his upbringing close to film studios from a young age was partially responsible for him joining the 'Film Research group' while studying at the Rikkyo University Faculty of Economics. After graduating, he joined Daiei Kyoto Studios in 1950 as an assistant director and worked under Kozaburo YOSHIMURA, Kenji MIZOGUCHI, Kon ICHIKAWA, Kaneto SHINDO and Torajiro SAITO.
In 1960, he made his debut as a director with "Bara Daimyo" (Rose feudal lord). In 1961, "Kutsukake Tokijiro" starring Raizo ICHIKAWA (the eighth) gained attention as a new type of matatabi (wandering gambler) film, and he went on create the golden age of Daiei period film; working on numerous program pictures including "Zatoichi" starring Shintaro KATSU and the film adaptations of "Nemuri Kyoshiro" (1963 - 1969) starring Raizo ICHIKAWA. In particular, he pioneered the use of the stroboscope in a Nemuri Kyoshiro full moon killing scene for film adaptations of "Nemuri Kyoshiro" (1963 - 1969) (fourth installment in 1964) to create fascinating visuals, which was symbolically incorporated into later works.
After the bankruptcy of Daiei, he worked at the Eizo Kyoto Film Company, and directed the film "Kesho" (Makeup) while working on numerous television dramas. He is currently a director (as well as screenwriter depending on the production) for Seiichi MORIMURA's Terminal Station Series that is broadcast on Doyo Wide Gekijo (Saturday Wide Theater). He says that he considers the series to be his life's work.
The scriptwriter Yoshihiro ISHIMATSU is his brother-in-law.