Japanese Movie Amalfi 2009
Cast And Crew
Starring: Yuki Amami, Koichi Sato, Erika Toda, Yuji Oda
Directed by: Hiroshi Nishitani
Local Distributor: Golden Village Pictures
Date: 22nd October 2009
Language: Japanese
Rating: G
Genre: Drama
Synopsis
The story begins in Rome around Christmas time, starting with the abduction of a Japanese girl. Kuroda (Yuji Oda), a foreign diplomat based in the city of Amalfi who learns about the incident, launches an investigation and soon finds himself falling in love with the girl's mother (Yuki Amami). "Amalfi" is described as part suspense, part romance.
A foreign diplomat relegated to the coastal town of Amalfi investigates the case of a young Japanese girl kidnapped off the streets of Rome at Christmas, falling in love with the girl's mother.
Reviews
"This album is a Japan import released in conjunction with Sarah's new Japanese movie, AMALFI, this CD features love songs selected by Sarah, as well as gorgeous new photos."
This cd fits Sarah's pattern of: New Release, Compilation CD, New Release, Compilation CD, etc. While I wish there were more "new releases," any release by Sarah is OKAY with ME. :)
If you don't have anything by Sarah, this is a good CD to have if you love Classical/Vocal music, although you can get most of the same track from her Sarah Brightman Classics CD at a much lower price. If you are a casual fan, I'd pass, as there are no new tracks. For the die-hard Sarah fans, like myself, I have a copy and I LOVE it. It really is a good collection of love songs and a great collector's item, as it's not a domestic release and a lot of the text is in Japanese. Now I just wish they'd make one from her pop music, including tracks from Dive and Fly. Love ya Sarah, keep it up.
Story
The story follows a brilliant but quirky piano student Megumi ‘Nodame’ Noda, played by Juri Ueno, and her aspiring conductor love interest (Hiroshi Tamaki). Production is slated to begin this June with famed classical music locations across Europe. Hideki Takeuchi, who directed the series, will also direct both films.
Japanese distributor Toho has slated the films for Christmas 2009 and spring 2010 releases.
As reported on Screendaily last November, kidnapping thriller-romance Amalfi is Fuji TV’s 50th anniversary film and its major summer release for 2009.
Japan Times Reviews
Now, Fuji is celebrating its 50th anniversary with another film starring Oda and with executive producer Chihiro Kameyama at the helm. Kameyama is the head of the network's film division and the mastermind behind "Odoru" and many other hits. Titled "Amalfi: Megami no Hoshu" ("Amalfi: Rewards of the Goddess") and directed by TV drama veteran Hiroshi Nishitani, this big-budget thriller is not, like most networked-produced films, based on a popular TV show, best-selling manga or other pretested property. But it does include many elements of Kameyama's past successes, while lacking those that Hollywood considers de rigeur.
First of all, it is set in a location that, like Odaiba, spells "cool" for the target young audience: Italy. And just as the "Odoru" films featured the Rainbow Bridge and other Tokyo landmarks, the action of "Amalfi" unfolds against a backdrop of famous tourist sites: the Coliseum, the Forum, the Spanish Steps and, of course, the magnificently rocky Amalfi Coast — all photographed by cinematographer Hideo Yamamoto with a golden romantic glow. "Amalfi," in fact, was shot in entirely in Bella Italia — a first for a Japanese film.
Also, in common with the Kameyama-produced "Dare mo Mamote Kurenai" ("Nobody to Watch over Me," 2008) and about 10,000 other Japanese thrillers, the story of "Amalfi" revolves around a kidnapping. Naturally, the snatched child is adorable and, naturally, her single mom, Saeko (Yuki Amami), promptly falls into hysterics, from which she never quite recovers.
Coming to her rescue is Kuroda (Oda), a diplomat assigned to the Japanese Embassy in Rome, whose job is to protect Japanese citizens from terrorists. His main client at the moment is the Foreign Minister, who will soon arrive in Italy for a G8 meeting. The embassy staff, from the urbane councilor (Shiro Sano) to an earnest, if hopelessly tongue-tied trainee interpreter (Erika Toda), are all in a dither about this visit, introducing another common theme in Kameyama's films — fallibly human, but basically decent folks uniting for a major task. In other words, a shout-out to all the salarymen (and the stray bureaucrats) in the seats.
The film's biggest departure from the Kameyama formula is the character of Kuroda, who is fluent in Italian, well-versed in the culture — and hardly ever cracks a smile as he tries to sort out the motives and methods of the kidnappers. This is something of a first for Oda, who has spent decades trading on his boyish charm, but his all-business attitude adds a needed gravitas to a story that, from the second act on, becomes as far-fetched as any Bond film.
In yet another trope from the "Odoru" franchise, various sorts of gadgetry, from GPS tracking devices to security cameras, play a big role in the pursuit of the bad guys, while the usual Hollywood devices for pumping up the action, car chases, fist fights and gun battles are conspicuous by their absence. Kameyama has made it a point of pride to never show violent deaths in his films — and "Amalfi" is no exception.
This is actually a nod toward realism for films set in Japan, where lethal firefights are about as common as solar eclipses, but not for one set in Italy, where the history of violence has been different, to put it mildly.
Also, only one Italian character, a detective played by Rocco Papaleo, emerges as an individual. The others, including the kidnappers, are little more than local color. Even the Bond series, in its only visit to Japan for "You Only Live Twice" (1967), did better than that.
There is also an extended stage appearance by pop diva Sarah Brightman, belting her hit "Time to Say Goodbye" — another blow to Italian pride. In the land that gave birth to opera and canzone, Kameyama couldn't find one singer?
But "Amalfi," in common with nearly every other Fuji film, is not made for export — and its intended audience will probably like it just fine. It's pretty to look at, mildly entertaining and reaffirms the essential niceness of Japanese folks, even ones in a country not nearly as well-ordered as dear old Nippon. And it added Amalfi to my check list of places to see before I die.
The film stars Bayside Shakedown’s Yuji Oda, Yuki Amami and Koichi Sato and is directed by Hiroshi Nishitani. Amalfi was shot entirely on location in Italy, including scenes at Rome’s Cinecitta studios.
Currently in post-production, Amalfi is slated for release on July 18 with Toho distributing.
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