The Catch
In a tuna-fishing village on the Shimokita peninsula, an old fisherman, his daughter and her boyfriend, who also wants to become a fisherman, have a difficult and turbulent relationship.
Widely admired (and much imitated) by Japanese filmmakers for his depictions of adolescence in all its messy awkwardness and absurdity, Shinji Somai died prematurely at 53 and has yet to find the international acclaim he so richly deserves. The Catch is Somai’s first work focusing on heated tensions between the generations. A stubborn old tuna fisherman in an isolated fishing town looks unkindly upon his only daughter’s boyfriend, especially when the boyfriend begs to learn the secrets of the trade. Amid tuna fishing sequences to rival that of Rossellini’s Stromboli, including a famous scene in which the legendary actor Ken Ogata (Ballad of Narayama) actually managed to haul a massive tuna out of the sea, Somai creates tension through his signature use of mesmerizingly and sensuously long takes.
(MoMA.org)
Sômai Shinji
Born in 1948 in Morioka, Iwate, Bio Shinji Sômai gave up his studies in literature at Chuo University in 1972 to become an assistant director under contract to Studio Nikkatsu. He then went freelance, working as an assistant director with filmmakers such as Hasgawa Kazuhiko and Terayama Shuji. He directed his first film, Tonda Couple in 1980. His second feature, Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1981), was a huge success, hailed as one of the greatest Japanese films of the year. Sômai’s singular style, characterised by bold camerawork, long sequences and rigorous direction of the actors, caused a sensation among film fans. Sômai’s thirteen works continue to inspire many directors to this day.
Shochiku Co., Ltd.
Fuji Company
Mutsuo Naganuma
Minoru Nobuoka
Sachiko Yamaji
Shigeaki Saegusa
