Judo Life
Originally released in 1963. Judo Life is a drama film. directed by Kiyoshi Saeki.
Starring Sonny Chiba, Naoki Sugiura, and Takashi Kanda
Synopsis
Sonny Chiba's first martial arts film, a partially fictionalized judo biopic based on prominent judoka Shiro Saigo (Chiba), the second student of judo founder Jigoro Kano (Naoki Sugiura). Akira Kurosawa’s Sanshiro Sugata is based on the same character and shares some scenes, but Judo for Life focuses more on the martial arts philosophy and training, including scenes depicting how the protagonist learned his famous cat-like landing, coined the term judo, and trained with Tsunejiro Tomita (Hideo Murata). There’s also a slight yakuza film influence. The port street ambush scene is found in both films, but in Judo for Life it’s not Kano but a travelling yakuza that jumps out of the rickshaw. Entertaining and beautifully old fashioned, one does however with there were more shades of gray between good and evil, and a stronger ninkyo-like moral / honour conflict.
Quick Facts
Release Date
April 21, 1963
62 years ago
Runtime
1h 34m
94 minutes total
Language
Japanese
Original language
Country
Japan
Production
Director
Production Details
- Status
- Released
- Original Language
- JA
Production Companies
- Toei Company
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Judo Life about?
Sonny Chiba's first martial arts film, a partially fictionalized judo biopic based on prominent judoka Shiro Saigo (Chiba), the second student of judo founder Jigoro Kano (Naoki Sugiura). Akira Kur...
Who directed Judo Life?
Judo Life was directed by Kiyoshi Saeki.
How long is Judo Life?
Judo Life has a runtime of 1 hours and 34 minutes (94 minutes total).
When was Judo Life released?
Judo Life was released on April 21, 1963 in theaters.
Who are the main actors in Judo Life?
The main cast of Judo Life includes Sonny Chiba, Naoki Sugiura, Takashi Kanda, Hideo Murata, Hisako Tsukuba.