Inoue Umetsugu (井上梅次)
Umetsugu INOUE (May 31, 1923 -) is a Japanese film director, screenwriter and songwriter. He was born in Kyoto.
Biography and Personal Profile
After graduating from the Keio University Faculty of Economics, he entered Shintoho studios in 1947. He became very well known for his screenplays and in 1952 was promoted to director in only five years with "Koi no Oendancho" (The Cheerleader of Love). He moved to Nikkatsu Corporation in 1955. He worked on films with the budding actor Yujiro ISHIHARA and had a major hit with "Arashi o Yobu Otoko" (Man Who Causes a Storm). Yujiro established his status as a superstar. He went freelance in 1960 and played an active role in four major Japanese films outside of Shintoho and Nikkatsu. Inoue went on to direct for six Japanese film companies but he was also invited by the Shaw Brothers and filmed in Hong Kong. As may be expected from a someone who created program pictures during the golden age of Japanese cinema, the number of films in which he participated was huge compared to other famous directors of his generation. In addition, he directed not only theatrical movies but also a number of television dramas.
His wife is the actress Yumeji TSUKIOKA and their daughter is Emi INOUE, a cooking researcher.
Episode
As his wife, Yumeji TSUKIOKA, was friends with Johnny KITAGAWA, Inoue directed a number of films including a remake of "Arashi o Yobu Otoko" with Masahiko KONDO in the lead role as well as productions featuring lead performers from Johnny & Associates at the time when the popularity of idol films was at its peak.
His work was not limited to Japan, and he also directed several idol films in Hong Kong during the 1970s, and contributing to the development of the film and performing arts industries in Southeast Asia. He obtained an international reputation as a "quick shooter" and an "artisan director."
His mantra is that 'a director must be able to calculate "how much time and expense is required in order to film a single scene,"' and he possesses the flexibility to pursue an achievable end result under the immediate circumstances in the event that it becomes apparent that it is impossible to attain the original vision due to time and budgetary constraints. In his memoirs, Noriaki YUASA credits Inoue as "the man who created Gamera," and tells interesting stories of the time when he was an assistant director under Inoue; saying as follows.
I learned much from him.'
The true creator of Gamera was Mr. Inoue.'
When he was invited to give a lecture at a university, he said about the telefeature "Edogawa Ranpo no Bijo Series" (Beauty series of Ranpo Edogawa) that 'it is important to insert nudity at 9:55 (so that the viewers don't change the channel).'