Onmyoji (The Yin Yang Master)

Friday, April 22
6:30 pm

2001, 116 min., 35mm, color. In Japanese with English subtitles. Directed by Yojiro Takita. Written by Yasushi Fukuda, Baku Yumemakura, and Itaru Era. Cinematography by Naoki Kayano, Music by Shigeru Umebayashi. With Mansai Nomura, Hideaki Ito, Hiroyuki Sanada, Kyoko Koizumi, and Eriko Imai. Print courtesy of Geneon Entertainment (USA) Inc.

During an age of demons and ghosts in 10th-century Kyoto, the emperor relied upon the Onmyoji, masters of Onmyodo who used the yin and yang principle to interpret natural and astrological occurrences. The most talented of the Onmyoji order, Seimei (kyogen actor Mansai Nomura) faces off with Doson (Hiroyuki Sanada, Ringu and The Last Samurai), whose dark magic threatens to destroy the court. Based on Baku Yumemakura’s novel, which was also adapted by manga, and so brought the wildly popular Onmyoji themes into contemporary Japanese popular culture.

A brief introduction will be given on the historical and cultural background of the film by David B. Lurie, Assistant Professor of Pre-Modern Japanese History and Literature, Columbia University.

Tickets: $10; Japan Society members, seniors & students $5.