About

Known credits:
56
Birthday:
1929-02-03
Place of birth:
Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
Website:
N/A

Kōichi Saitō

Overview

Kōichi Saitō (斎藤 耕一 Saitō Kōichi, 3 February 1929 – 28 November 2009) was a Japanese film director and photographer. Born in Tokyo, Saitō started studying at Rikkyo University but ended up graduating from the Tokyo College of Photography (currently Tokyo Polytechnic University). He was initially a movie stills photographer at Nikkatsu before launching his own production company, Saito Productions, and directing his first film, Tsubuyaki no Jō, "a low-budget, independent film with a visual flair that earned comparisons with Claude Lelouch and with Richard Lester’s Beatles films, including A Hard Day’s Night". Some of his first films were youth movies featuring Group Sounds music. He came to prominence in the early 1970s with a series of movies about young people escaping to or searching for their identity in the countryside. He won the best director award at the 1972 Mainichi Film Awards. His Tsugaru jongarabushi was selected the best film of 1973 in the Kinema Junpo poll of critics. Saitō continued directing into his seventies and also made some documentaries. He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun (4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette) in 2000.

Known for

Directing
2004 Onigiri: Arcadia monogatari Directing Director N/A
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2001 Jesus is My Boss Directing Director N/A
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1996 Hotel Rose Directing Director N/A
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1993 Bokyo Directing Director N/A
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1990 Ningen no sabaku Directing Director N/A
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1988 The Blue Mountains '88 Directing Director 59
Average
1980 The S.S. Happiness Sets Sail Directing Director N/A
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1978 Invitation from the Beach Directing Director N/A
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1977 Seasonal Wind Directing Director N/A
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1977 Aspiration Directing Director N/A
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1976 Frozen River Directing Director N/A
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1975 Takehisa Yumeji monogatari: koi suru Directing Director N/A
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1975 Someday, Somewhere Directing Director N/A
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1974 The Homeless Directing Director 59
Average
1973 Tsugaru Folksong Directing Director 59
Average
1973 Second Chance Directing Director N/A
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1973 Kigeki: koko kara hajimaru monogatari Directing Director N/A
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1972 Journey Into Solitude Directing Director 59
Average
1972 Ambition in The Mirror Directing Assistant Director N/A
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1972 The Rendezvous Directing Director 59
Average
1971 Kigeki: Hanayome sensô Directing Director N/A
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1971 Tabiji: ofukuro-san yori Directing Director N/A
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1971 Memai Directing Director N/A
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1971 Shadow of Deception Directing Director 59
Average
1971 Secret Flower Directing First Assistant Director 59
Average
1970 Waterfront Blues Directing Director N/A
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1970 Rainbow Over Paris Directing Director N/A
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1969 The Tide Does Not Return Directing Director N/A
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1969 Aisuru ashita Directing Director N/A
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1969 Fallen Leaves and Sweet Memories Directing Director N/A
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1968 Little Snack Directing Director N/A
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1968 Rose Buds in the Rainbow Directing Director N/A
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1968 The Wonderful Ones Directing Director N/A
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1967 Whispering Joe Directing Director N/A
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Writing
2004 Onigiri: Arcadia monogatari Writing Writer N/A
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2001 Jesus is My Boss Writing Writer N/A
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1979 The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi Writing Writer 58
Average
1978 Invitation from the Beach Writing Novel N/A
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1978 Invitation from the Beach Writing Screenplay N/A
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1975 Someday, Somewhere Writing Screenplay N/A
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1973 Tsugaru Folksong Writing Writer 59
Average
1971 Kigeki: Hanayome sensô Writing Screenplay N/A
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1971 Tabiji: ofukuro-san yori Writing Screenplay N/A
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1971 A Man's World Writing Original Story N/A
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1970 Rainbow Over Paris Writing Screenplay N/A
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1969 Aisuru ashita Writing Screenplay N/A
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1969 Fallen Leaves and Sweet Memories Writing Screenplay N/A
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1967 Falling Blossoms Writing Screenplay N/A
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1967 Whispering Joe Writing Writer N/A
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1964 Only on Mondays Writing Writer 58
Average
1963 The School Cap Writing Writer N/A
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1957 Eight Hours of Terror Writing Original Story 59
Average

Sound
1969 Fallen Leaves and Sweet Memories Sound Music N/A
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Camera
1968 The Wonderful Ones Camera Director of Photography N/A
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1967 Whispering Joe Camera Director of Photography N/A
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1964 Flora on the Sand Camera Still Photographer 59
Average