Ryuhei Kitamura
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An Osaka native who relocated to Australia in his late teens to study at the School of Visual Arts, the aspiring director made quite an impression with his award-winning graduation film, entitled Exit. Returning to Japan shortly thereafter, Kitamura founded Napalm Films to back Heat After Dark, a 50-minute action film that served as the director's first theatrical release. The short action-horror effort Down to Hell was quick to follow. A high-energy, supernatural-flavored journey into the world of gangsters and the undead, the film served as the perfect primer for Kitamura's rapidly approaching feature debut. Appropriately, Versus was unleashed on Japanese filmgoers just days before Halloween 2000 at the Tokyo International Film Festival -- its nonstop barrage of action and energy left the jaws of stunned festival attendees planted squarely in their laps. Of course, it didn't take long for the word to travel, and after countless grey-market tapes flooded foreign shores, the film eventually received an official stateside DVD release thanks to genre specialists Media Blasters.

To say that expectation was high for Kitamura's follow up to Versus would likely be the biggest understatement of recent international genre cinema, and though general reaction to his subsequent futuristic prison film, Alive (2002), was notably mixed, fans were still curious what the high-energy visionary might cook up next. His subsequent samurai film, Aragami, echoed the early minutes of Versus with its tale of a wandering swordsman who must do battle with a fearsome demon, and that same year, Kitamura maintained his high profile by serving as producer for the outlandish Battlefield Baseball. 2003 also found the increasingly busy filmmaker stepping behind the camera to direct Azumi, a big-budget journey into 17th century feudal Japan concerning a master samurai who trains ten young orphans to become fearsome warlord-slaying assassins.

As rumors of a sequel to Versus continued to swirl through Internet chat rooms (no doubt spurned by Kitamura's admittance that he was preparing an "Ultimate Version" of the film containing new footage), fans rejoiced when it was announced that he would be helming Godzilla: Final Wars. Touted in advertisements as the "Godzilla 50th Anniversary Commemoration Production," the film promised not only a worldwide rampage by the fearsome cinematic lizard, but an all-out monster attack that was rumored to be the green meanie's final cinematic appearance for at least a decade.

Filmography: Aragami, Azumi, Godzilla Final Wars, Longinus, Midnight Meat Train (2008), Sky High (2003), Skyhigh, Versus,

Latest Ryuhei Kitamura News, Opinion & Discussion:

Midnight Meat Train Bombs
Feign shock. After Midnight Meat Train got the bums hustle into about 100 cheap theatres scattered around the US and Canada it managed to be a box off...

Midnight Meat Train New Gorey Clip
WE have a new clip for Midnight Meat Train from TerrorFeed. You should note its a gorey horror flick so this 2 plus minute clip is not safe for work. ... Midnight Meat Train New Poster, Review
Midnight Meat Train is one movie horror fans have been waiting for, for awhile. Lionsgate seriously enraged horror fans when they decided in Canada it... Midnight Meat Train Getting Theatrical Run in the US
Midnight Meat Train according to HorrorMovies.ca is going straight to dvd in Canada and now comes word from STYD that all you Americanos will get... Midnight Meat Train Going to DVD Bin
Midnight Meat Train according to HorrorMovies.ca is going straight to dvd. I was myself quite excited for this flick but seems to enjoy it I will have... Midnight Meat Train Poster
THX to Lionsgate Films we have a brand new poster for "Midnight Meat Train". Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura (formerly attached to direct h... Midnight Meat Train - The First Official Image
THX to Lionsgate Films we have the first official image for "Midnight Meat Train". Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura (formerly attached to direct h... AZUMI In Theatres July 28th!
In its debut theatrical release, AsiaVision—the Asian live-action film label of Urban Vision Entertainment—will release the Japanese blockbuster f... Anime Expo 2006 & AsiaVision Unite
In anticipation of its U.S. debut theatrical release of 2006, AsiaVision - the Asian live-action film label of Urban Vision Entertainment, wil... New Godzilla: Final Wars Footage
Two new tv promos for Ryuhei Kitamura's "Godzilla: Final Wars" have made there way online.  You can watch the first one here or just skip to the&... More Godzilla Final Wars Movie News
Godzilla news has been dropping all over online recently. First off Godzilla will officially get a star on the walk of fame on November 29th. Congrats... More Godzilla Final Wars Movie Images!
Godzilla Final Wars is finally coming. Ryuhei Kitamura (Versus) is helming this Godzilla film in Sydney, Austrailia. Its going to be a face off be...