Masaki Kobayashi
Masaki Kobayashi (February 14, 1916–October 4, 1996) was a Japanese director. Among his films is Kwaidan (1965), a collection of four ghost stories drawn from the book by Lafcadio Hearn, each of which has a surprise ending. Kobayashi also directed The Human Condition, a trilogy on the effects of World War II on a Japanese pacifist and socialist. The total length of the films is over 9 hours. Other notable films include Harakiri (1962) and Samurai Rebellion (1967). Harakiri won him an award at the 1963 Cannes Film Festival, solidifying his place in the history of cinema. In 1969, he was a member of the jury at the 19th Berlin International Film Festival. He was also a candidate for directing the Japanese sequences for Tora! Tora! Tora!, once Akira Kurosawa left the film. But instead Kinji Fukasaku and Toshio Masuda were chosen. Kobayashi, himself a pacifist, was drafted into the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, but refused to fight and refused promotion to a rank higher than private. Description above from the Wikipedia article Masaki Kobayashi, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known for
DirectingBirthday
February 14, 1916Deathday
October 4, 1996Gender
MaleKnown Movie Credits
32Place of birth
Otaru, Hokkaidō, JapanAlso known as
小林正樹, Масаки Кобаяси, 小林正树, 고바야시 마사키, 코바야시 마사키, 마사키 고바야시, 마사키 코바야시![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/5epZ39mf1Ii7xOjqYx2YYq39y5X.jpg)
Cast credits
Crew credits
![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/cfcIjq4V8GxtMN6GU3WnufTM9cD.jpg)
Kwaidan
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/oWCFLELvRjNj1mbsCDOKWRcnmD2.jpg)
The Human Condition I: No Greater Love
Director, Screenplay![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/vikLAI7lPFdZcu1vBy2C2ucKPFN.jpg)
Samurai Rebellion
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/gbs7K9guX2pktd0WmKesMwBJgVV.jpg)
The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity
Director, Screenplay, Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/pag7gyxSFe7vTl6riHfZ5Xci6q7.jpg)
The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer
Screenplay, Producer, Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/5konZnIbcAxZjP616Cz5o9bKEfW.jpg)
Harakiri
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/w69H3MUB2dSANJvCZX6VwNoJGtW.jpg)
The Fossil
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/uEPlD1sxQP7656Q4HnavGhb7UNm.jpg)
Inn of Evil
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/ngqkpjfP2fU3bAXElKSbfSXlTVv.jpg)
Black River
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/aOWHQ5SxpfOrB3bkmc13Z1rvl3o.jpg)
Fountainhead
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/3yA03L6Zm1ULhEje63NRXptEHRz.jpg)
I Will Buy You
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/632cs1sJYT6WCDkLmMFe3SFb34N.jpg)
Sincere Heart
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/3EF6UDrEaMprhEj1QvswY8TjiXd.jpg)
Tokyo Trial
Director, Writer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/8CAsOvxoDK3XYJouEfl40DW2Xra.jpg)
Youth of the Son
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/jtZUzi8dzDY1TB30hswS2R3X3oY.jpg)
The Inheritance
Director, Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/qseJiyMHDQJJmnNmbhcHr8YOJKz.jpg)
The Thick-Walled Room
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/cYzPVI1t1wDfbNgn32OfCrZLJBY.jpg)
Somewhere Beneath the Wide Sky
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/o5w6o9cL3BpCwI7bEOcnneLsCEy.jpg)
Beautiful Days
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/fd1v6ABQN5drvrHocr4lgKxrN7W.jpg)
Hymn to a Tired Man
Director![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/kcexeayJl7skt03dAxSwjT6uHRr.jpg)
The Empty Table
Director, Screenplay![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/uMeQvO1suFOomGZpOVd9GRuxssC.jpg)
Broken Drum
Screenplay, Assistant Director