The Director of 'Tokyo Melody Ryuichi Sakamoto' Saw Ryuichi Sakamoto at 32 and Tokyo in the 1980s
An interview with Elizabeth Lennard, director of the documentary 'Tokyo Melody Ryuichi Sakamoto,' which is being re-released in a 4K restored version.Summary
The documentary film 'Tokyo Melody Ryuichi Sakamoto,' long considered a phantom work, is being screened again in a 4K restored version. The film captures Ryuichi Sakamoto at age 32 alongside the city of Tokyo in the 1980s. Director Elizabeth Lennard met Sakamoto in Berlin in 1983 and proposed filming a documentary for a French television program, leading to the creation of this film. Filming took place in Tokyo over just one week in May 1984, coinciding with the production of Sakamoto's fourth solo album, 'Ongaku Zukan' (Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music). The resulting footage includes interviews with Sakamoto, studio recording sessions, footage of the YMO breakup concert, and scenes of 1980s Tokyo landmarks like the Shibuya Scramble Crossing. The film showcases the 32-year-old Sakamoto discussing his childhood memories, the changing culture and society, his creative process, and his musical pursuits, offering viewers a chance to re-examine the process of music creation across time, city, and art.
(Source：Tokyo Art Beat)