INSIGHTS

2019.12.06

R&D DISCUSSION Vol. 22

Architecture in Film: Special Effects TV and Comedy Films of the 1960s [Part 2]

Tatsuo Iso IsoArchitectural Journalist

R&D DISCUSSION TOP

Q: The Tokiwabashi Project is progressing with a target completion date of 2027. Can you tell us if there are any movies set around Tokyo Station?

A: There is a film series that is set right where the Tokiwabashi Project building stands. Are you familiar with "Hana Hajime and the Crazy Cats"? They were popular comedians and jazz musicians in the 1960s and 1970s. Over the 10 years from 1962 to 1972, over 30 comedy films were made in the "Crazy Movies" series, starring them. There are several types of Crazy Movies, the most popular of which are the "Irresponsible Series" and the "Japan's No. 1 Series," starring member Ueki Hitoshi. In each series, the protagonist joins a company as an office worker, causes trouble, and yet manages to get promoted.

In the Crazy movies, the building that appears repeatedly as the workplace of the main character played by Ueki Hitoshi is the "Daiwa Securities Building" (1956), which once stood in Yaesu 1-chome at the Gofukubashi intersection, which is the site of the Tokiwabashi Project. It was designed by Katsumi Nakayama, an architect who also designed the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium. With this building at the center, you can see the transition of the city and its buildings during the period of high economic growth.

In the 1962 film Nippon Musekin Jidai [Image 1], the protagonist works for a manufacturer called Taiheiyo Sake. Opposite was the Japan Mutual Bank Head Office (1952), designed by Maekawa Kunio. The building, which incorporates cutting-edge technology such as full welding and aluminum curtain walls, also appears in the film. The scene in which the protagonist, who is married, leaves for his honeymoon, but gets out of the car and takes the train with his wife to Funabashi Health Center, was also filmed in the actual Marunouchi area.

In the 1965 film "Japan's No. 1 Brown-Tip Man," aerial shots show the changes in the city following the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. This was at a time when the Shinkansen and expressways had just been built, and the Bank of Japan Head Office (1896/designed by Tatsuno Kingo), which could be seen to the north of the Daiwa Securities Building, is hidden by the elevated tracks. In a scene where the main character, who works for an automobile company, travels by car with a beautiful woman, the Tokyo Central Telegraph Office (1925), designed by Yamada Mamoru, can also be seen in its heyday.

The scene of driving on the Shuto Expressway in the 1967 film "Japan's No. 1 Man" [Fig. 2] gives a sense of the pleasure of being in a city. By this time, the "Kasumigaseki Building" (1967/designed by Mitsui Fudosan and Yamashita Juro Architectural Office) had been built. After the opening credits, we arrive at the "Palace Side Building" (1966/designed by Nikken Sekkei) in Takebashi, not the usual Daiwa Securities Building. The protagonist this time works for a shipbuilding company located here. You might think that the setting is a different building than usual, but he is seconded to a stocking company, which is located in the Daiwa Securities Building [Fig. 3] (laughs). So it's here after all. The "Shizuoka Shimbun Tokyo Branch" (1967), designed by Kenzo Tange, also appears in this film, and even the inside of the building was used for filming. I think this is a rare piece of footage.

Both films feature aerial shots of Tokyo during the period of rapid economic growth, when many people were working, followed by close-ups of the Daiwa Securities Building, giving the impression that this is truly the heart of Tokyo.

[Figure 1] "The Age of Irresponsibility in Japan"
(DVD now on sale/Released and distributed by: Toho)
[Figure 2] "The manliest man in Japan"
(DVD now on sale/Released and distributed by: Toho)
[Figure 3] The Daiwa Securities Building, used as the building where the main character works in the Crazy movie.

Q: Are there any differences between the city of the 1960s depicted in the film and the city today?

A: The rooftops of buildings often appear in Crazy movies. Perhaps what's interesting when you watch them now is the fact that volleyball is played on the rooftop. Although it's called volleyball, it's not a game played on a court, but rather five or six people form a circle and try not to drop the ball. You can see employees playing rooftop volleyball during their lunch break in films like "The Age of Irresponsibility in Japan" and "Japan's No. 1 Brown-Picker." It was a familiar scene in TV dramas of the time, but it's a sight you don't see anymore. When I looked into whether it actually happened, I found that it was featured in newspaper articles from the time, so it seems that it was actually popular [Figure 4].

What's interesting is that there is a scene where they play volleyball on the rooftop in the 1988 film "Memories of You" directed by Ichikawa Jun. The story is about a protagonist, played by Hana Hajime, who is nearing retirement age and is having a hard time at home and work, who gets excited about getting together some musicians to start a band. There's no way anyone would have played volleyball on the rooftop at that time, but I think the director made them play volleyball on the rooftop as a homage to the old Crazy movies. In this film, the members of the Crazy Cats, who are nearing retirement, work in a building in Marunouchi, but the rooftop scene is in a building in Uchisaiwaicho. There are probably no buildings in Marunouchi or Otemachi where you can play volleyball on the rooftop. Moreover, the rooftop of the building they use looks very narrow. This shows the state of rooftops in that era.

[Figure 4] On the roof of a building during lunch break in the 1960s
There were people playing volleyball.

Q: Why were rooftops used for filming in 1960s movies?

A: There are several possible reasons. One is that it is surrounded by buildings. This allows the image to show that you are in the center of Tokyo without being disturbed by passersby, without explanation. The height of 31 meters is also perfect. If it were 100 meters, you would be isolated from the ground and would have a bird's-eye view of the city. It feels like the sense of being in the city is weaker. You wouldn't be able to play volleyball there, either. In "The Age of Nippon Irresponsibility," there is a scene where the ball is deflected and dropped to the ground, and from a height of 100 meters, it's no joke.

Moreover, the rooftops of buildings in those days were spacious. This was used to the fullest extent to film spectacular scenes. Aside from volleyball, many other things happen on the rooftops in Crazy movies, but the highlight is the scene where Ueki Hitoshi sings and dances. In "Japan's No. 1 Brown-Tipper," Ueki Hitoshi sings "Genki de Yukou" while dancing his way through employees on their break. The rooftop used for filming here is the Otemachi Building (1958/designed by Mitsubishi Estate).

There is a wonderful scene in "Japan's No. 1 Man of Men" that uses the Palace Side Building. As an aerial camera approaches from above, it captures Eki Ueki standing alone on the rooftop. Eki Ueki sings "Souda da yude soru toru" while moving freely around the rooftop of the Palace Side Building, which was designed by Nikken Sekkei's Shoji Hayashi as another facade. This is one of the most famous scenes in crazy movies.

Another scene from "Japan's No. 1 Man of Men" that left a strong impression on me was the scene on the rooftop of a stocking company [Figure 5]. There, the protagonist does something that would definitely be controversial today: he has his female employees march in four rows and choose the one with the most beautiful legs to use in advertising. As the clock towers of the "Nihon Building" (1962/designed by Mitsubishi Estate) and "Marunouchi Nomura Building" (1932/designed by Sato Koichi) can be seen in the background, this is thought to have been filmed in the "Shin-Otemachi Building" (1959/designed by Mitsubishi Estate). You can see just how spacious the rooftop was.

Watching these films, I get the feeling that the rooftops of 31-meter-tall buildings built in the 1950s and 1960s could have been places that could foster unique urban communities. As buildings over 100 meters began to be built one after another, the potential of such rooftops was lost, but I think it would be interesting if we could successfully revive them.

[Figure 5] The rooftop scene from "Japan's No. 1 Man."

[Figures 1 and 2: Provided by Toho]

Back to Part 1

PROFILE

Architectural Journalist

Tatsuo Iso

Iso Tatsuo

Born in Saitama Prefecture in 1963. Graduated from Nagoya University in 1988 and worked at the Nikkei Architecture editorial department. Became independent in 2000. Co-founded the editorial office Flick Studio in 2002. Part-time lecturer at Kuwasawa Design School and Musashino Art University. Major co-authored books include Showa Modern Architecture Pilgrimage: Complete Edition 1945-64 (Nikkei BP, 2019), Premodern Architecture Pilgrimage (Nikkei BP, 2018), Kikutake Kiyonori Pilgrimage (Nikkei BP, 2012), Postmodern Architecture Pilgrimage (Nikkei BP, 2011), The Future Cities We Dreamed of (PHP Institute, 2010), and Showa Modern Architecture Pilgrimage: Western Japan Edition/Eastern Japan Edition (2006/2008).

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Update : 2018.09.21

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