“Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda,” a documentary by Stephen Nomura Schible, is now playing through Thursday, July 19, at Laemmle’s Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills.
One of the most important artists of our era, Ryuichi Sakamoto has had a prolific career spanning over four decades. From techno-pop stardom to Oscar-winning film composer, the evolution of his music has coincided with his life journeys. Following Fukushima, Sakamoto became an iconic figure in Japan’s social movement against nuclear power.
Pursuing a solo career after his work with the Japanese electronic band Yellow Magic Orchestra, he created a spectacular score for “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” (in which he also co-starred opposite David Bowie) and won an Oscar for “The Last Emperor” (shared with David Byrne). More recently, he scored “The Revenant.”
As Sakamoto returns to music following a cancer diagnosis, his haunting awareness of life crises leads to a resounding new masterpiece. The film is an intimate portrait of both the artist and the man.
“‘Coda’ skips deftly across the years, incorporating intimate footage of the composer at work as well as archival footage from his earlier years,” said Bilge Ebiri of The Village Voice.
The 102-minute film will open at the following Laemmle theaters on Monday, July 16:
The Royal, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Los Angeles
Playhouse 7, 673 E. Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena
Town Center 5, 17200 Ventura Blvd. in Encino
Claremont 5, 450 W. 2ndSt. in Claremont
For more information, visit www.laemmle.com.