Kiyoshi Nishimura

Kiyoshi Nishimura (西村 潔, September 7, 1932 – November 17, 1993) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He was best known for working as an assistant director for filmmakers such as Akira Kurosawa and Ishiro Honda, and for directing numerous films under Toho.

Education Nishimura graduated from the Tachikawa High School in Tokyo. While studying, he worked part-time at a U.S. military base in Tachikawa, where he became interested in filmmaking. In 1956, he graduated from Hitotsubashi University, where he was a classmate of politician Shintaro Ishihara.

In 1969, he made his directorial debut with the action-thriller It's Too Early to Die (Shinu ni wa Mada Hayai), starring Toshio Kurosawa. Nishimura was known for incorporating jazz into his film soundtracks.

Due to the decline of the Japanese film industry, Nishimura left Tokyo to work independently and directed numerous television series. In 1987, Nishimura was arrested for using a video camera in a public bathhouse (sentō) to film women. This incident negatively impacted his career and public image, leading to a lack of job opportunities. Following the incident, he directed television series under the pseudonym Yūsai Itō (井藤雄才).

Death Nishimura was found dead on the Hayama coast in Kanagawa on November 17, 1993, having drowned. A police investigation concluded that his death was a suicide. However, some English critics revisited his films and reviewed them positively.

Benjamin Hunting of Hagerty discovered and was impressed with the cinematography of the film. He called the film "ahead of its time" and wrote:

Hayley Scanlon, an independent film critic, revisted Nishimura's debut film Too Young To Die and positively reviewed it, writing that "Nishimura’s 1969 debut is a masterclass in high tension." She also reviewed The Creature Called Man and acclaimed the film, applauding its heavy political commentary.

Filmography As director: