So what has VERSUS and AZUMI director Ryuhei Kitamura been up to lately? Aside from producing Japanese drama THE FLOWER SHOP DIARIES and an English-language supernatural thriller called SHADOWS (see promo trailer), starring Cary Elwes and William Hurt, he has directed a martial arts-themed music video for jazz pianist ELEW’s cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
I love jazz, particularly ’60s and ’70s-era hard bop and fusion, but I’m not sure what to make of ELEW or his dissonant arrangement of a Nirvana classic. But ELEW’s metal armbands are a nice touch to accentuate that martial arts pianist look. All he’s missing is a fishnet undershirt and ninja headband. The video itself is beautifully put together and makes me wish Kitamura would direct an upscale martial arts movie in Hollywood. He still had a great eye for stylish visuals that lend themselves well to action films.
The cover is off the new album ELEW Rockjazz, Vol. 1 which features thirteen piano covers of pop songs from the likes of Coldplay, The Killers, and Nirvana among others. (Check out ELEW’s official site for details.)
ELEW is the current stage name for Eric Lewis, a 37-year-old jazz pianist who has played for jazz greats Ornette Coleman and Wynton Marsalis, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra before be struck out on his own to fuse elements of rock and jazz into a new sound.
As for Kitamura, he is also co-executive producer on ORION, a new series set to premiere on the Syfy Channel. It’s described as NATIONAL TREASURE meets FIREFLY, a space opera centering on a female relic hunter and her team.
Producer Ryuhei Kitamura on the set of SHADOWS.
Ryuhei Kitamura
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