A Tribute to Meiko Kaji

ABOUT THE SERIES: 

The American Cinematheque and Beyond Fest are proud to present an in-person tribute that spotlights the luminous Japanese actor and singer Meiko Kaji, a force of nature whose presence on the silver screen has shaped cinematic history and global pop culture since the 1960s. Fusing elegance with lethal intensity and effortlessly inhabiting the rebellious, vengeful roles she became known for internationally, Kaji has established herself a master of her craft throughout her iconoclastic career. Her earliest feature performances as a dragon tattooed leader of a yakuza clan in BLIND WOMAN’S CURSE and a member of a psychedelic girl gang in STRAY CAT ROCK: DELINQUENT GIRL BOSS demonstrated the young star’s ability to thrive in genres traditionally dominated by men. Kaji ultimately redefined feminine roles in exploitation film, elevating violent revenge pictures with her commanding presence while transgressing societal and narrative conventions with her merciless portrayal of a woman scorned by her lover in FEMALE PRISONER #701: SCORPION and its sequels. Arguably the most influential character of her oeuvre, Kaji’s execution of the eponymous anti-heroine in LADY SNOWBLOOD and LADY SNOWBLOOD: LOVE SONG OF VENGEANCE is as sophisticated as it is cold-blooded. This landmark countercultural performance has been cited as a direct inspiration for some of the seminal genre-defying, cult cinema of the last five decades, illustrating the impact that Kaji’s artistry has through transcending universal boundaries, spanning cultures, and bridging cinematic worlds.