Crazed Fruit (1956)
A scorching Japanese New Wave classic where two brothers collide over a dangerous woman in a summer of desire and destruction.
Crazed Fruit - Movie Information
- Original Title: 狂った果実
- Release Year: 1956
- Directed by: Kō Nakahira
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Romance, Drama
- Runtime: 1h 26m
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- Release Date (Theatrical): July 12, 1956 (Japan), June 14, 1960 (Italy)
- Alternative Titles: Juvenile Jungle (AU), Kurutta kajitsu (JP), Passions juvéniles (FR), Affair at Kamakura (US)
- Production Companies: Nikkatsu Corporation
- Production Countries: Japan
Crazed Fruit - Plot
Two brothers compete for the amorous favors of a young woman during a seaside summer of gambling, boating, and drinking.
Crazed Fruit - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and see the film's sun-drenched tension come to life:
Where to Watch Crazed Fruit
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Crazed Fruit - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Kō Nakahira
Main Cast
- Yūjirō Ishihara
- Mie Kitahara
- Masahiko Tsugawa
- Shinsuke Ashida
- Shintarō Ishihara
- Eiko Higashitani
- Taizō Fukami
- Harold Conway
- Masumi Okada
- Yoshiko Fujishiro
Writers
- Shintarō Ishihara
Producers
- Takiko Mizunoe
Crazed Fruit - FAQs
Where can I stream Crazed Fruit?
Crazed Fruit is available to stream on the Criterion Channel as part of its curated library of classic and world cinema. You can also visit JustWatch to compare all current viewing options available in your region, including any rental or purchase platforms.
Is Crazed Fruit based on a novel?
Yes, Crazed Fruit is based on a novel by Shintarō Ishihara, who also wrote the screenplay. Ishihara's source material was part of the Taiyōzoku — or 'Sun Tribe' — literary movement, capturing the restless, hedonistic energy of postwar Japanese youth culture.
Who are the main actors in Crazed Fruit?
The film stars Yūjirō Ishihara as Natsuhisa and Mie Kitahara as Eri, with Masahiko Tsugawa playing the younger brother Haruji. Shintarō Ishihara, Harold Conway, Masumi Okada, Eiko Higashitani, and Yoshiko Fujishiro round out the principal cast.
What is Crazed Fruit about?
Crazed Fruit follows two brothers whose carefree seaside summer of boating, gambling, and drinking turns volatile when both fall for the same enigmatic young woman named Eri. The film explores jealousy, desire, and moral dissolution among Japan's postwar youth with raw, unsettling intensity.
Is Crazed Fruit considered a Japanese New Wave film?
Crazed Fruit is widely regarded as a foundational work of the Japanese New Wave. Its frank portrayal of youthful rebellion, sexual tension, and moral ambiguity broke sharply from the conventions of Japanese cinema at the time, influencing a generation of filmmakers at Nikkatsu and beyond.
Who directed Crazed Fruit and who wrote it?
Crazed Fruit was directed by Kō Nakahira and written by Shintarō Ishihara, adapting his own bestselling novel. The collaboration between the young director and the provocative author gave the film its distinctive blend of stylish visuals and transgressive narrative energy.
When was Crazed Fruit originally released?
Crazed Fruit was originally released in Japan on July 12, 1956. It later received an international release in Italy on June 14, 1960, and has been distributed under several alternative titles, including Affair at Kamakura in the United States and Juvenile Jungle in Australia.
What is the ending of Crazed Fruit explained?
The film ends in violent tragedy when the older brother Natsuhisa, consumed by jealousy and rage, deliberately crashes his speedboat into the vessel carrying Eri and her foreign husband, killing them. The shocking conclusion underscores the film's bleak vision of desire spiraling into destruction and moral collapse.
More About Crazed Fruit
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