[Mini Theater Revisited] No. 24 Shibuya style trend, hot summer of mini theaters...Part 1 Shibuya's charisma, the beginning of Cinema Rise

Shibuya used to be a town of mini theaters, but without this movie theater, the impression of the town might have been different... A theater called Cinemarise had a unique personality that made you think of it that way.

It was the epicenter of cutting-edge trends and had foresight. As a result, actors such as Reservoir Dogs Tarantino in Reservoir Dogs, Gus Van Sant in Drugstore Cowboy , The Virgin Suicides , and Danny Boyle in Trainspotting, among others, became famous. It was the first to introduce top directors and won the hearts of young audiences in Shibuya. There are many enthusiastic supporters, and I hear that many people who went here later became creators.

Cinemarise is truly worthy of being called Shibuya's charisma.

However, two of the three venues closed in 2010, and the remaining one came to an end in 2016 (eventually, the two venues became live music venues).

When I wrote this article, there was still one theater left, and I asked the representative and managing director to talk about their masterpieces (the interview article will appear next).

First, we looked back at the history of Cinemarise, which was said to be a ``coveted theater''.

*The following articles were serialized on the website operated by Geijutsu Shimbun between 2013 and 2014. This time, we have received permission from Sawako Omori and Geijutsu Shinbunsha Co., Ltd. to reprint this work.

Index

• The theater of your dreams
• Urban type and prefers art.
• Becomes an independent mini theater
• Stretched teens are also in the audience

The theater of your dreams

Shibuya is a city known for its many unique mini theaters.

The Shirane Memorial Shibuya Folk Museum and Literary Museum, which collects historical materials from this area, has a chronology on the wall that traces the history of Shibuya, and lists the things and customs that made the Shibuya area famous. However, in the chronology of the late 1980s, there are also words such as ``Mini Theater'' along with ``Hokoten (Pedestrian Heaven)'' and ``Shibu Kaji.''

Among the mini-theatres that appeared in Shibuya during this period, Cinema Rise was particularly notable as a theater that symbolized the radical nature of the city. When I talk to people in the media who are in their 40s or older, many mention it as their ``dream theater'' when they were younger.

The location was next to PARCO, a commercial facility on Koen-dori, and also faced Spain Hill. A woman from the advertising department says she was thrilled to see posters of films such as ``Drugstore Cowboy'' (1989) and ``Trainspotting'' (1996) plastered on the walls of the Spain Hill theater. There are some too.

In the case of popular works such as ``Drugstore Cowboy,'' the posters were often stolen. Also, when I visited a DVD shop the other day, there was a pop-up like this posted next to the package for this movie.

``For the first time, I skipped school and went to the movie theater in front of Parco in Shibuya. I saw ``Drugstore Cowboy.'' I didn't have money to buy the pamphlet, but I still remember that thrill. As a junior high school student who wanted to look cool, I was captivated by this movie, feeling a mixture of guilt and the content of the movie.I was standing tall as much as I could that day.''

I'm not sure if it's just an image copy or a recollection of a real experience. However, even 24 years after its first release, I still remember seeing it played at the movie theater in front of Parco, so there is no doubt that the writer's thoughts were reflected in the writing. It was also a place where teens at the time could have an unforgettable movie experience.

The theater screened the early masterpieces of directors who are still at the forefront today, such as Gus Van Sant in ``Drugstore Cowboy'' and Danny Boyle in ``Trainspotting.'' Additionally, Pedro Almodovar in `` Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown '' (1987), Leos Carax in ` `The Lovers on the Bridge '' (1991), Harmony Korine in `` Gummo '' (1997), and ``Reservoir Dogs'' (1991). Cinemarise has discovered many new directors earlier than anywhere else, including Quentin Tarantino, Lars von Trier for `` Europe '' (1991), and Sofia Coppola for ``The Virgin Suicides'' (1999).

They have a good sense of visuals, music, and fashion, and screen works that incorporate a provocative artistic sense, allowing you to enjoy the taste of the edgy theaters of New York and London in Tokyo. Cinemarise seemed like such a place.

◉Shibuya is a city where the word "street" suits you. This kind of taste can be felt in Cinemarise's blockbuster hit ``Drugstore Cowboy.'' This is Gus Van Sant's first film in Japan, starring a young Matt Dillon. The poster became very popular and was often stolen.

Urban type and prefers art.