Sadamasa Arikawa
Japanese cinematographer (1925–2005)
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Sadamasa Arikawa (Japanese: 有川 貞昌, pronounced [ˈsɑdə/ /əˈkiɹə/] ⓘ, Hepburn: Arikawa Sadamasa; June 17, 1925 – September 22, 2005) was a Japanese special effects cinematographer, film director and special effects director. He worked with Eiji Tsuburaya in Toho for the Godzilla franchise until 1970.
- Teisho Arikama
- Sam Arikawa
Sadamasa Arikawa | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
有川 貞昌 | |||||
Arikawa on set for the filming of Godzilla (1954) | |||||
| Pronunciation | pronounced [ˈsɑdə/ /əˈkiɹə/] ⓘ | ||||
| Born | June 17, 1925 Tokyo Prefecture, Empire of Japan | ||||
| Died | September 22, 2005 (aged 80) Izu, Shizuoka, Japan | ||||
| Other names |
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| Alma mater | Nihon University | ||||
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1953–1978 | ||||
| Military career | |||||
| Allegiance | Empire of Japan | ||||
Branch | Imperial Japanese Army Air Service | ||||
| Japanese name | |||||
| Kanji | 有川 貞昌 | ||||
| Kana | ありかわ さだまさ | ||||
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Born in the Tokyo Prefecture, he was an Imperial Japanese Army veteran for air service before leaving the war and joining as a cinematographer with Tsuburaya at Toho in the 1950s. After Tsuburaya's death in 1970, Arikawa left Toho and went and created independent projects before his death in 2005.
Life and service
Sadamasa Arikawa was born on June 17, 1925,[a] in the Tokyo Prefecture.[1] He graduated from Nihon University in a degree of machinery. He went on to serve as a bomber pilot in the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service during World War II. He left in 1945 following the Surrender of Japan.[2]
Career
Toho (1953–1970)
In 1953, Arikawa began working at Toho as a cinematographer. He later met Eiji Tsuburaya. Arikawa was assigned as the special effects director for most Godzilla films, and his first film was Godzilla (1954).[3][4]
In 1967, Tsuburaya was appointed "special effects supervisor", where he handed over the position for the Godzilla film series to Arikawa, starting with Son of Godzilla.[5] Arikawa was known also as Teisho Arikama[b] during production of various films.[6] In the United States, he was credited as Sam Arikawa.[c][7] Arikawa worked on the film Space Amoeba (1970) as his final film in Toho.[2]
Later career (1970–1978)
After Tsuburaya's death in January 1970, Arikawa left Toho, and worked with other companies such as the Shaw Brothers Studio.[6] Yasuyuki Inoue later took over his role.[citation needed] His final film that he directed and worked on was The Phoenix (1978), where he then left afterwards.[citation needed]
Personal life
Arikawa lived in Izu, Shizuoka. He died on September 22, 2005 in a hospital in Izu from lung cancer.[8] He was 80.[9][7]
Notes
- Japanese: 手匠 ありがとう. Hepburn romanization: takumi arigatō
- Japanese: サム・アリカワ. Hepburn romanization: samu ari kawa
