I interviewed Hideyuki Hirayama in the summer of 2000 at Nikkatsu Studio, after spending a morning inside a dim, dank soundstage, watching him film Riho Makise. Makise was working on an etching and was padding silently about her house -- an early scene in "Turn," but one of the last in the shoot.
Director Hideyuki HirayamaIn contrast to her quiet intensity, Hirayama exuded an easygoing charm, looking younger than his 50 years with his deep tan and his headband. At the same time, he was every inch the veteran director, exerting an unforced authority. I could imagine him winning over the most prickly actress -- or the kids who played the leads in his three hit "Gakko no Kaidan (School Ghost Stories)" installments.
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