Given that retirees are some of Japan's most avid cinephiles, it's a surprise that more movies like "Stardust Over the Town" aren't being made.
The Showa Era (1926-89) had barely finished when dramatist Ryuji Mizutani introduced theatergoers to Osamu Yamada & Hello Nights, a fictional group of crooners whose dedication to golden-age vocal pop hasn't translated into commercial success. Mixing genial comedy with dewy-eyed musical revue, the first "Stardust Over the Town" show in 1994 proved so popular that it spawned six more plays.
After a quarter of a century together, the members of Hello Nights — including comedian Saburo Taihei and character actor Denden (real name Yoshihiro Ogata) — have established an easy rapport, helped by the fact that they're essentially playing themselves.
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