New Kitano film pokes fun at cinema industry

VENICE, Aug 31 (Reuters) Japan's Takeshi Kitano pokes fun at himself, fellow film-makers and the cinema industry in his latest work, the surreal tale of a director on a quest to shoot the ultimate movie that everyone will love.

In ''Kantoku Banzai!'' (''Glory to The Filmmaker!''), Kitano interprets himself as the frustrated director who explores every possible film genre in the hope of finally scoring the box office success that has eluded him, but fails at each attempt.

The film was presented this week at the Venice festival, where Kitano won the Golden Lion in 1997 with ''Hana-Bi''. A favourite on the Lido, his film features outside competition, in a special section dedicated to cinema's masters.

In it, Kitano carries around a life-size doll that looks like him, and encounters everything from ancient swordsmen to space aliens as he ponders whether to make a violent action film, a tearful drama, a costume epic, a horror flick or a science fiction extravaganza.

IN SEARCH OF A BLOCKBUSTER The film is far from the ''very classical movie'' Kitano had said he wanted to make when he last came to Venice in 2005 to present ''Takeshis''', another wacky semi-biographical work in which the director plays a TV celebrity and his alter-ego.

Back then he vowed to finish with the kind of yakuza gangster films that have made him a cult name outside Japan. At home, he is still best known for his television work in the comic duo ''The Two Beat''.

But Kitano said today his latest film should be seen as a sequel to ''Takeshis''' and part of a reflection on his eclectic career -- he promised a third instalment.

He said the film was born out of his frustration that none of his works have ever turned into blockbusters.

REUTERS GL BST1309