‘Shall we dance, Sugiyama-san?” is a key line in this famous Japanese movie, which first came out in 1996. I loved this movie, because I could identify with the main character Shohei Sugiyama, as he had my maiden last name. Sugiyama must be a fairly common enough name in Japan, as the Sensei of the Az Buddhist Temple in Phoenix is Lynn Sugiyama.
This is a new 4K version. I also just viewed the American version on Kanopy, free via PCPL.
SUNDAY, April 26, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
General Admission: $9 | Loft Members: $6 at Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd.Tucson
Passes Accepted
“Part of Loft Staff Selects, a monthly series showcasing film favorites chosen by our amazing Loft Cinema staff! This month’s film was chosen by Kyra Madrid!
Shohei Sugiyama (Koji Yakusho, Perfect Days) seems to have it all – a high-paying job as an accountant, a beautiful home, a caring wife and a doting daughter he loves dearly. However, he feels something is missing in his life. One day while commuting on the train he spots a beautiful woman staring wistfully out a window, and eventually decides to find her. His search leads him head-first into the colorful world of competitive ballroom dancing. A buoyant and touching romantic comedy classic from director Masayuki Suô (Sumo Do, Sumo Don’t), Shall We Dance? became a worldwide box-office sensation, leading to a 2004 Hollywood remake starring Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon, and can now be seen in a new 4K restoration of the original, 136-minute film, available uncut for the first time in North America. (Dir. by Masayuki Suô, 1996, Japan, in Japanese with English subtitles, 136 mins., Not Rated)“