It was revealed on July 23rd that actor Nishida Naomi and model Ichikawa Saya will appear in the film "Beethoven Fabrication" (directed by Seki Kazuaki, scheduled for release on September 12th), which is written by comedian Bakarhythm and stars actor Yuki Yamada Yuki and Furuta Arata.
This live-action film is based on Shiho Kagehara's historical non-fiction book "Beethoven Fabrication: A Famous Producer Lies" (Kawade Bunko). The film focuses on the scandal of Schindler, Beethoven's secretary and posthumous biography writer, who significantly altered Beethoven's conversation book after he lost his hearing.
The lead actor, Yamada, plays Schindler, a loyal secretary who, driven by a sense of mission to protect his idol, Beethoven, played by Furuta, at all costs, struggles after his death to transform him from a "vulgar, dirty old man (truth)" into a "holy, genius musician (lie)."
Nishida will play Eleonore, the wife of Beethoven's friend Franz Gerhard Wegeler (played by Kenichi Endo), who is said to be Beethoven's first love. Nishida appeared in six films last year, including "Seitai" (directed by Michihito Fujii) and "Eleven Bandits" (directed by Kazuya Shiraishi), and is known as a talented actor who plays supporting roles.
Ichikawa plays Harriet, the wife of Ferdinand Ries, a beloved disciple of Beethoven and the man Schindler is jealous of. She has a deep knowledge of classical music, having served as the MC for the radio program "× (Kakeru) Classic" (NHK-FM), which has been broadcast since 2020.
It was also announced that Junpei Yasui, Yuki Izumisawa, and Tomoya Maeno will also appear in the film. All five of them are unique and have outstanding acting skills, so the film is set to be an "acting battle."
The full comments from the five people are as follows:
◇Comment from Naomi Nishida (role of Eleonore von Wegeler)
Beethoven is Beethoven, and the people surrounding him are also quite eccentric, so I read Bakarhythm's script while imagining which actor would play each role, and I found it extremely interesting.
It was a valuable experience to work with Kenichi Endo again after a long time as a married couple, and to act seriously and silly in costumes from that era. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the film turns out.
◇Comment from Saya Ichikawa (Harriet Reese)
As a classical music fan, I'm honored to have had even a small part in this project. I was excited just imagining things like, "Will that actor play this artist? What will that artist look like when filtered through Bakarhythm's lens?"
Actually, just before I was approached about this film, I happened to hear one of Rees' works on the radio, so I felt like there was a small fateful connection (laughs).
Although we don't know anything about his wife, Harriet, at this stage, I would like you to pay attention to the extremely awkward exchanges between Reese and Schindler, as well as Harriet's antique 19th century dresses and blouses.
◇Comment from Junpei Yasui (role of Siegfried Wilhelm Dehn, Head of the Music Department at the Royal Library of Berlin)
This story is like a breeze that gently caresses the skin of a weary heart. It is a memorable work that will surely continue to accompany me like a comfortable breeze no matter how many years pass.
That's a lie. The truth is that, far from being a memory, the filming ended in an instant, that I was having a great time with Yuki Yamada, and that the character I played, Siegfried Wilhelm Dehn, the director of the Royal Library of Berlin, is a real person. Yes, this work is a story of "truth" and "lies."
◇Comment from Yuki Izumisawa (voice of Thayer’s friend)
At first, I was confused because I couldn't imagine how a Japanese person would portray the people of 19th century Vienna. I've always wanted to act with Shota Sometani (who plays the American music journalist Sayer), so even though it was just a casual conversation scene, it was fun working with him.
I felt the same way when I participated in the film "Wedding High" with Bakarhythm as the original scriptwriter, but the unique rhythm and dialogue give the impression of a good pace, and I am personally looking forward to seeing how this film will develop as each interesting scene piles up.
◇Comment from Tomoya Maeno(role of theater staff)
On the day of filming, I went from the "Beethoven Fabrication" set to the "The Hot Spot" set, which was a rare experience for me to appear in two scripts by Bakarhythm in one day, and it made me feel a little proud.
During the shoot, the staff members who seriously soiled Beethoven, played by Arata Furuta, were impressive, and Furuta was covered in dandruff and lint, and even had trash put in his pockets. Even in such a situation, they kindly invited me to eat some salted fish in the fridge, which was very comforting.
I watched up close the passionate interplay between Schindler and Beethoven, played by Yuki Yamada, and how can I put it, a whole new universe was born. This work is going to be interesting!
