Katsuhisa Hattori -- Futari dake no Umi（二人だけの海）

 

This is a short-but-sweet track from a soundtrack to a 1980 movie called "Koufuku-go Shuppan"（幸福号出帆...The S.S. Happiness Sets Sail）. The movie was based on a Yukio Mishima（三島由紀夫）novel that was first released in 1955 through the pages of the Yomiuri Shimbun. From what I could read of the synopsis, "Koufuku-go Shuppan" seems to be set up as some kind of soap opera, but despite the title and the cover of the soundtrack album featuring a mighty sailing vessel, I think the novel and the movie are actually based on land with the title possessing a more metaphorical meaning. I did come across one part of the story in the J-Wiki which states that Mishima had wanted the first half of the novel to have the look and feel of "Grand Hotel" in which a lot of characters mingle and intersect. The lead actress was Mariko Fuji（藤真利子）who has quite a few entries here on "Kayo Kyoku Plus".

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any footage of "Koufuku-go Shuppan" so I can't really confirm where the setting is, although the 1980 movie seems to be centered around the comings and goings of a Ginza-based department store and a young couple thrown into a maelstrom. Although I can't say that I'm a Mishima fan, any time his name pops up, I am at least a little curious especially as it pertains to my blog.

Also, the late Katsuhisa Hattori（服部克久）was a composing/arranging master whose name I am also very intrigued by. He was indeed responsible for the "Koufuku-go Shuppan" soundtrack and the track here is "Futari dake no Umi" (An Ocean Just for Two). There is no aural sign of any ocean adventure or pirates here; instead it's a stylish laidback song of slow funk and jazz. It could be a piece surrounding a walk through Shinjuku or a dinner in some swanky restaurant in Tokyo. But perhaps it could also be describing such a meal on a cruise ship just offshore. 

In any case, if anyone out there has actually seen this movie on the big or small screen, let me know what it's all about. I know that Fuji's character had wanted to become an opera singer.