Search - The Stairway to the Distant Past on DVD

The Second Film Of The Maiku Hama Trilogy!

Ernest Jagger | Culver City, California | 02/23/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Well, 10 years after viewing the first episode of this humorous parody of detective Maiku Hama (Masatoshi Nagase), I finally purchased the second and final episodes of the escapades of this very unconventional private detective from Japan. In the first episode, the film leaves off abruptly, and I was never able to find the other two episodes. After viewing the first episode, "The Most Terrible Time In My Life," again, and writing a review of the film; I decided to seek out the last two installments; which were not available at the time I originally purchased the first episode. I don't know if the time lapse was worth the wait, but after such a long period of time in between the trilogy, it was a fun watch to see actor Masatoshi Nagase reprise his role again as Maiku Hama. This episode was relesed in Japan in 1995.

I was able to purchse these last two episodes at one of my local video stores. I watched the first episode probably about 10 or 11 years ago. Therefore, I was curious to find out what this unorthodox detective was up to. In the first episode, there is quite a lot of parody, with Maiku Hama [get it! Mike Hammer] trying to solve the disappearance of a Taiwanese waiters brother; and finding himself in trouble with the bad guys. Yet, the film just ended, and therefore; I found myself wondering about the characters in the film. In this episode there is still the usual humor of Maiku Hama, only this time his mother makes an appearance. She is Lily Hama (Haruko Wanibuchi). Moreover, Maiku's mother is not your typical mom either: She is a strip artist performer who has come to Yokohama with her strip act.

After having abandoned Maiku many years before, she now comes to tell him and his sister Akane (Mika Ohmine) who their father is. With this, Maiku sets out on the journey to find the father he never knew. This film has a lot of humor in it, and if you did not see the first episode, I recommend that you see them in sequence. This is a very good film, and an enjoyable series; and I was not sure if this or the final installment were the best ones of the series. However, they must all be seen in order to understand the film trilogies narrative. And although I thought this was a great episode, I give a slight edge to the final film in the trilogy, "The Trap." I recommend the series, it is a fun watch. Also, if you decide to purchase the films, they are now available on one 3-disc set. Therefore, instead of purchasing them seperately as I did, you might just save yourself some money by getting them in one set. Recommended."