Third Window Announces Hayashi's Maiku Hama Trilogy (Finally!)

For those of a certain age (read: me) and an interest in cinema of all types, Channel 4 had once been a haven, especially those middle of the nights – or very early morning – screenings of films that you’d never heard of – Guy Maddin’s Careful, perhaps – that you caught once, maybe twice, if you were lucky, but never got any form of home media release. One of my holy grails of these films – as I am terrible at importing films – has always been Kaizo Hayashi’s The Most Terrible Time in My Life, and the resultant Maiku Hama Trilogy. 

Those following Third Window this year and would have struggled not to notice how they’ve teased and teased us with the news that not only had the 4K restorations of these films happened but that Third Window had licensed them. But without a concrete release date there is always the horror-filled doubt something could go wrong. 

Today, Christmas comes early, Third Window have finally done it, put us out of our misery and into a place of unalloyed cinematic joy for putting it in writing. Yes: Kaizo Hayashi’s Maiku Hama Trilogy: The Most Terrible Time in My Life, Stairway to the Distant Past, The Trap have been announced and will be released 27th October. As soon as that. 

Pre-order at any good stockists, including Terracotta, HMV and Zavvi. 

Only ever having seen the first film in the trilogy I admit to a certain giddiness, but for those that have never seen or perhaps heard of Hayashi’s Hama Trilogy, well, read on – with synopses shamelessly stolen from Third Window as always. 

A trilogy of films about Yokohama private eye Maiku Hama (played by Masatoshi Nagase - The Box Man) directed by Kaizo Hayashi (To Sleep so as to Dream).

In THE MOST TERRIBLE TIME IN MY LIFE (1994) he gets embroiled in the disappearance of a Taiwanese immigrant’s brother, getting caught in the crosshairs of a gang war.

In the 2nd film THE STAIRWAY TO THE DISTANT PAST (1995) he goes after a “Man in White” reigning over the embattled riverfront of Yokohama.

The ominous final chapter THE TRAP (1996) straddles the line of psychological horror as a series of drug-fueled murders instill fear in Yokohama.

And here's also the new trailer for it!