Tyler's Japanese Canon
This thread will contain spoilers so please beware.
My Japanese thread. FILMS REVIEWED: - Woman In The Dunes (Teshigahara, 1964) - Sonatine (Kitano, 1993) - - Death By Hanging (Oshima, 1968) - Grave Of The Fireflies (Takahata, 1988) - Sansho The Bailiff (Mizoguchi, 1954) - Harakiri (Kobayashi, 1962) - Giants and Toys (Masumura, 1958) - Moving (Somai, 1993) - - Maboroshi (Koreeda, 1995) - Minamata: the Victims and their World (Tsuchimoto, 1972) - Funeral Parade of Roses (Matsumoto, 1969) - |
Woman In The Dunes (Teshigahara, 1964)
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.gif Woman In The Dunes stands as one of the most enigmatic films of all time. This film was made in 1964, in between the classic Japanese cinema (Ozu, Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, Ichikawa) and post-modern Japanese New Wave (Oshima, Immamura). As such, many critics have found it hard to analyse this film without making comparisons with other Japanese films of that time. Indeed, Teshigahara's films are interesting and must be analysed based on their own merits. Released at a time when sex and porn was just hitting Japanese screens, Woman in the Dunes was dismissed as a cheap, erotica film by many Japanese critics. However, its success in the international cinema was tremendous- on one hand it was made on a shoe-string budget, on the other it created such an impact on art-house cinema that left critics analysing this film for months. This is, by far, the cinematic equivalent of an existentialist piece of art. For this review, i will refer the woman working in the dunes as 'Woman' and the bug hunter, or the man who found himself trapped in the dunes, as the 'Man'. Sand as a Third Character Throughout the film, the ever-shifting sand seems to take a life on its own. Whenever Man tries to 'go against' the grains (of sand), the sea of white sand would fight back, as if rebelling against Man's action. It is completely futile to escape. Body as a form of communication 'Nakedness' as a metaphor for helplessness. “Its best not to wear clothes. Clothes make you itch” says the woman. Indeed, most of this film revolves around the theme of being exposed to danger (from both the sand and the villagers). Villagers as 'God' The Man looks up to them (literally) , pleads them, begs them... The villagers provide the inhabitants with food and water (means of subsistence). He and the woman works for them by shovelling sand. Stuck in the dunes for eternity, man & woman toiling is an allegory for Mankind's eternal duty by the Gods to work for life. When the man succeeds to escape from the dune, only to find himself stuck in a quicksand, the villagers come to his aid, 'forgiving' him for his 'wrongdoings' in exchange for more shovelling. 'Shovelling to live', or 'Living to Shovel' Both. Initially, the man (like the woman) is obliged to shovel because failing to do so would result in them 1. getting buried alive by the sand and 2. not receiving their weekly rations. As time progresses, the man and the woman live to shovel. They must find joy in their work. Not only are they disillusioned by the thought of escape, they must accept their fate. “Why leave?” asks the woman, “ the house is all i have left... my husband and child had been buried by the sand”. In essence, this film is saying that no matter how unfair, meaningless life can be, we still have to find pleasure in our existing circumstances. Contact with outside world – struggle for identity The Man seeks recognition by searching for an obscure beetle so that he could get his name in the books. When the man tries to persuade the woman to leave the dunes by telling her that she could go 'walking about' in the city, the woman replies 'What for? Isn't walking around more tiring than shovelling?' In the end, the Man himself refuses to leave because 1. it is physically impossible 2. he does not feel that it would be necessary to do so , and 3. he takes pity of the woman. These are some of the many themes which this amazing film present. What is the meaning of existence? What's the point in a life condemned to eternal work? Is it possible to find joy in something perceived as so useless? |
Originally Posted by Tyler1 (Post 781825)
this thread is dedicated to other neglected films from the cinema of Japan...
-Woman In The Dunes (dir: Teshigahara) -Death By Hanging (dir: Oshima) -Harakiri (dir: Kobayashi) -Sansho The Bailiff (dir: Mizoguchi) -Grave Of The Fireflies (dir: Takahata) -Sonatine/Hana-Bi (dir: Kitano) |
Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
Cool thread. I always welcome discussions of Woman in the Dunes. I hope it's not too cheeky of me to offer some of my own comments.
I strongly recommend reading the book. I think the movie lends itself more to your allegorical reading than the book, because it doesn't have as many fleshed out details of the internal dialogs Niki Junpei has with himself. It just feels very psychologically real in a way that I don't think the movie quite captures. For example I love how the book shows his volatile emotions affecting his thoughts while he's attempting to escape, and how he's always rationalizing every little thing that happens while he's in the pit. I also think it's basically a thriller (up until the end) in that it's not the existential absurdity of the world that's slowly driving him nuts but the real fact that he's physically imprisoned in a sand dune with only a crazy woman for company. And by the sadism of the villagers. The only escape is occasional sex and creating some sort of fantasy of a private life and independence. That part (and the oddness of the physical landscape) is something that I think the movie does brilliantly and why it's also one of my favorites. It's a very artfully photographed and constructed thriller, but I guess that happens when you're trying to seriously join the avant garde and rebel against the aesthetically conservative cultural institution you're destined to inherit from your father. It does question how meaningful his life is in that somehow he seems to find satisfaction at the end, but do you think it's possible that he may have been driven insane by that point, and that's why his angst disappeared? I'm not sure myself, I need to see it again. |
Originally Posted by linespalsy (Post 781848)
but do you think it's possible that he may have been driven insane by that point, and that's why his angst disappeared? I'm not sure myself, I need to see it again.
I still dont understand the scene where the villagers put on those tribal masks and start dancing on top of the dunes. What significance does it have in the film? |
Originally Posted by linespalsy (Post 781848)
Cool thread. I always welcome discussions of Woman in the Dunes. I hope it's not too cheeky of me to offer some of my own comments.
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It's interesting that I don't really have any real sympathy for the man. He has thoughts about his nagging wife and how wonderful his life would be without her. He rankles at all the useless bureaucratic obligations placed on him. He came off slightly superior to the villager he met in the early scene. He falls asleep in a boat filled with sand and misses his bus. This seems to suggest to me that he was already drifting long before before he showed up here.
The sand moves like water, but feels like time. There's also a micro-macro thing going on. The film opens with grain of sand magnified a thousand times. The shifting dunes look, at times like fingerprints. The pit is a wonderful soft cell, amorphous and strangely fragile. It's completely livable unless you neglect your duties and struggle against the cage, weakening the walls which could collapse and bury one alive. The pit could also suggest an open grave. The house is wonderfully rickety, sand flits down everywhere and accumulates. The house keeps them relatively safe, but not secure. The woman is in time. She's happy where she is. She's not driven to roam the earth and become famous, everything she needs and wants is there. Whereas the man is out of time. Obsessed with deeds. The woman makes the observation that the sand is attracted by moisture. With the numerous extreme close-ups of skin; we realize how porous and secreting skin is, and how the sand is immediately drawn to the both of them.
Villagers as 'God'. The Man looks up to them (literally) , pleads them, begs them..
I believe that another reason why he did not escape was due to the fact that he was unsure of the topography of the desert. Don't forget he was humiliated by the villagers when he found himself mired in the quicksand and had to beg them to rescue him. That shook his confidence in attempting a second escape, for he might perish in the desert especially when the villagers are busy attending to the woman.
I still don't understand the scene where the villagers put on those tribal masks and start dancing on top of the dunes. What significance does it have in the film?
Again, "Woman in the Dunes" is an allegory about existence so all interpretations will be accepted. |
Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
I like the sound of this thread and look forward to reading it. :yup: I enjoy Japanese cinema but outside of Kurosawa I've seen very few 'classic' Japanese films, so this should help introduce and recommend some for me.
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My mind has been blown after watching Harakiri... anyway I will now review Sonatine, which I have watched as well.
Sonatine (Kitano, 1993) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...tineposter.jpg Sonatine is an anti-gangster movie. One thing I like about these 'anti-' movies is that they break free from the pre-existing boundaries, so called rules, which dictate how and what the movie should be like. These limitations stifle the 'genre' films, inhibiting these films from exploring new realms of uncharted territory. Before this movie was made, the director Takeshi “Beat” Kitano was already well known in Japan, not for violent gangster films but as a comedian. As a result, this movie took Japanese audiences by surprise... and it performed poorly in Japan. However, Kitano's gangster persona was well-received in the West. Why? It was something Western audiences were unprepared for. Like I mention before, the 'gangster' movie genre was thought to be about violent, cruel men. Who wants to see childish gangsters? Who wants to see the more jovial, fun-loving side of the life of Yakuza members? But dont worry, this movie does deliver on the violence... and you would be caught unaware as well. For most part of the film we follow Kitano's character, Murakawa as he and 4 other gang members retreat to a sea-side house after being ambushed by the rival Anan clan. As they wait for things to blow over, Murakawa and the others engage in light-hearted games. They cant escape from their past though, and in the end, as well already know, tragedy would befall them. What I like about this film is that Kitano does not force us to like his character. (In an earlier scene we see Murakawa beating up another member without flinching at all.) Instead, through those innocent games (okay some arent really innocent. The Russian Roulette scene for example) we get to sympathise with our characters. We get to know them, we laugh with them. Throughout the scenes at the beach there is this pervading sense of dread which we know, would inevitably come. Therefore we the audience, like Murakawa and his gang, try to cherish these fun times as much as we can. We do not know what is going on on the 'outside world' – what about the negotiation between the 2 rival gangs we know nothing about that. Murakawa himself, despite having a tough Yakuza persona, is clearly shown to be afraid of death (as seen from his dream). In this tranquility, we see that our anti-heroes behave just like ordinary men, not like some blood thirsty Scarface superhero who does not fear death. But the violence does not disappoint. Scenes of violence are very abrupt and sudden (a devise which Kitano would employ in his later more successful film Hana-Bi). Such heightens the brutality of those violent scenes. There is one scene in particular which is extremely well done; Kitano's character realises that two of the guys in the elevator are the ones he plan to kill. And then following a shoot-out, the camera cuts to the dead bodies. I love this scene a lot. There is nothing much to analyse here like the previous film Woman In The Dunes. This is one of the best films I've seen from modern Japanese cinema. Don't miss this one out (and Hana-Bi). Rating: - |
Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
I put Woman in the Dunes on my Netflix queue but won't get it for a few more days. I am looking forward to seeing it after your review.
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Death By Hanging (Nagisa Oshima, 1968)
http://wildgrounds.com/img/news/100ansoshima/23.jpg Death By Hanging is considered to be one of the finest films of the Japanese New Wave. It's style has been described as Kafkaesque and Brechtian (although I dont understand what this means; someone please enlighten me). The storyline is simple: a Korean man convicted of raping and killing 2 japanese women is sentenced to death. However, the noose failed to kill him. The officers then debate over the fate of this young man, arguing amongst themselves whether it was right to hang him again. For the first one hour, they re-enact the murder and life of the convicted man to hilarious detail, albeit it comes off as rather excessive and I found myself feeling a little uninterested. Nevermind that this film suddenly takes a turn into some surreal bonkers after the first hour, or that it does not make any sense... It's socio-political commentary on racial prejudice and the notion of killing is quite sappy and never really lived up to my expectations. Overall, if you either have lots of time to spare or you enjoy metaphysical dialogue then this film is for you. For the others, I say stay clear of this or you'd be disappointed just like I was. |
Grave Of The Fireflies (Takahata, 1988)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...s_DVDcover.jpg Grave Of The Fireflies reduces me to a bawling baby everytime I watch it. It is the highest ranking anime on my top favourite movie list. What sets Grave of the Fireflies apart from most of the Japanese anime is that it has that human heart; and it would reach out and rip your heart to shreds. Its simplicity is what makes it work. Unlike the beautifully crafted anime such as Akira, Ghost In The Shell and Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies chose to abandon dazzling visuals in favour of tugging at your heart-strings. The anime follows the story of the young boy and his sister (Seita and Setsukuo) as they overcome the loss of their mother and father as they try to survive during the last weeks of the war. Blamed and dismissed by one of their relatives for being a burden (as the aunt believes that they were not contributing to the war efford and deserve lesser food than her family), Seita and Setsukuo flee to the countryside and live in an abandoned bomb shelter. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SjannD9Hmy...0/177Image.jpg Metaphor of the Firefly Setsukuo and Seita live near a garden of fireflies. Note the similarites of the firefly and the incendaries which are dropped onto Tokyo. In one scene, Setsukuo marvelled at the distant bombs, comparing them to fireflies,although it would be far-fetched to link benovolent-looking flies to the death-bringing bombs. Surrounded by darkness (the world around Setsukuo and Seita is indifferent or even hostile towards them) , yet they struggle to stay optimistic and survive. Everyone around them seems to be preoccupied with their own needs; taking little notice of the plight of the 2 children. Indeed, Setsukuo and Seita are like fireflies. Use of animation: One of the strengths of animation is that it is able to portray characters without resorting to over-sentimentalisation. We dont empathise with Setsukuo and Seita because they are special, but because they represent one of the many unfortunate families caught in the whirlwind of war. This is something which live actors fail to convey; as it is easier for us to put ourselves into the shoes of the universal characters. http://ignis.anime-sharing.com/vault...B122716%5D.png “The Grave” When Setsukuo dies and is cremated on top of a hillside, we see the fireflies surrounding her, and it struck me as to how spiritual this scene was. That final scene is absolutely beautiful and poignant at the same time-we see the spirits of Setsukuo and Seita finally united as they look down onto the modern Tokyo cityscape. This grave, in fact, represents all those lost souls who died during the war. |
Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
Well, this film makes me cry a lot too, but I'm not sure if I'm crying for the characters, their culture's losses or my own loss. You talk about universality and I get that a lot from many films. This one tended to make me break down concerning a brother and sister. I really think that's what makes it so powerful and not necessarily the "all-inclusive" statement. I mean, I realize that any war affects lots of families in lots of ways, but this film is specific, so that's what makes it deeper to me, whether I look up to Harry Truman or not.
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Sansho The Bailiff (1954)
http://www.weirdwildrealm.com/filmim...ailiff-box.jpg Some of you may recall that when I first joined this site, I listed Sansho The Bailiff as my second favourite film of all time. It's been more than 1 year since I've last watched this masterpiece and so, I thought to myself, 'Has it lost any of its appeal or edge over time?' Granted that my movie taste has changed so much over the past year that I became, initially, hesitant to watch this film, afraid that I might ruin its spell and charm. Let me put it in all honesty that Sansho The Bailiff remains at that slot, above all the pantheons and echelons of the hundreds of other films, second only to Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, and that it shall remain as it is - a timeless, universal film for the ages. Of all the things that this film succeeds at, it's the cinematography which stands out the most from all other films shot in that period in time. Each shot is so precise and well positioned that it's almost like you're viewing authentic Japanese paintings. Mizoguchi's direction is so prominent, as with his other films, but in Sansho, the Japanese director has found the correct formula. None of his common themes such as feminism and the female character struggling in a cruel world have been compromised in this tale of tragedy, and combined with the brilliant camerawork, marks the director's most accomplished work. http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpcs79QwMp1qbhsbe.png In this film Mizoguchi tackles slavery set in 11th Century Japan, a time as Mizoguchi says, when “Man has not yet awakened as human beings”. It follows two children Zushio and Anju as they were taken away from their mother when their father, a local governor was deposed and sent into exile because he was compassionate to the slaves. The children were sold as slaves to a rich man named Sansho. Now this Sansho is one of the most brutal and tyrannical piece of **** I've ever seen on film, and he would resort to cruel measures such as branding by fire to deter slaves from escaping. Sansho the Bailiff is a cruel film. The children struggle to survive for years in Sansho's compound, finding hope and strength through their father's words that “without mercy, man is like a beast” and to show compassion to others. His words are strangely ironical, because they do not reflect the real world of slavery. We wonder to ourselves if those words are merely high ordeals that are impossible to be realised in Mizoguchi's world plagued by sufferings. Even the barren and crooked trees which pervade the frame in a very expressionistic manner, as one reviewer observes. The final sequence is summarised aptly by critics – Mother and son finally become united while the camera pulls back, dwarfing them in comparison to the serene landscape. It is as if nature is indifferent to the ephemeral triumphs of the unification of mother and son, while a nearby fisherman continues his daily routine of drying seaweed, totally oblivious of the triumphant unification. A+ |
The first time I saw "Grave of the Fireflies", I was completely devastated. However, on the rewatch, I strangely keyed upon, what must have been the child's POV for this film. The boy has already died (on the short list of dead film protagonists: it's him and Joe Gillis at the top), and it's his benevolent, unafraid spirit telling the story in flashback. Both children appear several times during the film as spirits to reassure the children, they are in a happier, better place (hey, they ride tramways all day long).
A child would immediately spot how fantastic this is; How could you live without your mom and dad? That's impossible. Whereas someone older would immediately find fault with his Seitu's choices, without questioning the absurdity of a (12? 13?) year old boy to keeping his 4 year old sister alive all by himself during wartime. The animation here achieves the almost Brechtian technique of distanciation. If this was live action, some of the scenes would be the unbearable: The fire bombing of the city; Seita watches his dead mother's maggot infested body being carried away to a mass grave; Setsuko eating dirt.
The anime follows the story of the young boy and his sister as they overcome the loss of their mother and father as they try to survive during the last weeks of the war.
The length of their ordeal is around 6 months. The film begins on march 17th. Seitu dies September 8th. However in one of the last shots of the film, the city of Kobe is rebuilt, suggesting Seita and Setsuko are eternal spirits from the war. Some great shots: Seita's head hangs down as he whispers Setsuko's name before dying. This is an echo of her death scene. The way the water splatters on the swing outside their hovel, as if the wooden seat was crying that Setusko would never play there again. |
Originally Posted by thracian dawg (Post 784599)
The first time I saw "Grave of the Fireflies", I was completely devastated. However, on the rewatch, I strangely keyed upon, what must have been the child's POV for this film. The boy has already died (on the short list of dead film protagonists: it's him and Joe Gillis at the top), and it's his benevolent, unafraid spirit telling the story in flashback. Both children appear several times during the film as spirits to reassure the children, they are in a happier, better place (hey, they ride tramways all day long).
A child would im
mediately spot how fantastic this is; How could you live without your mom and dad? That's impossible. Whereas someone older would immediately find fault with his Seitu's choices, without questioning the absurdity of a (12? 13?) year old boy to keeping his 4 year old sister alive all by himself during wartime. Did the boy did the right thing in keeping the news of his parents death from his sister?
The animation here achieves the almost Brechtian technique of distanciation. If this was live action, some of the scenes would be the unbearable: The fire bombing of the city; Seita watches his dead mother's maggot infested body being carried away to a mass grave; Setsuko eating dirt.
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Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
I said previously that I was looking forward to this thread and it's certainly living up to expectation so far. While I have heard of most of the films featured so far it's nice to see what exactly they're about and also hear someone's thoughts on them. Some very good reviews so far. :up:
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Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
I have a sneaking suspicion I will completely disagree with you about Death By Hanging
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Originally Posted by wintertriangles (Post 784668)
I have a sneaking suspicion I will completely disagree with you about Death By Hanging
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Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
I haven't seen it but I love that director and Brechtian stuff. We seem to share a lot of taste though...oh I forgot to send you more bands haha
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Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
You mean you've seen In The Realm Of Senses? :) I've been avoiding that for a long time. I tend to prefer the classic Japanese directors to the radical Japanese New Wave directors like Oshima, Immamura and Suzuki.
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Originally Posted by Tyler1 (Post 784726)
You mean you've seen In The Realm Of Senses? :) I've been avoiding that for a long time. I tend to prefer the classic Japanese directors to the radical Japanese New Wave directors like Oshima, Immamura and Suzuki.
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Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
linespalsy really likes Oshima. I saw In the Realm of the Senses in the theatre when it was first released on the West Coast. Talk about utter boredom... I have to admit that I might think a little better of it now, but it's not as "good" as Mr. Lawrence () and Passion () for me. I haven't seen Hanging.
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Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
I saw Death by Hanging at the Lincoln Center in Manhattan during the Oshima retrospective a couple years ago. It's a pretty bizarre treatment of Japan's racism against Koreans, but not one of his most visually striking and experimental films from that period, as I recall. Other than that I think I liked it, but seeing 20-something Oshima films over a couple weeks, some of them tended to blur together. Judging by your comments, Tyler, I think you'd be more likely to enjoy 'Boy'.
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Did the boy do the right thing in keeping the news of his parents death from his sister?
I thought that was definitely the way to go and not to trouble Setsuko, obviously the woman must have gotten a malicious delight in revealing her death. As for Sansho ...
The children were sold as slaves to a rich man named Sansho. Now this Sansho is one of the most brutal and tyrannical piece of **** I've ever seen on film, and he would resort to cruel measures such as branding by fire to deter slaves from escaping.
I think there are more horrid specimens in the film. For instance, the high ranking official Zushiô goes to to plead his case. When the man turns and saunters down the walkway followed by his servants, and there's that long white sash hanging out the back end of his trousers, (seriously, didn't you think he'd gone to the bathroom and forgotten something?) He walks coldly past Zushiô, completely ignoring his desperation---only when they discover noble lineage on his person, in the form a tiny statuette, do they grant him an audience, simply because he's one of them. These guys are the bigger rotters: they are plugged into the system and profit enormously from it, and yet are so refined and removed from it all, as to appear like benevolent philanthropists, bestowing pardons and restoring prestige with a wave of the hand. Also when Zushiô gets his reward, he finds out it's only largely ceremonial with no power but plenty of prestige. That's also one of the interesting things about the film ... the name. The eponymous Sansho is in reality, only a minor character. He'd be what we would call today, middle management, he only runs this compound for someone much wealthier. Perhaps the film is suggesting he's a kind of surrogate father to the boy? The lightness of touch in "Sansho the Bailiff" is exquisite. Everything seems to be almost faintly suggested and carried forward like a whisper. Example: the mere sight of Zushiô and Anju in the compound provokes an escape from a woman, who is struck by their similarity to her own children growing up without her: she immediately tries to escape and rejoin them. Later that day, Taro (the Bailiff's son); spots their educated upbringing. The boy reveals his father's precept to Taro: "that without mercy, man is merely another beast". Taro is struck to the core by these simple words. Any kind of revolt in the compound is severely punished---that there's an alternative to that world is a revelation for him. Buoyed by that precept, he'll leave that night and plead Zushiô's case to the royal court (falling on deaf ears and failing that, he runs away to become a priest). A few moments later, Taro appears in the main hall, and sits next to the treasure trove for the Governor, who literally lifts bags full of coins right in front of his face, delighting in the heft of each bag and showing the audience why cruelty and inequality will always exist, there's plenty of lucre to be made. After the series of opening flashbacks we settle into the main part of film where the two children have grown up as slaves. Zushiô has completely forgotten his father and internalized his chains. He even throws his father's amulet away as worthless, believing it's far more advantageous to align himself with the slave master. Zushiô has become hardened and cruel; he is the one who now brands runaway slaves. Far away, his mother is also learning the cruel lessons of trying to escape. It's for Anju to revive their past; she meets a newly arrived slave from the island of Sado. She immediately asks about her mother. but the new girl doesn't know of her. They begins her work and the new girl begins singing a popular song from Sado. Anju sits there, the tears streaming down her face; her mother has returned to her after all those long years, in a song. Not long afterwards, a pit boss orders Zushiô to get rid of an old dying woman. They literally dump them on the ground like slabs of meat. But Anju accompanies him into the forest outside the locked gates and asks the guard if she can build a little shelter for the old woman. Which causes them to repeat and recall a similar incident from childhood where they also built a shelter that spurs on their escape. Instead of Anju, he takes the old woman---symbolically rescuing their mother. There's lots of great compositions in the film but the following scene when Anju assures her brother's escape, is utterly breathtaking. A morning mist from the lake fills the scene with a white light, suggesting just how deeply selfless and spiritual her act was. |
Originally Posted by thracian dawg (Post 785039)
I think there are more horrid specimens in the film. For instance, the high ranking official Zushiô goes to to plead his case. When the man turns and saunters down the walkway followed by his servants, and there's that long white sash hanging out the back end of his trousers, (seriously, didn't you think he'd gone to the bathroom and forgotten something?) He walks coldly past Zushiô, completely ignoring his desperation---only when they discover noble lineage on his person, in the form a tiny statuette, do they grant him an audience, simply because he's one of them. These guys are the bigger rotters: they are plugged into the system and profit enormously from it, and yet are so refined and removed from it all, as to appear like benevolent philanthropists, bestowing pardons and restoring prestige with a wave of the hand. Also when Zushiô gets his reward, he finds out it's only largely ceremonial with no power but plenty of prestige.
That's also one of the interesting things about the film ... the name. The eponymous Sansho is in reality, only a minor character. He'd be what we would call today, middle management, he only runs this compound for someone much wealthier. Perhaps the film is suggesting he's a kind of surrogate father to the boy?
If we look at it from a different perspective, maybe the true "evil" in this film is neither Sansho nor the government officials. You can say that they were merely carrying out their duty in the name of this system. Perhaps the actual evil people were the villagers who sold the mother and children to slavery. Remember that slavery was common only for homeless peasants. The woman who betrayed them early in the film is motivated by profit. Even the lower class is embroiled in this dirty game.
Taro is struck to the core by these simple words. Any kind of revolt in the compound is severely punished---that there's an alternative to that world is a revelation for him. Buoyed by that precept, he'll leave that night and plead Zushiô's case to the royal court (falling on deaf ears and failing that, he runs away to become a priest). A few moments later, Taro appears in the main hall,
Not long afterwards, a pit boss orders Zushiô to get rid of an old dying woman. They literally dump them on the ground like slabs of meat. But Anju accompanies him into the forest outside the locked gates and asks the guard if she can build a little shelter for the old woman. Which causes them to repeat and recall a similar incident from childhood where they also built a shelter that spurs on their escape. Instead of Anju, he takes the old woman---symbolically rescuing their mother.
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If we look at it from a different perspective, maybe the true "evil" in this film is neither Sansho nor the government officials. You can say that they were merely carrying out their duty in the name of this system. Perhaps the actual evil people were the villagers who sold the mother and children to slavery. Remember that slavery was common only for homeless peasants. The woman who betrayed them early in the film is motivated by profit. Even the lower class is embroiled in this dirty game.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,697296,00.html
I dont think he could leave for good. I mean, Sansho is his father. He had to return.
Why do you think Anju committed suicide when it is quite apparent that she could escape?
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Harakiri (Kobayashi, 1962)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QhCgu9IQAh.../harakiri3.jpg Think of 12 Angry Men meeting Rashomon, and you'd get this superbly crafted “courtroom” drama called Harakiri. An aging samurai wishes to perform harakiri in the house of a samurai clan. However after learning about the gruesome methods which were carried out against another samurai, who happened to be his godson, he began to rebel against the the samurai code. Through flashbacks we witness how his godson, out of desperation for money, was forced to perform harakiri with a bamboo sword. This particular scene can be quite shocking for some; Kobayashi gives a no holds barred indictment of the ritualised act. The ending of this film is strongly reminiscent of Tarantino's Crazy 88 in Kill Bill part1. Twenty minutes into the film and you have the aging samurai sitting in the courtroom, ready for his sacrificial ritual. Then, he begins to recount and narrate the story of his son to the rest of the samurai. It is interesting to note how calm and composed he is in the face of death. Now he is actually mocking the house of Iyi and all the samurai. These were the same people who embarrassed his godson earlier on. This is an interesting technique which forces the viewer to be engaged in the flashbacks, while very aware that our protagonist is surrounded by blood-thirsty samurai who are more than willing to cut him down should he refuse to perform harakiri. One just cant wait for the finale which he already knows, right from the very start of the film, is surely inevitable. The immaculate setting, the unflinching attitude of the samurai despite being mocked at, the samurais' refusal to apologise for their mistakes and the final attempt to cover-up the incident all point to the austerity and fanaticism of the “code of samurai” which Kobayashi intended to censure. http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt...nvnno1_500.jpg Question to ponder about: Why did the aging samurai commit harakiri at the end of this film when he clearly denounced the act of harakiri, claiming that the samurai code was merely a “facade”? + |
Liked the "lone gunman" story in Harakiri. At the end of the film, the overseer quickly dictates what will be recorded in the official register of the day: the Iyi clan accorded the great honor to a lone, slightly deranged samurai to end his life in their most honorable courtyard. His act of protest is quickly dismissed and given an official spin away from the truth.
Liked the subtle contrast between the two time periods; each period produces and demands men of opposing talents and qualities. In a time of open warfare, you need savvy, fearless soldiers and a black and white code of conduct to survive. In a time of peace and prosperity, you need shysters who can craft legal documents maximizing your advantages and absolving you any kind of responsibility. After all, the young samurai's story was merely a solution to minimize the clan's charitable burdens that looked good on paper. Loved the minimalist sound track, it only scores select moments with piercing flutes and percussive sounds.
Why did the aging samurai commit harakiri at the end of this film when he clearly denounced the act of harakiri, claiming that the samurai code was merely a facade?
Hanshiro is clearly one of Kobayashi's moral men. Being awash in a world of cheats and liars, doesn't absolve one of the burden of honesty and integrity. The house of Iyi may have become soft and corrupt however, Hanshiro is still a warrior, his suicide at the end, signifies he is indeed a man of great honor and greatest integrity. Remember, Hanshiro deliberately choose a poorer way of life for his own daughter---but one filled with love---over another one with great material wealth and prestige, but essentially empty. The ending seems really bleak, however, I don't think his act fell on deaf ears. His lesson should have resonated in at least a couple of them. Even if all the samurai were bankrupt of any kind of honor, surely they would have noticed the contemptuous treatment of their own men. The master swordsmen who did commit harakiri over the shame of losing his top knot---then was stripped of that honor and officially changed to sudden death syndrome---that mysterious illness that claimed a lot lives in the Iyi clan that day. |
Originally Posted by Tyler1 (Post 785559)
Harakiri (Kobayashi, 1962)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QhCgu9IQAh.../harakiri3.jpg Think of 12 Angry Men meeting Rashomon, and you'd get this superbly crafted “courtroom” drama called Harakiri. An aging samurai wishes to perform harakiri in the house of a samurai clan. However after learning about the gruesome methods which were carried out against another samurai, who happened to be his godson, he began to rebel against the the samurai code. Through flashbacks we witness how his godson, out of desperation for money, was forced to perform harakiri with a bamboo sword. This particular scene can be quite shocking for some; Kobayashi gives a no holds barred indictment of the ritualised act. The ending of this film is strongly reminiscent of Tarantino's Crazy 88 in Kill Bill part1. Twenty minutes into the film and you have the aging samurai sitting in the courtroom, ready for his sacrificial ritual. Then, he begins to recount and narrate the story of his son to the rest of the samurai. It is interesting to note how calm and composed he is in the face of death. Now he is actually mocking the house of Iyi and all the samurai. These were the same people who embarrassed his godson earlier on. This is an interesting technique which forces the viewer to be engaged in the flashbacks, while very aware that our protagonist is surrounded by blood-thirsty samurai who are more than willing to cut him down should he refuse to perform harakiri. One just cant wait for the finale which he already knows, right from the very start of the film, is surely inevitable. The immaculate setting, the unflinching attitude of the samurai despite being mocked at, the samurais' refusal to apologise for their mistakes and the final attempt to cover-up the incident all point to the austerity and fanaticism of the “code of samurai” which Kobayashi intended to censure. http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt...nvnno1_500.jpg Question to ponder about: Why did the aging samurai commit harakiri at the end of this film when he clearly denounced the act of harakiri, claiming that the samurai code was merely a “facade”? Grade: A The movie Hara Kiri remains one of my old time Japanese movie favorites, right up there with Rashomon and Red Beard. When I have time, I will post my favorite Japanese movie list. It is quite extensive so I have been saving it for last. |
Originally Posted by Tyler1 (Post 782262)
My mind has been blown after watching Harakiri... anyway I will now review Sonatine, which I have watched as well.
Sonatine (Kitano, 1993) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...tineposter.jpg Sonatine is an anti-gangster movie. One thing I like about these 'anti-' movies is that they break free from the pre-existing boundaries, so called rules, which dictate how and what the movie should be like. These limitations stifle the 'genre' films, inhibiting these films from exploring new realms of uncharted territory. Before this movie was made, the director Takeshi “Beat” Kitano was already well known in Japan, not for violent gangster films but as a comedian. As a result, this movie took Japanese audiences by surprise... and it performed poorly in Japan. However, Kitano's gangster persona was well-received in the West. Why? It was something Western audiences were unprepared for. Like I mention before, the 'gangster' movie genre was thought to be about violent, cruel men. Who wants to see childish gangsters? Who wants to see the more jovial, fun-loving side of the life of Yakuza members? But dont worry, this movie does deliver on the violence... and you would be caught unaware as well. For most part of the film we follow Kitano's character, Murakawa as he and 4 other gang members retreat to a sea-side house after being ambushed by the rival Anan clan. As they wait for things to blow over, Murakawa and the others engage in light-hearted games. They cant escape from their past though, and in the end, as well already know, tragedy would befall them. What I like about this film is that Kitano does not force us to like his character. (In an earlier scene we see Murakawa beating up another member without flinching at all.) Instead, through those innocent games (okay some arent really innocent. The Russian Roulette scene for example) we get to sympathise with our characters. We get to know them, we laugh with them. Throughout the scenes at the beach there is this pervading sense of dread which we know, would inevitably come. Therefore we the audience, like Murakawa and his gang, try to cherish these fun times as much as we can. We do not know what is going on on the 'outside world' – what about the negotiation between the 2 rival gangs we know nothing about that. Murakawa himself, despite having a tough Yakuza persona, is clearly shown to be afraid of death (as seen from his dream). In this tranquility, we see that our anti-heroes behave just like ordinary men, not like some blood thirsty Scarface superhero who does not fear death. But the violence does not disappoint. Scenes of violence are very abrupt and sudden (a devise which Kitano would employ in his later more successful film Hana-Bi). Such heightens the brutality of those violent scenes. There is one scene in particular which is extremely well done; Kitano's character realises that two of the guys in the elevator are the ones he plan to kill. And then following a shoot-out, the camera cuts to the dead bodies. I love this scene a lot. There is nothing much to analyse here like the previous film Woman In The Dunes. This is one of the best films I've seen from modern Japanese cinema. Don't miss this one out (and Hana-Bi). Rating: 4.5 / 5 (A) |
By the way, Takeshi Miike just made a re-make of Hara Kiri. I'm looking forward to seeing it. I was impressed by his 13 Assassins, although he is one of those guys, you just don't know what to expect.
Also, next week, I'll be getting Takeshi Kitano's latest violent film: Outrage. |
Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
Speaking of Kitano, what did you think of Dolls?
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Originally Posted by wintertriangles (Post 788021)
Speaking of Kitano, what did you think of Dolls?
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Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
I'm really curious as to your reaction to Dolls now that I brought it up
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Originally Posted by wintertriangles (Post 818236)
I'm really curious as to your reaction to Dolls now that I brought it up
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Originally Posted by Tyler1 (Post 818183)
As requested by JayDee, I will resurrect this thread. I have been wanting to do reviews for these films:
Interested in your review of Branded to Kill after recently watching one of Sezuki's other works, Tokyo Drifter. Didn't quite work for me but was curious enough that I might be interested in watching Branded. Especially as the general consensus seems to be that's the better film. |
Giants and Toys (Yasuzo Masumura, 1958)
http://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_prod...jpg?1300486932 “The public are worse than dogs.... they don't think, work like slaves... That's when we come in, fill their empty heads with slogans” Synopsis: Yasuzo Masumura's dark satire of postwar Japan's cutthroat business culture stars Hiroshi Kawaguchias Nishi, a young executive for a candy company locked in fierce competition with two rival companies. By chance he and another executive in his company meet a loudmouthed female taxi driver with bad teeth, Kyoko (Hitomi Nozoe), who they transform, through a clever marketing campaign, into an unlikely sex symbol to launch their new line of caramels. Nishi also tries to extract information about his competitors' marketing plans through an old college friend at one company and a girlfriend at another. Along the way he finds himself falling for Kyoko, but finds that the worlds of business and love are painfully incompatible. Released in 1958, before the advent of the French New Wave and Japanese New Wave, Giants and Toys was shot in beautiful techicolour unlike most other films of that era. During the 50s post-war Japan experienced what many call an economic miracle; in the span of 20 years Japan not only rebounced back from its WW2 devastation, but also emerged as a superpower with astounding economic growth. Giants and Toys takes aim at the newly cutthroat corporate climate, where giant corporations compete for sales, bemoaning the loss of traditional samurai values of compassion even between rivals. The star of this film however wasn't Hiroshi Kawaguchi (whose exaggerated performance ruined certain crucial scenes) but the young teenage girl with ugly teeth who was used as a mascot for World company. World Company under the leadership of Mr. Goda planned to dress the pretty mascot up in space suits and spent lavish amounts of money to turn her into a superstar in an attempt to catapult declining caramel sales. The downside of the film however is that it lacks the urgency that made Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove a gripping and terrifying experience. Its so “in-your-face” and repeats the same old ideas as if the audience doesn't already know that the company is in desperate need for more sales, its also too unsubtle for the audience to ponder over the ramifications of corporate greed since it does all the talking. It doesn't really engage your mind like how a satire should. Nonetheless, Masamura’s ‘Scope compositions, pop art colors and space age props make for a perfect window dressing of a social satire that feels not only prescient but prophetic. |
Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
2 Films this time.
Ohikkoshi / Moving (Shinji Somai, 1993) http://i887.photobucket.com/albums/a...sm/moving6.png It appears that some films grow on you, even without rewatching them, by just thinking and remembering various scenes or vignettes. Moving tells a very simple story of how a young girl tries to bridge the emotional gap between her two estrangled parents, leading up to a stunningly surreal ending. I have always emphasised why I enjoy cinema that is humanistic and poignant, joyous and ennobling, that deal with the quotidian struggles of characters who might just represent you or me. There is nothing flamboyant or pretentious about such films. Shinji Somai's film feels unhurried, as if taking its time to capture all the subtle emotions that run deep in every character's mind, timeless and magical. Rating: Maboroshi (Hirokazu Koreeda, 1995) http://photos1.blogger.com/img/97/14...borosi%201.jpg This is another brilliant Japanese film of the 90s - Maboroshi no hikari (directly translated: Strange Light/Strange Illusion) that deal with separation and ultimately, loss. Hirokazu Koreeda is one of the finest directors working today, and it's not hard to see why he has been called Ozu's successor. Using reflections of light and shadows to convey a sense of deep loss and melancholy, Maborosi casts light into the soul of a woman who one day finds herself left alone with her child after the mysterious disapperance of her husband. Watching this for the third time, I suddenly felt serenity and profundity completely wash over me. Rating: |
Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
Minamata: The Victims and Their World (Noriaki Tsuchimoto, 1972)
http://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_prod...jpg?1295208264 Mark Cousins' recent documentary 'The Story of Film: An Odyssey' had a section dedicated to what he called the radicalization of world cinema in the 70s. In Europe directors such as Fassbinder and Pasolini were radicalising their own countries' cinema with bold and daring films, while other directors around the world were also making highly personal films. In his discussion of the Japanese New Wave Cousins introduced Minamata: the Victims and their World, a film rarely seen by the public but deserving of all the acclaim that it could get. In the small town of Minamata, the fertilizer company Chisso built a factory to take advantage of cheap labor and commenced dumping mercury-filled wastewater into the nearby sea. Soon residents began exhibiting symptoms of a mysterious illness, a happening that would eventually develop into the worst case of environmental pollution in postwar Japan. Tsuchimoto's camera captures the sorrow faced by the victims and their family as they struggle to cope and survive with the crippling illness. The love and compassion that these unfortunate people show to each other is inspiring. Above all, we become witness to the human will to endure. One of the most harrowing scenes involve the families of the victims demanding compensation from the big bosses of the company responsible during the annual stockholders' meeting. Stone-faced and offering half-hearted apologies, the company's spokesmen could do little to assuage the indignation of these grieving relatives. Such is the human cost in our relentless pursuit of profit. Rating: - Nothing short of a masterpiece, one of my top 100 films. |
Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
Keep it going, sir, I like yo work
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Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
I anticipated some kinky tentacle hentai recs, but a good arthouse documentary is even better! :D
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Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
Thanks wt! My watch-list is so big, I hardly have enough time to rewatch my favourite films.
@Mr Minio, I do have a kinky film, Pastoral: To Die in the Country, that I plan to watch soon. :) |
Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
I have this movie ready to be seen for like half a year! Maybe we should watch it simultaneously.
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Re: Tyler's Japanese Canon
Funeral Parade of Roses (Toshio Matsumoto, 1969)
http://www.japansociety.org/resource...ses_2_wide.jpg Tokyo's sleazy underground nightclubs and bars - the places where people dance, sing, smoke and drink their time away are explored by Toshio Matsumoto. Funeral Parade of Roses is a perverse version of the Oedipus myth, following a transvestite named Eddie as s(he) roams the gay scene and falling in love with a man called Gonda. Rooted in classical tragedy, this film follows a non-conventional narrative structure, employing pop art visuals (during a key scene which probably inspired A Clockwork Orange) and even vulgarly breaking the forth wall by asking the cast what they think they are doing. There's also footage of the student riots during the late 60s, a clear indication of Matsumoto's political leanings. This is as close one can get to experiencing gritty post war Japan, where the rebellion against society and order begins with the ceaseless gratification of oneself. The personal is always the political. The film also pays homage to avant-garde cinema artist Jonas Mekas and anarchist poet Rimbaud. My favourite quote - "The spirit of an individual reaches its own absolute through incessant negation." An audacious and explosive piece of filmmaking. - |
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