|
Post by morrisondylanfan on Jul 8, 2019 22:41:30 GMT
I all,after Delicate Skilful Fingers I looked for another film from Japan to view,and stumbled upon a Japanese New Wave title. I think mikef6 & Fox in the Snow would enjoy this: With Eng Subs: Woman of the Lake (1966) 9 ”I think I was in love with the woman you were on the pictures,a woman who does not exist in reality.” A interesting take on the film: cinematalk.wordpress.com/2015/10/12/onna-no-mizumi-woman-of-the-lake-1966/Backed by an ominous wood instruments score by Sei Ikeno, co-writer/ (with Toshiro Ishido and Yasuko Ono) directing auteur Yoshishige Yoshida & cinematographer Tatsuo Suzuki play a impeccable, eerie Japanese New Wave (JNW) atmosphere over ultra-stylised silhouettes of Mizuki and Kitano keeping their affair in the shadows. Snapping their liaisons, Yoshida brings it into contact with daylight in a deeply sensual mood, shining from graceful overhead tracking shots giving a birds eye view of Momoi getting close to the woman in the photos, against the laid bare JNW streets masked in shadows,to the mesmerising surreal activity on the beach and the deep focus, delicately framed final train ride Mizuki and Momoi take. Photographed from Yasunari Kawabata’s novel, the adaptation continues Yoshida’s theme of going against the grain in a run of Anti-Melodramas, where instead of being at the peak of passion,the affair between Mizuki and Kitano is in it’s dying embers when Kitano takes naked pics of Mizuki, and Mizuki’s emotions being withdrawn,rather than overcome,when Momoi reveals he took the photos after secretly watching the affair for months. Encountering Mizuki on a beach where a film production is taking place, the writers brilliantly frame the Anti-Melodrama with Yoshida’s other major theme of the alteration in photos/film from reality, via Momoi’s obsession over Mizuki being exactly like her photos,over riding desire for money,coming into sharp focus when confronted by the staging of proactive scenes taking place in the film production. Continuing her collaboration with Yoshida after they got married in 1964, Mariko Okada gives an incredibly expressive, subtle performance as Mizuki,thanks to Okada giving a thoughtful restrained gaze to Mizuki, which brings out a poetic quality to the end of the affair for the lady of the lake.
|
|
|
Post by Fox in the Snow on Jul 9, 2019 2:03:12 GMT
I all,after Delicate Skilful Fingers I looked for another film from Japan to view,and stumbled upon a Japanese New Wave title. I think mikef6 & Fox in the Snow would enjoy this: Yes, I love most of the work I've seen from Yoshida, though I admit a few of those "anti-melodramas" from his mid period did tend to blend into one another a little. I love his visual style, very reminiscent of Antonioni at times. His magnum opus Eros + Massacre is sometimes considered the crown jewel of the Japanese New Wave. If you haven't already seen it, I'd recommend this video essay, a great intro/overview of the movement:
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
@Deleted
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2019 19:55:17 GMT
I all,after Delicate Skilful Fingers I looked for another film from Japan to view,and stumbled upon a Japanese New Wave title. I think mikef6 & Fox in the Snow would enjoy this: Yes, I love most of the work I've seen from Yoshida, though I admit a few of those "anti-melodramas" from his mid period did tend to blend into one another a little. I love his visual style, very reminiscent of Antonioni at times. His magnum opus Eros + Massacre is sometimes considered the crown jewel of the Japanese New Wave. If you haven't already seen it, I'd recommend this video essay, a great intro/overview of the movement: Not even 15 seconds into that clip, I saw the movie I came here to sing about. Just the other week, I saw both Pale Flower and Double Suicide. That video is highly promising.
|
|
|
Post by Fox in the Snow on Jul 11, 2019 3:19:42 GMT
Yes, I love most of the work I've seen from Yoshida, though I admit a few of those "anti-melodramas" from his mid period did tend to blend into one another a little. I love his visual style, very reminiscent of Antonioni at times. His magnum opus Eros + Massacre is sometimes considered the crown jewel of the Japanese New Wave. If you haven't already seen it, I'd recommend this video essay, a great intro/overview of the movement: Not even 15 seconds into that clip, I saw the movie I came here to sing about. Just the other week, I saw both Pale Flower and Double Suicide. That video is highly promising. It's a great video, very informative. Still a few of those titles I need to see. Love Pale Flower too.
|
|
|
Post by wmcclain on Jul 16, 2019 13:21:26 GMT
Onibaba (1964), written and directed by Kaneto Shindo. "Demon hag". At first we think these might be actual demon women. From their hut in an endless sea of tall grass along a wide river they murder wounded samurai, strip their gear and dump the bodies in a convenient hell hole in the middle of a field. Their killing, eating and drinking is animalistic, without restraint or compunction. Later, when sneaking out to see a neighboring man returned from the wars, the lust is purely hormonal, the irresistible urge that will defy Hell itself. They are not demons, just a young woman and her mother-in-law reduced to savagery during wartime, the only way they can survive. As it happens, murdering samurai for their gear is a literal underground economy. The story is suggested by Buddhist fables of women imitating demons by wearing masks and the horrific consequences. The plot is coolly echoed a few years later in the director's Kuroneko (1968): mother and daughter-in-law abandoned in wartime predate on samurai until separated by desire and jealousy. We have more nudity than I remember seeing in 1960s Japanese film, but maybe I have been watching the wrong directors. The score combines traditional drumming with modern sax and horn jazz. As always in these spooky films the spirit-world music and sound effects are moderately creepifying. Available on DVD from Criterion. Image quality is just fair. In an extra the director says: - The swaying of the Susuki grass in the wind is meant to be sensual, a reflection of erotic impulses in the characters.
- When the young woman runs through the grass at night the soundtrack features the eerie cooing of doves, because these birds are notoriously "fecund". The survival and sexual impulses go together.
- Their nudity reflects their primitive condition.
- Color film would have distracted from the story.
- He built temporary housing on site and everyone was required to live there for the entire shoot. You get extra intensity from the actors and crew that way.
|
|
|
Post by manfromplanetx on Jul 17, 2019 1:15:08 GMT
Onibaba (1964), written and directed by Kaneto Shindo. In an extra the director says: - The swaying of the Susuki grass in the wind is meant to be sensual, a reflection of erotic impulses in the characters.
Terrific review and thoughts wmcclain An exceptional film, often misattributed as just a horror film however when you look beyond the surface drama there is a broader scope to this brutal tale. " I cannot but be class conscious" An underlying dimension here and throughout Kaneto Shindo's prolific artistic career as writer and director was his social and class consciousness. Some further thoughts on Onibaba from the humanist director himself who said that he looked into the political and class struggle with the eyes of an objective artist. "..about Onibaba my main historical interest focuses on ordinary people... their energy to carry themselves beyond the predicaments they encounter daily. My mind was always on the commoners, not on the lords, politicians or anyone of name and fame. I wanted to convey the lives of down-to-earth people who live like weeds... Among these outcasts I wanted to capture their immense energy for survival." and ending with a progressive tone, "I said something about the beginning of a new life"
|
|
|
Post by manfromplanetx on Jul 17, 2019 1:31:43 GMT
I all,after Delicate Skilful Fingers I looked for another film from Japan to view,and stumbled upon a Japanese New Wave title. I think mikef6 & Fox in the Snow would enjoy this: Yes, I love most of the work I've seen from Yoshida, though I admit a few of those "anti-melodramas" from his mid period did tend to blend into one another a little. I love his visual style, very reminiscent of Antonioni at times. His magnum opus Eros + Massacre is sometimes considered the crown jewel of the Japanese New Wave. If you haven't already seen it, I'd recommend this video essay, a great intro/overview of the movement: Hi there Fox I enjoyed very much the video and was especially interested in the narrators pronunciation of directors and actors. I have an issue with some the selections and many non selections however the video is a fabulous introduction and compilation of recommends and a great stimulator for thought and discussion on the wonderful topic of Japanese New Wave . I will have to get back when I have time to elaborate on my thoughts.. And while here I was wondering did you get to that Classic Japanese Film Festival in Sydney last year ? , what did you see on the big screen and was interested to know if there was much audience interest in the screenings.
|
|
|
Post by ZolotoyRetriever on Jul 17, 2019 3:07:53 GMT
Pigs and Battleships (1961), directed by Shohei Imamura, will be on TCM this coming Sunday night. I plan to DVR it.
|
|
|
Post by Fox in the Snow on Jul 17, 2019 3:22:45 GMT
Yes, I love most of the work I've seen from Yoshida, though I admit a few of those "anti-melodramas" from his mid period did tend to blend into one another a little. I love his visual style, very reminiscent of Antonioni at times. His magnum opus Eros + Massacre is sometimes considered the crown jewel of the Japanese New Wave. If you haven't already seen it, I'd recommend this video essay, a great intro/overview of the movement: Hi there Fox I enjoyed very much the video and was especially interested in the narrators pronunciation of directors and actors. I have an issue with some the selections and many non selections however the video is a fabulous introduction and compilation of recommends and a great stimulator for thought and discussion on the wonderful topic of Japanese New Wave . I will have to get back when I have time to elaborate on my thoughts.. And while here I was wondering did you get to that Classic Japanese Film Festival in Sydney last year ? , what did you see on the big screen and was interested to know if there was much audience interest in the screenings. I probably need to give it another watch, I can’t exactly recall every film mentioned, but I remember it being a pretty decent overview. I guess there’s always going to be minor quibbles. I’m assuming they made a point of one film per director which I think is good choice. I can’t recall any particularly glaring omissions, but would be interested in hearing your thoughts. Regarding the Japanese Film Festival Classics program, I managed to make it to a few films, all ones I’d not previously seen: Okoto and Sasuke (1935) (Yasujiro Shimazu) – beautiful and moving early “Golden Age” film Nihonbashi (1956) (Kon Ichikawa) – beautiful use of color and another great film from the prolific Ichikawa The Pornographers (1966) (Shohei Imamura) – wild and crazy fun, though not among my favorite Imamura films The Affair (1967) (Yoshishige Yoshida) – another beautifully stylish drama from Yoshida Wish I’d made it to Suzuki’s Kagero-za (1981), one I'll have to catch at another time. The screenings take place in the theatre inside the Art Gallery of New South Wales. I’d estimate it’s capacity at about 300. It was well over half full for all the screenings I attended.
|
|
|
Post by manfromplanetx on Jul 17, 2019 7:04:03 GMT
Hi there Fox I enjoyed very much the video Regarding the Japanese Film Festival Classics program, I managed to make it to a few films, all ones I’d not previously seen: Okoto and Sasuke (1935) (Yasujiro Shimazu) – beautiful and moving early “Golden Age” film Nihonbashi (1956) (Kon Ichikawa) – beautiful use of color and another great film from the prolific Ichikawa The Pornographers (1966) (Shohei Imamura) – wild and crazy fun, though not among my favorite Imamura films The Affair (1967) (Yoshishige Yoshida) – another beautifully stylish drama from Yoshida Wish I’d made it to Suzuki’s Kagero-za (1981), one I'll have to catch at another time. The screenings take place in the theatre inside the Art Gallery of New South Wales. I’d estimate it’s capacity at about 300. It was well over half full for all the screenings I attended. Great to hear of the interest shown down here in OZ, Lucky you Japanese Classics on the big screen Okoto and Sasuke (1935) must have been quite something such a beautiful film and the music !!
|
|
|
Post by morrisondylanfan on Jul 28, 2019 17:01:45 GMT
Hi all,whilst I've known about him for years,I've just kept missing the chance to take a look at Yasujirô Ozu, Viewing works from other auteurs of the year,I decided to see what Ozu came up with in '42. With Eng Subs: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9MVWjVYyZQThere Was a Father (1942) Featuring a scene with snippets of patriotic songs, co-writer/(with Takao Yanai and Tadao Ikeda) directing auteur Yasujiro Ozu & cinematographer Yuharu Atsuta wisely spend the rest of the title away from the drums of WWII,instead drumming a low-key atmosphere from Ozu’s distinctive styling of a camera positioned only a few feet from floor,drawing the impression of the viewer eavesdropping on conversations. Firmly holding back from any extravagance camera moves, Ozu’s firmness gives the would-be big dramatic moments a earthiness,sprung from characters breaking down with their faces away from the camera and at the edges of the frame. One of the few of his films to be set over a vast period of time, (in this case, over 25 years) the screenplay by Ozu, Ikeda and Yanai delicately use the passage of time to become intimate with Shuhei’s widowed grief, which flows into the recurring themes of Ozu’s work, of the generation gap building between retired teacher Shuhei and his son (who is a teacher) Ryohei. Living not only with grief for his wife but also for a accidentally drowned student, Chishu Ryu gives a great performance as Shuhei,whose reserved quietness contains shards of light for the love of his son Ryohei (a terrific Shuji Sano) who finds that there was a father.
|
|
|
Post by manfromplanetx on Aug 1, 2019 7:23:04 GMT
Hiroshi Inagaki was a pioneering Japanese cinematic artist. He worked as actor screenwriter director and producer, beginning his career in the 1920s he worked up until the early 70s. A skilled craftsman Inagaki was an essential element in the development of the Japanese jidaigeki genre. His early period dramas were lavish large scale productions Japanese historical epics that have become true classics of the genre, probably best known is his award winning Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1954)… Hey there morrisondylanfan another 1942 title that may be of interest ? I enjoyed your Ozu review and congrats on your 2000 review milestone !! You certainly watch an extraordinary range of classics sharing as you do your love of classic film inspires us all, thanks so much and Happy Viewing to you... Doku-ganryu Masamune (1942) An entertaining and fascinating historical epic from writer director Hiroshi Inagaki. The film is richly detailed & quite remarkable in scale and scope considering this was a wartime production. Specializing in period drama-jidaigeki, actor Chiezo Kataoka's outstanding career is marked with many memorable characterizations. Here he stars and gives a typically spirited performance as Date Masamune, a powerful feudal lord he ruled from 1600-1636 the end of the Azuchi-Momoyama period through to the early Edo period, He was as portrayed, a leader with a fearsome reputation, a brilliant tactician, a relentless warrior. Masamune was also known for his famous crescent-moon-bearing helmet. Appealing to war time sentiment, to the Japanese warrior spirit Dokuganryu Masamune had been lost following the war. Assumed destroyed under a policy by the American Occupation forces until a copy surfaced in recent years. Now restored, the important historical epic has thankfully become available for the Japanese Classic film enthusiast...
|
|
|
Post by morrisondylanfan on Aug 25, 2019 4:02:32 GMT
Hi all,this is a somewhat more recent film,but it is one that's really special. Howl's Moving Castle: The 15th Anniversary Screening. 10/10. One of my most memorable screenings of the last 20 years has been attending the lone screening which took place in my area at the local “Art House” cinema of Hayao Miyazaki’s Howl's Moving Castle. Usually playing films which have just come out on disc, this sold out showing has always stood out to me,thanks to everywhere I looked there being a fellow Miyazaki fan filling the small screening room. 15 years later: Looking at the listings for The Electric Cinema in Birmingham, (oldest working cinema in the UK)I checked their “Summer Family Films” tab,and was thrilled to find a 15th Anniversary Screening of Howl (in the original Japanese) was to take place soon. For the first time in all my viewings at cinemas,I stood in a line which went half-way down the street,picked up a lovely Inglorious Custards cocktail,and got set to witness Howl’s castle moving again. View on the film: Guided by living scarecrow "Turnip Head" into Howl’s moving castle, writer/directing auteur Hayao Miyazaki greets Sophie to a magnificence Steam Punk design,whistling from the 80 individual 19th century machinery segments agitating each other with every movement of the castle’s legs shifting on a bustling sound of hot steam and fragile wooden foundations.produced digitally that transfers the 1400 storyboards of the hand-drawn backgrounds and the characters into a digital medium, Miyazaki pens the styles together with his distinctive stylisation. Blossoming from the fluid animation sparkling in a beautiful vibrancy on the detailed,expressive character designs and razor sharp editing wrapping the audience in a soaring flight of fantasy atmosphere,Miyazaki sharpens the digital 3D rendering on the moving castle in a contrasting style, via the digital animation of the building sending it rolling along the silky hand-drawn backdrop. Adapting Diana Wynne Jones novel when he wanted to express his anger over the Iraq war, Miyazaki travels up the stairs to Madame Suliman’s remote palace, who at a safe distance from the effects, shatters the floor with a all-consuming viciousness in keeping conflicts in a abrasive state. Turning Sophie into a 90 year old, Miyazaki continues to brilliantly build upon his theme of the lead breaking out from primary focusing on themselves,in this case Sophie spreading a compassion to the residences of the moving castle,and even to the witch who cursed her. Initially scared of her old age appearance, Miyazaki threads his themes of compassion and a hatred of war with his recurring motif of a feminist aspect,lit in Sophie finding a solution to the war with a brave thoughtfulness against the volatile masculinity of Howl within his moving castle.
|
|
|
Post by morrisondylanfan on Sept 1, 2019 14:48:51 GMT
Hi all,this month I'm gonna try make a dent in the Japanese flicks waiting to be played. Let's do this! This is one I suspect manfromplanetx & hitchcockthelegend would really enjoy. On DVD case and IMDb reviews comparisons are made to De Palma and Diaboliques, but I found the gradual build-up to be closer to Claude Chabrol at his peak. Chaos/ Kaosu(2000)10 Controlling the chaos with rain bookending the film, (a recurring motif across his credits) directing auteur Hideo Nakata brings the stilted silent dread of Horror into this twist towards psychological Thriller/Neo-Noir, stringing the long black hair chills out with cinematographer Tokusho Kikumura, down winding tracking shots and unsettlingly long takes wide-shots held on the palpable fear of another twist bending in the kidnapping plan. Backed by the primal rage of tribal drums from his regular composer Kenji Kawai, Nakata weaves a measured atmosphere to tightening the knots, patting the blues and yellows during the murky dealings down to dust, blemished with smacks of red when the kidnapping goes off the rails, sealed in startling close-ups aimed at when a new element to the tale is revealed. Leaving the dining table with Saori in the opening,Hisashi Saito’s adaptation of Shogo Utano's novel Sarawaretai Onna/The Woman Who Wants to Be Kidnapped pays immaculate attention to the layering of the dialogue brewing psychological anxiety over Saori’s kidnapping being not what it appears, thanks to Saito bringing an importance to the dialogue in turning the screws on the image Saori,her husband, kidnapper Kuroda and model Satomi makes people believe is their true selves. Placing the paths coming together between Kuroda/ Saori’s husband Komiyama and model Satomi on a high level of pure chance, Saito impressively makes this work with a thrilling dovetail deconstruction, via first playing out Saori’s kidnapping straight, then folding each corner to the power-playing being twisted under the skin. Reuniting with Nakata after Ringu, Miki Nakatani gives a utterly mesmerising dual performance as Saori/ Satomi, burning with a refined, Femme Fatale seductiveness as Saori, paired up to a seeping into knife-edge madness Satomi, who holds Komiyama and Kuroda’s gaze as a almost mirage presence to their desires. Finding himself thrown into the middle of mind-games, Masato Hagiwara gives a great turn as kidnapper Kuroda,who Hagiwara has firmly attempt to do everything by the book, but becomes increasingly tied to the chaos.
|
|
|
Post by morrisondylanfan on Sept 2, 2019 1:09:14 GMT
Hiroshi Inagaki was a pioneering Japanese cinematic artist. He worked as actor screenwriter director and producer, beginning his career in the 1920s he worked up until the early 70s. A skilled craftsman Inagaki was an essential element in the development of the Japanese jidaigeki genre. His early period dramas were lavish large scale productions Japanese historical epics that have become true classics of the genre, probably best known is his award winning Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1954)… Hey there morrisondylanfan another 1942 title that may be of interest ? I enjoyed your Ozu review and congrats on your 2000 review milestone !! You certainly watch an extraordinary range of classics sharing as you do your love of classic film inspires us all, thanks so much and Happy Viewing to you... Doku-ganryu Masamune (1942) An entertaining and fascinating historical epic from writer director Hiroshi Inagaki. The film is richly detailed & quite remarkable in scale and scope considering this was a wartime production. Specializing in period drama-jidaigeki, actor Chiezo Kataoka's outstanding career is marked with many memorable characterizations. Here he stars and gives a typically spirited performance as Date Masamune, a powerful feudal lord he ruled from 1600-1636 the end of the Azuchi-Momoyama period through to the early Edo period, He was as portrayed, a leader with a fearsome reputation, a brilliant tactician, a relentless warrior. Masamune was also known for his famous crescent-moon-bearing helmet. Appealing to war time sentiment, to the Japanese warrior spirit Dokuganryu Masamune had been lost following the war. Assumed destroyed under a policy by the American Occupation forces until a copy surfaced in recent years. Now restored, the important historical epic has thankfully become available for the Japanese Classic film enthusiast... Hi Planet X,I hope you are having a good weekend,and sorry about such a late reply! (for some reason it did not show up on the bell.)The details you give for Doku-ganryu Masamune (1942) makes it sound enticing,with pictures making it look like a lavish production (esp for the time.) On a Japanese entertainment note, I recently got Prog-Metal X-Japan's 1989 album Blue Blood,the musicianship left me breathless!
|
|
|
Post by morrisondylanfan on Sept 2, 2019 1:25:48 GMT
Hi all,having gotten an eyeful of the genre for the first time earlier this year,I decided to go for a second Pinku. Osou! (1978) 8 Driving with Yano as she flicks through a Adult magazine in her cop car over the opening, director Yasuharu Hasebe continues his Pinku run with a nicely sleazy atmosphere, framing Yano detached in her questioning of suspects, who are having sex during the enquires,and a surprisingly restrained masturbation scene of Yano trying to accept herself again. Paying tribute to the Giallo via the black gloves of the rapist being the only part shown of him, Hasebe holds the perspective of the rape sequences from Yano’s horrified face, handling a grubby atmosphere of the disembodied hands of the rapist gripping Yano. Wearing inspiration of not only the Giallo sub-genre, but also A Clockwork Orange, Hasbe creates a abrasive juxtaposition in the rape scenes uncomfortably being played out to sped-up Classical music, which shatters on the handcuff bruises covering Yano’s wrists, that hold her from being able to find pleasure from vengeance after getting left broken. Not listed on the IMDb credits, the screenplay by Hideichi Nagahara spilt the sleaze from interviewing of suspects,with a harsh bitterness of the confirmed identity of the rapist left hanging in the air for Yano. Stripped of her sunny side in the opening, cute Yoko Azusa gives a terrific performance as Yano, grasping in desperation to hold onto the last slithers of pleasure and a desire for vengeance to stop the attacks.
|
|
|
Post by manfromplanetx on Sept 2, 2019 6:43:35 GMT
Hi all,this is a somewhat more recent film,but it is one that's really special. Many thanks to you MDF for the inspiration. Wow Howls Moving Castle my first anime really is something special !! A magical wonderous film experience from the opening moment to the last, must be incredible on the big cinema screen Now looking forward to being Spirited Away and entering the enchanted forest realm of Princess Mononoke
|
|
|
Post by morrisondylanfan on Sept 2, 2019 23:49:53 GMT
Hi all,after seeing that the 1 hour 54 min US cut was on YT,I got lucky and found out that the original Japanese cut was in a R1 Chiba set. Bullet Train (1975) 9 Chugging along for over 2 and a half hours (!) co-writer/(with Ryunosuke Ono and Sunao Sakagami) director Jun'ya Sato & cinematographer Masahiko Iimura impressively keep everything on track by cranking Disaster Movie explosions with a Thriller atmosphere, via quick-draw zoom-ins on the staff at the Bullet Train headquarters sweating over figuring out where the bomb is,whilst darting whip-pans drive along to the failed attempts by the police to catch the terrorists red handed. Backed by the delightfully odd J-Funk score from Hachiro Aoyama, Sato and Iimura match the tension away from the platform with excellent filming inside a real Bullet Train, running down the carriages towards the panicking passengers,and stepping off to wide-shots capturing day turning into night on the deepening crisis. One of the staples of the genre, the screenplay by Ono/ Sakagami and Sato bring the pre-Speed threat that a bomb will go off if the train dips below 80mph to home in lively Melodrama thumbnail sketches of the passengers opening up about the lives they led before getting aboard, that are contrasted with brooding flashbacks centred around Okita losing everything, to the point he joins some political radicals and becomes a terrorist. Igniting the ticking time bomb,Ken Takakura gives a great performance as terrorist Okita,whose straight-lace manner allows Takakura to bring a grit in tense phone-call exchanges with Shin'ichi Chiba’s great turn as the anxious Aoki, who negotiates to keep the Bullet Train on track.
|
|
|
Post by morrisondylanfan on Sept 4, 2019 1:41:03 GMT
Hi all,after Bullet Train,I today decided to play another long Japanese flick,after seeing it called Japan's answer to Dr. Strangelove. The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979) 10. Going round the sun for 2 and a half hours, co-writer/(with Leonard “brother of Paul” Schrader ) director Kazuhiko Hasegawa & cinematographer Tatsuo Suzuki keep the rotation topsy-turvy with a thrilling ease to slide genres/styles around, from ultra-stylised multi-coloured, zany Comedy Pop-Art hopping to Kido stealing the nuke, transforming into a gritty close-ups smash-cut car chase and of a cop going nuclear on Kido. Holding the nuke over a long period, Hasegawa finely balances a bright off-beat Comedy atmosphere with vast-wide shots tracking the cops following Kido’s demands,and their attempts to pick him from out of a crowd. Taking the sun to bed with him, the screenplay by Hasegawa and Schrader develops the characterisation of Kido with a refreshing zest, bringing out in the sparkling Black Comedy dialogue Kido’s friendly, but peculiar nature, whose stealing of a nuke takes him from being a loner up to his own devices, to Kido stretching out his hand for some level of friendship owing to the nuke.Powered by a wondrous genre bending taking in fears of nukes and promises of the Rolling Stones playing in Japan, the writers keep sending out curve balls,which act to switch gears,and at the same time increase Kido’s fever from the simmering comedic,into a thunderous, fabulous boiling point ending. Holding the whole nuke in his hands,Kenji Sawada gives a excellent performance as Kido, who Sawada trims from lively and chirpy to shacking with sickness,and ringing radio shows for advice from listeners over what he should do,as the man who stole the sun.
|
|
|
Post by morrisondylanfan on Sept 4, 2019 2:18:16 GMT
Hi all,this is a somewhat more recent film,but it is one that's really special. Many thanks to you MDF for the inspiration. Wow Howls Moving Castle my first anime really is something special !! A magical wonderous film experience from the opening moment to the last, must be incredible on the big cinema screen Now looking forward to being Spirited Away and entering the enchanted forest realm of Princess Mononoke
I'm so happy to read that you enjoyed Howls Moving Castle so much Planet X (your first Anime!) Despite there being a loyal fanbase for Anime, the number of screenings is surprisingly limited. One of things that really caught my eye at the screening was how the castle is made of several clearly visible layers, and like his other works, Miyazaki's imagination fits so well to animation, where the end of a page is the only limit to what he can create. I would be really interested to read how you find Mononoke to be. I'll leave any plot details,but say that when I first watched it I was at a really crap point in offline life and disinterested in everything. Walking pass HMV I spotted DVD,and something about it said "Buy me",which led to it reviving my interest in cinema,and becoming my 5th favourite film of all time. To end at the Castle,before seeing it again on the screen,I had forgotten how cute that flame is! ( what was your favourite sequence?)
|
|