Reviews

The movie was released at a time when Japan was searching for values to orient its youth and the Yakuza code was heavily used and offered as a model in movies of that period. The whole point of Ichikawa is to ridicule these values, showing Yakuza as a bunch of poor minded wanderers, unworthy cowards following kiddish rules without ever questioning them.

The point of view of Ichikawa is made clear throughout the movie, but without extra emphasis. The movie thus remains very entertaining. The portrait of the ill-fated main character's girlfriend is especially moving.

It is a brilliant parody of Yakuza movies and should definitely give a different look at any Yakuza movie you might see afterward.

In the Japanese countryside, young girls dream of going to the city find a little job like conductress because of the pretty uniform. But conductress is not so much fun after all. Then they dream about Love... And get lost in a labyrinth of dreams.

Seems a simple plot but wait...

That is one of the few psychological thrillers where you keep wondering until the very end if what you think will happen is really going to happen.

Plus great acting (esp. Tadanobu Asano), plus excellent cinematography, black and white and music just add something to the overall mood.

Highly recommended!

Movies by Uchida Tomu were subtitled very recently and are only shown at festivals... but not to be missed.

Here, the demonstration is done that Love never works, through three (or is it one? --- it is one) impossible-love-stories.

It could seem to start like an epic movie, but it is definitely not so: Mixing elements of noh, kabuki and kinky erotic; assumed filmed theater and "normal" movie; and much more, the movie is never messy. The story is complex enough and can be seen a different levels, but it remains clear and understandable. That is art and entertainment. And not depressing though the subject is not optimistic.

Another extremely good Japanese movie from the 60's.

A policeman rings at the 301 to inquire about the 302, who disappeared. A young woman opens the door and feeds him with fried chicken, wine, salad...

She appears to be only interested in sex, cooking and eating. Where that is just everything the young woman from the 302 hates.

The movie is the story of these two women. How they met and how they made these choices for their lives. They were apparently not meant to meet, but they have in common their extreme loneliness.

The movie is also about love and loneliness.

The very beginning is brilliant: two little girls present their mother's fridge and that is really enjoyable, really. The colors are beautiful (as often in Asian movies). But all in all, I cannot say I completely liked it. It is a bit long some times and comes with no surprise (at least I guessed the end rather early), although a mystery-thriller. The psychology of 302 is not that clear (or maybe not that interesting, or maybe I am only interested in sex, cooking and eating). And another thing very Asian is the close-ups on people's mouth when they are eating. But there are interesting things, still.

At least, you will leave the theater starving or start a diet right away (I am of the first kind...).

For completeness, I shall add that both actresses are beautiful and eventually get naked.

With a cinematography of Kazuo Miyagawa (Rashoomon, Ugetsu Monogatari...), no need to say this movie is beautifully shot.

It is actually bunraku, that is traditional Japanese puppet theater (i.e. kabuki with puppets) with the traditional music and way of singing/reciting associated with bunraku and kabuki. The puppets are very expressive (that is all the art of bunraku). You might have seen such puppets in Kitano's Dolls, so you know what I am talking about.

The plot is like half of the kabuki repertoire: a young man loves a geisha, but Japanese society, rules, their respective position, etc. would not allow their marriage. Therefore they chose to flee and commit suicide together. Hence the title.

That's all very beautiful, very expressive, very romantic, very colorful, very exotic.

And the play is a classic.

It is better recommended to people either interested: in the dark side of Japan; in the second wave of Japanese directors (e.g. Oshima, Terayama, and other early Art Theatre Guild productions: it reminded me very much of Erosu + Gyakusatsu); who can bare philosophy, nihilism, etc.

It is an extremely serious, complex and intellectual movie, rather low budget (I heard the director shot over 4 years to get it complete), the acting is good, and it is over 3h. Shot (mainly) in black and white but with some inclusions of color. There is not much music too (mainly Bach or original music, the director Masahiro Tsuchihashi plays the bass). But music and colors have their importance.

The plot is something like: a nihilist and educated Japanese (I think he teaches French at the university) finds himself at the point where he cannot find any reason for living. He asks an ex-girlfriend of his to commit suicide with him. She accepts (that's Japan!). They find an isolated place to end there lives. But rather start discussing.

There is a lot of philosophy going on (about life, death, religion, etc.) Not only the actors are speaking but there are inter titles too. Although the last part is speechless.

I must say less people left the theater during the projection than during the Art Theatre Guild retrospective. But whether you can bare this "stream of truths" is up to you.

I enjoyed it, but you are warned.