Month: October 2010

Categories
gendai-geki shomin-geki

“CRUEL STORY OF YOUTH”

Oshima Nagisa’s “Cruel Story of Youth” or “Naked Youth” (in Japanese, Seishun zankoku monogatari) was released in 1960, and stars Kawazu Yusuke and Kuwano Miyuki as Kiyoshi and Makoto, two young and confused lovers in a rather cruel and strange relationship. Both a gendai-geki and shomin-geki, the film follows the two throughout an urban environment in a modern setting. The film is quite explicit for its generation—there are somewhat frequent kissing scenes, women are beaten, and sex can be seen as the main driving factor of the plot.

The film begins with the young and attractive Makoto being driven home by a wealthy man at night. When the man tries to rape her, she is rescued by Kiyoshi, a young student. The two then begin to seemingly date, though initially Kiyoshi is very cruel and aggressive, unfairly forcing Makoto into having sex. Kiyoshi quickly discards her, but again saves her when she is caught up with some men at the bar who make business out of sex. Despite Kiyoshi’s criminal lifestyle and cruel treatment of her, Makoto claims she is in love and moves in with him, to her family’s discontent. Kiyoshi and Makoto begin swindling rich men out of their money, by using Makoto as bait for the rich men that pick her up. Makoto makes herself as vulnerable-seeming as she can, and when the men try to take her into a hotel, Kiyoshi shows up to heroically save her, and also to take money from the assailants.

Sex is often in the forefront of the film. Not only is it clearly suggested many times throughout the film, the plot is built around it. The film’s first conflict is a middle-aged man trying to rape the young Makoto. Kiyoshi saves her, but the next day pushes her into the water while playing on logs, and doesn’t let her out until she agrees to have sex. Right from the start, sex is the source of all the male characters’ motivations. When Kiyoshi and Makoto’s swindling is discovered, Kiyoshi blames it on the nature of these men themselves, saying that their use of cars and money to attract girls makes them at fault. However, one could argue Kiyoshi is no different, as he uses his youth and the strength and handsomeness that it brings to appear a hero. Kiyoshi, however, cheats on Makoto continuously. It would come as no surprise, and is quite believable, that Kiyoshi may have saved Makoto with only sex in mind. To further this, the very next day after saving her, he forces her to have sex with him.

The film also presents the youth as rebellious both to their family and Japanese rules and traditions. Both Makoto and Kiyoshi are at an age they should be living with their parents, but they end up living alone together. Kiyoshi appears to not attend school at all, despite being referred to as a student. Makoto’s promiscuous, untraditional lifestyle is allowed to proceed by her father, although to his other, older daughter’s displeasure. Makoto’s older sister was never allowed such a lifestyle, but the father justifies his ways by simply saying this is a new generation, and he doesn’t want to tell Makoto what she cannot do.

Considering this, it seems Oshima may be highlighting, and perhaps criticizing, the changes brought on by the American occupation that idealized freedom, and supported the breaking down of many traditions. Kiyoshi is a young man who does whatever he wants; one could argue he is free in a sense, but perhaps too free. He seems to have no moral basis—he acts merely upon lust and greed. He does not attend school and he does not work, rather, he makes money through minor criminal activities. While he is, arguably, free, his freedom in which he womanizes and cheats other men of their money is eventually his downfall. Perhaps Oshima’s film was a warning to the Japanese youth in this great period of change and westernization.

While the film was entertaining and thought-provoking, don’t expect much suspense or dramatic build-up. It seems more like a character study than a plot-driven movie, but this does not make it boring. Oshima identifies the core themes of youth, freedom, and sex early on, so it becomes quite enjoyable to see how these ideas progress and relate or conflict with the film. Viewers wary of sex or women being hit may be slightly disturbed by some scenes, but Oshima does not use such actions merely sensationally, but rather to highlight the perhaps excessive freedom of his characters. Overall, “Cruel Story of Youth” was an enjoyable film that will cater to those interested in deconstructions of traditional societal beliefs.

Categories
action jidai-geki

“Yojimbo”: The Western

The wind blows, the camera is at a wide angle and the tall dark figure of a samurai wanders into a quiet-looking town. The frame cuts to a close-up and the samurai rolls and twitches his shoulders, looks around, and sees a dog running toward him, a severed human hand in its canine jaws. This and the rest of the film is accompanied by music that is classical in style but often with a strong definable percussion section that drives the music much to the same effect as in rock n’ roll. Further, the melody is often staccato and abrupt accentuated with high woodwind instruments. All of this contributes to the sense of triumphant urgency that dominates much of the tone of the film and the Samurai’s character; it adds to his sense of power. This first scene described is one of the first scenes to Kurosawa Akira’s Yojimbo (1961) (or The Bodyguard). The scene dramatically sets the tone for the grisly fun of the film that is about to follow.

Kurosawa Akira released Yojimbo through his own Kurosawa Production Co. and the Toho Company. The film was well received both by the popular culture and critics. The film was the highest-grossing film made by Kurosawa in Japan. Further, the film’s popularity can be seen in the western-hemisphere through Sergio Leone’s quasi re-make for American audiences A Fistful of Dollars (1964); a quintessential spaghetti western which stared Clint Eastwood. The critics also adorned it with film awards. At the 1962 Venice film festival they awarded best actor to Mifune Toshirō for his portrayal of Sanjuro Kuwabatake (or just the Samurai) and also nominated Kurosawa for the Golden Lion Award. Yojimbo was even recognized by Hollywood; it was nominated for an Academy Award.

The similarities in this film to the classic Hollywood western are apparent in the film’s plot, not to mention its style. The Samurai arrives in this town where two crime bosses have essentially created a two sided gang war. Seibei (Kawazu Seizaburô) the older crime boss who owns a brothel also controls the town mayor Tazaemon (Fujiwara Kamatari). The second crime boss is Seibei’s estranged right hand man Ushitora (Sazanka Kyu) who is much more violent and short-tempered than Seibie. Ushitora has proclaimed his own town mayor, the sake-brewer Tokuemon (Shimura Takashi). This all makes for a somewhat baffling introduction to the story, with many more nitty-gritty details, but paying close attention to them rewards the viewer with a rich tapestry of characters and story just like in classic westerns with their plethora of idiosyncratic characters. However, at the film’s core this gang rivalry is tearing the town apart, which is mostly made up of farmers, lower-class shop keepers and merchants just trying to scrape by, and the Samurai wishes to free them from this hardship. Therefore, many of the same themes that are present in most westerns are apparent in Yojimbo as well. For example the rough individual is upheld against the bickering and petty gang communities, but the nuclear family is upheld in the highest esteem. The final scene of this film even resembles the final shot in Jon Ford’s The Searchers (1956) where Ethan (John Wayne) walks into the American desert framed by a door. In this film the Samurai walks toward the town’s gate and the gate frames his body as he heads back into the wild.

This western theme can be really seen in Yojimbo’s focuses on the Samurai, who in this film is a wandering ronin (a samurai without a master) who is looking for work, money, and/or just something to do. His name Sanjurō Kuwabatake, actually means “thirty-something mulberry field,” and is a name he made up on the spot just to please Seibei, essentially is no name. This is just like Clint Eastwood’s characters in Leone’s loose “man with no name” trilogy: A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965), and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). The character of the Samurai has this tough, devil-may-care attitude on the outside but truly he is a good man looking to restore order, peace and justice; typical really, if you have seen most John Wayne, John Ford westerns or Clint Eastwood, Leone Westerns. The great part is the way that Mifune plays the role. Mifune’s Samurai is believable as a hard, rough, tough man but also deep down as a compassionate courageous hero. One scene that highlights this is where he is able to unite a family torn apart by the gang’s fighting. His action is one of great compassion and heroism but also puts his plans and himself into jeopardy. Mifune plays the part hard and almost cruel but the pain and grief he feels for the family shoot forward onto his face just long enough for the audience to see and understand his compassion but not enough for his character to break the callous armour of the persona he portrays.

The film draws upon many of the techniques of classical Hollywood westerns but it also influenced many westerns that came after it. For a Few Dollars More has the same plot and Clint Eastwood’s character is very similar to Mifune’s Samurai; dirty, shabby, and quiet, but also displaying the streak of courageous compassion that sets him apart from the other rough characters. The telephoto lens used in Yojimbo was also innovative in its style and its influence can really be seen in later Hollywood westerns such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. So, whether you are looking for a great movie from the vantage point of studying film or if you like westerns, period dramas, or adventure this is a movie worth watching.

Categories
drama, melodrama gendai-geki

“Akasen chitai”: A Glimpse into the Red-light District Life

Mizoguchi Kenji’s last film, Akasen chitai (or Street of Shame in English), was released in 1956 when the topic of illegalizing prostitution was circulating in Japan. Through this film’s appealing storyline, creative script, and cunning use of cinematic techniques, Mizoguchi once again impresses the audience with his portrayal of women’s oppression in Japanese society. Focusing on the circumstances of five prostitutes working at Dreamland in Tokyo’s Yoshiwara district, Akasen chitai illustrates the complexities that prostitutes face in their work life, as well as personal life. By using prostitutes as the main characters in his film, Mizoguchi is able to clearly illustrate the struggle of being a woman with a degrading status in Japanese society.

The film’s main theme, oppression of women, is shown through the daily toils of the five main prostitutes: Yasumi (Wakao Ayako), the most popular prostitute at Dreamland who uses her youth to trick men into giving her more money so that she can pay off her debt and leave the sex industry; Mickey (Kyô Machiko), the newcomer who gives off a Western ambience and enters the sex business after running away from home; Yumeko (Mimasu Aiko), a widow who has been working as a prostitute in order to support her son who is then old enough to work; Hanae (Kogure Michiyo), working at Dreamland to support her unemployed husband and young child; and Yorie (Machida Hiroko), an ageing lady who hopes to  break away from the sex industry by marrying. Throughout the film, Mizoguchi allows the audience to have a glimpse into the dreams of these women. Although some dreams do get granted, Yumeko, Yorie, and Hanae’s dreams do not come true. Yumeko, who is gradually aging in a business where youth is valued, hopes to live together with her son so that he can take care of her. Unfortunately, he is humiliated that his mother works as a prostitute. When she goes to see him at his job with high spirits, he instead disowns her, leaving her alone in misery and insanity. Yorie, like Yumeko, is also ageing and therefore wants to get married. Her fervour for marriage is so great that she even keeps a bunch of kitchen utilities that her fellow employees describe as a “warehouse”. When there is a marriage proposal, Yorie gets so excited that she leaves for her husband’s village as soon as possible. Once arriving there though, she finds out that her husband wants her there just so he can have free labour. After being worked to exhaustion, Yorie arrives back in Tokyo to work at Dreamland again. Hanae, on the other hand, has a husband and a child whom she hopes to live together with no matter what hardships they have to face. Because of their extreme poverty, Hanae and her husband almost committed suicide together until they found out that Hanae was pregnant. In the film, Hanae’s husband once again tries to commit suicide by himself but Hanae stops him just before it’s too late, expressing anguish over the possible death of her husband. Even though during these three events the women are almost at the point of a breakdown, they continue onwards and show great strength, a feature that Mizoguchi often displays in his films.

Mizoguchi’s particular presentation of the red-light district is important in enhancing the theme of the film: oppression of women. Whether it’s during the day or at night, the street lined with prostitute bars is shown many times during the film. For example, the beginning of the film opens up in the morning with the red-light district and not even a sound can be heard; at the end of the film though, the street is shown once again but this time during night when prostitutes are throwing themselves on men walking by. The busy scene of the red-light district is shown much more often in the film, allowing the audience to have a glimpse of the kinds of trouble the prostitutes have to go through each day. The way that the prostitutes act on this street develops the theme of the film because although they are competing amongst each other, the women degrade themselves in front of the men as if it is normal. Each time a male comes by, each prostitute uses words and actions to catch his attention. The aggressive, and perhaps exaggerated, ways the five main prostitutes use to attract customers on the street puts them in a position of inferiority as if they were just “whores” and the men “customers” who can do anything they pleased.

Long takes are what Mizoguchi is renowned for and he does not disappoint in his last work of art. Throughout the film, long takes, especially within Dreamland, are continuously filmed. For example, there is a long take when the owner of Dreamland complains about the possible new law banning prostitution and then encourages his workers not to be perplexed by this. As well, long takes take place when Yumeko’s son comes to Dreamland to see his mother, showing all the different actions that are happening throughout the place. While the long take technique does pose difficulty for the actors since they have to perform perfectly in such a long act, it allows the audience to feel as if they are watching a theatrical performance. Therefore, instead of feeling disconnected from the characters, the audience is more likely to understand the women and their struggles with oppression.

Akasen chitai is a film that will take anyone on an emotional rollercoaster. Its simple yet multifaceted storyline portrays the important theme of women being oppressed, a theme that Mizoguchi has worked with in many films. With Akasen chitai being his last film though, it is obvious that Mizoguchi has perfected this prominent theme and has made a name for himself as an incredible feminist director. Whether you are a Mizoguchi fan or enjoy Japanese cinema, Akasen chitai should be on your number one list.

Categories
experimental

“Yūkoku”

Yûkoku [Patriotism] or The Rite of Love and Death is an experimental short film directed by Mishima Yukio and released in 1966. The plot is simple and all the action takes place on a Noh stage: A husband (Mishima himself) and wife (Tsuruoka Yoshiko) share a final embrace and then take their own lives. Despite its simplicity, the film leaves a lasting impression on the viewer through striking imagery.

Exposition is provided to the viewer by title cards at the beginning of the film. We learn that the husband was among a group of soldiers who planned a coup d’état. They are caught but he is not. Yet as an officer it is his job to execute them. Since he does not wish to execute his friends, he finds the only option is to take his own life (known as committing harakiri) with his wife. These title cards are all handwritten (in English) by Mishima himself. They give the film a hand-made look which adds to intensity to the scenes that follow.

The first action we see is the wife drawing calligraphy and carefully preparing. The image of her husband is superimposed over her as she thinks, showing their deep connection. They begin their ceremony in formal wear but are soon shown naked in a series of beautiful closeup shots of their entangled bodies. The black and white cinematography is employed to great effect to show their tenderness, innocence, and spiritual bond.

In the next section of the film the couple is dressed in traditional wear. The husband stabs himself twice slowly as his wife watches and silently cries. The scenes of his suicide are graphic and messy – emphasizing the physical reality of the act. The wife’s death happens much more quickly and we are left with the final image of the two lying dead together (much cleaner than they looked earlier) on a garden of rocks.

The film works largely through imagery: close ups of their intense gaze, showing the wife’s hair half-covered in light, shots of the couple’s blood splattering on the wall, etc. Through such imagery, the viewer gains a sense of their passion and of their commitment to the act. Honour and tradition are also emphasized – the act of harakiri being considered an honourable way to die itself. The use of a Noh stage and having no dialogue, in particular, emphasize tradition and as well lend a certain dignity to the act.

The honour showed in the act of harakiri is troubling when coupled with the fact that Mishima himself committed harakiri in public just four years after the film was made. As a result, his real-life wife had nearly all copies of the film destroyed and it went unseen for many years (until its DVD release in 2006). In light of these facts, perhaps, it’s better to see the film as a symbol of devotion and trust between the husband and wife.

Also of note is the pacing of the film. The film starts quite slow with many title cards and the shots of the wife preparing. The pace then gradually crescendos as it moves from their final embrace to the bloody act. The pacing along with the juxtaposition of the couple’s embrace and the husband’s gory demise, adds tension to the conclusion of the film.

Mishima’s Yūkoku is a fascinating work of art. He is able to deliver a cohesive and powerful work through the use of vivid striking images. This film is not for the “faint of heart” as there is a significant amount of gore. It’s also not a film for those looking for a plot driven movie. It’s a piece that communicates in images and emotion, leaving a lasting impression on viewers.

Categories
action jidai-geki

“Seven Samurai”

Kurosawa Akira’s 1954 epic Seven Samurai (Shichinin no samurai) is a classic film highlighting some of the best action seen in the jidai-geki films.  It is a classic example of  Japanese film and, more precisely, a chambara, or film based upon the samurai, with extensive sword fighting and action.  Many popular actors of the day are in the film, including Shimura Takashi who plays the leader of the group of seven samurai.  Shimura also worked with Kurosawa on other popular Japanese films like Yojimbo.  Another prominent cast member is Mifune Toshirô who, like Shimura, worked with Kurosawa on many other occasions.  Kurosawa not only directed this film, but he is also the main writer of the story, which allowed him to fully execute his vision of what the story should be.

The film takes place at the end of the warring states period in the years 1587-1588.  At this time there were a lot of samurai who found themselves without a lord to serve.  These samurai were called ronin, and despite not being as affluent as their class had once entitled them to be they still had the rights of a samurai.  For instance, a samurai would be well within his rights to cut a peasant down if they displeased him in any way.  The film starts off when a village that has come under siege from bandits in the past learns that they will be the focus of another bandit raid once their barley is ripe for harvest.  This discovery leads the villagers to discuss what to do with their newfound knowledge.  The discussion in the village center varies from ideas of mass suicide, to surrender, when finally they decide to consult with the village elder.  The elder tells of similar situation in his youth where the only village who survived was the village that hired samurai.  After this a select few of the villagers head out hoping to recruit samurai to fight for their cause.

This task is much harder than the villagers anticipated and they are on the edge of giving up when we are introduced to a sagely character in the form of Shimada Kanbê (Shimura Takashi).  Shimada agrees to help the villagers and aides them in recruiting six more samurai in order to assist the villagers.  Once the samurai arrive back at the village they are given less than a warm welcome; in fact, all of the villagers are hiding from them!  While the select villagers were off recruiting the samurai, the village became paranoid that the samurai would ravish their women.  As a result, they end up treating the samurai like bandits until one of the samurai, Kikuchyo (Mifune Toshirô), sounds a false alarm to which all of the villagers appear and beg for the samurai’s help.  After this point the villagers work with the samurai in order to prepare for the coming siege.

Seven Samurai is very well-cast with the actors who play the lead characters providing an enduring and engaging performance.  One finds oneself rooting for the samurai and bonding with individual characters.  Actors like ShimuraTakashi in his portrayal of a warworn samurai who has seen it all yet still will fight for what is righteous lend themselves brilliantly to a classic tale of good versus evil.  Another actor whose performance is excellent is Mifune Toshirô.  Mifune plays Kikuchiyo, a loud and boisterous member of the samurai group.  Kikuchiyo seems to be a reference to the Aragoto players of the Kabuki stage. Aragoto is a style made popular by the Danjûrô line of actors where the lead male wears outrageous clothes and act in an uber-macho way, often striking fierce mie (a contorted facial pose to show strength).  In fact, Kikuchiyo strikes what could be interpreted as a mie on several occasions.  Also, his main weapon points further to the Aragoto style, as his primary sword is an Ôdachi, a longsword rarely used by foot soldiers.

Lighting plays a prominent role in this film.  Kurosawa creates an atmosphere of sparse and difficult times with his use of lighting, which is a great aid to this tale.  There is one scene where the villagers who have been sent to recruit the samurai have nothing to offer them in payment but food.  However, they spill their remaining rice in the boarding house they are staying in.  The way that each precious grain of rice stands out against the dark floorboards really shows how much every grain is worth to these men.  Another incident of great lighting is in the night shots waiting for the bandits to attack.  Scenes are seemingly lit with nothing but large torches placed along the roadways.  These torches make it seem almost as if stooks were set ablaze and the flickering glow they cast gives a feeling of how dark it must have been.  The light offers both the sanctuary of the known and makes you a target for the newly arrived tanagashima, or muskets, known to be possessed by the bandits.

Seven Samurai is a thoroughly enjoyable film that engages the viewer from the beginning to the end, and coming in at three plus hours that is no mean feat.  Throughout the film you are introduced to a cast of loveable samurai who fight for what they believe in, and not for the idea of victory.  In the end, Shimada Kanbê feels that their engagement was yet another loss in his life of failed battles.  Kurosawa Akira creates a world where one is transported to a time where violence was part of everyday life.  He does this without big budget special effects or excessive violence, but instead with masterful composition and vision.  Overall, Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai provides the viewer with an excellent tale of good versus evil, where in fact the good may not be as good as one initially thinks.

Categories
drama, melodrama shomin-geki

A Step Up with “When a Woman Ascends the Stairs”

One of director Naruse Mikio’s greatest masterpieces came amongst a run of masterpieces in the 1950’s. In 1959, Naruse released When a Woman Ascends the Stairs, which chronicles the lives of everyday people in Tokyo at the time (shomin-geki). The film follows Keiko, played by Takamine Hideko, a bar madam who is the head hostess of a bar in the very modern postwar Ginza district. Naruse highlights her futile struggle with those surrounding her, such as Komatsu who desperately loves her, played by Nakamura Tatsuya, and Fujisaki whom Keiko desperately loves, played by Mori Masayuki.

The film revolves around Keiko, a widow who must support herself as a bar hostess to survive. She embodies the conflicts and struggles of a woman trying to establish her independence in a male-dominated society. Keiko increasingly becomes aware that she is approaching an age that forces her to rely on something more than her looks. Pressures of society encourage her to get married or open her own bar, however both require a sacrifice of her independence. In order to open her own place, she would have to take on a patron and become his mistress. The plot reveals her attempt to overcome her limitations, as she tries to raise investment capital through her most loyal and wealthy patrons instead. Unfortunately, Keiko finds herself being pulled further from her dream after a marriage proposal goes awry, a younger hostess snatches a possible patron away, and her family relentlessly requests money from her.

One theme Naruse conveys in the film is how new ways of life are replacing old traditions. Keiko maintains a traditional set of values. Her character is in stark contrast to the younger and newer bar hostesses around her. Keiko only wears traditional kimonos, detests drinking, and maintains her virtue by not sleeping around. The younger hostesses appear to be more liberal in their ways by how they allow themselves to sleep with their customers and dress more ‘in style’. Naruse emphasizes this contrast with several two-shots of the women in the film. In a scene between Keiko and Yuri, a younger hostess who left working for Keiko to open her own bar, shows Keiko sitting in perfect posture in a plain kimono as she leaves her drink untouched in front of her. In contrast, Yuri slings a drink back as she sits almost too comfortably in her 1950’s-inspired clothing. This theme can also be seen in the dialogue of the scenes. As Keiko shares stories of her old life with another bar hostess, Junko, she is forced to confide more than she expects due to Junko’s persistent questioning and nosiness. Keiko tries to remain composed and keep the conversation pleasant, whereas Junko has no shame in asking extremely personal questions. This change keeps Keiko challenged as she is forced to change with the times.

Naruse is able to convey her challenge to adapt to change and her inability to escape her current status through her voice-overs. Keiko’s voice-overs occur when she must walk up the stairs for work and during cutaways of the city shot in documentary-style. Her voice-overs describe her thoughts of daily life in the Ginza district. This narrative serves as a way to hear Keiko’s true feelings, for her true demeanour does not allow for that at most times. Naruse repeatedly shows Keiko’s inner battle to walk up these stairs. The stairs are symbolic of a treadmill in the way she must walk up them over and over again but goes nowhere, and in Keiko’s thoughts she is aware of this futile walk. Through Keiko’s voice-overs and her constant struggle to take that first step on the stairs, Naruse implies a sense that her journey will continue with no change while the rest of the world continues to move on without her.

Naruse’s ability to present the essential meaning of a scene through imagery keeps the viewer invested in the film on multiple levels. The vision displayed by Naruse in the mise-en- scène gives the viewer a secret realistic glimpse into a slice-of-life of a woman living in the Ginza district in the 1950’s. When a Woman Ascends the Stairs is a touching and insightful film that one must watch in order to understand the lives of those affected in the changing times of postwar Tokyo.

Categories
drama, melodrama gendai-geki post-war

“Shubun” – Theme of Moral Degeneration

Shubun or Sukyandaru (English: Scandal), written and directed by Kurosawa Akira, was made by Shochiku Studio as a post-war drama released in 1950. Inspired by a celebrity gossip column named “Scandal”, Kurosawa directed this film which centers on the rise of the Japanese media press in the 1950’s when Japanese society is recovering after the war. However, under the influence of western “celebrity-obsessed” culture, the media company Armour presented in the film was ethically challenged between morality and profit. The main characters are Aoe Ichiro (Mifune Toshiro), Saigo Miyako (Yamaguchi Yoshiko), and Hiruta (Shimura Takashi). Together, the cast plays a story of intertwined decline of morality, courtroom drama, and human redemption.

Aoe Ichiro, an artist painter, meets the famous classical singer Saijo while painting in the mountain. Discovering Saijo is going in the same direction as he is, Aoe gives her a ride to a nearby mountain village on his motorcycle, followed by paparazzi. Saijo rejects when the paparazzi requests to take photographs of her. As revenge, and also because they cannot return to the Amour with empty hands, the paparazzi secretly takes a photo of Aoe and Saijo when they have meals together and turns the photo into a foul love affair under the title: “Love Story on Motorcycle”. Aoe tries to explain to the public but the situation only worsens. On the other hand, Saijo does not bother to explain anything because she is terrified of further disgracing her ruined reputation. Enraged, Aoe decides to sue the company and hires a crooked lawyer Hiruta, who has a daughter ill with tuberculosis. Under the dilemma of self-righteousness and fighting against the morally corrupted Amour and the financial pressure of being unable to treat his ill daughter, Hiruta accepts a bribe from Amour and works for both parties. And the results of numerous court trials are disastrous. However, with the guilt and despair of cheating himself, his daughter, and Aoe, Hiruta finally attempts to make an astonishing move to turn the situation around during the final trial under his own belief of what is right to do.

In this film, the theme of profit dominating one’s morality is greatly explored and revealed in two extreme ways: malicious on the chief organizer of Amour Company and mild yet forgiving on Hiruta.

The theme is most prominent during the scene where the chief organizer takes a bold action of inventing a false scandal out of a mere photograph, totally disregarding other people’s doubts and concerns about the deceitful deed and the possibility of innocence between the couple. With his confidence overwhelming, the chief organizer arrogantly concludes that “nobody cares about the details. And the targets (of the scandals) do not even bother to protest. The most could happen to us is being looked down at.” He even admits that it is not the first time they have tried to make money out of untrue scandals. Furthermore, the organizer even hopes for people to take action, since the more people get involved, the more sales they make. This scene is especially taken by a long close-up. Such way of filming is rather effective towards enhancing the theme because with close-up shots, the audience can see the chief organizer’s expression very closely, thus further understand his malicious purpose by observing every detail of his facial expression.

The theme of money overruling morality is again presented with Hiruta. This time however, the theme gains the audience’s sympathy and forgiveness because Hiruta faces the dilemma of whether to accept the bribery from Amour and cure his daughter, or to follow his own sense of righteousness and proceed with court trials where he gains essentially nothing. The technique of repetition of script used in the scene where Hiruta purposely gets himself drunk successfully protects Hiruta’s reputation because Hiruta repeats his guilt numerous times “I’m a dog; I’m a worm.” Again, a couple of close-up shots of Hiruta crying results in great sympathy towards him especially when he cries and claims his New Year’s resolution of becoming a good man at the same time. Often we find a character is more forgivable than others (in this case Hiruta) because he demonstrates understandings of his wrongdoings under harsh circumstances, and most of all – Hiruta shows remorse.

Overall, Scandal is one of the more lighthearted black-and-white films to examine for academic purposes than other serious jidai-geki and post-war films; mainly due to its simple plot which makes it very easy for audiences to understand and enjoy. Part of the reason for the easier enjoyment of this film is because it is very similar as to reading another magazine on some unproven random scandals of some famous celebrities, which is a thing that people probably do quite frequently. Through the film Kurosawa proves that history repeats itself – people do not change; untrue scandals are still being made today all over the world amongst people whether celebrities or not.

Categories
shomin-geki

“Early Summer” by Ozu Yasujirō

Anyone who is familiar with Japanese films must know the name of Ozu Yasujirō, one of the best-known Japanese filmmakers during the 1900s.  According to Michael Atkinson, a profound film critic, Ozu is “one of the very few cinema giants you could never accuse of pretension” since he remained “movies’ most disciplined creative voice.”[1] Early Summer or Bakushū in Japanese title is a work of Ozu produced in 1951, a few years after the release of another of Ozu’s masterpieces Late Spring. Similar to Late Spring, Early Summer is a typical shomin-geki, or modern family drama, which remained Ozu’s kingdom to rule throughout his lifetime. Regarding cast members, Ozu uses Hara Setsuko, who often played the role of an independent woman with individuality, as the heroine. Hara started working with Ozu in 1949 and continued playing the main role in Ozu’s films for the next twelve years until 1961. Two years after the production of his last film The End of Summer, Ozu passed away and Hara suddenly abandoned her career all at once. From this point alone, it is clear that there was a special connection between the actress Hara and director Ozu, which is reflected in Ozu’s films. In addition, Early Summer was made by the screenwriter Noda Kogo, with whom Ozu made nearly half of his films including both Late Spring and Tokyo Story. Ozu made a comment on Noda one time, saying that “Kogo and I tended to think through every line of dialogue together when we wrote the script” and even without discussing details on props or costumes, there was an unspoken rapport between us.” [2]

Early Summer depicts the disintegration of a traditional extended family in postwar Tokyo. Noriko, the daughter of an old couple and an independent minded 28-year-old working woman, can not make up her mind marrying a man introduced by her boss, and all her family is very concerned about her not marrying at her age. Her uncle’s suggestion and social pressures from her boss, friends, and families (especially her elder brother) force Noriko to rethink about the meaning of a woman’s happiness and she eventually makes up her mind- marrying the widowed doctor next door instead of the 40-year-old wealthy businessman introduced by her boss. However Noriko’s family is deeply disappointed by this decision for many reasons; the decision is made without consultation with her family, the doctorias not only widowed but also has a little daughter and his wages are moderate compared to the businessman’s, and above all, they are moving to the remote countryside for some years. Regardless of her family’s oppositions, Noriko does not change her mind and goes off to the countryside with her husband.

One important theme of this film is Japanese society’s transitional struggles during the postwar era and women’s advancement into the public sphere as well as the fundamental conflict between independent-minded modern women and traditional values and expectations toward women. Noriko is a modern-minded woman who works in an office located in Tokyo as a typist. Although she is quite satisfied with her current situation, her parents, elder brother, and uncle are very concerned with Noriko’s unmarried status at her age. Even Noriko’s boss strongly recommends her to marry a man of his acquaintance. Moreover, some of Noriko’s friends tell Noriko that women find true happiness only through marriage and make fun of Noriko and other single female friends for being “ignorant children.” Although Noriko is able to support herself financially, people around her consider her as being “immature” for being unmarried and for Noriko, marriage is not her own personal issue; it is a tremendous issue for her entire family. However, when Noriko decides to marry the widowed doctor, she does not subject herself to old traditions; she marries the one she feels emotionally attached to instead of the man recommended by her brother and boss and makes the decision without consulting or receiving acceptance from her family, showing her independent mind and will to have her own life.

Another main theme is the disintegration of the traditional extended family and increasing generation gap during the postwar era. Once Noriko marries off, her elder parents also move to countryside to join Noriko’s uncle for retirement. Noriko’s brother’s family remain in Tokyo, running their own business. This disintegration is depicted as natural and inevitable, as the elder generations are at leisure, while the younger generations are working hard and busy. The contrast is obvious when the elders sit in the living room quietly, appreciating the scenery and slow conversations, while their children work full days, adapting themselves to the rapidly modernized (westernized) Tokyo lives. In a scene in which the old couple see a balloon blown up high on a sky, the balloon represents the fully grown-up children leading their own lives independently and the new era and new Japan can be left to the young generations while the elders can lay back and retire from the front stage.

Although this film is in many ways similar to Late Spring and Tokyo Story, Early Summer has its distinct views about changing society and lost traditions. Noriko is more courageous and independent-minded, choosing her own partner in spite of oppositions from her family and pursuing her happiness positively. Although the family is separated later, it is not a tragic but rather a natural result of the changing time and society. Now the elder generations can safely leave Japan’s future and further development to the younger generations, who must struggle hard in the rapidly modernized world. Compared to Tokyo Story, Early Summer has a more optimistic view on the disintegrating family and the breakdown of traditional values.

[1] Tokyo-Ga courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment, Inc. (1985): Reserve Angle Library GMBH.

[2] Excerpt from Yasujiro Ozu: The Person and His Art. (1964): courtesy of Kinema Junpo-sha. Translated by Maggie lee.

Categories
jidai-geki

“Seppuku”

Seppuku, also known as Harakiri, was released by Shochiku Ofuna studio in 1962. A jidai–geki drama directed by Kobayashi Masaki (1916-1996), it offers a perspective on the life of the samurai during the 17th century, the beginning of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and the social issues that plagued the samurai during the era. Through the main character,Tsuyumo Hanshiro (Nakadai Tatsuya), we are given a tale of injustice and revenge. In 1963, Seppuku was the winner of the Cannes Film Festival’s Special Jury Prize and has since been known as a Japanese classic. Kobayashi throughout his career showed antiauthoritarian themes through his movies and in Seppuku he follows this trend. He gives a sharp critique on the past’s feudal authority and tradition and offers us a main character that is against hypocrisy and corruption, and is an individual against society.

“Around midday an ex-warrior formerly in the service of the Lord Geishu, appeared at our gate”(Mikuni Rentarō). The movie takes place during the spring of 1630; it is a time of peace and hence no work for the samurai. Hence, the Tokugawa Government is forced to disband many samurai clans leaving thousands of samurai wandering the land searching for a means to survive. The main character, Tsuyumo Hanshiro, is a samurai who, sick of his worthless life, wishes to commit seppuku. He goes to the House of the Iyi Clan, a reputable samurai clan, to request to perform the ritual. While Hanshiro prepares for the ritual he tells the tale of his life. Earlier in his life he was a samurai of the highly respected Geishu Clan but once the Tokugawa no longer had a use for them the Geishu were disbanded and the heads of the clan committed seppuku. One of the leaders left Hanshiro with the responsibility of raising his son Chijiiwa Motome (Akira Ishihama).  Later, when Chijiiwa is old enough Hanshiro offers his own daughter, Miho Tsuyumo’s (Shima Iwashita) hand in marriage to him. Chijiiwa accepts but the newly married couple lives in poverty and Miho, who has a weak body, is left bedridden for a long time. The two end up having a child but under impoverished circumstances the child falls ill and Chijiiwa and Hanshiro are left panicking to save their family. Chijiiwa trades in his swords, the soul of the samurai, for bamboo blades to raise money but it is not enough for a doctor. He then drastically attempts to go to the house of Iyi threatening to perform seppuku in hope that they will give him money in an attempt to discourage him from suicide but they call his bluff and force him to commit seppuku using his dull bamboo blades in a disgraceful and excruciatingly painful act. Hanshiro, stricken with grief, then later appears at the Iyi household himself, turning this drama into a tale of revenge.

Right from the beginning of the movie the camera shots are highly dominated by wide long shots. During the opening credits we are given wide views of the exterior and interior of the Iyi house. Racking of focus never occurs throughout the film creating deep focus, where both close and distant planes are in focus and deep space as we see in scenes with interaction between Hanshiro and the heads of the Iyi clan and the tracking shot of the corridor during the opening credits. If the scene ever left from long shot format it would be during conversations during shot/reverse shot and be a medium close-up of the character speaking. Since the vast majority of scenes are long shots and there is no racking of focus all the characters are clearly visible in each shot, even the backs of the characters that are looking away from the camera. Sometimes the back of a person would take a third of the screen but this creates a sense of the viewer being inside the shot, having their view obscured. It is suiting especially since Seppuku is a ritual that is witnessed by many. It is interesting that the viewer feels that they are participating as well.

Another aspect of the film was the discrepancy between the story and the plot. The plot is not in linear temporal order and starts basically at the end of the story, leaving the audience unaware of the circumstances of Hanshiro until they are filled in by flashbacks.  Actual “real time” (non-flashback time) of the film from the beginning of the movie till the end is quite short, perhaps a day, but half a life time is filled in through flashbacks. Though, not even the flashbacks are in order since the death of Chijiiwa is seen first and we are not aware until the next flashback that he is related to Hanshiro. The use of time manipulation allows for suspense and shock in the audience.  Not only is the “real time” limited but the location of the “real time” happens all in the Iyi Household and mostly in the courtyard. It is impressive to see such an expansive story come from such a limited space and time frame.

From the beginning of the film I knew I was in for a treat. With the beautiful long shots and intensity of the traditional Japanese music composed by Takumitsu Tōru in the opening credits I was completely sucked into the movie. Throughout the film I was kept interested and on my toes by constant new information to fill in the story gaps and offered surprising twists. Seppuku has been critiqued as one of the best Japanese films of all time and I would say that it is the greatest black and white film I have seen so far. It is not necessarily the action type of movie one would expect from a samurai/revenge movie but Seppuku is truly a work of art and I recommend it to anyone seeking a fantastic movie.

Resources:

IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056058/

Mellen, Joan. “Harakiri: Kobayashi and History.” The Current (2005): n. pag. Web. 6 Oct 2010. <http://www.criterion.com/films/743>.

Categories
extreme gendai-geki thriller yakuza

Thought-Provoking, yet Extremely Confusing, the Japanese Summer: “Double Suicide”

Japanese Summer: Double Suicide/ Night of the Killer (Japanese title: Muri shinju, Nihon no natsu), released in 1967, was directed by Oshima Nagisa and written by three writers, Tamura Takeshi, Sasaki Mamoru and Oshima Nagisa, who wrote Sing a Song of Sex (Nihon shunka ko), another Oshima Nagisa film. The main female actor Sakurai Keiko plays “Nejiko” and the main male actor Sato Kei plays, “Otoko”. This gendai-geki suspense-thriller seems to have had an impact from America’s race riots that were common in the 1960’s, bringing in the themes of sex and violence, life and death, through a series of interaction between the characters.

Nejiko is an 18-year-old girl who openly expresses her desires to have sex with just any man she meets. The opening scenes illustrate her abnormality within society, where she faces rejection from men in a political riot group as well as men in a religious cult group. The story moves when Nejiko picks up Otoko, a suicidal deserter who is looking for his perfect death, on the street. They move the scene to a beach, where Nejiko continues seducing him. Otoko is deeply trapped in his own thoughts about death, showing no interest in her approaches. Then, a group of uniformed yakuza men arrive on the beach to dig up a box full of weapons. Nejiko and Otoko are taken to the yakuza’s secret hideout as captives for witnessing the events. They are put into a room full of killers that include Omocha, a pistol loving old man, and Oni, a madman who finds joy in killing people with knives. Attracted by the violence, the killers have gathered from different parts of Japan in order to join the war of the yakuza. Soon, Shonen the gun-loving kid, TV and Tsukibito, the two men carrying a TV set, join the room filled with bloodthirsty men. Waiting anxiously for the next morning’s war, the characters discover through the TV that a young white Caucasian man is going around the city, randomly shooting and killing people. The men in the room are restless and anxious to kill, while Otoko searches for his perfect death, and Nejiko still continues to seduce the men in the room to sleep with her. The story dramatically changes pace when everyone discovers that they were all left behind by the yakuza and left with no yakuza war to fight in.

In the Japanese Summer: Double Suicide/Night of the Killer, Oshima Nagisa introduces a cultural parallel and connection between America and Japan, reflecting on a key theme of violence. Throughout the film, Shonen refers to the violence in America, especially of the riots occurring with the African-American population. Oshima Nagisa reflects on the social occurrence of the race riots, riots based on racial tension that were popular during the 1960s, showing the natural existence of violence in America. At the same time Oshima illustrates the abundance of violence in the room where they talk about these violent incidents, drawing a similarity between America and Japan. Also, Oshima introduces a young white Caucasian man that shares the thirst for violence. Through the stories on the TV, the Caucasian killer is portrayed to be a psychopath, but by the end of the film, his humane side becomes apparent. The Caucasian cries after receiving bread from Nejiko, helps Otoko carry Omocha after Omocha’s death, and fights alongside Shonen, showing a deeper level of understanding between the two characters. Oshima Nagisa points out violence to be a universal factor, occurring randomly and with universal understanding.

Another connection he created with violence was the corruption of the youth’s minds. In the opening scenes, while Nejiko’s abnormality is illustrated, Oshima introduces the social norms of the youth being the conformed and uniformed young men and women heading towards a political riot. Compared to such norms, Nejiko and Otoko, who appear on the same bridge, are much more free and natural. Furthermore, in the scene where Oni and Omocha are talking, they both recognize and understand Otoko’s passion towards death and Shonen’s passion to kill. The two killers agree that it was also in their youth when they were drawn into the world of killing. While the two killers were awakened at youth, Shonen, Nejiko, Otoko and the Caucasian killer, who are all in the midst of their troubling minds, are young. Oshima creates a definite connection between the youthful mind and corruption, showing such minds to be self-corruptive.

Japanese Summer: Double Suicide/Night of the Killer feels like an abstract representation of the sex and violence in the youth cultures of Japanese society. Despite the fact that the film was referred to as one of the best 10 films by Oshima Nagisa, I find it difficult to recommend to all viewers, especially for its violent content, containing offensive language, sex and nudity. As for the story itself, it was quite confusing what Oshima Nagisa wanted to do with the film. It was as if he wanted to show the corruption and violence in its purist forms, not including any meaningful message or plot to the film.

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