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.

Categories
comedy drama, melodrama shomin-geki

Positivity Breeds Happiness

Tokyo Chorus (Tōkyō no kōrasu) is a silent film made in 1931 by director Ozu Yasujirô.  It deals with the realities of family life with economic struggles, combined with a comedic spin that Ozu used to present these issues in a more light-hearted manner.  This satirical shomin-geki follows the daily life of the working-class, insurance company clerk, Okajima Shinji Okajima (Okada Tokihiko), who loses his job as a result of standing up for an elderly colleague who he feels was unjustly dismissed from his job.  Okajima takes it with pride and deals with the struggles of supporting his family while trying to keep his dignity and positivity high.

The story begins in a schoolyard setting with the teacher, Mr. Omura (Saito Tatsuo), directing some outdoor drills with the students, and Okajima is introduced as the foolish student who always shows up late and mocks the teacher behind his back.  The film then flashes forward to show Okajima all grown up with a wife (played by Yagumo Emiko) and three young kids.  While preparing for work, his son asks him for a bicycle and – being the loving and caring family-man that he is – he promises to buy his son the bicycle after work since he was getting his annual bonus that day.  Unfortunately, things do not go as planned because after protesting his colleague’s unfair dismissal (leading to a rather comedic fight with his boss that involves poking each other with folded fans), Okajima, too, was dismissed from working there anymore.  Returning home with a scooter instead of a bike immediately provokes disappointment from his son and a temper tantrum ensues.  After notifying his wife of his recent unemployment, his daughter soon falls ill and needs to be taken to the hospital, but he reassures his wife that he will find a way to make money.  He ends up finding a quick source of income and manages to pay the hospital bills so that his daughter can return home healthy again.  He remains positive and makes the most out of the time he spends with his family.  With hopes of finding a job, he goes to the employment agency but has no luck.  However, upon leaving the agency, Okajima bumps into his former teacher, Mr. Omura, who offers him temporary employment helping out with his newly opened restaurant for a while. Okajima agrees to take Mr. Omura’s offer only after determining that it was out of friendship – not pity, stating that being poor makes a man sensitive.  Mrs. Okajima is humiliated after discovering that her husband had resorted to taking on a very lowly task, however, she eventually accepts how hard he is trying to earn money for his family so she offers to help out in Mr. Omura’s restaurant.  The film ends on a bittersweet note as there is a class reunion at Mr. Omura’s restaurant and Okajima receives life-changing news.

Ozu has a distinguishable form of filming, in that the camera is placed at a very low level, about one to two feet off the ground, and remains stable no matter where the actors are moving within the shot.  This is what he called the “tatami shot” because the height is similar to the eye level of a person kneeling on a tatami mat, or even lower.  Because of this low angle, however, the tops of actors’ heads are sometimes out of the frame and there are shots of only their bodies, although this could have been done on purpose.  There tend to be a lot more long shots than closeups, showing all the characters at once instead of closing in on one character at a time.  There were also other interesting shots such as when one employee at the insurance company is peering through the keyhole of the washroom to see what his colleague was up to.  This shot really makes it look as through the viewer was in his position looking through the keyhole.  Instead of using fading techniques to transition from one scene to another, Ozu tends to cut straight to the next scene and usually introducea it with a stable shot of scenery (such as trees swaying in the wind outside the school), or to static objects (such as a table in the home that sets up his family life) to set up where the next scene will take place.

The use of titles (to explain the situation) is applied sparingly throughout the film because the expressive emotions conveyed though the actors’ performances speak for themselves.  Okada Tokihiko’s character sustains genuine positivity and determination that reigns throughout the film, which is what makes it so uplifting.  A major theme in this film is dignity.  The family values their pride and dignity very much.  Okajima stands up to his boss for what he feels is the right thing to do in order to defend his colleague’s unjust dismissal.  He has no regrets about what he does and does not blame anyone for the unfortunate result of his protest.  The title, Tokyo Chorus, relates to the theme of this film because it seems that no matter what negative things happen in his life (losing his job, disappointing his son, his daughter falling ill, etc.), Okajima is able to still smile and positively get through things without accepting pity from anyone.  This is further exemplified when Mr. Omura is offering the job to Okajima and the desperate hope that his teacher will not withdraw the offer is written all over Okajima’s face as he awaits the reassuring nod from Omura, accepting that he wants to save his dignity.  Ozu’s attention to detail and mastering these emotion-focused shots allows viewers to really take in the beautiful essence of this film, as well as other films that he creates.

The cohesiveness of this film in the way that it flows along so brilliantly is what makes this simple story so captivating.  It may be categorized as a satirical portrayal of family life, but, all laughs aside, it also deals seriously with the hardships of getting through the tough times in life.  It has a good balance of mood for both of these elements and is definitely a heart-warming film.  If you enjoy these types of light-hearted films that do not contain a lot of drama in it and will provide you with lots of laughs, then Tokyo Chorus is an uplifting film for the whole family to enjoy.

Categories
comedy drama, melodrama

Ozu Yasujirō’s “The End of Summer”/ “Kohayagawake no aki” (1961)

One of many characteristics of Ozu’s films is that many of them are shot in a family background, which enables him to discuss just about every aspect of human life and so is his penultimate film, The End of Summer. Yasujirō Ozu’s The End of Summer/ Kohayagawake no aki (1961) is a combination of drama and comedy. In the film, Hara Setsuko, Tsukasa Yoko, and Aratama Michiyo play the three daughters of the Kohayagawa family and Nakamura Ganjiro plays the father Kohayagawa, who runs a sake brewery company at Kyoto.

Unlike the three daughters, who are all discreet in their behaviors, their father Kohayagawa Manbei is a carefree man who frequently goes out of house to meet his former mistress called Tsune Sasaki. Despite the fact that his company is on the verge of merger due to economic hardship, he leaves the company matters to his second daughter, Fumiko (Aratama Michiyo) and her husband who helps running the brewery. In the meantime, both Kohayagawa’s widowed daughter, Akiko, and the youngest daughter, Noriko, are asked to consider having a marriage soon but they are hesitant to reply to the matter just yet. Now back to Kohayagawa, Fumiko, who lives with him, is frustrated when she finds out that her father is still meeting Sasaki even after having gone through all that troubled past when her mother was alive. The tension between Kohayagawa and Fumiko builds up until Kohayagawa collapses from a heart attack after returning from his late wife’s memorial service. Fumiko apologizes to her father for being too hard on him. Even after the life-threatening incident, however, Kohayagawa manages to meet Sasaki again after his recovery.

A striking pattern of lighting that is explicitly used in the film is that all women, especially the three daughters, are shot in an extremely bright light to the point where their faces glow like pure-white snow. This lighting method seems to be used throughout the whole film, which causes the male actors’ faces darker than it should be. The method favors the actresses to stand out more than the actors because clearly, the actresses’ beautified faces help to attract more attention from audiences.

A second distinctive aspect of the film is the use of music between transitioning shots. Whenever a scene switches to different setting or moves on to shoot other group of characters as the story further develops, it is notable that a piece of Western music is played during the transitioning shot being introduced. Although such particular shots remain not more than a couple of seconds, I think the technique is quite an eye-opening method, which suits very well with one of several themes in the film.

One of the prominent themes throughout the film is the Western influence in the process of modernization. The bar, which appears a number of times as a meeting place for Akiko and her arranged meeting partner set by her family member, is highly decorated with a Western-style bar and the restaurant where Noriko and her co-workers have a farewell party for one of her male co- workers. Besides the set design, most of all males wear Western clothing except Kohayagawa. More importantly, however, Sasaki’s daughter, Yuriko, seems to represent the younger Japanese generation (including Noriko) with substantial Western influence through their Western clothing.

Overall, The End of Summer as a film itself has an appealing storyline of an ordinary Japanese family who faces what families in real life also face; love and hate relationship between family members that is portrayed between Fumiko and her father, Kohayagawa. I must say that I chose this film because of the familiarity of the topic instead of a film that is based on a wartime story, which I would have found very hard to associate on a topic that I have never experienced in my life.  Although it was a little confusing for me to figure out the roles of all the cast who appear onscreen, it made me watch the film more than twice and hence allowed me to comprehend all the better.

Lastly, please be advised that this film contains a disturbing crematorium scene that might not be suitable for children or anyone with heart problems.

Categories
anti-war drama, melodrama

“The Idiot”

“The Idiot” was released in Japan under the name “Hakuchi” in 1951, directed by Kurosawa Akira and later released in the United States in 1963. This drama film was based on the storyline by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky depicting the aftermath of World War II exploring the themes of money, relationships, friendships, and society. The main characters of Nasu Taeko, Kameda Kinji, and Akama Denkichi are played by Hara Setsuko, Mori Masayuki, and Mifune Toshiro, repectively. The two female characters are both attracted by the main male character, who has become an idiot after experiencing psychological trauma during the war,

After being released from a mental hospital in Okinawa, Kameda boards a train headed to his hometown of Hokkaido. On board the train, Kameda has a nightmare bringing back wartime memories of close to death situations. He lets out a horrible shriek waking up all those aboard the train. This incident on the train leads to Kameda befriending Akama, son of a wealthy family who takes an instant liking to him. After they arrive in Hokkaido, the majority of the people look down on Kameda because he is an idiot, but gradually change their minds after they find out he is kindhearted and not one to hold grudges against others who have mistreated him. As the story unfolds, Taeko is introduced as a woman who seems to “sell” herself to any man who can “bid” the highest amount of money. Akama successfully challenges Kayama to become the highest “bidder.” However, he soon finds out that he will never have her heart for she has fallen in love with Kameda. Akama is then torn between friendship and love.

What struck me the most about this film was Kurosawa’s camerawork. He uses steady shots with minimal zooming to focus on the characters throughout the length of their conversations and occasionally scanning the set to emphasis the setting. In the beginning of the movie, Kurosawa scans the length of the train to illustrate the atmosphere and the number of people Kameda has disturbed with his scream. The camera then stops and focuses on Kameda and Akama when they begin their conversation. In another scene, Kurosawa uses long shots to portray the lavish lifestyle Taeko enjoys at Kayama’s residence, showing the exquisite furnishings and the luxuries that are available to her. The long shots also emphasize the spaciousness of the house and the number of guests it can accommodate.

Another aspect of the film I really enjoyed was the selection of music and special sound effects used to accompany the storyline. It adds as well as giving emphasis to the atmosphere of the situation bringing out the emotions that the characters are experiencing.  One scene where this is demonstrated is when Kameda, Ayako, Mrs Ono, and Kayama were outside by the pond where a number of masked people were skating. At first, the music makes the mood mysterious and suspenseful. The atmosphere becomes more lighthearted and cheerful when the music changes into a more cheerful tone. Moreover, in the closing scenes of the film, the music playing in the background suggests what might have happened by defining the mood with sorrowful music. This helps the audience understand despite a vague ending.

This film gave me an insight on what how the war might have affected people, creating long term psychological problems. While the storyline was somewhat interesting, I found the film too slow-paced for my liking. The slow flow of the film left me impatient but allowed me sufficient time to read the English captions. Overall, I would recommend “The Idiot” to viewers interested in post-war Japanese cinema.

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