Hakuchu no torima (1966)

Director:

Nagisa Ôshima

Writers:

Taijun Takeda (writer)
Tsutomu Tamura (novel)

Release Date:

15 July 1966 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Hideo Kanze	...	Inagaki, husband of the raped woman
Hideko Kawaguchi	...	Matsuko's mother
Saeda Kawaguchi	...	Shino Shinozaki
Narumi Kayashima	...	Jinbo, teacher
Teruko Kishi	...	Shino's grandmother
Hôsei Komatsu	...	Shino's father
Akiko Koyama	...	Matsuko Koura, wife of Eisuke, teacher
Kei Satô	...	Eisuke Oyamada
Ryoko Takahara	...	Raped woman
Taiji Tonoyama	...	School director
Rokko Toura	...	Genji Hyuga
Fumio Watanabe	...	Inspector Haraguchi
Sen Yano	...	Mayor

Also Known As:

The Daylight Demon
Violence at High Noon
Violence at Noon (USA) (video title)
Violent Killer (Australia) (video title)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 (2008)

Company:

Sozosha

Movie Connections:

References Nijushi no hitomi (1954)

Very difficult, with limited rewards; possibly better upon repeat viewings

Possibly the most confusing movie I've ever sat through, it took me a long time to get anything out of it. I just couldn't grab onto even the slightest shred of a plot, and, without the ability to find a hook, it felt at first like watching a blank wall. But eventually, I started making inroads and, as the film progresses, its chopped-up plot begins to emerge. It is the story of a rapist and murderer and two women with whom he is intricately involved. Shino is one of his rape victims, and also, we find out, a woman he rescued from suicide in the past. Jinbo is the killer's wife, who knows his guilt (or at least suspects it) but loves him and wants to protect him. Nagisa Oshima actually went to film school in France, and, though part of the Japanese New Wave, no one will miss the French New Wave influences, especially Alain Resnais, whose films have similarly infuriated me in the past with their difficult narratives. Even if I never understood what the hell happened here, the film has several great aspects. The acting is quite good, that's clear. But, in particular, the music, by Hikaru Hayashi, and the cinematography, by Akira Takada, are extremely beautiful. I think I might like this one better if I give it yet another try.