Shitsurakuen (1997)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Yoshimitsu Morita

Writers:

Kyoko Morinaga (writer)
Junichi Watanabe (story)

Release Date:

10 May 1997 (Japan)

Plot:

Awards:

11 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Kôji Yakusho	...	Shoichiro Kuki
Hitomi Kuroki	...	Rinko Matsubaro
Akira Terao	...	Kinugawa
Toshio Shiba	...	Haruhiko Matsubara
Tomoko Hoshino	...	Fumie Kuki (wife)
Yoshino Kimura	...	Chika (daughter)
Kazuya Kosaka	...	Suzuki
Morio Agata	...	Yokoyama
Kenjiro Ishimaru	...	Muramatsu
Chiaki Hara	...	Ms. Miyata
Kumija Kim	...	Midori (as Kumiko Kim)

Also Known As:

Lost Paradise (USA) (DVD title)
Paradise Lost (USA)

Runtime:

Netherlands:119 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Certification:

Hong Kong:III

Company:

Ace Pictures

Movie Connections:

Version of Shilrakwon (1998)

Middle-class's midlife tragedy

The story is adapted from the extremely successful work of the same title by the renowned Japanese writer Junichi Watanabe published in February 1997, sold 2.6 million copies. What's more, "Paradise Lost" (in Japanese) has become a popular buzzword ever after in the Japanese society.

The detailed analysis of the love life (or need) of the middle-aged is one of the reasons for the success, another one should be the extensive description of Sholchiro Kuki and Rinko Matsubaro's extremely explicit sexual intercourse. Sex sells well. Seeing the success of the book and the movie, the TV station has adapted the story into a series. Again, it's another success, in terms of monetary return.

When most of life's duties have been fulfilled: career has become stable, children have grown up and are independent, the mortgage is nearing its finishing line, the car has been changed to be better and more powerful and, the marriage has also gone "stable", what should one need more? The 50-year-old Kuki, a publishing veteran editor is now trapped in such a maze. Rinko is also stuck in this dilemma. She married a prestigious medical doctor because of his money. Sexually, she is not satisfied because her husband loves SM.

Japan is a conservative and suppressing society. Individual ideas may not be able to survive for long. Just a few days ago, commoner-turned-Princess Owada Masako finally could not keep silent to express that the pressure of the palace suffocates her. And the society stifles many Japanese men: they fight, compete and study hard to enter reputed kindergarten, primary school, high school and university, then a good job and keep climbing the ladder of the company. Arranged marriage is always common. Every thing must be done according to their parents' planning. Kuki expressed his pain once that he is always a good boy, a good student, a good boss, a good daddy and a good hubby, now he wants something for himself. When two down and lonely hearts "collide" together, lethal sparks of emotion explode frantically.

George Lam's "John Lam" in Sylvia Chang's film "Zui Ai" tells more or less the same pain of suppression that Kuki, as a man living in a conservative Asian society, experiences ever since childhood. They cannot but struggle for a channel at any cost.