Paradise Lost (1997) Shitsurakuen (original title)

Director:

Yoshimitsu Morita

Writers:

Junichi Watanabe (story)
Kyoko Morinaga

Release Date:

10 May 1997 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

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
Kenjirô Ishimaru	...	Muramatsu
Chiaki Hara	...	Ms. Miyata
Kumija Kim	...	Midori (as Kumiko Kim)

Directed by
Yoshimitsu Morita

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Kyoko Morinaga
Junichi Watanabe		story

Produced by
Masato Hara	....	producer
Tsuguhiko Kadokawa	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Michiru Ohshima

Cinematography by
Hiroshi Takase

Film Editing by
Shinji Tanaka

Art Direction by
Hidetaka Ozawa

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yasukazu Sugiyama	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Fumio Hashimoto	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Akira Ono	....	lighting technician

Other crew
Yumiko Miwa	....	accountant

Production Companies

• Ace Pictures
• Kadokawa Publishing Company
• Mitsui Company Ltd.
• Nihon Shuppan Hanbai
• Toei Inc.

Distributors

• Toei Tokyo (1997) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Filmfreak Distributie (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS) (retail)
• Laurus Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• Nihon Eiga Satellite Broadcasting (2011) (Japan) (TV)
• Tai Seng Video Marketing (2001) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Shitsurakuen" - Japan (original title)
"Lost Paradise" - USA (DVD title)

Runtime:

Netherlands:119 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Certification:

South Korea:18 | Japan:R | Hong Kong:III

Company:

Ace Pictures

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Weakest link: Hitori gachi no hôsoku: Episode dated 2 September 2002" (2002)

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 Shoichiro 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.