Yo nimo kimyo na monogatari - Eiga no tokubetsuhen (2000)

Directors:

Mamoru Hosi
Masayuki Ochiai

Writers:

Tomoko Aizawa ("The Marriage Simulator")
Ryôichi Kimizuka (segment)

Release Date:

3 November 2000 (Japan)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Horror | Romance

Plot:

A four-part anthology in the spirit of The Twilight Zone, this film starts off with a group of commuters stranded at a train station in the rain...

Plot Keywords:

Anthology

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Kazuyuki Aijima	...	Manabe (segment "One Snowy Night") / Salaryman (segment "The Storyteller")
Izumi Inamori	...	Chiharu Takajo (segment "The Marriage Simulator")
Renji Ishibashi	...	Old Man (segment "Chess")
Takashi Kashiwabara	...	Yuichi Tokunagi (segment "The Marriage Simulator")
Narumi Kayashima	...	(segment "The Marriage Simulator")
Masahiro Komoto	...	Seiichi Tomoda (segment "Chess")
Ikue Masudo	...	(segment "The Marriage Simulator") (as Saya Takagi)
Akihiko Murata
Kiichi Nakai	...	(segment "Samurai Cellular")
Hideyuki Nakayama
Yukiko Okamoto	...	Kumi Kato (segment "Chess")
Megumi Okina	...	Karu (segment "Samurai Cellular")
Ren Ôsugi	...	Yoshiaki Yamauchi (segment "One Snowy Night")
Kazuma Suzuki	...	Takuro Yuki (segment "One Snowy Night")
Shinji Takeda	...	Akira Kato (segment "Chess")
Tamori	...	Storyteller (segment "The Storyteller")
Keiko Toda	...	Riku (segment "Samurai Cellular")
Akiko Yada	...	Misa Kihara (segment "One Snowy Night")
Kôji Yamamoto	...	College Student (segment "The Storyteller")
Norito Yashima	...	Man (segment "Samurai Cellular")
Isao Yatsu	...	Old Man (segment "The Storyteller")

Also Known As:

Tales of the Unusual (Japan: English title)

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese | English | French

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

South Korea:18

Movie Connections:

References Lifeboat (1944)

A pleasant surprise - despite the obligatory creepiness

"Yonimo Kimyou na Monogatari" (or however you subdivide the title) appears to be, from the cover art, another of those popular Japanese horror flicks, a la "Ringu", "Tomie", et al. Well, that's only about 25% right. Unfortunately, the creepy cover art initially led me to overlook this title, despite its comparison to one of my favourite vintage TV shows, Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone". Upon closer examination, however, I must admit the concept of "Keitai Chushingura" convinced me to purchase the DVD.

As detailed elsewhere, the movie consists of four short films tied together by a creepy guy (credited as "Tamori") in a bus station who tells stories to others stranded by a downpour. The first, "Yukiyama" is the horror entree, starring Yada Akiko ("Saimin", "Aishiteiru to Ittekure"), who does her best "Blair Witch Project" impression. Tense, a little confusing, but well done. I kept thinking of the Snow Demon in Kurosawa's "Dreams". "Keitai Chushingura" was initially my favourite, since it brought a hilarious twist to the time-honoured Bushido legend of the 47 Ronin of the Ako Clan. This time, Oishi is portrayed as a reluctant womanizing hero who has to be coerced into his historically relevant action by the promptings of a caller from 300 years in the future who's part of an "historical accuracy study" or something like that. Good stuff. "Chess" is a surreal, clever twist on the game which seems like it came right out of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". Finally "Kekkon Simulator" was a totally non-creepy, neat little romantic story featuring Inamori Izumi ("Long Vacation", "Hito Natsu no Propose", "Ashita ga Aru sa!"), which was touching without being excessively weepy. The only letdown was perhaps the final short monologue from Tamori-san, but it in no way detracted from a fine film. NOTE: As of 12/2001, I believe there are only Region 2 & 3 versions available on DVD, both of which have English subs.