Dolls (2002)

Director:

Takeshi Kitano

Writer:

Takeshi Kitano (written by)

Release Date:

12 October 2002 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Three stories about neverending love.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Pop Star | Blind | Doll | Bench

Awards:

2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Miho Kanno	...	Sawako
Hidetoshi Nishijima	...	Matsumoto
Tatsuya Mihashi	...	Hiro, the Boss
Chieko Matsubara	...	Ryoko, the Woman in the Park
Kyôko Fukada	...	Haruna Yamaguchi, the Pop Star
Tsutomu Takeshige	...	Nukui, the Fan
Kayoko Kishimoto	...	Haruna's Aunt
Kanji Tsuda	...	Young Hiro
Yûko Daike	...	Young Ryoko
Ren Ôsugi	...	Haruna's Manager
Shimadayu Toyotake	...	Tayu, Puppet Theater Narrator
Kiyosuke Tsuruzawa	...	Puppet Theater Shamisen Player
Minotaro Yoshida	...	Puppeteer of Umegawa the Courtesan
Yoshida	...	Puppeteer of Chubei
Shogo Shimizu	...	Matsumoto's Father

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:12 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | Hungary:16 | South Korea:15 | Hong Kong:IIB | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL | Spain:7 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Japan

Company:

Bandai Visual Company

Trivia:

This is the last Takeshi Kitano film to feature music by Joe Hisaishi. Kitano claimed that it became too expensive to hire Hisaishi for soundtracks while Hisaishi claimed that he didn't like the screenplay of the movie. Actually, they both had an argument about some pieces which weren't selected for the soundtrack, and where to put the others in the movie. They stopped working together since then.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Embrace (2007)

Soundtrack:

Feel

Poetry on celluloid

This movie has a very slow pace. But what 's wrong with that? We are used to rushing hours, appointment here, appointment there… A Dutch Minister introduced some 10 years ago a new verb in our vocabulary 'to unrush'. This word did not exist in our language. It got a lot of media attention! We only know the verb 'to rush'. I was curious about the situation in the English language. In the 'New Shorter Oxford Dictionary' I could only find the word 'unrushing' and not the verb!

It is typical of our modern society where movies (especially on television) are sometimes expressed in jolts per minute. This fabulous movie by Takeshi Kitano forces you in low gear (if you allow him of course). Let it happen. It's worth it!

The movie opens in a theater where a 'bunraku' (dolls) play is performed. The director intended to give homage to Chikamatsu, a famous Japanese bunraku-dramaturgist. The movie encompasses all seasons (beautiful nature shots) in different parts of Japan.

The costumes worn by the actors are designed by the famous designer Yohji Yamamoto.