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Reviews
Tasogare Seibei (2002)
Rich In Humanity
A very good movie. Although set in the same Mejii period Japan as "The Ballad of Narayama," it is everything that "Narayama" is not. "The Twilight Samurai" is the simple, but universal story of a quiet man's humanity, his complex sense of honor and responsibility, his deep love of family, his humility, his generosity and his genuine concern for others even those who would be his enemy. Hopefully this description does not make him sound like a saint. He is not. He is just a good man. Although not a peasant, his life is far from easy. He is a member of the lowest samurai class, reduced to selling his sword to pay for his wife's funeral and supplementing his meager retainer by building and selling wood cricket cages. His household consists of two young girls (one of whom narrates his story for us) and an elderly, senile mother who only rarely recognizes him as her son. Though she is a burden, we know that, unlike the sons in "Narayama," this man would have to die or be killed himself before he would allow his mother to be left on a mountainside to slowly starve to death. In fact, the movie's climax involves his conflicted submission to tradition and authority solely out of fear for the well being of his mother and children. Compared with most "samurai" movies, there is very little "action." However, what action there is is far more interesting and riveting than the inane yelling, screaming and face-making so common to the genre. Character development and story, supported by fine acting on the part of all members of the cast, are brought together by brilliant directing. Over a period of two hours, with not a moment wasted, we come to know this man and his people and care about what happens to them. Highly recommended
Csillagosok, katonák (1967)
Definition of Tedious
Like Varlaam, based upon the generally high critical appraisal this movie has received, I came to "The Red and the White" full of high expectations. Unlike Varlaam, I made the foolish mistake of actually purchasing the DVD before viewing. Let's see: first a group of Reds (or were they Whites?) run down a hill and shoot some Whites (or were they Reds?). Then a group of Whites run up a hill and shoot some Reds. Repeat ad nauseam. Some Reds hide in the bushes. Some Whites hide in the bushes. Repeat. A flag is raised. It is lowered and replaced by a different flag. Repeat. Some fellows are shot in their underwear. A little swimming. A few folks wave swords in the air. Flat characterizations. No resolution. If there was any propaganda in the movie, I missed it. That might have provided some interest. The following quotes from the commenters above and below who allegedly admire this movie tell the whole story: "Sure it's boring! Sure it's confusing! Sure it's stupid!" "You'd be hard-pressed to be able to identify more than one or two characters at all after it has ended." "It's hard to explain why all this should not be highly boring." "There is no plot." "With no characters to care for ..." "The whole film is just confusion." "It is very long, and can be quite tiresome." I rest my case. The DVD now sits on the "wasted money" shelf, ashamed of itself, knowing that it will linger there unloved and untouched for years. Maybe one of the admirers of this "masterpiece" would like to purchase it. It's going cheap. By the way, there are any number of far superior movies with themes centering on the violence, absurdity and loss of morality in war. Examples are "No Man's Land," "Come and See" and "Paths of Glory," the latter being the quintessence of the anti-war genre.
Narayama bushikô (1983)
Vicious, Nasty, Brutal
There are many glorious, wonderful movies celebrating the courage, honor and spirit of the Japanese peasant in the face of overwhelming adversity. This is not one of them. Where to begin. Well, at the beginning, where we are treated to the bloated body of a dead child, left by its parents to rot in a rice paddy. This is followed by multiple variations on the same theme: patricide, matricide, and further infanticide. At least two innocent children are buried alive. Daughters are raised to be sold into slavery. There is a little self-mutilation. Add in some gleeful animal cruelty - beating a horse and bestiality with a dog, the latter intended as comic relief. The "wise" old matriarch of the central family intentionally, by trickery and without a shred of remorse, causes the murder of one son's pregnant "wife." This is a masterpiece? This depravity won the Palme d'Or? And don't tell me "You just don't understand." I understand it completely. I "get" it. One commenter states "See, feel, don't judge." Are you kidding me? I saw it and I felt ashamed. I will grant that the acting job by Ken Ogata as the eldest son was terrific. His was the only character with an iota of conscience. And yes, the mountains and the snow were beautiful during the main title sequence and at the conclusion. However, they amounted to nothing more than fancy bookends for two hours of inhumanity and cruelty. No thanks. Give me Messrs. Ozu and Mizoguchi. Please.