Labyrinth of Dreams (1997)

Bus conductor Tomiko falls in love with driver Niitaka, even though she also suspects him of being a serial killer who killed his female conductors after tiring of them.

Director:

Gakuryû Ishii (as Sogo Ishii)

Writers:

Gakuryû Ishii (as Sogo Ishii), Kyuusaku Yumeno (novel)

Stars:

Rena Komine, Tadanobu Asano, Kotomi Kyôno

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Rena Komine	...	Tomiko Tomonari
Tadanobu Asano	...	Tatsuo Niitaka
Kotomi Kyôno	...	Chieko Yamashita
Tomoka Kurotani	...	Tsuyako Tukikawa
Kirina Mano	...	Aiko
Reiko Matsuo	...	Mineko Matsuura
Kyûsaku Shimada	...	Kuro-Tonbi no kyaku
Takeshi Ikeda	...	Tsuwaomote
Chikako Hon'ami	...	Tsuyako's mother
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wui-Sin Chong

Storyline

Tomiko is a conductor in a rural bus driven by the handsome Niitaka. Tomiko had received a letter from her best friend Tsuyako, a conductor in another bus company, just after Tsuyako was killed in a bus accident. Tsuyako wrote that she felt that her fiance and driver, Niitaka, planned to kill her. Tomiko therefore plans to take revenge on Niitaka. However Tomiko falls in love with Niitaka, even though she also suspects him of being the Tokyo bus driver serial killer, who killed his female conductors after tiring of them.

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Plot Keywords:

bus | bus conductor | train accident | suicide | raining | 

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Genres:

Mystery | Romance | Thriller

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User Reviews

Dark Romance

This rare title from art house director Gakuryu Ishii, concerning a beautiful young girl who becomes obsessed with the handsome stranger that might have murdered her friend, is a dizzying spectacle of shadows and beauty. When Tomiko reads a letter from her friend, claiming her co-worker and lover might possibly be a serial killer, she is horrified..until she sees a photo of the man, and is at once smitten. Niitaka is handsome and brooding, and when Tomiko takes over her friends job as bus conductor, she is soon working side by side with the killer. and although she tells herself she is there to avenge her friends death, she is quickly lured into a strange, platonic love affair with Niitaka.

Every frame of this film is beautiful to behold. Shot in stunning black and white, to mimic the Japanese films of the 1950's, complete with the fashions of those days, it draws the viewer into it's fantasy, dream-like World. We don't know until the end, if Niitaka is truly a murderer, and the tension builds nicely. Tomiko is so delicate and innocent, that we want her to find a happy ending. "Labyrinth of Dreams" brings us into this bizarre relationship nicely, all the way until the surprising conclusion. Apparently this title is extremely rare, but it is worth tracking down; it is something very special. Recommended to those with a genuine love of cinema and the art of film making, "Labyrinth of Dreams" is a true testament to what can be created with little money, and sheer talent and vision of a passionate film maker. This is a poetic and elegant production, containing no violence or sex; but rather innocent mystery, with a tragic romantic core. Highest recommendation!

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

15 February 1997 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Labyrinth of Dreams

Company Credits

Production Co:

KSS

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Black and White